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The plane flight to Heho and the bus trip to Nyaung Shwe and the jetty were fine but the boat trip to the Lake View Hotel on Inle Lake was a different matter. Seated in the front of the boat, umbrella up for protection from the sun and rain I felt like Kathryn Hepburn in "African Queen". Sad to say there was no dark, brooding Humphrey Boggart. Even so it was fun. But me getting in and out of the boat was another matter. |
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These kids are born to it but not me! |
Lucky lady! There's Humphrey! |
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I can now see why Inle Lake is known for its floating gardens and leg rowers. Flower and vegetable gardens are visible everywhere. Created by joining beds of water hyacinth, flotsam, mud and weeds dredged from the lake beds take fifty years to breaks down into rich humus.The rich fertile beds are anchored to the bottom of the shallow lake with bamboo poles. A wide variety of crops are cultivated including: for cultivating a wide variety of crops, including:
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Another unique activity on Inle Lake is the fishing technique of the leg rowers. The origin of the technique is uncertain, but it is believed that the practice began in the 12th century. I watched a young boy standing up on one leg in the narrow stern of the boat, his other leg wrapped around an oar and, with a circular movement, he propelled his boat forward. It all looked very difficult but he was managing it well. Before long, he will be be able to join the "leg rowers" of Inle Lake. The people of Inle Lake live in wooden houses built on stilts in the water or on reclaimed land. Fire would be a worry but insurance is something the people don't have. They live a simple life, not bowed beneath the weight of their worldly possessions. From a materialistic perspective they don't have much. Their wealth is in the things they believe important:
If disaster struck a family, friends and community would all pull together. That is the way of the Myanmar. |
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