We figured that a trip to China wouldn’t be complete until we visited a Bhuddist temple or two, so today was pretty much dedicated to just that.

We headed out to Diamond Hill on the MRT, to our first stop at Chi Lin Nunnery. This is a very new temple in relative terms (about 15 years), and even though very traditional architecturally it had a certain artificial quality to it. It’s actually so modern, that the original architects must’ve designed the place with tourists in mind; the well signposted tour-route ended with a well stocked gift shop.

Despite all this newness and commercialism though it was still very tranquil, which is even more surprising when you look up and see the surrounding cityscape towering over it. From a photographers point of view, it was very much a carrot-dangling experience - there where so many fantastic Buddha statues and ornaments but so few places where you were allowed to take pictures - very frustrating.

We hit the MRT again, this time working our way to the end of the line west to Tsuen Wan and completely off the normal tourist track. Despite being a busy and bustling town, just about every shop front and sign was in Chinese only; no bilingual tourist friendliness here.

Our destination was the Chuck Lam Sim Monastery, and was actually quite a bit of a distance from the MRT station. After about 30 minutes of wandering around, we decided to cut our losses and get a taxi, which turned out to be a good decision as it was a long steep climb uphill.

Unlike the nunnery, you definitely got the impression that this place was a monastery first and foremost. There was no integrated gift shop, no tourist route and there where a lot of ordinary people here lighting and waving incense sticks around, much like you would see people in Europe visiting churches and lighting candles. This was definitely a place where people came to worship.

Again, there was a certain serenity about this place and although the paint was old and fading, it was still very ornate and beautiful. It was the sort of place where you could just sit and contemplate the world - which I guess is kind of the point.

It was about 5pm by the time we left, and as we where destined for the last stop on the MRT it took us an age to get back. After pottering around in the hotel, we headed down to Wan Chai for tappenyaki at Chef.