After leaving Taichung, I took the train down to Chiayi city. The train and bus tickets to Fenqihu and Alishan were pretty much sold out, so I spent a day exploring Jiayi, which has an old Japanese train station, several retired trains on display, and a lot of beautiful traditional Japanese houses. These houses were built using hinoki wood (Japanese cypress), so they smell amazing.
I wandered around the homes for a while, some of which are set up as little shops selling tourist trinkets and local specialties, and bought some whole wheat baked cookies (that are way better than they sound like they would be). As I was leaving, an auntie stopped me, exclaiming that she was happy I bought the cookies because a friend of hers runs the shop. She was one of those dominating, talkative aunties that kind of drag you into conversation whether you want to or not, but I didn't mind. She told me how Chiayi is actually the location of the movie Kano (or that the events depicted in the movie took place in Chiayi? or both? ~ a bit of language confusion) and that she either got to meet or personally knows the director...in any case, pretty cool. She was very enthusiastic and sent me on my way with a papaya.
As I kept walking, I also came across a restored Shinto temple on the edge of the city. Like the homes above, it was built using hinoki wood. The woman working there explained to me that the temple was built without the use of any nails, simply wood. This area, along with the old train station, was one of the few places I went to that was completely quiet, high on a hill away from the bustle of the city, and somehow completely bereft of any visitors.
Afterwords, before leaving for Fenqihu the next day, I made sure to get a local specialty: huo ji rou fan (turkey rice). It was the perfect mix of juicy, fatty turkey with rice. The dish is offered at many restaurants in Chiayi, but I went to a place famous for its huo ji rou fan, so it was bustling with people. I pretty much just chowed down my meal in a corner as one of the waiters decided to take a short break and ask me the usual questions: a) Where are you from? b) Why are you here? c). Do you have a boyfriend? (frequent addition: You should get a Taiwanese boyfriend. It will help you learn Chinese).
The next day, I took the train from Chiayi to Fenqihu. The train runs along a track that was first built for logging purposes, but is now used solely for tourism. The train used to run all the way to Alishan but an earthquake a few years ago damaged the track. They've only just recently re-opened part of the track, which runs about halfway to Alishan, stopping in the small town of Fenqihu.
Fenqihu is famous for their lunchboxes, so I made sure to pick one up at Fenqihu hotel. I heard they had the best ones and I have to admit it was the best lunchbox I've ever eaten...chicken, egg, pork, and some unidentifiable pickled things and veggies...so good. I also hiked up over the town, where I came a across the ruins of an old Shinto shrine, another remnant of Japanese rule over Taiwan. Again, actually, this place was very empty and very quiet. I liked how peaceful it was.
I took a bus from Fenqihu to the final destination of my trip, Alishan recreational park. Actually, I meant to stop just shy of the park, about a few miles away, where my hostel was located. I missed my stop though (or, rather, the driver drove right past and I didn't even notice) so I ended up inside the park itself. One of the bus drivers was kind enough to give me a lift for free on his way back to Chiayi, so I managed to get to my stop. From there it was supposedly a 40 minute walk but I managed to hitch a ride with a construction worker and his grandchild (I think?). I did have a few terrifying horror movie scenarios run through my mind but they were actually quite nice and the ride was fairly short.
Then I got to the hostel and one of the most beautiful views I've ever come across:
After watching the sun go down, I got my dinner in the hostel (pretty much the only place to eat within a few miles). I walked in and they had already set a couple plates and some soup on a small portable stove for me. Yum, I thought, this is perfect. Then came another plate. Ooooh, that looks good. I snapped a photo to document the feast. Then another plate came. Okay, wow, this is a lot of food. And then another. I snapped another photo. By the end, I had nine plates and was furtively looking around the dinning room, wondering if anyone else thought the scene - one person sitting with nine plates of food, a bowl of rice (with unlimited refills), and a pot of soup - was as ridiculous as I did.
Unfortunately, I don't have a shot of all the full dishes together because, well, I was eating them too fast for that. In any case, the man in the table beside me was facing a similar situation and we shared a laugh over the insane quantity of food. It turns out he was the bus driver for a group of teachers on a retreat together that were also staying at the hostel. Originally, I had planned to walk to Alishan recreational park, but he offered to talk it over with the teachers and perhaps give me a ride in the morning. The teachers were essentially a huge group of recently retired aunties and were very welcoming in giving me a ride in the morning.
Before we left the next morning, I walked out to the viewing area, only to find it completely blanketed in clouds. It was eerie standing there facing that blank white wall. I walked up to the edge of the deck, so that all I could see was the white, and it just felt strangely uncomfortable and scary, like the whole world had disappeared, and I was all alone.
Then the bus driver came out and we had a fun photo shoot. He, like nearly everyone I encountered at this hostel, knew a lot more about photography than I did so he gave me a few tips. Finally, we loaded up on the bus and the auntie teachers tried to not very discreetly set me up with a young man traveling with them over the course of the ten minute ride to Alishan. Once we arrived, we split ways but I definitely had a good time with them.
Finally, I was in Alishan Recreational Park. The clouds were still everywhere but they lent the park a beautiful and mysterious air. The cherry blossoms (and magnolias, further below) had just started to bloom, which unfortunately drew the masses, loudly shouting through the park, so it wasn't exactly peaceful, but it was still beautiful.
I was so happy. And then everything changed. About two hours before my bus home was scheduled to leave, I realized I had lost my phone. The phone I just got replaced three months ago. Sadly, I missed out on seeing part of the park because I spent my remaining time sprinting back up the mountain in a panic, retracing my steps, and stopping at a hotel, police station, and entrance office to see if anyone had turned in my phone. Which no one did. Sad that I had missed out on seeing the whole park, and super pissed that I was stupid enough to lose the phone, I wandered over to the bus area and then killed the few minutes I had left looking through the shops.
Then this little guy just wiped the frown right off my face:
His mom was the shopkeeper and just let him chill in a barrel of goods. I ended up buying some baked pumpkin treats and a bar of hinoki scented soap, because I want to pretend like I live in a wonderfully smelling traditional Japanese house. On the four hour train ride back to Taipei, I got very philosophical over my lost phone and reasoned that it was meant to be, for a variety of different reasons.
Then I got home and checked my email. Phone: found! By the guy from the teacher's bus. I left my address at the police station, so they have mailed it to me. In the meantime though, I'm feeling strangely appreciative of silence that comes without a phone. Of course, I did get a panicked email from a friend wondering if I was okay, so there are downsides.
Mostly, I'm just looking forward to my next trip in a couple weeks...to Kending! For Spring Scream!
Hopefully I won't lose anything.
(Did I mention I also lost my passport and NT$5,000 on this trip? But both worked their way back into my hands two days later...so that's good).
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Also, as I was traveling through Taichung, Chiayi, and Alishan, there were student protests occurring in Taipei and are still going now. Away in Chiayi and in no way paying attention to the news, I didn't realize how serious things were until I got back to Taipei. The government has actually used violence to crack down on the protestors. An anthropology blog I used to read in college actually discusses it here.
