Well good morning.
Good morning.
It is time for another day trip here in Hong Kong (香港) and today we're heading to Lantau
Island (大嶼山).
Yeah, we're going to visit the Tian Tan Buddha (天壇大佛 - 天坛大佛) and we're kind
of getting out in nature.
We're taking a day trip getting away from the city center and all of the hustle and
bustle.
Yes.
So that is going to be really nice.
So we have been staying in Yau Ma Tei ( 油麻地) we've taken the red line over to Lai King
(荔景) and now we have to transfer to the cable car Tung Chung (東涌).
That is our next destination.
Okay so we got here ten minutes after opening and it is already packed.
A complete zoo.
It is hurry up and wait time.
Yeah, so we have our tickets but there is a huge line to actually get to the cable car.
Sam is already rolling his eyes.
So we thought we were almost there.
That we were getting closer to the cable car but there is a barrier and the line turns
and keeps going and zig zagging and Sam is not impressed and I am not impressed.
We've already been waiting like 30 minutes and it is probably going to take an hour.
So we made it.
Finally off of the cable car.
That was a five point seven kilometer route.
Yeah, that is pretty long.
It is pretty long and our mood has improved considerably now that we're here.
Because there is food in the horizon.
Yeah, we got up early this morning and neither of us had a great sleep so we're kind of grumpy
but now that we're here we're feeling a lot better for sure.
We are going to be having a real cultural lunch today.
You know I don't want to be doing this.
You're forcing me to talk about this.
Sam refuses to admit what he is having for lunch.
Okay so this is a behind the scenes look.
We've been eating a lot of dim sum (點心) in Hong Kong (香港) and loving it but we
saw Subway and we're like woah that sounds good.
Subway eat fresh.
Yeah, some fresh veggies so we are having Subway here.
Alright well show us.
We got the spicy Italian fully loaded and three cookies.
Haha.
Oh yeah, we got a coupon for a free cookie so that was nice.
This I don't quite understand but there are cows just roaming munching on grass for no
apparent reason.
Alright, so we have a few different options once we get off the cable car.
What are we going to do?
So we're going to check out the Po Lin Monastery (寶蓮禪寺 - 宝莲禅寺) and then the
Tian Tan Buddha (天壇大佛 - 天坛大佛) which is also known as the Big Buddha (天壇大佛
- 天坛大佛) and then maybe a little bit of hiking.
We totally missed this but there is a vegetarian restaurant where you can eat your meal here
at the temple so that is something to consider instead of Subway sandwich.
So we climbed two hundred and sixty eight steps to make it all the way up here.
Do you think we've burned off our cookies at this point?
I think we should be entitled to more cookies right now.
Maybe we'll get three more on the way down.
Haha.
You know what the sad thing is we might just do that.
Yeah.
We might just do that.
There he is.
There is the big buddha (天壇大佛 - 天坛大佛) and they say that on a clear day apparently
you can see it from Macau.
I'm not sure if I believe that but that is what they say.
Maybe with a telescope.
So one thing to keep in mind is that if you visit the Buddha in the morning it is backlit
so if you're a photographer and you want to be able to take some good shots from the front
you may have better luck in the afternoon.
Otherwise this is what you'll get.
We have found the path to wisdom.
Well, it actually is called the Wisdom Path and uh we may not be wise but hopefully we
will gain gain wisdom walking on this path.
There you go.
That is why people walk this trail.
Haha.
Or maybe just because it is scenic and because it is near the Buddha.
Mwha.
Got the tickets.
We got our tickets.
We're heading back and unlike the way up where we had to wait for like an hour.
No wait going down it is going to be awesome.
We're back at the MTR station and that is a wrap.
So if you want to do this and you want to take the cable car.
We got the cheapest option which didn't have the glass floors and that was 185 Hong Kong
Dollars.
Yep.
Which is about twenty three twenty four US bucks.
So it is not the cheapest but for a return ticket you do get some really nice views and
yeah this makes a pretty cool day trip from the city center and we're glad we did it.
We're glad we got good weather but now we're ready to go home.
We're kind of tired.