We had a very active day, driving towards Tachilek. Many men ( in Kengtung) cross the border at Tachilek to work in Thailand, and commute back and forth. It is easier for them to find work in Thailand than Myanmar.

The road to the top of Hokyin Mountain is very narrow and steep and can only be driven if road conditions are good. At the top are four different Akha villages. Sometimes, three different religions co-exist in one village – again, Buddhists, Catholicism and Animists. The villages are separated by valleys and paths. View image

We toured from village-to-village, visiting the people, still with rice cakes in hand.

Some villagers made little smoking pipes (the ladies were all puffing away); and others specialized in potent rice wine.

Since the area around Kengtung has only recently been open to tourism, not many people have travelled here. The hill tribes live their lives traditionally, and Diethelm requested that we not bring pens, candy, T-shirts or other gifts for the villagers. Rice cakes were sufficient

house in village

The Akha are very hospitable and insisted we climb ladders to their houses, sit and chat, via our translator. View image
Children always surrounded us…looking ex-Marine, up and down….he probably resembled a water buffalo to those tiny people. We, Americans, are definitely overfed!

Walking the trails between villages, we would come upon yet another minority dressed in another colorful outfit.

Sunday was Market Day in Kengtung. The many silver shops are of special interest to the Akha for they buy the silver coins to make their unique headdresses. Wandered through…looking at the vegetables, rice, meat and other products the minority people sell or shop for.

One of the fastest-selling items were Betel Nuts. Betel nut, also known as Pinang or Areca nut, is the seed of the Betel Palm. Betel nuts are often chewed for their intoxicating (think narcotic) effects, which are caused by the relatively high levels of alkaloids in the seed. It was interesting watching the seller roll the Betel Nut leaves, spread lime and other ingredients (whatever her client wanted), roll it up, and off the person went, chewing away (and spitting red “stuff” on the ground). The people lead such a hard existence – it’s understandable why they chew Betel Nuts.

In case you are wondering, the yellow on her checks is a combination sunscreen/skin conditioner that all Burmese women and children apply.

Betel stand

There was one other important market…the Water Buffalo auction. This auction is very important to the locals…Water Buffalos are a staple for farming, and hauling timber in Myanmar.

this “buf” and I really connected!

It was time to catch a DIRECT (wonder of wonders) flight to Heho to spend some time on Inle Lake.

boat transport to our Inle Lake hotel

Our boat was waiting and we chugged down Inle Lake to our hotel….