sandro in taiwan 2
Dream Lake & Xin Shan
2010/12/18
Dream Lake, Xin Shan, Bee Hive Rocks
One week after my trip to Dutiful Son Mountain my friend Mike came to my room and asked me
for the Taipei Day Trips book I have inherited from Andrej few months ago. We discussed the possible
trips for a while and in the end agreed to go together. We wanted to take some friends, so
we chose some easy, relaxing trip.
In the end we chose the trip to a small hill just in the middle between Taipei and Keelung, called Xin Shan.
We didn't put too much hopes in that area, but in the end it turned out it was really good choice.
We departed at 9:30 from our campus (me, Mike and Irene) and we have met another girl, Oksana from Ukraine,
on the Taipei Main Station.
At first we took a train to Xizhi station and then tried to find the connecting bus. Mike can speak
Chinese quite well so he was the one who asked strangers. We realized there is no morning bus anymore to Xin Shan
and we will have to take taxi, because the next one is two hours later. We stopped one and asked for price. He said he knows the place well and agreed that 100 NT$ (= 60 CZK) is OK.
Later on the driver got lost and he realized he misunderstood the name of the place and the trip is
not worthy only 100 NT$. In fact a price close to 400 NT$ (240 CZK) was more suitable. Have to say
he was fair enough and as he agreed on 100 in the beginning, he didn't want more later.
We have made a stop on an abandoned bus station in the middle of nowhere, only the brown sign for
historical or natural monuments gave us a hint we are on the right place. We took the asphalt road
to the north, passed a pomelo field, several lonely estates and a chicken farm, where we got lost for
10 minutes or so. (The guidebook description was kinda misleading.)
Before long we have found steps carved to the limestone ground and another brown pointer to the left.
After 15 minutes on devastated path we emerged on Dream Lake. It is a small pond with several hills behind
with clean water and nice lookouts. Several couples was making their wedding photos there that time.
No wonder, the view was marvelous and despite its location close to Taipei, the area radiated
its calm atmosphere which made you feel relaxed.
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Breaf check of a map showed us the trip is a circle, which include Xin Shan peak and area called
Bee Hive Rocks. Despite the guidebook description we managed to screw the directions up, turn
left too soon and went the trip counter-clockwise. Actually it didn't matter, however we almost
missed the best and that would be pity.
The ascent to Xin Shan is steep, however quite breaf. After some 30 minutes we reached the peak
and looked down over the cliff into the abyss :) That time we have realized we are at the last place
at at the beginning and after some map checking we turned to the right.
In 10 minutes or so, we came to the area called Bee Hive Rocks. I really don't know why this area
has such a name, however the place was great :) Some 10 rocks, 10x10x10 m big with pointed tip
created the ridge of a mountain slope with wonderful view during the time Sun came out of the clouds.
In some moments, even the Keelung Islet could be seen far behind (about 30 km away).
During the snack time on one of the boulders we have eaten our food supplies and enjoyed the
view to the scenery. Girls, for who the trip was the first hiking adventure, were amazed and seemed
to enjoy the trip very much. We all did, it was really very nice and relaxing trip just beside
Taipei area.
On the way down we have lost our way under the transmission tower. A mid-aged Taiwanese
helped us to return back to Dream Lake from where we have descended back to the bus stop.
We didn't forget to the pomelo field on the way and took few pomelos to restore the energy while
waiting for bus.
Actually the bus was a little tricky and thus even after the trip we "didn't feel" bored. The delay
about one hour seemed to be normal and the bus emerged behind the corner just in the moment when we were
discussing the price with taxi driver. It ended happily - the bus was for free, how nice :)
We have eaten a dinner on Xizhi station and took a train back to Taipei Main Station, where we have got
separated.
2010/12/18 - Dream Lake & Xin Shan [28 pictures]
Dream Lake & Xin Shan Phorum [0 posts]
1199 views
2010/12/18
Dream Lake, Xin Shan, Bee Hive Rocks
One week after my trip to Dutiful Son Mountain my friend Mike came to my room and asked me
for the Taipei Day Trips book I have inherited from Andrej few months ago. We discussed the possible
trips for a while and in the end agreed to go together. We wanted to take some friends, so
we chose some easy, relaxing trip.In the end we chose the trip to a small hill just in the middle between Taipei and Keelung, called Xin Shan. We didn't put too much hopes in that area, but in the end it turned out it was really good choice. We departed at 9:30 from our campus (me, Mike and Irene) and we have met another girl, Oksana from Ukraine, on the Taipei Main Station.
At first we took a train to Xizhi station and then tried to find the connecting bus. Mike can speak Chinese quite well so he was the one who asked strangers. We realized there is no morning bus anymore to Xin Shan and we will have to take taxi, because the next one is two hours later. We stopped one and asked for price. He said he knows the place well and agreed that 100 NT$ (= 60 CZK) is OK.
Later on the driver got lost and he realized he misunderstood the name of the place and the trip is not worthy only 100 NT$. In fact a price close to 400 NT$ (240 CZK) was more suitable. Have to say he was fair enough and as he agreed on 100 in the beginning, he didn't want more later.
We have made a stop on an abandoned bus station in the middle of nowhere, only the brown sign for historical or natural monuments gave us a hint we are on the right place. We took the asphalt road to the north, passed a pomelo field, several lonely estates and a chicken farm, where we got lost for 10 minutes or so. (The guidebook description was kinda misleading.)
Before long we have found steps carved to the limestone ground and another brown pointer to the left. After 15 minutes on devastated path we emerged on Dream Lake. It is a small pond with several hills behind with clean water and nice lookouts. Several couples was making their wedding photos there that time. No wonder, the view was marvelous and despite its location close to Taipei, the area radiated its calm atmosphere which made you feel relaxed.
The ascent to Xin Shan is steep, however quite breaf. After some 30 minutes we reached the peak and looked down over the cliff into the abyss :) That time we have realized we are at the last place at at the beginning and after some map checking we turned to the right.
In 10 minutes or so, we came to the area called Bee Hive Rocks. I really don't know why this area has such a name, however the place was great :) Some 10 rocks, 10x10x10 m big with pointed tip created the ridge of a mountain slope with wonderful view during the time Sun came out of the clouds. In some moments, even the Keelung Islet could be seen far behind (about 30 km away).
During the snack time on one of the boulders we have eaten our food supplies and enjoyed the view to the scenery. Girls, for who the trip was the first hiking adventure, were amazed and seemed to enjoy the trip very much. We all did, it was really very nice and relaxing trip just beside Taipei area.
On the way down we have lost our way under the transmission tower. A mid-aged Taiwanese helped us to return back to Dream Lake from where we have descended back to the bus stop. We didn't forget to the pomelo field on the way and took few pomelos to restore the energy while waiting for bus.
Actually the bus was a little tricky and thus even after the trip we "didn't feel" bored. The delay about one hour seemed to be normal and the bus emerged behind the corner just in the moment when we were discussing the price with taxi driver. It ended happily - the bus was for free, how nice :)
We have eaten a dinner on Xizhi station and took a train back to Taipei Main Station, where we have got separated.
2010/12/18 - Dream Lake & Xin Shan [28 pictures]Dream Lake & Xin Shan Phorum [0 posts]1199 views
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