顯示具有 central 標籤的文章。 顯示所有文章
顯示具有 central 標籤的文章。 顯示所有文章

2024年10月13日 星期日

Central Fuli 富里市區 (Hualien 花蓮)


Central Fuli is in Fuli Township, Hualien County.  I've passed through this place many times on my way to or from Hualien, though I can't say I know it as well as I ought to. 富里市區位於花蓮縣富里鄉 。  我來回花蓮的時候經過富里好幾次 , 可是我還不是很了解那個地區 。


We took the train from Taitung City to Fuli.  On the local train this trip takes about an hour.  After you step out of the train you'll see this old air raid shelter repurposed as a local landmark. 我們從台東市坐區間車到富里 ,路程約一小時,  下車的時候會看到這座變成地標的防空洞 。


I doubt I'll be taking the train to Fuli again.  Going up there was fine, but the trip back took so long that it was driving me crazy.  The local train has to stop for all the faster trains, and there are many stops between Taitung City and Fuli. 我大概不會再坐火車到富里 ,因為去的時候很順 , 可是回來的時候很慢 , 慢到我受不了。  區間車要讓路給其他快車先走 , 而且台東和富里間還有很多小站要停。


This is the Fuli Train Station from the east.  As you can see, the weather's been getting cooler.  It was a good day to walk around. 富里車站的東邊 ,  你可以看出來,  最近天氣變涼了 , 滿適合在這個地區散步 。


"Happiness water."  At one time or another we could all use some of that. 我們都需要點 "開心水" 吧 !


There are many views of the East Rift Valley from the higher parts of town.  It gets HOT around here in the summer, but the area is definitely scenic. 在富里的高點可以欣賞花東縱谷的美景 ,  夏天的時候很熱 , 但是風景真是美不勝收 。


There are a lot of old signs and buildings on the main road.  We tried to visit a local "cultural hall" for more information, but it was closed that day. 中山路上有很多舊招牌跟建築 ,  我們想參觀地區文化館順便訊問地區的歷史 , 可惜那一天文化館沒有開放 。


This new church came as something of a shock.  There was a much older church at this location the last time I visited.  I guess the old church had outlived its usefulness. 我有點驚訝看到這棟新教堂 ,我上次來的時候舊教堂還在,應該是舊教堂太老舊 , 沒辦法繼續使用吧 !


This is the center of town, right in front of the church.  The top of the sign reads: "Welcome to Fuli Township.  Our local agricultural products are rice, daylily flowers and mushrooms." 市區的中心 。 教堂對面 ,  牆上寫著"歡迎你到富里鄉" , 也介紹著當地的農特產 : 米 、 金針花跟香菇 。

Many of these daylily flowers are grown on Sixty Stone Mountain, which is also in Fuli Township.  Sixty Stone Mountain is a much bigger tourist attraction than Central Fuli, and the views from that spot feature in many calendars. 富里鄉的金針花主要種植在北部的六十石山 。  六十石山的美景常出現在月曆裡面, 它比富里市區更受觀光客的歡迎 。


Behind the church, from the hill on which Fuli Junior High School sits. 在教堂後面 , 富里國中的山丘上 。


The same spot, looking south instead of north.  Not far away Highway 23 winds its way into the mountains, connecting Fuli Township to Donghe Township in Taitung.  Highway 23 is a beautiful if slightly hazardous drive. 同一個地點 , 往南邊看過去 。  在附近的23號公路往山脈另外一邊的台東縣東河鄉貫通 ,  雖然那條公路的景色佳 , 可是路況卻不安全。


A house that time forgot. 被時間遺忘的房子 。


Southeast of the train station you'll find the "Fu Teahouse."  It has nice outdoor and indoor areas to sit in.  I was a bit sweaty by this point, and the air conditioning was appreciated. 車站的東南部有間馥茶堂 ,  它有戶內跟戶外的部分 ,  走到這裡我已經開始流汗 , 進來吹一下冷氣很舒服 。


You'll find many locally produced goods for sale inside.  There are of course many coffee/tea shops like this between Taitung and Hualien, but I think this place does a lot with what they have. 這裡也賣許多當地特產 ,  台東和花蓮之間的咖啡館和茶園不少 , 這家有自己的特色 。


There's a lot less going on north of the Fuli Township Office.  It's an even less eventful area full of houses for sale and abandoned housing projects.  One nice thing about Fuli: you could probably live here and never have to worry about it "developing" that much.  It's too far away for that. 富里鄉公所以北有多棟房子出售 , 還有幾棟房子沒蓋完 。  居住在富里的好處 : 不用擔心過度開發這件事情 , 因為富里離城市太遠了 。


Unintentional public art? 不經意擺設的公共藝術品嗎 ?


Closer to the train station.  Our train was fifteen minutes away, and we had to hurry.  比較靠近車站 ,  我們的火車15分鐘後到站 , 所以要趕快走 !

See you another time, Fuli. 富里市區 , 改天見 !

Related Entries 相關的文章:

2023年12月1日 星期五

Pingtung in the News (Central) 10


As per my "rule of 10," this will be the last news entry for this area until I work my way through another city/county.


1. In Majia Township, in the past 3+ years, there was/were...

...illegal houses demolished, a "Slow City Alliance," an archery competition, an attempt to exact fees from drivers, the establishment of a mobile clinic, a former mayor convicted of embezzlement, an old monitoring station converted into an tourist emergency center, camping in the face of travel restrictions, a man who died while hiking, a lot of rain, a migration of grey-faced buzzards, a woman who had a stroke while hiking, an easing of restrictions on who can operate a homestay, a tour inspired by vegetable trucks, the crowning of a "quinoa princess," presentations on the dangers of human trafficking, an award for locally grown coffee beans, a tree planting activity, the creative teaching of mathematics, a speech and an award for environmental education and the restoration of rights to local land.


2. In Wandan Township, in the past 3+ years, there was/were...

...two protests over a duck farm, construction-related traffic delays, the cancellation of a red bean festival, the construction of new police and fire stations, iguanas, the installation of a piece of public art, talk of installing a flashing yellow light, an abduction and a murder, talk of building a new cemetery, complaints over the delivery of organic lunchboxes, a flood, two eruptions of a mud volcano, shakeups in the local government, a man threatened after a traffic accident, the splashing of paint on someone's house, a split in the local branch of the DPP, a visit by a local lawmaker, a warrant for the arrest of a former farmer's association chairwoman, bullet holes found in a roadside mirror, complaints over dust from a demolition, a woodworking activity and worry over dengue fever.


3. In Wanluan Township, in the past 3+ years, there was/were...

...the selling of beauty products made from lemons, a cocoa bean festival, a pig's feet festival, a woman who celebrated her 105th birthday, a park opened, a fight following a land appraisal, the renovation of a historic church, a car that drove into a tree, an attempt to create a "brown sugar community," a demand for an apology, the selling of honeysuckle, a lost man who wandered over from Linyuan, one-day Hakka tours, a man found guilty of an old murder, the closing of a "pork knuckle street" to cars, a school celebrating its centennial, an elderly man assisted home, a Hakka-language science camp, a man modifying bullets, a new ice cream shop, the death of a township mayor and construction of a new library and art exhibition space.


4. In Taiwu Township, in the past 3+ years, there was/were...

...a trip to introduce Paiwan carvings, a tour of historic churches, a rockslide which blocked a local road, damage to the coffee bean crop, a debate over mountain permits, a survey of place names, a lot of rain, a trip to Taichung, a man who fell from a trail, a KMT candidate challenged, an attempt to recruit more locals into the local government and an evacuation ahead of a typhoon.


5. In Chaozhou Municipality, in the past 3+ years, there was/were...

...talk of building an ice rink, commencement of construction of this same ice rink, banners for Double Ten Day, a fire in a parked truck, a temple moved, more residents using tap water, a drought which killed fish, a display of puppets, a lot of rain, a blood drive, a plan to demolish an old market, a drunk man brandishing a knife, the installation of a new rental bike station, bids for spaces in a holiday market, a fire in a field, special parking zones, the expenditure of millions, the giving away of facemasks, an attempt to sell a ruined house, the dredging of local ditches, the offering of maternity allowances, a shrimp competition, a building declared historic, a report on traffic congestion areas and a new, legal night market.


6. In Xinyuan Township, in the past 3+ years, there was/were...

...a water shortage, respects paid to officers, a fire along the Gaoping River, a car that crashed into a ditch, a collision between two cars, the release of traffic accident statistics, the robbery of an elderly man, a collision involving a large truck carrying pigeons, a new factory for offshore wind installations, the issuance of stimulus vouchers, a lowering of water pressure, a meeting to discuss flood control measures, a drowning in the Gaoping River, the theft of money from a gas station, a car that struck a tree, a sewer renovation project and awards for community development efforts.


7. In Kanding Township, in the past 3+ years, there was/were...

...a "Rice King," a truck stuck beneath a height restriction pole, a dispute between a temple and the township office over yard waste, a man elected to the post of township mayor, bike trails built, a community security meeting, oversight of rabies vaccinations, a collision between two cars and a new columbarium.


8. In Laiyi Township, in the past 3+ years, there was/were...

...a drowning, the raising of the national flag, the opening of a special outpatient clinic, a visit by government officials, a request for financial compensation by residents living near local pig farms, support for a quarantine station, the presentation of facemasks, a landslide alert, a show of patriotism, a visit by a mobile license renewal office, a tribal life festival, improved bus service, a new payment option on buses and a two-day athletic competition.


9. In Donggang Municipality, in the past 3+ years, there was/were...

...a visit to Jinmen by municipality office delegates, a "famous tourist" threatened with an iron rod, thanks for disaster relief efforts, the construction of a water resource recycling center, the opening of a "cram center," increased garbage truck service and other attempts to make Donggang cleaner, a religious festival, a tuna festival, concern over Japan's intent to dump irradiated water back into the ocean, a man killed by a truck, COVID screenings, police directing traffic, commemorative goods offered, a dispute over dormitories built by the Japanese, a job fair, a New Year's Eve concert, subsidies for those having children, an announcement of candidacy, the theft of storm drain covers, the closing of the door to the spirit world, a talk on food safety, renovation of a water pumping station, a famous photo, an election invalidated and a newly designated "Chinese New Year street."


10. In Nanzhou Township, in the past 3+ years, there was/were...

...an activity at Tong-an Elementary School, a water shortage, stinky tofu sold in front of a temple, a cold spell which killed wax apples, drivers providing taxi service illegally, a bitter melon harvest, a papaya harvest, a religious festival, complaints over trips to swimming pools in other areas, trouble with a ceremonial boat, the completion of an ossuary, the opening of a "resource friendly park," a shut-in taken for treatment, a scooter crash and a man struck by a train.


11. In Xinpi Township, in the past 3+ years, there was/were...

...a singing competition, the opening of a senior care facility, a visit by professors wishing to revitalize the local economy, an ethnographic survey, a man who killed and then burned a dog, the creation of a experimental arts school, a plant that smells like rotting meat, a fire along a river and a court case over a rental property.

Related Entries 相關的文章:

2023年9月23日 星期六

Pingtung in the News 屏東的新聞 (Central 中) 9

 

There are 29 townships, 3 municipalities and one city in Pingtung County.  It's exhausting to include news from every township, municipality and Pingtung City every time, so what I'll do instead is include news items from eleven different townships or municipalities in each entry.  This way I should be able to work my way through Pingtung County every three entries. 屏東縣包含了29個鄉, 3個鎮還有屏東市.  每次討論所有鄉鎮的新聞太累了, 所以我會每次討論11個鄉鎮的報告.  這樣子我每三篇新聞文章就會涵蓋到全縣內鄉鎮的新聞.


1. Majia Township 瑪家鄉

1a. 264 aboriginal residents of the area around Liangshan (Liang Mountain) had their rights to previously protected land in that locality restored to them.  They were very happy at this turn of events. 屏東凉山民保留地權力回復  瑪家鄉公所 : 過程充滿溫馨感恩 (1)


2. Wandan Township 萬丹鄉

2a. A woodworking activity was held at a temple in Lunding Community.  It was hoped that this activity would stir interest among younger residents in this craft.  During the event a candidate for a local legislative position also tried to drum up support for his campaign. 萬丹農村派對回歸社區  屏南立員參選人徐富癸到場鞏固地方盤

2b. It saddens me to say, but local governments in Wandan and elsewhere are, to some extent, attempting to apply COVID thinking and policies to outbreaks of dengue fever.  There have been 19 cases of dengue fever in Wandan, and schools there have been fumigated for mosquitoes as a result. 屏東本土登革熱累計35例  出現首起校園群聚 (2)


3. Wanluan Township 萬巒鄉

3a. No recent news out of Wanluan.


4. Taiwu Township 泰武鄉

4a. Over 300 people were evacuated from Taiwu ahead of Typhoon Haikui's arrival.  While these people were in a local shelter County Magistrate Zhou Chun-mi stopped by to thank them for their cooperation with disaster prevention efforts. 屏東泰武鄉未滿月新生兒隨母撤離  截至今13鄉撤離逾千人


5. Chaozhou Municipality 潮州鎮

5a. The old Chaozhou County Sheriff's Office, dating back to the Japanese Colonial Administration, was declared a historic building last year.  Recent restoration work on the building resulted in a fire which was quickly extinguished.  Work on the site will continue as planned. 百年歷史建築潮州郡守官舍遭祝融  受損輕微依原訂計畫修復

5b. Only 20 traffic congestion areas?  The Chaozhou Municipality Office recently completed a study of the traffic congestion problem in that area, and while traffic has been eased in a few areas much works remains to be done. 屏東  還路於民  潮州鎮公所打通6瓶頸點 (3)

5c. Related to Chaozhou's traffic congestion problem, a new, legal night market has been created not far from the site of the old one.  The old night market, where many vendors operate illegally (and also obstruct traffic), is to some extent still in operation. 新潮州夜市合法營業  238攤商雀躍


6. Xinyuan Township 新園鄉

6a. Former government officials visited Xinyuan recently to learn more about the flooding problem in the area, and to advise the government on how to better resolve this issue.  A huge sewer renovation project, subsidized by the County Government, will begin there soon. 新園鹽埔長期淹水  五房大排C幹線治水工程動工

6b. Xinyuan's Wayao Community Development Association was among four community development associations to win awards for their efforts toward community resurgence in the wake of COVID. 屏縣府輔導社區勇奪衛福部社區選拔優等 , 甲等4個社區全獲獎 (4)


7. Kanding Township 崁頂鄉

7a. A new columbarium, or "place to store loved ones' ashes," recently opened in Kanding. 屏東最後一塊拼圖  崁頂鄉生命紀念館將啟用


8. Laiyi Township 來義鄉

8a. No recent news out of Laiyi.


9. Donggang Municipality 東港鎮

9a. A DPP candidate running for the office of Donggang Municipality Mayor lost the election, and later accused his opponent, another man running for the KMT, of bribery.  The case was taken to court, and the then-Mayor of Donggang's election was invalidated.  The seeming ex-mayor has appealed the court's decision, and it remains to be seen whether the government will hold another election or simply appoint the DPP candidate to the office. 屏東首名鄉鎮長當選無效  東港鎮長黃禎祥喊冤上訴 (5)

9b. The Donggang Municipality Office hopes to host another "Chinese New Year Street" (a temporary roadside market) in a new location adjacent to the popular Donglong Temple.  Such markets have become very popular in Chaozhou and Neipu, and it is hoped that moving the market to somewhere more accessible will help draw tourists to the area. 東港年街拚強勢回歸 !  相中 "共和街"  串連走春熱點東隆宮


10. Nanzhou Township 南州鄉

10a. An elderly man on a bicycle strayed onto the train tracks and was struck by a train.  He was taken to the hospital with multiple skull fractures and was pronounced dead soon after. 單車翁闖越屏東大埔平交道  遭列車撞上慘死 , 多班列車延誤


11. Xinpi Township 新埤鄉

11a. A fruit seller rented space from a landowner in Xinpi, and then build a large structure on the property for his own use.  The structure was later declared illegal by the local government, and fearing prosecution the fruit seller dismantled the structure.  He later attempted to sue the landowner for almost 3 million NT in damages, but the case was thrown out of court. 水果商承租農地蓋鐵皮屋被認定違建  自拆地主索賠近300萬敗訴

Related Entries 相關的文章:


1. Expect more tourist-friendly businesses in the area.  The waterfall and adjoining trail near there are major tourist attractions.

2. My opinion?  People in Taiwan need to calm down, and alongside that the general public needs to consider how it's affected by both news reports of this nature and the way they're spread via cellular technology and social media.  None of us are going to live forever.

3. Traffic can be a big problem in Chaozhou.  The plan to ease traffic through the area has been in effect for decades now, and there are no easy solutions.  Part of the problem is the combination of public and private land near major roads.  Some private landowners are also  obstructing traffic through the area in other ways, occupying road space beyond their property lines.  A resurvey of the area has already been conducted, but many landowners are adhering to old property boundaries invalidated by more recent survey work.

4. I have no idea if this is why they won the award, but I've been to the community in Mudan that won it.  The work they've done around the old Japanese shrine is nice.

5. Pictured is the KMT ex-mayor.  Judging by the news, there are a lot of gangster types in Donggang.

2023年5月19日 星期五

Pingtung in the News 屏東的新聞 (Central 中) 8


There are 29 townships, 3 municipalities and one city in Pingtung County.  It's exhausting to include news from every township, municipality and Pingtung City every time, so what I'll do instead is include news items from eleven different townships or municipalities in each entry.  This way I should be able to work my way through Pingtung County every three entries. 屏東縣包含了29個鄉, 3個鎮還有屏東市.  每次討論所有鄉鎮的新聞太累了, 所以我會每次討論11個鄉鎮的報告.  這樣子我每三篇新聞文章就會涵蓋到全縣內鄉鎮的新聞.


1. Majia Township 瑪家鄉

1a. The Majia Township Office recently held a tree planting activity.  The leaves of the trees planted are used to brew a locally favored tea.  It's thought that this activity will help bring these endangered tea trees back from the brink of extinction. 瀕絕植物 "武威山烏皮茶" 重回瑪家落地生根

1b. Representatives from Kaohsiung Normal University visited a school in Majia to promote creative mathematics teaching. 師大前進屏縣瑪家鄉佳義國小推廣放心學數學計畫

1c. The principal of Baihe Elementary School in Majia gave a speech at an environmental education conference recently.  He has been awarded for his efforts in this field. 風災誕生長榮百合國小校長 : 環境教育帶領孩子生態維護 (1)


2. Wandan Township 萬丹鄉

2a. There is a warrant out for the arrest of former Wandan Township Farmer's Association Chairman Li Liqing, who was recently found guilty of fraud.  If and when Li is caught she's looking at 4 years and 7 months in prison. 公糧價款詐領案定讞  萬丹鄉長落選人李麗卿被通緝 (2)

2b. Bullet holes were found in a roadside mirror on a rural road.  Police are investigating the matter. 屏縣萬丹鄉道反射鏡彈痕  警方採證清查

2c. Demolition of the old fire station in Wandan was recently undertaken.  Residents there complained that proper safety precautions were not observed by the company responsible, and that the site hadn't been watered down to prevent the spread of dust. 萬丹舊消防大樓拆除  疑無安全措施 , 沒灑水


3. Wanluan Township 萬巒鄉

3a. A business near Wanluan's "pork knuckle street" that DOESN'T sell pork knuckles?  This article introduces a pair of local entrepreneurs who decided to open an ice cream shop there instead. 萬巒豬腳街不賣豬腳  青年返鄉特製時令水果冰淇淋 (3)

3b. The Wanluan Township Mayor passed away due to illness recently, and a by-election will be held to elect his replacement. 屏東縣萬巒鄉4連任萬全村長病逝  3個月內要完成補選

3c. Construction was begun on a new library and art exhibition space in Wanluan. 屏東縣萬巒鄉教育圖資館暨文藝中心動工


4. Taiwu Township 泰武鄉

4a. No recent news out of Taiwu.



5. Chaozhou Municipality 潮州鎮

5a. The Chaozhou Municipality Office has been dredging local ditches and finding A LOT of garbage.  The accumulation of garbage in these ditches is a big worry as typhoon season is fast approaching.  If they become clogged with garbage they will cause flooding. 沒下雨就亂丟垃圾進水溝  汛期前潮州鎮清疏觸目驚心

5b. The Pingtung County Government has announced "maternity allowances" (subsidies) for those having children in the county, and the Chaozhou Municipality Government has also announced reduced tuition for those placing their children in local kindergartens. 屏縣府發放2萬生育津貼  潮州鎮公所加碼推首胎鎮幼全額補助 (4)

5c. Many people in Chaozhou raise shrimp, and a "competition" was held to find the biggest local shrimp raised in the area.  The winning shrimp weighed 356 grams. 潮州賽神蝦冠軍出爐 !  蝦王宛如成人手臂 , 重356公克破去年紀錄


6. Xinyuan Township 新園鄉

6a. A 66 year old man drowned in the Gaoping (Kaoping) River as it passes through Xinyuan.  He had been fishing in the area, and at some point ventured beyond a sluice gate known for the whirlpools it creates. 高屏溪新園段驚傳溺水意外  66歲男捕魚疑被漩流吞沒

6b. Two teenagers stole 37,000 NT from a gas station in Xinyuan.  They were apprehended shortly thereafter.  Needless to say they're in a lot of trouble. 屏東加油站3.7萬元現金遭偷  警逮2名未成年少年

6c. A tourist was driving his SUV through Xinyuan when he lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree.  The SUV then flipped over, trapping the driver inside the vehicle for a short time. 屏東驚傳驚悚車禍 !  休旅車失控撞樹翻成 "倒栽蔥" 駕駛一度受困


7. Kanding Township 崁頂鄉

7a. No recent news out of Kanding.


8. Laiyi Township 來義鄉

8a. The "yi ka tong" transit card can now be used on buses in Laiyi. 來義鄉推一卡通 鼓勵多加利用幸福巴士

8b. A two-day athletic competition was recently held in Laiyi.  During this event the township office promoted services available to residents who've served in the military. 屏東來義鄉運會  榮服處熱情輔導


9. Donggang Municipality 東港鎮

9a. The Donggang Farmer's Association recently held a food and agriculture educational activity.  One of the presenters demonstrated different ways to cook pineapple (which is coming into season), and talked about food safety. 東港鎮農會推廣食農教育  吸引婆婆媽媽取取經

9b. The Guangfu Pumping Station in Donggang will be renovated to make it both more effective and more environmentally friendly.  Sewers for rainwater runoff will also be improved.  Flooding is a big problem in this part of Pingtung. 屏縣東港鎮光復抽水站油槽改建  預5月下旬全部完工

9c. A photo of a woman in Donggang carrying a bluefin tuna behind a scooter went viral recently.  It's bluefin tuna season in the municipality, and the catches have been very good. 騎車婦掛拖車載 "黑鮪" 網友 : 這就是東港的日常 (5)


10. Nanzhou Township 南州鄉

10a. This article, complete with pictures, introduces several parks near the Nanzhou Train Station. 搭火車去旅行  屏東線南州站  南州鄉運動公園 + 陽光綠地公園 + 台糖南州觀光糖廠 (6)

10b. A 52 year old man in Nanzhou locked himself in his house over a period of several days, refusing food.  His family, worried over his condition, called in local firefighters, who broke down the man's door and took him to the hospital for treatment. 屏東男反銷屋內多日不進食  消防員破門救人送醫

10c. A man riding a scooter through Nanzhou crashed along the roadway.  A helpful bystander held an umbrella over him while emergency response personnel readied him for an ambulance. 騎士烈日當空自撞摔落路邊  熱心女子在旁撐傘擋陽光協助搬運


11. Xinpi Township 新埤鄉

11a. Those plants that smell like rotting meat?  Taiwan has its own variety.  Those interested in this huge, flowering, aromatic plant can visit Jiangong Village in Xinpi to see a very large example. 全台最大的花 "雷公屁" 臭出新高度  屏東新埤魔芋愈臭愈多人搶看

11b. Someone started a fire along a river in Xinpi.  They were probably clearing brush from land in the area. 風勢大 !  屏東新埤消防隊後方河床雜草火警延燒逾4小時

Related Entries 相關的文章:


1. There is a local component to many such schools' commitment to environmental education.  Many aboriginal villages have been displaced due to flooding, erosion and other typhoon-related problems.  This issue has become particularly acute in recent years.

2. The election which she participated in was very contentious.  She initially represented the DPP, grew frustrated with the politics involved, and then ran unaffiliated.

3. I feel compelled to say, however, that they aren't the first people to do this.

4. This is partly done to bolster their population, partly done to help the local kindergartens.  All of these kindergartens are hurting for students.

5. The joke being the dilapidated scooter carrying the very, very expensive fish.  Bluefin tuna are going for a lot of money now, with a lot of the catch destined for restaurants in Japan and Mainland China.

6. I worked in that area for a short time.  If you have a little kid they might enjoy running around in those parks, but otherwise there's not much scenery around there.