Miaoli Travel: The Chrysanthemum Morifolium Festival

Travel Date: 2018/11/27

Today, we visited Miaoli to see the blooming chrysanthemums. Despite the less-than-ideal weather, the view was still beautiful. Many people had also come to see the flowers, making it a bit crowded and challenging to find parking space on the small roads. Around Tongluo, there are several places where you can enjoy the flowers and also find food stalls and vendors selling fresh and dried flowers. Don't miss the opportunity to try chrysanthemum tea, it's quite delightful. If you arrive early enough, you can witness the workers picking the flowers.

Every year, Tongluo Township organizes the Chrysanthemum Morifolium Festival, which starts on November 8th. This year, the chrysanthemum fields cover 60 hectares, making it the largest of its kind in Taiwan. Jiuhu Village, with its ample sunlight and heavy fog, is particularly suitable for growing chrysanthemums. The farming area initially covered 18 hectares in 1971 but has expanded over time. In 2012, they developed a pesticide-free cultivation method, which involves cutting off the buds that are most likely to have insects and drying them under the sun to prevent infestations. This reduced the use of pesticides by more than 90%.

Chrysanthemums are cold-resistant and can tolerate temperatures ranging from 10°C to 32°C. They can grow in sunny or slightly shaded areas and are resistant to dryness. The flowering period begins in November and lasts for three months, with blossoms in white, yellow, and occasionally purple. In some parts of Asia, chrysanthemums symbolize happiness and long life, while in Europe, they are associated with death and are used for funerals and graves. In Australia, they are popular flowers for Mother's Day.

Chrysanthemum morifolium is not only visually appealing but also has medicinal uses. It has been cultivated since the 15th century BC in China. The flowers can be used in various products such as bath essence, shampoo, hand lotion, and masks. Medicinally, they can treat dysentery, inflammation, lower blood pressure, and strengthen the body. Chrysanthemum tea is a popular beverage, and the leaves can be used in culinary preparations. Chemical analysis has shown that chrysanthemums contain volatile oil, amino acids, flavonoids, vitamins, and trace elements, which contribute to their health benefits.

See also: Chrysanthemum Tea

  

Address:

366苗栗縣銅鑼鄉九湖村10鄰92-16號九湖農場

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Keelung Travel: Fairy Cave and Buddha's Hand Cave

Travel Date: 2018/11/10

Today's weather isn't good, it has been rainy since the morning. I hope this doesn't ruin our trip. I have chosen six places to visit: Golden Waterfall, Remains of 13 Levels, Yin Yang Sea, Elephant Trunk Rock, Helping Island Park, and the Fairy Cave and Buddha's Hand Cave.

It's our second time visiting Golden Waterfall and Remains of 13 Levels. This time, we are not traveling alone; a nice guy from Slovakia has joined us. I don't often have the chance to meet other foreigners, so it's pretty nice. I hope this trip is really interesting for him.

It's time to visit the last place on our list - a temple in the cave. There are two caves near each other, and we are going to see both of them. These caves are among the many natural marine caves in Keelung.

Fairy Cave / Xiandongyan Zuisheng Temple (仙洞巖最勝寺)

Finding this place isn't difficult. In front of the cave, you will see the gate of the temple and a Buddha sculpture a little further up. The cave is open for tourists every day from 8am to 5pm.

No one knows when the shrine inside the cave was built. It's said that a fairy used to live inside the cave, which is why it is named Fairy Cave. In 2006, the cave was announced as a Cultural Landscape.

The Fairy Cave was naturally formed by sea erosion and is the largest cave in Keelung, spanning over 80 meters in length. The cave is divided into two parts: the left one and the right one.

The right cave is quite big but not very deep. On the walls, you can see carvings of Buddhas and calligraphy from the Qing Dynasty. There are also a few Buddha sculptures where people come to pray.

The area around this cave used to be an important fortress during the Qing Dynasty. Inside the cave, you will also see Buddhist statues that were left after Japanese rule. There are many poems and other calligraphy left on the walls as well.

The left cave is a narrow tunnel but much deeper. If you decide to go there, you should be careful of people walking back. This part of the cave is quite small, and sometimes you may have to almost kneel down to finally arrive and see the Buddha sculpture, where people are praying.

Buddha's Hand Cave (佛手洞)

Close to the Fairy Cave, you can see another one called the Buddha's Hand Cave. There is not much to see inside this cave. It doesn't have sculptures, and no one prays here. So, what attracts people to this cave? It's a huge handprint on the stone ceiling, resembling the hand of Buddha.

Inside the cave, there are several chambers, so you should follow the signs on the walls to get to see the Buddha's Hand. The handprint was created due to weathering and resembles the hand of Buddha.

Keelung Shengan Temple (基隆聖安宮)

You can also climb higher up to the park and Shengan Temple. From here, you can see Keelung Harbor, a lighthouse, and an old fort on the mountains in the west side.

The founder of the temple, Shuangzong, was originally a railway employee in the Dajia area during the Japanese occupation period. Later, he gathered Dajia folks who came to work in Keelung and formed a pilgrimage group. They visited Beigang Chaotian Temple with Zhenlan Palace and established the tradition of returning to Zhenlan Palace for incense grabbing. In the same year, villagers from the Xiandong area invited the Heavenly Virgin Liu Ma to visit the Keelung Xiandong area and enshrined her in the Xiandong Rock.

The pilgrimage group continued to visit Zhenlan Palace in Dajia, and with the approval of the chairman Guo Jinkun, Liu Ma's spirit was separated to the west bank of Keelung Harbor. The statue was initially enshrined in Xiandongyan and later in rented houses, which eventually led to the establishment of the Sheng'an Palace. In 1967, the temple was officially built at its current location on Zhongshan 3rd Road.

In 1993, construction began on a new temple, which took nearly 20 years to complete. The temple features a town hall Mazu and two fairies carved from camphor wood, which were consecrated in 2012. The chairman Shuang Jinchun expressed his hope to rebuild the temple into a five-story museum if funds allow.

Sacrificial activities at Sheng'an Palace include annual pilgrimages to Zhenlan Palace on March 20 of the lunar calendar and the driving around the border ceremony. The pilgrimage is warmly welcomed by the directors, supervisors, and local residents of Zhenlan Palace.

Address:

20343基隆市中山區仁安街1號仙洞巖最勝寺

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New Taipei Travel: Rock formations of Northern Coast - Elephant Rock

Sad Update:

Travel Date: 2018/11/10

Today's weather isn't good, it has been rainy since the morning. I hope this doesn't ruin our trip. I have chosen six places to visit: Golden Waterfall, Remains of 13 Levels, Yin Yang Sea, Elephant Trunk Rock, Helping Island Park, and the Fairy Cave and Buddha's Hand Cave.

It's our second time visiting Golden Waterfall and Remains of 13 Levels. This time, we are not traveling alone; a nice guy from Slovakia has joined us. I don't often have the chance to meet other foreigners, so it's pretty nice. I hope this trip is really interesting for him.

I was amazed after visiting Yehliu Geopark three months ago, so I wanted to see Elephant Trunk Rock this time. The Northern Coast of Taiwan is truly beautiful, with its many rock formations and algae-covered volcanic stones. We have already seen Golden Waterfall and Yin Yang Sea today. Despite the rain, today is a really nice day.

Elephant Trunk Rock (象鼻岩)

One of the most famous rock formations in New Taipei is Elephant Trunk Rock. It's a really nice place to visit, and the sea around it looks beautiful. There is a short trail from the parking area, and you need to climb a little before you can see this view. Today, it was rainy, so the ground was slippery, making it a little difficult to climb.

On the way to this rock, you can also see other rock formations, like mushroom rocks. Why do the stones have this shape? A few months each year, the place is under the influence of monsoon and wave erosion. The rocks decompose due to direct contact with the atmosphere, a process called weathering. You can also see Keelung Islet in the sea.

The view from Elephant Trunk Rock is really nice, but you should be careful when walking there. If the weather is rainy, the stones can be slippery, and you could fall into the sea. Also, don't wear slippers when coming to this place! I have seen other foreigners wearing slippers, and that's really not a smart idea.

This place is really crowded with people.

The Elephant Trunk Rock is located in the village called Shen-ao. The village has a sandstone terrain, mostly composed of a seaside rocky area and hillsides. If you walk to the other side of the harbor, you can also see a huge sandstone.

In the harbor, you will see many fishing boats and some stalls selling seafood.

We also wanted to visit Heping Island Park (和平島海濱公園). During the Spanish occupation, castles, churches, and fortresses were built here for business trades with China and Japan. San Salvador Castle is the only one in Keelung. Before World War II, the island was called Sheliao Island and was under military control until the 1960s. In Heping Island Park, you can also see the unique landscape of sea-eroded rocks. The entrance fee is 80 NTD for adults, but we decided not to go inside due to the rainy weather.

See aslo: Yehliu Geopark

Address:

224新北市瑞芳區深澳岬角 象鼻岩景觀區

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New Taipei Travel: Golden Waterfall of Jinguashi Mining Area

Travel Date: 2018/11/10

Today's weather isn't good, it has been rainy since the morning. I hope this doesn't ruin our trip. I have chosen six places to visit: Golden Waterfall, Remains of 13 Levels, Yin Yang Sea, Elephant Trunk Rock, Helping Island Park, and the Fairy Cave and Buddha's Hand Cave.

It's our second time visiting Golden Waterfall and Remains of 13 Levels. This time, we are not traveling alone; a nice guy from Slovakia has joined us. I don't often have the chance to meet other foreigners, so it's pretty nice. I hope this trip is really interesting for him.

Golden Waterfall (黃金瀑布)

The special golden color of the water can be seen at Golden Waterfall. Due to the rich rainfall, minerals are washed out of the stones, causing the water to appear yellow as it falls into the river and eventually into the sea. The color of the waterfall is not the result of mining, but rather it has existed long before the mining period. The color is natural and caused by heavy metals in the ground. The water has a beautiful golden color when illuminated by sunlight, but it is toxic and touching it is not recommended. Golden Waterfall is not very big, but it is a truly beautiful place to visit. Going near the water or taking soil from the area is not allowed.

Yin Yang Sea (陰陽海)

From this place, you can also take a look at Yin Yang Sea. Located on the Northern Coast, Yin Yang Sea is definitely a unique landscape. The name comes from the contrast between the yellowish-brown water and the natural blue color of the sea. Initially, people thought the yellow color of the water was due to pollution from the Taijin Company. However, this copper company stopped operations a few years ago, yet the sea still maintains its distinct colors. The mysterious color of the sea has been explained through geological studies.

Yin Yang Sea is formed naturally due to the high concentration of minerals. The Jinguashi area, rich in iron, copper, and pyrite deposits, results in underground water taking on the color of these minerals. When a large amount of water is discharged into the sea, the yellowish-brown color becomes visible on the surface, although it does not persist at great depths.

Remains of the Thirteen Levels (十三層遺址) 

Near this area, you can also see the Remains of the Thirteen Levels, also known as the Shuinandong Smelter (水湳洞精煉廠). It is a Japanese-era copper smelting refinery that is now one of the abandoned places in Taiwan.

The Shuinandong Smelter was built in 1933 and operated by war prisoners during the Japanese occupation. It was the largest smelter in Asia at that time.

The area was rich in gold and copper, but the output began to decline in the 1970s, leading to the abandonment of the site.

The smelter's construction is built on a hillside and actually has 18 levels. Additionally, it has one of the world's longest concrete pipeline ventilation systems, measuring over 1000 meters in length.

You can read more about this place in my another blog post.

See also: Remains of Thirteen Levels

Address:

1. Golden Waterfall: 224新北市瑞芳區金水公路黃金瀑布
2. Yin and Yang Sea: 224新北市瑞芳區濓新里陰陽海
3. Remains of Thirteen Levels: 224新北市瑞芳區水湳洞選煉廠遺址

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