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Right from our first day in Myanmar, where we eat lunch sitting beside a waterway, to our last days in Yangon, rivers or lakes are a constant sight.

There are four large rivers flowing through Myanmar and a multitude of small rivers and creeks that feed them. We cross a number of creeks on our hike. We cross bridges in Mandalay and Yangon and Monywa. We drive through flooded creeks. We are never far away from water.

There are also a number of lakes, both large and small in Myanmar. The only lake we encounter is Inle Lake, which is the second largest in the country. We live on the lake for 3 days, traveling strictly by boat.

There is a large variety of boats on the rivers and lakes. From small fishing craft to large cargo barges to ocean going ships. They all have a purpose and many of them also provide permanent housing for the crew.

Unloading gravel onto the shore, near Bagan

The water itself is part of daily life. The rivers are dredged for the gravel. Irrigation water is sourced from lakes and rivers and these waters also provide fish for sustenance.

Public “ferry” type boat on Inle Lake

The rivers and lakes provide water for washing bodies and dishes and clothes. It is a play area for children and a way to keep cool for adults.

We enjoy watching the activity on the rivers, creeks and lakes and appreciate that these waterways are such an integral part of the way of life in Myanmar.

Myanmar’s Shan District has 33 tribes within its borders. They are identified by the way they dress and their headwear.

I enjoy taking pictures of everyday utensils in the small villages we walk through while in Myanmar. Pots, baskets, boats, jars, cages. Hand made, well used, handed down. Large, small, long, heavy, light, pot bellied. Made of iron, clay, wood, bamboo, wicker, wire.

We have traveled to many many countries and I cannot remember any locals wanting to take our pictures. (Murray has subsequently told me we have been asked.)  In Myanmar, a number of locals ask to take our pictures or have us stand beside them while someone takes a group shot. Is it the advent of the cell phone camera which makes picture taking easier? Is it the new influx of tourists into Myanmar? Not sure.

I catch this fellow taking pictures of us in a temple and so I smile and, in pantomime, ask him if I may take his photo. He smiles and laughs the whole time.

R&L, who are both VERY tall, have many more requests for photos than Murray and me. In a country where I sometimes feel tall at  5’1″, I can see how R&L would stand out. These young ladies ask if L and I would stand with them for a picture. We all look very serious!

And then there are some locals that ask us to take their picture. Murray obliges and then shows them the photo. These ladies are touring a temple in Bagan, just like we are and ask Murray to take their picture. I think they are gorgeous!

A further ponderence of this mutual picture taking is that if I came upon a tourist in Edmonton, I would not ask this traveler if I could take her picture. Would I ask to stand beside the traveler and have our picture taken? I think not. I am not sure why locals want photos of foreign tourists in Myanmar.

The Burmese probably find it strange we want pictures of them plowing their fields with an oxen or paddling along the floating garden. They are just doing their everyday chores. Would we think it odd to have a tourist take our picture while we were mowing the lawn?

Life is so full of mysteries!

Here are a few tidbits that did not make it into posts while we were traveling.

A Story

Seven princesses were spending the day picnicing near the Pindaya Caves, near Kalaw. It becomes dark and too late to travel home, so they stay in the cave for the night. During the night, a giant spider spins a web across the opening of the cave, trapping the princesses. A handsome prince comes along and rescues them. He then marries the youngest of the seven princesses and they settle in the area. They build a temple and their descendents  inhabit the area today.

The handsome prince

Myanmar Flag

There are two flags on the dashboard of the van we use in the Kalaw area, in the Shan state. One flag is the Myanmar flag and the other is the flag of the Shan state. Our guide, Wai Yan, explains the Myanmar flag like this. The red is for bravery. The green is for the fields. The yellow is for religion. The white is for purity. The star signifies that the country is a star. The Shan state’s flag has the same background but has a white circle instead of a star which represents unity. (Flag picture copied from Wikipedia.)

Airline

We flew with Asian Wings airlines from Bagan to Heho Airport, near Inle Lake. We were amazed at how efficient the airline was. There were no assigned seats on the (approx) 80 seat plane. As we loaded through the rear door, we were asked to move to the forward seats. It worked very well and we were all seated and ready to take off in minutes. Air Canada should take note!

Sesame Seeds

In all our travels I have never seen sesame plants growing. The plants we saw were about 2 or 3 feet tall with a small purple or white bell shaped flower on top. We tromped into a field to take a closer look. Here is what the not yet ripe seed pods look like.

Sesame seed pods

Water Buffalo vs Chinese Buffalo

Wai Yan explains the difference between a water buffalo and a Chinese buffalo. A water buffalo can help plow, plant and harvest. A Chinese buffalo can also plow, plant and harvest, but is can also pump and transport too!

Chinese Buffalo