Friday, March 21, 2008

Sun Moon Lake

Saturday we went on a branch trip to Sun Moon Lake. Our first stop was a tour of the Chung Tai Chan Monastery.




We saw some amazing statues and monks and nuns with shaved heads and long robes.












This was our nun tour guide.
































This is the first Patriarch of Chinese Chan Buddhism, Bodhidharma
















At the end of the tour, they gave us flowers to make an offering to this Buddha that represents "the transformation Buddha."





























We stopped at the Wenwu Temple overlooking Sun Moon Lake.
This is a picture of the Year of Steps at Wenwu Temple. There are 366 steps representing each day of the year. You can buy a wind chime at the temple where the temple workers pass it through incense and then you can write your wishes on it and hang it next to your birthday.













My birthday!!!










Joseph goofing off on the top of the Wenwu Temple.






Tzuen Pagoda








































Walking up the spiral staircase inside the pagoda.


View from the top of the pagoda.



drumming




















Later, we ate at this restaurant and Tammy is my new hero for being gutsy enough to eat a fish eyeball.

3 comments:

Georges said...

Alright so you look like you're doing a Samoan dance in the pic sitting in the sand with the flower in your hair...so cute!!

Annalee Taylor said...

wow...can you imagine having to shave your head? Poor lady! Their culture is so crasy, I think its cool that you get to experiance all this stuff. I am vicariously living through you!

joseph said...

Sara, I'm glad you remembered your priorities. Posting that video of me was the right thing to do.