Taiwan - JiJi, Alishan, & YehLiu

第五天，司機先生安排到集集火車站。

不是要坐火車，就是去看一看。

看到什麼？

車站是用純檜木建材，造型拙樸典雅。看了照片才會欣賞。

The fifth day, the driver took us to the old JiJi train station.

Not going to ride the train, but just to have a look.
This town and station were built with cypress during the Japanese occupation.

以及紫南宮。

這兩個景點我沒計劃，沒找它們的資料。

據說，信眾可向這廟的土地公借發財金來投資為本，來年若有賺錢，即須還本，再增添香油錢。很興旺，尤其年節日，人潮擁擠，水洩不通。

And we stopped at another place, a temple.

I didn't plan for these two places and I didn't search or read about their histories.

紫南宮的七星級廁所。
The temple is famous. It has the 7 Stars Toilet, inspired by bamboo shoots.

免費的，沒尿尿，也得進去參觀，用一下吧！
Just go inside & have a pee, it is free, and the inside is beautifully done.

這狗的毛色紋，有點像老虎。

This dog's fur lines look like a tiger, and he's carrying an advertisement for his human's fruit stall.

接著經過茶園。

The journey drove by several tea plantations. 

到了奮起湖。

這兒沒有湖。

明鄭時期漢人屯墾，進入阿里山區拓墾，奮起湖是一處聚落地。

Here we were in FengQiHu.

It's a little town for those going to/from Alishan.

森林盛產很多檜樹。

The forest has a lot of valuable cypress trees. 

這家老板供應古早味鐵路便當，享譽盛名。

This man opened a restaurant selling lunch boxes to local workers.  His restaurant is now famous, and the food is still served in lunch boxes.

著名的鐵盒便當(一盒120台幣)。吃飽上路咯。

After we had our lunch prepared in lunch boxes (NT$120), we moved on.

進入阿里山國家森林遊樂區(門票150台幣)時，已是近黃昏。天已漸暗，不能遊樂了。

It's was evening when we arrived at Alishan National Park (entrance fee NT$150). 

The hotel staff helped us booked a sunrise tour for the next morning. 

來來來，阿里山少年和姑娘唱那首你們的成名曲一下：

高山青，澗水藍。。。

請繼續。

昨晚旅館幫我們預訂了要去祝山觀日出。

清晨五點十分，旅行社的司機領隊準時來到我們的旅館，他說：''整晚下雨，很可能看不到日出，先聲明一下若你們決定還是要去。如果你們不去，那也沒關係，我不會收錢。" 

我對他說："即然沒可能看到日出，去了也沒用。我很欣賞你的態度，如實的告訴我們情況。我要你的名卡，以後有機會再來找你。'' 

看不到日出，卻看到態度。

我已感動滿足。

The tour guide came at 5:10 am, he told us: "I need to mention that you probably won't see the sunrise, because it was cloudy and raining.  If you guys still insist to go for it, we can. If you guys decide not to go, it is all right, I won't charge any fee."

I said: "I am grateful you told us. We decided not to go as there's no point to the tour with no sunrise. I really appreciate your honesty, please give me your name card, I might come again next time."     

天氣寒冷，我們是最早就到旅館提供的餐廳，趕快添添早餐的熱能量。

前後都有這麼大字，夠不夠誇張呀？還挷著筒杯！肯定是太多人次問要牙簽了！簡體字的簽哦！如果有人沒看到再問要的話，哼哼。。

不知會被罵眼瞎嗎？

The weather was cold; we were the earliest customers in the restaurant to get our hot buffet breakfast. 

The two big Chinese characters = 'Toothpick'. 

Apparently, toothpicks are very important...or the staff just got annoyed by too many people asking where the toothpicks are!

吃飽了就趕快去做工。

噢，說錯！是去遊樂。

坐區內的車(車票50台幣)進森林。

檜木很長直又很堅固耐久，上等木。

We had full energy, let's go to work.

 Ah.. wrong word, should be let's have fun.

 We took the bus (ticket NT$50) in the park.

This is an old cypress tree, very straight and hard, lasts for long time.

在沼平站下車，有個導遊帶著他的團員及所有的人都急著走去森林。

別急，我們進去這櫻花老街先。

A tour guide with his group and all other people headed to the park after getting off the bus.

However, we didn't follow them but went in to this hut.

裡面不是只有蜘蛛網而已，還有些檜木雕刻品。

我不放上照片，其實就是要你親自進去看，相信我。

Hehe.. the spider web is pretty, but there are some very large cypress wood carvings in the hut. 

I don't want to show picture here because you need to see them yourself. Believe me.  

到樓上還可看到綠景，是不是有點像在歐洲國家的感覺？

啊，終於看到藍天。

And seen from the top floor of the hut, doesn't this beautiful scene seem a little like a European countryside?

Ah, we saw blue sky eventually.

海拔二一七⚪公尺的森林區，我們一進去就感受到森林浴的爽快。

The park is 2170 meters above sea level. We felt wonderful when we were in the park atmosphere.   

真的很清新。太爽了！

A fresh green bath. So nice!

吸收所有的正能量。

Received all the good energy.

啊啊！誰把這張照片曝上呢？

Ahh! Who posted it?

姐妹潭。不知這是姐還是妹？我們錯掉另一個潭。

One of the Sister ponds.

四姐妹 ~ 四棵檜樹長在一起。

Four sisters - Four cypress tress are together.

檜樹的年齡有些已幾百年，也有2100年的，神木。

Some cypress tress are several hundred years old, and we saw one that is 2100 years old.

喜愛極了！

大多旅遊台灣團都沒包括到這裡，不知什麼原因？

我們都很喜歡這自然環境，就是可惜沒安排多時間溜達其它的步道，我們錯掉一些景區。

以後有機會，我還要再來，至少住兩晚。我已有資料，可以組團了，有誰要參團嗎？

We love it!

I saw most of the Taiwan tours don't include this place.

I was glad I planned to visit here but lack of time to hike other trails. 

I want to come again for 2 nights if possible. I have the information and may organize a group, anyone interested?  

區內有個受鎮宮，參觀一下，就去坐小火車(車票50台幣)回旅館區。

In the park is a temple, we just had a quick look.

Then we were left by the little park train.

離開阿里山，司機先生安排到瑞峰的竹坑溪步道。

After we left Alishan, the driver took us to a trail at RuiTai. 

走了960米，雷音瀑布。

960 m hike to the Thunder falls. 

遠遠的看到另一個，龍宮瀑布。

我們已沒力氣。走了。

We didn't make it to the falls in the distance.

午餐也是晚餐。

台灣到處有鹵肉飯。

我喜歡這井木架。

I like the hot pot noodle soup on the wood stand.

竹崎親水公園。

This is ZhuQi Riverside Park.

當晚到台中住宿。

我訂的全程旅館，最便宜的是在台中。

 We stayed in TaiChung for a night.

第六天。我知道台中有間楓樹陶坊，我已想要買大炒鍋及大水壺很久。

在哪兒，選了我所要，相公卻講：''我們還要去緬甸，我不想每天拿著。''

The sixth Day, I wanted to buy the largest wok and the biggest water pitcher from this potter I knew of in TaiChung.

But Steve worried about hand carrying them all the way back home.

最後買了不是我想要的中鍋。

In the end, the medium clay pot which I didn't think to have is back home. 

台北是我們最終的包車行程。司機先生停朋友在故宮，他們喜愛古物。

而我想參觀野柳地質公園(門票80台幣)。

The hired car ended when we arrived back in Taipei.  The driver dropped my friends at the National Museum.  He had been there before, and they both love the antiques.

And he dropped us at YehLiu Geological Park (entrance fee NT$80).

那個是女王頭？

Which one is the Queen's Head?

我去女王禦用的。

I went to the Queen's restroom.

呵。。還有給國王禦用的。

Huh.. there is also one for the King.

化石。

Some fossils. 

過後我們自行乘公車到台北車站，Sophia 特地安排要與我們相見。

當朋友淑玲知道我計劃旅遊台灣時，我要謝謝淑玲給我介紹Sophia，她曾有帶團的經驗。我就開始聯系，她提供資料及給我一些意見。

我們初次見面，我感受到她滿滿的熱誠慷慨，真棒。

After that, we took a bus to meet Sophia in the Taipei station.
Thanks to our friend Shu-Lin, who introduced me to Sophia when Shu-Lin knew that I was planning a Taiwan trip. She said Sophia had tour leader experience. I contacted her and she gave me some information.
Our meeting was excellent, I really appreciated her passion, generosity, and kindness. Such a wonderful lady.

瑞麗，Tom，我也要謝他們提供一些資料。

回味我們愉快的台灣之旅。
I wanted to thank SweeLi and Tom for providing some information also.
   We had a wonderful time in Taiwan. 

註：有些照片來自Lim攝影。

P/S: Some photos from Lim.

Taiwan - Taroko, QingJing, & Sun Moon Lake

第三天，來到太魯閣的砂卡礑林道。

On the third day, we went to Taroko National Park. 

淺藍小溪，淡淡的美。
This is ShaKaDang trail, which runs along a beautiful blue stream.

走到盡頭，有什麼呢？

馬告香腸。

吊著的，那個美？

我說貓頭鷹美，那個吊著貓頭鷹的竹也美。
What's at the end of the trail?
Taiwanese sausage.
Those things hanging, which ones are pretty?
I would say the owls are pretty, the bamboo stick the owls are hanging on, pretty too.

還有牠們，美嗎？

睡態美還是毛毛美？

牠們的尾巴很特別美。

...and sleeping dogs.
Are they beautiful? 

Sleeping beauty or fur beauty?
The tails are very unique.
We're just going to let sleeping dogs lie. :-)
意思是：不要惹是生非。

還有還有，很重要的。
...and an outhouse.

今天是雙十節即是國慶假日，真擔心整條步道都是人龍慢慢龜行。
還好只在一些狹小的路段而已，大致交通順行。

兩個小時來回步道。

That day was 10/10, Taiwan's National Day holiday, I was worrying the trail would be crowded, and we'd be moving at turtle speed the whole way.
It only seemed crowded in the narrow areas; the foot traffic was not so bad.

 It took about 2 hours to walk in and back out.

綱上說砂卡礑是太魯閣最美的步道。

我不確定。因為。。
我本來計劃走多一條 - 燕子口步道，但被取消了。

 

通過這彎彎曲曲的中央山脈前往清境農場。

 I planned to walk another trail, but it was cancelled.
We were on the winding mountain road, headed to QingJing Farm.

我們到時，半小時就要關門了。

It was only a half hour before closing time when we arrived at the farm, so we didn't go inside.

至少從門檻偷看一下，噢。。。心。

一定得拍個照。

I peeked through the gate. Oh, a heart shape decoration!

 I had to get a photo.

''工作了整天，終於可回家了。"

"What a long workday, finally time to head back home."

最黑的扮個臉問: "告訴我，誰的臉最像馬？''

The darkest one asked: "Tell me, whose face looks like a horse?"

白的回答：''。。。"

你知是什麼答案嗎？

The white one answered: "......."

Do you know the answer?

非常俊美。

They are so beautiful.

他們都是。

但我想説，馬。讓我衝動想學騎馬。

 I dream about having a horse and learning to ride.

第四天在旅館享用豐盛的自助早餐。
The fourth day, we had an excellent buffet breakfast in the hotel.

別人桌上的剩餘。
Some people waste food.

早餐後，到旅館外走走。

霧氣涼涼，山景優美。

沒多住一晚，好好欣賞景色，實在太倉促。

We walked out from the hotel after breakfast and looked at the view - cool and nice!  We arrived late the night before, so didn't see the beautiful view when we arrived. 

We should have stayed one more night to enjoy more here, but we were in a hurry to move on to the next place.

起程前往中台禪寺。

We went to ChungTai Chan monastery.

免費參觀大殿。

The Hall is free entry.

另有一間幾層樓的博物館(票價100台幣)，很多物件，花了很多時間看寶物。

We spent a long time in the museum (NT$100), a lot of things to see. It is amazing.

經過埔裡，遇上遊神隊。
After leaving the monastery, we passed through the little town of PuLi, which was having a festival.



隊伍不長。

The main road was closed for a few minutes as several processions carrying portable shrines merged onto the main road from side streets and all paraded down the street together.

(這讓我想起去年回馬來西亞時，特地到柔佛古廟觀看那盛大的遊神慶典，一年一度，慎重裝潢花車，精彩的舞龍，各各團隊出動各項表演。。隊伍長得讓我兩小時都看不完。)

到日月潭的旅店時已兩點，職員給我們一張小地圖向我們解說，時間不多，得趕緊去買一套(360台幣)的遊船、乘纜車和坐公交車去景點。

We headed to Sun Moon Lake.

After we checked into the hotel, it was 2 pm. The staff gave us a map and advised us to buy a day tour package that included the boat, cable car and bus (NT$360). Hurry, you don't have much time.

我們忽忽的跟他指示，去遊船湖停玄光寺站。
看一看寺廟之後，再乘船下纜車站。

We followed the map and took the boat ride across the lake to a temple.

纜車上看山湖，霧濛濛，好像蒙著一層紗巾。美啊！

Then back onto the boat to the cable car station.
The lake was beautiful with the mist.

再乘下山，去車站。
We took the cable car back again, then went to the Peacock Garden by bus.

我們停在孔雀園，下雨著。
孔雀可沒像我們這麼傻在籠外。

籠裡籠外。是你看我還是我看你？

It was raining, so all the peacocks were in their cages, with a few people standing in the rain outside the cages looking at them.

  The peacocks were laughing at the silly humans.

沒什麼好看。走去文武廟。

走進去才知道是後端，很大很長依山而建，這樣更好，我們往下樓階向廟前。

After that, we walked down the road to Wen Wu Temple. 

 We arrived at the back side of temple, where it was better to walk down the several levels of stairs towards the front, instead of starting at the front and then having to walk all the way up, then back down the stairs. It is built on a hill.

你能拿起這把青龍刀嗎？

Do you think you can lift up the Blue Dragon halberd?
The sign says it weighs 175 kg.

能的話，你很神！

If yes, you might be a 'god'!

廟前旁有個車站，不用爬上梯級回。呼，太好了！

There is a  bus stop in front of the temple, so luckily we don't need to walk back up.

我們的旅店房設計像給渡蜜月的。
不過，適合我剛好那天生日入住呵。

選擇在緬甸團前來台灣遊，也是我的密謀 ~ 生日禮物。謝謝相公，還有生日紅包。快樂！

This hotel room seemed decorated for a honeymoon couple. 

However, that night was my birthday.
I decided to go to Taiwan before the Myanmar trip, so I could celebrate my birthday during the trip. Thanks to my XiangGong

註：有些照片來自Lim攝影。

P/S: Some photos from Lim.

待續。。

To be continued..