Long Layover in Hong Kong

After a 13 hour flight from LA to Hong Kong, I decided not to sit in the airport for a 12 hour layover. So I picked up a tour guide brochure and tried to find something to do. At 5:30 am there are very few people in the airport and it was easy to move through immigration and customs. Next to drop off the luggage and the Left Baggage site. Then I had to find out how to get to the Giant Buddha which I decided would be my choice. After exchanging some money for Hong Kong dollars, I wandered around a bit before asking directions, which no one should be surprised about.

But I eventually found the S1 bus and eventually the 23 to Po Lin Monastery. I thought we had narrow roads in Arkansas, but the road to the monastery made the Pig Trail look wide. After a 40 minute bus ride, I arrived at the monastery and the Great Buddha, Tian Tan Buddha.

Of course, it was 7:45 am and nothing opened until 9:00.
So I went off to find something interesting to look at. I had read in the little brochure guide that there was something called the Wisdom Path so I set out to find it. After hiking along for about 10 minutes, I found what I was looking for and some spectacular scenery to go along with it. The series of 38 tremendous wooden posts stand in the shadow of Lantau peak and are inscribed with the Heart Sutra. They are placed in a figure 8 to symbolize infinity and the highest post is blank to represent "sunyata" or the Buddhist principle of emptiness. The posts make a striking image and I was glad I made the short hike to see it.

I returned down the path to the Po Lin Monastery which opened at 9:00 am. Although in need of repairs, the monastery is gorgeous. There are plants and flowers everywhere. I later had a wonderful vegetarian lunch in the restaurant. As a Buddhist monastery, no meat was allowed on the grounds. The lunch was great although I'm not sure what the name of the dishes were. The thin fried tofu with lemon curd sauce was so good. As was the tofu and vegetables and the mushrooms and baby bok choi. All prepared on site at the monastery. Really lovely.

But before lunch I went to see the Giant Buddha. As you can see in the picture, it was quite a climb. I was ready to pass out by the time I got to the top. Between the elevation, the humidity and the heat as well as my general lack of stamina with stairs, it was a challenge. The view was worth it though. I took pictures, people watched and read about the life of the Buddha. It was really beautiful to watch the clouds roll in across the statute. I would highly recommend it to anyone with a layover in Hong Kong.

Next on to Beijing and the reason for the trip. We begin classes on Monday to learn about the Chinese legal system. I am interested and excited about the challenge