hiking Taipei // Battleship Rock

I think I'm becoming a hiking addict. slowly, I'm learning to name the surrounding mountains by sight. I now have hiking tan lines. I've been hiking five times in the last two weeks, both on my own and with new friends who have unofficially formed a weekly group hike date. I just really love mountains, ok?

our first hike date took us up the Junjian Yan hiking trail on the Tianmu end. the trail continues over to Beitou [and apparently past an interesting temple] but we just did the short climb to Battleship Rock, otherwise known as Dog's Head Mountain.

for reference: the Tianmu end of the trail can be found by following signs near Yang Ming University [from the Shipai MRT] or by walking up the road in the northwest area of the Taipei Veterans General Hospital on Shipai Road section 2.

we had a beautiful, clear day. the sun was almost blinding but we were up and down in maybe an hour's time. the giant sandstone peak is what is officially "Battleship Rock" - though there's not much resemblance to my eyes. maybe if you look at it from ground level from the east, it looks a bit like a ship that is sinking.... well I guess they have to name these things somehow.

like most of the Taipei hikes I've done, a healthy portion of the trail is just stairs. I like to think of it as nature's thigh master... my legs are getting seriously strong from all the up and down. a little sweat and strength building is good for you. plus fresh air and sunshine. and sweeping 360 views of Tianmu, Beitou, Yangmingshan Park and downtown Taipei.

Battleship Rock was a great beginner's hike. someday I'd like to go back and do the full trail, but I'm happy to know this hike is right in my backyard for an easy mountain fix. 

[yep, I'm addicted. #sorrynotsorry ]

travel by iPhone: Zhishan + Huiji Temple

while dragons and mountains are some of my favorite Taiwan sightings... I'm also a sucker for red lanterns. so imagine my joy when I discovered that the "hike" to the Huiji Temple in Zhishan Park involved a winding staircase up a mountain, guarded by dragon carvings, and lined with bright red beacons guiding the way.

I actually came into the park the wrong way - or at least the less scenic one. the park is shaped like a squished half-circle, and I entered from the north side along the curve [near the hospital.] I climbed some plain stone steps before reaching the top and spotting the temple roof through the trees. as I wandered closer, I found the lantern-lined stairway and followed it down.

for a more impressive first look, I would suggest entering the park by the gateway on the southwest. that's where you'll spot the giant archway. the steps heading up were numbered, but by the time I had gone all the way down and then made it to the top again, I forgot to look and see how far I'd climbed.

related: there are no pictures of me in this post because I was way too sweaty. trust me, you don't need to see that.

along the stairs you will pass under the old stone Chi-Shan-Yen Gate. fun fact about the romanization of traditional characters into Pinyin words in Taiwan: the spellings are not standardized under a single system. [let me oversimplify by telling you it's for political reasons.] the result is a bit confusing. Chi-Shan and Zhishan are actually the same word, though you will see it spelled both ways depending on what map or road sign you look at.

regardless, it's a cool looking gate. according to the sign nearby, it dates back to 1825 and was one of four used to defend the area during a conflict among Chinese immigrants in the area. going up past the gate an many more lanterns, the stairway emerges at the entrance to the Huiji Temple. guarded by, of course, dragons and a scrolling digital marquee.

there were a few things that kept me from exploring the temple in more detail. one, I was only armed with my iPhone and the battery was at 12%. two, there was either construction or typhoon damage repair going on and it was tough to navigate the barricades and piles of materials. three, some kind of event was happening [involving chanting and a processional around the area] and I didn't want to be that annoying intrusive tourist. also, I was distracted by a cat for a few minutes.

needless to say - I will be returning on a sunnier day, armed with a zoom lens and more battery power.

on the way out I made a detour down another trail, in hopes of an epic mountain-and-city view. the visibility was not great, and there were branches blocking most of the mountains. [maybe next time I should also bring tree trimmers?] it was definitely not the most photogenic day.

regardless, it was fun to explore this colorful little mountain park and get to see a new view of my neighborhood. for those coming from the MRT, the park is only a 15 minute walk west of Zhishan Station.

another expat post about culture shock

yesterday, Husband came home from orientation with a pamphlet on culture shock. I rolled my eyes a little bit. I mean - this is our fourth time arriving in Taiwan as expats. we should have this culture shock thing down, right?

wrong.

for expats like us, who go back to their home country every summer, the cycle just keeps repeating. we've become adjusted to Taiwan - time to head to the US for summer. the honeymoon rush of bacon and kittens and family is soon replaced by the disorientation of all that has changed in barely a year's time. and by the time we adjust - if there's even time to adjust - we are back on a plane to Taiwan and head-first into honeymoon phase again. this time it's a new neighborhood [oh, look at those mountains] and meeting new friends, hopes and dreams so fresh they are still sparkling.

but I'm also wary of the dip that's lurking around the corner. instead of becoming immune to culture shock, I think I've come to experience it at an accelerated rate. and I know the honeymoon phase doesn't last forever.

settling into a new place takes time. you have to unpack all the boxes. figure out how to recycle said boxes. arrange and re-arrange the furniture. designate which storage areas are for what, organize your kitchen cabinets so that it makes sense, and decide what else you need to buy so your home can be functional. this all takes time - time that you'd rather use exploring your new neighborhood and making new friends. or really, doing anything but breaking down yet another cardboard box.

you want to know the truth about moving? it sucks.

I'm talking the third-of-four trips to IKEA where you don't bring enough cash and your husband has the bank card so you have to leave half of your items at the register kind of sucks. the I can't even fit all this stuff in my bags to carry it out the door - let alone on the subway home - kind of sucks. the kind that ends with crying on the street, trying to remember where you put the business card of the mall near your house, because you don't know enough Chinese and your apartment address is a mysterious combination of road, lane, and alley numbers but no actual building designation that you can seem to understand.

I got home fine and have since figured out our address... I think. [and no that's not it above, but a nice example of a few of the street signs around here.] but that moment is a prime example of everything that's been life for the past few weeks: jet lag, culture shock, moving woes, thinking I know what I'm doing and finding I don't.

I've been trying to get things settled so we can work our way into "normal" life. but today I gave up and left my unpacked suitcases on the floor. I grabbed my camera and walked and walked and acquainted myself with a few of the neighborhood dragons.

I was drenched in sweat from pretty much the moment I walked out the door. hello, August in Taiwan. but since I was already sweating I figured I should just keep going. according to my fitbit I went almost 6 miles before stopping for lunch and grabbing a bus back home. so what if I still have suitcases left to unpack? dragons are way more fun than suitcases.

besides, there's a typhoon headed our way and I'll have plenty of time to unpack this weekend.