Inle lake is famous for the long flat boats and boatmen who row with one leg while standing up.
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The lake is home of many floating villages and hydro farms where crops are planted on floating mats.
Pagodas, restaurants and craft factories line the lake and offer interesting stops for tourists.
Scores of weavers make goods for the tourists.
Walkways crisscross the water connecting buildings.
One stop I made was at a silversmith – I picked out a silver necklace for Pat (my wife). Since she prefers long necklaces, I had the silversmith lengthen the necklace – the photo below shows him working to make the necklace longer.
One of the more interesting stops was a monastery famous for its cats – cats that earned their supper by performing tricks for tourists. We were told that the monastery had over 25 resident cats.
One cat jumps through the hoop held by a monk while other cats look on – perhaps learning how to do the trick.
An older couple makes their living by gathering water in a clean spot in the lake – their jars of water are taken back to villages that are struggling through the dry season. Garden mats held in place by long poles checkerboard the shallower parts of the lake.
The Inle Lake fishermen have a unique way of fishing – they drop the cone shaped net into the water – the net is opened as a lure is moved in an effort to get the fish to swim into the circle of the net. Once they enter, the net is closed.
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