In the village
Everyone was busy with something — some were roasting nuts, some were preparing strange things for drying, some were feeding pigs, and the guys were playing rock on the guitar.
Asia 2016
Day 53, March 11
around Inle Lake
Asia 2016
Itinerary
In the morning, the ride was good and fresh. There was, admittedly, a short stretch of unpleasant road with potholes and bumps, but it ended as soon as we turned. After that, it was quite pleasant to ride.
We passed by hot springs in the form of three small pools, which were built here especially for tourists and charge $8 for admission.
We reached the little village where we were supposed to cross to the other side of the lake surprisingly quickly. About a couple of kilometers before the village, boat drivers began stopping near us and offering to take us across. We kept turning them down for the time being, as we wanted to take a quiet walk around the village.
First we had tea with delicious fried buns in a local café. Then we went to the pagoda and climbed the hill. After that, we went for a walk around the village.
Something is drying; it was never possible to figure out what it is
We returned to the center of the village, where we thought we would find a pier, but the boat driver came up to us again and even lowered the price — so we agreed to go with him. He led us along a narrow path to the start of the canal, where his boat was waiting. The driver helped load the bicycles into the boat, and we set off to the other side of the lake, past stilt houses, the village shop, and vegetable gardens.
On the other side of the lake there is also a village. Boats dock here at a long pier. We walked and walked along it. On one side there were floating vegetable gardens, where people were busy — tending their plots right from their boats.
Long Pier
It had already become hot; it was around noon. We were thinking of going up the mountain to the monastery, but I realized that in such heat I wouldn’t make it there. So we sat for a while in the shade and coolness of another monastery, in the center of the village. Then we drove back the other way — toward our home.
On the way, we stopped to see the wine production. Grapes are grown here on the hills, and wine is made at a small factory. It’s all located on a hill, and we were out of breath by the time we got there. There is also a restaurant there, where we first happily drank a cold cola.
Restaurant terrace, vineyards visible in the distance
We arrived just in time, and the factory worker had just come out and led everyone who wanted to see how the factory is set up.
As everywhere else, there were large metal containers for wine and a few oak barrels on display. However, the guide said that they do age red wine in barrels in the cellars for a couple of years.
Wine production, Italian barrels
There was also a machine there that sticks labels onto bottles. I peeled off a label from it for Volchy’s collection.
Now the Volchy collection will have a sticker from Myanmar wine
The wine here is very expensive, with the minimum price per bottle being around 250 UAH. The guide said that since the local population does not drink wine, and exporting it has not yet been successful, all the wine is consumed by tourists.
The tour was very short, but in the restaurant for $3 you could try 4 types of wine — Sauvignon, Muscat, Shiraz, and some semi-sweet one (they pour very small amounts of wine). The wines smelled really great; I liked the red one very much in terms of taste — dry and astringent, just the way I like it. Surprisingly, I also liked the white semi-sweet one, but the Muscat and Sauvignon seemed too sour.
Tasting
We also ordered pizza, which turned out to be quite tasty.
Delicious Treat
The village is not far from the winery. We returned the bicycles and went to rest at the hotel.