Great Coffee, A Long Bike Ride and A Face Full Of Stories - More From Myanmar

School children, Nan Hu village, Inle

Two years ago I had a memorable journey from Mandalay to Pyin Oo Lwin when I spent  two and a half hours on the back of a motorcycle in order to visit this former hill station. That's two and a half hours each way, so five hours in all. I enjoyed the great views from the motorcycle but not the saddle-soreness the next day. This time I arrived by car and spent two days exploring the city in more detail. After wandering around the market and surrounding streets I was craving coffee. The town centre has many old style cafes that serve good tea but I was in need of good strong coffee. Not sure where to go, I asked for advice in Parami, an excellent Indian sweet shop and was directed to Cafe May Myo. I was not disappointed. The cafe is small enough to be cosy but designed to give a feeling of space. It also has outside seating. There are books and magazines to browse and old pictures of the city line the walls. The coffee used here is grown locally and customers can buy packs to take home. Perhaps best of all is the service provided by the very friendly, attentive and knowledgeable young staff one of whom made my French Press at my table using the latest technology. Regular readers know that I have a sweet tooth. Cafe May Myo also has a good range of fresh cakes and pastries including a fabulous fresh banana bread, an excellent accompaniment to the best coffee in town (and possibly the best in Myanmar). It is the kind of place where you can linger, use the wi-fi, relax or chat with friends.

Cafe May Myo, best coffee in town!

One of the best things about Myanmar is the hospitality and friendliness of the people. Pakoku is a market town, a short drive from Bagan. After visiting the market I noticed a large monastery and looking through the gates I saw hundreds of young monks. Some of them were chatting to each other, others were earnestly studying. An official noticed me and invited me in, explaining that there were indeed lots of monks there - 1334 to be exact, all of whom were about to sit a written examination. Before the exam they would be given lunch, seated at separate small, numbered tables bearing the name of an individual monk. An hour after lunch they would return to these tables for the more serious business. To my surprise I was invited to walk around, photograph anything I wanted to and to return once things got underway. I cannot imagine anywhere else that would have allowed such access without prior arrangements. 

Monks waiting to take an examination, Pakoku

Inle Lake is one of Myanmar's most popular tourist attractions. Most visitors spend time on the lake, visiting the homes on stilts, the floating gardens and pagodas and photographing the famous fishermen. As this was my second time in Myanmar I chose to do something a little different and cycled a round trip of almost 20 kilometres along narrow tracks in order to reach a remote farmers' market. Cycling through breath taking scenery I stopped several times to watch the workers in the fields and to chat briefly with people on their way to and from the market, women weeding a garlic field and a family that grows and harvests sugar cane for use in making molasses in their small factory.

Weeding the garlic, Inle

Molasses factory, Inle

The market itself was large, busy and full of interesting people buying fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, household goods and of course the ubiquitous betel leaf. Many of the people are members of the Pa-O ethnic group, easily spotted by their black clothing and brightly coloured head coverings - usually orange or red. This wearing of dark clothes began in the reign of King Anawratha in about 1000 BCE when the Pa-O were enslaved and forced to give up their previously colourful clothing. Their tradition holds that they originate from a relationship between an alchemist and a female dragon.

As well as the many stalls, the market has a pub frequented mainly by agricultural workers, all of them men. I spent a little time sitting with a small group enjoying their day off. Significant amounts of rice wine were being consumed accompanied by a variety of meat based snacks, cheroots and of course, much chewing of the betel leaf. They were interested to know about life in London, my family, home and other everyday matters. I disappointed them a little when confessing that football is not one of my passions as they included keen supporters of Arsenal and Manchester United! It seems that wherever one travels, even in the least likely places, people are followers of English football. I am reminded of two small boys playing football in the courtyard of a Yangon temple, pretending to be the same two teams and calling out the scores in English. I restored my credibility in the pub by buying a few more bottles for my new friends before I left.

When leaving the market, I noticed an elderly man with an interesting face. He told me that he makes and sells herbal medicines that can be sued to relieve muscle pain, headaches and other ailments. As he spoke he used his hands to express himself, smiling and looking more thoughtful depending on my question. I wanted to give him something and so offered him some sweets I had purchased in the market. He accepted them but insisted I take a small sample of his medicine "in exchange".

Traditional medicine maker, Inle

Pa-O woman with cheroot, Inle

The man who looked after my bicycle, Nyaungshwe

Pa-O woman, fruit and vegetable vendor, Nyaungshwe market

Nyaungshwe is a busy town adjacent to Inle Lake. It is used as a base from which to explore the water and the surrounding area. However, it is an interesting place in its own right with several very good cafes and restaurants and a number of temples. I cycled into the centre of town at 6.30 one morning to look for the monks leaving one of the monasteries for the daily collection of rice and other donations. It was cold, grey and misty and yet still they walked barefoot in single file stopping only when people stepped forward to make an offering. Several of them were very young as were the nuns I had seen earlier who were so cold that they pulled their robes over their shaved heads in an attempt to warm up a little.  After photographing the monks, I stopped off at the central market where the usual range of goods are sold and where many of the traders are Pa-O. Not wanting to take the bicycle into the narrow lanes of the market I asked a young man if he would keep an eye on it for me. When I went back to collect it I he refused to accept anything from me in return. I eventually managed to persuade him to take a single orange to give to his small child, carried on his back and wrapped up against the cold in thick woollen clothing.

Monks collecting the rice, Nyaungshwe

Nuns on a cold morning in Nyaungshwe

This young man was yet another example of the generosity and openness of I encountered in Myanmar. Time and time again people offered to share food with me or gave me extra fruit after I'd paid for my purchases - steadfastly refusing to accept further payment. Many of them were also happy to talk about their lives, sharing both success stories and misfortunes. Several women who had spent their lives working in the fields or selling in the market had been able to send one or two of their children to university and rightly expressed a quiet pride in this. One woman in Kalaw told me that after graduating her daughter had secured a job in Japan and that she had been there to visit her. The life of another woman in Kalaw had been less happy. She had suffered for many years at the hands of her husband who was both an alcoholic and prone to violence but assured me that her life was better now as the husband had died a few years previously. She said that had been the happiest day of her life. This openness can sometimes come as a surprise but seems  refreshing compared to the very different approach to life in Europe.

A face full of stories

Vegetable vendor, Kalaw

Pa-O woman, Kalaw market. her daughter works in Japan.

Danau woman, vegetables vendor, Kalaw

This openness generally includes a willingness to be photographed. This applies to people of all ages who happily stood for pictures or smiled when realising I had taken a more candid picture. It is almost impossible to choose but perhaps my favourite character was an elderly man I met who holds the keys for a temple a few kilometres from Pakoku. My first sight of him was as he stood on the banks of the river Ayeyarwady, wearing a crisp white shirt, lungyi and a patterned head covering whilst smoking a cheroot. At 82 years of age he walks five kilometres to and from the temple every morning in order to open it for visitors. Despite his age he is very fit and it was difficult to keep up with him as he led me from the river to the temple. He has a wonderful, heavily lined face, full of stories and framing a wonderful smile. At the other end of the age range I photographed a young mother and her baby through the window of a train traveling from Kalaw to Shwenyaung. Standing on the platform I noticed the child's worried expression as he  looked out of the window, perhaps wondering where he was. His mother nodded assent to a picture and was delighted when I showed her the results before I jumped back on the train to continue my journey.

Have we missed our station?

Myanmar is a wonderful place for photography and for anyone interested in people. Showing even a little interest in someone here can bring the most surprising rewards with life stories shared, friendships formed and memories created. I cannot wait to make a third visit, to again wander the streets of Yangon, to tease and be teased by the vendors in the markets of Mandalay, Pakoku and Nyaungshwe, to make new friends and to capture it all on my camera. The photograph at the top of this post illustrates everything I love about Myanmar and its people - the colours, the smiles, the open window on the lives of the people and most of all, despite all of their problems and difficulties, the joy of being alive.

I can't finish without including a picture of an Inle fisherman. Sure, it has become a bit of a cliche and some of these men might now earn more from posing for the tourists than they do from fishing but it's still a terrific scene and I can't resist it. I'm off to make myself a cup of coffee, purchased in Cafe May Myo...

Photogenic fisherman, Inle Lake

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You can see more pictures of Myanmar here.

Myanmar Journey Part Four - North to Lake Inle

Lake Inle covers about 45 square miles in the Southern Shan State in Northern Myanmar. It was the final stop of my trip before returning to Yangon for the journey home. I took a short flight from Bagan to Heho and from there was driven to the small town of Nyaungshwe which has several hotels, hostels, restaurants and cafes and is a great base from which to explore the Lake.

Early morning fishing on the lake.

Many people still live on the water in houses supported on stilts. Belonging to the Intha (sons of the lake) ethnic group, they are thought to be descendants of the Mon people from the south-east. I was lucky enough to be able to eat lunch in two private homes and was shown around the cosy interiors which included very modern facilities and of course access to satellite television which judging from the number of dishes on roofs and balconies is widespread here. As well as private homes there are also schools, temples, shops, a post office and even a library on the lake - all built on stilts and all accessed by boat. Some of the more enterprising residents run "mobile shops" - selling food, flowers and other items from small canoes. 

One of the absolute highlights of my time at Lake Inle was getting the unexpected opportunity to see inside a heritage house. And not just any heritage house - the oldest one on the lake at over 100 years old. Spotting it from the water, I asked the boatman to stop for a moment so I could admire and photograph this teak building which has beautiful decorative trellis work on the balconies and upper facade. It turned out that my guide was related to the owners and she kindly invited me to look inside. The interior has many rooms over two levels and I was able to look at old photographs of the family and surrounding area. It was a real privilege to see inside and to receive a warm welcome.

Heritage house, Lake Inle

Library on stilts, Lake Inle

A street on the water.

With mum and grandma.

Unfortunately the Lake is suffering from modern problems, decreasing in size and becoming more polluted with more litter, more motorised vessels and chemicals from the huge "floating gardens" where tomatoes and other plants are grown on the water but anchored to prevent them floating away. Despite this, the Lake was perhaps my favourite stop in Myanmar. I won't forget the early morning on the boat, seeing the silvery waters and the sun fighting its way through the mist casting just enough light to see the fisherman with their conical hats. These are no ordinary fishermen as they propel and steer their boats using their unique leg rowing technique, performing an amazing act of skill and grace. Used to the tourists, some of them will approach your boat and pose for photographs if you are lucky.  It is important to note that it can be very very cold on the lake early in the morning and also in the evening. A jacket and hat are essential and for the colder mornings most boats transporting visitors will have blankets.

Fishing on the lake.

As well as fishing, the locals make their living in a variety of ways. Some of them are involved in the traditional crafts practiced on the lake such as boat building, textile production and design (including items made from lotus), lacquer making, making items made from gold and bronze, jewelry and even cheroots made for the local market. Most visitors to the Lake will find themselves taken to several workshops to see the production of these items and where there will be an opportunity to make purchases. Unlike in some of the neighboring countries, there was absolutely no pressure to buy. Long may that continue.

On my second day at the Lake I got up early - very early - and left the hotel by small boat on a journey of just over one hour, to reach the market at Nan Pan. I had already enjoyed several markets in Myanmar with their spectacular colours and lively atmospheres but nothing had quite prepared me for this. Organised in different places on a five day rota and therefore known as the Five Day Market, huge numbers of traders arrive very early in the morning coming from far and wide to sell their goods. 

Pa-O women selling fruit and vegetables ate the Five Day Market

Pa-O woman at the Five Day Market

Traders and visitors come to the market by boat.

You really can buy just about anything here. There are the usual vegetables, fruit, herbs and spices, fish, meat and dried foodstuffs but this is only a small part of what the market has to offer. You can buy a new boat. You can get measured up for new false teeth and collect them the next time you come to the market. You can buy clothes for all ages and in all sizes. You can buy craft items, antiques real and fake, religious paraphernalia, electrical goods, books, magazines and stock up on betel. You can even get the latest pop tunes downloaded onto your telephone if you aren't able to do this yourself. And you can take time out from shopping and bargaining in one of the many (many) tea shops and cafes. I enjoyed two "Chinese donuts" - the non-sweet slightly oily ones that you can get in most Chinatowns around the world.

Fresh fish at the market

Alternative medicine at the market

Like Myanmar's other markets, everywhere you look there is colour.  It comes from the goods such as the bright yellow turmeric,  dazzlingly orange fruit and vegetables and deep green leaves of vegetables that you have never seen before. It also comes from the people with representatives from many of Myanmar's 135 ethnic groups attending the market either as traders or shoppers, most of them dressed in the clothes of their cultural group often including brightly coloured headscarves. The traders are friendly people and most will happily explain their goods to you without expecting a purchase. I couldn't resist some tiny ceramic figures representing some of the different ethnic groups - the Shan and Pa-O in particular. 

Our young stall holder!

Dyeing lotus cloth

At one of the many betel stalls, a very small girl was cutting up leaves in which to wrap the areca nuts, tobacco and lime before selling them to the many keen shoppers. She saw us approaching, waved at us and when my guide, May, asked her how old she was, not only did she tell us that she was three years old, but also what her name was and that she was in charge of the stall! Such ambition for one so young. At another stall run by an elderly Pa-O woman whilst looking at the herbs, spices and vegetables, I noticed that she also sold peanuts. I must have said "peanuts" out loud because she said "yes peanuts, you are doing well!" and laughed and waved as I moved on.

I also visited a number of sites in the vicinity of the Lake. The Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery and Temple lies between Heho airport and the lake. The teak monastery was built in the nineteenth century and today provides education both Buddhist and secular for boys from poor families. The interior is beautiful with its teak floors and coloured glass decorative features. The adjoining temple has a red painted interior and again makes use of coloured glass in freezes depicting scenes form the life of Buddha and from traditional beliefs. The interior walls include many small Buddha statues, displayed in niches and named for people from around the world who have made donations to the monastery and temple. 

Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery

Buddha niches at the Shwe Yan Pyay Temple

The village of Inthein is a busy stop along a canal leading off from the main body of the lake. There are many ruined and partially overgrown stupas just behind the village, some dating from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and many with carvings of Buddha, elephants, peacocks and figures from Buddhist beliefs. Most of the stupas are in very poor shape and visitors must note and comply with signs provided for their safety. Some of the structures are in the process of being reclaimed by nature as trees and plants wind their way around them and in some cases even grow from inside. 

Crumbling stupas at Inthein

Carvings at Inthein

Two days at the Lake passed very quickly as did my two weeks in Myanmar. I am already planning to return next year to see more of this most beautiful and welcoming of countries.

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You can see more pictures of Myanmar here.