01-22 Inle Lake 3

football at Shwe Yan Bye monastery
football at Shwe Yan Bye monastery

22.01 Inle Lake 3, Shwe Yan Bye monastery, winery visit

The third day was a monk (and nun) spotting day. Out before breakfast as usual we scoured the streets for processions of monks coming to collect their breakfast at what can only be described as feeding stations. Some of these were run by the nuns, who wear light pink robes in contrast to the dark red of the monks. It is not easy to tell which is which otherwise with their heads being shaved. The nuns also seem to be responsible for their own firewood chopping.
After breakfast we set off by bike or in my and one other case by horse and cart to visit the nearby Shwe Yan Bye monastery. Here there were lots of other tourists, mostly Chinese I think, and it was difficult to view the young monks well although they do pose just for the tourists. I obtained the most natural pictures when they were playing football like any boys of their age. Most of them do not remain monks for more than a few years but return to secular life when they are older.
The evening sunset visit by tuc-tuc was this time to a winery, which made a complete change. On the way we stopped to watch sugar being produced from sugar cane.

photographing the monks at Shwe Yan Bye monastery
photographing the monks at Shwe Yan Bye monastery

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