Day 10

Day 10

Again, I'm writing this entry the day after, so I hope I don't forget too much because there was a lot to remember. I had a VERY busy day, starting with getting up at 4 am to drive to a mountain. I actually slept in the car on the way up to the mountain, but the long drive was absolutely worth it. I will have to write to my friend Jane to get the name of the mountain again (Jane if you're reading this, please comment with the name somewhere), but the basic meaning is that when you go to that place you will forget your problems. I have to say that it's very true.

At the beginning of our hike, I wasn't sure if we were going to make it. The incline was about 60%, and I was worried we would have to climb up through the tea tree fields that dotted the hillside. However, there was a paved road going up the hill, which made it a little easier (although, I can see how it would have been a little slippery at times). I'm not sure how far we hiked (maybe a mile) up this hill, but when we got to the top, I was absolutely amazed. It could have been better if we had gotten there earlier when the mist was still on the pond at the top, but this is one situation where I can't describe it in words so much. It was a very spiritual experience and one I will never choose to forget.

After coming back down from the mountain, we stopped by a replica of a Japanese village. This was the obligatory tourist trap visit, and WOW, there were people everywhere. However, we got a few pictures, and I was still glad we stopped there, if for no other reason than having something different to do.

Probably the most emotional experience of the day was a visit to one of the most beautiful schools I have seen. It's an old Japanese era elementary school that is still being used today. On the weekends, they allow people to visit the school grounds and take pictures. For those of you who knew my mother, she was a devoted elementary school teacher who loved kids. I think if I were to share the pictures, her eyes would light up more from these pictures than any of the others, especially since she also had a passion for history and learning about the past. Anyway, I held back tears the whole time I was there, but it was amazing to see a part of Taiwan's history that is so amazingly beautiful and STILL is functioning today.

I don't have any pictures right now to share for my next stop, but I had the opportunity to attend a traditional Taiwanese wedding party. I was fascinated for more reasons than the fact that I was the only white guy there (an honor in and of itself to have been invited). This was the first time ever (and possibly the last) that I've crashed a wedding. I was not really prepared to deal with a 12 course meal (including appetizer and dessert). What an experience...truly an honor to have had the family come over and thank me for being there. All I have to tell them is "Kongshi" (congratulations).

After the wedding we went to Taichung, where I saw a lot more temples, a lot more people, and had a traditional Taiwanese snack (sort of like ice cream). I was pretty tired after this part of our visit and decided to pass on the night market, so we went to dinner at a Hong Kong style restaurant that was more similar to an American style restaurant (sort of) and then came back to the house to rest. Once again, it truly was an amazing experience that I will never forget, nor do I want to forget it. I hope next time others will join me on this adventure of a lifetime.