Happy Birthday Buddha!!!!

It was Buddha's Birthday on May 2nd. Although I asked him several times, he refused to disclose his age. Jerk. I feel like after a few thousand years, what's one more, right?

So, to celebrate, I meandered out to a nearby temple called Hea Dong Yong Gung Temple. Among foreigners, it is nick-named "temple on the sea" for obvious reasons: 1. it is on the sea. 2. foreigners can't remember the Korean name.

Normally, heading to a temple can be a beautiful and enjoyable event on any given day. But what makes temples extra special is that for Buddha's Birthday they are decorated with hundreds, maybe thousands, of lanterns. I had heard that going at night was when it was most spectacular since all the lanterns would be lit up. But, because of yoga class in that evening, I had to go during the day.

The Tags you see hanging from the lanterns have the names and prayers/wishes of those who donated (bought) them. I guess money can buy you happiness (or love or a car or a rice cooker... I don't really know what was written on them... Korean language classes are really paying off!)


The sight was still spectacular. The lanterns covered the temple, the stairways, and surrounding cliffs. It looked like the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. (a little exaggeration but very impressive all the same).
I'd also like to take a moment and give the Koreans a little prop for their anti-theft predisposition. At the festival, people would leave coins and small gifts around the temple as a gift to Buddha in exchange for a prayer to be answered. And the coins are not thrown into fountains like back home and any that land with arms reach, swiped back out. No, no, no. They are placed on big, small, medium size Buddha statues. Totally stealable! I don't know if Buddha's grants prayers for just 100won (about 10cents) but its worth a shot right? The amazing thing, is that no one steals the money or small gifts (usually small Buddha statues). I'm not going to lie, I had the urge to swipe a statue or two as a souvenir. Just the American in me. So, I might poke fun at Koreans for their behaviors I find amusing, but the fact that this country does not steal from each other is pretty cool.

~PS... I left my wallet on the toilet paper roll in a bathroom this weekend and didn't realize till after I washed my hands and was walking out of the bathroom. Before I could even turn around, a Korean lady was taping me on the back holding out my wallet. I thanked her profusely, of course in English because in the heat of the moment I totally forgot my Korean all together! Koreans rock!