Taiwan (6): Day 3 - Fo Guang Shan Memorial Centre

     One of the main goals of the trip was to stay at the Fo Guang Shang Monastery. Fo Guang Shang at Kaoshiung is actually divided into two parts - commonly referred to as the "Old" part and the "New" part. Fo Guang Shan Monastery is the "Old" part and the Fo Guang Shan Memorial Centre is the "New" part. If you come on a package tour, it is likely you will only see the "New" part which is more tourist-oriented. There are a huge range of options at the Fo Guang Shan Memorial Centre - activities to learn about Buddhism, the best selection of Vegetarian food options (of all price ranges) I've ever seen and extremely smartly curated shopping options. The Fo Guang Shan Memorial Centre also have excellent displays and exhibitions on Buddhism that were both enlightening and yet on a level that would be easy to understand for everyone. 

    There are no admission fees here - entrance and access is all free. But, Dad and I were very impressed and donated at many of the donation boxes. 

    When we first came, we were overwhelmed by the size of the whole place. 

     My suggestion is to enter Fo Guang Shan Memorical Centre and go towards the front right where the reception is located. They were extremely nice, provided us with a map with directions and helped us store our luggage till we wanted to head to Fo Guang Shan Monastery later. 

    We decided to eat. Completely unaware that we were going to eat the best vegetarian lunch of our lives. 

   

    

   I think we ate at a branch of a hotel restaurant with the words "Hi-Lai" in it. Honestly, the lunch was so good that we still talk about it. We even returned to eat the next day from Fo Guang Shan Monastery before we left Kaoshiung. 

   P said with actual awe in her voice, "This must be the best egg tart in the world." She pushed the egg tart in my face and asked with a real edge in her voice, "Can anything taste better than this?" 

   Dad looked at his black sesame bun and said, "I could eat this every morning." 

  So, perhaps, we weren't so successful in the pilgrimage aspect to self enlightenment, but both P and Dad found something to dream about till this day. 

   And when we finally went outside, I lost my voice. 

To see a World in a Grain of Sand

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 

And Eternity in an hour. 


- William Blake, Auguries of Innocence