Rangoon's Shwedagon Pagoda is a 'must see' for travelers to Burma. The golden pagoda, which is encrusted with a wealth of precious gems at the top of its spire (which is referred to as the "hti" or umbrella), contains 7 hairs of the Buddha, and is surrounded by 64 smaller pagodas and a variety of temples, shrines and several huge bronze bells weighing several tons housed in ornate pavilions. The pagoda is best visited at sunset, when the locals come to pray, make offerings, and enjoy a relaxing stroll on a balmy evening amid the glow of flickering candles, the shimmering chimes of countless small brass bells that adorn the pagodas and temples mixed with the melodic chants of monks and nuns, and the sweet perfume of incense and flowers placed at the base of the numerous shrines.
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