Myanmar's Inle Lake (a 45-square-mile freshwater area) dazzles in a quiet, almost magical way. Villages of simple homes made of wood and woven bamboo rise on stilts above water that, in sections, is thick with reeds. Elaborate floating gardens growing tomatoes, beans, and lettuces are anchored by bamboo poles and are a labor-intensive agricultural-engineering feat. And awe-inspiring Buddhist temples, many decorated in glittering gold leaf, amply shine upon the shoreline.