Jan 11-13 Nyaungshwe, Inle Lake
Wake-up calls at 4am are
simply awful. But as we survived that we wait punctually at 4.30 am
for our pick-up that brings us in a 10+ hour bus ride to Inle Lake.
Except the bus didn't come until about 5.45 am, and it is
freeeeeeeezing. The bus is not any better. Our luggage is loaded on
the rooftop and Mag and I squeeze into seats that are too small for
us and way to close to fit our long legs comfortably. Udo elected to
fly there, so we meet him again in Inle Lake. Not only that, the bus
is filled to the brim, with makeshift seats in the aisle and people
and luggage everywhere. Stops involve dingy roadside restaurant
(after my recent food-hiatus I don't dare to indulge there) and women
who can carry an immense amount of stuff on their heads. That
requires rewards and I invest in some homemade potato chips. Delish.
Roads are bumpy. This
will be a tough ride. A few hours are through villages, more villages
on bumpy and ever bumpier roads until we get to the hills to make the
climb up to Inle Lake. Bumpy roads are bad enough but bumpy mountain
roads are worse, and all that in a bus in very bad shape. Let's just
say when we get to the junction where they throw us off to switch to
a Taxi to Inle we are knackered. Mag and I share a cab with two
french ladies (2000K each) to our accommodation in Inle, with
stopping at the entrance gate where every foreigner needs to cough up
USD 5 to support the govern... eeeeh Inle Lake.
We are staying at the
wonderful Queens Inn. The best place in the trip. We are lucky and
got a room in the new building - since Udo has been here for hours
and secured that for us ;-). The best here is Mama Susu, one of the
owners. She is a true Mama to everyone. Helpful in arranging
everything you need and just soooo nice. And chatty. Gotta love that!
And the foooooood. The foooood. After having sampled it the first
night I can't get myself to eat anywhere else in Nyaungshwe. When you
found a place where you love the food, why stray away. The Avocado
salad is so amazing I keep having it night after night after night.
How can it not be great. The Avocado, tomatoes and herbs are from
right here. Some even grown in the floating gardens on Inle Lake.
Udo also booked us on a
boat tour over Inle Lake for tomorrow, sharing with a Spanish couple
that has been traveling the world for 11 months now. You can just
imagine the stories they have to share. I could listen to Blanca and
Enrique talk forever.
Meeting other people is
greatly facilitated by the communal table at Queens Inn. Another
thing I love here. Meeting people from everywhere with varied
backgrounds and stories. The fact that it's freeeeeeezing at Inle is
just a minor hiccup in the perfectness of it all.
All wrapped up in many
layers of clothes we start our full day boat tour (only 4000K each)
early morning to see as many things as possible in a day. Before the
sun comes up it is so chilly and we have a long way to go till the
south side of the lake, where the market is being held today. The
market is being held in a different spot every day of the week and of
course we don't want to miss that.
On the way we get the
first glimpse of the famous fishermen that row their boats with their
legs in order to have both hands free to catch fish. Some of them
seem to be better at it than others. While some leg-rowers are
painfully slow others whisk through the water. It's nice watching
them, since I've never seen anything like it before and as far as I
know there's nothing like it anywhere else.
Past houses on stilts and
people living their daily life on the water we get to the market
where there's everything for locals (fruits, veggies, food, herbs,
spices) and tourists (stuff).
Walking up the many, many
steps barefoot to the Pagoda to enjoy the view and the many stupas,
returning through the market and continue on the boat. The first
sunrays make their way through and it's slowly getting warmer.
Finally.
To warm up even more we
swim by a Rice Whiskey Maker. They explain the whole process and we
get a taste. All that without any obligation to buy something, how
refreshing.
Their bathroom is over a
hole over the lake, right opposite the pig's pen. So peeing while
watching fishes swim underneath you and hearing pigs grunt, that's a
first even for me.
Lunch, another temple,
another famous Pagoda (descriptions are getting shorter, you can see
where this is going). The last Pagodas there was also a camera fee to
be paid, which we all decided not to pay, since, yes, they all look
similar, hence the visits are even shorter with no posing and
triggerhappy companions.
The most fascinating
though is just going by the houses and watch the people. How they go
about their everyday life on the water. Kids playing, swimming, women
bathing, washing clothes, old people watching us, people paddling by
on their way to and from work. So peaceful and everyone appears happy
and content – think about it have you ever seen that in the Western
world? A village full of happy, content people? And the kids, omg,
the kids. They are absolutely gorgeous. Healthy, plump and with the
cutest smile in the world, just heart opening.
At the Silversmith Mag is
getting a stunning bracelet and we get to watch the whole process of
silver being formed into something beautiful.
After the last Pagoda a
Volleyball Match is going on. Very much like home, people are
cheering for the different teams and women around are selling
peanuts. Hehe, wonder where they did that first, I guess here.
Slowly gliding through
the Floating Gardens I am no longer surprised why salads are just so
good here. It all looks yummy and so gorgeous growing right on the
lake. Amazing how they manage that.
Before sunset we pass by
the Jumping Cat Monastery. What's special about it.... hmmm,
apparently cats jump, but don't they do that anyway? But since it's a
'must-see' we see it. The view of the Gardens is nice, reeds
everywhere, but the cats... I don't get it. Neither do all the other
people there.
Riding through the sunset
back, let's speed up it's freeeeeezing again the second the sun goes
down. The evening is spent talking at the communal table. How nice
that is. Tomorrow is Mag's last day since she is flying home a few
days before us. Udo has decided to fly to Ngapali Beach, which I
won't do (just too expensive) and go to Bago instead so it's
splitsville soon.
Relax in the morning
sunshine, sort everything out for onward travel and to see Mag off
just right a Burmese Massage for farewell. And what a nice massage it
is. It's more like a twitching than a massaging, but it sure does
feel good. When they start walking on me, I am surprised at how well
it feels. I do enjoy the Burmese Massage more than I generally enjoy
Thai Massages. It feels more like relaxation and making you feel
healthier and better at the same time. During Thai Massage I can't
fully relax, some are even a bit painful. For 5 USD per hour they
should have more Burmese massage places around.
Mag leaves way too
quickly but we'll see her again in a few days on my stopover in
Bangkok. Farewells are made easier if you already have a get back
together date.
I do explore Nyaungshwe a
bit, find the post-office. The price for stamps out of the country
has increased significantly from 30K per postcard to 500K. The
government found a new easy source of income and I am saddened to
learn I can't send wishes for almost free.
Since it is chilly at
Inle Lake a visit to the local Hot Springs sounds like a fantastic
idea. Going after the descriptions I picture a scenic rock formation
with water pools in between them. Can't wait. And now imagine my
surprise when the four of us (Udo, I and a lovely Polish couple we
met at Queen's Inn) find this.....
This is not scenic at
all. These are hot springs commercialized. Yes, some scenery and it's
nicely done but way too westernized for my taste. And the prizes, 8
USD, were western indeed. But since we are already here we might as
well make the most out of it and chat and soak for hours, or let's
say until the very early sunset. Bumpy Tuk Tuk truck ride back and
more chatting at the communal table in Queens Inn.
The people you meet in
Myanmar are mostly extremely interesting. Some have traveled
extensively, many are on months or year long trips, others are
adventurers. A German has been hiking in the North of Myanmar for
weeks and has done the same in many other remote areas of the world.
His stories are one of a kind and let's be honest, while I salute him
for doing it, I am quite glad it's not me climbing from 40°C to
snow-capped mountaintops, sleeping on hillsides, wading through
rivers and the like. I however, do not get tired of hearing
interesting travel stories, especially over my fave Avocado Salad and
Myanmar Beer. Keep 'em comin'
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