Photographic Meanderings/Myanmar and Vietnam

After breakfast, we board Air Bagan flight W9 201 for Heho, then a one hour coach ride to the gateway village of Nyaung shwe, stopping along the way at Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery . This teak monastery is home to a collection of older monks and novices who were seen having fun as boys during our visit. I elected to not enter this site, but share the following:

After lunch we board private motorized sampans for the trip to our lakeside hotel. Along the way, we run into traditional leg rowing fishermen and gatherers of water hyacinth used, with mud,  to build floating gardens.

Leg rowing is practiced only by the men.

Slapping the water is intended to drive fish into the net.

This gentleman – no fish in his boat, and torn netting on his trap – only posed for us tourists.

Preparing a net.

Water hyacinth is harvested from the bottom to build floating gardens.

Laundry day on Inle Lake.

The structure on right may house a water tank.

Inle Lake “drive” through food mart.

Might this house have TV addicted children?

Some of these homes on stilts are occupied only between the rainy seasons. This afternoon, we travel the small water lanes by local boats to see more of the unique culture of this place.

The locals are very friendly.

The locals are very friendly.

Gardens have no boundary markers; every farmer knows his garden’s limits.

Water lanes between rows of poles anchoring floating water hyacinth and mud to the lake’s bottom.

Techy monks on tour.

Going to shop?

Inviting us to shop.