Instagraming Markets of Inle Lake Burma

One of the first areas I love to explore when traveling are the local markets. Many are off the beaten path and provide a real opportunity to connect with the local culture. Instagraming Markets of Inle Lake Burma was a great chance to share with my readers a inside sense of the country.

Observing what is fresh in the marketplace also gives visitors a chance to see the local produce and get ideas for what to order for meals. This woman was one of the first we saw, and I knew we were in for a treat.

There was plenty of meat and internal organs were well represented. People seemed to specialize in one type of animal and have every part available. When meat is a luxury for villagers the nose to tail concept is not a new foodie trend, but a necessity for sustainable living.

Close by, I was more than happy to observe fresh tofu being weighed. We had an excellent opportunity to see this source of protein being made at a local organic factory. Soybeans are cooked, ground, pressed and made into blocks that have the consistency of a custard. Many recipes call for firm tofu which will keep its texture when stirred and added to different dishes.

Fish is everywhere in Inle Lake. I’ve never seen so many different varieties, and I found the curry tomato version especially delicious This vendor with her  piles of dried fish was very popular. Fermented and salted varieties used in the pungent fish sauce or ngan pear yay. Although a whiff from the bottle is enough to clear your sinuses, a small amount gives a really subtle flavor to many of the dishes you’ll find in the country. I never thought I’d find myself eating fish soup, the national dish of mohingha, for breakfast.

Can you guess what this is? Looking much like Ivory Snow Flakes, the mound of monosodium glutamate-or MSG-took me by surprise. This white crystalline powder, developed as a flavor enhancer at the end of the 19th century is used in many dishes to give the taste of meat or as many call it today, unami. Many people, myself included, develop a flush, dizziness and headache after eating it. The cups here were the units of measure used for purchasing.

The Intha people of the area live in villages surrounding the lake and floating houses directly on the lake built on stilts. The hydroponic tomatoes grown in the middle of the lake are impressive and although I try and stick to the peel it, boil it or forget it philosophy when traveling, I could’t resist trying some of the tender morsels {without consequences} at our hotel.

Throughout the market we were greeted with smiles and offerings of food to taste. It’s always a bit awkward to pass, but after taking photos, without exception my subjects all enjoyed seeing their image. Hand signs are a universal language.

These buns were being prepared at one end of the market where a open air cafe was doing a brisk business. Destined for the deep fryer, this method of cooking is very popular with street food vendors in Myanmar. When the oil is the right temperature, it allows for a crusty exterior while leaving the interior of the bun moist and steam cooked.

Anyone following my feed on Instagram knows that my kind of selfie is a shadow shot.  I could have spent hours here and long for the day when my travel schedule will allow me to rewind and repeat a day, rather than moving on to the next adventure. Recalling the words to the Peter Pan song, me and my shadow love to visit markets anywhere in the world.