A few pagodas on Inle Lake

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Even though we were all pretty templed out at this stage, we loved the stupa garden in one of the villages. The pagodas date back several hundred years and are generally in pretty good shape, although many have recently been restored to a pristine characterless white or gold. Others are slowly losing the battle with nature, although the local caretakers are fighting on their side.

One of the caretakers we met had been doing the job since before anyone I know was born! At 90, he's still looking good and seems pretty sharp, although I don't think he'll be helping the stupas much against nature.

The shame here is that many of the stupas have been restored and the dirt and grass has been cemented. Great for people using the stupas in the wet season for their intended purpose, but a crying shame for us tourists who want to see timeless overgrown ruins from an Indiana Jones movie with a bit of a spiritual feeling about them.

Continued from A boat trip on Inle Lake

Related entries: Inle for tourists, People at the market, Living on the lake

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Photos

Pagoda garden
A long tail boat motors past a garden where pagodas grow

Buddha
A Buddha peeps out of a ruined pagoda - one of the few that haven't been restored

High IJI pagoda
Peter rated the pagodas as "high", "medium", or "low" on his Indiana Jones Idex rating system

Study in contrasts
Someone scored Buddha points by clearing the vegetation off one pagoda, painting it white, and covering the ground with cement. Pity.

Conversation
Marion somehow managed a short phrase-book conversation with this 90 year old deaf guy who seemed to be the local caretaker