The surreal allure of Royal Lake Park

We dedicated an hour of our visit to Pathein to wandering around the delightfully surreal environs of Royal Lake Park.

Near the entrance were pavilions erected by various government ministries aimed at flaunting their good works to the public. In a strange way, the setup reminded me of the exhibits at Disney World’s EPCOT Center, but less rooted in reality than the dreams trapped inside Walt Disney’s cryogenically frozen head.

I was not disappointed to see that the mouldering government displays were completely ignored by visitors, and that the porticos in front of each pavilion had been commandeered by young couples snuggling and whispering behind strategically deployed umbrellas.

Other items of interest at the park included a sculpture of a battle tank made from discarded cans of insect spray; the Bay of Lovers, consisting of a decrepit boardwalk arcing toward a statue of a naked mermaid endowed with bountiful golden breasts; a waterlogged mini golf course; lakeside cabins from which emanated the banshee wail of daytime karaoke aficionados; and a whimsical graveyard of half-sunken, duck-shaped paddle boats long past their prime.

The gateway to fun for the whole family.

A signboard enumerates the pleasures that wait within.

The government displays are completely ignored by park visitors.

Golden frog: Relaxing or doing situps?

The insect-spray battle tank.

The golden mermaid.

This is how climate-change-induced sea-level rise might affect the sport of mini golf.

Pig parts for lunch by the lakeside.

Sunken ducks.

This is easily the ugliest statue of independence hero Bogyoke Aung San I’ve ever seen, sporting a pointy Ultraman-like head and a face that bears no resemblance to the man himself.