Idealic Inle Lake

After meeting up with the group we boarded a domestic puddle-jumper North to the Shan State, specifically the beautiful Inle Lake. Following a wonderful lunch we hopped on bikes and cranked out a few miles through the heavily tended agricultural land down to the lake. Leaving the bikes we boarded long boats and motored for a gorgeous sunset to the Aurem Palace, our hotel for three nights while we explored the lake culture. During the few packed days we had in the area we enjoyed a very nice bike around the north half of the lake, got to visit one of the larger buddhist monasteries and nunneries in the area, enjoyed seeing the local artistries including silk & lotus weaving, boat making, paper & umbrella production; we visited a schoolhouse, viewed the art of leg rowing, joined in  for a housewarming for two homes B&R have donated to a local village, and even partook in a longboat race. Traveling by boat from place to place was a wonderful calming way-of-travel over what was a definitely action packed few days.

Finally on the ground and on the bike, rolling through beautiful countrysides in Burma

Neighborhood ladies help each other out and tend each others fields

Some beautiful faces in this beautiful place

Picturesque scenery around every bend

It is certainly the land of Buddhist monuments

We've arrived at the lake and are escorted by our B&R boats

Mom is very content to be on the water

Our means of transportation is the main means of transport on the lake

We cruised South down the lake as the sky changed colors

And arrived at our hotel under this gorgeous sky

Back out on the water, headed across lake to jump on the bikes

We were treated to this local fisherman setting his net with his hands, and rowing the boat in the traditional way with his leg

Back on the bikes for day two

On this ride we ran into a handful of schoolchildren on their way to school

One of the older boys in the village we stopped at checking out a communal shrine

In the village there were ladies making all types of soy 'crackers' & treats – mostly involving boiling oil

A view back at the lake out of the main monastery 

A serene scene outside the monastery

Heading back out of town after a nice lunch

Another beautiful sunset from our hotel on Inle Lake

At one of the many decadent dinners this elaborate & frozen display was Kristin's dessert

Back on the lake, the local men retrieve seaweed off the bottom to fertilize their floating gardens 

At only a few feet deep, they pole around and gather up the 'fertilizer'

A long boat well along in production at one of the few boat building operations – watch out for all that lacquer, it will get you worse than poison oak

Beams for the boats are cut by hand from teak tree

Pegging together a much smaller more traditional fishing boat

Buddhist monk prays at the house blessing ceremony for the B&R donated homes

All neighbors join in to celebrate the blessing of the house, and show respect to the monks

More chanting at the ceremony

And more amazing faces among the neighbors

Down lake we visit a silk and lotus weaving operation 

Lotus plant is pulled apart and joined to become thread

And eventually woven on hand looms

The children for all the ladies weaving is just across a gangplank next door

Starting at grade 1 kids are there throughout elementary school

Some more beautiful faces

And friendly ones too

Another picture perfect sun drops over the lake

Tomato,a main vegetable grown in the floating gardens around the lake, is brought to town to be sold

Fishing is another staple of the area – again, the traditional leg rowing shown here

Our final visit on the way out of town was to this nunnery – here nuns of various age chant for us

And show us around the nunnery