BIG BUDDHA

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This morning we got up early and headed off to Leshan to see a 1300 year old statue of Buddha and 10,000 little ones at a town about two hours coach ride down the road. Leshan is on the banks of three rivers converging and was suprisingly humid. It was a plesant hike through the park, through caves, up and over hills and some very steep stairs to see the many carved ststues and buildings that make up this place. Honestly Buddha doesn't do it for me but I really appreciated the scale and detail of everything there.

At about 1.30 we headed back to Chengdu to try and catch the end of the International Motor Show that has been on here for 5 days but unfortunately we were too late. We then headed into town, didi some shopping and met up with our friend for anotherr Cherndu dinner speciality HOT POT !

Hot Pot is a large stainless steel dish that sits in the middle of your table on a gas burner and cooks for you as you go. You order what ingredients you'd like added throughout the meal and you are away. Your bowl of fiery juice with some ingredients is brought out and put on the flame. You take some of the juice into your own small bowl and add flavouring as you please including, peanuts, salt, oyster sauce, vinegar and some herbs. Then as the various ingredients are added and cook you pickthem out with your chopsticks dip it in your bowl and eat. We had Chicken, beef, fish, squid, funghi, lotus, and lots of asian vegetables and it was awesome.

Afterwards we wents for a quick walk and bought some food from stall alonside the alleyaways 9not that we were at all hungry, we were just a bit drunk and silly)


THOUGHTS
I think to really see a country you must do it with the people that live there. In every country I have visited it made it so much better being shown around by locals. People here have been so friendly , generous and kind it has been really humbling.

STUFF
Seen lots of police with big guns - still trying to get a smile out of one of them
The young generation here is as cool and savvy as in Japan (just less electronic toys), Australia or America. It really seems like they are a global generation in one big country, connected by the challenges and influences of starbucks, Nike and Audi.

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Photos

JACK N JON
At the foot of the Big Buddha looking away

JACK AND THE BIG MAN
you can just see the head of this 71 metre high statue in this picture - wow

ARCH BRIDGE
This awesome bridge is on you way out of the park - I really like it.