Let me explain, because there were a lot of mitigating circumstances and factors that led up to me accidentally breaking the door to their temple. The first reason isn't really all that complicated, it's just a cold hard fact, the temple isn't made very well. I think they know this. Don't get me wrong, it's gorgeous to look at, but what you'd probably never guess unless you've been there and actually touched it (or broken it), is that the entire temple is not made out of anything substantial. It breaks off almost immediately in your hands if you yank with all your might on a door that's been closed and locked. It's been constructed like a film set or a temporary art installation, out of plastic or fiberglass or something. I could probably say what it was made out of with more certainty, if the custodian of the entrance hadn't started yelling at me and yanking the large, broken, arabesque, piece of the door handle out of my hands.

It was all very confusing, since he was yelling in a language I couldn't understand, and especially since I was out of breath from running so frantically to make it into the temple before they closed. The only way I was going to get the pristine shots I wanted of this beautiful (but dubiously made) white temple that you see above, without the photograph being overrun with hundreds of ant-like tourists, was to wait until minutes before they closed for the day. This was also in order to capture the setting sun behind it. Admittedly, I had waited until the very last possible minute (five, actually, said my phone) before packing up my things and sprinting towards the door, but I was keeping a close eye on my phone clock, and as Buddha as my witness, I made it to that door with time to spare. Without even taking a moment to catch my breath or congratulate myself, I reached out and flung the door open.

Or, that was the intention anyways. Instead the door stayed shut, and I was left holding a big weird (plastic?) thing that looked like the tip of a stylized flame. And this is when all the yelling started. Again, I couldn't understand exactly what he was saying, but I think I was able to pretty much get the gist of it.

It was something like, "You are so stupid! How can you be so stupid, but also so very sexy? What kind of stupid, sexy, buffoon are you, that you would run up here and so gorgeously yank on our door handle? A door handle that -- granted, is not made very sturdily at all, and which we locked several minutes early today which we certainly should not have done and will think twice about doing in the future -- but a big, strong, man such as yourself should have known better. Shame on you, you beautiful, talented photographer."

I have taken some liberties with the hypothetical translation, but regardless of what his actual words were, I was able to gather that he wanted me to leave. This turned out to be divine intervention, in my opinion, because without me breaking the temple door handle and consequently being denied access to the interior, I would have never stumbled upon this magical MOSS COVERED TREE in time to catch the most phenomenal sunlight I have ever witnessed. Until someone different yelled at me to please leave that area as well.

*********************************

You can read more about languages barriers HERE and HERE!