During my stay in Samarkand, the President of China's visit closed all the roads and popular access routes to the monuments on foot. A young school girl led me across gardens, down back alleyways and twisting side streets to bypass the police road blocks and arrive at Registan Square. Upon return without her guidance, my mental breadcrumbs led me astray - and to my delight, I wandered down a wrong turn to photograph these pigeons on a geometrical metal frame peaking above the wall.