Monday, February 9, 2009

The End of Hong Kong

This was our last day in Hong Kong, therefore our last opportunity to head out to what is called the largest sitting buddha in the world. It is on Lantau island. After a 20 minute metro ride (we have ridden the metro everywhere around here. so well laid out and easy to use) we arrived at the famous Ngong Ping Skyrail. The description of the Skyrail: "Embark on the ride of a life-time on this spectacular 5.7 km skyrail with ever-changing picturesque panoramas across the lush terrains of Lantau and South China Sea." After waiting in line about an hour to board this famous ride, here we are, ready to see the sights!Paige and Ridley already enjoying the ride!
Mmmmm...... the spectacular views begin. The South China Sea. Can you see it???
This was the best landscape picture we got over the next 5.7 km! The hiking path below that disappears into the fog. It was the most unbelievably foggy day out. Not one vista to be had. The ride was still fun!
We arrive to the Po Lin Monastery nestled in the "spectacularly scenic mountains" and found this little diversion on the way to the Buddha. Don't know what happened to my camera. Too much fog?
THERE HE IS! THE LARGEST OUTDOOR SEATED BRONZE BUDDHA IN THE WORLD!
Mimicking the giant Buddha. Can't you tell?
The fog was shifting ever so slightly so I kept snapping away hoping to get a glimpse. We decided against mounting the thousand steps to walk into the fog with the Buddha.

We had just missed the bus to Tai O fishing village (which we discovered we were very grateful for since the 20 minute ride down the mountain was narrow and twisting)so grabbed the only available cab. Tai O is a traditional fishing village. We started walking through the stalls of every imaginable sort of fish product and Storey could hardly breath. (A sensitive nose, this one.) We decided to go quickly through the village, but not too quickly that I couldn't grab some wonderful shots.
I won't even begin to make-up what these items could be!
Heading to the live tanks.

The stilt houses.
He was selling fish out of his boat. The buyers were up where we were and kept asking to see different fish that he would then display in his net.
A very windy taxi ride back to the metro line to head home. A fun adventure, though not quite what we had imagined.

We had a leisurely morning the next day and headed to the airport to come home. Shanghai was blue skies greeting us. Always nice to come home!

1 comment:

Leah McFall said...

Cool! Storey, I would not have liked the fishy smell either. Kaleigh