Inle Lake, Myanmar

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January 3, 2007 (Happy New Year !)

We are in a town called Nyaung Shwe, just north of Inle Lake.

Inle Lake is a vacation spot for the Burmese and there are some expensive resorts in the middle of the lake.

We found all tourist items (food, water, snacks) being the most expensive in all of Burma.

As we are coming towards the end of our Burma trip, we just want to relax and do little.

We met a Burmese guide, bringing a French group around on his tour. His name is Moe Moe and speaks good English and excellent French (according to our French friend Sonia). Moe Moe told us he learned French for 10 months, 2 hours a day, 5 days a week. Sonia is very impressed with his French (and with a french accent too !!! said Sonia). We went out for dinner together and Moe Moe even paid for dinner !!!

We casually asked Moe Moe how much it would cost if we join his tour. He quoted US$280 each for a 17 day tour, in a 4 person group. It includes transportation, accommodation (at hotels better than the ones we stayed in) and guide fees. All we have to add on is admission fees and food. This is an excellent price, for a hassle free vacation in Burma.

On January 4, we hired a boat to tour Inle Lake. Susan, Cheryl. Sonia, Gary and Phyllis (still travelling together) all went together. The boat went through nice mangroves and a floating garden. We saw the famous boat rowers who row with their leg. We visited a pagoda, the Indein stupas and a Monastery whose monks trained cats to jump loops. It was a wonderful and relaxing day on the lake.

We decided not to take the Burma guidebooks with us and mailed them to the young Chinese Burmese man in Kyaukme. We had a difficult time trying to buy wrapping paper for the books. Finally, the post office gave us some scraps. We needed tapes and a store owner wrapped the package for us for free. The postage of the books (about 2 pounds in weight) costs 200 kyats, equating to less than US 20 cents. In Canada, we cannot mailed a post card for twice that amount.

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Photos

2007-01-03 10-39-48
A canal runs through the town of Nyaung Shwe.

2007-01-03 13-19-57
Nice and relaxing lounge area just right outside our room. Unfortunately, other guests won't stop talking at night when we want to sleep.

2007-01-04 07-16-21
I think only monks get donations in the morning, but not nuns.

2007-01-04 08-21-10
Going on a boat tour of Inlay Lake on the 3rd day. Very foggy morning. Cold too.

2007-01-04 09-35-44
First we visited a floating market. A tourist is surrounded by vendors.

2007-01-04 09-45-21
A vendor selling/making papaya salad to other vendors. His son does the delivery.

2007-01-04 10-07-46
Whoopee!! The Sun came out and the sky is clear.

2007-01-04 10-22-01
Today (Jan 4) is Independence's Day of Myanmar. Lots of locals enjoying their holiday.

2007-01-04 11-12-00
These trees are very common in Myanmar. They make a great shade tree.

2007-01-04 11-30-51
Reaching "In Dein"

2007-01-04 11-50-51
"In Dein" is famous for high concentration of pagoda ruins.