Siem Reap, Cambodia –
As I pulled out a couple of dollars to drop in the donation plate, the little old lady keeper of this particular Buddha statue became very excited and animated.
First, she grabbed several lit sticks of incense, put them in my hand, and mimed what I should do (3-4 bows to the Buddha).
As I was doing what she had instructed, she grabbed a length of red yarn and quickly tied it around my left wrist.
Finally, she directed me to place the sticks of incense in a pot of sand, among the remains of many other sticks from previous visitors.
I had reached the central, highest Buddha among the many in Bayon, so I thought “while in Rome”, figuring that I would curry a little favor with the local deity.
Assuming you can call Buddha “local”.
Then again, I was in his territory.
