Inle Lake

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Off to Inle Lake today with T2. 1 1/2hr drive through beautiful lush country side, cows, bullocks, horse and carts, people tilling fields with a bullock and stick as Mick put it. 13500 Kyat per foreigner to get into Inle Valley through Rice paddies, which grow in summer and breed ducks for their eggs in winter. Arrived at the Emperial Inle Hotel, very nice and traditional walking distance from the river where most transport occurs.

Picked up 1/2 hr later and left by boat on the Lake for the Inle Heritage Restaurant, T2 took us to the east of Inle Lake and tomorrow we are going west, Huge lake surrounded by mountains just incredible scenery. Lunch at Inle Heritage just magnificent and all proceeds go back to the community.

Lotus stem 4000 for a scarf, the lady demonstrated how she gets the thread from the lotus stem then on a wet slab of wood rolls together to make it longer, pretty amazing, boil 3 hrs for colour, dyes made from bark, mango's and vegetables. Bought a scarf made from lotus thread and silk, dyed from mango. We both bought shirts made from cotton then back into the boat and off again to a Fishermans cottage, wife home during the day so mixes up different cigar flavours and she showed us how she made them, Mick bought 10 cheroots, wanted a box after we tried them, but we would not have got them back into Australia. Mick then showed them how he rolls a cigarette which had them very interested, never seen someone do that before.

Off to the Temple of Five Buddhas and I found amazing scarves made through tatting very fine work and for 65,000 Kyat I do not think I would get them at home or they would cost a lot more. The Temple of Five Buddhas was crowded and the donations boxes were full incredible what people give and if they cannot afford money they give their time in volunteering doing jobs of all sorts around the Temple. 1 hr boat ride back to our Hotel. Found a money change and beer and went up to the 6 th floor to have a drink and cig, very civilised one floor up from our room open area with a 360o view of the Inle Valley truly incredible. Had tea at a restaurant T2 recommended and then sat up at the outside roof area watching a storm brewing over the valley. The end of another incredible day.

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Photos

Inle Valley
Looking over the Valley from the roof top of the Hotel

Long Boat Ride
Mick pretty relaxed we had chairs with life jackets to sit on, worked well for us.

Getting the thread from the Lotus Stem
4000 stems to make one scarf!

Thread from the Lotus Stem
Clever who ever thought of doing this!

Weaving the Lotus and Silk
Everything done manually and it was really good watching the weaving of the Lotus and Silk, very skilfully done by the workers.

Making Cheroots
Keeps the woman busy while hubby is away fishing which is usually 6am - 6pm, sometimes stays out overnight.

T2 with the Fishing net used
They find the fish when they see bubbles on top of the water, lay the net over the area then hit the top to scare the fish into the net, they then bring them home alive and put into a tank outside the house, ready for when they want a meal.

Fishermans Cottage
One bedroom for the whole family to sleep.

The Kitchen in the Fishermans Cottage
The lady showing us through her home was very proud of her cottage and we were grateful for her willingness to do this.

Roof top view of Inle Valley
Beautiful Valley and the scenery was great from the roof top of The Hotel Emperor-Inle

Sunset on a great day
First sunset of many during our travels.