Tuesday,
January 9, 2007
Today we set out to see the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery,
high atop the mountains outside Hong Kong.
If the cable car ride at Ocean Park was amazing, then the cable
car ride to the Big Buddha was beyond description. We were
carried over a huge expanse of water and then several mountains
until we finally reached the summit. It was slightly foggy being
up so high, and it really felt like the cars were ascending into
heaven.
The cable car ride was spiritual enough. Afterwards, we took a
long walk and then climbed 260 steps to reach the Big Buddha. It
is 85 feet tall! Funny, but we did pause for a Starbucks along
the way.
It was a cool, sunny day, there was a smoky smell of incense
burning, and the mountains were slightly barren but yet
beautiful. I wish I could describe it better, but it was just an
amazing and profound experience.
By contrast, we ended our day by watching the laser show across
the harbor in downtown Hong Kong, and by strolling through the
street markets close to our hotel. We are very glad that we
stopped in Hong Kong for a couple days. It is just a remarkable
place. |
Over the Top
Bodhisattvas under Big Buddha |
