He's big, he's bronze, he's Buddha

We continued our excursion on Lantau Island by breezing through Ngong Ping which is a faux Chinese village filled with restaurants, souvenir shops and theaters featuring the story of monkey and Buddha... of course, there is a Starbucks too.

Per Wikipedia, the Tian Tan "Buddha is 34 meters high, weighs 250 tonnes, and was the world's tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha prior to 2007." That's kind a like saying I am the best male Caucasian Ultimate player in Hong Kong that is under 5'9", weighing more that 200 lbs with a Puerto Rican father. Nonetheless, it is an impressive site to see the big guy seating among the mountain tops.

Buddha wasn't into 12-step programs, instead he preferred 268 step programs.



I discreetly snapped this photo because the contrast amused me so much. There were a group of monks visiting the Buddha, which you see at the right. Most of the people were bowing to them or paying respects to them. The monks, dressed in their drab grey and burnt orange robes, would also bow to the Buddha and say some prayers. The girl at the left opted for a less modest outfit- sporting a lime green miniskirt, heels, grey tights and leopard skin jacket. Honestly though, that is the way a lot of Asia is; filled with contrast between tradition & Eastern spiritualism and a new, modern sense of materialism.


Up next: Another look at Asian traditions on Lantau Island.