We were given a fantastic gift for New Year’s day: the Glee Club had the day off. I can’t imagine a better way to start the New Year.
The group split into a great variety of trips throughout Taipei. Here are but just a few:
Outing to the Taipei Zoo:
A group of just around ten gleeks woke up early in the morning to go to the Taipei Zoo; it has the reputation of being the biggest zoo in Asia, so our expectations were high! We were not disappointed. We started with animals native to Taiwan, among which was a collared bear (Formosan fauna), then spent time in the insect house trying to catch butterflies! From there we hurried to the Panda house to catch a glimpse of the furry bear: we was eating bamboo near the back of his cage! Finally we ambled around, stumbling on the African and Asian elephants, orangutangs, and many others animals. These sights were made unique by the lush sub-tropical backdrop unique to Taiwan.
Hike into Elephant Mountain:
Around 20 Gleeks used New Year’s Day to go hiking in the ‘Four Beasts’ region, just outside of Taipei. The area is renowned for its beautiful landscape, temples, and spectacular views of the city skyline, especially Taipei 101. Beginning at Elephant Mountain (象山) , we were surprised by both the endless stairs and the sheer volume of selfie-stick armed tourists. At the peak – the main tourist destination – the group separated; some descended back into the city, others hiked a temple viewing trail, while the most adventurous pushed on towards the 9-5 peak (九五峯). Although the sunset forced us to turn back prematurely, we were still rewarded with an amazing view, and our tired souls were somewhat soothed by the melodious tenor notes of a local farmer.
Bike Ride toward the ocean:
Another contingent of 10 gleeks went on a biking trip along the Tansui river that afternoon, with the goal of going all the way to the ocean. I had been told by Albert Ting himself that the sightseeing was incredible and that the riverside had a pathway specifically for bikes; parts of this trail were alluringly called the “Golden Shore.” So after some searching, we found a good quality bike shop that miraculously had the perfect amount of bikes for us. We joined the very well maintained and beautiful bike path; the wide, open views of river branches and mountains beyond were unforgettable. But due to its popularity there were a lot of bikers other than ourselves, so we unluckily got split at a turn. But a rescue party successfully reunited us, and we a witnessed a breathtaking sunset from the river shore. After a final push north we arrived at a train station that we took back to our starting point, tired but proud of the 20ish kilometers covered.
We made our way safely back by subway when night arrived. Once we gave our bikes back, we walked to the nearby night market and had dinner at a restaurant with Hakka ethnic food, and shared duck, noodles and beef dishes to celebrate a day well spent exploring the formidable landscapes of Taiwan.
[more pictures coming soon!]
Authors: Jeffery Durand and Constantin Arnscheidt