BIGiddy Buddha

October 30

Bus to LeShan. Zealots gather to glimpse the BIG Buddha (which isn't too difficult as he's a Buddha + very BIG, in fact at 71m high + the size of a cliff it is probably the BIGgest Buddha I have ever seen - to be here + miss him would be a miracle of almost BIG Buddha like proportions!)

Back in 713ad. Haitong, a particularly bored monk, was tired of looking out at a blank rock face from his cave. He decided that a carving of his favourite omnipotent being was defo in order. After getting *planning permission thru the ruse that said deity's presence would calm the turbulence of the dadu & min rivers where they met below, he embarked on a project that so impressed his idol that he didn't see it's completion as he reached his own sell-by date well before.

The BIG Buddha is spectacular; pink.....+ ever so slightly surreal

*probably not true