66. Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai & Golden Triangle, Thailand / Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai & Złoty Trójkąt, Tajlandia

Golden Triangle is a place where illegal growth and  trade of opium was taking place in the past. It's the place where Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet. / Złoty Trójkąt to miejsce, gdzie w przeszłości uprawiano i sprzedawano nielegalny opium. Jest to miejsce, gdzie spotykają się państwa Tajlandii, Myanmar (Birmy) oraz Laosu.

Northern Thailand is so much different from the south islands in many aspects. First of all, climate is slightly different. You are surrounded by hills and mountains therefore the whole area is more prone to rain. The air is less humid.

20. Yangon, Myanmar ( Burma, Birma )

 Trains get really busy with people travelling to street markets in hope of selling their goods. / Pociągi zapełniają się ludźmi udającymi się na uliczne markety by sprzedać to i owo.

Yangon was previously the capital city of Myanmar. Nearly 10% of the country's population live here ( 65 milion people in Myanmar). So the city feels over populated.
Motorbikes are not allowed near the city centre, only bicycles but it's way too dangerous to ride one of those.  Traffic jam gets really bad in here, you are guaranteed to be stuck in one of them for some time. So to explore we walked ( in  temperatures reaching 35C! ) and took a train journey around the city. Well, nearly around city.

19. Inle Lake, Myanmar ( Burma) / Jezioro Inle, Myanmar (Birma)

 Leg rowers. Inle fishermen row flat - ended canoes with one leg so they can use both hands for fishing  / Wiosłowanie nogami. Rybacy z Inle wiosłują nogą swoje płasko wykończone kajaki, abu móc łowić ryby obiema rękoma.

From Bagan we travelled to a small town Nyuang Shwe, which is the hub town for Inke Lake. It attracts many tourists for a good reason.
 The lake, which is 22 km long and located about 880 metres above sea level, is inhabited by fishermen and various craftsmen.
During dry season lake gets really shallow (just over 2 metres) and muddy.
Around the banks of the lake and on the lake you'll find many villages.  To see them, we have rented a boat ( 15000 Kyats  = 15$) for half a day. We got to observe Inle fishermen, paid a visit to the rotating five - day market ( same market held in different place every day), silver smiths and lotus silk and cotton weaving. There's also cheroot - making and boat - making, all hand made. It's a really fascinating place.


Z Bagan wyruszyliśmy do małego miasteczka Nyuang Shwe, które stanowi swego rodzaju siedzibę hotelową  dla Jeziora Inle.
Jezioro, położone 880 m n.p.m. i mierzące 22 km długości,  staje się bardzo płytkie i wręcz bagienne (opada do głębokości 2 metrów ) podczas suchej pory roku.
 Wokół brzegu oraz na samym jeziorze znajduje się wiele wiosek. Żeby zwiedzić niektóre z nich, wynajeliśmy małą łódkę  ( koszt 15000 Kyats = 15$ ) na pół dnia.
Obserwowalismy rybaków, odwiedziliśmy 5 - dniowy market rotacyjny ( ten sam market odbywa się codziennie w innym miejscu przez 5 dni w tygodniu), rzemieślników pracujących nad wyrobem srebrnej biżuterii oraz tkactwa z bawełny i jedwabiu . Można też znaleźć tu na jeziorze ludzi produkujących cygara i budujących łodzie. Wszystko robione ręcznie. To jezioro to naprawdę fascynujące miejsce.

Traditional bamboo fisherman on Inle Lake. / Rybak z Inle Lake z tradycyjną siatką bambusową.

Electricity and phone lines are provided. / Elektryczność i linie telefoniczne są tu dostarczane.

Floating market. / Pływający market.

 Women from Padaung tribe wear up to 22 kg of brass rings around their necks. / Kobiety z plemienia Padaung noszą aż do 22 kg mosiadzowych  pierścieni na szyi

Lotus flower cotton. / Bawełna z kwiata lotosu.

Colours for silk and cotton. / Barwniki do jedwabiu i bawełny.

Traditional silk and cotton weaving. / Tradycyjne tkactwo jedwabiu i bawełny.

18. The making of peanut oil, Myanmar ( Burma) / Produkcja oleju z orzeszków ziemnych, Myanmar ( Birma)

On a way from Bagan to Inle Lake we came across this back to basics peanut oil production. The whole family took part in it.
Dad is obviously the main man but mum and the kids do their part by acting as weight control ( peanuts in the wooden 'bowl' need to be constantly pressed).

17. Mysterious Bagan, Myanmar (Burma) / Tajemniczy Bagan, (Birma)

Ebikes - a very popular way to get around Bagan / E(lektryczne) rowery - bardzo popularna forma przemieszczania sie po Bagan.

Bagan was our second place to visit in Myanmar. It has got a great relaxing atmosphere and plains full of Buddhist temples, pagodas and ruins dating from the 11th and 12th centuries.

15. Donations and celebrations, Mandalay, Myanmar / Ofiary i świętowanie, Mandalay, Myanmar

Boys will become 'novices'. Wearing make up for donation ceremony is a tradition. / Chłopcy staną się 'nowicjuszami'. Makijaż na ceremonie ofiarną to tradycja.

Sending a boy to monastery for learning is an opportunity for great celebrations in every family. On that day, a family has a chance to collect donations from others. It's a tradition that everyone respects and adhers to, even the poorest.
After the initial ceremony and prayers, boys are getting their head shaved and family begins celebrations.

14. Mandalay, Myanmar ( Burma, Birma)

Mandalay Hill, Kuthodaw Pagoda site; we entered from Sandamuni Paya side and avoided paying 10$ fee which goes to government. / Mandalay Hill Kuthodaw Pagoda teren; my weszlismy od strony Sandamuni Pagoda i ominela nas oplata w wysokosci 10$, ktora idzie do kieszeni rzadu.

Three  or four years ago Mandalay's main mode of transport used to be bicycles. Today, in this city of 4 milion people, motorbikes and old toyotas are triumphing.
Streets have no names in here, they are numbered like in New York. Our hotel, Hotel 79 was on 79th street.
The air is very dry, polluted and quite heavy ( most probably because the rubbish are being burnt over here). Temperatures during the day are reaching 35C.