We hired a car to take us to Inle Lake, which is a seven hour trip, half through very mountainous country with the road narrow and winding. Our driver used a lot of intuition on blind corners, so half way through the mountain section, we decided to fly out rather than come back the same way.
The big thing about Inle Lake is the fisherman who skillfully row their low slung craft using their leg to move the bottom of the oar. Since the other leg is the only thing attached to the very rear of the boat, and the hands are dealing with the net, it's no wonder we hold them in awe.
The boat we were in was one of these 'long tail' craft, with a diesel engine, which is started by turning a huge flywheel by hand. They career along at about twenty knots making a terrific racket and throwing up a wide 'rooster tail' of spray. This picture is of a group of then in front of the large Pagoda near the markets.
And here's a picture of our young Skipper (looked about 15), having a rest up in the bow.
The locals live in houses on stilts, and I doubt that the water is deeper than two metres in any place. Just my impression. They have many acres of tomatoes on floating islands which are in fact giant wicking beds.
This area is very touristy, but where we stayed, Nygaun Shwe, which is away from the lake, but connected by a canal, is a nice quiet village. We had people stop and ask if we wanted a boat ride, but no one wanted to sell us trinkets, as they have in most tourist places.
We moved on down to the main place, the real reason we came here, Mawlamyine, where my dad was born. On the way, we went to the 'Golden Rock' Pagoda, at Kyaiktiyo.
It's a tortuous 40 minute ride on the back of a truck up a mountain to see it, and it's almost worth it.
Definitely would be worth it for a Buddhist, it is apparently the second most important Pagoda in the country. The gold on the rock is real, devotees (men only),are allowed to apply small patches of gold leaf.
In Mawlamyine, I believe we found the area where the Utting family had their house, Fernbank. We also saw the churches that they attended, and spoke to the pastors.
We visited the seaside where they went for holidays, which used to be called Amherst, now called Kaiyaikkhami. There is a beautiful Pagoda there which extends to the ocean, and is about 2,000 years old.
There is a city not too far from Mawlamyine called Hpa An, which is surrounded by jagged limestone mountains, with numerous caves. We went to the Saddan cave, which is huge. We walked right through the mountain, and out the other side.
From there, there is a low profile punt that takes you back through a different hole through the mountain, then via a beautiful lake to the parking area.
Mawlamyine has been great, it doesn't seem to be touristy at all, for example, for the first time in my life, I actually wanted to buy a tourist T shirt, just 'Mawlamyine' on the front. In places like Mandalay tourists are harassed to buy such things constantly, but not here.
Here's a picture of the mighty Thanlwin River (Salween previously), taken from our hotel window.
And another, after sunset, walking along The Strand. (They have retained a few colonial names).
So that's it, where back in Yangon now for a couple of days, back to Perth on Wednesday.
The big thing about Inle Lake is the fisherman who skillfully row their low slung craft using their leg to move the bottom of the oar. Since the other leg is the only thing attached to the very rear of the boat, and the hands are dealing with the net, it's no wonder we hold them in awe.
The boat we were in was one of these 'long tail' craft, with a diesel engine, which is started by turning a huge flywheel by hand. They career along at about twenty knots making a terrific racket and throwing up a wide 'rooster tail' of spray. This picture is of a group of then in front of the large Pagoda near the markets.
And here's a picture of our young Skipper (looked about 15), having a rest up in the bow.
The locals live in houses on stilts, and I doubt that the water is deeper than two metres in any place. Just my impression. They have many acres of tomatoes on floating islands which are in fact giant wicking beds.
This area is very touristy, but where we stayed, Nygaun Shwe, which is away from the lake, but connected by a canal, is a nice quiet village. We had people stop and ask if we wanted a boat ride, but no one wanted to sell us trinkets, as they have in most tourist places.
We moved on down to the main place, the real reason we came here, Mawlamyine, where my dad was born. On the way, we went to the 'Golden Rock' Pagoda, at Kyaiktiyo.
It's a tortuous 40 minute ride on the back of a truck up a mountain to see it, and it's almost worth it.
Definitely would be worth it for a Buddhist, it is apparently the second most important Pagoda in the country. The gold on the rock is real, devotees (men only),are allowed to apply small patches of gold leaf.
In Mawlamyine, I believe we found the area where the Utting family had their house, Fernbank. We also saw the churches that they attended, and spoke to the pastors.
We visited the seaside where they went for holidays, which used to be called Amherst, now called Kaiyaikkhami. There is a beautiful Pagoda there which extends to the ocean, and is about 2,000 years old.
There is a city not too far from Mawlamyine called Hpa An, which is surrounded by jagged limestone mountains, with numerous caves. We went to the Saddan cave, which is huge. We walked right through the mountain, and out the other side.
From there, there is a low profile punt that takes you back through a different hole through the mountain, then via a beautiful lake to the parking area.
Mawlamyine has been great, it doesn't seem to be touristy at all, for example, for the first time in my life, I actually wanted to buy a tourist T shirt, just 'Mawlamyine' on the front. In places like Mandalay tourists are harassed to buy such things constantly, but not here.
Here's a picture of the mighty Thanlwin River (Salween previously), taken from our hotel window.
And another, after sunset, walking along The Strand. (They have retained a few colonial names).
So that's it, where back in Yangon now for a couple of days, back to Perth on Wednesday.
Great to keep up with your travels ..... happy homecoming.
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