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Published: January 29th 2006
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Inle Fisherman
These guys row with their legs. Again, this date is fabricated and we are really somewhere else. Please stay tuned as Aneta is responsible for the entry preceeding or at least chronologically before this one. Okay. So this is Inle lake and more specifically we stayed in a place named Nengshwe (sp?). This is basically the only budget option in the area as the rest of this 22 km lake is either villages on stilts or fancy schmancy resorts on stilts. But for us a nice room by the water being gently awakened by the long boats taking tourists to handcraft markets (read as sarcasmm - think chain saw at 5 am) was just fine. Actually this is supposed to be a heavily touristed area but seemed rather empty by most travel destination standards. All the locals said business is down. Which sucks since they really need tourism to survive. We spent 4 days here and could have stayed longer as it really is lovely.
One day was spent going around on a boat to see the markets and villages. In this area they are all built over the water on stilts. Kinda makes you wonder about the bathroom plumbing. Okay not ordering fish here. The next
day we rented bicycles (yes we did) and road some 12 km to a hot spring (and 12 km back) which was really like a lame 'what they thought the westerners wanted' kind of place. So we had the whole place to ourselves since they don't let us in the area with the locals and as I said before the place is dead. The road to the "Spa" was hardly a road and more resembled area under construction making my tailbone and assorted neighbors less than happy with our choice of transport. Finally the last day we went for a hike to some local villages to see "village life". I can sum this experience up with one phrase "scheduling error". we went to these villages on the same day the market was in town. So imagine you live some 3-6 hrs by foot in the hills of Burma and once every 5 days a huge market sets up in the nearest town. You just ran out of tamarind or shoe polish or even the hand made machete you cut all the trees, prepare dinner, or circumcise with, just broke. So you pack the bamboo basket on your wife's head and
Water Buffalo
They're everywhere. walk the 3-6 hrs to the village. At no point do you consider two poor innocent white folk from the U.S. of A. are at that moment walking toward your village only to find your grandmother and 7 children hanging around and bathing in the UN water well. Oooops. We did however have a nice lunch and then an even better nap on bamboo mats. I avoided using the pillow provided (go figure). Upon returning we hit the local handicraft store hard. Stay tuned, some of you scored, pray that Thai post does it's job. If you are wondering about the title of this blog then listen here. We went to a place called "Pancake Kingdom" for some regular old western comfort treats as rice soup 3 meals a day grows old. So Aneta found her new favorite indulgence which amounts to a giant crepe covered with honey and none other than sweetened condensed milk. I must admit it's mighty tasty.
So that about sums up the days in Inle. The nights we spent sampling local cuisine and toasting Myanmar beer on draft. That is the beer NOT owned by the gov't. Not bad at 40 c a mug.
We met some nice folks in Inle, Terry from Oz (the Country not Land of), Vadim from Toronto (TO baby) who actually lives in constant transit. Good luck with that. And who could forget Karl and Santana (no not Carlos Santana) our new buddies in Shanghai who never saw the gem scam coming. Sorry guys. Hopefully see you soon.
Leaving Inle involved many modes of transport and went like this. Awoke in Inle. Bkfast and ride to airport (car). Then airplane (2 hr delay) and stop in Mandalay. (Please note we also met an interesting man from Canada who works with environmental conservation in Burma. He flew from Yangon to Mandalay to Inle to Mandalay to Tachilek - we exit - to Cheung Kon (sp). Yes that is true he flew back and forth when he could have just waited for the plane to return, why you ask - Burma - the only answer we could give. One plane, one route take it or leave it.) From plane to van to Thai border. (change kyat (prononced chat) to baht - say that 10 times quick). By foot across the border. To pick-up truck transport to bus station (see picture in
Long Neck Weavers
These women get a ring for every year or so. It's not so fashionable any more but Aneta said she really was considering it. Yangon entry) to Bus. Arrive in Chang Rai Thailand. 9 hours - not bad. Ugh. Quick stop in Chang Rai and on to Laos. Which you'll have to read about next time. Same bat channel, uncertain bat time. Adios and Minglaba to you too.
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Stephanie
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And more from the traveling duo
First, Sloan would like a water buffalo for her birthday-psyke. Also, this Sunday...GO STEELERS!!!! (like you care). Looks incredible. Miss you.