16 March 2012
Climbing the elephants back
Taiwan is surrounded by mountains. Not particularly high mountains but they are all accessible and have a great view, provided the city isnt completely blanketed in smog.
Today wasnt too bad smog wise, so I headed over to Elephant mountain, which is very near Taipei 101.
The actual climb isnt very long but it is very steep. Theres also quite a few people living up there in different 'artists communities', which I think is the polite term for homeless people.
On the way home, I got take away from my favourite restaurant.
Now onto the photos.
Its not that easy to find the start of the trail, first you wander up some roads with no rubbish bins which is an issue because I drank about 3 bottles of iced tea in preperation.
This is the start of the path, a stairway between old looking houses. Would be pretty easy to miss.
At first you end up in some government housing, complete with wild dogs going crazy. I decided to not get rabies and left them alone.
The stairs really are very steep, big steps. The path is well maintained and even lit so you can go up here at night, which would be fun. Except there were a million bugs during the day time, it must be unbearable at night.
The view is pretty good.
Taipei 101 is visible from pretty much everywhere.
Heres some people who seem to be using this as their lounge room. Theres a book shelf full of books and a little gas cooker. Theres also some people hanging out with them slapping themselves, as Asians climbing mountains tend to do.
Its me and some big rocks.
The far side of the view. I could keep walking across the top or head down on a different track. I heard a lot of fire crackers, drums, yelling etc. just below so decided to head down.
In the twisting streets at the bottom theres some sort of procession featuring giants.
I dont know what it was for, I dont think it was a funeral. Other people were taking photos and some of the people said hello to me. The costumes were impressive, but the noise was unbearable, they had fire crackers going off into megaphones. Multiple megaphones mounted on small cars pointing in all directions.
OK, this will be the last picture of my favourite building.
However under my favourite building is my favourite restaurant. At 11:45 AM the line is already long. So I would feel silly taking up a table just for myself. They do however have take away as an option
Its the best packed take away of all time, coming in a bag like you would get from chanel with rope handles.
Inside its all expertly packed with special designed boxes etc.
I like how the noodles come not already in the soup so they dont go gluggy.
Nearby my hotel is this river. Its somewhat alarming that it appears to be higher than the road running along side it.
No need for people standing with slow down signs here, a scarecrow waving a flag and a light will do.
The nearby temple has a lunch area with many stalls set up selling variations of pig face and tofu balls. Or pig balls and tofu face.