It was 06:00. I awoke to the sound of engines The longboats were already at work. From our bedroom balcony which overlooked the canal, I could see boats ferrying people and their provisions down the canal to Lake Inle.
A view from our balcony
A few tourist boats were returning having observed sunrise over the Lake and a single balloon floated in the sky.
After breakfast, we went to the jetty and hired a boat. What one books is the entire boat - it can fit up to 4 people. We were provided with life jackets but I saw many tourist in boats without life jackets.
We set off c.10:00. This as it turned out was an excellent departure time as we sailed down the canal, there wasn’t a tourist boat to be seen. It took c.45 minutes to reach the lake. En route we passed the fishermen planting their cages.
These boys I think wouldn’t know how to fish!!!
The latter was dredging the Lake. There is a lot of algae in the lake, which appears to be chocking it.
We passed the Buddha. I assume he’s here to guard the boats.
Numerous settlements dotted the lake.
We docked at a Lotus Weaving Workshop. Lotos is more expensive than silk. It is understandable when one observes the labour involved in taking the strands from the lotus bark
The lotus flower grows more abundantly during the wet season.
It is eventually woven by a simple weaving apparatus into the above.
A longy - a type of ‘long skirt’ worn by men, women and children, made of lotus, can take two days to produce.
We next visited Phaung Daw Oo Paya; the holiest religious site in south Shan province.
Five Buddha images have been transformed into mere blobs by the sheer weight of gold leaf applied by devotees!! One could not distinguish in which direction the Buddhas were facing.
We proceeded to:
Another promotion but in fairness, the vendors were not pushy. This weaving centre is unique in that it has a reputation for the ‘ladies of the long necks’ a tradition of the weavers wearing a succession of gold band completely covering the neck.
We sailed through the Floating Gardens
where Intha farmers grow fruit, vegetables and flowers on wooden trellises
supported by floating vegetation.
From there we sailed to Nga Hpe Kyaung, known as the Jumping Cat Monastery. In the past the monks trained cats to jump through hoops when they weren’t praying. The only cats I saw were lying on a prayer mat -asleep!!
The monastery is situated in the lake but has a pedestrian bridge to the mainland.
On our return, we passed the bird sanctuary
Later, another species stood all alone on the lake
The fishermen were still hard at work as we sailed home
Locals were making their way back home having contributed to dredging the lake.
The jetty came into view as did our hotel - Thousand Island Hotel (Best Western)
It’s the high building on the left. Our room faces the canal. After we docked,
we returned the the hotel, opened the doors and stepped out on the balcony to admire the evening - I know not another you may say - but this is definitely the last!!
A truly great day on the lake.
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