MONTAGUE - The days of Irish and rock music have been replaced with flutes and shawms and the aroma of spilled beer and stale cigarettes has given way to the faint hint of incense.
The original pub, where the likes of Ryan's Fancy and the Irish Rovers once played, is now the prayer hall and the old restaurant with the fine view of the Montague River is now the dining hall for about 50 to 75 monks.
The former Lobster Shanty restaurant and motel is now the Great Enlightenment Buddhist Academy and the new religious retreat threw open the doors here recently and invited the public to visit.
Peter Wu, an administrator of the facility, said the open house was to acknowledge the warm welcome received since the retreat located in eastern P.E.I.'s largest town last March. But while interest was expected, Wu, his fellow volunteers, and the few head monks were overwhelmed.
"We never expected so many," he said between delivering plates of fried noodles, vegetables and bean curd to those who signed up for the luncheon.
"But we are delighted so many people are interested in us."
They came from across the Island. The curious, the cautious and the convinced all ventured inside the facility to grasp why a Taiwanese-based order would choose to set up a centre in Canada's smallest province. An estimated 400 people visited the open house (140 for lunch) and experienced a gracious welcome into the life of a Buddhist monk from Venerable Fu, academy director, and Venerable Wu, chair of the open house.
The monks come mainly from the Far East, rarely speak English, and work, study and pray throughout a day that begins at 3:50 a.m. and ends around 9:30 p.m. It's a day of labour, reflection and contemplation, but with no lack of laughter and humour.
"What do you think of our lifestyle?" challenged Venerable Fu with a beaming smile during one of two jammed question sessions.
It was supposed to be a 10-minute video showing the daily life of a monk at the Montague monastery but turned into much more. The morning session was cut short because the monks had to leave to cook the lunch.
The afternoon session lasted over 90 minutes as the monks answered questions on Buddhism, motives, costs, purposes and whether it's OK to say hello to the monks in their distinctive red robes.
Translator Jeff Wang, who gave up a successful job in the bioscience industry in California to become a volunteer, listened to the response from Venerable Wu.
"Yes, of course, it is most welcome to say hello," he said. "But the majority of monks here do not speak the language so could not engage in conversation. And it also takes away from their focus of contemplation."
The focus of study is so intense - some young monks memorize up to 10,000 words a day of scripture - that even the once gorgeous view of the Montague River is now obscured by mini-homes (used as classrooms) to curb possible mental diversion.
"If there is one thing we invite you to share is our offering of Omak," said Peter Wu, who when asked by the audience about his background, acknowledged he had four degrees and left a vice-presidency job at Xerox to volunteer for Buddhism.
"I realized I was making no one around me happy," he said.
Omak stands for "Observe Merit and Appreciate Kindness."
Except for some minor changes, there have been no major renovations to the former Lobster Shanty and the monastery will be closed during the winter while monks study elsewhere temporarily. There are no luxuries in the spartan building - monks sleep four to a room on chipboard beds - and Wu said the academy exists solely on donations from Buddhists around the world.
The open house was so successful that another one was held a couple of days later for a smaller number that couldn't be accommodated at the first one.
Meanwhile, the group is also working to establish another Buddhist centre in Little Sands overlooking the Northumberland Strait.
