Dec 2012: Going to see the Biggest Buddha I have ever seen

 

So I had some time before my flight to Malaysia so decided to pop around to see one of HK’s famous sights..Early morning…

And the streets are almost empty, no signs of the teeming crowds that usually inhabit this area

this was the most bizarre advertisement, what on earth is this?

And then this chap sitting there doing???

I pop into the underground train.

And a rather nice trip out to the station…very nice, but they could have cleaned the damned windows…so very inconsiderate of my photography, grumbles!

HK is a shopper’s paradise..when I emerge out of the tube station.

Wow, I have to go up there?

 

I move into the ropeway building.

And you just don't think you are in HK. the image you have of HK is skyscrapers all over you but not these open skies, puffy clouds and mountains.

And there’s my ride..

I clamber on board

And with a jerk, we are off

We cross over a little inlet

with the shadows of the cars on the green water..

A little fishing boat on the water…bloody close to the shore, no? 

And then the HK airport is visible..

we come to a dog leg on the rope way

We turn the corner and I see a glorious sight

that’s where I came from

Looking left

Looking back in front

Looking right

 

And then up the mountain

another view of the airport

The beach..if one can call it that way, is rather interesting.

you know what worries me? why the hell did they have to say that you cannot carry livestock???? :O who carried it before?

The clouds are lowering..

I am reaching the crest of this bit of the journey

  

I realise that there is a little trek path below, which follows the route of the ropeway..

I have now crossed the first peak and looking back at the harbour.  

Very dramatic landscape

The airport

I am reaching another waystation..

And I see the first view of the Giant Buddha

A road with chunks bitten off the mountainside

This are awesome views over the mountains

Can you imagine such a landscape in the HK territory?

that looks like a heart! lol

I am getting close to him

And I am there at the end of the journey

What an amazing sight 

Eh?

there is a path to the Giant Buddha..through this infestation of tourist shops..

Some of the names made me pause…

 

Nice moon gate

 

Here’s the path.

And a fake Bodhi tree..

One of the typical sign posts with China, USA, UK, South Africa….

A beautiful gate..

Now this is a meditation level I like

  

So these generals line the path, they look fairly fierce..not something I would expect to see on a road leading to Buddha. So these are actually divine generals, each of the Twelve Divine Generals that guard the statue, symbolizes a different animal from the Chinese Zodiac, is armed with a particular weapon, and represents two distinct hours of the day. 

Before one turns to the Buddha, there is this rather interesting pavilion lined with flags.

And very stark landscapes.

Very nice, I am sure there is a significance to this three tiered structure..

 

Another gate to the monastery

And there’s the Buddha.

 

You are kidding me, I have to climb those stairs? Drag my carcass up that height? :o

I put my first foot on this step and sigh….