After we explored a few caves with the help of monks, the rest if the day was filled with a trip to a less touristy floating village and a chat with one of the NGOs in the region. The village was far bike ride, but there we toured around in a small canoe and didn't … Continue reading A slice of life – Living in Inle (Myanmar 10/10)
Myanmar
Monks and Caves – Exploring Inle Lake area (Myanmar 9/10)
On our second day at Inle Lake, and the first day of 2015, we decided to see where the day would take us. We rented bikes for about $1.50 each and went in the direction of a few villages and caves. The road got bumpier, then turned to gravel, and finally a red dirt that … Continue reading Monks and Caves – Exploring Inle Lake area (Myanmar 9/10)
Small World – New Years in Inle Lake (Myanmar 8/10)
It was new years eve and we thought it would be a small celebration this time around. But our hotel generously planned a free dinner for all the guests staying over. Around 8pm we walked into the courtyard to find tables set up and a long table with soup, beef, chicken, rice and vegetables. It … Continue reading Small World – New Years in Inle Lake (Myanmar 8/10)
Town life and Getting around – Last hours in Bagan (Myanmar 5/10)
Seeing all these temples and walking around since 5 am made us quite hungry. Our search for lunch brought us into Old Bagan city for the first time. It was filled with villagers who had set up a tent city for a major festival that was in a few days. Tents were everywhere, complete with makeshift kitchens, kids and … Continue reading Town life and Getting around – Last hours in Bagan (Myanmar 5/10)
Numbers game – Bartering (Myanmar 4/10)
Although we didn't buy the laquerware from that really nice salesman, the things we did buy required a lot of bartering to get a good price. At first we sucked at it, but as time went on I got the hang of it and it become kind of fun. Our first experience was getting off the airplane and … Continue reading Numbers game – Bartering (Myanmar 4/10)
Seriously Nice – People of Myanmar (Myanmar 3/10)
But back to the temple we set out for before getting distracted by a 3 year old asking for money. This temple had a massive stone wall surrounding the courtyard. We took off our flip flops and wandered into the grounds. Not long after, we were approached by a vendor, this one was an artist. … Continue reading Seriously Nice – People of Myanmar (Myanmar 3/10)
Moral Dilemma – Kids and Money (Myanmar 2/10)
Now that the sun had risen, we were going to move further into the valley. Before descending our pagoda we looked out into the valley and picked our next destination. This one was big and loomed over the others. Back on the bikes we sped along the dirt paths and tried is best not to get … Continue reading Moral Dilemma – Kids and Money (Myanmar 2/10)
No way this is real – Sunrise over Bagan (Myanmar 1/10)
I've been up for 17 hours today, and it's only 8:30. One day in Bagan has felt like a week. First, we woke up at 4:30 am in order to catch the famed sunrise perched above one of thousands of pagodas. We met Mr. Cho, an E-bike renter, in our hotel at 5 to get our … Continue reading No way this is real – Sunrise over Bagan (Myanmar 1/10)
A day in the Lake – Inle Lake’s allure (Myanmar 7/10)
The lake tour was probably the most touristy experience we had in Myanmar. On the other hand though, it offered us a glimpse of life that we couldn't have otherwise accessed. Our tour guide's name was Mo-mar (or something similar) and she was a self-proclaimed mother and wife for a family in a town up … Continue reading A day in the Lake – Inle Lake’s allure (Myanmar 7/10)
4am and not a bed in sight – Arriving at Inle Lake (Myanmar 6/10)
After Bagan, coming to Inle Lake was quite a change. We were abruptly awoken at 4 am on our night bus to let us know we had arrived. It was pitch black and not a person was around besides the passengers. A lone tuktuk was waiting to shuttle tourists to their hotels for the night. … Continue reading 4am and not a bed in sight – Arriving at Inle Lake (Myanmar 6/10)
Meet You on the road 