Paradise Inle Lake

... that had both lotus and silk threads. The looms look very difficult to operate and have 4 pedals to operate, plus they constantly have to change the thread to create patterns. Chan Chan's mother-in-law is one of the women who works on a loom. There are not set hours, women are paid by the meter. So, the faster you work, the more you get paid. I would not make very much money at all. In order to create a pattern like the traditional Sun of the Lake, the silk is dyed ...

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 ...

... We found some temples that were 400 years old. There was a gentleman who seemed to be paying for the renovations of some of the temples. He came out and generously talked to us showing us around and telling us more about the temples. Then we walked across the street to a monastery. The monk boys came running to their windows to look and one showed us a around. It was entertaining though because we would turn around and there would be a bunch of monks. Then ...

... bottom of the trek about an hour or so in front of them. It was about 2:30 in the afternoon, I think. We waited for them of course, enjoying the shade and some snacks. After they made it to the bottom we let them rest of a little while and then we all got in a motor boat and headed down the river to Inle Lake. It took about an hour on the riverboat, going through villages. We dropped Warren and Danielle off at their guesthouse and then continued across the lake to where we were staying.

Kalaw We arrived in the mountain town of Kalaw around 2:30 in the morning. Luckily, there were many guest houses within walking distance so we crashed into the cheapest one we could find to sleep. It was a real dismal room with no furniture other than the two beds to sleep on. Surprisingly, the hotel manager was surprised when we up and left, but promised to book a trek through them, they were more shocked when we did just ...

"This is Burma and it will be quite unlike any land you know about..." - Rudyard Kipling Wow - Myanmar. What a country. It's the type of place in which the associated Lonely Planet is peppered with phrases like "travel in this region is permitted but actively discouraged due to continuing hill tribe insurgencies" or "two intrepid travelers report that they explored this region by motorbike and were impressed by its beauty" or "this region is one of the least visited on ...

... joka juoksi jatkuvasti(n. tunnin verran) kilpaa suoraa huutoa huutaen aivan omissa maailmoissaan. Vekarat olivat ehka saavuttaneet jo kunnioitettavan 10 vuoden ian ja taisivat olla pysyvassa yovuorossa (Todennakoisesti spiideissa joogaavaa lapsityovoimaa..). "Joyride" saapui Yangoonin bussiasemalle n. klo 6:00 aamulla jonka jalkeen napattiin kapsakit selkaan ja otettiin maaranpaaksi jo tutuksi tullut Mahabandoola... "Vi tackar livet!" -I-

... The best part of Inle Lake, though, had to be staying at the Aquarius Inn. Every time I walked into the complex they would come to the kitchen door to greet me. They anticipated and accommodated my every need, often times before I realized what I needed. When I left for the bus to Bagan at 5:30 in the morning they even packed me a boxed breakfast and stayed awake to wait with me for the taxi and to send me on my way. Just lovely.

... the lamp, the rabied little bear's eyes would light up red. Still, not bad for just 7 dollars one would think, until you meet Croatian gorgeous Danijela, who's staying in a spacious and light room at the same hotel with a full 3 windows and is paying the mere sum of 6 dollars. So much for my haggling skills (and no more falling for a boss lady who starts by compliments you on your "L ovely teeth"). Markets are highly photogenic events ...

... fields and topping them with earth. The area is renowned for fine tomatoes. We saw several boats harvesting water plants from the bottom and, laden to the gunwales with vegetation, heading for the fields with the compost material. The fisherman will casually demonstrate their unique traditional method of "leg-rowing" for passing tourists. Perched on the tiny flat platform at the end of their shallow dugouts, they free both hands for ...