tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76030616624265102792024-03-05T14:05:25.279-08:00Vestiges of Kura-Kura...a sometimes record of my travels.kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-48041192345774888322015-04-25T03:06:00.000-07:002015-04-25T08:31:27.611-07:00Taroko National Park (太魯閣國家公園) Day 2<br />
<a href="http://vestiges-of-kura-kura.blogspot.tw/2015/04/taroko-national-park-day-1.html" target="_blank">Click here for Day One</a> at Taroko National Park.<br />
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<b><u>Day Two:</u></b><br />
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We started the day back at the entrance of the park, first stopping at the tourist center (national parks in Taiwan have wonderful tourist centers with friendly, informative staff, clean restrooms, and free water refill machines). First up for the day was Shakadang Trail. Unfortunely we soon realized that this is also the first trail of the day for the tour buses (why they all seem to travel together, I don't know... maybe so as not to punish the other visitors), so the start of the trail was packed with people taking selfies. It's a 4.5km trail cut into a mountain and following a river - a level, easy path leading to 3D Cabin... except that it was closed about a kilometer and a half in! Neither the park's website, maps, visitor center, or even the trailhead mentioned this!!! Unfortunately there were a few makeshift stands selling sausages and jewelry causing people to linger in the area, otherwise we would have crossed the barricade and seen how far we could go. (Signs noting fines and hotlines to call if you saw people crossing were what made us care that people would see us.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HxGkYYXiyyo/VLaBZz2pkMI/AAAAAAAAJf0/igIGQugH_Uk/s1600/2015-01-11%2B10.02.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HxGkYYXiyyo/VLaBZz2pkMI/AAAAAAAAJf0/igIGQugH_Uk/s1600/2015-01-11%2B10.02.14.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cut into the mountain, Shakadang Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zFWWlgvZKFE/VLaBbpntYVI/AAAAAAAAJf8/bvCWV1i05DM/s1600/2015-01-11%2B10.19.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zFWWlgvZKFE/VLaBbpntYVI/AAAAAAAAJf8/bvCWV1i05DM/s1600/2015-01-11%2B10.19.18.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the relatively easy but pleasant Shakadang Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qo4_hsrpiSk/VLaBfpMF2dI/AAAAAAAAJgE/decEwQ254X4/s1600/2015-01-11%2B10.26.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qo4_hsrpiSk/VLaBfpMF2dI/AAAAAAAAJgE/decEwQ254X4/s1600/2015-01-11%2B10.26.27.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">trail closed ahead, Shakadang Trail</td></tr>
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Continuing on, we drove our motor scooter back up the gorge's road passing many of the places we visited yesterday and headed to <b>Lushui Trail</b>, which is a short trail overlooking the the road as well as the Liwu River below. There are more tunnels, so again a flashlight is extremely useful. (This time actually I remembered my headlamp, as yesterday we had to use our phones for light.) Being so close to the road there is surprisingly nice landscape and we did mange to see one wild monkey hanging out in a tree staring at us. It's a level, 2km walk. There are also numerous signs warning of falling rocks, and if you don't believe the signs, there are more than enough fallen rocks on the trail and dented fence bars to given them merit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RLHtCGODi08/VLaBprrjYGI/AAAAAAAAJgc/jocno8pWHME/s1600/2015-01-11%2B11.48.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RLHtCGODi08/VLaBprrjYGI/AAAAAAAAJgc/jocno8pWHME/s1600/2015-01-11%2B11.48.50.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beware of Rockfalls, Lushui Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7WmwTS3zrAg/VLaBrZ2ToXI/AAAAAAAAJgk/Y93nO5FpPZU/s1600/2015-01-11%2B11.55.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7WmwTS3zrAg/VLaBrZ2ToXI/AAAAAAAAJgk/Y93nO5FpPZU/s1600/2015-01-11%2B11.55.55.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lushui Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUndk4rdGr8/VLaBskPQFcI/AAAAAAAAJgs/NsRnuijywFE/s1600/2015-01-11%2B11.54.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUndk4rdGr8/VLaBskPQFcI/AAAAAAAAJgs/NsRnuijywFE/s1600/2015-01-11%2B11.54.05.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view of Liwu River from Lushui Trail</td></tr>
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Still having time left in the day because Shakadang Trail was closed, we headed further up the road to check out Lianhua Pond Trail. This wasn't on our itinerary but it turned out to be more than worthwhile, if not one of the more scary trails I've ever done. The trail to the village beyond (Meiyuan Zhucun agricultural road) was closed due to landslide damage(?), but the detour to the pond was still open. [I believe they are both open now.] The trail is high above the river and the sheer straight drop down is vertigo inducing. The first suspension bridge is insanely high and about two-thirds of the way across we realized that at one point it broke (or was about to break) and has since been haphazardly fixed with a mixture of wooden planks and plastic plumbing pipes. I usually don't mind heights but crossing that makeshift fix-up was mentally difficult. I've crossed a lot of suspension bridges in this country but this was the highest and the only one I've actually felt afraid on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjyrXek-3ipNJnhDXDlDgWSiHczMftu1HFjsHyRaBtuJSF4BX5JaXAh8rFZNG5Gg61fOBOVI1iYwstIgD-xplEn9l9wGA5jTOiFn2eR3dxYIWqvRqLnvJo2poLtPPSlVbX-v2J2arMWM/s1600/2015-01-11+13.32.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjyrXek-3ipNJnhDXDlDgWSiHczMftu1HFjsHyRaBtuJSF4BX5JaXAh8rFZNG5Gg61fOBOVI1iYwstIgD-xplEn9l9wGA5jTOiFn2eR3dxYIWqvRqLnvJo2poLtPPSlVbX-v2J2arMWM/s1600/2015-01-11+13.32.04.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">seriously damaged with scary sheer straight drops down, Lianhua Pond Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7PbnG-sB7_I/VLaB3_LtSrI/AAAAAAAAJhc/KcopNF2oh1M/s1600/2015-01-11%2B14.48.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7PbnG-sB7_I/VLaB3_LtSrI/AAAAAAAAJhc/KcopNF2oh1M/s1600/2015-01-11%2B14.48.06.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the last third of it improvised, Jiumei Suspension Bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pgw5S33nKWg/VLaB7D6bzvI/AAAAAAAAJhs/PleMQLUrHls/s1600/2015-01-11%2B13.36.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pgw5S33nKWg/VLaB7D6bzvI/AAAAAAAAJhs/PleMQLUrHls/s1600/2015-01-11%2B13.36.57.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and then we realized the bridge was broken, Jiumei Suspension Bridge</td></tr>
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After the deathly-high suspension bridge we crossed a number of landslide areas that tested our guts, and should be avoided by most people. The trail has been wiped out in two or three places (I'm forgetting now), but people still continue to cross. One false move or slip of the foot and we would have slide down to our deaths. I felt like the worst part was knowing that every tricky pass we did had to be retraced to get back to our motor scooter on the main road. All the tourists we saw at the beginning of the day were nowhere to be seen. We only saw two other Taiwanese couples hiking here. There was also an older man, who effortlessly crossed one of the landslide-destroyed bits (he had plastic toys poking out from his backpack and was likely a villager heading home along the closed path beyond).<br />
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To add to the tension, there were numerous rocks (ranging from small rocks to large boulders on the path that had clearly fallen from above. Neither of us had brought our scooter helmets this time, and though we joked about wearing them yesterday, today they were looking potentially useful. However, we could also see massive dents on the bars along the path's edge that implied helmets wouldn't do squat to save us if the right rock decided to fall. It was a thriller of a trail, but I admit that both my friend and I felt seriously uneasy.<br />
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After we crossed the second bridge and began the ascent up to the pond, it started to drizzle. We still had to return back across those landslide areas and if the trail became wet, we worried that they would become impassable. So we debated for awhile about whether to return or continue on, hoping the rain wouldn't worsen. Guessing that the pond would be underwhelming and that we had already seen what this ascent had to offer in terms of scenery, we eventually turned around and started heading back. Actually, crossing those scary parts was a lot easier the second time around, and I felt a bit foolish for being so scared the first time. Also, I insisted on going first this time, as I think watching my somewhat clumsy friend cross them had freaked me out more than if I had just done them without seeing him first.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tmgaqICnhVA/VLaCAE7rIoI/AAAAAAAAJiE/MdxQawR5kJs/s1600/2015-01-11%2B13.52.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tmgaqICnhVA/VLaCAE7rIoI/AAAAAAAAJiE/MdxQawR5kJs/s1600/2015-01-11%2B13.52.55.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dented and missing barricades due to falling rocks, Lianhua Pond Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UabnXHFSStg/VLaCCL0TFrI/AAAAAAAAJiM/j7ZQAyupEAs/s1600/2015-01-11%2B14.24.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UabnXHFSStg/VLaCCL0TFrI/AAAAAAAAJiM/j7ZQAyupEAs/s1600/2015-01-11%2B14.24.30.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the much safer, second bridge, Jiumei Bridge</td></tr>
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We reached our motor scooter safely, and decided to head further up the road, which my friend had driven before years ago when crossing the island by motorcycle. It was still drizzling, but not enough to warrant us heading back just yet. As the road continues on, the elevation continues upward and the weather gets colder and colder. Soon we were in either a deep fog or the clouds, in this weather it was hard to tell one from the other. At this point I was hugging my friend tightly for both warmth and protection against the increasing hard, cold pellets of rain. We continued driving for maybe forty-five minutes, not reaching as high as he wanted to show me, but it was so foggy that there wasn't much of a view, not to mention that I couldn't see anything through my helmet's rain-and-fogged-out visor. Plus, I was shivering uncontrollably with cold.<br />
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Not long after we had turned around we heard a loud thump on the road behind us. I didn't feel safe enough to turn around, but I immediately knew it was a falling rock hitting the road. My friend caught a glimpse of it in the scooter's mirror, and rather skittishly said that that was not something he wanted to see. I didn't inquire further, and neither of us were interested in turning around to check it out. Freezing, wet, and uncomfortable, we were both very ready to leave.<br />
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As we descended back down the rain slowed until it finally stopped, and the temperature became bearable again. We passed all the trails we had done in the past two days, as well as all the parked tour buses in front of Eternal Spring Shine, right on time for whatever there is or isn't to see in the early evening / late afternoon. After we passed through the main entrance to the national park, we stopped at 7-Eleven to rest and warm up with some soup and hot chocolate. Since it wasn't raining anymore, my friend let me drive the hour back to the hostel (I don't have a license and this was only my second time riding a scooter in traffic... Taiwan traffic at that). I managed not to kill us, though I had trouble keeping the scooter balanced when stopping at a couple of the stoplights. I blame my friend's weight for throwing off me off, and not my mad scooter skills.<br />
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For more information visit <a href="http://www.taroko.gov.tw/English/?mm=5&sm=1&page=1#up" target="_blank">Taroko National Park's very informative website</a>.<br />
*** Check their website for trail opening and closures as they often change. ***<br />
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Two days is more than enough time to explore Taroko Gorge's basic offerings, though there are a couple amazing trails that require permits in advance, but those are better saved for special trips out and not first-time visits. River tracing is also popular during certain seasons.<br />
<br />kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-59906488228611852602015-04-25T01:58:00.001-07:002015-04-25T08:00:48.540-07:00Taroko National Park (太魯閣國家公園) Day 1<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uf5EuMiUg-c/VLaA4KpugoI/AAAAAAAAJdU/h44U7rcUKy4/s1600/2015-01-10%2B13.35.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uf5EuMiUg-c/VLaA4KpugoI/AAAAAAAAJdU/h44U7rcUKy4/s1600/2015-01-10%2B13.35.37.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cimu Bridge</td></tr>
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Two years into living in Taipei I finally went to visit Taiwan's most famous geological wonder, Taroko Gorge (太魯閣). With peaks as high as 3,000 meters, this long, narrow gorge is a popular destination for local Taiwanese and Mainland Chinese alike. However the thought of visiting on a crowded weekend with tour buses shooting up and down the Central Cross-Island Highway, which runs through the gorge, was enough to keep me delaying my visit. But through a last minute argument on what to do for the weekend, I managed to score train tickets on a Thursday night for the upcoming weekend (it's definitely better to get tickets much further in advance as weekend trains from Taipei to Hualien usually sell out).<br />
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We took an early Saturday morning train from Taipei Main Station, arriving in Hualien (花蓮) around two hours later. The street just outside the train station is lined with scooter rental shops and we asked about the prices at a couple while we made our way to Formosa Backpackers Hostel, which I had booked in advanced. The hostel seemed to be recently renovated with freshly painted walls and a mixture of traditional Taiwanese furnishings and new Ikea furnishings making up the more hostel-related stuff (bedding, lamps, etc.). For an added bit of warmth for a bookworm, they had a large library on the first floor, as well as numerous other books spread about the hostel's various floors and rooms in Chinese, English, and other languages. Our double-bed room was simple and comfortable, and the shared bathroom was clean.<br />
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The girl who runs the place keeps watch at the bar downstairs, speaks English well and is helpful with any questions. We rented a scooter through them since it was the same price as the places by the train station, and after filling out the paperwork we waited for it to be dropped off (another perk).<br />
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The drive from Hualien to the gorge is about an hour. I definitely recommend renting a scooter over using the buses, since the gorge consists of a long road (one could ride for hours) with scenic spots and short trails dispersed along the way. Walking between these places is not possible and waiting for buses, which didn't seem to run very often at all, would be a hassle. Most people seem to visit the gorge in tour bus groups with their flag waving, mic carrying guides, which I would never recommend. (These groups were also older people and always Chinese-speaking, so not really an option for foreigners anyway.) We also went in January, which in retrospect was off season and a good choice. The hostel was cheaper and the gorge was wonderfully void of the traffic and masses I was anticipating. The only issue is it gets surprisingly cold the further up you go, especially on a scooter, so dress accordingly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Trail Map" src="http://www.taroko.gov.tw/images/English/VisitorsInformation/410map_s.png" height="446" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of Taroko National Park</td></tr>
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<b><u>Day One:</u></b><br />
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We started at the much photographed <b>Eternal Spring Shrine</b>. The shrine itself is quite small and is more remarkable from a distance against the backdrop for the gorges' massive walls than to walk through. DO NOT come here around 4p.m. as this is when ALL the tourist buses stop here. (For sunset? I don't know, because it was so overcast we never saw the sun, and the walls of the gorge don't really make that sound reasonable.) Being relatively close to the mouth of the gorge and the park's entrance they create a huge traffic jam, though with a scooter you can weave between the cars and buses to manage a reasonable escape.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FY2n1ZoSbhc/VLaA5Fm2uAI/AAAAAAAAJdc/FB42SBkJBVE/s1600/2015-01-10%2B12.32.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FY2n1ZoSbhc/VLaA5Fm2uAI/AAAAAAAAJdc/FB42SBkJBVE/s1600/2015-01-10%2B12.32.25.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Changchun) Eternal Spring Shrine</td></tr>
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Next we drove to <b>Swallow Grotto</b>, named for the birds that make their homes in the rock walls. We parked our scooter and walked the short walkway along the road. We kept our helmets on in case of falling rocks (actually more to keep in fashion with the other walkers than for actual fear of falling rocks, not that helmets aren't recommended).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W9l2TU3X9Tg/VLaA99t-ZrI/AAAAAAAAJd0/lVT7w7J6Fvk/s1600/2015-01-10%2B13.06.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W9l2TU3X9Tg/VLaA99t-ZrI/AAAAAAAAJd0/lVT7w7J6Fvk/s1600/2015-01-10%2B13.06.49.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yanzikou (Swallow Grotto)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xcVnEVfTceg/VLaA_fSMPhI/AAAAAAAAJd8/4Rb3Sot9nEg/s1600/2015-01-10%2B13.06.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xcVnEVfTceg/VLaA_fSMPhI/AAAAAAAAJd8/4Rb3Sot9nEg/s1600/2015-01-10%2B13.06.07.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yanzikou (Swallow Grotto)</td></tr>
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We tried to visit the <b>Tunnel of Nine Turns</b> (Jiuqudong) next but it was under construction at the time, so we made our way to Tianxiang, which turned out to be an uneventful parking lot with a few small restaurants and souvenir shops. It mostly attracts people for the nearby picturesque <b>Xingde Temple</b>, which rests higher up the mountain. There's a trail up to reach the temple, but we decided to admire it from below, preferring to make our way to the next place since we were a little worried about both time and weather.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u4495-WBMqI/VLaBVdXiqiI/AAAAAAAAJfs/k6vCF_HG-8Q/s1600/2015-01-10%2B16.10.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u4495-WBMqI/VLaBVdXiqiI/AAAAAAAAJfs/k6vCF_HG-8Q/s1600/2015-01-10%2B16.10.17.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xiangde Temple</td></tr>
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Not too far from Tianxiang is the delightful Baiyang Trail. BRING A FLASHLIGHT and come prepared to get wet. The start of the trail is through a 380m, slightly leaky, pitch dark, cement tunnel. Navigating the darkness is both slightly eerie and slightly exciting. After the tunnel, the trail follows along the side of a mountain, looking down to the river below. There are a few more rock tunnels until you come to an open area to the left, and the way to Water Curtain Cave on your right (everything is well sign posted).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wA3wKhLWz0s/VLaBGBQoyGI/AAAAAAAAJeU/AAlBZTajots/s1600/2015-01-10%2B13.20.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wA3wKhLWz0s/VLaBGBQoyGI/AAAAAAAAJeU/AAlBZTajots/s1600/2015-01-10%2B13.20.15.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baiyang Trail</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YE3IPyvkcRw/VLaBKlaQW1I/AAAAAAAAJe0/9MuPxn1o8c4/s1600/2015-01-10%2B15.21.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YE3IPyvkcRw/VLaBKlaQW1I/AAAAAAAAJe0/9MuPxn1o8c4/s1600/2015-01-10%2B15.21.24.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">entrance to the second tunnel, Baiyang Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rTU1uZw_Fkw/VLaBJYjyEDI/AAAAAAAAJes/YhkRolbKwTU/s1600/2015-01-10%2B14.52.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rTU1uZw_Fkw/VLaBJYjyEDI/AAAAAAAAJes/YhkRolbKwTU/s1600/2015-01-10%2B14.52.42.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more caves and tunnels, Baiyang Trail</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5nkyMnADclM/VLaBQTovXFI/AAAAAAAAJfU/Ub2qpJu8jdo/s1600/2015-01-10%2B15.27.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5nkyMnADclM/VLaBQTovXFI/AAAAAAAAJfU/Ub2qpJu8jdo/s1600/2015-01-10%2B15.27.07.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view of the trail from a lookout point, Baiyang Trail</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Water Curtain Cave is completely dark with spring water from the roof of the cave continuously leaking down (also threatening the cave to eventually collapse). Bring a cheap 7-Eleven poncho (or use one of the abandoned ones at the entrance to the cave, as we did) and/or an umbrella. Most of the cave floor is too rocky and deep in water to safely traverse in the dark, but there is a narrow path along one edge just wide enough for one person. It's a really magnificent, otherworldly, and slightly scary walk through the tunnel and on to the other side. There's a second cave after that but it's closed off to visitors because it's too dangerous (of course I tried to enter it anyway, and yes, it actually is too dangerous). Round trip, the trail is about 4km long.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6cy9kFyMNxE/VLaBONfexyI/AAAAAAAAJfE/42haytcAmd8/s1600/2015-01-10%2B15.13.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6cy9kFyMNxE/VLaBONfexyI/AAAAAAAAJfE/42haytcAmd8/s1600/2015-01-10%2B15.13.35.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water Curtain Cave, Baiyan Trail</td></tr>
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Winter days being shorter, we started to make our way back to Hualien. There's a popular night market in the city but we skipped it, my friend loathing night markets and me having had more than my fill in this country (really, they're all the same, only some more local, while others more touristy in goods). Instead we asked at the hostel and found a nice vegetarian restaurant just up the road called Greenland (143 JianGuo Road).<br />
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<a href="http://vestiges-of-kura-kura.blogspot.tw/2015/04/taroko-national-park-day-2.html" target="_blank">Click here for Day Two</a> at Taroko National Park.<br />
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For more information visit <a href="http://www.taroko.gov.tw/English/?mm=5&sm=1&page=1#up" target="_blank">Taroko National Park's very informative website</a>.<br />
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<br />kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-23400307127889514792015-04-18T21:52:00.000-07:002015-04-25T08:38:54.016-07:00Camping in Maolin (茂林), Duona (多納), Baolai (寶來) <br />
Continuing our trip in Maolin County (for part one <a href="http://vestiges-of-kura-kura.blogspot.tw/2015/04/maolin-national-scenic-area.html" target="_blank">click here</a>), we decided (for no particular reason beyond it getting dark) to camp in the valley of the town between Maolin (茂林) and Duona (多納). We had been trying to find a place my friend found years ago when he was here last but were unsuccessful. Not having much camping experience I still struggle to fall asleep to the sounds of fighting dogs and fornicating cats.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENTE_KGfl1Ydb6eoKvXybtX9-G-vAv7siLY33Cb_GlPy5JYxMdHRSnT2PzSCszCtxJVAxHnncJAx3zqdl1bQSIuglKAJi62LaygjjQf2nmT9qus2W0J7655334ZiS_2oUu0HQSHEB4JM/s1600/2015-03-03+07.30.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENTE_KGfl1Ydb6eoKvXybtX9-G-vAv7siLY33Cb_GlPy5JYxMdHRSnT2PzSCszCtxJVAxHnncJAx3zqdl1bQSIuglKAJi62LaygjjQf2nmT9qus2W0J7655334ZiS_2oUu0HQSHEB4JM/s1600/2015-03-03+07.30.22.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">This island is small and trains are convenient, but wow, having a rental car is easy to get used to</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tUAW2ailNB4/VQGox0ublYI/AAAAAAAAJ00/UNBm1BHhNMc/s1600/2015-03-03%2B07.30.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tUAW2ailNB4/VQGox0ublYI/AAAAAAAAJ00/UNBm1BHhNMc/s1600/2015-03-03%2B07.30.17.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Camping at the sight of a memorial probably wasn't the politest of things to do<br />
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In the morning we took one last stroll around Duona, a small town at the end of the valley's road, known for its aboriginal culture. The valley's riverbed is cluttered with slate which they seem to collect and sell. There are some short trails and murals, but mostly, as with much of Taiwan, it's all about the food. There doesn't seem to be much of an economy in the town, so nearly every home on the main road has a few tables and a restaurant mainly serving barbecued meats and my favorites: sticky rice steamed inside columns of bamboo and purple rice wrapped in banana leaves. I had a delicious all-carb rice lunch while my friend went for the barbecue (烤肉).<br />
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Before the devastating <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Morakot" target="_blank">Typhoon Morakot</a> hit in 2005, Duona was using their access to hot spring water to develop a tourist economy, but the typhoon washed away and closed off their pools. Abandoned hotels and hot spring areas can been seen here and there along the edges of town that we drove through.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGT2I4sfqTtZH7mKQyw5hyphenhyphenyMMPfFOs7Zk72v-e3osH8-VeLmNysJ_zSoH340GA-lfn140VLVKtd0iA7l3XumCKXk2Iy_gdzT6djgz4kugnyiAp832gtH9eXUBODbRDAh5TYlTIUNfmWI/s1600/IMG_3714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGT2I4sfqTtZH7mKQyw5hyphenhyphenyMMPfFOs7Zk72v-e3osH8-VeLmNysJ_zSoH340GA-lfn140VLVKtd0iA7l3XumCKXk2Iy_gdzT6djgz4kugnyiAp832gtH9eXUBODbRDAh5TYlTIUNfmWI/s1600/IMG_3714.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duona, a small, village with strong aboriginal history</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R-eVweVCdQg/VQGoVSXY8dI/AAAAAAAAJz4/zv73U60Gc5k/s1600/IMG_3715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R-eVweVCdQg/VQGoVSXY8dI/AAAAAAAAJz4/zv73U60Gc5k/s1600/IMG_3715.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duona's famous slate houses</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEtd6WTODbxFklOqoNq9GLQikVd9Pmsp-HLLKfF-gwoptRsDPdXMcVpFjWu0_dw9fKWNC0rbuaqziVexxZvut6xTKm-gnRaJipDcI4RZLCgYoEuFCRFKrgzdBl8-o9j5FTm2CqfjMKh8/s1600/IMG_3551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEtd6WTODbxFklOqoNq9GLQikVd9Pmsp-HLLKfF-gwoptRsDPdXMcVpFjWu0_dw9fKWNC0rbuaqziVexxZvut6xTKm-gnRaJipDcI4RZLCgYoEuFCRFKrgzdBl8-o9j5FTm2CqfjMKh8/s1600/IMG_3551.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">just passed Duona after the road ends, the river valley seems to go on for quite some distance</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCDi5rQQ-4ySA0JDJQE6JloU04jTyBWBlHqmVydjCVOCRJkBVh0B9l3BnC94qN4LfjHAGIKtK-yvAHzMgFqSY1vm46cZAtvxpai7hZtisK_acLoIzdy-ONwzgIrEz-VDb52RlpEefqU8/s1600/IMG_3548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCDi5rQQ-4ySA0JDJQE6JloU04jTyBWBlHqmVydjCVOCRJkBVh0B9l3BnC94qN4LfjHAGIKtK-yvAHzMgFqSY1vm46cZAtvxpai7hZtisK_acLoIzdy-ONwzgIrEz-VDb52RlpEefqU8/s1600/IMG_3548.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remnants of Typhoon Morakot damage, Duona's hot springs used to be nearby</td></tr>
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Since the makeshift natural hot spring pool my friend found a few years ago was now gone (replaced by a 70% finished small building with a hot spring pool and lockers, but no running hot spring water), we decided to head an hour's drive north to Baolai (寶來), a town know for its hot spring water. We went straight to their tourist center but had trouble deciphering if any of the hotels had public pools versus paying for a room (both our Mandarin skills are so-so). We got some recommendations and checked out a few but none of them had public pools. There is one older place that might have but reviews concerning cleanliness on Google weren't that polite. On our last trip I got pink eye from a less than clean hot spring pool in Dongpu (東埔), so I wasn't too keen on trying this one.<br />
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So seeing as in a few days my friend was leaving the country indefinitely, we decided to splurge and rent a fancy (by our usual standards) hot spring hotel room. Rooms are rented either for the night or for ninety minute sessions. I felt a little rushed knowing there was a time limit, but the place wasn't busy and they didn't seem to care that we returned the key fifteen minutes late. I can't remember the price, but it was somewhere around 1,000NT. The room had two hot spring pools (one with water jets), shower, a balcony, and a bed with a wall-mounted TV. I still prefer wild outdoor hot springs like Bayan (八煙野溪溫泉) in Yangmingshan (陽明山), but this was still really nice for a change, if not a bit kitsch in decor and amenities (British-style tea cups, individually wrapped Q-tips, personal lubricants, etc., etc.).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xQQH56hFJWw/VQGpqhAemJI/AAAAAAAAJ2s/Jl6SkhvEg-0/s1600/IMG_3741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xQQH56hFJWw/VQGpqhAemJI/AAAAAAAAJ2s/Jl6SkhvEg-0/s1600/IMG_3741.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hot spring hotel - Grand Orchid Villa (國蘭花園溫泉會館), Baolai (寶來)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vlzUwsw1phtYTQy8G3tEERqwJcintb5vcr1fC_zWhLfSMJAwRHsL_O-7vheL-N2_DKRjhmNj7sIbbGnXTykFh1Q8U_k7T13OF_YC8hxIYXTMhdgfSUwWUWeBMw_LRB30sabpZERgInQ/s1600/IMG_3735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vlzUwsw1phtYTQy8G3tEERqwJcintb5vcr1fC_zWhLfSMJAwRHsL_O-7vheL-N2_DKRjhmNj7sIbbGnXTykFh1Q8U_k7T13OF_YC8hxIYXTMhdgfSUwWUWeBMw_LRB30sabpZERgInQ/s1600/IMG_3735.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first hot spring hotel room</td></tr>
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For more photos from this trip, <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103456534532216597068/albums/6125360831462297025?authkey=CKX6jtfOlezx_gE" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
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kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-64622191067751711022015-04-18T20:47:00.001-07:002015-04-18T22:21:24.477-07:00Maolin National Scenic Area (茂林國家風景區)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L6qYDdqFlI0/VQGo1PDO3zI/AAAAAAAAJ08/DZ1sC18ro5s/s1600/IMG_3627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L6qYDdqFlI0/VQGo1PDO3zI/AAAAAAAAJ08/DZ1sC18ro5s/s1600/IMG_3627.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maolin (茂林)</td></tr>
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If you have your own transportation, about two hours west of Tainan (台南) is Maolin (茂林) District, part of Kaosiung City (though why this distant rural area is part of the Kaoshiung "city" and not "county" makes no sense to me). Between November and March (February being the peak), the Taiwanese Purple Crow Butterfly's winter migration crosses through the Maolin Valley giving visitors the chance to view hundreds of thousands of these butterflies in one of only two winter butterfly migrations in the world (the other in Mexico). (For more information check out their <a href="http://www.maolin-nsa.gov.tw/user/Article.aspx?Lang=2&SNo=03001281" target="_blank">website</a>.) The best time of day to see butterflies is in the morning, after the sun has come up enough to dry the dew off their wings so they can fly. The gentle Zishalishali Trail ( 姿沙里沙里步道) is the main trail to see butterflies and is not far off from the main road's entrance into town (and being the town's main attraction, you won't have trouble finding signs leading to it).<br />
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The trail is well constructed (begging for tourists), and we saw about a dozen butterflies on it, BUT after climbing up and reaching the sign pictured below, if you turn left instead of right you'll end up walking down a wide dirt road and it was there that we saw THOUSANDS of butterflies. A man driving a large truck nearly charged and ran us over as stood there in awe. He informed us we should have come in February to see even more (we were there March 2nd). From the sign post pictured below you can also go left and up another trail, which leads to the uneventful Maya Pavilion but there is a nice view of the valley from there, see the picture below.) We took the "foot path for admiring butterflies" for a nice walk that leads back into town.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bC9iK41QIOw/VQGo72BJTrI/AAAAAAAAJ1E/GBLla06K_FM/s1600/IMG_3598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bC9iK41QIOw/VQGo72BJTrI/AAAAAAAAJ1E/GBLla06K_FM/s1600/IMG_3598.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zishalishali Trail ( 姿沙里沙里步道)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JZEPJCqgKCU/VQGo9s04vjI/AAAAAAAAJ1M/EGEqNakZo0A/s1600/IMG_3602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JZEPJCqgKCU/VQGo9s04vjI/AAAAAAAAJ1M/EGEqNakZo0A/s1600/IMG_3602.JPG" height="427" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zishalishali Trail ( 姿沙里沙里步道)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TRRWFofiSrE/VQGpCL6KuaI/AAAAAAAAJ1U/N7lXnL4yTrA/s1600/IMG_3585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TRRWFofiSrE/VQGpCL6KuaI/AAAAAAAAJ1U/N7lXnL4yTrA/s1600/IMG_3585.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spiders also seem to enjoy the Purple Crown Butterflies</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Id2iiDld6U/VQGpGGnghFI/AAAAAAAAJ1k/ZA7g8Mq-o4w/s1600/IMG_3608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Id2iiDld6U/VQGpGGnghFI/AAAAAAAAJ1k/ZA7g8Mq-o4w/s1600/IMG_3608.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We actually saved this butterfly from a spider web and here it rested trying to clean the cobwebs of its wings</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DbKXmxNfCnA/VQGpE4sBd5I/AAAAAAAAJ1c/Y9xiaFC4E8k/s1600/IMG_3588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DbKXmxNfCnA/VQGpE4sBd5I/AAAAAAAAJ1c/Y9xiaFC4E8k/s1600/IMG_3588.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Zishalishali Trail of the road leading into Maolin </td></tr>
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The road in the picture above is fairly new. It replaces the one that ran along the mountain and was (likely) destroyed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Morakot" target="_blank">Typhoon Morakot</a> (you can still see parts of it that weren't washed away by landslides). Having traveled more now through central Taiwan I see that they've learned to build raised roads through the valleys rather than along the mountains. Most of the time the country looks so peaceful, but in rural areas there are remnants of previous disasters (typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and landslides) all over as a reminder that any day can turn to a bad day here.<br />
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After seeing the butterflies we drove further into the valley to see Maolin National Scenic Area's famous meander cores (hills formed by curving stream waters... I had to look that up during the trip), waterfalls, and gorges. Since Taiwan is experiencing one of its worst droughts this year, we only went to one of the waterfalls and I won't even bother posting a photo of its dripping.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YUHRUsy7kgQ/VQGpNUbdZDI/AAAAAAAAJ18/1R6YSL_WyDk/s1600/IMG_3638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YUHRUsy7kgQ/VQGpNUbdZDI/AAAAAAAAJ18/1R6YSL_WyDk/s1600/IMG_3638.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duona Bridge (多納大橋)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPCsw5lusl0kWHUlhAYoZyoGx95iv0lGyoKkAY0FEKXeq6pCLOOq8P6bKRoKxbVmaXyr72T2tI7JJjaZnl-agBbhmMSmzfJbs5obJwAHiOJQHPY0B18rcRT77nzx66ZsMz9yViA-2xss/s1600/IMG_3643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPCsw5lusl0kWHUlhAYoZyoGx95iv0lGyoKkAY0FEKXeq6pCLOOq8P6bKRoKxbVmaXyr72T2tI7JJjaZnl-agBbhmMSmzfJbs5obJwAHiOJQHPY0B18rcRT77nzx66ZsMz9yViA-2xss/s1600/IMG_3643.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dragon Head Mountain (龍頭山) - this meander core looks like a sleeping dragon from this angle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7GQ5J9zAfIE/VQGpTpN7IjI/AAAAAAAAJ2M/iI-uvXqK_xo/s1600/IMG_3667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7GQ5J9zAfIE/VQGpTpN7IjI/AAAAAAAAJ2M/iI-uvXqK_xo/s1600/IMG_3667.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">an easy and short ridge to Duona Suspension Bridge</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ytGrByLjVck/VQGpUkfhrZI/AAAAAAAAJ2U/2CL4nSlsLMI/s1600/IMG_3681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ytGrByLjVck/VQGpUkfhrZI/AAAAAAAAJ2U/2CL4nSlsLMI/s1600/IMG_3681.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duona Suspension Bridge (多納高吊橋) - rebuilt, but originally built by the time of the Japanese<br />
occupation and subjugation of the aboriginals</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K7LgZhGdB1w/VQGpnFPVD8I/AAAAAAAAJ2k/OaLezzCP4aQ/s1600/IMG_3706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K7LgZhGdB1w/VQGpnFPVD8I/AAAAAAAAJ2k/OaLezzCP4aQ/s1600/IMG_3706.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serpent Head Mountain (蛇頭山) - another meander core, this one looks like a resting snake</td></tr>
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For part two, our visit to Duona Village and Baolai for a hot spring, <a href="http://vestiges-of-kura-kura.blogspot.tw/2015/04/camping-in-maolin-duona-baolai.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
For more photo from this trip, <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103456534532216597068/albums/6125360831462297025?authkey=CKX6jtfOlezx_gE" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
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kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-32195960817224889242015-04-18T01:50:00.000-07:002015-04-25T08:41:55.202-07:00Making pineapple cakes, Battleship Rock Trail, and Beitou Hot SpringEarlier this week my Mandarin language class went on a field trip to Kuo Yuan Ye (郭元益), renowned (if not touristy) for making traditional Taiwanese pastries. There we made pineapple cakes (鳳梨酥), Taiwan's most famous tourist commodity and a common gift given to people as a souvenir. (I know I've given away a lot of them.) These deliciously dense, chewy, bite-sized cakes are traditionally filled with pineapple preserve but numerous variations exist. I've likely tried a dozen different famous brands, with Chia Te and Sunny Hills probably being the most famous (I prefer the latter).<br />
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They were fun and simple enough to make, mixing sugar, butter, eggs, and flour together to make a dough that was then flattened and wrapped around of dense cube of pineapple goodness. They are usually marked with elaborate Chinese characters (saying what, I don't know, maybe just that company's stamp). For ease, most of my classmates just put their initial to distinguish theirs from the rest, while I tried writing my Chinese surname on one, putting disgruntled faces on the rest (bottom right corner of the baking sheet). They came out pretty good though far from the best I've ever had. And of course we had to individually wrap and package each cake, box them, wrap the box, and bag it, because all gifted foods are extravagantly packaged in eco- unfriendly, single servings. (It bothers me more getting a box of cookies, anywhere from five to fifty-plus, all individually wrapped, though having to unwrap each cookie does impede binge eating.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNGUZPTNHv7qfOWKgHWCmRtBi8cQ912bB857k-SBuQUXMptaZd8qk8NX7LkefJmu_vTlztxhcjd09KNASj3j1hEo7Br7YZu1t3g7sh883-Dq_biDM4d2Mus-o05NHl-f6ces0G0bZQS0/s1600/pineapple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNGUZPTNHv7qfOWKgHWCmRtBi8cQ912bB857k-SBuQUXMptaZd8qk8NX7LkefJmu_vTlztxhcjd09KNASj3j1hEo7Br7YZu1t3g7sh883-Dq_biDM4d2Mus-o05NHl-f6ces0G0bZQS0/s1600/pineapple.jpg" height="273" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making pineapple cakes - before and after being baked</td></tr>
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Since Kuo Yuan Ye is near Shilin (士林) Station, I took advantage of being up north on the MRT's red line to do a short hike that I had been putting off (too short of a trail to want to use up a day on the weekend but too far off from where I live to do on a shorter work day). The trail starts inside the architecturally unremarkable Yang Ming University (國立陽明大學) near Shipai (石牌) Station, gently climbing up steps to give excellent views of northern Taipei.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0uZ8e49di9s/VS_bUw_lZSI/AAAAAAAAJ4Q/--u_TKNc1dg/s1600/2015-04-15%2B12.52.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0uZ8e49di9s/VS_bUw_lZSI/AAAAAAAAJ4Q/--u_TKNc1dg/s1600/2015-04-15%2B12.52.06.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first part of the trail is gentle upward stairs</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfVzH7JUPqtovu6K4n7Lhd78nmAu6Tr0IXqT4e1y0IutNVEgc1kuk21i41ZJMnvQbn3vm1P_A7y4hZUWIMflDiuYAvrjd-NFdnSrS92_xT6zblHh5iFFHf23Ci4zXUpK8c3ZAWPMgyh0/s1600/2015-04-15+12.59.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfVzH7JUPqtovu6K4n7Lhd78nmAu6Tr0IXqT4e1y0IutNVEgc1kuk21i41ZJMnvQbn3vm1P_A7y4hZUWIMflDiuYAvrjd-NFdnSrS92_xT6zblHh5iFFHf23Ci4zXUpK8c3ZAWPMgyh0/s1600/2015-04-15+12.59.40.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taipei is most always hazy but the view is still worthwhile</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1IRzBL13Oas/VS_bRml-SkI/AAAAAAAAJ4I/hBLxglJ4AWc/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.00.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1IRzBL13Oas/VS_bRml-SkI/AAAAAAAAJ4I/hBLxglJ4AWc/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.00.00.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View further north toward Tamsui and Yangmingshan National Park</td></tr>
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Within less than an hour's walk from the MRT station, I reached the trail's eponymous Battleship Rock (軍艦岩), a large area of bare, smooth rock surface at the peak, commanding excellent views. I didn't have the patience to wait for some women to finish their one-hundred-and-one selfies to actually summit the rock peak itself, but it was still a large enough area to enjoy.<br />
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Further down is a small, typical recreation area with its plastic stools, foam puzzle-piece flooring, and sun-bleached canopies, as well as some typical mountain-side exercise equipment (half-buried tires for back bends, bars for stretching and pull-ups, dusty hula hoops, etc.). I enjoy seeing these places because I find them very Taiwanese, also appreciating the strong sense of community and activity that elderly people have here.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LHVrl8hOkE4/VS_bduGsx9I/AAAAAAAAJ44/f8LeFrvjOhE/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.02.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LHVrl8hOkE4/VS_bduGsx9I/AAAAAAAAJ44/f8LeFrvjOhE/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.02.27.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Battleship Rock (軍艦岩)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S1nj7l_WW9A/VS_bfO7w-eI/AAAAAAAAJ5A/_A1UyrDBBAY/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.09.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S1nj7l_WW9A/VS_bfO7w-eI/AAAAAAAAJ5A/_A1UyrDBBAY/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.09.33.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nearby community's recreation area</td></tr>
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After another thirty minutes or so of gentle hiking, I arrived at Lovers' Temple (情人廟), a small but peculiar temple (in the sense that it doesn't look like other temples in Taiwan) seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Except for one nun wearing headphones while sweeping the bathroom area, I didn't see a single other soul. (I wondered what she could be listening to, Buddhist chants or Bruno Mars?)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aVLXky8DaH9YUKXtFkt87pL_3tjj530_KpvjICyDR59Dn7hso1B6S8Wcdf0o0jJgleit8u7r8ui6Qn7UwL5sqUi8nUTQWeUzWTSWw9UXv3FVuY4YI3ATn2mSxG2moTL18z587Kk9L6o/s1600/2015-04-15+13.39.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aVLXky8DaH9YUKXtFkt87pL_3tjj530_KpvjICyDR59Dn7hso1B6S8Wcdf0o0jJgleit8u7r8ui6Qn7UwL5sqUi8nUTQWeUzWTSWw9UXv3FVuY4YI3ATn2mSxG2moTL18z587Kk9L6o/s1600/2015-04-15+13.39.11.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Lovers' Temple (情人廟)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--LIFM_m_fJQ/VS_bqJGHWCI/AAAAAAAAJ5g/wnWGJTcmpzY/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.30.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--LIFM_m_fJQ/VS_bqJGHWCI/AAAAAAAAJ5g/wnWGJTcmpzY/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.30.52.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Lovers' Temple (情人廟)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KSH-f4BaDXo/VS_bsVxjKDI/AAAAAAAAJ5o/oYF0W8SpC8g/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.31.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KSH-f4BaDXo/VS_bsVxjKDI/AAAAAAAAJ5o/oYF0W8SpC8g/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.31.48.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Lovers' Temple (情人廟)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8O6rcHT3Xro/VS_bnjH6C6I/AAAAAAAAJ5Y/AdaAjKKe6Yw/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.38.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8O6rcHT3Xro/VS_bnjH6C6I/AAAAAAAAJ5Y/AdaAjKKe6Yw/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.38.09.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Lovers' Temple (情人廟)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LAQK7Z4B_8o/VS_buIRfH9I/AAAAAAAAJ5w/wCUmtlFGwkA/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.32.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LAQK7Z4B_8o/VS_buIRfH9I/AAAAAAAAJ5w/wCUmtlFGwkA/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.32.40.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Lovers' Temple (情人廟)</td></tr>
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After the temple the trail continues toward Beitou (北投), an area famous for its hot springs. Before arriving though, I came upon a strange, massive rock that appeared to be the site of an abandoned temple or worshiping area. Windows were carved(?) into two of the rocks to make small offering areas. There were ropes to climb up the one rock, but it didn't look like the top would yield much of a view. After trying to hoist my short legs up the first bit I decided not to bother and continued on, walking through an abandoned housing area (gates that no longer lead to residences, cracked window glass revealing long abandoned hot spring pools, etc.) before reaching Beitou proper.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B7dSsyoy1Qc/VS_b4vWDqlI/AAAAAAAAJ6Q/69nQGSer0Bc/s1600/2015-04-15%2B14.03.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B7dSsyoy1Qc/VS_b4vWDqlI/AAAAAAAAJ6Q/69nQGSer0Bc/s1600/2015-04-15%2B14.03.50.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-grDjuVAp7sc/VS_b6iHqYGI/AAAAAAAAJ6Y/ttclo_Oot_A/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.59.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-grDjuVAp7sc/VS_b6iHqYGI/AAAAAAAAJ6Y/ttclo_Oot_A/s1600/2015-04-15%2B13.59.51.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A window with candles and offerings</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8RCDAuXhkxY/VS_b_9J4NcI/AAAAAAAAJ6w/b7Xlpck1cug/s1600/2015-04-15%2B14.09.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8RCDAuXhkxY/VS_b_9J4NcI/AAAAAAAAJ6w/b7Xlpck1cug/s1600/2015-04-15%2B14.09.48.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outskirts of Beitou</td></tr>
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Arriving in Beitou, I went to visit Thermal Valley first, a large depression formed by a volcanic eruption, steaming with 90°C (194°F), sulfur-smelling hot spring water. After enjoying Taiwan's hot spring culture for two years now, the smell of sulfur triggers in me a desire to take off my clothes and soak in a bath with old people.<br />
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I continued on to Beitou's outdoor public hot spring. For a mere 40NT (about 1.30US), I can soak in three different hot spring pools, ranging from hot (38°C) to slightly uncomfortable (41°C) to oh-my-god-it's-cooking-my-insides (45°C). There are also two cold pools, that can knock the wind out of you, but are especially great in the summer. Everyone has their own routines, and I especially enjoy the people watching at public hot springs like this one. Men in their 70s will soak in the hottest pool, their skin turned a deep red color from the heat, and then drop down and do a series of push-ups. Elderly ladies will huddle in the corner of the medium heat pool with small towels on their heads, chatting and gossiping. I usually soak in the middle pool for ten minutes, then the cold pool for five minutes, then the hot pool, then the cold pool, etc. Make sure you drink lots of water, as it's easy to get light-headed from the heat. There are changing/shower stalls, and make sure you shower (or at least rinse) in one before entering the pools (for sanitary reasons). If you don't a guard will blow his whistle and gesture you to do so (there are signs posting hot spring etiquette with English, but also if you don't know what do to, just watch what everyone else is doing). There are also lockers for 10NT, which I used the first time I came here, but it's Taiwan, so they're really unnecessary as no one would think to steal your things.<br />
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From the hot spring it's a short walk to Xinbeitou MRT Station and back home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vQuMTnCQfKw/VS_cE4M5dMI/AAAAAAAAJ7A/sCBtmDJTx1s/s1600/2015-04-15%2B14.25.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vQuMTnCQfKw/VS_cE4M5dMI/AAAAAAAAJ7A/sCBtmDJTx1s/s1600/2015-04-15%2B14.25.24.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hell's Valley (地熱谷)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beitou Public Outdoor Hot Spring... I'm going to miss this place a lot</td></tr>
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For more photos of this trip, <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103456534532216597068/albums/6138365874420852769?authkey=CN6QoJ-P9NT3PA" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
<br />kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-6261086321801121552015-04-17T23:49:00.000-07:002015-04-18T22:04:41.083-07:00The Lin Family Garden (林家花園)<br />
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I lived in Banqiao (板橋) for about a year, and worked in a cram school less than ten minutes away from the Lin Family Mansion and Garden (林本源園邸), but I never managed to visit it due to various excuses. (Unless you like malls and high rises for the new rich, there isn't much else to do in Banqiao, so I guess I always put it off to feel like there was something I <i>could</i> do.) Earlier this week I had to return to Banqiao to file my taxes (according to the government I still live there). The compound contains one of the few remaining traditional Chinese gardens in Taiwan and has been beautifully restored over the years.<br />
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I went on a weekday afternoon so it was very quiet, with only a few dozen visitors perambulating the fairly large grounds (around 20,000 square meters). I'm not sure how it is on weekends, even with their limiting visitors to less than 600, it still seems better to stroll them on a weekday if you can. Access to the garden is free, but visiting the mansion (which is still private property) requires guided tours. I'll let the pictures speak for the place rather than go into historical details that could more easily and accurately be found elsewhere. I highly recommend the gardens as one of the best sites to visit in the Taipei area.<br />
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Getting there: it's not far from Fuzhong MRT station on the Blue Line. For more information you can check <a href="http://www.linfamily.ntpc.gov.tw/" target="_blank">their website</a> (English available).<br />
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For more photos of this trip, <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/103456534532216597068/albums/6138950794639042401?authkey=COW324_0m5HY8gE" target="_blank">click here</a>.kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-46236355754057345212014-02-04T02:22:00.000-08:002014-02-04T06:20:14.446-08:00Lion's Head Mountain (獅頭山)<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quanhua Temple</td></tr>
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Originally I was going to do this hike the day before, but slept through the two alarms I set. Today however I was going with a friend, so even if I couldn't fall asleep until three in the morning, I had to wake up on time. We took the 7:16am local train from Banqiao Station to Zhubei in Hsinchu County. The timetables (in English!) on the <a href="http://www.railway.gov.tw/en/" target="_blank">Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) website</a> make travel planning around the island easy enough, and the trains are incredibly punctual. The train was mostly empty so we were able to find seats for the little over an hour ride, chat and watch the uneventful scenery pass by. From Zhubei Station, after some searching, we found the bus stop for the <a href="http://www.taiwantrip.com.tw/Besttour/" target="_blank">Taiwan Tourist Shuttle</a>. There we stood around talking about (among other things) the differences between 馬馬虎虎, 不錯, and 爛, comparing what our Mandarin teachers have taught us versus what other Taiwanese people have said. We both started studying about four months ago with different teachers, so often we compare notes and the awkward language-related interactions we've had with people.<br />
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Soon enough the bus arrived and we continued our journey for another hour and a half to Shitoushan (獅頭山), or Lion's Head Mountain. The shuttles are a great addition to Taiwan's ramping up of its tourist industry in the past few years, even if it's most all local Taiwanese people that use them. These inexpensive buses (often times more economical and far reaching than public buses) run directly from various train stations throughout the island to popular tourist destinations (historic areas, monuments, mountains, lakes, national parks, etc.). For day passes I've paid as little as 50NT and as much as 150NT (US$5).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lion's Head Mountain Trailhead<br />
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From the Lion's Head Mountain Visitor Center, which we couldn't find as odd as that sounds, we took another shuttle to Quanhua Temple, which dropped us off in the parking lot below it. We climbed up the stairs to the temple, along with a number of locals and in a few minutes we were in awe of both the temple complex and the view. Early February is also the beginning of cherry blossom season, so our timing, despite the overcast weather for the day, seemed well suited. There are modest accommodations for local and foreign guests to stay overnight at the temple, which I debated doing when I originally planned the trip, as well as simple vegetarian meals available on the lower level, but we continued onward.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">stairs up to Quanhua Temple </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quanhua Temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cherry blossom season at Quanhua Temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-erWyDBEE2m8/Uu_oawtSOvI/AAAAAAAAITw/ppPFPj9dkaI/s1600/IMG_0264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-erWyDBEE2m8/Uu_oawtSOvI/AAAAAAAAITw/ppPFPj9dkaI/s1600/IMG_0264.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quanhua Temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quanhua Temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">overcast view from Quannhua Temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view of neighboring temple from Quanhua Temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quanhua Temple</td></tr>
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Along with Quanhua Temple, by far the biggest in the area, there are also numerous smaller temples along the mountain. I came here in anticipation of going on a three-to-four hour hike, more so than a temple tour, but the paths between temples were uneventful and the majority of the walking we did was along a small rural road between the lion's so-called head and tail areas. Still, the magnificent temples and views at the beginning of the walk, and the natural caves and gorge at the end made the nearly six hours of travel worth the less than three hours we spent there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jiXMS4oS9l0uHO1WV60qsFt8jQ3zRxBBO93OcitUWsvLxwmoT7w-Rp9UK7MUH5O3I6hl2G0rmPgo5QyhCTwaTkj0DP_wRz3d9Nr8iothSIXScChpN1yJUMs5EONlmXsi4r-dkXYxe2Y/s1600/IMG_0325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jiXMS4oS9l0uHO1WV60qsFt8jQ3zRxBBO93OcitUWsvLxwmoT7w-Rp9UK7MUH5O3I6hl2G0rmPgo5QyhCTwaTkj0DP_wRz3d9Nr8iothSIXScChpN1yJUMs5EONlmXsi4r-dkXYxe2Y/s1600/IMG_0325.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">trail between temples</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_FdgEbnsp9Q/Uu_oqHdg7BI/AAAAAAAAIOk/HsL2WoDKEcA/s1600/IMG_0343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_FdgEbnsp9Q/Uu_oqHdg7BI/AAAAAAAAIOk/HsL2WoDKEcA/s1600/IMG_0343.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaishan Temple area</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OfvXZqRuqu8/Uu_osd2-JUI/AAAAAAAAIO0/_-rODZQQfM8/s1600/IMG_0353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OfvXZqRuqu8/Uu_osd2-JUI/AAAAAAAAIO0/_-rODZQQfM8/s1600/IMG_0353.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">trail along cliff face</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Taiwanese hikers, well Taiwanese people general, like to eat and eat often. As usual, there were numerous rest areas along the trail with small stone tables and chairs or covered pavilions where people would be congregated, relaxing. I'm always impressed with the spread of food that locals bring with them on hikes as I sadly nosh on some packed fruit or bread-like products (though this time I had Cliff Bars from my recent trip back to the States). Hiking, like many activities in Taiwan, tends to be a social experience and it's not uncommon for me to get a peculiar look when a group asks me if I'm by myself. Actually I prefer the solitude because being away from the city gives me the time and space to play with my camera and mull over my own thoughts.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dXMWD2eTIxE/Uu_otbNe3ZI/AAAAAAAAIVI/nMud2QYwp5k/s1600/IMG_0359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dXMWD2eTIxE/Uu_otbNe3ZI/AAAAAAAAIVI/nMud2QYwp5k/s1600/IMG_0359.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">roadside picnic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRNXW-ve-ow/Uu_ovxYTVpI/AAAAAAAAIPM/cEtzxged8D0/s1600/IMG_0374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRNXW-ve-ow/Uu_ovxYTVpI/AAAAAAAAIPM/cEtzxged8D0/s1600/IMG_0374.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lion's Head Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Without realizing it, we ended up back by the Lion's Head Mountain Visitor Center, where the first shuttle bus dropped us off. Again, we couldn't find the visitor's center (not that I was searching that hard at this point as the maps were no longer of importance to us). I misread my <a href="http://taiwandiscovery.wordpress.com/taipei-escapes-i-and-ii/taipei-escapes-2/walk-40-lions-head-mountain-tri-mountain-national-scenic-area/" target="_blank">hiking book</a>, so finding the Shuilian Trail took a little while and some unnecessary backtracking, but we found it soon enough. Though it's a short trail, there are some impressive natural caves and a small gorge that is nevertheless stunning to look down upon. (I'm hydrophobic so any body of water that makes me want to go swimming has to be amazing.) At the end is Shuilian Cave (水簾洞), or Water Curtain Cave, which has a temple built into it. Behind steamy panes of glass are three Buddhas (they may have been other gods or goddess as it was hard to see) that were a peculiar, yet familiar shade of yellow. We jested that these butter-colored Buddhas were actually statues made of butter encased in a giant glass refrigerator that once a year would be cracked open for some sort of elaborate Buddha butter festival, 很奇怪.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xw0yOmtP4yw/Uu_owwf4gFI/AAAAAAAAIVQ/0sOCbsvUxXs/s1600/IMG_0390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xw0yOmtP4yw/Uu_owwf4gFI/AAAAAAAAIVQ/0sOCbsvUxXs/s1600/IMG_0390.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sticky Rice Bridge on the Shuilian Bridge Trail</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-95YnHKxkGkM/Uu_ox9gNNbI/AAAAAAAAIVY/T8EOiI_2trE/s1600/IMG_0409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-95YnHKxkGkM/Uu_ox9gNNbI/AAAAAAAAIVY/T8EOiI_2trE/s1600/IMG_0409.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shuilian Bridge Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-63cjDUc4T2I/Uu_oyzkSrkI/AAAAAAAAIVg/myY3_NvOn-E/s1600/IMG_0407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-63cjDUc4T2I/Uu_oyzkSrkI/AAAAAAAAIVg/myY3_NvOn-E/s1600/IMG_0407.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Thread of Sky (一線天), Shuilian Bridge Trail</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9g2idz3h_YgR0gQIl1I4WOxE_SN3vI7ahfGcO2Sw63IXg4qtmvoZa5jxfSNrSxyTrUkGRxs7kFk-CdAIx_aP-fG7M5WI3qvZQS-ah9buEi3W-K9TZTx24czv6cDMRaa9t4opqrz1sNc/s1600/IMG_0428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9g2idz3h_YgR0gQIl1I4WOxE_SN3vI7ahfGcO2Sw63IXg4qtmvoZa5jxfSNrSxyTrUkGRxs7kFk-CdAIx_aP-fG7M5WI3qvZQS-ah9buEi3W-K9TZTx24czv6cDMRaa9t4opqrz1sNc/s1600/IMG_0428.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shuilian Bridge Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We both passed out on the bus ride back to Zhubei Station, as I knew it would be unlikely that we'd get seats on the train. Heading back to Taipei, periodically we would be able to sit down, but then an elderly couple would get on and we'd yield our seats to them. Most places have common courtesy policies on public transportation but I've never seen it so well observed as here. Craving shaved ice, we stopped at Shilin Night Market for some fried snack foods and dessert (yummy matcha flavored shaved ice topped with red beans). I've lived in Taipei for nearly a year now and have managed to avoid this place (<i>the </i>tourist night market in Taipei), so I was rather unimpressed with it at this point, having been to most all of the other popular ones already. The only thing comical was that the vendors on carts were on high alert that night (maybe they didn't have licenses and the police were out?). Seemingly randomly (even when in the midst of cooking up someone's order) they would all pack up in unison and roll their carts away, pushing through the dense crowds at an alarming speed. People were pushing one another to scurry out of the way, and I almost got taken out by a scarf vendor who showed little mercy to the hordes. After a few minutes, they would open back up, only to do the same routine again later.<br />
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<br />kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-87353246031045873472014-01-31T22:23:00.001-08:002014-02-04T06:25:04.379-08:00Dihua Street (迪化街) New Year Market<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s3YKeaEmMm0/UuyC2H3vmvI/AAAAAAAAH0A/59VTfb7-phs/s1600/IMG_9957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s3YKeaEmMm0/UuyC2H3vmvI/AAAAAAAAH0A/59VTfb7-phs/s1600/IMG_9957.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dihua Street Market (view from inside the Yongle Fabric Market building)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Wednesday was my last day of teaching for the week before Chinese New Year. I only had my morning kindergarten class, which I let get more out of control than usual as we just played games and goofed around. Somehow I've earned the nickname Crazy Teacher Bum-Bum from my students, which I've done little to stop. Each of their parents bought snacks for their lunchtime party, and I got to sample some rice cakes, crackers, and weird but delicious chewy seaweed candies from Japan that I'd never seen before. Since I had to bike up to Zhongshan for my Mandarin lesson, I decided to stop at Dihua Street to check out their annual New Year market. For the three weeks prior to Chinese New Year, the otherwise quiet market of dried foods (more for commercial than individual retail) transforms into a crowded street packed with locals buying candy, dried foods, and other miscellany for the holiday.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NgX58X28vz4/UuyC4X9Gh4I/AAAAAAAAH0I/5mbb_g3yU9E/s1600/IMG_9881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NgX58X28vz4/UuyC4X9Gh4I/AAAAAAAAH0I/5mbb_g3yU9E/s1600/IMG_9881.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dihua Street Market</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tp6AMIoloc4/UuyC8o5El4I/AAAAAAAAH0Q/ZX_wCb2syAs/s1600/IMG_9856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tp6AMIoloc4/UuyC8o5El4I/AAAAAAAAH0Q/ZX_wCb2syAs/s1600/IMG_9856.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">various people on ladders promoting their shops</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f2A097IrK2k/UuyDAPRaRpI/AAAAAAAAH0Y/4TnGce7TCb4/s1600/IMG_9837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f2A097IrK2k/UuyDAPRaRpI/AAAAAAAAH0Y/4TnGce7TCb4/s1600/IMG_9837.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">candy by the pound was the most common commodity for sale</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1jrJLfJR9u0/UuyDIfb9KeI/AAAAAAAAH0w/hjMzUeCCUyI/s1600/IMG_9829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1jrJLfJR9u0/UuyDIfb9KeI/AAAAAAAAH0w/hjMzUeCCUyI/s1600/IMG_9829.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">often vendors use pictures of satisfied customers to promote their product</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-63DxOn08hLc/UuyDYdvovVI/AAAAAAAAH3k/xvCSJ0trO4U/s1600/IMG_9880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-63DxOn08hLc/UuyDYdvovVI/AAAAAAAAH3k/xvCSJ0trO4U/s1600/IMG_9880.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can read the Chinese but that doesn't mean I get it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AiGElSSPak8/UuyDdoNrs5I/AAAAAAAAH3c/yFrLLyKY-E0/s1600/IMG_9873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AiGElSSPak8/UuyDdoNrs5I/AAAAAAAAH3c/yFrLLyKY-E0/s1600/IMG_9873.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">veggie chips seemed to be the second favorite commodity</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QDvsElnYlVc/UuyDh9EjzoI/AAAAAAAAH3U/ZC2qW2c2HVw/s1600/IMG_9876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QDvsElnYlVc/UuyDh9EjzoI/AAAAAAAAH3U/ZC2qW2c2HVw/s1600/IMG_9876.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">veggie chips by the pound</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_rmzQPNEE4k/UuyD1vSZlOI/AAAAAAAAH14/6KzP4Hcy1Hc/s1600/IMG_9891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_rmzQPNEE4k/UuyD1vSZlOI/AAAAAAAAH14/6KzP4Hcy1Hc/s1600/IMG_9891.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and more candy</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CHIVp61J2RA/UuyD7Yyn1WI/AAAAAAAAH30/_Fs_v6bx8IQ/s1600/IMG_9908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CHIVp61J2RA/UuyD7Yyn1WI/AAAAAAAAH30/_Fs_v6bx8IQ/s1600/IMG_9908.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dihua Street Market</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uUBtFEDeRsU/UuyDnvqxkFI/AAAAAAAAH1o/rAOI_63n0ac/s1600/IMG_9981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uUBtFEDeRsU/UuyDnvqxkFI/AAAAAAAAH1o/rAOI_63n0ac/s1600/IMG_9981.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dihua Street Market</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the middle of the market is Xiahai City God Temple (霞海城隍廟), which on the 13th day of the 5th lunar month has one of the liveliest celebrations in honor the city god's birthday (I missed it last year due to work). The rest of the year, worshipers flock here for the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人, the god of Love) to make an offering, state who they are, what attributes they want their future spouse to have, and what they will do in return for having their wish granted. For awhile a Taiwanese co-worker was trying to get me to go with her to do this, but it never came to fruition, which is good, lest I accidentally end up married.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aNofmRm0lnnBpyTASJaUJWK5I1wLdMD8ztUxdP_njg43nu1VhaMSBQnaWIzDdUmDgVox79sV3YBFX-RrMQRYroK94gLl7ZGe0cqLaYla8WYzwPEole3HObnKjfs7Nzs_6e_NJz18vyI/s1600/IMG_9897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aNofmRm0lnnBpyTASJaUJWK5I1wLdMD8ztUxdP_njg43nu1VhaMSBQnaWIzDdUmDgVox79sV3YBFX-RrMQRYroK94gLl7ZGe0cqLaYla8WYzwPEole3HObnKjfs7Nzs_6e_NJz18vyI/s1600/IMG_9897.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xiahai City God Temple</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMcB_j6qRy8PnwuHEEpNzb9vE2pU-fBte5IdPNZr76EVIeo6FhxmXiyb2UqgWkvBRdaoKzvcO_svQ3dz3aDAAFC02CRYsKarljoWLUXr6-cDfANJXFDZfD4cKIhkEBNUu4IbWPoQY2mc/s1600/IMG_9904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMcB_j6qRy8PnwuHEEpNzb9vE2pU-fBte5IdPNZr76EVIeo6FhxmXiyb2UqgWkvBRdaoKzvcO_svQ3dz3aDAAFC02CRYsKarljoWLUXr6-cDfANJXFDZfD4cKIhkEBNUu4IbWPoQY2mc/s1600/IMG_9904.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xiahai City God Temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMi5WFMQLCbQYLFquhn3y3E7jW5OqqCvuX7qupyV6Ouv3fbEAoJ5Xd1USr45nPzVt7FpT5n8uch2AXdpVrpBKsAX_je0z3cq3ZIRwKyZu31QiIbmQRyLzbLcdAR5m_lAAJ3tQ09O_xj50/s1600/IMG_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMi5WFMQLCbQYLFquhn3y3E7jW5OqqCvuX7qupyV6Ouv3fbEAoJ5Xd1USr45nPzVt7FpT5n8uch2AXdpVrpBKsAX_je0z3cq3ZIRwKyZu31QiIbmQRyLzbLcdAR5m_lAAJ3tQ09O_xj50/s1600/IMG_0027.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dihua Street Market</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jTkpzlhq06o/UuyEmVqAimI/AAAAAAAAH3I/1q3Fvoh1ndA/s1600/IMG_9965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jTkpzlhq06o/UuyEmVqAimI/AAAAAAAAH3I/1q3Fvoh1ndA/s1600/IMG_9965.JPG" height="432" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the random things you find when snooping around vacant buildings</td></tr>
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kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-18984426004674760222014-01-31T06:24:00.002-08:002014-01-31T09:34:54.370-08:00Chinese New Year's Eve at Longshan Temple (龍山寺)<br />
新年快樂!<br />
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Since I'm trying to save up money for post-Taiwan travel, I decided to stay local for the six days I have off of work for Chinese New Year. I asked some of my Taiwanese co-workers for suggestions of what to do, but most of them just grumbled about going to visit their grandparents in the country, eating too much and getting fat. I didn't know Chinese New Year was a fifteen-day festival (or that it's called Spring Festival, 春節), until the first time I was in Asia during the holiday. (I was in Battambang, Cambodia and though Cambodians don't celebrate it, the Chinese immigrants that disproportionately own most all of the businesses do, so this second largest city was basically shut down for a week.) Growing up, my family would get together for a big dinner in Chinatown, say gong hey fat choy and pass around hóngbāo (red envelopes holding money), but that was about it.<br />
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I had planned to spend the first two days catching up on my Mandarin studies since most everything would be closed, but another English teacher friend told me that the temples are usually bustling with people coming to light the first incense of the year. So around 9 o'clock New Year's Eve evening, I rode my bike to Longshan Temple in Taipei's Wanhua District, the city's oldest district. The area is a bit shady, unlike any other area I've been to in Taipei, with the "park" (a large area of concrete) in front the temple filled with various aged men who seem to live there, chain-smoking, playing cards or the like, and eyeing the people that pass by. For such a densely populated city, it's surprising that this is the only area where I've ever seen homeless people, except for the few around Taipei Main Station. The area is also known for prostitution, and generally they're forty-plus in age (someone explained to me that when the government made prostitution illegal they allowed those currently in the profession to be grandfathered in, hence why it's mostly older women visibly waiting around the night market area for clients. I haven't really verified this reason though.)<br />
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I arrived as people were finishing up an impromptu fireworks show, lighting up a truckload's worth on the street in front of the temple. Cars were still using the road, so a self-appointed man with an air horn would warn traffic every time the next round was lit. The crowds stood closely by, and the sky would rain down bits of cardboard, paper, ash, and occasionally a piece that was still aflame. Some would malfunction a shoot horizontally into the crowd, one hitting the man with the air horn, catching his sleeve on fire. In that same round, a flaming bit dropped down on an unsuspecting woman's shoulder and the people around her patted her down until it stopped.<br />
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[Disclaimer: I took most all of these photos with my phone, so excuse the picture quality (not to imply that my nighttime photography skills otherwise are any good).]<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hL09rTXMZ9g/UuuK1u1I2NI/AAAAAAAAHwg/mfBbIAqzpFU/s1600/20140130_213355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hL09rTXMZ9g/UuuK1u1I2NI/AAAAAAAAHwg/mfBbIAqzpFU/s1600/20140130_213355.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">firecrackers in front of Longshan Temple </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hLKR10lA0ko/UuuK4O2dMYI/AAAAAAAAHwY/McSMoi0Dco0/s1600/20140130_213757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hLKR10lA0ko/UuuK4O2dMYI/AAAAAAAAHwY/McSMoi0Dco0/s1600/20140130_213757.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the crowd hardly keeping a safe distance from the fireworks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebCFrKpraJVf5a_lfwUH0nkO9Ji0wzxLhsbvvu_UjMceAukgNaZtI1Sj9oymw2jnEbSIQMfnk4aQ3h7bIs5BpOsASBZMgxDgYLHRUXURUp7Jj8AIf80GuHCf3KFwjBPVe-7YuyfyW4gg/s1600/20140130_214439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebCFrKpraJVf5a_lfwUH0nkO9Ji0wzxLhsbvvu_UjMceAukgNaZtI1Sj9oymw2jnEbSIQMfnk4aQ3h7bIs5BpOsASBZMgxDgYLHRUXURUp7Jj8AIf80GuHCf3KFwjBPVe-7YuyfyW4gg/s1600/20140130_214439.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the guy here would sound off his horn to warn traffic that the fireworks have been lit<br />
(later he was hit by one that malfunctioned and his shirt sleeve momentarily caught fire)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iRmdlD4AIto/UuuK9Syl2oI/AAAAAAAAHus/07WSAsxaI3o/s1600/20140130_212456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iRmdlD4AIto/UuuK9Syl2oI/AAAAAAAAHus/07WSAsxaI3o/s1600/20140130_212456.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the truck collecting the used fireworks boxes</td></tr>
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I watched the fire spectacle until my friend arrived and then we entered the temple, walking around and catching up with each other. Two large lanterns (one of a horse, the zodiac animal for the new year, and the other of a traditional spherical lantern) were placed just inside the outer wall and people stood in line to stand under each one and say a prayer. Entering the inner wall crowds were reading prayer books, walking around with incense sticks praying to various gods, or just sitting along the steps lining the inside of wall talking with family or staring at their smartphone screens. Later, they started chanting and my friend and I sat along the wall listening. We decided to stay and wait for midnight.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8oOr0FwTDB0/UuuK_fJWI3I/AAAAAAAAHu0/jHa2CygQL18/s1600/20140130_213011-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8oOr0FwTDB0/UuuK_fJWI3I/AAAAAAAAHu0/jHa2CygQL18/s1600/20140130_213011-001.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longshan Temple, view of inner wall gate</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IBhlMr2Cjb0/UuuLBFglM5I/AAAAAAAAHww/oENyJJy9Ja8/s1600/IMG_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IBhlMr2Cjb0/UuuLBFglM5I/AAAAAAAAHww/oENyJJy9Ja8/s1600/IMG_0052.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a lantern celebrating the Year of the Horse</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v1xw3vahxdw/UuuLCR2JFHI/AAAAAAAAHw4/90IpnLzW4BA/s1600/IMG_20140131_161057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v1xw3vahxdw/UuuLCR2JFHI/AAAAAAAAHw4/90IpnLzW4BA/s1600/IMG_20140131_161057.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lines of people waited to say a prayer under the lantern</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijcr-qf0Ru5ESCBB1spnVH9Tt3sO77u2hOFnffNN57W-JDfIUZ7ZXNP4TgCAe7WXSzlbyOcowuqAs-fdxY-Kv94goiKfcSD2GPzFbh_7QMpNYbreeF6xaSYBlbp64kHPYyBNXwgjggA3o/s1600/IMG_20140131_191850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijcr-qf0Ru5ESCBB1spnVH9Tt3sO77u2hOFnffNN57W-JDfIUZ7ZXNP4TgCAe7WXSzlbyOcowuqAs-fdxY-Kv94goiKfcSD2GPzFbh_7QMpNYbreeF6xaSYBlbp64kHPYyBNXwgjggA3o/s1600/IMG_20140131_191850.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">inside Longshan Temple, crowds gathered to light the first incense</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwuOQhGhNXTtHaGfne29B_iMXY6pG_saj7eZc9FPgbsotUEj_MVIy5DTMzo8H4tRWXY2IdTnKBL70Py7G6tX3QZ3kJ8A6D4dvbJLlssaAxS2Em7AuqGiJlTMTmch72oiXy0fbczmoGjg/s1600/IMG_20140131_180017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwuOQhGhNXTtHaGfne29B_iMXY6pG_saj7eZc9FPgbsotUEj_MVIy5DTMzo8H4tRWXY2IdTnKBL70Py7G6tX3QZ3kJ8A6D4dvbJLlssaAxS2Em7AuqGiJlTMTmch72oiXy0fbczmoGjg/s1600/IMG_20140131_180017.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longshan Temple, inside</td></tr>
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At midnight the temple was packed, and the monks on the upper level began another chant that lasted maybe twenty minutes, ringing a large bell, and later hitting an equally large drum. (Video footage more for sound than picture is at the bottom.) Again, we stood and listened, watching a dense line of people with incense sticks snake their way through the crowd up to the main room and then on towards the back of the temple. After the chant, we bought some incense sticks (10NT) and followed the crowd, bowing and praying to each of the gods and dropping one of our six incense sticks into each of the six incense burners along the way. I'm not Buddhist, Taoist, or religious but a few years back I started mimicking religious customs at temples, wishing good health and happiness to my family and friends. Is that tacky? I don't know, but I do it with sincerity for whatever its worth.<br />
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It was around a quarter to one by the time we finished. The neighboring night market looked like it was still somewhat open, so we walked up and down the street, snacking on stinky tofu as we passed the various food, tchotchke, and porn vendors. Biking back home from Longshan only took about twenty minutes, as the roads were mostly empty, so I was able to run every red light. I plan on moving in a month, and I'm not looking forward to starting over, memorizing the timing of the lights of all the intersections in my new area so I know when I can and can't make it across.<br />
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As for the rest of my time off, I'll probably go hiking and hopefully post some more entries.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6OIXc2gCax8/UuuLFL3Kt0I/AAAAAAAAHxI/BWEiOIXLOeU/s1600/IMG_20140131_191058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6OIXc2gCax8/UuuLFL3Kt0I/AAAAAAAAHxI/BWEiOIXLOeU/s1600/IMG_20140131_191058.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">at midnight the temple was packed as monks led a chant</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sm5K1Y31dm4/UuuLGrZusEI/AAAAAAAAHxQ/1VuQpzWQPi4/s1600/IMG_20140131_163209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sm5K1Y31dm4/UuuLGrZusEI/AAAAAAAAHxQ/1VuQpzWQPi4/s1600/IMG_20140131_163209.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">people offer food and pray</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-35lvI7S6G3E/UuuLIJJ3LFI/AAAAAAAAHxY/5vcdzXtKbV0/s1600/IMG_20140131_161443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-35lvI7S6G3E/UuuLIJJ3LFI/AAAAAAAAHxY/5vcdzXtKbV0/s1600/IMG_20140131_161443.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a hanging lantern in Longshan Temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pXVUl-ggk2U/UuuLJl3KSII/AAAAAAAAHxg/FOO_SNp3ow4/s1600/IMG_20140131_161733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pXVUl-ggk2U/UuuLJl3KSII/AAAAAAAAHxg/FOO_SNp3ow4/s1600/IMG_20140131_161733.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">at the rear of the temple people pray to the different gods and drop their incense sticks into the various burners</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-use0CeFOd5Q/UuuLLdSpSJI/AAAAAAAAHxo/Pvyyg6qGnqY/s1600/IMG_20140131_190106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-use0CeFOd5Q/UuuLLdSpSJI/AAAAAAAAHxo/Pvyyg6qGnqY/s1600/IMG_20140131_190106.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lighting candles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoouw8no91qezlaidjJ4tdKcU19QGC1SJhtUewLhqUaXuoacuM6PkqEN5i6US-xwmUgfj4UGd5QKcBSyrAFxUXSGUt0ZLTxJEnpq7L-XB4JwbQPDmcciGyNLFpdegZvG8TD03yUmT52o/s1600/IMG_20140131_191559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoouw8no91qezlaidjJ4tdKcU19QGC1SJhtUewLhqUaXuoacuM6PkqEN5i6US-xwmUgfj4UGd5QKcBSyrAFxUXSGUt0ZLTxJEnpq7L-XB4JwbQPDmcciGyNLFpdegZvG8TD03yUmT52o/s1600/IMG_20140131_191559.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lanterns lined the sides of the temple's outer wall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0HYfb2cb4E/UuuLOzBIFyI/AAAAAAAAHx4/gtfz5B3FtcU/s1600/IMG_20140131_162434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0HYfb2cb4E/UuuLOzBIFyI/AAAAAAAAHx4/gtfz5B3FtcU/s1600/IMG_20140131_162434.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longshan Temple, side exit<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">For audio of the chants:</span><br />
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">earlier in the evening<br />
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">after midnight<br />
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</div>kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-18772010705471806362013-11-24T07:39:00.002-08:002013-11-24T08:53:55.488-08:00Hiking Stone Bamboo Shoot Peak (石筍尖) and Shulang Peak (薯榔尖), Jingtong (菁桐)I haven't gone hiking yet this month as I've been behind in my Mandarin studies and my kindergarten class has been passing a cold back and forth for a couple weeks now. For awhile every time one of them sneezed their hand would be covered in snot, and though I finally got them all in the habit of asking for permission to get a tissue (mostly to get them speaking more English), I've since had to teach them that if their hand is dripping in goo they don't have to ask first. Rewarding participation with high-fives is too contagious so I've switched back over to "pounding it," also teaching them to pretend to miss hitting each other's high-fives, all as covert ways to decrease the spreading of germs. Nevertheless, I've been coughing up phlegm balls for two weeks now and some days my voice is on the verge of going out.<br />
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The Pingxi Rail Line, east of Taipei, has a plethora of trails that I often use as a backup when I'm too lazy to investigate other more obscure options. Saturday was one such day, as I was deciding around one in the morning after a busy Friday where to go. From my abode it takes a good two hours by train to get there. Unusual for Taipei there was a zero percent chance of rain and the new fall weather was making it look like an ideal day for a hike. I took a local train from Banqiao to Badu, then hopped on the single-track Pingxi Line to the terminal stop, Jingtong. This line, formerly used for coal transport, remains open for tourist purposes as many of the old coal mining towns in northern Taiwan have been converted into tourist destinations selling various snack foods and tchotchkes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jingtong Station</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wishes written on bamboo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jingtong</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jingtong</td></tr>
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Heading back towards Pingxi station by foot, following the tracks, it was a short walk through some of the town toward the trail up to Stone Bamboo Shoot Peak.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">walking along the Pingxi tracks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jingtong</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jingtong</td></tr>
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Much of the ascent consisted of stone steps, but after I got a bit lost on my last hike, I wasn't feeling as bothered by them as I might have otherwise. As I neared the peak though, the staircase ended and soon enough I was using fixed ropes and footholds to climb my way up some of the rougher terrain. The views along the way were mostly obscured by trees, and I missed the one lookout point mentioned in my guidebook because I got mentally distracted.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">start of the trail to Stone Bamboo Shoot Peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">end of the stairs and approaching the peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more challenging ground up to the peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a small overhang</td></tr>
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At the top there was a rock shaped like a small chair, along with a small, rather weathered flag of Taiwan. I anticipated having a leisurely lunch there since the weather was so nice, but there were also a number of brown paper wasps sharing the spot, and I yelped every time one got too near for comfort. I debated heading back down but an older Taiwanese couple soon approached so I stuck around, noshing, having not finished taking photos before they arrived.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a seat at the top, Stone Bamboo Shoot Peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iMZh56T_vGU/UpHWOZ3KchI/AAAAAAAAHXE/zwhd3C7T9fc/s1600/IMG_8924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iMZh56T_vGU/UpHWOZ3KchI/AAAAAAAAHXE/zwhd3C7T9fc/s640/IMG_8924.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stone Bamboo Shoot Peak</td></tr>
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Heading down was a little tricky as some of the vertical parts were simple to climb up, but I had to take a moment to find the right footing to get down. Further from the top, the path got much easier and scenic, soon reconnecting with another set of stairs down to the bottom, where it also connected with the start of the trail to the next peak, Shulang.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnovnqSz1-ORKDgkxRkUpsVbrmQ9Ub13VPA1-Qj9NEGjI5G-fQjW4sPo4ikp9mgno2yrW3w3JvhmyQCjWLu62qCsRmqUgjan04esSloAGnNGarNNWS9ec79VlPcdnXyu2pRE9zs5ACvIc/s1600/IMG_8959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnovnqSz1-ORKDgkxRkUpsVbrmQ9Ub13VPA1-Qj9NEGjI5G-fQjW4sPo4ikp9mgno2yrW3w3JvhmyQCjWLu62qCsRmqUgjan04esSloAGnNGarNNWS9ec79VlPcdnXyu2pRE9zs5ACvIc/s640/IMG_8959.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">descending, Stone Bamboo Shoot trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeM_ucoYQIgWWNapVdkpCK4aJlzT_u-dQJSHOGsI0S-B6oHfkDe80-cjbz507eAzv0z6-IL_7Uh2_12o4Q6bGZs-wC7TRZnhHYm1RGE0eXNkPrJktzyFk6Cr_RqBesnZHaAo_chM7QhE/s1600/IMG_8976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeM_ucoYQIgWWNapVdkpCK4aJlzT_u-dQJSHOGsI0S-B6oHfkDe80-cjbz507eAzv0z6-IL_7Uh2_12o4Q6bGZs-wC7TRZnhHYm1RGE0eXNkPrJktzyFk6Cr_RqBesnZHaAo_chM7QhE/s640/IMG_8976.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">descending, Stone Bamboo Shoot trail</td></tr>
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The trail up to Shulang Peak was not so long ago destroyed by the construction a set of stone stairs leading all the way to the top, which makes it a very dull, tedious climb, and I found it especially tiring for some reason. Perhaps it was a combination of lack of sleep, food, and the utter repetition in footwork. It took about thirty minutes of non-stop steps to reach the top, where I was able to see Stone Bamboo Shoot Peak (the peak I just climbed), the Pingxi crags, and surprisingly enough all the way to Taipei with Taipei 101, now fifth tallest building in the world, visible in the distance. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-33cvGutYWgo/UpHWz--RLyI/AAAAAAAAHYU/wC1X0acaEeU/s1600/IMG_8996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-33cvGutYWgo/UpHWz--RLyI/AAAAAAAAHYU/wC1X0acaEeU/s640/IMG_8996.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the dull stone staircase that is Shulang Peak trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">almost at the summit</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MDPxslHOplE/UpHXFYYY_iI/AAAAAAAAHZE/AxMh2XQekF8/s1600/IMG_9023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MDPxslHOplE/UpHXFYYY_iI/AAAAAAAAHZE/AxMh2XQekF8/s640/IMG_9023.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view of Pingxi from Shulang Peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9BbHagg82Q4/UpHXH-LTOsI/AAAAAAAAHZM/dBDpmG0SItQ/s1600/IMG_9022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9BbHagg82Q4/UpHXH-LTOsI/AAAAAAAAHZM/dBDpmG0SItQ/s640/IMG_9022.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view of Stone Bamboo Shoot Peak from Shulang Peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z99ryEe-1cA/UpHXKetJpcI/AAAAAAAAHZU/C3I09V1tenI/s1600/IMG_9017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z99ryEe-1cA/UpHXKetJpcI/AAAAAAAAHZU/C3I09V1tenI/s640/IMG_9017.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view of Taipei 101 all the way from Shulang</td></tr>
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Near the top was a friendly group of botany hobbyists, the only other people I'd see on Shulang. They, being more mixed in age and ability, went back down the stairs while I took the barely noticeable path to the left that was rather narrow, overgrown, and steep at first but opened up a bit later on. It, however, remained extremely slippery and narrow the whole way down, and I had to tread more carefully than usual, as most of the rocks were covered in an incredibly slippery green moss and the blanketing of fallen leaves on the trail was only slightly less slippery. Luckily a number of tree limbs were perfectly placed to assist my stepping, to the point where my arms were actually a little sore the next day from bracing my weight so often. Often the path would run right along a steep vertical drop down, so that if I did slip I'd surely fall quite a ways and be stuck in utter wilderness (or dead). I took my time on these parts and didn't fixate on what was, or wasn't, below. There was no one in sight the entire way, and I spent most of the hike down in wonder of the scenery and happily singing aloud to the Twin Shadows album I recently acquired.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sFVHApal8XhTbgRuDmxfih5yIeUMai3EtBDDhw7NjZVbTBHkDB47qncWcJQmx5EruB7sFl3l5TfCPbDhmSiYGxMK6xjQ9mkcwfN-kzpW1VRW6tRcJv-btzLc9x6PEM_v-QMOf9c8JnA/s1600/IMG_9033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sFVHApal8XhTbgRuDmxfih5yIeUMai3EtBDDhw7NjZVbTBHkDB47qncWcJQmx5EruB7sFl3l5TfCPbDhmSiYGxMK6xjQ9mkcwfN-kzpW1VRW6tRcJv-btzLc9x6PEM_v-QMOf9c8JnA/s640/IMG_9033.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">descending Shulang Peak trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QKEG5Lzhh1c/UpHXZPfJ3sI/AAAAAAAAHZ0/2NBtQ8GU71A/s1600/IMG_9056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QKEG5Lzhh1c/UpHXZPfJ3sI/AAAAAAAAHZ0/2NBtQ8GU71A/s640/IMG_9056.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the rope is more protection against vertigo as to the left its a straight shot down</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">descending Shulang Peak trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">slippery green moss-covered rocks</td></tr>
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After maybe forty minutes of careful footwork, I trampled my way out of the woods and reached the small town of Yikeng, only about a fifteen minute walk away from Jingtong, where I started. As little as an hour outside of Taipei's city limits Taiwan becomes a much quieter place, where dwellings and ways of living look like they haven't changed in decades. Arriving back at the train station, I saw that the next train wouldn't be arriving for almost another hour so I walked around a bit more, bought a paper bowl of stinky tofu in a sweet sauce, topped with pickled cabbage, and sat on the ledge of the platform waiting for the train. It arrived after only twenty minutes, and being the first/last stop I was able to get a seat and nap for thirty minutes before its departure back to Badu.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lwTieq64oyI/UpHXr_MVWUI/AAAAAAAAHac/XxeiZkrfiEI/s1600/IMG_9081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lwTieq64oyI/UpHXr_MVWUI/AAAAAAAAHac/XxeiZkrfiEI/s640/IMG_9081.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">approaching the town of Yikeng</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtvF5vUkuxDabQ_Pg1A-wsYMlR-wvMvOR4m8qGVruavisGT745FKd6I2DJUr5ldIIfYQdJYqSv4YDz8d77csIo10s2ybEF-N_aGqkTByrDrXxzteGKM0LS4buTrr4Zjif5-cqB1pSk0c/s1600/IMG_9086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtvF5vUkuxDabQ_Pg1A-wsYMlR-wvMvOR4m8qGVruavisGT745FKd6I2DJUr5ldIIfYQdJYqSv4YDz8d77csIo10s2ybEF-N_aGqkTByrDrXxzteGKM0LS4buTrr4Zjif5-cqB1pSk0c/s640/IMG_9086.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yikeng</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yikeng</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yikeng</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yikeng</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">walking back to Jingtong, Yikeng</td></tr>
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<br />kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-4176214805074221242013-09-20T12:01:00.001-07:002013-09-20T20:50:23.699-07:00Something in the Air[I'm posting this about a month later, not that it makes all that much difference.]<br />
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I finally got burned by this month's calendar, which listed SOMETHING IN THE AIR as having English subtitles, but a few minutes into the film I realized it didn't. The monthly calendars get printed well before the films arrive, so sometimes the print that shows up isn't what they expect (and Mandarin takes priority). I almost missed out on two Midi Z films months earlier because the calendar said no English subtitles, but I read an online review of the mini-retrospect that said otherwise. I guess from now on I'll have to ask before paying.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assayas' SOMETHING IN THE AIR</td></tr>
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I was ready to walk out once I was sure there was no English, but couldn't tear myself away (possibly fatigue from biking all day). I sat through the initial protest scene, which contained little to no dialogue, but then continued to watch, waiting for a point where language would become necessary. My skills in understanding spoken French are about equally as dismal as my ability to read Chinese, but I felt that I was able to pick up enough from how the dialogue was given: context, body language, facial expressions, tones, and what little I could decipher from both languages. I found that with the exception of a few scene, knowing the actual words spoken wasn't all that necessary, and in those exceptions I was making up my own dialogues between the characters (I'd be curious to watch the film again and see how close they parallel what they actually said, if they do at all). Maybe this is a layer of the film I was missing out on, but then it was also an experience to watch a film without focusing on the dialogue, which I tend to put too much emphasis on when reading subtitles versus listening to spoken words. In the past I've enjoyed re-watching films on mute to appreciate the images better without the distraction of sound, language, music, etc.<br />
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I had never much cared for Assayas' films, having seen BOARDING GATE, CLEAN, and IRMA VEP, the latter two at the behest of a sort of friend with largely respectable taste. Coincidentally when I was visiting New York City, not long after he had moved to Brooklyn, BAM was hosting a retrospect on Assayas' work (in conjunction with the release of CARLOS, which I had skipped seeing at Telluride, prioritizing other films instead). We met to see COLD WATER (and later HHH), which honestly I didn't know anything about but my friend had been anxious to see it for some time. I adored the film, a wondrous surprise, and finally felt I understood, or saw, what my friend liked so much about Assayas' work: nostalgic but not sentimentalized, long wandering takes on youth's earnest but almost nihilistic blend of ennui and rebellion. Assayas' admiration of Bresson was visible but without forgery.<br />
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So having skimmed some initial reviews I was eager to see Assayas do another take on post-'68 malaise. Maybe because my viewing lacked dialogue, I focused too much on how overtly glossy and pristine the images were with the mise en scene often looking like it was flipping through the pages of a J.Crew catalog. Hair was too perfectly disheveled and clothes were more runway than rugged so that the characters looked more like models (and not in the Bressonian way) than wayward youths.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">casual button-up Dream Jean Genie dress, $149</td></tr>
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About halfway through the film I was reminded of Cameron Crowe's glossy semi-autobiographical film, ALMOST FAMOUS. Much like Crowe's fairy tale account of rock music in the U.S. circa 1973, Assayas' take on French youths trying to carve out their place in 1971 society seemed too idyllic. I'm not saying that I didn't find both films enjoyable (THE DREAMERS they are not), but they felt more like entertaining romps through turbulent youth-centered moments in modern history than works that really questioned or dug into the psyche or inevitable breakdowns of their time (though SOMETHING IN THE AIR at least seemed to be trying to do so). Maybe my expectations were inflated to begin with because somewhere in those opening May riot scenes I was brought back into the opening shots of Garrel's REGULAR LOVERS, of which maybe no other film portraying that time can compare. (And I do realize that the cinematography for that film can be described as equally as lush but its style was more reminiscent of French New Wave than consumable fashion, though maybe even that too can be considered part of consumerism's insatiable ingestion of everything these days.) The characters in SOMETHING IN THE AIR and their relationships felt woefully two-dimensional, paper thin, too sweeping in their coverage of archetypes to be anything more than vague. I kept anticipating something more to come of their perambulations than just their pouting looks. Maybe the film was too subtle to catch, but likely not.<br />
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Update: I watched SUMMER HOURS last night, and though I'm not in the mood to type up a lengthy account of the film, I will say that I found it endearing. Assayas himself described it as a lighter film, a return to the simplicity and the familiar territory of his childhood, but it nevertheless throws the viewer off with its seeming simplicity. Broken into three parts and an epilogue, the film tackles the separation of three different generations through the loss of one, and it really isn't until the epilogue that this becomes surprisingly clear, and magical. Don't get me wrong, its nothing like a twist ending, just a good one to a good film.<br />
<br />kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-58086692073405877792013-09-20T03:10:00.000-07:002013-09-22T07:30:36.742-07:00Happy Mid-Autumn Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Working six days a week, I was looking forward to a four-day holiday weekend. My area has been drastically understaffed for the past two months so I've been teaching an extra ten to twenty hours a week, leaving not much time to do anything else but sleep. My morning class starts at 9:30am and I don't get home from grading my last class' homework until around 10pm, spending the off-the-clock hours doing paperwork, lesson planning, or preparing craft projects for my kindergarten class. With this ill-timed typhoon in the area, any plans for traveling or exploring have been rained out. Instead, I've been able to catch up on movie watching and studying Chinese while plumping up on the two boxes of moon cakes I received. Maybe I'll try to blog some more as well, or perambulate a museum or two. Mostly this note is here to somewhat explain why I haven't been posting.</div>
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kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-67285116595138407192013-08-04T04:08:00.000-07:002013-09-20T09:08:08.008-07:00Taipei, or how I learned to co-exist with cockroaches, then didn't, and then didWith varying degree, I have always been scared of bugs. As a child I would sometimes be paralyzed imagining that my darkened bedroom was blanketed in ants. (I think this fear came from a B-horror film cover I'd always see at the video store.) I was especially terrified of centipedes and seeing one in the basement was the only way I'd be pulled away from my video game binges. Even in adulthood, I stopped doing laundry after dark in one apartment because of cricket spider infestation.<br />
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But I've become increasingly more conscientious, and for some years now I've followed a capture-and-release policy (mosquitoes being the exception). When living in one place swarming with giant centipedes, I became very skilled at catching them in glasses, but before I'd release them outside I would force myself to look at them close up to help overcome my fear.<br />
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Asia however has been a bit trickier. Last weekend while hiking, I shrieked at what I thought was a bat swooping down at me, but it turned out to be an unusually large black butterfly. Later on that same hike, there was a four-foot snake blocking the path. I waited a little while for it to move, but when a local angered it by whacking at its tail with a stick, I turned around not wanting to see what would happen next. (Yes, I know these aren't bugs, but these incidents just show my general unfamiliarity/aversion to the animal world.)<br />
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When I was backpacking, I'd stay in places infested with ants, where I would lay in bed reading and every few minutes feel one crawling along one of my limbs. I couldn't help but flick it off, and seeing another one approaching, I'd only want to do it harm. I also had bedbugs in one place, but luckily the room had wifi and I was able to do a picture comparison to confirm my suspicion before I tried to tell myself to stop being a wuss and just accept all the little red mites under my pillow. If I accidentally discovered a giant cockroach in one of my guesthouse rooms, I would yelp in fear, but learned to calm myself down by repeating, "it's just<a href="http://www.filmref.com/directors/dirpages/tsai.html#hole" target="_blank"> Lee Kang-sheng</a>, it's just Lee Kang-sheng." I had one rundown bungalow where before entering the bathroom, I would close my eyes, feel for the light switch, and wait fifteen seconds so as not to see all the roaches scurrying away.<br />
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In Taipei, cockroaches are seen as more of a common insect, much like ants in the States, and in my current apartment there are too many roaches (at least they're the small ones) to convincingly calm my nerves by naming them Lee, or even Kafka 1, Kafka 2... Kafka 16, etc. I live in an older building where they've been crawling behind the walls and underneath the floorboards unabated for decades, and the humidity of the summer months has only increased their visibility. So though I've taped up holes in the tiles and cracks in the walls, cleaned surfaces, and sealed up all my food products, I've also resorted to chemical warfare, spraying the perimeters with cancer-inducing Raid. Earlier in the summer I was squashing them in the kitchen, and suffocating the larger ones in the bathroom on sight with a solution of soapy water (they breathe through their skin), but since then I've given up, instead tending to stomp my foot beside them so they'll rush away. They dominate the kitchen and bathroom at night, but for the most part are only occasionally seen elsewhere.<br />
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I'm no longer afraid of them, but I cannot get rid of my disgust. Yes, they have a bad reputation for carrying diseases (like mosquitoes) but I still have a guilty conscience for resorting to killing them occasionally instead of just letting them be. Seeing them in the streets, public restrooms, or even in restaurants no longer bothers me, but I don't want it to get to the point where they're crawling into bed with me (I've experienced this once before and it wasn't pleasant no matter how much I tried to play it off as Lee just being frisky). So though I've become more accepting of their presence, I still at times do them harm, shattering my delusion of living guilt-free in co-existence with animals.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48Q26PwmTueiM4pswM2-Fn5eMvsP4wWjXOGZF8vICzL89pq6ivCgtlUtViFIfCM7-8yXllWhhoCpi52yyDi8oslpaZTxsj7JGdIJ8ZbSPGLDxUSL3RStDvNlVpK-uPxsWHvD1sP0bOKc/s1600/lee+the+hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48Q26PwmTueiM4pswM2-Fn5eMvsP4wWjXOGZF8vICzL89pq6ivCgtlUtViFIfCM7-8yXllWhhoCpi52yyDi8oslpaZTxsj7JGdIJ8ZbSPGLDxUSL3RStDvNlVpK-uPxsWHvD1sP0bOKc/s640/lee+the+hole.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lee Kang-sheng in THE HOLE</td></tr>
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<br />kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-40983565427352794592013-07-24T10:51:00.001-07:002013-08-04T06:08:04.871-07:00The Crags of Pingxi (Cimu Ridge, Cimu Peak, Mt. Putuo, Xiaozi) 平溪 (慈母嶺, 慈母峰, 普陀山, 孝子山) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xiaozi (Filial Son) Peak, Pingxi</td></tr>
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This past weekend I headed back to Pingxi to scale the crags I didn't have time to hike when I first went to Pingxi. It took three hours from my front door to the start of the trail, so I was a little worried I wouldn't have time to complete the hike before dusk, but I managed to do it under the estimated time, including the time I spent just sitting on the various peaks enjoying the scenery (and breeze). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">map at trail entrances</td></tr>
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The trail entrances are on the main road just off old street (tourist street, rather). The first time I was here I crossed the road and turned left, quickly reaching the trailhead leading directly up to the famous crags. This time I turned right, and after about a ten minute walk down the road came to the other trail entrance, which leads up to and along Cimu Ridge, taking me to the backside of Cimu Peak (the right-hand, highlighted loop on the map above). I found this backdoor route to the Pingxi crags through <a href="http://taiwandiscovery.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Richard Saunders</a>' essential hiking guidebook, Taipei Escapes 1. (Also, Cimu is sometimes spelled Tzmu, depending on how old the signs are.)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cWtdhOIdewU/Ue68-0vgPvI/AAAAAAAAGFs/oyt_pozvT4Y/s1600/IMG_5593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cWtdhOIdewU/Ue68-0vgPvI/AAAAAAAAGFs/oyt_pozvT4Y/s640/IMG_5593.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a bamboo forest lines the first part of the trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jujixVrDLKoZn6DLBy8l2kVY9LtED3RwqA9_Kljt41j0eZ_KfDAg18seeVK2w1q-Q2xHhsUKUq8M6RRUmIwb6vhVaLf6CuWLpd0qyG2mNIxPh8E5gIPObogC_y7lpgbxbSmJxyiTc-Q/s1600/IMG_5626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jujixVrDLKoZn6DLBy8l2kVY9LtED3RwqA9_Kljt41j0eZ_KfDAg18seeVK2w1q-Q2xHhsUKUq8M6RRUmIwb6vhVaLf6CuWLpd0qyG2mNIxPh8E5gIPObogC_y7lpgbxbSmJxyiTc-Q/s640/IMG_5626.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pingxi is a popular destination for tourists to write their wishes on sky lanterns and release them to the heavens; however, what goes up, must come down, and their so-called wishes litter the forest</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2DAxwlbhm04/Ue69HULb-7I/AAAAAAAAF9c/cTmCgFVam9w/s1600/IMG_5614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2DAxwlbhm04/Ue69HULb-7I/AAAAAAAAF9c/cTmCgFVam9w/s640/IMG_5614.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">walking along a white cliff's edge before the ridge</td></tr>
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The trail began with some concrete stairs, then a wide dirt path, until a left turn took me up more stairs to a large white cliff's edge that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Following this up, I came to a small rope-assisted vertical scramble to the peak. The trail ended there and I was confused for a moment, but retracing my steps (carefully) back down the vertical rock, where those seemingly superfluous ropes and footholds suddenly became useful, I saw the rest of the trail just passed a map board.</div>
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<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eHiSh9o-EwU/Ue69P8E65cI/AAAAAAAAGEs/OVpRQ1lCK-Q/s1600/IMG_5634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eHiSh9o-EwU/Ue69P8E65cI/AAAAAAAAGEs/OVpRQ1lCK-Q/s640/IMG_5634.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">scramble up to Cimu Ridge's summit</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jbYvjcmKr9A/Ue69eMytScI/AAAAAAAAF-s/1Yer9_sDZgI/s1600/IMG_5699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jbYvjcmKr9A/Ue69eMytScI/AAAAAAAAF-s/1Yer9_sDZgI/s640/IMG_5699.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cimu Ridge</td></tr>
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The ridge was covered in greenery, so it didn't look at all steep or intimidating. There was also an abundance of poles, ropes, and carved-out steps and footholds in the rock to make the path safe and accessible. Mostly, I enjoyed that I didn't see or hear a single other person along the entire trail (until I reached the popular crags). The path was sometimes obscure but there were plenty of trail tags along the way, so I never felt lost, and all the trail intersections had signs with English as well.<br />
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In less than two hours of hiking I reached the saddle between Cimu and Putuo, and decided to climb up Mt Putuo first, being the highest and offering views of the two more picturesque crags.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzu-YjD3p_fNzDXPpQ8BqpKMiUq7rBdnLUeQ3VQh86hrtKP9o5CKrr_yXaPhRStrIoelbzJQ_uttYVbnOF__h97NYtSBiq0zNasLYaQxF6m2VSnkeyvTJ-UYHPBovWlTsKa3WflGDQMi8/s1600/IMG_5845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzu-YjD3p_fNzDXPpQ8BqpKMiUq7rBdnLUeQ3VQh86hrtKP9o5CKrr_yXaPhRStrIoelbzJQ_uttYVbnOF__h97NYtSBiq0zNasLYaQxF6m2VSnkeyvTJ-UYHPBovWlTsKa3WflGDQMi8/s640/IMG_5845.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hiking to the summit of Mt Putuo</td></tr>
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The path was safeguarded with rope railings and the bare rock of the crag made for an impressive sight. With three summits so close in proximity (four trails all meet at the bottom - one leading nowhere), it almost feels like a playground area for hikers. After reaching the summit of Mt Putuo, I headed down and up to Cimu Peak. On Cimu's summit there were three trails. The one at the back lead down a steep carved-rock staircase and an extremely narrow path along the side of the crag. This lead to the scariest part of all: crossing a hammock-like rope-bridge that didn't look as stable as it was. If it gave out, I would surely have slid down to my slow death, and though I felt a little tough for braving the crossing, I was followed a little while later by a middle-aged Taiwanese couple who didn't think anything of it.<br />
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I will let a few more pictures speak for themselves. Scaling all three didn't take more than an hour including relaxing at the tops. I definitely recommend this longer, less-traveled, route to reach the crags.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hRUcIl6YXwo/Ue69_9nI68I/AAAAAAAAGAc/FJ2tFtPwn0U/s1600/IMG_5817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hRUcIl6YXwo/Ue69_9nI68I/AAAAAAAAGAc/FJ2tFtPwn0U/s640/IMG_5817.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view of Cimu (Loving Mother) Peak from Mt Putuo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e9i7LBLsTz0/Ue696nbysfI/AAAAAAAAGAM/myOoVZ7McF0/s1600/IMG_5808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e9i7LBLsTz0/Ue696nbysfI/AAAAAAAAGAM/myOoVZ7McF0/s640/IMG_5808.JPG" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cimu Peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pxiLP5XVu4A/Ue6-Hu5qzfI/AAAAAAAAGA0/OI25aDuzA28/s1600/IMG_5841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pxiLP5XVu4A/Ue6-Hu5qzfI/AAAAAAAAGA0/OI25aDuzA28/s640/IMG_5841.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a steep descent, Xiaozi Peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lpujQFVPiFc/Ue6-caWIHAI/AAAAAAAAGFk/FN5PcWJxILM/s1600/IMG_5951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lpujQFVPiFc/Ue6-caWIHAI/AAAAAAAAGFk/FN5PcWJxILM/s640/IMG_5951.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view of Pingxi from Xiaozi Peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEfvpbVIipu5bc3PeFG5m7KLPI_3LF9dVmHfIsTXbxTZW6qLhhdxlcZWBKsR8hJrAhLQPUsObtRV7N9Cn61ACpxITqL2Vr_sySm0LVQPn5K21QT2MiDZiEH8yFn0h_zcIZp6wZuC4e50/s1600/IMG_5985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEfvpbVIipu5bc3PeFG5m7KLPI_3LF9dVmHfIsTXbxTZW6qLhhdxlcZWBKsR8hJrAhLQPUsObtRV7N9Cn61ACpxITqL2Vr_sySm0LVQPn5K21QT2MiDZiEH8yFn0h_zcIZp6wZuC4e50/s640/IMG_5985.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">atop Xiaozi Peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytwnC0e_PcXbXVA1Li_xpRzPJ1-sA-BraNqOHyIvhEtD-8fq064ggctoqIIlXR_LGfeA2S3lezLjomGRT2HQKe1VF3F3WAA6Mub_NPGGTWdrbuHwKyQMTx9TvtfC-VS7d8zEUDPBckYU/s1600/IMG_6038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytwnC0e_PcXbXVA1Li_xpRzPJ1-sA-BraNqOHyIvhEtD-8fq064ggctoqIIlXR_LGfeA2S3lezLjomGRT2HQKe1VF3F3WAA6Mub_NPGGTWdrbuHwKyQMTx9TvtfC-VS7d8zEUDPBckYU/s640/IMG_6038.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy), in the open area where all the peak trails meet</td></tr>
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Getting there: take a "local" TRA train from Taipei to Badu (or Ruifang), and then switch to a Pingxi Line train and get off at Pingxi. Local trains leave Taipei every 10 to 20 minutes, but the Pingxi trains are every 45 minutes, so try to catch a local train that won't leave you waiting too long in Badu (you can search train schedules easily via the <a href="http://tra.gov.tw/twrail/English/e_index.aspx" target="_blank">Taiwan Railways Timetable website</a>).
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Returning, try to catch the Pingxi train as it heads in the opposite direction of Badu, the next stop being the end of the line. This way, you get to wait in AC and have a better chance of getting a seat, as the train just heads right back towards Badu.<br />
<br />kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-9018937015720926282013-07-16T02:13:00.002-07:002013-08-04T09:48:14.745-07:00Erziping (Yangmingshan National Park) 二子坪 (陽明山國家公園)<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0M5_VwkYwJQyLtU9h6EJ1J0XIKQUf6JPuGodDP4jDVcwQAImNBtOZKY9_zM0knOUR0PH3H0yUOtsGaSD9cLiP_9iWCOshyAnSPxJcPxmv56UyAaOphedQ-ogEUcE65nWJ-kgDJF2VNY/s1600/IMG_5481-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0M5_VwkYwJQyLtU9h6EJ1J0XIKQUf6JPuGodDP4jDVcwQAImNBtOZKY9_zM0knOUR0PH3H0yUOtsGaSD9cLiP_9iWCOshyAnSPxJcPxmv56UyAaOphedQ-ogEUcE65nWJ-kgDJF2VNY/s640/IMG_5481-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">Erziping Recreational Park</td></tr>
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Erziping is one of the more popular destinations in Yangmingshan National Park. The 1.7 km Erziping Trail (二子坪步道) to the recreational park, is both stroller and wheelchair accessible, making it a pleasant escape from Taipei for families on weekends.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B_TpLaCHzMM/UeQY_qKchcI/AAAAAAAAF4s/bpzubNYt2TI/s1600/IMG_5472-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B_TpLaCHzMM/UeQY_qKchcI/AAAAAAAAF4s/bpzubNYt2TI/s640/IMG_5472-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">Erziping Visitor Center (trail entrance)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vtq6BQnb0E8/UeQZCAQsI0I/AAAAAAAAF40/PsjvbZGbmWg/s1600/IMG_5476-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vtq6BQnb0E8/UeQZCAQsI0I/AAAAAAAAF40/PsjvbZGbmWg/s640/IMG_5476-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">Erziping Trail<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_-bc2wd-HRE/UeQZxemkbnI/AAAAAAAAF7g/gh96Yt7vISU/s1600/IMG_5576-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_-bc2wd-HRE/UeQZxemkbnI/AAAAAAAAF7g/gh96Yt7vISU/s640/IMG_5576-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">Erziping Trail</td></tr>
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Being so, the trail is far from challenging, but seeing as it was the day after a major typhoon, with rain in the afternoon forecast, I figured it was a good day to check out an easier, scenic route. Plus, in Yangmingshan NP, there's no lack of trails to get lost on. It's also the tail-end of butterfly season, so I was keeping my eye out for small movements more so than I usually do when sweating my way along more arduous hiking routes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ew-lUosBLjY/UeQZMarQoZI/AAAAAAAAF5c/_dCzPnLQVSA/s1600/IMG_5488-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ew-lUosBLjY/UeQZMarQoZI/AAAAAAAAF5c/_dCzPnLQVSA/s640/IMG_5488-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">butterfly season</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CIBUbuqoUFI/UeQZI8UMVZI/AAAAAAAAF5M/4-8auA3FaQs/s1600/IMG_5477-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CIBUbuqoUFI/UeQZI8UMVZI/AAAAAAAAF5M/4-8auA3FaQs/s640/IMG_5477-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">Erziping Recreational Park</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;">My friend and I quickly reached the recreational park and, having left our non-existent spawns at home, only spent a few minutes there before we were anxious to see what other trails we could find. So we headed toward Mount Miantian (面天山). </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LVWsmS8x5l_vzgcuy4_6Z981J7PwIhOLSqh_HifQlVvOLyvFKy1WCPQh4PjMo6cOeLCzing9fKzGlXCxX5llNBqi9i7_QlKbgkSh9BrqRow8tGr8lMAoHjo3O7VwIr0FsFoNmyjTZxA/s1600/IMG_5536-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LVWsmS8x5l_vzgcuy4_6Z981J7PwIhOLSqh_HifQlVvOLyvFKy1WCPQh4PjMo6cOeLCzing9fKzGlXCxX5llNBqi9i7_QlKbgkSh9BrqRow8tGr8lMAoHjo3O7VwIr0FsFoNmyjTZxA/s640/IMG_5536-001.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">hikers, Mount Miantian</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TmOFsaujG9k/UeQZstuB-TI/AAAAAAAAF7M/ZC9_kqMH6uo/s1600/IMG_5482-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TmOFsaujG9k/UeQZstuB-TI/AAAAAAAAF7M/ZC9_kqMH6uo/s640/IMG_5482-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">amazingly huge dragonflies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fjiKB790lHQ/UeQZRbVeQFI/AAAAAAAAF5s/jNxerVtfaI0/s1600/IMG_5490-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fjiKB790lHQ/UeQZRbVeQFI/AAAAAAAAF5s/jNxerVtfaI0/s640/IMG_5490-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">a hungry caterpillar</td></tr>
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The first part of the hike was much like Erziping Trail: flat forest trails, canopied by trees. But when we turned up the path toward the 979m-high summit we encountered a seemingly endless, twisting ascent of stone steps. Hiking dehydrated, on five hours of sleep, with only a small bowl of cereal in my belly was not exactly ideal, and as the shade of trees gave way to uncovered paths of overgrown silvergrass whipping us in the face as an unhindered sun baked our skin, we started grumbling and slowing down, caked in sweat. The unusually clear day did yield an impressive view of Taipei (from near the top) and of the entire northern coast of Taiwan (from the summit). Under other conditions the path is fairly easy if you set a good pace, and only took about thirty minutes of climbing.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">hiking up Mount Miantian</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WIpwx8b1Ws0/UeQZX50nL9I/AAAAAAAAF6E/PUOZ6QzdsOM/s1600/IMG_5514-004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WIpwx8b1Ws0/UeQZX50nL9I/AAAAAAAAF6E/PUOZ6QzdsOM/s640/IMG_5514-004.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">microwave reflector antennas atop Mount Miantian </td></tr>
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Remembering the map at the shuttle bus stop we both knew there was another mountain we had to climb if we wanted to do a loop instead of turning back. But luckily Mount Miantian and Mount Xiangtian (向天山) are connected (earning the nickname, the camelback peaks) with only a relatively small dip between their peaks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1aw9jjcGK04/UeQZTyLsXqI/AAAAAAAAF50/qA-1af48uF8/s1600/IMG_5526-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1aw9jjcGK04/UeQZTyLsXqI/AAAAAAAAF50/qA-1af48uF8/s640/IMG_5526-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">view of Mt Miantian from Mt Xiangtian</td></tr>
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The striking difference in vegetation between the silvergrass on the northern face of Xiangtian (at the bottom of the above picture, where I'm standing) and the broadleaf forest on the southern face of Miantian (that I'm facing) is caused by the northeastern monsoon winds, which makes growth difficult on north slopes. This contrast is common among the many volcanic mountains in Yangmingshan NP. And this also meant that our descent down Xiangtian's southern slope would be shaded in forest!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">one of MANY intimidating spiders</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">forest on Mount Xingtian</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">forest on Mount Xiangtian</td></tr>
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At the bottom of Mount Xiangtian is the cleverly named Xiangtian pond, a crater lake that is normally quite shallow, if not dry, because of the highly water-permeable ground it rests on. But because of the typhoon earlier in the weekend, we got to see it in one of its deeper states.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">Xiangtian Pond</td></tr>
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The pond and its immediate surrounding area reminded me of Tarkovsky's STALKER for whatever reason.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px;">a tiny frog resting on a blade of silvergrass, Xiangtian Pond<br />
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From here we were able to loop back around to the start of Mount Miantian's ascent path and head back to Erziping, catching a wild shuttle bus ride back to the park's entrance just as the clouds began to darken.<br />
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Getting there: from Taipei Main Station take bus 260 to the end of the line (Yangmingshan National Park), then shuttle bus 108 to the Erziping stop. Alternately, 小 15 bus from Jiantan or Shilin MRT runs on weekends(?) to various stops around the park, but not directly to Erziping (transfer to 108).<br />
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There are maps with English, showing various routes, distances, and estimated hiking times near the visitor centers. I usually take a photo of these in case I want to check back or change routes, but there are also plenty of sign posts at trail intersections with English and distances to the nearest destination.</div>
<br />kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-90639879558118344942013-07-13T06:17:00.000-07:002013-07-15T22:40:55.688-07:00a litlte rain and wind for the love of film<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I decided to live abroad for a year, I was worried about how I would sustain my cinephilia. I still get weekly e-mails about Chicago film happenings and pout a little as I see Ulrich Seidl's Paradise Trilogy, Assayas' SOMETHING IN THE AIR, and other notable new releases and revivals go by.<br />
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Taipei however isn't a bad place for a cinephile to be. <a href="http://www.spot.org.tw/" target="_blank">Spot Film House</a> (managed by Hou Hsiao-hsien) has two locations, playing a handful of art films every month (though only a third of them have English subtitles), and surprisingly, there has already been three film festivals since I moved here (with most screenings having English subtitles). The <a href="http://eng.taipeiff.org.tw/Index.aspx" target="_blank">Taipei Film Festival</a> is currently running, and their Filmmakers in Focus program has a swoon-worthy five Wang Bing films playing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJopV3epprXDfS3Qz4xIewLwYxqiLpkFNs50GPw5W8p9nXaFtlTge1CWBkbLWEi3Empj57gIFYzuPSejtBTuH6e4xqcEWQVGtwhazHAgthzYxaF-ir4fX5lhpxxxd6cyZU8RdjU3tDHk/s1600/west+of+the+tracks5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJopV3epprXDfS3Qz4xIewLwYxqiLpkFNs50GPw5W8p9nXaFtlTge1CWBkbLWEi3Empj57gIFYzuPSejtBTuH6e4xqcEWQVGtwhazHAgthzYxaF-ir4fX5lhpxxxd6cyZU8RdjU3tDHk/s640/west+of+the+tracks5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TIE XI QU: WEST OF THE TRACKS</td></tr>
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But I teach most afternoons and evenings, making attendance difficult. If I was going to make any film, it was going to be his nine-plus hour epic documentary TIE XI QU: WEST OF THE TRACKS, and luckily it was playing on a Friday, a day where I can move my classes around somewhat easily. But then earlier in the week, news of an approaching typhoon came into play. Growing up landlocked in the Midwest, I had little concept of what that could mean. I was told during training that instead of snow days, schools have typhoon days here, but it's still a little different because snow days tend to be announced in the aftermath of a storm, while typhoon days are announced in anticipation of one possibly coming.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5n38GcOHzBiLhQZxBb1FTdNLuYcD-3pWG3C75yCWcyFNSElsjhddbr49FAK13GXTy7raefayFT2sp-PLtfcv-vzn3gQ2Oqt4BfliUubjox1VNktV8eKLU7RPTFIHtJl9SvmjE8XDFwI/s1600/typhoon+soulik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5n38GcOHzBiLhQZxBb1FTdNLuYcD-3pWG3C75yCWcyFNSElsjhddbr49FAK13GXTy7raefayFT2sp-PLtfcv-vzn3gQ2Oqt4BfliUubjox1VNktV8eKLU7RPTFIHtJl9SvmjE8XDFwI/s640/typhoon+soulik.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Projected Path of My First Typhoon</td></tr>
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So I asked around and was told not to bike and that the MRT might shut down due to flooding, but that buses and taxis would still be running. So I went as planned, figuring they would close the theater if it was really that dangerous. The only thing slightly intimidating was that if they did make announcements or things got really bad, I would have a language barrier blocking information. For the first time in months, I left my bike at home (but not without long deliberation) and walked to the MRT with returning bus numbers in hand. </div>
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When I arrived at the theater I got a mass text from my manager saying classes were cancelled from afternoon on, and judging by the number of kids I saw on my way, regular schools were closed as well. (Again, not speaking the language, or having a television for that matter, leaves me out of the loop.) The screening had two, thirty-minute intermissions between parts, and each time I went outside expecting a storm but only finding it drizzling with a foreboding sky. Even after the film finished, the weather seemed fine: rainy, a bit windy, though for 9 o'clock at night, the sky had a rather odd pinkish color. I took my time getting home, stopping for dinner, and enjoying a slow walk in flip-flops through the rain.</div>
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But now it's around 4am Saturday morning, and Taipei is in the eye of the typhoon. I went outside twice because I enjoy watching stormy weather, and my window only faces a bunch of other windows, yielding no view of the streets, sky, or ground below. The first time I went downstairs, I still saw a few elderly ladies, draped in ponchos, biking home against the wind, and I felt bad about wimping out and not biking to Spot. Then a few hours later I could really hear the wind's chaotic whirls, and I went downstairs again, this time seeing store signs being stripped away and dragged down the road by tumultuous winds. I saw a bright flash of white light in the corner high school's yard that I thought was lightening, but there was no thunder. Perhaps it was a tree taking out a power line, as the street briefly lost electricity afterward. In fact there didn't seem to be any accompanying lightening or thunder, which I found really odd.<br />
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I live on a road (versus a smaller lane or alley), so the sidewalk is covered by the overhang of the buildings (common for cities with rainy seasons), and I was able to safely stand behind a concrete support column, blocking any debris coming my way. There were still a handful scooters on the road, but the drivers where cautiously inching along with obvious apprehension. One came to the red light and actually stopped there, in the chaos of the storm, despite there being no other traffic in sight (I have never seen a citizenry obey traffic rules so ardently as here). I went a few doors down to my 24-hour 7-Eleven (it's Taiwan, so there are two within 50ft of my building's front door), and when I walked in with a smile, they looked at me funny. I told the one employee who recognizes me that it was my first typhoon, and she gave me this look like I'd said it was the first time I'd ever seen rain. As a foreigner, it's a spectacle worth staying up for, but most of the locals spend typhoon days, with caution, just going about their usual routines. If anything, on severe weather days the many malls just get extra crowds.</div>
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"Some films have made me doze off in the theater, but the same films have made me stay up at night, wake up thinking about them in the morning, and keep on thinking about them for weeks. Those are the kind of films I like." Kiarostami</div>
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So as for TIE XI QU, I don't mind saying that I dozed off a couple times during its nine hour run time. Almost enthnographic in its approach, the film documents the final remnants of Shenyang's once booming industrial Tiexi district mostly through observational long-takes without narration and only a sparse number of intertitles, succinctly displaying the most basic facts of place and history . "Rust" (part one of three) focused on some of the few remaining employees of the state-owned, debt-ridden factories, as they talked with one another about their dwindling or non-existent pay and inevitable unemployment. "Remannts" mainly followed a group of teenagers, loafers given no possible future, as their rundown shantytown nears demolition and their families face forced relocation. (This segment had strong parallels to Pedro Costa's COLOSSAL YOUTH.) "Rails" followed the supply-line railway employees with the tracks themselves having been a prominent component of the two prior parts.<br />
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One-eyed Old Du (below), having spent most of his life in Tiexi, becomes the most emblematic figure of the film. A once security guard now living illegally on railway property as a scrap scavenger, he hops on the trains to move around and mingle with the operators. He takes pride in his abilities, ostensibly disregarding horrific conditions, and perseveres as circumstances become increasingly desperate, boasting to the camera about his connections with the security staff, who allow only him to live on company property. But his clout eventually runs out, and Old Du gets arrested, while his 17-year-old son is told that the family has to evacuate immediately. A later scene shows his son, not knowing when his father will return, break down in tears while sharing with the camera pictures of "how the family used to be." I realized that despite all the devastation displayed in the past eight hours, this was the first time someone was shown crying in front of the camera.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Du and His Son, TIE XI QU: WEST OF THE TRACKS</td></tr>
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From 1999 to 2001, Wang Bing documented Tiexi through a juxaposition of broad shots of abandoned industrial landscapes and cramped, intimate scenes among the last of its denizens. Housing and factories have become the decaying skeleton of what once was, and the people just as worn and defeated as the crumbling infrastructure. The factories struggle to operate as insufficient raw materials are delivered each day, and the workers in turn receive an equally inadequate amount of assistance from outside. Shot with a simple handheld digital video camera, Wang achieves a remarkable immersion into the most quotidian of moments through persistent long-takes whether they be in dilapidated factory break rooms; claustrophobic, shantytown houses; or a cramped railcar making its way in the dark through the ruins of abandoned industry. The subjects featured sometimes address the camera directly, not prompted by Wang, interview-style, but rather by their own volition. Most of the time however, they carry on as if no longer aware of the camera's persistent presence. Cuts between scenes are abrupt, especially between each of the three parts, and the digital image quality is far from pristine, but both work in conjunction with the material.</div>
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When I told a co-worker I was taking the day off to see a film (something I find embarrassing to explain to anyone who only watches movies for entertainment), he immediately asked, "can't you download it online?" I wouldn't be able to achieve the same experience if I watched it on my laptop, as I don't have the discipline to stop myself from pausing it to check my e-mail, get a snack, or even go to the bathroom (versus waiting for designated breaks to do such things). Beyond discussing screen size, sound, and the presence of other viewers, watching this particular documentary in a theater becomes a test of endurance, an immersion into the district of Tiexi that would inevitably lose momentum if I could come in and out of it as I pleased; theaters are an important part of cinema to me.</div>
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Maybe this entry should have been split into two separate ones, but it's late and I don't feel like messing with it anymore.</div>
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kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-1722942596012927322013-06-16T07:58:00.000-07:002013-07-13T18:37:39.633-07:00What time is it there?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmKHNVZzcSsZM7NRJP5qPF95aNxVpV1UTB-jaFaSy_DhaSuM2ZP2gW232_dc7so1FlW-HiVyD4P7nEJ7Scxb7scuFFinx32bCLD68HgnX5Vm0j6b1GRQUI0exWU0Jw8HFBwT876gs-o8/s1600/IMG_4398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmKHNVZzcSsZM7NRJP5qPF95aNxVpV1UTB-jaFaSy_DhaSuM2ZP2gW232_dc7so1FlW-HiVyD4P7nEJ7Scxb7scuFFinx32bCLD68HgnX5Vm0j6b1GRQUI0exWU0Jw8HFBwT876gs-o8/s640/IMG_4398.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Perambulating Raohe Night Market, I stumbled upon this shop's table and had the sudden urge to change all the clocks to Paris time. I had forgotten about this film (see post title) until this moment, and I smiled to myself when I realized what city I am living in.</div>
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kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603061662426510279.post-88183282181490108162013-06-12T08:20:00.000-07:002013-07-02T11:36:03.080-07:00An introductionThis blog is long overdue. Over three and a half years ago, I sneaked out of my cubicle and landed in India. I should have started a travel-related blog then, though internet was far from accessible at that point, but now that I reside in Taipei, I have little excuse beyond further delay. So here I shall post a miscellany of experiences, some related to travel in general, some related to myself indifferent of location. Actually, I haven't completely decided what I'm going to post here, and that will probably show in the scattered entries to come.kura-kurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880606668960131785noreply@blogger.com0