Visited the Chuang Yen monastery in Carmel Hamlet in upstate NY this weekend, this is thee perfect time to go! Not too hot, still green all around, and fresh air fuels your soul. The temple itself is known for the 40 feet tall Buddha statue, the biggest Buddha statue in the western hemisphere. There’s 10000 little Buddha statues surrounding it in the back, and the colorful Buddha statue on the table in front of it is over 1000 years old from the Tang dynasty. There’s a free bookstore right inside the main hall, all the books about Buddha’s teachings are FREE. A very delightful older gentleman who seemed so joyful was manning the bookstore booth, he told us many fun facts and stories about Buddhism, like one of those wise characters in a movie. The grounds is absolutely beautiful, features a lake with koi fish, multiple serene but short trails. They even offer lunch in the canteen I sadly missed it, but will definitely plan to go back and try it. Spent about 2 easy, zen hours there, grabbed a few books, prayed, vowed to start meditate more and overall had a quiet and peaceful day!