hiking Taipei // Elephant Mountain

Elephant Mountain [or Xiangshan] has been on my Taipei to-do list for years. it's a short hike with stunning views, only a short walk from the MRT. yet somehow I hadn't yet made it happen... until this week.

I started the day thinking I would do some work and run errands. I saw the sun and decided I should get out of the apartment, and hopped the MRT in the direction of downtown. but when I saw the visibility - how clear the mountains were - I scrapped my plan and rode the line all the way to Xiangshan. it was one of those moments that Husband best described as the hills are alive/ Julie Andrews/ Sound of Music. it just happens to me from time to time. 

Elephant Mountain is known for sweeping city views, proximity to Taipei 101, and a lot of stairs. the hiking trail - stone steps - leads up the mountain and actually continues on to 3 additional peaks. Elephant, Leopard, Lion, and Tiger make up what are known as the four beasts. someday I hope to go back and hike them all, but this day the Elephant was just enough for me. I was not wearing tennis shoes or workout clothes, but decided that sweating my face off would be worth it for the views.

I was right about both the sweating AND the views. despite the hot mess I was, I still had some old Taiwanese men out for their daily climb up the mountain smile and say piao liang! - beautiful! - as they blazed right past me. most of the elderly Taiwanese I encounter are very active and spry.

the scenery improved with each platform up the mountain. I just kept following the trickle of tourists bearing backpacks and selfie sticks. at one point, there were huge boulders just made for climbing and taking photos on. 

I - once again - had forgotten my selfie stick. really what's the point of owning one if you don't use it in these instances? I need to just carry it around with me all the time apparently, so I can be prepared for these impromptu adventures.

thankfully this trail is popular enough that there was a friendly stranger around to take my photo. [even with the sweat and weird shadows going on, it's nice to have a little proof I was actually there.]

the view was great and the breeze was cool, so I rested for a bit before heading back down. one guy was sitting with his paper and looked like he was planning to stay all day. honestly, I can't blame him. 

to get to the trail, take the red line [2] to the Xiangshan MRT stop. head out exit 2 and follow the signs through Zhongqiang Park. you will make a left at the end of the park, head up the hill and then to the right, with the trail entrance on your left just past the temple [pictured above.] you should reach the trail in about 10 minutes. I would recommend bringing water with you, or stopping at the first landing to buy a bottle from the nice lady with the cart. or maybe you prefer a Taiwan beer to enjoy with your view - she sells those as well.

it seems like the Elephant Mountain hike has a lot of "bang for your buck" - low time commitment and easy MRT accessibility for such great views. this is definitely something you should add to your list if you're planning to visit Taipei. in fact, I might even go so far as to recommend this hike over the Taipei 101 observation deck [since this hike gives you city views with the famous landmark in the skyline.]

I can see this being an easy repeat hike, and a great place to take visitors. not that I'm planning to turn into a hiking blog, but when the weather is clear I just want to be outside - and thankfully Taipei is surrounded with mountains to climb.

linking up for Travel Tuesday with Bonnie, Lauren and Courtney

Taipei // National Palace Museum

in an effort to start crossing things off my list [because 101 things to do in Taipei is a long one] I took an afternoon trip to the National Palace Museum last week.

a little bit of background: the National Palace Museum houses one of the world's largest - and arguably, the best - collection of Chinese art and antiquities in the world. the collection has caused a bit of controversy over the years, wrapped up in the complicated relationship between Taiwan [Republic of China] and mainland China [People's Republic of China.] when the ROC government left China to establish itself in Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War, they transported several thousand crates of important artifacts with them. the PROC claims that these were stolen, the ROC claims they were taken for protection from the destruction of war. the ROC has indeed kept the collection safe: the National Palace Museum is built like a vault, with storage going deep into the side of a mountain.

history lessons aside, my neighborhood is just on the other side of the mountain from this fortress filled with priceless artifacts. relations between Taiwan and China have been much improved in the last 60 years, but let me just say that I know I probably live in one of the safest areas of Taiwan.

you'll soon notice that I have no photos from inside the museum - because they are not allowed. anywhere. I had to content myself with exterior shots [while dodging selfie sticks and featuring prominently in the back of several people's photos] and a stroll through the adjoining Zhishan Gardens.

the gardens were full of winding pathways, ponds and streams, and covered wooden structures. not many flowers - but still a great escape from the crowds inside the museum when you need a breath of fresh air.

the upside to not allowing photos inside the museum: it forces you to simply enjoy and appreciate the artwork. the downside for blog readers: you'll just have to imagine the gorgeous calligraphy and intricate carvings. there were plenty of paintings and pottery as well, all strictly Chinese in origin. I was sorely tempted to break the rules when I walked into the exhibit in 304 and saw the display wall: tiny boxes of light, each with a small jade carving inside.

but if I start breaking the rules, then who's to keep the tour groups from following suit? their leaders - speaking softly into microphones while waving tall red flags - were having a hard enough time keeping everyone in line.

a few of the more interesting things I discovered inside the museum: an incredible calligraphy piece which turned out to be poem about eating crabs, a tiny jade carving appropriately named "dragon roaming among flowers" and the strangest of all - a man sitting on a bench, trimming his face with an electric razor. [not an exhibit, an actual man.]

image via Taiwan Today

but by far, the most popular item in this museum is one entitled "jadeite cabbage with insects." can we take a moment here to just love how quirky Taiwan is that this - cabbage - is their most valued artifact? and that brown bit in the background is the "meat-shaped stone" which is essentially a carving of a hunk of pork belly. Taiwan loves food, and I love Taiwan.

look no further than the gift shop for evidence of the obsession - I have never seen so many cabbages in my life. they have everything from notebooks and necklaces to wine bottle stoppers and phone cases, and every kind of keychain or magnet or figurine you could ever imagine... all decorated with or in the shape of this cabbage. my absolute favorite [because it was so over the top] was the umbrella. yes, an umbrella that is made to look like this jade carving when it is collapsed and wrapped up.

I know... I totally should have bought one.

I may not have photos from the interior [or a cabbage umbrella] but I still enjoyed my visit to the Palace Museum. it's definitely worth a visit if you have interest in Chinese art - and worth revisiting when they shuffle the collection every few months.

admission to the museum, including the gardens, is 250NT [less than $8 US.] you can reach the National Palace Museum from the Shilin MRT stop by taking a short cab ride or hopping the R30 bus. I would highly advise visiting on a weekday morning. crowds during weekend afternoons can be crushing. bring your zeal for jade cavings and cabbage, and enjoy!