The weather is at its coldest and rainy in Taipei and we are busy at Pristine as John arrives on January 8. John is keen to go bike riding and we are looking to a multi-day trip along the east coast and a ride through Taroko Gorge 太魯閣峽谷 later in the week.
We drive to Wulai 烏來 in cool drizzly weather. Hot spring soakers are visible on the far opposite bank in the natural hot springs along the river. We visit the Wulai Atayal Museum 烏來泰雅民族博物館, walk along the old Wulai town street 烏來老街, eat in an Atayal restaurant and drive a little further through the village to see the Wulai waterfall 烏來瀑布 which is full from recent rains. Wulai is a mountainous area in the southern part of Taipei county famous for its hot springs and the area is a home of the Atayal people. Wulai has the largest settlement of aborigines in Taipei county, all Atayal. The Atayal are the third-largest indigenous group of Taiwanese aborigines with a population of 85,888. The "Taiwanese original inhabitants" 臺灣原住民 number more than 530,000 making up 2.3% of the island's population. Their ancestors lived on Taiwan for 5,500 years in isolation before a major Han immigration began in the 17th century. Taiwanese aborigines are Austronesian peoples, not ethnically related to the peoples of the Asian mainland, including the Han Chinese peoples.
We arrange to borrow a mountain bike from James and collect the bicycle Justin had used from the basement of Patricia's building after returning from Wulai. The next morning, under cold but clearing skies we head out to explore one of the regular short river loops but impulsively decide to extend the ride with a challenging climb over Lion's head mountain 獅仔頭山.
Memorial for the Jungle Camp of Kukutsu where more than 300 Allied POWs spent their last weeks as captives of the Japanese in Taiwan between May and August of 1945
Lion's head mountain 獅仔頭山 look out point is the 630m peak of a 37 km bike loop.
Dalongdong Baoan Temple 大龍峒保安宮 known as Baoan Temple 保安宮 is a Taiwanese folk religion temple built in the Datong District by Tong'an, Xiamen, Fujian, immigrants in 1742. The temple was recognized as a historic monument and underwent repairs and renovations in 1995.
The Taipei Confucius Temple 臺北孔子廟 is modeled after the original Confucius Temple in Qufu, Shandong, China. The Taipei Confucius Temple was built in 1879.
A post-volcanic geological site, Xiaoyoukeng 小油坑 is located on northwestern corner even Star Mountain 七星山, 805 m above sea level. The area is known for fumaroles (mountain-side sulphur gas exhaust), hot springs and sulphur crystals.
Uhrshawan Battery 二沙灣砲台 aka "Tenable Gate of the Sea" 海門天險 is a battery emplacements camp overlooking Keelung harbor built during the Qing 清 era in 1840 by Yao Ying 姚瑩 to fend off British assaults during the Opium War 鴉片戰爭. It was the site of combat between French and Chinese forces during the Sino-French War 清法戰爭 and was the command post of Liu Ming-chuan 劉銘傳, who was later appointed by the Qing court as the first governor of Taiwan. During the French occupation of Keelung it was renamed Fort La Galissonnière by the invaders, after the French ironclad which had bombarded it in August 1884. The French built a cemetery nearby in which around 500 dead French soldiers and sailors who died during the campaign were buried (most of them victims of cholera and other diseases rather than battle casualties). The battery was bombarded during the Battle of Keelung on 3 June 1895, and was captured by the Japanese.
Strong wind over the years had eroded the coastal area of Heping Island, forming rocks with fantastic shapes. The park was under military control until control was gradually lifted in the 1960s and 1970s. The park island is connected to Keelung mainland with the Heping Bridge.
John goes to the National Palace Museum 故宮博物院 on his own while Tammy and Philip catch up on work projects and take Kanie to the vet to sew up a cut. We have decided that it is too challenging to extend our visit southward and will limit the tour to Taipei.
The National Palace Museum in Taipei has a collection of nearly 700,000 pieces of ancient Chinese imperial artifacts and artworks. The collection encompasses 8,000 years of history of Chinese art from the Neolithic age to the modern. Most of the collection are high quality pieces collected by China's emperors. When fighting worsened in 1948 between the Communist and Nationalist armies, some of the most prized items of China's collection were moved to Taiwan in three groups from Nanking to the harbor in Keelung, Taiwan between December 1948 and February 1949. A total of 2,972 crates of artifacts from the Forbidden City moved to Taiwan only accounted for 22% of the crates originally transported south.
Hike up Elephant mountain (Xiangshan) 象山 at 183 m with Tammy from the eastern terminus of the red subway line in eastern Taipei to get a view of the Taipei 101, formerly the tallest building in the world.
Breakfast for dinner at Toasteria in Yongkang 永康
Early dinner at Toasteria on Xinyi Rd. John very much appreciated the food and the fact that we could have breakfast for dinner!
Lungshan Temple of Manka 艋舺龍山寺 is a Buddhist temple in the Wanhua 萬華 District of Taipei. The temple was built in Taipei in 1738 by settlers from Fujian 福建 during Qing 清 rule in honor of Guanyin 觀世音菩. It served as a place of worship and a gathering place for the Chinese settlers. In addition to its Buddhist elements, it includes halls and altars to Chinese deities such as Mazu 媽祖 and Guan Yu 關羽. The temple has been destroyed either in full or in part in numerous earthquakes and fires but Taipei residents have consistently rebuilt and renovated it. The temple was rebuilt during Japanese rule. Most recently, it was hit by American bombers during the Taihoku Air Raid 臺北大空襲 on May 31, 1945, during World War II
Bangka Night Market 廣州街夜市 on Guangzhou Street just next to Lungshan Temple 龍山寺, while not as flashy as Shilin night market, preserves an authentic and local Taiwanese style. The market is packed with diverse food and interesting games.
Shiding 石碇 was a thriving town during the Qing Dynasty located on the route to Yilan and known for its coal mining and tea trading.
Walk over Bitan 碧潭 bridge and final fruit snack at home
