Day 99: Around Emei Shan – Sun 2 Jun, 2013

Day 99: Around Emei Shan – Sun 2 Jun, 2013
Went up Mount Emei this morning, one of four sacred Buddhist mountains of China, and location of the country's first Buddhist monastery. Our shuttle bus stopped half way up to take on water to cool brakes.

Walked 1.5km up steep stairs, then cable car to precipice of Golden Summit at 3000+mts.

View from Golden Summit

"Loving life. Don't turn round the hand rail...."

Climbed final stairs to Thousand Buddha Shrine.

Samantadhadra

Went through the Gold and Silver Halls sited to compliment the landscape, pay homage to the gods and protect the Samantabhadra of many faces.

The views at this height were breathtaking. We looked down over the Cloud Sea - clouds both above and beneath us.

 

                                                    












Stood in awe at stunning ethereal Ten Thousand Buddha Shrine on far precipice, almost 1000mts higher. Such clear cool air (av 3 degrees!)

We got to the gold and silver temples, but not this one!!

Reluctantly left, and returned the same way, cable car packed (yucky poo smell). In the shuttle bus the woman behind me vomited almost all way down into blue plastic bags, then threw one over my head, out window (shudder...).

Chuffed and puffed, arrived below into a hot humid afternoon, dozed on bed under fans, not relishing idea of going on to Leshan tomorrow to climb many more steep stairs to see the 71mt stone Buddha.