A candid shot of a monk standing on the terrace of the Hsinbyume Pagoda.

I didn't notice it then, and am flabbergasted to see now in the picture that the monk was wearing slippers! This is surprising because all visitors, foreigners and locals alike, were required to take off their shoes (including socks) when entering any temple, pagoda or other religious buildings in Burma. For visitors unaccustomed to walking barefooted on (uneven) stone or wooden-plank floors, this can be an uncomfortable and even painful experience.