(no subject)
One thing that I cannot stand about China is the obsession with money in some places. People are always trying to sell more things and to make more money and people are only buying what's expensive because it "shows their worth".
Sunday we went to Poutou San, which is a lot of temples in a concentrated area. quite beautiful, full of trees and nice architecture and flowers and beaches. This is the cost of our trip, outlined
Boat ride there and back = 40 yuan per person
Entrance fee into the area = 110 yuan per person
Entrance fee into a temple = 5-10 yuan per person
(we visited 5 temples)
Entrance fee into the beach = 23 yuan per person
Umbrella to sit under = 200 yuan
Food = 600 yuan (for 12 people)
(quite cheap actually)
One bus ride = 4-6 yuan
(we took 3)
The entrance fee was useless because it didn't pay for anything else besides getting into the city where the temples were. You then had to proceed to pay for each temple you went into. and paying for a visit to the beach?! how ridiculous. Beaches are supposed to be free. Then on the boat rides you watched DVD's of songs about Buddhism or perhaps a TV show about Buddhism, and they sold these to the passengers. It was as if they were selling a religion. You had to pay to get in to pray and then they proceeded to use the religion to get more money from people. Though DVD's, entrance fees, the beach, and various other things. They didn't actually care about Buddhism, only the money it would get from the tourist or those that truly believed.
And for those that truly believe and follow Buddhism, I respect so much. It takes so much dedication and faith. Yet for those that burn incense and pray only at the times that are convenient and when they want something, and only do it cause it can't hurt to burn incense for a successful education or touch the whole golden dragon for more money, and they only believe when they need or want to or feel paranoid, I feel frustrated and slightly annoyed at. Those people that act serious inside the temple when asking fr something yet sit on the prayer book cause the ground is too dirty and hot to sit on by itself. (It's like using the bible as a doormat)
Anyways.
I realized yesterday that I love the ocean or sea or lake. I love the smell and the breeze and the image and everything that it holds. It just brings about everything that I love. Next year I'm going to spend so much time outside, and I won't even get sick of it. late nights, early mornings and even afternoons and evenings. sunrises and sunsets and after midnight? I can't wait.
♥
Sunday we went to Poutou San, which is a lot of temples in a concentrated area. quite beautiful, full of trees and nice architecture and flowers and beaches. This is the cost of our trip, outlined
Boat ride there and back = 40 yuan per person
Entrance fee into the area = 110 yuan per person
Entrance fee into a temple = 5-10 yuan per person
(we visited 5 temples)
Entrance fee into the beach = 23 yuan per person
Umbrella to sit under = 200 yuan
Food = 600 yuan (for 12 people)
(quite cheap actually)
One bus ride = 4-6 yuan
(we took 3)
The entrance fee was useless because it didn't pay for anything else besides getting into the city where the temples were. You then had to proceed to pay for each temple you went into. and paying for a visit to the beach?! how ridiculous. Beaches are supposed to be free. Then on the boat rides you watched DVD's of songs about Buddhism or perhaps a TV show about Buddhism, and they sold these to the passengers. It was as if they were selling a religion. You had to pay to get in to pray and then they proceeded to use the religion to get more money from people. Though DVD's, entrance fees, the beach, and various other things. They didn't actually care about Buddhism, only the money it would get from the tourist or those that truly believed.
And for those that truly believe and follow Buddhism, I respect so much. It takes so much dedication and faith. Yet for those that burn incense and pray only at the times that are convenient and when they want something, and only do it cause it can't hurt to burn incense for a successful education or touch the whole golden dragon for more money, and they only believe when they need or want to or feel paranoid, I feel frustrated and slightly annoyed at. Those people that act serious inside the temple when asking fr something yet sit on the prayer book cause the ground is too dirty and hot to sit on by itself. (It's like using the bible as a doormat)
Anyways.
I realized yesterday that I love the ocean or sea or lake. I love the smell and the breeze and the image and everything that it holds. It just brings about everything that I love. Next year I'm going to spend so much time outside, and I won't even get sick of it. late nights, early mornings and even afternoons and evenings. sunrises and sunsets and after midnight? I can't wait.
♥