Buddhas in Sha Tin

After attempting to go to church on Sunday, without a map or any real sense of direction and getting terribly lost, I was going to make sure my next “mini-adventure” would be a success…

When coming to study abroad in Hong Kong, I was looking forward to traveling to surrounding countries, but never really thought I would explore Hong Kong. I didn’t know at the time how much Hong Kong has to offer…fun attractions, mountains to be climbed, firework and light displays…my local friends ask me every day if I’ve been to their favorite Hong Kong attraction. Just today a girl asked me if I had been to the Modern Toilet Restaurant?! Apparently, it is a toilet themed restaurant in Hong Kong! All the plates and bowls are mini-toilets and the food resembles…poop! I haven’t been to the Modern Toilet yet…but you can bet that I’m “going to go” (haha no pun intended).  

There are 18 districts in Hong Kong to be explored…and I’m determined to see every single one of them! First on the list – Sha Tin…

I was determined not to get lost, so I “Googled” and printed out maps and things to do in Sha Tin. Itinerary for the evening…go to The Ten Thousand Buddhist Monastery, to the New Town Plaza Mall, and to Snoopy’s World…

With Google Map in hand, we headed around the city of Sha Tin and up a mountainside (we did get lost, even with the map)…to the Ten Thousand Buddhist Monastery. I’ve learned to set my expectations really low, that way I’m never disappointed and always amazed! And the Ten Thousand Buddhist Monastery was truly amazing!

We started our trek up a mountainside with hundreds of life-size golden Buddha statues on both sides of us, lining the concrete pathway winding up the mountain! Hundreds of Buddha’s could be seen all the way up the mountain, each one with a different stance, facial features, and gestures!

We definitely got our workout in the Hong Kong humidity, hiking up the mountain to finally reach the Monastery. Outside the monastery were even more golden Buddha’s, and inside the Monastery there was an alter, and the walls were lined with mini-golden Buddha’s. Buddha’s were everywhere, there truly are TEN THOUSAND!

This was truly one of the most unexpected and unique sights I have ever seen! A “hidden treasure”!