Wandering around the buildings, through the arch and past the stupa, past the roosters guarding their hens, to a small little outpost, we found a monk inside, who reeled us in, asked for financial contributions for upkeep of the wat, and gave blessings as he tied the string bracelets one gets on such occasions. I asked him if I could photograph him and he posed. The bracelet is still on my wrist. The instruction was to keep it for a year. Usually the required time-frame is three days, although I have two from Laos which are much thinner thread and have lasted 18 months so far. This one from Wat Bupparam could last for years; it's so much thicker. We were promised a good night's sleep that night, and good luck if the bracelet was worn for a year.