or even more massive banyan tree, and
it was with some relief that we reached
the village of In Dein, from where, after
reviving glasses of fresh watermelon
juice, we transferred by boat to our
hotel on Inle Lake. We’d chosen one
with accommodation in stilted bamboo
bungalows built out on the lake and
by luck it was located on the eastern
shore, which meant that we got to watch
yet another fabulous sunset from our
verandahs, glasses of Mandalay beer
to hand.
Like Bagan, Inle Lake is one of those rare
places that actually exceeds expectation.
Some 22km long and 12 km wide, it
has a cluster of stilted villages around
its shores, floating beds for growing
vegetables and flowers, and fishermen
who propel their small, flat-ended boats
with one leg wrapped around a pole so
they can use both hands to manipulate
the bamboo cages and pronged spears
they use to catch fish. Watching the
rising sun behind us turn the water to
sparkling crystal while flocks of cranes
flew over our heads from their night
perches in the trees to spend the day
fishing on the lake, and one-legged
rowers circled their boats around in
a graceful ballet, has to be one of my
favourite memories.
barbeque in Chinatown, rattled around
the fascinating city suburbs on the ‘Circle
Line’ train and did some shopping in the
labyrinthine Bogyoke Aung San Market.
On our last night we went up to bar at
the top of the modern Sakura Tower for
unforgettable night-time views across
the city with its enormous floodlit golden
pagodas. A fitting end to a wonderful
experience.
Myanmar was a hard place to leave,
but, as the saying goes, “If you don’t
leave, you can’t come back.” It’s a truly
amazing country and its people even
more so. Without exception, even in
the cities and town 2