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About Pyin Oo Lwin Myanmar's City of Flowers
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A town of national importanceToday, Pyin Oo Lwin is particularly noted for four centres of national economic importance. It is the centre of sericulture (silkworm rearing). The Sericulture Research Centre, near the Kandawgyi National Gardens, conducts three distinct roles: the intensive planting and harvesting of mulberry trees (leaves for the silk worms, bark for hand made paper), the rearing of the actual silk worms, and the reeling of the silk from the cocoons. It has a large research centre for indigenous medicinal plants. And it has one of the country's few pharmaceutical production facilities. In addition, Pyin Oo Lwin is the centre of the country's principal flower and vegetable production. The most important flowers grown intensively are chrysanthemum, aster and gladiolus, which are exported to every corner of Myanmar throughout the year. Lastly, Pyin Oo Lwin is the centre of Myanmar's rapidly growing coffee industry. A number of factories in the town process coffee beans for country-wide distribution, with a growing amount now prepared for export.
Wherever you go in Pyin Oo Lwin, the natural beauty of this edge of the Shan Plateau is around you. Trees, blossom, flower and fruit farms, stunning landscapes, wide vistas and narrow hidden charms - all surround the visitor without effort. Birds and butterflies dart in and out of the flowering shrubs and bushes along the roads. The bustling markets overflow with vegetable and orchard produce. And everywhere you are in the company of hard working farmers, traders and merchants - many of whom will be happy to practise their English language skills with you, or to teach you a phrase or two of Myanmar or Shan. For the ultimate horticultural enjoyment, visitors all need to visit the Kandawgyi National Gardens. This beautifully created garden is unique. A four acre orchid garden is planned here for 2007.
Visitors to Pyin Oo Lwin, and to the rest of Myanmar, need to prepare themselves before their visit if they wish to stay in close communication with friends and relatives abroad. Telephone charges are high (between $5 - $10 a minute for some overseas destinations), and public (ie from main post offices) international fax services are available only in Mandalay and Yangon. Major hotels in Pyin Oo Lwin do have fax services, however. Currently, most overseas email services (eg hotmail) cannot be accessed for receiving emails, although gmail can normally be used. Visitors would be well advised to set up a gmail account before departure and have their mail redirected, if they need to keep in touch. There are a few internet facilities in Pyin Oo Lwin. AnT and Shwe Tay in the centre of town offer broadband email and internet (see Where to Shop). English House can offer post-restante email facilities. Please visit the Pyin Oo Lwin Guestbook to record your comments
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