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Posted from Yangon, Myanmar at 9:05 PM local time

A Visit to the Mid-River Pagoda

Ashin Sandarwara is a young monk with whom I spent a great deal of time during my trip to Yangon in 2005. This photograph was taken on perhaps my favorite day together, when he and I made a visit to the Mid-River Pagoda (Yele Paya) outside Yangon. The day started with Sandarwara treating me to a fabulous morning meal (here's the spread), the first of its kind in his tiny monastery. Despite interacting with English-speaking visitors often, he'd never before hosted a meal in his own room. We shared fish, rice, veggies, samosas, watermelon and my personal favorite, leh-peh-toq (tea leaf salad). If that seems like a lot, remember - Buddhist monks don't eat after noon...

After wrapping up our meal, we hopped aboard a series of buses and "taxis" to get to the river temple. Here's a shot taken very literally from the only position I could manage in (or on) the "taxi." Yep, I was able to wedge my right foot into the only open space on the back of the vehicle not occupied by my fellow passengers.

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