Today’s throwback is going to be about Buddhas. Why? Because I’ve seen a lot of them floating around on Instagram lately.
Also, they are cute.
So today I am going to present you with two of the best ones I have seen on my travels thus far – one lives in Hong Kong and the other in Japan. The one in Hong Kong lives on Lantau Island and is called Tian Tan, or Big Buddha. He was the world’s largest outdoor, seated, bronze Buddha giving a high five when I visited back in 2007. Not sure if any other outdoor, seated, bronze Buddhas have surpassed his dimensions yet (112 feet tall, 250 metric tons)…
His home is atop a lotus throne 268 steps above Po Lin Monastery. And Starbucks.
He’s a real cute guy so obviously the ladies love him. He’s surrounded by six devas, all offering him special gifts.
Perhaps the best part about visiting Big Buddha was the ride out there on the Ngong Ping Cable Cars. The ride takes about 25 minutes from Tung Chung Station and a roundtrip ticket costs about $125 HKD ($16USD). Insane views of HK!
The second Buddha I’d like to introduce to you lives in Nara, Japan. His name is Daibutsu – as most giant Japanese Buddhas are. And, believe it or not, he is also known as Big Buddha. This could get confusing…
Nara Daibutsu lives inside Tōdai-ji, Eastern Great Temple, and is famous for being not only the world’s largest indoor Buddha, but also for living inside the world’s largest wooden building. Way to kill two birds with one stone, guys.
Perhaps the best part about visiting this Big Buddha is being able to hang out (or harassed, however you want to look at it) by millions of Bambis. I don’t know what they are doing there, and I am too lazy right now to look it up, but there are deer everywhere. EVERYWHERE.
One day when I have lots of money I hope to erect my own record-breaking Buddha — he will be the world’s largest gold, outdoor, breakdancing, smiling and winking Buddha. I will then place him in the world’s largest backyard, my backyard. You are all welcome to come and see him once he’s finished.
(Kind of unrelated but check this guy Tuy Sobil out!! He’s doing amazing stuff with breakdancing in Cambodia and kind of looks like a buff, seated Buddha here)
That concludes today’s throwback on Buddhas. Hope that aside from the one that I will be building, there will be many more Big Buddhas in my future – particularly this one and this one (must go to Bangkok). Happy International Women’s Day!
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