Luck of the Buddha

Hot off the press from Martha Wittington:

"Our first full day in Chengdu! Today’s excursion was a two hour drive to Leshan, where we climbed up to the head and then down to the feet of the world’s largest Buddha.

The ride there was most informative as we learned that the farmland around Chengdu is particularly profitable because of its year round use. The crop of the week was a yellow flower, which we had difficulty identifying, whose seeds are used for cooking oil.

We learned that the bus driver had a GPS system that kept track of his speed for the traffic police. If he went over the limit a buzzer sounded and the ticket was sent by mail. We also learned that the very firm beds in the host family homes are thought to be healthiest for children and their growing bodies.

A check-in with all the students brought forth stories of last night’s dinners, a few awkward moments, and the relief of finally meeting their host families. The Gould kids are staying in a variety of accommodations from 10th floor apartments to first floor flats to a house in a gated community. Most have a grandparent or two living with them. All seem pleased with the relative ease of “moving in” and agreed that their families are sooooo nice and doing all they can to make them feel welcome.


Back to Leshan…. The Giant Buddha was carved out of the mountain during the Tang dynasty (800AD) at the site where three rivers come together. We were told that many boats sank at that site and Monk Haitong thought a solution was to raise money to build a large Buddha to protect the waters. The Buddha took ninety years to complete and has gone through many restorations since then. It is quite spectacular both up close on the mountain and from the boat in the river below.

The day felt long mostly because of the bus rides and the heat. Who would have thought that we needed sunscreen? The temperature hit 70 degrees and we all enjoyed an early taste of spring. Oh, by the way, the teachers were treated to a wonderful foot massage at the end of the day.


Tomorrow we visit a Buddhist monastery in the morning and then hit the shops in the main shopping district in the afternoon before students head off with their families for the weekend."