Ten thousand Buddha Monastery

As a local, I admitted that I never heard about this Monastery until quite recently I went to the cermentry (which is just next to the Monastery). When I got downhill, I passed through a path that are flanked by different gold statues in the Monastery. This is how I knew about this Monastery the first time. And I decided to take a trip to there.

The Monastery is actually quite close to the Sha Tin MTR station. Just turn left when you get out of the station. After you cross the foot-bridge, you will see the Ikea ahead of you. Turn to the back of the building and walk till the end of the asphalt path to the side of the government building. And then you will see a yellow sign of the monastery.

 

Following the sign, and you will arrive at the steps that are flanked by different gold color statues. The gold statues are actually the 500 Arhats. (500羅漢), they are like the disciplines of Buddha which have realized certain high stages of attainment.). They are all in different pose and interesting expressions.  I can actually rate some of them as following.

                                                                           The friendliest

                                                                            The   _______
After a 20 to 30 minutes walk ( I stopped a lot of times to take picture and admire the details of the statues), I arrive on the grounds of the temple which consist of a main temple, four pavilions, a vegetarian restaurant and a pagoda.

                                              

Main temple

In the main temple, there are over 13,000 pieces of small gold budda statues filling up the wall. Although they are in the same size, they are all in different posture. As a main highlight of the temple, The perserved body of the reverend Yuet Kai, as a founder of the temple, is situated in the central portion and rest in a glass case to let people to worship.  There is also an ancestrator worshop hall inside the main temple.



Just in front of the main temple, there is the Vitaoda and Kwun Yun Pavilion.



Vitasoda is the guardian of the temple



Kwun Yam is the goddess of Mercy



There are also a few other pavilion in the places, the same delighting. There are not much visitors in there probably because I went there on  weekday. I also think this monastery is like a hidden pearl in Hong Kong. It was really worth the trip.

Little facts about the Monastery:It was established in 1949 and completed in 1957.
The pagoda was also printed as a symbol of the Hong Kong on a $100 note.
(I didnot pay attention to that until now. lol)

Lunar New Year Special: Lunar new year fair

The Lunar New Year just pasted last month. I planned to write about it earlier but I was too lazy. Anyway, I finally got to write about it now.



Kicking off the Lunar New Year celebration is the annual New Year Fair. It is usually held a week before the Lunar New Year. There are over 150 stalls in the fair selling different stuffs such as flower and New Year decorations, sundries item, foods etc. It was interesting even just to look around.
  

People from Hong Kong flocked to the fair buying New Year items and some like

to go there to feel about the festive atmosphere.

 Every year vender sell products in different theme. Last year was Tiger. And this year I saw Rabbits everywhere because this is a year of RABBIT!!

Vendor sat on a tall ladder to make sure you
won’t miss their products in this crowded fair.

This is not Rabbit but its favorite food Carrot.

Sparkling bunny ears and people wearing rabbits’ hat.

    
A lot of merchandises in here are for decoration, not that practical.You will mostly throw them away after this year, or right after the new year’s celebration. But Who Cares?? Enjoying the New Year’s spirit, it is only once a year. People are willing to splurge.
Other hot items:


One of the many flowers stalls there

Windmills with different designs.

Fortune Teller Services are available too.





Lantau Peak- A good place to see sunrise



There are quite a lot of hills and mountains in Hong Kong. And Lantau Peak is well known for being a good place to watch sunrise as well as its steep slope. To make the 2011 to be a more memorizable new year, I joined my friend  to go to the Lantau Peak the night before the new year to witness the first sunrise in 2011.



 POSTCARD: LANTAU PEAK 


We took a taxi from Tung Chung to a place near the PO Lin Monastery around 1:00am. The sky is so dark in there. All the stars looked so brightflul. We encountered a lot of hikers on the way, guess lots of people planned to see the sunrise on the first day too.

We started our journey at 3am. Frankly, I started to regret it after the first half hour when my leg suffered a minor cramp. I didnot do any exercise for a year. I think it was a sign for me to pick up exercise again.

And a lesson for me and all of you--- WARM-UP exercise beforehand IS VERY IMPORTANT especially for hiking at night under a cold weather. But I was lucky to be with a group of friends, if not, I probably just turned back in the middle of the way. It was not a long climb but the road is quite steep and hard to walk.

       <--Lantau Peak--The second highest Peak in HK-                        934m. --> Get Ready to the Sunrise

However, all difficult path begin with a single step! We took a few breaks and finally got to the Peak around 5am!!!!! There was already full of people at the Peak that early, eating, cooking, chatting, playing video games(yes, some people just won't forget their PSP or NDS), and ALL waiting for the first sunrise in 2011.

It was my first time to see the sunrise in Hong Kong. I was so excited too.

After a long wait, finally it came.......

                         Hurray!! The First Day has started in 2011 !!!

"It was worth the trip!"

Stanley



 



Stanely is located in southeastern part of Hong Kong Island. You can get to Stanley by taking a mini- van in Causeway Bay.
 
Place to visit

 Murray House 

• 
  Murray House is a Victorian-era building in Stanley in Hong Kong with over 150 years history. IT was originally built in Central in 1846 as officers’ quarters of the Murray Barracks during the early years of British rule. The building was relocated to the Stanley in 2001.
  
   
  
  
  
  Nowadays, Murray House already became the landmark of Stanley. You can visit the Hong Kong Maritime Museum located on the ground floor of Murray House. There are also few exquisite restaurants at the upper floors. It is also a hot photo shooting point. Last time when I visited there, also came across bride and groom taking wedding photo in there.
•  Stanley Market
  
  If you are looking for some souvenirs for your friends and relatives, one of the must go location is the Stanley market. The have all kind of souvenirs rich in Chinese favor, like linen Chinese embroidered clothes, bags, silk garment, jewellery, ornament etc. There are a few gallerys selling paintings. I found some nice paintings in there too.
  
  
   
  
  
  
         You can get your Chinese name engraved chop here, with different
  kinds of stone stamps available.

 The man is carving a name on the base of a Chinese stone Chop with hand tools.



•    Stanley Main Street
  Past the Stanley Market, you will get to the Stanley Main Street. It is good to take a stroll there and enjoy the ocean view across the main
  street.
   

Stanley is renowned for its many bars and  restarurants on its     waterfront.People can enjoy different foods  in there, like Thai, Frech, Spanish, Italian etc.

            

Bars and restarurants at Stanley Main Street
Relax with a beer and enjoy the ocean view in this place.