Day 11
Got a ride from Ding Hong who works in Sun Moon Lake Hotel Fleur de Chine by WenWuSi. It is near the visitor's center. He left a whole half an hour earlier than usual to give me a mini tour in his car. He would just stop the car on the road, didn't pull over or park and wanted to know if I wanted to get off the car to take photos. I sat and waited for him not knowing this is how it is done, just stop the car on the road. I didn't get off the car because I didn't know that was just called pulled over and parked the car.
I bought a day pass for 80NT, unlimited on and off bus ride around the lake. I did my home work cross referencing various tour guide and maps on visit sites and trails. I started at the end of the bus ride at Hsuan Zhang Monastery. I checked out the spots out the window and decided how to edit my itinerary. The ride on the bus was a stomach turner. Can't ride with a full stomach. The mountain turns and the speed at which the bus driver was driving in was like,..... India! I was sitting only in the 2nd row and it was terrible. This rules out all mountain bus ride in central Taiwan for me. I was considering it to get to the east side of the coast, totally ruling it out. Trains it is! Trains only!
I came to bow to Venerable Hsuan Zhang's relics. I went to the third floor and discovered it was empty. I was told there was roof problems and they are remodeling. The relics won't be on display until remodeling is finished. I was shown the picture of the relic and it's an entire piece of his skull. All the shariras are crystalized and embeded in the skull peice. It's pretty cool. Looked like gems were embeded.
On the second floor at the Guan Yin alter there was a fortune stick vending machine. It's pretty cool. Put in 10NT coin and the doll rolls backward and makes a u-turn inside the gate and pick up the tube with a scroll with your fortune inside and spins back out and dumps the tray into the exit slot and you get to pick up your fortune. Given that you can pull it out of the tube. It took me a long time. Requires skill, in my opinion.
On the first floor there are Shakyamuni Buddha's relic. I honestly wondered if it was real.
This is the terrace outside the main hall. There is a visitor's place and you are poured a cup of red tea and a place of green tea pumpkin seeds. I am not a fan of red tea. I'll drink it, it's just not the first thing I reach for. The pumpkin seeds are delicious. Some how I can't seem to eat more than a few in general. It must be high in,... many things. I sat in this terrace on stone seats for awhile enjoying the lake and the mountains and the view. I knew then that this day would just be like this. Find a nice spot to take in the air and the sky and the trees and sip tea.
This is my small camel hydro pack that I was going to replace when the water sack was leaking a few weeks ago in Tahoe. Since it was leaking because I failed to screw the pipe in, no need for replacement, or no excuse to get a new one. I complained it was small and I could use a bigger one. Well, really I haven't used it in awhile and forgot about all the expandible zipper compartments and pull out net sack etc... Check out how big it is. These are the items in my pack.
camera, itouch, itouch charger, sd card reader, usb drive, cell phone, wallet, 2 tissue packets, chopsticks, 2 instant noodle bowls, 4 oranges, map, cookies, crackers, tea canteen, hat, notebook, 3 pens, keys, cedar oil bottle.
I went to Ita Thao area where aboriginal tribes are located. It was noon time and today is the hotest day of the week. I checked out the tribal performance and found it uninteresting. I left half way. One of the dancers who weren't performing at the time asked me to fill out a evaluation. I answered it to honesty. Did the performers perform to their enthusiasm-Yes Would you come again-No. The performer was gravely disappointed and showed lack of understanding why I wouldn't want to come again. I found it tacky and cheesy personally but others really enjoyed it. Guests were invited to learn to dance Ita Thao way.
This is the classic straw shoe now done with modern materal. I still like the braiding style.
Puffed rice treats in various flavors.
This was taken at the parking lot. This couple drove their own mini van and pulled out a make shift table and chair to play chinese chess, I think.
This is the classic way of drying your own turnip.
Check out the sign on the window, claiming to be International Youth Hostel. It's fake! There just the look of the building you can tell this is not up to international Youth Hosteling standard. The one by the cable lift at the Youth Activity Center is the real one. It's like that all over asia, if it is not listed on the website, don't trust it. All International Youth Hostel has a code of standard it follows.
Guess what I brought for lunch today. I also like this brand of instant noodel. It's WeiLI ZaJiang Mian. This one comes with 2 bowls. One for soup and other for dried noodels. I only had to wait for a few minutes on this one becuase I had an air tight method to cooking the noodles. I sat at the Seven Eleven chair and table.
After lunch I went to Butterfly garden. I really like this area. The nature path was pretty. Doesn't this look very Edward's meadow from Twilight?
This is a very small place but was pretty. I really liked looking at the flowers, greenery and all the butterflies. This is the butterfly season in Sun Moon Lake and begining of firefly season in Alishan. I stayed in the garden for awhile too because I enjoyed walking softly and standing still to feel the butterly flutter all around me.
I walked to the Youth Activity Center, that also houses International Youth Hosteling guests. This is also the trail head up the mountain. I like this area a lot. It's pretty here. I sat under the pine trees at the wooden chair and table, had tea and fruits. The fruits here are very delicious and famous in Nantou.
There was a female dog with a right paw missing flesh with bones exposed. Wow, what a sight!
