Month: December 2008

Long and difficult to pronounce names for two (more) unforgettable places.

Immediately after we returned to Yangon from Heho, we drove to Bago and than Kyaiktiyo.  Because our plane was more than an hour late, this has become a race against time, actually, a race against the sun.

From Bago, the road starts to go up and in the foothills below Kyaiktiyo (OK – let’s just call it “The Rock” for the rest of this post!) the road becomes too steep for our bus, so we have to take a truck.  This is a regular “dump” truck, with several benches installed in the back bed.  Here is the one we used to go up half way.

At the start, there was a group of school children waiting to go up, going home after school.  As soon as we boarded the truck, they all filed out and looked at us.

Some seemed to be amused,

 

others seemed upset, or even mad

After a bit of negotiations, they were allowed to come with us, and all sat in the back – happy again.  we understood later that ‘foreign tourists’ have priority and since the kids do not pay for the ride, they have to wait for an open seat.  We clearly had enough for all of them.

Continue reading “Myanmar 7 – Kyaiktiyo and Chaungtha” →

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Our third day on Inle Lake was not as fruitful in photos, not that it was less interesting, but there were fewer novelties.

We set off again on our motorized canoes from the hotel and headed towards the local ‘floating’ market. The lonely planet guide is down on this, as they are on all floating markets in all Asian countries I have discovered.  They always say that the tourist boats and souvenir sellers outnumber the authentic merchants and customers.

As we approach, we can tell we are on the right track and not the first to arrive as this lady is already making her way how with today’s purchases.

The place is actually teaming with boats, and we are the first tourists there, it seems.  We are assaulted by souvenir boats, they are three deep on both sides of us…

Once again, the people themselves are the biggest attraction for me.  Sellers and purchasers alike are of all ages and all races

As it rains, the Pago ladies are protecting their traditional headgear with modern implements – Modern Utility over Old Fashion…

We are lucky to see the place without other tourist for a while…. and it is quite busy.  I am not sure anymore why Lonely Planet was so down on this – maybe they slept late and came after every one else, when the locals had already escaped the invasion of foreigners…

Continue reading “Myanmar 6 – Still Inle Lake” →

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From Bagan, we flew back to Mandalay and than on to Heho.  Our ultimate goal were the shores of lake Inle but on the way we stopped at a small paper umbrella shop.  It was a very small place where they make essentially everything themselves, including the paper that will eventually cover the wooden frame.  It starts out as a paste that gets beaten into submission – notice the double handed action for higher efficiency…

Later the pulp is dissolved in water and spread over a frame to make a thin layer – in this case, the paper is decorated with real flower petals

After drying, and a lot of assembly, this will become one umbrella …

We drove on to Inle and the Hupin Hotel which was going to be our headquarters for three days.  Each room was a bungalow that sat on stilts right on the lake.

We had four of these in a row, and Joan, just like me, quickly learned the benefits of going onto the balcony just to look at the view and what was going on around us.  There was always something.

Another tourist group left to explore the lake – we knew it would be our turn tomorrow.

Continue reading “Myanmar 5 – Inle Lake” →

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