Dashu to Chiayi: Big Buddhas and a long night ride


Map
Loading...
Statistics for today
Distance 117.00 kms 72.70 miles
Ride time (hours) 5.42 -
Avg speed 21.6 kph -
Statistics for trip to date
Distance 715.20 kms 444.28 miles
Ride time (hours) 32.56 -
On this page

Monday, November 7th, 2016

Serious gluttony at the breakfast buffet this morning. Afterwards I feel like going back to bed for a nap but the show must go on, there are big Buddhas to see and miles to be ridden.

Click for a larger version of the picture
Looking quite out of place in the lobby of a 5-star hotel.
Click for a larger version of the picture
Improvised cycling headgear.
Click for a larger version of the picture
Click for a larger version of the picture
These statues cover the property, some four to five hundred of them.
Click for a larger version of the picture
Click for a larger version of the picture
Massive Buddha, 36 meters tall (118 feet).
Click for a larger version of the picture
Click for a larger version of the picture
Beautiful door.
Click for a larger version of the picture
Click for a larger version of the picture
Click for a larger version of the picture
Main temple.
Click for a larger version of the picture
Main temple (photo taken from the courtyard)
Click for a larger version of the picture
Looking south from the main temple.
Click for a larger version of the picture
Mini-procession.
Click for a larger version of the picture
Click for a larger version of the picture
Click for a larger version of the picture
Looks a bit like the Matrix.
Click for a larger version of the picture
Trying out more headgear.
Click for a larger version of the picture
Click for a larger version of the picture
The Buddist Memorial Center, a separate complex next door, with it's own massive Buddha.
Click for a larger version of the picture
Looking back the other direction from the Buddha.

Underneath the big Buddha is a desk where a woman asks us if we want to trace a Dharma quote. Not really sure what that means but why not. We each pick a little stick with a number, like drawing straws, to get a random quote. She then gives us a piece of paper that has the quote written in Chinese characters. Inside behind the desk we sit at pupils that have a sort of script in English of what you're supposed to do: meditate for three minutes, say such and such three times, bow three times, etc... then trace over the Chinese characters we have been given with a felt pen. Afterwards I realize I traced mine upside down!

Click for a larger version of the picture
Click for a larger version of the picture
Bridge over the Gaoping River.

All the tourism has put us in the hole distance-wise. Running out of light and far from Chiayi, night ride it is. I know it's a bad move. Sure enough about 30 kilometers into it I take a bug straight into my right eye. I can't get the thing out, there's nothing around that would have a mirror, I ride with one eye shut for another 10k until I find a 7-11 where I can extract the damn thing. We finally roll into Chiayi exhausted and cranky around 8, get to the hotel, shower, drop our stuff, take a cab back to the night market in Chiayi for dinner and a bank run. We are forced to break out the Chinese tonight: with the hotel staff, the cab drivers, and the people at the night market. Pretty painful but we manage to get there, eat, and get back to the hotel okay.

Click for a larger version of the picture
Chiayi night market.
Click for a larger version of the picture
Dinner. I had two of these, one chicken one beef.
Click for a larger version of the picture
Chiayi's central roundabout has this statue of a baseball pitcher.