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Me posing with a Trash Can
Haha, isn't this great!? Their trash bins were all characters like this! Today we woke up early to drive 2 hour away to Ermei Mountain and to see the Giant Buddha. This Buddha is, I believe, the largest sitting Buddha in the world. It is carved into the side of a mountain with such precise detail that I am just in awe. In addition to the Buddha, there a many other carvings into the sides of the mountain that are a bit weathered but noticeable visible.
We began by hiking up a stone staircase path that wound back and forth up the side of the mountain. At one point, we stopped to visit a temple where we go the chance to walk through and look at all the different Buddha’s and experience the culture of the people who worship. One of the most interesting parts for me was when we were presented in front of 3 Buddha’s in which you were to pray for each for certain reasons; 1) past and family, 2) present and self, 3) future, wealth and kids. The Buddha’s were elaborately painted in all different colors and were so big that I was quite intimidated.
Similar to the way I feel about going to a lot
Carving in side of mountain
This was on the walk up to the top of the Buddha of religious locations, I felt a sense of respect for everyone around me as well as a feeling of ignorance. Watching all the people pray by clasping their hands in front of them and bowing 3 times made me wonder more about the beliefs of Buddhism. Even though I studied it a little bit last semester in one of my classes, I still felt that I needed to know more. One thing that really annoyed me while walking around the temple was the number of people taking pictures and the tour guides standing there talking while people were trying to prey. That to me is the most disrespectful thing in the world.
After the temple we made it over to the stone Buddha were we started walking down this long, steep and crowded path along side of the Buddha. It really put the size of the stone Buddha in perspective; it took 30 min to make it down the side of the mountain! The Buddha looks out over the water side so it was a beautiful walk down over looking the water and the city on the other side. If it hadn’t been for the millions of people, it
Giant Buddha
Isn't this insanly big?! would have been very peaceful and enjoyable.
When we got to the bottom I expected to take a boat or bus or something back to the top; like any American tourist attraction would have. But no. We walked straight up the mountain on the other side where Maggie and I almost died from the steepness of the steps. Eventually we made it to the top and everyone was treated to ice cream; I’m not a big ice cream person but I have on this trip due to the inability to find water.
We all got on the bus afterwards and went to a new hotel for the night at Phoenix Lake Hotel by the hot springs. The environment is so nice but I am so dead right now. I’ve been sick for most of the trip and the last few days it has really caught up to me. I’m going to cut my night short with some NyQuil and hopefully be ready for the morning. A day without drinking…now that’s rare.
p.s. Beer is served at almost every meal because it is hard to find bottled water and bottled water is more expensive then beer.
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