Inle Inn Hotel Inle Lake

... dress on and the rings around their necks). I was able to hold the first set of rings which is very long and very heavy. As they get older, they add more. I can't even imagine the discomfort. Two ladies are making cotton fabric. It takes 4 days to make a scarf. I ended up buying a very nice merlot shirt with and black embroidery for $5. They had a hard time finding one that would fit around me! We are near a floating market, so some ladies are trying to ...

After long hesitation I decided to skip Bago and headed directly to the north, along with Belgian and Dutch co-travelers, I got to know in Yangon. Bus trip from Yangon to Kalaw took around 15 hours. Initially the journey was very smooth, however, as approaching the north, the road got much worse, many sharp corners and humps. Also after the sunset it got much colder in the bus. Locals were putting on winter jackets and hats. The ...

... 5pm. I asked what they would do to compensate us since we were losing a lot of our time there. They weren't really willing to do much, but before we went through security said they would have dinner ready for us when we got to Yangon. Our direct flight turned into a flight to a beach town, then to Yangon, then to Bagan. Talk about flying all over the country! (turns out on the flight from Yangon to Bagan, we were 3 of 5- probably why the original was cancelled).

... looked really young. When you start school in Myranmar, you start in first grade. So if you are 8 years old when you start, you still start in first grade. It is an interesting concept and it doesn't seem to both any of the students because that is the norm. Jessica, Pavla, and I went ahead of Danielle and Warren since Warren was having some difficulty with the long walk. He is 64 years old and Danielle is 65, so I was impressed they did as well as they did. We ended up at ...

... various token gifts. Ben and Richard had brought pencils and sweets to hand out. At one point, it became a free for all, as they mobbed around Ben. The smart kids would hide their gifts and ask for more. Ben was overwhelmed and didn't notice, later we pointed out how some kids had come away with 3 or more gifts and others with none. I thought it was a good lesson on the fairness of life, the others didn't see it that way ...

... stilt villages built right on/over the lake, eighty more Shan style villages ringing the lake, and some 200,000 people all living on and off this big, blue, placid mirror reflecting the mountains that surround it. Most of the lake dwellers are from the Intha ethnic group whose origins remain mysterious. For Jeff who grew up fascinated by the boating life it seemed like some sort of childhood dream where you paddle your dugout canoe home from school with all your best ...

... rastiin, 5 dollarin huimaavaan henkilohintaan. Kaytiin tarkastamassa Thandaung:n vuoristolaismarkkinat (porukka kavelee kolme tuntia vuorilta laaksoon ostamaan polttopuita!), Phaung Daw Oo Paya (jarven pyhin temppeli kultaisine Budha-patsaineen), "Hyppivan kissan" luostari, Jarviseppa seka lopuksi Indein tajunnarajayttava 1042:n Stupan kukkula(suurimmasta osasta olivat Englantilaiset arkeologit varastaneet Budhapatsaat..). Inlen ymparisto ...

... in the distance that rest above the water on poles driven into the lake bed. We finally arrive at Nyaungshwe and I say thanks and goodbye to Paye. The next morning I make a trip to the local market for some last-minute gift-shopping, before heading to the airport. I am deeply saddened at having to leave this country. But this, the last stop on my travels of the last 4 months, was just amazing and I will be back to Myanmar, of this I'm sure.

Todays an early rising at 5.00am to catch the bus to Nyaungshwe on Inle Lake as it leaves Mandalay at 6.00am. I arrived at the bus station with plenty of time to spare when it was still dark. Several people already there waiting to board the ramshackle Chinese bus which looked as if it has seen better days. A couple of monks were hovering around people the passengers waiting to be given alms to buy their breakfast. At first I tried to ignore them hoping they would move on to someone ...

... native home. During preparation, Debbie curled into a ball and tried to gather her remaining resources for the trials ahead. It was a real education to observe the local domestic routines. The home was three rooms with bamboo and woven palm frond panel walls and wood plank floors. It was all on a second storey level supported by stout poles. There was no furniture to speak of. The rear room was for cooking and family eating, though as ...