A fisherman, who had slept on his boat, pulls up the morning catch
Floating market where different tribes meet to exchange goods: famous lake-grown tomatoes, firewood, etc.
Ten-year-old who was the reason for an entire village to celebrate... he was being ordained as a monk. It was super cool to see this.
A silversmith doing some work.. a cool workshop, I just wish they didn't think I had planned to buy something.
Famous rowing from the lake... folks often use their leg to paddle! I saw a fisherman later paddling with leg to stay in place while he used his hands to deal with the catch. Cool.
The famous pagoda in this region. It is another of the "Big 5" in Myanmar. Its name is: Phaung Daw U. I learned, from my guide, about the religious procession that goes around the lake for a month and ends up at this Pagoda.
The guide's friend has a house ON the lake... he also lived on the lake. But, this far south, there are few travelers... so it was a treat for all of us. This family's business: sake brewing. Moonshine, baby! That is rice, about to be used for distilling... and so on...
A far market on the southern end of the lake. This area had been closed off until two years ago because the government and local tribes were fighting. It may have been off-limits when I was there too, but I am here now to tell the tale. People come here every week from the hill tribes to trade at this lakeside marketplace. Example: hill-dwelling tribesmen bring firewood on ox carts and sell bundles to the folks who live on the stilted lake houses... who in turn sell dried reeds for roofs... as well as Sake and other homemade crafts. True economy... I wish I had seen this market in action, but the peacefulness allowed us to walk around this small community, which is responsible for most of the pottery made and traded in this area of the lake.
Said pottery, being made.I had the opportunity to buy some pens the day before my lake trip. The guide stopped along the way and bought some stationary and pencil sharpeners (he was a really cool dude) with his own money....
We stopped in a very poor area of the lake and found some kids to give the schools supplies to. He told me this, "I don't have a lot of money, but these kids don't have ANY. I give what I can when I can." I guess he does this whenever someone hires him. Looking back, it was again, life-altering.
AMAZING home-cooked lunch at the Sake-brewer's house. It was free, though I gave them a US $1 bill and some school supplies for their children. They seemed stoked on the presents, though it was unnecessary because the hospitality is such a part of the culture. Goat meat, some fried bean crackers, some small fat french fries, fresh salad of tomatoes and cucumbers. Every meal comes with tea. There was a spicy salsa that I tried, but it would have killed me. GREAT meal, did I mention that?
My guide in the foreground and his nephew was the driver. A long day on the lake for all of us. We were driving through the floating gardens when I took this picture. The tomatoes, cucumbers and a lot of other produce was growth ON the lake... using agricultural techniques that astounded me. Even transporting mud in order to get some sort of soil structure for the plants.
Examples of houses built on the lake. On stilts, and with some boat parking under them... others had nets underneath in order to store fish to sell it fresh on market days.
Here is a shot of the floating gardens.
This is the majestic boat that toured me around the lake. Long boats with diesel Chinese motors. Damn loud and smelly. But efficient and cheap. Polluting the air and not the lake... which is important for the ecosystem of the lake area...
Shwedagon at night
from my balcony
