Giant Buddha

October 9th--Today our goal was to reach the Giant Buddha. We had 2 choices on how to get there: a ferry then a curvy, 45 minute bus ride or the subway then a 25 minute cable car ride to Ngong Pong. Since Abby and I can get carsick very easily, we opted for the latter. So, off we went on the subway to Tung Chung. It was a little after 11:00 when we arrived and then purchased our tickets for the cable car. We had just started standing in a fairly long line for the cable car when we were informed that the cable car had been suspended and that we could get a refund from the ticket booth. Austin was just a little upset because he was excited about riding the cable car. We were also told that it might start running again in about an hour, but they weren't sure. So, since we knew the bus ride wasn't an option, we decided to hold onto our tickets, go find some lunch and check back a little later. We headed to Pizza Hut for a quick lunch. Luckily, when we finished up lunch, the cable cars were running again. The line was much shorter at this point and we hopped right into a cable car. It actually worked out better for us that it was suspended because it got rid of the crowd and we took advantage of a cheap lunch. So, we were off for our 25 minute cable car ride. Mike and the kids were able to really enjoy the ride. I was a little nervous, but still got to enjoy the sights of the Tung Chung Bay, the airport, and the Giant Buddha when it came into site. The cable car let us off in the small village of Ngong Ping. We walked through it on our way to the Giant Buddha. When you arrive at the bottom of the stairs and look up, it's an amazing site to see the Giant Buddha up on top of the mountain. The Buddha was built in 1993 and is the world's largest seated outdoor bronze Buddha. We climbed the 260 steps all the way up to the viewing platform that surrounds the Giant Buddha. After taking many close up pictures, we climbed back down the stairs and back into the village for a snack. There was an Italian gelato place in the village and the kids were excited for a gelato snack. We then safely made the 25 minute cable car ride back down and then on to the subway. Before heading back to the YMCA, we went to pick up Mike's suit and shirt. It all turned out really nice. Once we got back to the YMCA, the kids went to the pool for a little while. As usual, they were worn out after their swim, so we had a quick dinner in the room before bedtime.