Fotos 08_Indonesia

To soothe our blisters we decided to book a boat trip on the lake for the next day. Watching life on the lake, visiting the market and some show-factories was really beautiful and for once completely hassle-free. Especially impressive were the fishermen who catch fish by pushing down a bamboo basket (the lake is only 3m deep) with an integrated net and who can row with the help of one leg without falling down. This technique enables them to have their hands free and to better see their prey. Also impressive were the five Buddha images completely disfigured by their admirers who, in their adoration, stick gold leaflets to the bodies of the Buddhas. The next day we had the luck to see nuns on their begging tour. In contrast to the monks, the nuns only go begging once in a while and only beg for uncooked rice. Still unwilling to walk we hired bicycles once again to go to a close by Teak monastery. In comparison to the other monasteries we visited in Myanmar, this was the first one, which really lived, and we could see monks, novices and locals in profound discussion. Being a full moon day, which in Myanmar is like a Sunday for us, there were Pa-O women sitting in one of the building of the monastery enjoying their day off. When we walked past, they spontaneously waved us in and invited us to share their breakfast.