On my last day in China I awoke at the beautiful Emei Shan Hongzhushan Hotel located on this serene pond. After a quick breakfast we boarded a bus for the first leg of our journey up Mount Emei. The bus ride took hours, with two breaks: one presumably to use the restroom (but also to shop) and one to buy tickets for the next leg of the ride up the mountain.

The ride was extremely winding and steep. A word of warning to those of you who might take this journey as well — they hand out “sick bags” on the bus for a reason. As the bus wound its way up the mountain, I saw several poor souls make use of theirs. Repeatedly. Thankfully I’m pretty resistant to motion sickness but I could certainly see where this ride could cause problems. The destination proved worthy of the suffering, however. (Easy to say when I wasn’t the one suffering!)

We’d been told the night before not to keep any food on our persons, or to even carry anything that would look like it might have food in it. The reason was the monkeys that frequented the final bus stop. One of the first women I saw get off the bus was carrying a plastic bag and — in no time — I saw it ripped from her hands by a monkey who immediately rummaged through it for a snack and off he went. They were staking out the place pretty good.

We were walking a steep path now, punctuated by worn, stone steps at irregular intervals. The monkeys gradually grew fewer and we could see our next mode of transportation in the distance through the low-hanging clouds — a small, 4-6 person cable car:

More tickets purchased, we were soon climbing swiftly through the mist in our cable car, looking back at what had been our most recent rest point:

We got off the cable car and started hiking upward again. We passed a few restaurants and souvenir booths and eventually came to the grand staircase flanked by white and gold elephant sculptures.

Incense and candles were being lit at various altars as we made our way up the steps in the thin, cool air.

Finally at the top, we could finally make out the enormous, golden, chedi-like statue of Buddha sitting atop several elephants. I don’t know how to describe it better than that, but it was spectacular. Golden temples surrounded it. I wish I could have photographed the interiors but it was not allowed to make images of the Buddhas within.

We paused to rest our legs and have some lunch from the snacks we’d picked up the day before in Leshan. I now understood why we needed wrapped and sealed items as they had successfully made it past the monkeys undetected.

Then, it was time to start back down the mountain. It was a shame that the low clouds prevented us from seeing what I’m sure was a stunning view from atop Mount Emei, but it’s one more reason to return some day.

Above: we pass a few of the food stands that exist above the “monkey line” so that they aren’t prone to raids.

More monkeys awaited as we descended. This one had apparently had quite a good snack, judging by the mess on the ground around him.

I bid farewell to the monkey, and the next morning I bid farewell to China. I look forward to the next time we meet.