Yangon and Inle Lake

The approach to Yangon was quite intense... it was shaking and rattling heavily as we flew through a thunderstorm. To get into the taxi, we had to wade through some water and then we drove through more and more flooded streets because the heavy rain just wouldn't stop. I wondered if it was really a good idea to visit Myanmar at the end of the rainy season?

In the streets around our cozy little hotel (which we found thanks to Google Maps... the taxi driver had no idea), the water was knee-deep, so we had Shan noodles for dinner on the balcony of the villa. We also learned that the flooded streets were definitely NOT normal for Yangon. We were lucky once again.

In the following days, we explored Yangon. We walked to various pagodas, with the Shwedagon Pagoda overshadowing all the others. We rode the Circle Line (a 30km loop around Yangon in about 3 hours) and enjoyed the hustle and bustle on and around the train. And we searched for traces of colonial Yangon.

We also had the opportunity to work as English teachers at the Shwedagon Pagoda, speaking English with a nice lady so that she could prepare for her 3-week training in Stockholm (international water supply training). On the Circle Line, we had a good conversation for about an hour with a very friendly lady about Myanmar and the world, and in the taxi, we learned a lot about Myanmar's education system while stuck in traffic.

By now, we also understand what the packing list from Globetrotter meant by 'photos from home'. We didn't really need to bring any photos to combat homesickness, did we? But people here can't really imagine what it could look like where we come from. Even with photos, they still don't really believe that trees lose their leaves in winter.

We took a night bus from Yangon to Inle Lake. Given the condition of the roads in Myanmar, we arrived relatively shook but safe.

Here in the region, we took boat trips on the lake, visited the Kakku pagodas by car (apparently there are 2478 of them, we didn't count!) and cycled around the lake. Due to the relatively high altitude of Inle Lake, the temperatures were almost fresh at 20-30 degrees!

There is also a 3-week lake festival going on right now, during which Buddha statues are transported from one place to another (of course, by boat... across the lake). It's quite interesting how many people can gather with boats and on foot along the shores to admire this spectacle with music, fireworks, and betel nut.

Betel nut is a big trend among men in Myanmar (from young to old), which is why you can see red stains from betel nut saliva everywhere. And the drivers also have to elegantly lean out of the window from time to time to spit... well! But is there anything more beautiful than a red smile? :-)))

Tomorrow, we will fly to Bagan, where more exciting experiences and encounters await us!