Life's hard in India and much much harder here in Bodhgaya.

On route up to Rajagriha,Vulture's Peak. Where Heart Sutra (Perfection of Wisdom) was first taught by Budhha.                             

            

Our guide for the day

Here's the more challenging, traditional route taken by experienced pilgrims who are on their way down.  Second shot is taken from the top - the other end from where they started.

The city folks (ie.  us) ,  took the scenic, comfortable, well paved path. Sigh...Better don't trip and embarrass ourselves.

Everyone did their Heart Sutra right on the spot. So did the other pilgrims from Tibet, India, Nepal, Korea, HK..

 The Bodhi Tree marks the spot where Buddha gained enlightment 2500 years ago.

 

Monlam Festival @ Bodhgaya     

               

Mahabodhi Temple @ Bodhgaya,  Jan 2010

Taipei , Taiwan - Sept 2006

While waiting for our airport transfer to hotel in the city,...

Won Star Hotel - highly recommended as its fairly new and new to Ximending, but they are not very flexible and not quite 'attentive' to their guests....

On route to checking out Shilin Night Market - the food market area.

Shen Long Temple (i think)

Should make one trip there if you are a believer of Taoism ....Incidentally, temples in Taiwan are very well crafted works of traditional scuplted art done hundreds of years ago.

Worth a look see....


















We went during the constipated rally calls for stepping down of Chen Shui Bian.... Actually the rally area was alot smaller than what kept making headlines in regional news programme in Asia.

Korea - March 2006

Having lost most of my travel pics, these are what I have savaged from old memory cards...

Night view of the city square infront of my hotel...which is quite convenient with subway station nearby(3min away, especially grateful when it is in midst of winter time) and there are small hawker stalls that setup in the night here and there. You need to keep an eye out for these....late night supper joints :))))