Zen_Dark_30
Life around Inle Lake, Myanmar
Rather than take a whirlwind spin around the country, we opted to spend 5 days at Inle Lake with no regrets. Our highlights were in seeing how rural village life is juxtaposed to a growing tourism industry.
The Inle people known as Intha build hydroponic raised beds using dredged lake material to grow vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers. Their practice of slapping the water and using frogs to lure fish into their nets was intriguing to watch. Locals prey on tourists pocketbooks with their beautifully designed fabrics blowing in the wind like Tibetan prayer flags and restaurants with birdseye views. The standout is their water acrobatic water ballet of balancing on one-leg and using the other leg to hold the paddle and steer it through the murky waters called Inle Lake. With tourism taking over the fishing industry more and more fishermen take home more kyat from posing for tourists than catching fish.
The Lake is designated a national biosphere and preservation park. What this means in terms of environmental practices such as emission controls on diesel boat engines is uncertain. All this leaves me in a constant conundrum as to my footprint on the cultural heritage and natural environment of any particular place. No easy answers, just more questions and the aspiration to travel lightly.
Life around Inle Lake, Myanmar
Rather than take a whirlwind spin around the country, we opted to spend 5 days at Inle Lake with no regrets. Our highlights were in seeing how rural village life is juxtaposed to a growing tourism industry.
The Inle people known as Intha build hydroponic raised beds using dredged lake material to grow vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers. Their practice of slapping the water and using frogs to lure fish into their nets was intriguing to watch. Locals prey on tourists pocketbooks with their beautifully designed fabrics blowing in the wind like Tibetan prayer flags and restaurants with birdseye views. The standout is their water acrobatic water ballet of balancing on one-leg and using the other leg to hold the paddle and steer it through the murky waters called Inle Lake. With tourism taking over the fishing industry more and more fishermen take home more kyat from posing for tourists than catching fish.
The Lake is designated a national biosphere and preservation park. What this means in terms of environmental practices such as emission controls on diesel boat engines is uncertain. All this leaves me in a constant conundrum as to my footprint on the cultural heritage and natural environment of any particular place. No easy answers, just more questions and the aspiration to travel lightly.