{"id":536,"date":"2010-03-15T09:24:16","date_gmt":"2010-03-15T09:24:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.zariat.com\/home\/?p=536"},"modified":"2012-10-25T02:46:37","modified_gmt":"2012-10-25T09:46:37","slug":"pilgrimage-to-the-tian-tan-buddha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.zariat.com\/home\/2010\/03\/15\/pilgrimage-to-the-tian-tan-buddha\/","title":{"rendered":"Pilgrimage to the Tian Tan Buddha"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes you don’t have a lot of time to explore a city. In this case, i was already routed to have a multi-hour layover in Hong Kong, so i decided to extend it for a day. Without much time, or much knowledge of the area, I decided to take the Nyong Ping gondola lift<\/a> to Lantau Island, where i would be able to visit the giant bronze Tian Tan Buddha<\/a> at the Po Lin Monastery<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The weather was foggy and seemed like it might rain, but i only had one day for this experience, so i went anyway. The Gondola, which they called a Cable Car, had a glass bottom and a friendly sticker on the window reminding passengers not to bring pets or other live animals inside.<\/p>\n

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As we ascended the mountain, strong winds shook the tiny cabin, and the fog outside grew dense and cold.\u00a0By the time i got out, the sky had darkened.<\/p>\n

I still had to climb 108 steps to reach the Buddha.<\/p>\n

One by one, i tentatively plodded up the stairs, trying to be reverent, yet mindful of the impending rain. When i finally stepped onto the top platform, i took several deep breaths of appreciation. It had not rained! I slowly circumnavigated the immense statue, looking out onto misty mountain forests as i had only seen before in paintings… Serene simplicity.<\/p>\n

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I found myself again, after walking the circular path, at the top of the stairs, at the doorway to the shrine. After a momentary pause, the sky suddenly rumbled and shattered, and rain began cascading from above. The timing was perfect, a tremendous and humbling finale to my pilgrimage.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t