Mt. Ali

Sunrise in the peaks
Mt. Ali is one of the signature spots in Taiwan to watch sunrise (when the weather’s great) and misty clouds, or yun hai (cloud seas) when it rains. A walk inside the forest will allow you to greet the thousand year old cypress trees in Mt. Ali. Some even have generations of trees growing on top of the older generations of trees, turning the forest into canopies and canopies of different shades of green. Those who want to watch sunrise will need to take the early morning train that starts at around 5:30am to see the sunrise at around 7am. Built for the Japanese’s exploitation of forestry resources of its colony in the 19th century, the train has re-opened partially after a typhoon damaged the railway a few years ago. The 64-year old man who introduces visitors to the area is a hoot when he talks and will wake up any one who can’t stand waking up in the wee hours of the morning or get impatient waiting for the sun to come out. A railway museum along with the highest altitude elementary school in Taiwan can also be found on the forest walk. Going up and down the winding mountain roads are a bit of a challenge for those who get car sick easily (like me!). Along the way, there are lots of high altitude tea plantations. There’s a dedicated plantation by the Tsou tribe that supports the tribal people economically by attracting tourists to watch the cultural dances, shop for locally grown items like coffee and raisins and enjoy the hospitality of the local people.

Hailuogou

Scenic Sichuan
Nestled in the Gongga Mountains, Hailuogou is the only glacier and forest park in China. Walking in the park in the mornings and evenings is like walking on clouds with clouds of mist surrounding you. The air in the forest is known to be fresh enough to be bottled into oxygen tin cans that are sold in polluted cities in other parts of China. After a dizzy ride on the shuttle bus and a short scenic cable car ride, we were welcomed with freezing cold temperatures. It’s no surprise that many who have tried conquering the mountain have lost their lives and there’s actually a plaque commemorating hikers who lost their lives in the mountains.

In the downtown area of the Tibetan influenced town of Moxi which is where most people stay overnight before and after visiting Hailougou is a Catholic church. The building is pretty worn down could use some donation from tourists. It has historical significance in that it was the headquarters of the Red Army during the Long March and Chairman Mao actually stayed there. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse of the snow-capped peaks on the way down from the mountains, but the 6000+ metre peaks are clouded in mist most of the time. A visit to Hailuogou warrants a stop at the mineral hot spring that stinks of sulphur dioxide but the water is oh so good for your skin and health! Even you don’t stay overnight, a couple of hours at the hot spring will take all your troubles away. 

Chengdu

Hotpots and pandas

Sauntering in Chengdu's old town heightened our senses and especially our appetites. From stuffed pineapples and lamb skewers and the ultimate spicy hotpot, this is where the locals and tourists feast. Fried spiders and scorpions are also options if you dare. But what kept our curiosity heightened the whole time is of course the giant panda sanctuary! The one we visited isn’t the biggest one, but it’s located in Ya An-the original birthplace of the giant panda. These adorable creatures were hanging upside down from trees so it took awhile to spot them. There are also “sea turtles”, which are the pandas that are returned home after a stint in a foreign zoo. They’re pretty much panda diplomats that help to strengthen China’s relations with other countries. Because pandas have a tendency to squash their cubs after giving birth and some are even fearful of their babies, baby pandas are kept separate to prevent adults from killing them.