18 | AN ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME
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TAIWAN - HOME TO THE CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL HERITAGE OF CHINA
...continued from pg. 17
extremely intricate pattern in its folds. It is an art that has to been seen to be believed. This is not simple Christmas decoration cutting (I used to make those snowflakes as a kid), this was full landscapes and pretty Chinese girls cut into paper. After the demonstration we were all keen to purchase a piece of artwork. We were invited to browse the shop and completely by luck I happened to find a three layered paper cutting of a beautiful Autumn landscape. It was the only one he had so I scooped it up sharpish!
That night we slept in comfy beds in a warm room, it really did feel like a little bit of heaven on earth. I woke the next morning fresh and ready to take on the next part of our challenge.
Day six saw us back on the coach again on our way to the Guebikou section of the Great Wall - we were to walk from an older section of the wall and arrive back at the new section in Jinshanling that evening. Although some mist had started to descend over the mountains, we were still able to see the Miyun reservoir and the Wangling Tower rising in the distance. Jinshanling is one of the best preserved areas of the Great Wall. It was originally made of huge bricks, each of which weighed about 12 kilograms (26 pounds). The section we followed had all of its five main passes and 67 watch towers restored - it was truly a spectacular hike and offered some wonderful photo opportunities.
The sun was shining and we took shelter in one of the old watch towers for the lunch break - you can bet Genghis Khan never had it so good when he broke through the Great Wall with his Mongol hordes! By now we had started to count the watch towers as markers for how much longer we would be walking that day. Boy where we glad to reach the last one! We headed down off the mountain along a steep path where our coach was waiting to take us to our next accommodation. That night we stayed in Mutianyu. The rooms were panelled in wood so they resembled log cabins - and smelled like them too, especially when the heating was on, you got that lovely sauna smell. Dinner that night was a feast, followed by a girlie night in our cabin - hot chocolate and snickers all round! Day eight, and our last day of trekking on the Great Wall. We left the hotel and took a coach to the outskirts of a small village. From here we began our final day of trekking. Walking through the streets we saw the beginnings of a new day in a Chinese village… kids heading out on what could be a long
BY ROBIN NOWACKI
ESSENTIALLY Taiwan is pure China – the government of the Republic of China deposed by the communist takeover on the Chinese mainland came to this offshore island in 1949 – creating an alternative capitalist state - and as a result the few million people who fled here at the time escaped the influences of Chairman Mao Zedong’s “Cultural Revolution”. Today this Far East island state now hopes to lure travellers by offering a delightful sub-tropical fusion of friendly people mixed with a fascinating cultural heritage and fabulous food.
MOUNTAINS, LAKES, AND ABORIGINALS
Around 25 million Taiwanese live on an island roughly the size of Holland, most in a series of towns and cities either on or close to the west coast, the land here relatively flat.
By contrast along the spine of Taiwan lies the spectacular Central Mountain Range with Yushan or Jade Mountain at 3,952 metres the highest peak in this part of Asia. One of a number of national parks here is the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area with stunning mountain and lake views, and the home to some aboriginal inhabitants of Taiwan from the time when the island was known as Formosa.
In fact Sun Moon Lake, the largest in
The trek time for the day was estimated at between 5-7 hours and it took us around six to complete. We arrived back in Jinshanling with plenty of time to spare for a quick beer (there are a few cabins lining the road back down from the wall to the hotel and we took advantage) and a bar of chocolate… a strange but beautiful combination after a day’s trek. Day seven was an early start as we wanted
to make good time. We begun the morning’s trek where we ended the day before. The wall was quite busy with tourists and school educational trips, but we had got an early start and passed the restored section before the majority of the crowds arrived. The wall could be seen for miles, running up and down the mountain like a spine. Before long we found ourselves climbing down onto a path beside the mountain (this marked the end of the restored section) where we walked along beside the mountain for a bit before making our way onto the old section of wall.
moped ride with their mothers to the local primary school, wives beating out rugs in the street and dogs running around our feet excited to meet some strangers. We started the steep climb up a wooded mountain path on the other side of the village. From the top we had the chance to take in some of the breathtaking views across the mountain range stretching for miles in all directions, the Great Wall snaking its way along the top. This section of the Wall is known to be one of the most beautiful parts of the wild wall in Beijing and is loved by many photographers. The trekking time of the day was estimated to take 3-4 hours at a leisurely pace. We all enjoyed the last day on the wall, taking the time out to stop and buy ice lollies from a young boy who had hiked his cold case all the way up the mountainside to sell to anyone walking the wall (there were a couple of groups in the Wall this day).
The end of our trek was marked by the Skyline team leaders who rushed ahead to prepare a ‘finishing line’ for us (a line of trekking t-shirts stretching the width of the wall) and of course soak us in champagne! I was glad to have completed the trek, but also sad that it was over. It was a fantastic experience, definitely a once-in-a-lifetime thing that I will always remember.
Taiwan, was first discovered by the Thao people when hunting in ancient times. An island on the lake, Lalu, is still regarded today by the Thao as the holy residence of the spirits of their ancestors. When Formosa was first colonised in the
17th century by the Dutch and later by the Japanese these aboriginal people remained here. At the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, in a theme park setting with entry by a mountain cable car giving spectacular lake views, there is a remarkable exhibition and celebration of Taiwan’s aboriginal cultures including an impressive indigenous dance performance. (
www.nine.com.tw )There are a number of good sized boats on Sun Moon Lake and it is good to take the chance to board one of these to fully appreciate the beauty of this place and the chance to spot a number of rare indigenous birds – some of more than 80 species to be found here. At dusk and dawn the waters of Sun Moon Lake turn a beautiful misty blue, some of the best views are from the recommended Hotel Del Lago, where I stayed (
www.dellago.com. tw), either at breakfast or diner on the hotel’s lakeside terrace.
For a taste of fabulous Taiwanese cuisine
– series of exotic dishes shared by all - such as the wonderful Banana Fish Roll - the Sun Moon Restaurant is recommended (Tel: 049- 2856806) .
MONKS AND VEGETARIAN MEALS My Taiwanese experience was to include
fine hotels, wonderful dining, and lively cocktail bars, but I was also given the chance to purify both body and soul by entering into a spiritual world at the Fo Guang Shan Monastery.
I was given the opportunity to spend the best part of 24 hours here, joining the Buddhist monks and nuns at dawn for lessons and then sharing with them a vegetarian breakfast eaten in total silence.
Upon entering the monastery one leaves
behind many of the pleasures we enjoy - alcohol, meat, fish, coffee, tea, and even milk, to name but a few.
As a guest I could wear my normal casual
arms and legs. The shaven
but had to dress modestly
clothes, covering headed
monks and nuns wear long woven brown robes with light beige leggings and thick woven boots – for them not even leather sandals are allowed. By day and during the vegetarian dinner in the evening the monks and nuns were quite outgoing and communicative,
February 2024
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