Hong Kong > By cable car to the Buddha

We both slept long and deeply. We probably needed it. This morning we can take it easy. It is our last day in Hong Kong. Breakfast is served until ten o’clock and we can even stay in the room until noon. We do not need all that time. After breakfast we pack our luggage and check out. We can leave the bags at the hotel. We walk to Nathan Road, the busy shopping street. From there we head north toward Jordan metro station. The weather is pleasant, so we decide to continue walking to the next station instead. This has the advantage that we do not have to change trains on the way to the Wong Tai Sin Temple. We are unable to buy tickets from the machine. The machine only accepts 100 Hong Kong dollar notes for payments above thirty dollars. At the ticket counter we are able to buy two tickets without any problem. Five stops later we get off at Wong Tai Sin Temple station. The Taoist temple was built in honor of Wong Tai Sin, a legendary monk who, according to tradition, could heal the sick. When we enter the temple museum, we are warmly welcomed. “It’s free,” they quickly add. The attendant walks along with us. He explains that we can touch all the screens for more information and shows us how to select the English language. Fortunately other visitors soon arrive, so we do not feel obliged to read everything. Another employee has also spotted us. “We have a fun game here,” she says enthusiastically. When you stand in front of the camera, you appear dressed in traditional Taoist clothing. You can then download the picture with a QR code. There is even a solution to the fact that we do not have Wi-Fi, because the temple offers a public wireless network. After the museum we visit the temple itself. Many worshippers are praying in the courtyard. There is also a corner where people come to seek advice. They shake a container filled with fortune sticks until one stick falls out. The number on the stick corresponds to a prediction. Behind the temple lies the “Wishing Garden,” a beautifully landscaped garden with ponds and bridges. Large fish swim through the water. In one corner of the garden stands a statue of Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, seated on a lotus flower. After visiting the temple we continue to the Po Lin Monastery. The monastery is located near the airport, which means we have to travel quite a distance by metro and change trains twice. All the lines are crowded. Even at the end of the line in Tung Chung it is busy. Could all these people be going to the monastery? When we arrive, we discover there is also a large outlet shopping center here, making it an ideal Sunday afternoon destination for families. We cross the square toward the Tung Chung Cable Car. This seven-kilometer cable car ride takes us to the Po Lin Monastery and the enormous Buddha statue. We have to wait a little while before boarding our gondola. A line of people is already waiting ahead of us. Each cabin can hold eight passengers. As soon as it is our turn, we already have magnificent views of the mountains, the sea, and the airport. It is clearly visible that the airport was built on reclaimed land. Until 1998, Hong Kong’s airport was located right in the middle of the city. The cable car passes over several mountain peaks. Soon we can already see the 34-meter-high Buddha statue in the distance. From above, the nearby monastery looks rather small in comparison. The impressive Tian Tan Buddha, also known as the Big Buddha, was completed in 1993 and is one of the largest seated Buddha statues in the world. The Buddha sits on a huge lotus flower overlooking the mountains and sea of Lantau Island. Around the monastery are numerous souvenir shops and restaurants, giving the area something of a theme-park atmosphere. We order drinks at a terrace café. Once again the weather is beautiful today. The sun shines brightly on the Big Buddha, although unfortunately from behind. To reach the Buddha, we have to climb a steep staircase of 268 steps. Only when we stand at the foot of the statue do we truly realize how enormous it is. Inside the monument there is an exhibition. Via two levels we reach the platform beneath the statue. From here the view of the mountains and valleys is magnificent. After visiting the Buddha we explore the Po Lin Monastery itself. The monastery was founded in 1906 by three monks and is known for its colorful temple halls, the scent of incense, peaceful courtyards, and traditional Chinese architecture. Inside the main temple stand three Buddha statues representing the Buddha of the past, the present, and the future. The hall behind it is the Temple of the Ten Thousand Buddhas. The hall can only be viewed from the doorway, but I can see hundreds of golden Buddha statues, both large and small. Around four o’clock we walk back to the gondola station. Many other people have had the same idea of returning around this time. We have to wait nearly half an hour before it is our turn. Fortunately we have plenty of time. By metro we travel back to the district near our hotel. When we emerge from Tsim Sha Tsui station, we pass yesterday’s restaurant. We liked this simple eatery, so we decide to have another small meal there. The waitress laughs when she sees us again. Around seven o’clock we return to the hotel. We prepare for our flight. Meanwhile, the reception desk has called a taxi. The receptionist expects the ride to the airport to cost around 300 Hong Kong dollars, approximately 38 euros. Since taxis only accept cash, we bring 400 dollars with us just to be safe. In about forty-five minutes the driver takes us to the airport, where we arrive well ahead of time. Check-in has not started yet. When the counters finally open, we discover that we can join the shorter baggage drop-off line. Most people had apparently been unable to check in online beforehand. As a result, we pass through baggage control and immigration reasonably quickly. In the departure hall we spend our last dollars on coffee and water. When we head toward the gate, we discover that we still need to take a small train. Fortunately it runs every three minutes. At the gate, preparations for boarding have already begun, which means we will probably depart on time. Although everyone is seated in the aircraft on schedule, the plane remains at the gate until the original departure time. This gives the crew enough time to store the extremely large pieces of hand luggage carried by some passengers. At 11:20 p.m., flight TK71 departs for Istanbul.