My next stop in Myanmar took me to Inle Lake, a 45 square mile lake that is 2900 feet above sea level. The lake is home to many floating villages, floating restaurants, and floating gardens. While not really “floating,” they are all built on an elaborate system of stilts over the water and have therefore turned the relatively unusable lake surface into a busy village.

I spent much of my time in Inle bicycling through villages and rice paddies and enjoying the leisurely pace of life that exists around the lake. I also explored the lake in a long motorized canoe, visiting a local market that was frequented by many members of surrounding hill tribes. I also stopped at a monastery where monks have trained a group of cats to jump through hoops on command.

I then went to some of the places where they make the local handicrafts such as cheroots (Burmese cigars), handmade paper, and hand-woven silk, some of which is made from the fibers of the lotus flower. As I explored the lake, I passed many fishermen propelling their boats by leg-paddling, which is native to Inle Lake. The fishermen use their stronger leg muscles to paddle, instead of their arms, saving energy and freeing their hands for fishing.

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