Inle Lake - and Hospital!

Another early morning flight in yet another twin-prop plane took us to Heho airport - the last  stop on the "bus route" before the flight returns to Yangon. Heho is the regional airport that services Inle Lake and it's the last regional for us on this trip. 

Heho airport - air traffic control.

Again, our tickets were an oddity - they're mostly filled with advertisements front and back! 

HEH - destination; TG132 Flight # - not much else!

 

Reverse side of the airline ticket.

This monastery was the first stop and now we're on our last day in Thailand and I'm blogging this, neither of us remember its name.  It is the monastery where the last Shan, King signed the Peace Accord with the British in 1885.

Beautiful teak oval windows with split opening 'doors'

(Unfortunately the guide cracked the tailgate down on Lorraine's head so she didn't get to visit this temple, but there was worse to come!)

 

After a rest at the hotel, we ventured out for the short walk down to the pier for a long-tail boat ride to the top of the lake.  We passed the one-leg rowing fishermen - not dressed up in the 'traditional' gear of white shirt and orange longhi - but apparently they're only frocked up these days for tourists - tourists who travel in large busloads!



A one-leg rower with his catch.

 The visit to the lotus and silk weaving factory was fascinating.  This 78 year old man cut the stalks of the lotus flower about 5 cm long, pulled the stalk ends apart to expose the fibre, twisted the fibres, laid them on a wooden block and with some water splashed onto the fibres, he rubbed them into a fine thread.  It was a huge amount of work for such a small reward.

The beautiful lotus flowers

Weaving of silk and lotus fibres - beautiful and stunning!





78 year old making lotus silk fibre



The beautiful colours awaiting the silk threads.

We headed for the "Eyeful Restaurant" - a major restaurant on the tourist route, named in recognition of its views.  

The Eyeful Restaurant

 

The view from our lunch table

 
 

If only I knew then ... ... !!!

We enjoyed a "lovely" lunch that was not clearly quite hot enough :(

No sooner had we left the restaurant - the heavens opened - this was clearly an omen of what was to come!!!  We fanged along the waterway - covered up as well as we could from the elements - to take shelter in the Ngaphe Kyaung Monastery, "Jumping Cat Monastery".  It is nick-named as a result of a photographer who took photos many years ago of the cats the monks had trained to jump through hoops. When he submitted the photograph in an exhibition, he could not remember the name of the monastery, so called it the 'jumping cat monastery'.  The name has stuck to this day, however the practice of training cats to jump through hoops has ceased.

 

Two raincoats!

Boats tied up outside the monastery.



The Lake is sadly suffering from ever-increasing pollution.  It is hard to believe that just one generation ago, the Lake was clean enough to drink.

 

We made our soggy way back to our hotel with Lorraine's tummy grumbling.  It wasn't only the heavens that opened up! (Sorry!)  At midnight after another seizure, a hospital was required but unfortunately no-one at the hotel spoke English.  The manager was eventually called in, and after several unsuccessful attempts to get in touch with our tour company, she rang her father who went to the hospital to get an ambulance to come to the hotel. Lorraine was in a world of strife.

 

Being in a third world country, in the provinces, is not ideal when you need hospitalisation!

 

Nevertheless, the doctor was able to stablise Lorraine's condition by hitting her with a high dose of antibots and saline drips.  The hospital was sooooo poorly equipped: the drip stand had four wheels, neither of which worked; the operating theatre had a bed but no electricity - the place was just so poorly equipped.  But they tried their best - and the white woman, certainly an oddity in this public hospital, was at least getting some treatment.

Glad I wasn't there to deliver!

This filled John with dread - not particularly hygienic!

Such basic equipment

 

 

 

 

A transfer the next day to a larger town with a private hospital and modern equipment was a blessing.  Electrolyte levels, blood tests and an ECG showed the doctors what treatment was required, and what treatment will be required once we get home.  At a cost of just under $USD500 and a two night stay we were very pleased to be discharged and on our way on Mother's Day morning. 



So the days we were looking forward to the most - bike riding to Red Mountain Winery to watch the sunset and a stay at a palatial resort in a bungalow over the water - oh well, maybe next time!!!