Sights and Sounds Floating Dreams – A Day on Inle Lake Cheryl Teh takes us on a trip around the magnificent Inle Lake of Myanmar. I t is morning, and from one’s seat in a longboat, the sunlit expanses of Inle Lake stretch as far as the eye can see. Beside the boat, fishermen go past slowly, rowing across the water, their movements seasoned and almost dancelike. While Bagan’s famed pagodas might hold their own attraction, there is something special about gliding along the glassy surface of the lake, with a light breeze caressing your skin. There is so much to discover and learn – about the lake’s ecological diversity, the people inhabiting it for centuries, their way of life, and their history. Inle Lake is a freshwater lake located in the mountainous region of Shan state, Myanmar. It is the second largest lake in the country, with an estimated area of almost 50 square miles. The lake’s eco-system hosts diverse flora and fauna, including approximately 267 species of birds, and 43 species of freshwater fishes, otters and turtles. The lake also contains species endemic to the region, with over nine species of fish and twenty species of snails that have, to date, not been found elsewhere in the world. Some of these fish, like the silver-blue Sawbwa barb and the Lake Inle danio, are valuable to aquarium aficionados and prized possessions for fish collectors. If you are lucky, you might even be able to spot the endangered Sarus crane, which has been reported to nest in the area. The lake is placid and serene, ringed by marshes and floating gardens. Pagodas and monasteries rise above the crystalline water, while villages perched on stilts dot the shoreline. These villages are mostly inhabited by the 22 — ISSUE 5/2018 The Intha make a living primarily from fishing. Traditional Intha fishermen are known for their practice of a distinctive rowing style, which involves wrapping one leg around the oar, using this leg to push the oar through the water, while standing on the stern. This unique style of rowing was necessary, as parts of the lake are covered with floating plants. In order to obtain an unobscured view, the men have developed this unique style of rowing, which some describe as “ballerina-like” or a “dance.” Fish caught from the lake are staples of the locals’ diet, constituting dishes of htamin gyin (boiled fish and potatoes, with tomato paste, kneaded into fresh or fermented rice) or nga hpein (Inle carp). To go with these dishes, the Intha harvest vegetables and fruit from the large floating gardens that they maintain on the surface of the lake. To upkeep these gardens is no easy task, requiring hours of manual labour. Farmers dig up lake-bottom weeds from deeper areas of the Inle Lake, and ferry them back to their farms, creating floating beds anchored by bamboo poles in their garden areas. These gardens are flood-resistant, as they float on the water’s surface, and rise and fall with the tide. They are very fertile as the nutrient-laden water nourishes the plants constantly. Rice and other vegetables are grown in these extraordinary gardens. Around 25% of Inle Lake is covered by floating gardens, and one might require a skilled boatman to navigate these channels quickly. The Hpaung Daw U Pagoda at Inle Lake Wikipedia Commons Fisherman glides over Inle Lake on long boats, conical fishing baskets in hand ImageEarthTravel Intha people who live on stilted houses built over the lake and have forged their traditions and way of life around this body of water.