Day 174 Inle Lake, Myanmar (Part 1 of 3)

Here is the itinerary for the day…..  “Pick-up from your hotel and travel by long-tailed boat across the lake to Indaing, at the western end of Inle, for one of the most scenic trips on the Lake.   Passing through the busy village of Ywama, the largest on the Lake, with many channels and tall teak houses on stilts; enter a long, often tree-lined canal, either side of which farmers  cultivate their land against the backdrop of the Shan Hills. Disembark at the jetty and walk for 15 minutes through Indaing village to reach the 14^th - 18^th century pagoda ruins of Nyaung Ohak.  Many pagodas here remain charmingly unrenovated, with plants and even small trees growing out of them, making the area very atmospheric. A covered walkway popular with souvenir stallholders leads up to Shwe Inn Thein Paya, a complex of weather-beaten 17^th - 18^th century zedi; some newly reconstructed. Returning to the river you have the possibility of walking along a lovely shady path for 30 minutes to the Intha village of Sema. From here continue by boat downstream past Yethar village, watching local life on the banks and birds in the trees until rejoining the Lake near Phaung Daw Oo Paya.  In the afternoon, transfer by boat to Nyaung Shwe and then proceed to Heho Airport.”  This is pretty much the schedule we followed and it was fabulous!!!  Loved the early morning hours at the hotel, the sun shining on it was just fantastic.  For roughly a half day I took over 800 photos….  I really love Myanmar!