Leshan (Jan. 29)

Leshan, located 120km southwest of Chengdu, is the home of the Giant Buddha. We made a day trip there since it's definitely recommendable.

The Grand Buddha is the largest stone-carved buddha in the world. It is 71m tall. Construction was started in 713, led by a Chinese monk named Haitong. He hoped that the Buddha would calm the turbulent waters that plagued the shipping vessels travelling down the river.

The Chinese carried a truck load of coal for kilometers up to the temple where it will just be burned. I couldn't believe the exhausting way of transporting the coal uphill, that's just too crazy.

The girl in blue jacket followed us for a very long time around and wanted to hire us for her bus that brought us back to Chengdu. She told us that her price is only 40 Yuan instead of the 43 Yuan that the official bus charges. Yet once we were on the bus and paid 40 kuai each, our Chinese neighbors told us that they are all going for 20...that's when we started to be more awake of the daily rip-offs!