Myanmar day 10

Myanmar day 10 starts on the banks of Inle Lake, sitting on the side of the main waterway through the town with thousands of local families. We are waiting for the festival to start, we happen to be here on exactly the right day for it but have no idea what it is. So we sit there as the bank steadily fills up with town and village people from all around this huge lake. Some lay mats on the ground for picnics and create small shrines with Buddha surrounded by flowers, drinks and food for Him. The children are excited, the atmosphere is filled with anticipation of the festival to come. Then a VERY LONG narrow boat comes into view along the waterway, over 40 leg-rowers each side, another 20 on platforms in the middle dancing and singing, 100 people in identical green outfits, an amazing sight as it passes us. Then another in yellow tunics, then another in blue, and another in brown and more and more, I guess about 50 of these incredibly colourful singing dancing boatloads, each representing a village or community around the lake, all propelled by leg-rowers. The rowers hold an ordinary oar using one leg for power and one hand to control it and stroke through the water in unison. A fantastic sight seeing these boats pass one after another towards the town. The last boat, even bigger, has a huge Buddha draped in gold in the middle, very impressive. Then everybody gets up and moves toward the town centre, it is packed with people trying to get a view of the waterway through the buildings along its edge. Then two boats side by side race by, it is a race and they are traveling at speed with everyone cheering and clapping, I am standing near the finish line so see the winners celebrate their victory, fantastic atmosphere, great stuff. Then more races and finishes, some close some not, one losing boat has shipped so much water it sinks on the finish line, a big ooooh from the crowd. I am loving this town and its festival. We go to a very basic local coffee shop for a welcome fix of nescafe, then onto our own boats again for a journey across the lake to Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery, a huge timber building housing dozens of ancient Shan Buddhas, all protected by its community of Monks. Back in the boats now in waterways that fan out from the lake, we pass through villages built on stilts inhabited by the local Intha people, some are fishing in small boats using the same leg-rowing method. Lunch is in a lakeside restaurant, italian pizza and pasta can you believe! then to Inpawkhone, a whole village of weaving workshops, timber buildings on stilts like all the others, ancient looms, beautiful fabrics created the traditional way. Lastly a cheroot factory, ladies rolling home grown tobacco in leaves to make the traditional Burmese cigars, some of the group try them and say very nice to smoke. A long boat-ride in the dark across a very black lake with no moon back to our hotel. Then an evening meal in a chinese restaurant opposite the hotel, wonderful soup, why can't we have soup like this at home? Another great day, All the Best, John