After the death defying ride up the winding steep road with the local bus service, we were glad to make it alive to the monastery. Nevertheless, it felt amazing to be out of the city for the day
It’s amazing that this place exists so close to the craziness of Hong Kong island. There is nature all around. As we head for the entrance to the mountain top, we had a choice with (60HK) or without a vegetarian meal (30HK) after the monastery. We chose the first since we didn't really pack any sort of lunch. The 200+ stairs was steep but once when you get to the top it’s amazingly peaceful and the lush greenery is breathtaking. The huge copper statue of Tian Tan Buddha is known to be one of the largest in the world. It sits on the top of Muyushan Mountain. Inside the Buddha structure are old relics but picture taking is forbidden. Around the base of the Buddha sit the votive servants. After climbing back down, we went to the dining hall where they served a vegetarian meal that could have fed a family of four. We tried everything but couldn't finish it.
One thing uninviting were the bathrooms, but when nature calls, you gotta go. Instead of stalls covering from your ankle up, it was walled from the floor to your shoulder. So you see your neighbors while doing your business. And of course the urine smell was strong. It’s due to the just-stand-over-the-hole system. I could have keeled over from holding my breath for so long.