Tag: Natural Environment

  • Taroko Trails – Day 1

    We got up and started the day with an easy but really good fun trail out to the Water Curtain on the Baiyang Trail. It weaves its way through an old route through the gorge – one of many attempts that are now abandoned. Starting with several long tunnels and proceeding to some great suspension bridges it makes its way to a tunnel that allows water to drain through its roof in a fantastic display. Officially closed, you can still enter and experience it for yourself.


    Chasing Waterfalls (Mum, valiantly defeating another bridge!)


    The whole place looked like a Chinese watercolour the whole time (spot us on the bridge)

    After stopping for a bite to eat we ventured for the short Huaran Pavilion Trail in the afternoon, warming up for a larger one the day after. What I did not really realise (lacking a decent map) was that the trail ascended at a constant 45 degrees from the valley floor until reaching the high road pass 1500 vertical feet later.

    It was an amazing ride and the views were astonishing, but boy did we ache after so many steps up! Interestingly, it was built by the Japanese during the First World War to attack the local tribes. And even more interestingly, we saw a landslide occur on the other side of the valley as we made our way back down – the sound was horrific and seeing a whole hillside of trees on the move was quit surreal.


    View at the top! The Huaran Pavilion after a punishing climb

  • YangMing Mountain & Mother’s Day

    On Sunday, we met up with Larsandanke, plus Alex and headed off for the mountains and hot springs. My parents had clearly brought fantastic weather with them from Blighty and we took the bus up to the highest point of the pass. At the top are several acres of grass, and this seems to be very rare in Taiwan, since bus loads of locals went up to look at it. I have to say, as an Englishman and someone who appreciates good grass that this particular turf was not bad, and all the better for being naturally cropped by a fleet of water buffalo.


    The green, green grass of home


    Three grinning Brits abroad

    Over the ridge is the large crater formed by the sulphurous outpourings of my local volcano. Clearly, it smells of eggs, but it was quite an impressive sight. The fumuroles were a deeply acidic green colour and the gas gushing into the atmosphere – an arresting sight in the sun.


    A real stinker

    After that, we descended the few remaining kilometres to the open hot springs. Most in Taiwan have been tapped by viscous, evil hotel chains but this one has been left natural. From the left is fresh spring water from the hills. From the right, hot volcanic water. You select your temperature by moving from pool to pool and apply mud to areas that need mudding. Every quarter of an hour or so stand under the waterfall to cool off. Repeat until sleepy. Apply Thai food liberally. Sleep.


    Hot Springs

  • Vertically Challenged

    My friend Laura and I have made some wee little photographic briefs for eachother, while she is in Rome and I am in Taipei. I only met half the brief, but these were the outcomes. The theme was: “vertically up or down”



    Palm Springs



    I really liked this roof – a combination of new aluminium frame, industrial corrugated metal and bamboo. It sums up the island in a small way.



    A happy tree with lights near my house



    A tree on fire

  • Pigs Might Hike

    I had a very pleasant walk today with Anke, Lars and Alex (Aussie dude). We planned for a 6K hike, which was slightly waylaid due to ignoring the wrong things in the hiking book, but the result was a splendid wee series of random events that made us all laugh over the Pizza in the evening.

    The star of the show was certainly Ah Fu – the Chinese pig that thought he was a dog. He was the coolest thing to be walking with and much calmer than most dogs, and had the amusing habit of eating the plants as he went his oinking way. A definite hit with the other walkers, a source of total bemusement to the other dogs (“hey, you are supposed to be dinner!”) and was truly full of character.



    Ah Fu investigates



    A loyal pig, it really liked walking between its owner’s legs



    We stumbled across a few amusing things. The Taiwanese are masterful at turning public spaces into community spaces. You can see what I mean here – at a break in the path we found a small medicine cabinet with some supplies in it, and alongside it were tethered 3 pots of various balms and lotions – one of which was Tiger Balm.



    Alex and Anke dig the whiffs

    As a hilarious post-script to the walk, we came up against an army check point, complete with guns, guards and bunkers. We wondered how to get past or around it when the station commander came storming out claiming we were on army property, and ‘what were we doing there?!’ Somehow, we had breached the defences of the back door to the base so we actually came to the gate from the wrong direction … Taiwan eh! We gave the guards a quick nod, but on second glance we could see them laughing as well, in on the joke.



    Special Agent Anke cracks the security at the maximum security check point … with a stick

  • Tremors

    We have had some tremors recently… several in a row following the big one the other day. Here is the report… and a pic.



    Interesting how they make a series…

  • Sing…

    “…I feel the earth move under my feet

    I feel the sky tumblin’ down, tumblin’ down…”

    … join in when you want to

    Last night it was recorded at an initial 5.9, but has since been upgraded to a more exciting 6.3 As a result, the map on the below shows a larger blob than the one I posted.

  • Oh that was a big one

    Earthquake report at the USGS click for info

    I was just on the phone to Jo in London. I started brushing my teeth when the whole world started spinning and shaking. That felt like a nasty one! Why does the earth insist on moving?!

    (sorry the maps do not fit the window! it is too late at night to sort it out properly)

    I almost shat myself…

  • The day the earth moved

    I had my first real earthquake today. I have felt a few tremors up to now, but this was the real deal. It was at lunch time and I was in the cafeteria – underground – and even then it felt like I was on a boat. Side to side but also up and down movement… somewhat akin to a boat docking with a port I suppose. Very strange and serene, more than scary.

    In Taipei, it was 4.0 on the Richter scale, and 7 at its epicentre.

    “Strong Quake Rocks Taiwan” (Reuters)

  • Michael’s Birthday

    I had a great weekend that helped me recover from a stressful and frustrating week learning Pro Engineer software at work. I best not speak about that, as all I will do is get angry again! Anyway, Tanja – Michael’s girlfriend – planned a big surprise birthday party for him in the wilds near Wulai (see earlier posting).

    Although the game was given away slightly by Michael insisting on riding deep into the national park, Tanja did a great job of keeping the lid on a dozen people arriving on over laden scooters (beer, cakes and two people on each bike meant lots of sparks from the floor hitting the road on every small bump).

    Anyway, here are some photos that Tanja took prior to our arrival, just showing the rather beautiful countryside that Taiwan boasts, and the reason why the Portuguese named the island ‘Formosa’ … ‘Beautiful.’

    The sun peeps out from behind the clouds:

    The Wulai river valey:

    The waterfall near our illegal camp ground: