Things I'll Probably Do During Winter Vacation

Just a handful of days and I'll be starting my winter vacation.  If you don't get a winter vacation, or if you only have the Chinese New Year holiday off, please don't hate me.  I think I've worked hard enough this semester, and I could use the time off.

As soon as I finish up my English winter camp we'll be packing up our cats and heading over to Kaohsiung, where we'll spend most of the break between semesters.  I don't have any ambitious plans for this break, but below are some of the things I'd like to do.

1. Walk the rest of that (damn) "monkey trail"

The proper name for that (damn) "monkey trail" is the Chai Mountain Trail.  I've been up both entrances to "the big loop" several times already, but I've yet to walk/hike all the way around the loop.  Part of the reason for this is my inveterate hatred of monkeys, but another issue is the fact that I haven't had enough time.

I won't feel like I really know Gushan District until I've completed this somewhat onerous task.  Wish me luck?

2. Ride a scooter over to Chaishan Fishing Port

I plan on taking the LRT down to Hamaxing, and from there riding a Ubike the rest of the way.  Is this idea practical?  I'm not sure.

Chaishan Fishing Port is on the other side of the forested ridge that occupies most of Gushan District.  There's a road behind Sun Yat-sen University that leads to it along the coastline.  I doubt the port will be particularly scenic, but like the (damn) monkey trail it's one of those places I've been meaning to visit for a long time.

3. Visit the Kaohsiung (Shoushan) Zoo

I was thinking about it the other day, and I haven't been to the Shoushan Zoo in at least 15 years.  I remember not liking it, but I figure I should give it another try.  They've remodeled it since my last visit, so maybe it's better now.

4. Buy airplane tickets for the summer

I'll be going back to the States for around 3 weeks in July, and tickets are always cheaper if you buy them early.  I'll be staying with my parents in Port Angeles, Washington.  I'd love to also visit my sister in Las Vegas, but I doubt we'll have the money for that.  Las Vegas is expensive.

5. Take pictures of Zuoying

Why?  For this blog, of course!  After Zuoying I'll only have one more coastal district in Kaohsiung, Jiading, to discuss in this blog.  After Jiading I'll be moving on to districts further east.

At this point in time I know Zuoying fairly well.  I pass through it often on the way to and from Gushan, and I've already been to the more touristed parts.  If I have the energy I'd like to walk up Banping Mountain.

6. Take pictures of Xinshr and Shanshang in Tainan

I'm not expecting high adventure in either place, but I'm a completist and I haven't made it up that way yet.  The last two Tainan districts discussed in this blog were Rende and Yongkang, so yeah, Xinshr and Shanshang are next on the list.  After Xinshr and Shanshang I'll be headed even deeper into the mountains, to Yujing, Nanhua and Nanxi.  I plan on visiting those areas in the summer, after I come back from Port Angeles.

7. Hang out with my daughters

This one's kinda self-explanatory.  I live in Taitung, they live in Kaohsiung, and I don't see them as often as I'd like.  It'll be good to catch up.

8. Eat better food?

I don't mean to talk sh*t about the food in Taitung, but let's just say it's not what it used to be.  COVID killed off a lot of restaurants in this area, and the options with regard to international food weren't that great to begin with.  I'm not trying to say that the food/restaurant selection in Kaohsiung is that much better, but there are definitely some foods and types of restaurants that are much easier to find in that city.

When I get bored I watch food videos set in Kaohsiung.  I'd really like to visit some of the places in those videos.

9. Watch a lot of old movies

I'd be watching a lot of old movies anyway, but it will be nice to have more time to watch them.

10. Bike and/or run around Kaohsiung

If I can (I'm not sure if it will fit in the car alongside the cats) I'd like to bring my road bike over.  I've never biked in Kaohsiung before, and going north between Gushan and Tainan sounds interesting.  Highway 1 isn't too far from where I'll be, and hopefully I'll get the chance to bike through the area.

Running?  I could see myself running up the bike trail between Gushan and Zuoying, or maybe south down to Yancheng.  I'm not super excited about navigating Kaohsiung traffic, but it's something to do.

Related Entries:

Those Others on the Other Side of the Other Strait

Thoughts on Pasiwali

Does Kaohsiung Suck?

Knowing and Not Knowing Where I'm Going

Hualien in the News 花蓮的新聞 (South 南) 1

1. Wanrong Township 萬榮鄉

1a. There was a 3.9 magnitude earthquake in Wanrong last week. 下午1時34分花蓮萬榮規模3.9地震  最大震度2級

1b. There are plans to turn Qitsai Lake in Wanrong into a wildlife sanctuary.  The area has become more popular with tourists in recent years, and both the local government and tribes living in the area want to preserve this unique ecosystem. 萬榮鄉七彩湖遊客漸增  林保署邀族人推動保護區 (1)

1c. The Hualien County Magistrate met with the mayor of Wanrong Township to discuss the construction of an ossuary and improvements to a public cemetery there. 縣長徐榛蔚會見萬榮鄉長梁光明  全力支持紅葉村殯葬設施及馬遠公墓改善計畫

2. Guangfu Township 光復鄉

2a. The Hualien County Magistrate recently visited Guangfu to promote the Dahua Drainage Project.  The goals of this project are flood control and environmental sustainability. 花蓮縣政府致力打造永續環境  光復鄉大華大全排水第二期工程啟動

2b. An aid organization plans on building a food bank/storage facility in Guangfu.  This facility is being constructed for the benefit of aboriginal residents in that area. 1919食物銀行首座 "惜食中繼倉"  在花蓮光復鄉太巴塱部落啟動

2c. Another aid organization held a charity concert for senior citizens on New Year's Eve. "找回爺奶的幸福感"  花蓮光復登場  歌聲療癒長者度過2024

3. Fengbin Township 豐濱鄉

3a. The Fengbin Township Office is promoting a "children's birthday gift" policy aimed at improving child welfare in the area.  In accordance with this policy, families in Fengbin receive money from the Township Office in amounts relative to the number and ages of their children. 花蓮豐濱鄉發兒童生日禮金  4年152人受惠

1b. The Fengbin Township Office is working to remove sediment from the Wuming River and to fix a broken water pipe before Chinese New Year.  The sediment was washed down the river during recent typhoons, and with the pipe broken local rice farmers are having trouble getting enough water for their crops. 拚恢復稻作灌溉用水  豐濱公所重接管

1c. Representatives from Lions Club International visited Baliwan Village to donate blankets, cleaning products and other items to those in need. 國際獅子會 "寒冬送暖"  關懷豐濱鄉八里灣

4. Ruisui Township 瑞穗鄉

4a. This article introduces several tourist spots in "post earthquake" south Hualien, Ruisui Ranch among them.  There are pictures of each place in the article. 2025最新 !  震後花蓮還有哪裡可以玩 ?  花蓮南區旅遊景點 , 美食 , 推薦交通一次看

4b. The Butterfly Valley Hot Spring Resort will close its doors forever in February.  Damages incurred during earthquakes and typhoons are the primary reason for this closure. 不敵強震颱風又一家熄燈  營運20年花蓮蝴蝶谷2月熄燈

5. Zhuoxi Township 桌溪鄉

5a. There will be a half marathon in Zhuoxi on April 26.  Aside from the half marathon there will also be 10 and 5K runs. 花蓮隱藏秘境 !  桌溪Masial公益路跑4/26登場

6. Yuli Municipality 玉里鎮

6a. The pop group Mayday has added a stop in Yuli to their schedule.  This show will be next week near the Yuli Train Station and the concert is free. 五月天 "一路向東" 演唱會改期加場 !  1/17-1/19連唱五場免費自由入場 ...

7. Fuli Township 富里鄉

7a. The Ministry of Agriculture is offering financial assistance to farmers in Fuli whose crops were damaged by Typhoon Kangrui.  98% of the rice fields in the township were damaged by heavy rains and winds. 康芮重創農作 !  花蓮富里鄉98%水稻田毀  獲3千萬災捐補助

7b. The Luntian and Mingli bridges, previously damaged during an earthquake, should be open ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday.  There was previously an access road obviating (to some extent) the need for these bridges, but this access road was in turn washed out by typhoon Kangrui. 康芮大水沖毀  花蓮富里兩條重要便橋趕在春節前通車

7c. The Fuli Township Farmer's Association is working with the Ministry of Agriculture to acquire a "lower carbon" label for agricultural products made in that area. Most of these agricultural products, primarily dried daylily flowers, originate on or near Sixty Stone Mountain. 全國第一例 !  著眼綠色經濟  花蓮富里鄉乾金針申請 "碳標籤"

Related Entries 相關的文章:

Zhuoxi Township, Hualien County 花蓮縣卓溪鄉

Tainan in the News 台南的新聞 (South 南) 6

Taitung in the News 台東的新聞 (South 南) 1

Tainan in the News 台南的新聞 (North 北) 6

NOTE: The administrative districts in this entry are probably as far north as I'm going in terms of "taking pictures" for the foreseeable future.  I could see doing "north Hualien" someday, but not until I've finished the rest of south Tainan and Kaohsiung City.  I already visited Fuli and Zhuoxi townships this semester, and next semester I plan on visiting Yuli and Ruisui.  I'll probably get to Wanrong, Guangfu and Fengbin next school year.

1. This lake is WAY up in the mountains, not far from Nantou.

Zhuoxi Township, Hualien County 花蓮縣卓溪鄉

Zhuoxi is northwest of Fuli.  It's a big, mountainous area with a small population.  About a third of Jade Mountain National Park lies within Zhuoxi, and the most easily accessible entrance to this national park is also in the township. 卓溪位於富里的西北部 ，  這裡地大人稀 。卓溪就佔了玉山國家公園面積的三分之一 ，最方便進入國家公園的入口也在這裡。

According to the last census, 6,045 people live in Zhuoxi. 上次的人口統計顯示卓溪的人口是6,045人 。

As you enter Zhuoxi from Yuli Municipality, the first village you'll encounter is Zhuole.  Most of the people living here are members of the Bunun Tribe.  This Catholic church is next to the highway, near the entrance to their village. 從玉里鎮進入卓溪，首先到達的地方是卓樂部落 。  這個部落大部分的居民是布農族， 部落的入口處附近就看到這座公路旁的天主教堂。

This is a statue of Bunun braves during a communal gathering.  It's behind the church. 這是布農族勇士 。 在教堂後面 。

This is the other end of town. 部落的另外一邊 。

This is a mural inside Zhuole Elementary School. 卓樂國小裡面的壁畫 。

Further west into the mountains, down Highway 30 (a.k.a. the Yuchang Highway), you'll find the Nan-an Visitor's Center.  I've been here more times than I can remember.  I recommend visiting when the sun is out if you can.  It's twice as scenic on sunny days. 繼續往西走台30線 (玉長公路) ，你會來到南安遊客中心 。  我已經去過好幾次 ，  天氣好的時候來風景會更美麗 。

There's a small interpretive center inside, which introduces local wildlife, the Batongguan Trail, and aspects of local aboriginal culture. 遊客中心裡面有介紹當地區野生動物、 八通關古道 ， 還有原住民文化的展覽 。 (1)

I once slept inside this type of stone house in Pingtung.  When the wind blows through them they can be very, very cold. 我在屏東睡過這種石板屋 ， 風大吹過石縫的時候會很冷 。

This stone dates back to 1921, and was moved here from another location.  It originally marked the beginning of the Batongguan Trail. 這個石碑是1921年刻立的 ， 它原本立在八通關古道的起點 。

This field is in front of the Nan-an Visitor's Center.  Rice is a big crop in Zhuoxi and surrounding areas. 南安遊客中心對面的稻田 。  米是花東縱谷重要的農產品 。

Still further into the mountains the road rises up to meet the Batongguan Trailhead, about 3 KM from the Nan-an Visitor's Center.  This is the Zhuole River. 開車從南安遊客中心往山裡面約三公里左右，到了八通關古道東段登山口 ， 照片中是卓樂溪 。

The Nan-an Waterfall is on the same route. 路上經過南安瀑布 。

This is near the end of the road.  The damage done to this area by recent typhoons is obvious.  It will take nature a while to recover. 公路終點附近 。  最近的颱風對這裡的破壞很明顯 ， 大自然要修復仍需要一段時間 。

This is the view from the Batongguan Trailhead and the end of Highway 30.  It's still a very beautiful area. 台30線終點 ， 八通關登山步道的風景 。  這個地區還是很美 !

And this is what the Batongguan Trailhead looks like now: "Under Repair, Please Do Not Enter."  And yet I did see people entering by crawling under the fence.  I wouldn't care as much if they were truly doing so at their own risk, but local first responders often have to go in and rescue such people, however heedless of warnings they might be. 這是八通關登山口的景象 : "施工中 , 請勿進入" ，  可是我看到遊客偷偷的進去 。  如果只是他們自己有生命危險，那我才不管， 可是通常是消防員或警察要冒險去救這種沒有公德心的人，真是令人氣憤 !

The Batongguan Trail itself, once repairs are completed, will be worth a visit.  I've been up there a few times, and the scenery gets better and better in that direction. 八通關古道施工完之後會是一個值得去的景點 。  越往裡面走的風景越美麗 。

Related Entries 相關的文章:

Yongkang District, Tainan City 台南市永康區

The Jerben (Zhiben) Hot Spring Area 知本溫泉區  (Taitung 台東)

Rende District, Tainan City 台南市仁德區

Yongan District, Kaohsiung City 高雄市永安區

NOTE: I wouldn't take that map at the top too seriously.  It was published in 2021, and there have been several typhoons and an economic downturn since then.  In aboriginal areas the "workshops" don't tend to last very long anyway.

1. Batongguan Ancient Trail or Walami Trail?  The Walami Trail is the Hualien section of the Batongguan Ancient Trail, which stretches all the way over the mountains to Zhushan in Nantou.  This trail dates back to the Qing Dynasty and has a very interesting history.