Sticking it to the Fat Guy

Expert from scrolls of ancient conversation:

King/General Rich Guy/Religious Bigwig: Let's build something impressive that will cost us a bomb (but that's ok, I'm rich/ the coffers are full/ the faithful are rich) and people will come for miles around to see and it will make me rich(er) and famous.

Common Man/ General Lackey/ Novice: Cool, let's.

King/General Rich Guy/Religious Bigwig: Its all about location, location, location. Where's a good spot you think?

C/GL/N: Well here's a great spot. Nice flat open spacious grounds. Close to the main roads. Good access to everything around.

K/GRG/RB: Oh no, that's way too easy. Let's build it instead on this almost inaccessible hill. Let's add some more steps leading up to the hill and just for kicks, let's make a rule that folks who come visit must be shoeless, hat less and hapless - to go with the breathless they'll be by the time they get up to the top.

..... and so it was.

Which is why every God D*mned temple, church, monument and shrine I've been to over the past 4 months has been situated in the most hard-to-reach, out-of-the-way, guaranteed-to-give-you-a-heart-attack spot. It obviously wasn't enough that the original poor workers had to haul up tons of wood, bricks, stone and general monument making equipment but also today's everyday tourist has to puff and pant their way up - all for a chance at a glimpse of greatness.

And the worst part is that all those Kings and General Rich Guys and Religious Grand Kahunas were all probably ferried up that mountain - probably on the backs of the Common Man who probably cursed himself all the way to the top regretting his initial enthusiasm.