Christmas Day

Day 5 in Inle. Other than eating, all we did today was a long walk out of town. Stopping to play a street soccer type of game that closely resembles hack n sac with a group of guys. 

Then checking out a hotel building project 

   (Drilling pilings with simple equipment)

along the river. More and more of these expansion projects are popping up around this area. The government most likely has a chip in the game but I was told by someone here that private foreign investment is making a bigger play here now than ever before. We may not recognize this place by the time we make it back. 

On our way  we stopped to get a massage from a local family on the outskirts of town. The name? Family Massage;)! A mother and daughter don't the massages while the rest of the family sit outside and relax with neighbors. 

The massage was similar to the other, traditional Burmese style with coconut oil. The difference was it was in a back neighborhood in a really sweet stilted wicker hut on a canal. Just blankets lined the massage area on the floor and the sounds of dogs barking & children playing outside gave a peacefulness I hadn't experienced in a massage until now.

After a 20 minute walk back to town

we were in bed and watching a movie by 8. 

Very nice & mellow way to spend a Christmas Day indeed!