Up at Inle we tried to visit both vineyards again. We went to Red Mountain by bike - a very wet affair due to getting water thrown at us every 10 meters (it was still Thingyan). Unfortunately it was closed for Thingyan so we couldn’t get past the gate, but Ayathaya Vineyard was open, so we enjoyed the beautiful views and wine tasting there.
After getting wet in Yangon for a day or so we headed off to Inle lake for the rest of the Water Festival holiday.
An example of why internal flights in Myanmar aren’t necessarily the safest in the world… for some reason a Golden Myanmar plane appears to have ploughed into the back of a Myanmar Airways International plane… on the runway.
The lake was beautiful, and it was much cooler than Yangon up in the Shan hills.
We spent a day out on the lake in long boats, with noisy engines, equipped with umbrellas to protect against sun… and rain…
Past floating gardens, where the people that live on the lake grow tomatoes, aubergines, gourds etc. on long floating beds staked to the lake bed – it’s a very shallow lake.
Up a side river to the incredible temples at Indein.
Leave your flip flops at the entrance.
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We visited another temple on a hill and were invited inside for cups of green tea, plates of Myanmar pickled tea leaf salad with crunchy fried beans and popadoms. Us ladies got to hang out with some cheroot toking, towel clad women, whilst the men sat separately next to a monk.
After that we all started to look like the locals…
Pit latrine lesson #1: Wearing a romper suit is not advised.
mmm coconuts…
These Kayan ladies were at a handicraft shop… I think to help drum up business. Not quite sure how I feel about that, but it was amazing to see the way they wear their beautiful neck rings.
Shan market. Green veggie paradise.
Grandchildren of a fishmonger, enjoying a Myanmar fish market…
We celebrated Myanmar New Year – Thingyan – Water Festival in Myanmar this year. Thingyan is one big water fight - lasting for about 5 days. It’s super fun to start with because the weather is so so so hot here in April that you just want to cool down with water, but after a day or so the novelty of being soaked through every time you go anywhere wears a bit thin.
Ant’s sister and her boyfriend were visiting. I suspect they may think all Myanmars are crazy dancing in the streets alcoholics… but this party atmosphere only really happens during Thingyan.
We headed out to see some of the big pandals (stages) erected about the town. Each stage plays (very) loud music and you can pay to go up on the stage and hose water on anyone and anything passing. Many people hire trucks and stand around in the back of them drinking, throwing (sometimes icy) water at people, and dancing like crazy when they go past the pandals. Ant was armed with his “super soaker”, which was fairly ineffective against the might of the various fire hydrants aimed at us. The main pandals are located next to Yangon’s lakes with generators constantly running, pumping (murky) lake water up to the pandals… best to keep your mouth closed…
When we got home we played with the neighbourhood children, which was much tamer and involved throwing small buckets of water over each other… and the unfortunate passing car… or cyclist…
Home is…
The smell of a hot dishwasher when the cycle finishes
Daffodils waving in the Spring sunshine
Ten types of weather in one day
Long light evenings
Rhubarb
People I love
Home is…
The smell of jasmine on a hot evening
Flowering jacaranda trees
Sweating. Constantly. ahhh air conditioning
An amazing golden wonder
Mangoes
People I love
