It was a tough trip for me actually. Katie and Geoff decided to go, the invited Thomas, and then I was the last person invited. Katie wanted to keep the group smaller because it was easier to plan that way, and I agreed. Thomas had some complications and couldn’t go. So Katie invited my roommate Lisa. I tried to tell them during the week that I was less optimistic. The mountain is very steep and I knew I wasn’t going to be able to climb/hike much. This tension sort of broke out into a squabble on the train ride there about what we were going to do at the mountain. It was my fault. In the end the plan Katie and Geoff proposed was mostly what I was trying to suggest in the first place.
Friday we took a bus up to the middle part of the mountain. Instead of taking the cable car we hiked to the oldest and one of the most beautiful temples on the mountain. Surprise, it was steep (why else would they put in a cable car?). I hiked my ass off and was still left behind, I ended up crying at one point, it was so frustrating. We finally reached the temple, Wannian Temple. We spent the night at the temple. They opened the dining room for us; there were only a few guests. We also walked around in the dark; we got to listen to a late night prayer. It was beautiful, and very special.
The next day Katie and I hiked down the mountain from the temple. We saw at least six temples or pavilions that day. It was beautiful. It was also a surprising amount of hiking up stairs, to get down the mountain. I pushed myself really hard. Geoff and Lisa hiked up the mountain, over 1,000 meters. The weather was cloudy and misty all day. It was a little bit disappointed, the views would have been better without the clouds, but the weather was also very typical for the mountain, so you can’t be too disappointed. Katie and I took a bus up later to meet the others, which didn’t work out. So we slept at different locations and spent the morning together at the summit. I left early to get back to Chengdu to try and relax before the school week.
I have lots and lots of blurry temple photos, which would bore you.
Photos from the Summit.
The weekend ended up being so-so. It often felt like a weekend about how physically unfit I am. I don’t really have pleasant memories, but they aren’t all bad either. I’m glad I went.
Oh and Emeishan is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Katie was talking about this. I looked online, I have been to three UNESCO sites here in China, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and Emeishan. I have also been to Yellowstone, Monticello, and another one in the U.S. but I forget what that is. The pandas here in Sichuan are a UNESCO site, and Leshan’s Giant Buddha, which I’ll go see while Tanner is here. So out of 200 I’m not doing too badly. I was surprised at how many sites are organized in the U.S. I can’t wait to start exploring those also.
So I should do homework and stop trying to upload photos. :0)
Also, Mom promised me a Thanksgiving when I get home. I know one friend who would love to come to a second Thanksgiving in the early summer.
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