Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Plus-X | Forte Polywarmtone
Helon village isn't on the tourist map for Myanmar. The friendly receptionist at my Inle guesthouse, Kyau Kund, was headed home for the weekend—rare time off due to monk novitiation ceremonies—and suggested he come on my tour of the lake so I could visit his family when dropping him off.

We visited the market together—while he actually shopped for food and other household necessities for his mother far from the tourist-oriented trinket stalls—then headed to his tiny village, one of several stilt-house villages ringing Inle. Most of the canoes there were non-motorized, so the sound from our motor—indicating an outsider!—brought plenty of people to the windows and doorways. His family was especially excited, already happy to see him but additionally eager to meet a tourist. No one in his family spoke a word of English (and Kyau Kund was limited as well), but it was an incredibly pleasant morning.

They also had a great view of the village from their window, which Kyau Kund's young niece seemed to enjoy sharing with me. This was shot from that window.