Bagan, in Burma. I was galavanting through the temples in Bagan, being led through choice buildings hundreds of years old by two scamps with whom I had finally made friends (it took a LOT of convincing that I didn't have any more money to spend at their store). But once they were no longer in sales-mode, they reverted into children. In one temple, we suddenly and temporarily lost sight of the girl, and I chanced to look back, and there she was. A quick impulsive shot, and a moment after she had quickly gotten up and dusted off, and sped up to join back with us.

I am very glad that I decided to take the slow ferry to the coast on my way to Ngwe Saung. I made friends with a group of traveling monks who were on a pilgrimage to a pagoda, and with gestures and broken English, learned a little about the ragtag group. Every man of eligible age must enter the priesthood in Burma, and some stay, and some revert (perhaps to re-enter at a later point in their life), but every one started out just a regular person. Besides, Tobacco is vegan, isn't it?