From the area known as the Legend, you get the cable car up to the next level – where you find yourself up a mountain. The cable car station has a restaurant and shop (as always) but once out, you’re at a high altitude and that south-east Asian humid heat has become a lot cooler. And cloud comes and goes – one minute it’s above you, next you’re in it. Between here and the funicular station there are temples and statues and a lot of steep steps. Once at the station, you can wimp out and take the train, or walk on to the peak. We did that. Well worth it.

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Looking down from the cable car
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Looking up from the cable car
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Our first scenic temple
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Clouds starting to descend on the temple gates
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And we’re in the clouds
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Statue detail
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The Great Amitabha bronze Buddha – 21.5m tall at an altitude of 3,075m.
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Waiting for the cloud to clear
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The walk has numerous viewpoints along the way before continuing up those many steps
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The nine fountain levels leading to the Buddha. In the cloud
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Deciding to take the cable car or walk

And that’s level 2 – next stop is the top.

Kit: Lumix GX80 with 12-60mm and 45-150mm lenses