Porter

This young fellow was working as a porter at Kyaiktiyo, in Mon State, Myanmar (see Kyaiktiyo). He'd wait down at the base of the mountain near the parking lot and carry people's bags, e.g. mine, up the steep ramp to the pagoda. Very professional. And courteous. And strong. Maybe 12-13 years old? [NOTE: He would carefully wrap the client's bag in plastic in case of rain during the ascent].

Kyaiktiyo

The Golden Rock pagoda at Kyaiktiyo in Mon State is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Myanmar. The gold-leaf encrusted boulder balances precariously on the edge of a cliff at the top of Mt. Kyaikto and looks like it should start rolling off at any moment. It apparently doesn't, however, because of a single, precisely placed, strand of Buddha's hair enshrined in the stupa on top.

Hiking up the mountain to the pagoda, I stopped at a small roadside "pharmacy" to look at the medicinal plants and medical preparations.  My favorite item was the elephant's tooth. [NOTE: I had a full beard in those days].