Meifeng Farm!

2013.07.08

It was an interesting day. We watched birds, pushed vegetables and watched insects. Although I am afraid of insects, the trip is amazing. 

I got up at 5:30 in the morning. It was cold and quite outside. The teacher led us to some places to watch birds. I found it is really hard to watch birds because birds all stayed behind branches and moved very fast. It was really tired, as I had to hold my head high all the time. During that two hours, I only watched one bird species. In addition, I saw a butterfly species called watermelon butterfly. The butterfly was very beautiful. It has black body, with red spots on its wings, just looks like watermelon. 

 Watching birds

Then we visited Meifeng Farm. We played a funny game. Everyone need to draw something about our classmates within 10 seconds, then pass to next person. When we finish, we all laughed cause the pictures look so funny. I kept that picture. I would like to show to my friends and parents. We visited the greenhouse in farm. Some species are interesting, such as agapanthus. Then we went to the labyrinth consisted of bushes. That is a simple one, so we got out quickly. There is a lavender garden near the labyrinth. The garden is small but beautiful. I love flowers. 

Group photo with our pictures

The greenhouse

Agapanthus

Fruit on the leave

Lavender garden

In the afternoon, we had a lecture about organic vegetable and compost in Meifeng Farm. Dr. Liu showed us the research he done before. That is interesting. 

After class, we went to farmland to push weeds. It is the first time for me to push weeds. It is a difficult job, as we need to push all the weeds with roots. We also need to recognize baby spinaches, and cannot push them. I pushed lettuces with Baker and Kelly later. Those lettuces are s ate by insects, and cannot bring economic benefits. The teacher said that they cook
the lettuces for staff. I don't think the lettuces are still good. After that, we pushed spinach in another garden. The spinaches are much bigger than those in Mainland China. 

 I was pushing spinaches. 

The spinaches are very big. We had spinaches for lunch for several days. The dish tasted different. Spinaches in Mainland China and Canada have special favor. But spinaches in Taiwan just have the taste of vegetables.

We were making mixed juice (pineapple, apple, lettuce, beetroot).

From 8.00 to 9.00, we watched insects. I am afraid of insects, so I just stayed far away from those insects. The teacher said moth species have phototaxis. That is because they try to avoid inter-bleeding. All moths fly to lights. Then thy can mate individuals from other populations. 

 Carpenterworm

Carpenterworm

On the way back, there is open space. We watched stars there. That's really beautiful. The teacher told us some stories about stars. 

Hiking in Hehuanshan

2013.07.07

It was an exciting day. We went hiking in Hehuanshan. I like hiking, as the scenery in the top of mountains is beautiful. Besides, I can get close to the sky and clouds.

I spent one hour and a half getting to the main peak of Hehuanshan. It is 3416 meters. Ruby said that it is the second highest peak of Taiwan. The highest mountain in Taiwan is Yushan. I'd like to get to the top point of Taiwan, but I may not have the chance to get there. Hope I can do that when I come to Taiwan next time.

Recording for this trip

Ruby's handwriting is quite beautiful. 

 With Ruby, Jessica and Andria

Beautiful sky and clouds

Afterwards, we went Shimenshan. It's another peak in Hehuanshan. It is 3237 meters high. The hiking trail is only 750 meters. However, it is a bit harder to walk in Shimenshan. That is because the steps are high and wide. Ruby, Hao Chen and I walked very fast. We got to the top within 15 minutes. Ruby said it has been her highest record. 

pictures for recording this trip

Andria, Baker and me, we look cool!!!

I like to take unique pictures. I was in another peak near the peak of Shimenshan. Ruby took this picture for me in the top of Shimenshan. I was so small.

We had lunch in a service station. There was not any seats, so we had to seat on the steps. There were still some people envying us, as we had nice lunch boxes. I like the pork ribs, it's delicious.

We got two hours to have a break after lunch. Then we watched a vedio about Meifeng Farm. We visited the greenhouse in farm. Basically, it is an interesting place. 

Beautiful scenery outside the hotel. 

It is open in front of the hotel. So we can watch the stars in front of the hotel.

Taroko National Park

2013.07.05

I just did three things during the whole day. They are eating, walking, sleeping. After breakfast, we walked along Shakadang Trail. Then I had lunch. After lunch, I walked along Swallow Grotto Trail and NIne turns Trail. After that, I went to Tienhsiang Youth Activity Center to have dinner and sleep.

Shakadang Trial is only 2.4 km, and there is shade along the trail. So it was a relaxed trip. There were many tourists at the beginning, and I had to walk slowly. On the path, a goat lay on the ground. It fell down from the cliff, and then died. I did not take pictures, as I think it was a bit horrible.

Richard and me. Start off !

 Beautiful forest of Taroko National Park

 Stream beside Shakadang Trail

Cliff and rocks

After lunch, we went to Swallow Grotto Trail. We walked through tunnels. It was dark and wet in tunnels. I am afraid of dark. So I followed Ruby all the time.

In front of the tunnel

With Jiling

We like to take unique and funny pictures.

 With Kim

With Ruby, Kim and Vico

Vico usually dose not smile when taking pictures. He always says that you can make me laugh instead of let me smile.

Afterwards, we walked along Nine turns Trail. I thought there would be many turns along that trail. However, there wasn't. It was hard to walk along the trail, ad the rocks were slippery.

 Far pavilion in the mountain

Look down from the top

Then we headed to Tienhsiang Youth Activity Center. There is a mountian behind our room. We saw monkeys.

Jiling in her bed

She was tried and lay on her bed immediately when she go into the room. 

2013.07.06

Lyuchui Trail is similar to the trails we went on 5th, July. It is in a forest. Dr. Cheung taught us the species there on the way.

 Dr. Cheung was introducing a species to us

Waterfall

Then we went to Bilu Sacred Tree and Hehuanshan Station. Dr. Cheung introduced two endemic species to us. They are wheelstamen tree and ranta fir. Wheelsamen tree is beautiful. It is a rare species. We can only find this species in Taiwan and Japan.

 Ranta Fir

Wheelstamen Tree

Orchid Park & Cingshui Cliff

2013.07.04

We stayed in King Car Orchid Park in the morning. Butterfly orchid is one of my favorite flowers. There are some species with unique color. For example, they have yellow orchid. I have never seen yellow orchid before. According to the guide, it is difficult to plant orchid, as it is hard to have good conditions. The temperature in daytime should be 25 degrees, and be 17 degrees in evening. Butterfly orchid is expensive. It is about TN$ 250 for one.

butterfly orchid

 Vanilla albida

This species can be used to product vanilla favor food. According to the guide, Haagen-Dazs uses this species to produce vanilla favor ice cream. I try the vanilla favor ice cream produced by Gold King Orchid Garden. It is delicious.

Characteristics of vanilla albida

Yellow and pink orchid

They focus on how to plant better orchid. Besides, they also try to plant new species. They sell their orchid to all around the world. They put flower seedlings into bottles, and send them aboard. 

Room for planting new species

We spent two hours and a half to get to Cingshui Cliff. The view on the way was picturesque. We stopped in a harbor. It was beautiful. In Taiwan, everywhere we can find beautiful scenery. 

We walked along the beach in Cingshui Cliff. The wave is big, and I wetted my pants. :(

 Harbor nearby

Harbor

A brilliant view of the sea and skyline behind it.

The sea beside road 

Big wave

We stayed in Hualian that night. I looked around the downtown of Hualian with several friends. Hualian is a small town, so it only took us 30 minutes to get to the downtown. There was nothing special. We just bought tofu pudding and Mashu.

Mashu

Jiufen & Shifen

2013.07.03

We left Taipei city on 3rd, July. We will stay outside of Taipei city for two weeks. I would like to spend more days in Taipei city. I have not been to many places that I want to go. 

We spent the whole morning in the Gold Ecological Park. Japanese mined massive gold from Taiwan during the 50 years. I like the Japanese style house with garden in Gold Ecological Park. The house is located in a quiet area. It looks beautiful and suitable for living. 

 Jenny, Hulda and me.

I found that Jenny looks like an actress in China. The similarity is over 80%. Jenny told me about five BACT students said that in that day. That made us feel a bit exciting.

The actress in China. She looks like Jenny, especially when she smile.

 The beautiful garden

The house

It's a study room for the prince of Japan. It also used as reception room.

After taking some photos, we went into a tunnel. It is dark and wet inside. We visited the five pits. We can see the workers how to mined gold by status. When we go out, Shengyu and I went to a gold museum. There is a big gold exhibited in the museum. It weighs 1214 kg. I touched it. It is so smooth. 

The big gold, it worth TN$ 267444200.

We also experienced the process of gold washing. We have to sift through a lot of gravel before you find that valuable nugget. Luckily, I did all the steps correctly, so I got gold dust. 

Sands

Gold inside the bottle

The most exciting part was watching the Pacific Ocean. We walked to a highland beside the sea. There is a brilliant view of the sea and skyline behind it. 

The Pacific Ocean

In the noon, we went to Jiufen. Shengyu has been there, so he took us to try some famous restaurants. They are really nice. We also went to Shengping Theatre, and watched a movie. I think that might be a movie produced long time ago, as there are just pictures and voiceover. It talks about the mine in Jiufen. Along with gold ore mining, picks the golden human tide to emerge massively, causes nine sparsely inhabited, silently by one nameless place, becomes one a babel of voices, the lively mountain city. 

A-Mei Tea House

The scenery along the way to Jiufen Street

We lived in Shifen that day. Shifen is a pretty beautiful town. Many people set off lanterns on rails. Just like the screen from a popular Taiwanese movie shot in Pingxi. That is pretty cool. 

One night in Shifen