few things come close

Ahoy,

There are few moments that give me pause, but there was something poetic about the monastery at the top of the 10,000 buddhas path. There were no signs leading from the train stations, so you really only have the online instructions to go on. I just knew we needed to pass the government buildings. The path up was pretty close. We began pretty early. There was no one else on the path ahead of us, and we didn't notice anyone behind us until we were near the top. This was a pleasant change from other attractions that had been crowded. We took our time climbing the steps because there was a buddha to greet you at every step, and each one was different. I'm sure there were loads of steps, but it wasn't tiring or never-ending because there were all these gold buddhas to look at along the way.

At the top was a monastery overlooking the city in addition to other temples, buddhas and incarnations. There was a little pond with turtles that we stopped to watch for a while, and a gardener was tending to the flora. There were dozens and dozens of buddhas scattered everywhere, but the view was spectacular. There was a perfect breeze floating across the blades of grasses and tree branches. The way the plants ebbed and flowed with the wind was what I thought the stuff of Chinese poetry and brush paintings were made of. As I watched the plants and felt the wind on my neck, I could see how someone would want to spend eternity up there. I think it was at that moment that I understood what serenity meant.


We made the decision to visit the 10,000 buddhas instead of the big one on Lantau because the proximity would afford more time for other activities (READ: shopping). He had been to the big buddha before but not these 10,000 and he said the 10,000 were way cooler and well worth it.

peacefully attentive,
jt