More sakura
The train journey to Hangzhou lasted a little under 90 minutes. They took a cab from the railway station to the historic Lingyin Temple.
Diano hadn’t expected him to be a good tour guide and was amazed when Norman narrated the history of the temple. The Laughing Buddha under the delicately painted ceiling of the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, the bronze statues along the swastika arms of the Hall of the Five Hundred Arhats, the gold-painted wooden Buddha in the Grand Hall of the Great Sage, he explained them one by one.
At the Huayan Hall, they came across three statues of the Buddha with bright blue hair on very brown bodies. The statues looked like modern work on a traditional theme. Diano used his phone to take a few shots. Andy hadn’t called him yet. What if something had happened to him? No! He must push bad thoughts out of his mind. He knelt in front of the Buddhas and said a silent prayer.
On their way down to the bottom of the hill, they paused to admire the cherry blossoms. Sakura always looked romantic. Norman appeared lost in thought, perhaps thinking about his lover. He was too handsome to be single.
“What’s up?” Norman caught him looking in his direction.
“Nothing.” Diano smiled.
“Do you want me to take your photo?”
Diano handed his phone to Norman and posed under the tree.
“Thank you. Do you want one?” He asked after Norman had clicked a few of his.
“No. I’m a camera-shy person.”
“Really? You look like a model. What a waste.” Diano laughed.
“Ha-ha. Let’s go. I want to show you the Feilai Feng.”
They walked down the garden path and went back all the way to the entrance of the temple. As they climbed the limestone hill, Diano found it dotted with statues of the Buddha. When they reached the top, they sat down to rest for a few minutes. Still no message from Andy.
On the way down they took a path that led them across old trees with enormous vines and roots that wound around rocks and trees like big brown anacondas. They gave Diano goose bumps. He walked in the middle of the path right behind Norman.
Once outside the temple compound, they took a cab to the West Lake.
“What did you ask the Buddha?” Norman asked him on the way.
“I’m not telling you.”
“Wow. So secretive.” He laughed.
“Not really. If it works out I’ll let you know.”
“What if it doesn’t work out?”
“Well, I’ll return to the temple to ask for it again,” Diano said.
“With me?”
Diano turned to look at his face but Norman was looking out of the window. He wondered what Norman had meant. But before he could think further, the lake’s captivating beauty sucked away his attention.
