Big Buddha

Dear Erin & Grantster,

Glad to hear you arrived at home safely. It sounds like you had a DELIGHTFUL flight home. I'm sure the airline will appreciate it when the next passenger to have your seats gets a rash from the formula you left behind.

Here are some more pics from my Hong Kong vacation. On Saturday we visited the Po Lin Monastery to see the Tian Tan Buddha. It's the largest buddha in the world, and I must say that it was an impressive thing to behold. Almost more impressive was the hour long drive through the mountains on a tour bus on one lane roads. You left formula on your plane seat, and I left something else on the tour bus seat.

Anyway, here's the back of the big buddha...


Part of your visit to the monastery involves buying a ticket for a vegetarian dinner. This grants you access to the inside of the big buddha. Here's a picture of the monastery hall...


Here I am dining in monastery splendor... I tried to order a cheeseburger unsuccessfully...



We've also had a delightful time working on this trip. We have friends from the Netherlands and India here with us. One of the European fellows is named Tjerk. We had a grand time calling him "Tee Jerk" until he finally informed us on a conference call with his co-workers that "there's no 'jerk' in Tjerk." Apparently the jerk is silent.

My co-worker was having a lovely trip seeing the sights with me until he had a misfortunate accident this afternoon. He tried to use the one non-squatty-potty in our building. It's tiny. I don't really fit. You can't close the door and sit on the toilet at the same time. In any case, he was forced to visit, and as he bent over to retrieve his drawers, he bashed the front of his head on the toilet paper dispenser. Having left a small portion of his skull in the bathroom, I told him that I was sure his wound was clean, having been incurred in a toilet...in Asia...in a dirty office building. He was not amused.

Can't wait to get home on Thursday!!!! Love you tons,

Bret