After that, on our way out of town, we stopped at a Buddhist orphanage, which was part of a monastery that had a gigantic, white Buddha statue perched atop another hill.
This complex was equally impressive & full of mystique.

Here, we were greeted by a small troop of orphans who volunteered to be our guides through the complex. It was, in fact, a more sophisticated way of pulling money from tourist pockets, but who can be upset at an energetic group of teenage orphans? I gave my guide 120,000 Dong (about $12).

They led us up a steep staircase where an immense 30 meter sleeping Buddha was laying on his side, with a bronze wall of monks praying and weeping behind him.
A few more steps up the slope of the hill, and we found a large, ornate bronze bell in it’s own little pagoda. Beautiful. Making our way to the top of the 150 stairs, we found the giant sitting Buddha that I had seen across town from the hotel earlier. This one had a hidden chamber inside, depicting the Buddha’s mother & several other elderly men who may or may-not have found enlightenment also… I’m not sure what the story is on them, but up front I saw a bronze relief of the most muscular-looking Buddha I have ever seen. Bodybuilder Buddha.

The Hindu-Buddha cross… I’m confused which way it’s supposed to bend. Pak Suwamana told me in Bali that the Hindu symbol for purity bends to the right. But on the soles of the sleeping Buddha’s feet, there they were, bending to the left, like the Nazi swastika. There were a several places where the symbol bent to the right and others where it bent to the left. Not sure if some architect was just being sloppy,,, if it matters which direction the cross bends,,, or if there are indeed different meanings for both… Anyways- it’s confusing.