"Putuoshan" Putuoshan by bellatrix

I spent two days on Putuoshan, one of the five sacred Buddhist centers in China. My guidebook says it's the China we see on postcards - gardens, temples, little villages with winding backstreets and tiled roofs on the houses.. The island is tiny, only a few km across, and is filled with Buddhist temples and schools and little towns in between.

Monk at Fayu Si, Putuoshan

I spent one day making the rounds through the temples, and my favorite by far was Fayu Si. It's built into a cliffside near the ocean, and it's a small little temple with great scenery and a great feel to it. I took a picture of a sleeping monk in the temple; caught him sleeping on the job. Haha! Not much to do I guess. :) Must be a relaxing life.

The old pagoda on Putuoshan.

Today I'm basking in the sunshine, the first sun I've seen in days (Shanghai has been overcast, and yesterday the island was overcast and incredibly hot and humid). Today I went to a little temple perched on a rock by the sea and sat on a rock and relaxed for a while. What a nice break from the bustle of Shanghai!

• Pros:A lovely little island filled with temples.
• Cons:You might get templed out.
• In a nutshell:Great for a 2 day respite from the noise and pollution of Shanghai.