Big Buddha Visitors’ Guide, Lantau Island, Hong Kong

Lovely Big Buddha

One of the popular sites to visit while in Hong Kong is the Big Buddha statue.  It stands (well, technically it sits) over 100 feet tall, is made of bronze, and weighs more than 250 tons.

Getting to the statue is relatively straightforward.  A few train changes on the subway system and a 30 minute gondola ride up a scenic mountain delivers you to a somewhat touristy fishing village named Ngong Ping.  Head past the restaurants and souvenir stores towards the Po Lin Monastery and you’ll soon find yourself at the base of the 200+ steps leading up to the statue.

While approaching the Buddha, quietly consider karma or at least fondly recall a few memorable episodes of the classic comedy sitcom, My Name is Earl.  Either approach should help remind you that putting good into the universe leads to good coming back to you in the future.

After visiting the Buddha stop by the monastery you passed on your way in.  Sit in the courtyard, contemplate your quiet surroundings, and partake in a refreshing beverage or ice cream cone.  Notice the resident dogs, but don’t pet them because they bite and enlightenment is rarely reached through rabies treatment.

The gondola ride down will likely be calm and quiet.  Use this opportunity for introspection to consider what the Big Buddha has shared with you.  If you are fortunate, you will leave with more than a few nice snapshots and a new travel blog entry.  Namasté.

Bringing Back Cocktail Hour - Hong Kong

Bringing it Back Hong Kong Style!

Nearly every Hong Kong travel guide recommends eating dim sum, the quintessential local meal.  Thanks to Curt’s gracious sponsorship of Dinner and Drinks for Two, we headed to the Din Tai Fung restaurant where we were in for a real treat!

The event began with a quick review of the Guide to Enjoy the XiaoLongBao.  Armed with this newly found knowledge, we feasted on a delicious selection of dishes such as steamed chicken dumplings, steamed shrimp and pork Shao-Mai, pork buns, and deep-fried sweet and sour chicken with chili.  To ensure we covered the core food groups, we added a wonderfully crispy and flavorful order of sautéed Chinese kale as our vegetable.

The meal was delectable and went well with our choice of beverages, refreshing Tsingtao beer and Chinese hot tea. 

We extend our appreciation to Curt for his generous funding of fine food and drink in one of our favorite cities, Hong Kong.