HK: The big Buddha

So today I went to go see the big Buddha (Tian Tan Buddha Statue)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tian_Tan_Buddha

I took the train over to Lantau Island, then searched in vain for the elusive 'bus 23', and took a taxi from the station instead. Aish, what a taxi ride (blue taxi, not red taxi - sheesh)! Its actually sorta far (~10km?) and on lots of little windy 'single file traffic' lanes.

The coolest part about the buddha was seeing a real buddhist ceremony going on in a real monastary (Po Lin Monastary) with real buddhist monks and nuns. But don't get me wrong - the Buddha itself is awesome. You can see it nestled in the mountains from really far away.

It also came with a Vegetarian Meal ticket. I hate to say it, but I didn't much like it. I was really stoked for this Vegetarian Meal (I had been wanting some tofu) but it just didn't do it for me. Its cute, there is a garden on the grounds that has a sign to the effect of 'No Alcohol, Only Vegetarian Food allowed here'.

Its neat how we were pretty close to the city, but it felt like you were off in the wilderness. There were even little villages along the way, without big tall apartment buildings. I wonder by it hasn't been developed?

I also went wandering down a path and bought some locally grown tea, and the lady spoke the best english I've had so far. She explained how to make the tea - all this from a ...well, shack by the path.

More later....