The sun was setting when our tour boat arrived at an area of Inle Lake frequented by the famous one-legged fishermen of Myanmar. We drifted up to a young man in a grey and red track suit who was balancing on the front tip of his flat-bottom boat. From his birds-eye perch, he navigated through … Read more
Applying gold foil on laquerware at a factory in Bagan, Myanmar. The painstaking process of making lacquerware is done completely by hand, whether crafting a tiny cup or an entire dining room table with seating for 12. This factory in Bagan is one of many where visitors can watch the process from start to finish, … Read more
Traditional fisherman on Inle Lake, Myanmar, balances on one leg at the bow of his wooden boat while rowing with a paddle tied to his other leg. The lake is so shallow for much of the year that fishermen must stand up to navigate through the thick vegetation that blooms beneath the surface. These fishermen … Read more
Shop owner at the Scott Market in Yangon, Myanmar, applies traditional Thanakha paste to her face. Made by grinding branches of the Thanakha tree into a powder and then adding water, the paste is used as a protection from the sun and as an enhancement to beauty. Though men are also occasionally seen wearing Thanakha, … Read more
The soles of my feet were black as tar by the time I’d made a circuit of Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. Fortunately, the folks at Viking River Cruises were waiting for us with wet wipes. I cleaned and massaged my aching feet without complaint, for the famous Buddhist shrine, which requires visitors to remove their … Read more
