Gate-Crashing The Monastery

Yes, believe or not, I gate-crashed a religious lunch at The Po Lin Monastery in Lantau Island. How? Ahh, that would be telling... According to the Chinese Calender, today is the Buddha's Birthday, so worshippers go on a pilgrimage to Po Lin Monastery to pray, commune, and eat together to celebrate the Buddha's Birthday. So in actual fact, only registered pilgrims were allowed to wander the tourist-prohibited premises of the main hall and dormitories, and observe the ceremony. It's the first time I've seen real-life monks chanting, the sound is really something.

The meal took place in the main hall, and... I don't think I will be crashing it again, not worth the effort, it was a very solemn meal... eaten in silence, with the occasional chanting and prayers from the monks, and the occasional Buddhist etiquette that must be followed. The veggie food was not bad, not worth the HK$60-100 per dish that you'd have to pay in the Po Lin restaurant though. Anyway, it was worth the one-off experience.

Had a look round the monastery, the Giant Buddha, the Wisdom Path, and the Ngong Ping Village nearby. Not many people at the village since their newest attraction 'Ngong Ping Skyrail' (cable car) had a car run off the cables, luckily nobody was in the car, but since then it's been 'out of service'. Anyway, didn't stay around too long, lack of sleep the previous night, and with temperatures reaching 34 degrees, I didn't want to stick around, I only came along for the free meal. I will climb HK's second highest mountain - Lantau Peak@934m - another day, and hike back to Tung Chung on the way.

Other details:

Transport to Po Lin Monastery: #23 bus from Tung Chung; 50 minutes; HK$25 single journey

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