Blogs from Leshan, Sichuan, China, Asia

So these last two weeks were pretty intense with studying however a few of us got a chance to visit the big Buddha in Lashan… We took a bus in which was only about 2 and half hours so I pretty much passed out on. However when we got off at the station we got off and then took a cab to the entrance to the Big Buddha, I was not really sure what to expect but a decent climb. However it anything but that… it took all but about 15-20 mins to climb to the top of the Buddha in which we took several pictures until we noticed on the other side of the mountain in where we can climb down the mountainside to the “foot of the Buddha”. It’s pretty intense since the women ... read more

Yesterday was slightly more relaxed with a visit to the art markets of Chengdu and then a trip to the Sichuan Provincial Museum. They have some interesting sculpture and paintings. I took many photos of the art and tried to take better images of the pieces already photographed and up on the website. The late afternoon and evening was spent with a friend that flew in from Beijing although he usually stays in Shanghai. We have often traveled together in China or at least meet up in a selected city. This morning came a little early as we had arranged a car for 9:00 to take us out the Leshan historical sight. This place boasts the largest seated stone carved Buddha in the world. Up until a few years ago it was the largest Buddha sculpture ... read more

Photos: ....my original plan to visit Miss Piggy for her wedding floundered when either I or she (or both) mixed up the dates. It's on March 8th, not February 8th. After two days on the farm & a few more in Guiyang plus a trip to the Huangguoshu Falls, documented in last week's newsletter, it's time to make a move. Thoughts of warmer weather & sunkissed beaches have been abandoned. Southern & central China are just starting to thaw out from some of the heaviest snowfalls for years..... …..Guilin, about 500km east? Su Yin Hui (Suzy), the English teacher whose wedding I attended a few months ago, will be there with her husband. It apparently requires changing trains halfway. Kunming, about the same distance east, close to some beautiful scenic spots. Maybe Chengdu, north of Guiya ... read more

Sat 30 / 10 Chengdu to Leshan With the late Fri it was only a short nights as I awoke to resolve computer technology and get housekeeping in for some maintenance before our delayed wake up call at 09:00 for a pack and go by 11:00 The morning must have been planned around our tiredness as we had a short bus hop to the other end of town for an hour walk around the old town area - read modernisation of the old town in the old format for tourist A short stop over at the Government sponsored business of Jin Long Jewerllry presented great temptation It was a 2hr leisurely bus ride to the Baxiandong dock at Lesian for a short boat ride to view the giant Buddha Returning to shore our bus contiued to ... read more

Now it was time to visit Leshan & the 233 feet tall Buddha carved in the rock, our time in Leshan was very brief, we left the cold & rain of Emei & headed off, I thought Leshan would be cold & rainy too so I put layers on again to keep warm. I was exhausted because of our noisy neighbours AGAIN so had a little sleep in the car on the way there, when I woke up the sun was shining & you could actually see the sky, needless to say I did not need the layers. We had to take a detour because a bridge to get to the Buddha was under construction but eventually we arrived, we got on a boat & had to put life jackets, again we were the only western ... read more