For me, one of the more important places to go to in Inle Lake is the village of Indein. From the silversmith village we started winding our way into the small rivers along Inle Lake. What is fascinating about Inle Lake is that there doesn’t seem to be a shoreline. The vegetation on the lake just gets thicker and thicker until there is only dry land. It is this same scene that greets us going to the village of Indein.
The ride to the village has a wild kind of feel to it, it is like touring the Amazon river. The flow of the river is regulated by small dams along the river on which boats can pass through small openings. This is to prevent strong currents from eroding the river banks. I would not be surprised to see crocodiles here since it really does have that kind of atmosphere. The illusion is broken by the sight of the village itself. Along the docks is a row of souvenir shops obviously catering to tourists. My companion also wanted to explore the area, but her feet hurt and she would not be able to walk very far, so she asked me to go ahead.
The village seems like a very lively kind of village and it is filled with people. A huge difference here is that houses are finally built on land. There is a river that serves as a playground for the kids here and it shows. The water looked quite clear and it really inviting in this sizzling summer day. It just makes me want to jump into the river myself. The bridge itself is a massive teak bridge which obviously has seen a lot of life. The massive columns can support most machinery and goods passing over it.
I really look forward to exploring this village. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention? There were no tourists here.
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