froginmythroat (FIMT)

From Kyaikhtiyo we went to Taunggyi by bus. 3 buses and 28.5hrs later we arrived. One stretch of the journey took us 11hrs to go about 100km. Sheesh. There’s a big army presence in this area, we passed a convoy of 21 army trucks on the way. Taunggyi is in the hills with great views, it felt like the roof of the world. There were no other tourists here. My first Myanmar power failure experience was in Taunggyi and I had to shower by candle light. We visited a friend of U Ki, who worked for the government. Afterwards his friend took us home in his company car – a military jeep.

To get the best views of the surrounding area we caught a taxi to some temples above the town. Temples always seem to occupy prime land, this was no exception. Below one of the temples was the Ruby Cave Monastery – an otherwise unspectacular cave decorated with Buddha images. I also inspected a local ice-cream making factory, and the Flying Tiger cheroot factory.

From Taunggyi it’s not far to Inle Lake. The lake is full of life. Floating gardens, floating markets, cheroot (big fat cigarettes that look like cigars) “factories”, silver smiths, umbrella makers, weavers, blacksmiths. There are many villages around the lake, floating or on stilts, with canals that look like roads:

Each village has its own characteristics, some villages have big houses while others are noticeably poorer. The weaving villages seemed to be quite rich.

There’s a rotating market that is held at different locations around the lake and surrounding area each day. It’s odd to go to the same market with the same people but different location from day to day – the faces are familiar but not the surrounds. There are lots of souvenir sellers and like all good Asian tourist hecklers they have there own sayings that everyone repeats,

“First customer sir, lucky money”

“Lucky money, no sell, no lucky money”

over and over in anticipation of a purchase. I wondered why the souvenir sellers persistently heckled the tourists, it certainly wasn’t a trait of the other vendors who sold predominately to locals.

[PICTURE NOT YET UPLOADED]

At the beautiful floating garden were children in boats who, like most Myanmar people, gave me gifts (of flowers) without expectation of anything in return. On one side of the lake are some hot springs, it was nice to escape the realities of an undemocratic country and relax in the presence of locals having fun.

You can visit some Ka-Yun (Padaung) or Long-neck people in Nguangswhe/Inle. They have a little compound and you pay $3US to see them. Exploitation? A human zoo? I thought so and didn’t go. But in hindsight, there are reasons to be less principled about the whole idea. These people may be selling themselves and their tradition but perhaps thats all they’ve got.

There are two great restaurants in Nyaung Shwe – the Three Sisters and another Indian one near the canal that leads to the lake. In the Indian restaurant I was served by a 11 year old Indian boy who had the best table service manner I have ever experienced! A must!