Inle Lake

---

What a wonderful day . It was a chilly morning I'd guess @12 C . Breakfast on the terrace at the hotel had everyone reaching for the thermos of coffee . The steam was rising from our eggs , our mouths and cups as well . I put on socks! and the black pants I wore leaving Canada! What a change!!!

We had booked our boat , a 15Meter long speed(?) boat , the night before for 8:30 am to 6 pm. for $40 . A bit high I think but the convenience of doing it at the hotel is worth something. Heading out on the 4 km channel to the lake was chilly indeed . My jacket and socks over my sweater and a silk scarf was a welcome addition . The journey was interesting . In some ways it was a shopping expedition but viewing the life on the lake , in the little rivers and in the villages was fascinating . The fisherman do oar their boats with their legs while standing to manage their nets (3 different kinds of nets) ,there is a fiber called lotus silk and it is quite lovely and the weavers are very skilled with it as well as with normal silk and cotton , and the women who roll the cheroots (sweet or strong) are lovely . The boat builders , silversmiths and artisans do know there trade .

For me the most fascinating were the floating gardens some of which are 100 years old . As I understand it they are weeds that have been bound together , grow together with some kind of river moss and are staked with bamboo poles .The water is about 2-3 meters deep , the beds are @2-3 M wide and 1 M deep .There is a huge area like this and they grow vegetables and flowers which are shipped all over the country. Tomatoes and squash seemed the most common but they also grow cauliflower ... amazing !

The day did warm up to shirt sleeves but the return home after a spectacular sunset on the lake was cold.

Two blogs in a row !! It has been nice to have an internet cafe with a good connection connection . They are a bit sketchy here and with dark early and no TV it's fun catching up. Time is moving quickly nearly half the trip is done . Sorry I haven't sent any photos but it isn't going to happen ...

Hope all is well with you . Do keep me posted.

---

Comments

[Shirley]

People and similarities
Hi Pam! It was chilly here in Saskabush this morning, too. MINUS 25C or so! However, with this climate erratica thing happening, it is supposed to be plus one tomorrow. Crazy days. Interesting to hear about your adventures. Makes me think that we humans are much the same everywhere--cooking fresh food with what is available, delicious beer, gardening...

[Muriel]

Hi Pam: I just googled Inle Lake and it is gorgeous and I hope you got to see the lily pads and the leg rowers( very unusual). Stay safe. M.

[R&C]

Brrr!! Hope it warms up for you.
We had a good visit with friends who used to be in the RV park with us. They came from Mazatlan yesterday. We saw them when they arrived & again today. That is our excitement for this wk. Well, maybe we will have more Sat. Some friends from SV arrive Fri. So they may drop over to check in with us. Not much else interesting. Enjoy your second 1/2 of your time away. We are now at the 1/2 way point of our winter as well. It sure goes fast. We have to start thinking of using up some of the food we brought. I guess it will happen. Take care. love,

[Donnie]

It's been cold here (Nashville - it's been 25 - 34)
We've enjoyed our time - Nashville is a beautiful city. Tomorrow we fly to Miami and start our cruise on Saturday. I thoroughly enjoy your blogs. Keep them coming!!!

[Joy]

Linda
A floating garden - how wonderful for you to see that! Love your blog entries. Linda is in palliative care at the Pasqua. Jeff & Chelsey are adamant that this is just to get a handle on her pain medications - she has a lot of pain especially in her back. She is not taking visitors for a few days as she is extremely groggy. I'm acting as a liaison with her friends. To give you an idea of how groggy she is, Jeff said last night she fell asleep while he was helping to get from her big chair into bed. I continue to be amazed at how spunky she is. What a role model! I'll keep you posted.

[JoJo]

Thanks for the virtual vacation
So nice to have a virtual vacation while sitting in the sun and drinking great coffee. Your writings are so fun to read, and I can imagine you being there. so glad everything is going well for you. Last Firday we had a real treat. Diana Krall and Niel Young all by themselves and acoustic. Neil brought two pianos and his pedal organ plus 6 guitars and numerous harmonicaS -- ONE WHICH HE THREW INTO THE AUDIENCE, BECAUSE HE PICKED IT UP BY MISTAKE AND DIDN'T WANT TO JINX THE SONG. That got a great applause from the aucience. Standing ovation when he cam on stage. Full house, too. Really, really great performance. ist time form me. Then on Saturday we had comp tickets to The Band Perry at the hockey arena. They were good. High energy. Wow. Billed as country, but i didn't see any cowboy hats, boots or slide steel guitars. Hmm. Lindsay Ell was interesting - not country either. Easton Corbin was country (two hats in the band and a steel slide guitar). He was very uninteresting. Good voice, though. Sudnay night was the German wine supper with Jon Neher playing jazz for us. Good foo and wine, fun people -- Jayne & Craig and Wendy came as well -- and once again music for our entertainment. Tonight I have a 50th birthday party for Linda Yablonski (Belly Dance with Linda). Larry has a Tai Chi event. And tomorrow we will be having Chinese supper at Lee's with the Tai Chi Society. So, lots going on. AND, more exciting --- I walked home four three days this wek, and tomorrow witll be back at dance class and Tues back at exercise class (it is now 8 weeks since the slip). Oh, almsot forgot Ingrid and I went to Lhasa Dance on Wednesday. Wow! Extraordinary. 6 dancers, 6 musicians and four vocalists. Ok, enough. Back to work. Oh -- it's lunch time. :>) Hugs -- Jo