Inle Lake

Bright and early on April 27, we headed to the airport for our flight to Heho. Only a 35 minute flight, we were told to arrive at the airport 2 hours before our scheduled departure time. The airports in Myanmar are small and like our friend Kelly told us, it all seems a bit strange but somehow everything works out! The hand written airline tickets, being identified by sticker color for your flight, the two guys you watch bring your bag to the plane, walking on the tarmac, you know, are the usual things you do to get on a plane.

Another flight

Arriving at Heho Airport

After the flight, we drove to Innlay where we had to get on a boat to reach our hotel

It was really, really hot so I had to use the umbrella to shield me from the sun (since I wasn't wearing my usual SPF85)

Arriving at the Paramount Inle Resort

We got to watch a beautiful sunset while we had dinner

Pretty colors during twilight too

The next morning we were picked up at 8am for our tour around Inle Lake. We didn't exactly know what the itinerary was except it was the "usual tour plus we would get to see a bamboo forest and some waterfalls." We were told we'd be back around 4pm.

Locals around Inle Lake

First stop, Paung Daw Oo Pagoda

Self portrait in front of the pagoda...Capt'n is getting crazy

Locals selling some fried fish

Paul looking to purchase a longyi

Click here to watch the video of Paul trying on the longyi

Traffic around the lake

Great scenery around the lake

Panoramic view of the lake

It was really pretty here - I loved the mountain ranges

I love the imagery of the fisherman and the mountains

Our second stop was a silk and lotus clothing factory.

She is collecting lotus fibers

The lotus fibers are then spun into thread

One of the many rooms where they make the silk/lotus scarves

The pattern is laid out so that the colors can be added to each thread before the scarves are made

Cotton threads

At work

The lotus plants used

Floating neighborhood

Locals floating by

Our next stop was a cigar making shop - Paul had to give it a try

These ladies roll the cigars

Concentrating

Paul is enjoying the cigar

Here are the finished products

More fishermen

Back in the lake

We stopped by another shop where we saw a "long neck lady"

Where they also made umbrellas

We passed by some kids playing and some water buffalo

This was the bamboo forest we were promised - we passed by it on our boat

Local kids checking us out

More locals

After lunch, we arrived at Shwe Inn Dain Pagoda

The Shwe Inn Dain Pagoda is home to over 1000 stupas which are being actively preserved and renovated by the department of archaeology, national museum and library.

Lots and lots of stupas

It was really hot to walk around the grounds barefoot

Paul wanted a picture of this donkey

More stupas!

Wait, there are more stupas

Our boat driver standing on the floating garden

More floating gardens

The view outside of the ngaphechaung monastery

Where we were promised a jumping cats show...here they are

After a long day, we got to watch another sunset while having dinner