we were on our boat on Inle Lake at 5 am. this day was the culmination of the Phaung Daw U festival, which takes place here over a period of 20 days, and is the biggest festival of the year in Shan State40 views
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the leg-rowing boat competition has started. the Intha men (who live on Inle Lake) row standing up, with one leg. each of the procession boats has people playing music, drumming, singing while the rowers row away in unison with their legs40 views
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it was amazingly relaxing sitting at this restaurant surrounded by water and mountains, watching the occasional fisherman or lake people going by on their canoe40 views
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all kinds of stalls had been set up on the pagoda grounds in the lake for the festival. there were thousands of tribal people here40 views
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Chuck & I hired one of these boats by ourselves and went around the lake39 views
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selling vegetables and fruits39 views
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a floating village39 views
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a little girl canoeing her family39 views
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the steps were so narrow and so steep it was like climbing a vertical stone wall, with no railing to hold on to & the steps falling apart in places. once you started climbing, changing your mind was out of the question, & the only way to go was up39 viewsi could only imagine falling and cracking my skull on the stone courtyard below. my fingers were all slippery with sweat in fear, which made it even harder to grasp the crevices in the narrow smooth stone steps. apparently, they designed the towers with such steep & narrow steps like this to create an impression of reaching to the heavens, and also to make it difficult for mere mortals to reach the gods (gods are not supposed to be easily accessible).
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pushing a buddha statue on a cart. apparently, hundreds of Monday born people sweep the Shwe Dagon on Mondays (and Tuesday born do so on Tuesdays and so on for the other days of the week) to earn merit39 views
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chuck resting in the shade of a temple with some devotees39 views
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this bell was stolen by the british (they loved looting artifacts). but it sank in the river & they were unable to pull it up. finally they told the burmese they could have their bell back; the burmese put logs under & floated it39 views
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inscription on the pavilion at the WWII cemetary39 views
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Burmese are always celebrating some Buddhist festival - one of the most spiritual countries i've been in, their lives truly revolve around religion. it was full moon day, everything was closed, & here's someone in a costume collecting alms39 views
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Chuck and Khalu (my uncle)39 views
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female monks and schoolgirls praying at the temple on full moon day39 views
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