Myanmar- Day 5 Continuation (Inle)

January 30, 2014

After going around the market, we proceeded for lunch. The guide/boatman brought us to a floating restaurant where you can view the incoming traffic. While waiting for the food, we realized that the place was strategically placed to see all the boats passing by. I can see that at that time at around 11 in the morning, almost all tourist passed to go to the silk village and the market. So we were ahead than most of the tourists. It's a good thing since we didn't need to be in a crowd and we were able to enjoy the places we visited without  a lot of people. Lunch was good and not cheap but not expensive too. It was also good that the boatmen were provided food. I guess its a part of the package that if they will bring people then they are also feed unlike in Bali where we had to buy food for our driver and guide.

The view from the restaurant where we had lunch. It was near the market that we previously visited.

Some tourist going back. They just probably book for a half day tour.

The village in front of the restaurant. They make silverware too. The boats are those that are bringing in the tourist for some shopping.

Boats coming at the same time.

After lunch, the guide took us to see a sapphire factory, the place where they make tobaccos and boats and a house with women who had neck rings weaving. Beside it was the place where they make umbrella made out of recycled paper. I was a bit interested with the sapphire since Myanmar is known to have good quality but I found it to be expensive and I am not very interested in jewelry. I did found the paper umbrellas interesting so I bought some for work purposes but then I found out later that it was much cheaper in town. Anyway, in some ways I just think of it as charity. We also took pictures with the women with neck rings. They are called Kayans.

She's making cigar

The skeleton of a boat that is being prepared to be build.

Ducks near a temple.

Kayan women...an old woman and a young girl. 

They were really pretty it was hard to choose.

I wanted to buy it so bad but I was thinking of how to drag it around since we were planning to take the train back to Yangoon and I was thinking it will be hard to bring it everywhere.

Our boat near the umbrella house.      

Since it was almost 5 in the afternoon and we only paid for eight hours we had to negotiate for more time to see the sunset. I think we paid five or ten more kyats for a 3 hour extension which I think was the best decision so far because we got to see a glimpse of everyday life. It was easy since the boatman can speak English well. We went on a smaller part of the river to a village with a different kind of temple ruins. We got to see children exactly when it was time for them to go home and a boy who accompanied us going up a hill near his house. There was a couple though and they were guided by a young monk who asked for money and the couple gave him. Its so sad that he is a monk yet he is learning devious ways of getting money. He even encouraged the boy who was with us to ask for money but I gave him a colorful pencil instead which I think he will find more useful. I hate to disappoint him but if they will get used to the money then it will not be good for them. I also saw this temple ruins which is totally different from what we've seen so far. And of course, I saw a painting of traditional woman who looks so alive. I fell in love with it but it's just so expensive. It was 700 USD..but until now I still remember it from memory. I wish I could have it and yeah there were a lot of painters and artists near the river. It was also nice to see everyone closing shops and getting on boats to go home at the end of the day. We went to a temple before finally going home and this girl approached our boatman to ask for a ride since they used bicycles and they want to go back by boat. It was okay with us but some people don't have any manners at all. They didn't even say hi or smiled when we got to the boat and when we got off not even a thank you or an acknowledgement. Huh! It is the rule that as a tourist, smile to others and say thank you. Western tourists are way more friendly than Asian tourists so far. Anyway, sunset was very pretty and it's an experience that is so amazing..

Children coming out from the school. They had those tin lunch boxes which is also the same as what we observed adults were carrying everywhere, like it's the national lunch box.

The unique ruins...

Our little guide

The painter of my much coveted painting, unfortunately the pic was inside. All the things at the background are copies and are the cheap stuff.

Two boys playing before going home.

The river traffic.

The river road.

Other tourists with their guide.

Sunset view from a temple.

Going back to town

We got back to the jetty by 7 evening very tired but happy with the tour. It's an experience I would like to do again in the future. We went for a cheap dinner that costs us only 3 kyats in a local restaurant. It was cheap but very satisfying with grilled chicken, salad and a beer.

At the end of the day, after appreciating the beauty of the place we got to learn a lot of things too. Number 1, it's easy to book the boat, you can even go to the river and bargain with the boatmen by yourself. Number 2 local restaurants are cheap and they can communicate in English so no problem at all.