I am shocked. Shocked, I say! The Mandalay Resort and Casino of Corrales vs. Castillo II looks NOTHING like the ancient capital of Myanmar! Who knew Las Vegas was so … artificial?
The REAL Mandalay, now THAT I like. More bustling than Yangon, there’s an exotic, spirited vibe to the place. More shops, more people scooting around, more adventure travelers, more moats.
That’s right. The city center is dominated by an ancient palace that’s surrounded by a perfectly square moat that’s maybe a kilometer long and 50 meters wide each side. It’s tranquil, tidy and apparently still as effective today as it was centuries ago at keeping out invading hordes of souvenir vendors.
The palace grounds are expansive, leafy, and for some reason remind me of Veterans golf course. The palace itself is wide, intricately designed and very well preserved. Actually, there are dozens of palace structures within the complex, with each new king/queen getting his/her own space. Living large indeed.
Overlooking the city is this one big hill – named Mandalay Hill; of course it is – that bears several golden temples and a huge hilltop observation deck. Our hosts time our arrival for a spectacular sunset viewing (we have to take off our shoes and socks again at the place, and while I’m able to keep up with the group this time, three long and cold escalators leave a strange tingly feeling on my bare feet). We stay outside until the sun lazily disappears beyond the horizon.
The whole experience simply leaves me relaxed, re-energized, and ready to hit the blackjack table.
Oh wait, wrong Mandalay.
PLACE KINDA REMINDS ME OF: You know how people are always saying that if only Los Baños had a ancient palace, a perfectly square kilometer long moat and golden pagodas, it would look just like Mandalay? Well, I agree.
Royal Palace Bouncer
Fantastic woodwork on the palace roof. Apparently every King got to choose his own design. This one apparently went with "ornate".
You'd never guess it, but this apparently home to the world's biggest book. Each mini-temple houses one large stone page (so if you ever order a copy on Amazon, make sure the costs includes shipping)
The glass tile entrance leading to . . .
. . . the Golden Buddha!!! (oooooooooooo!)
Tapestry workshop where I commit the ROOKIE MISTAKE of buying souvenirs too soon. Literally two minutes after I buy a nice purse for the LLDDL, the owner of the place gives them away FREE to the rest of the delegation. I might as well have "D'oh!" tapestried on my forehead.
Top of Mandalay Hill. Nice tourist attraction with great views of the city and the palace grounds below. We're treated like real VIP's here, complete with our own cordoned-off viewing area, deck chairs, binoculars, and fruity drinks. Other tourists stare at us. So I say: "We the PhilDel! This how we roll!" (in a diplomatic way, of course)
still chilling at the top of the hill, trying to look cool
The LLDD contemplates the future of ASEAN
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