Sea of clouds and the beauty of mountainous Taiwan

Recently, my classmates and I were taken on a fantastic five-day trip to the south of Taiwan.  One of the most memorable days we got the opportunity to travel up in the mountains of Chiayi County.  

After an hour and a half of winding roads by bus, we found ourselves looking at the gorgeous Jade Mountain (玉山) Range.  

The air was thinner, wispy and we found ourselves amongst the clouds.  

In wintertime, this area is referred to as a "sea of clouds."

Chiayi County is also home to many aboriginal peoples of Taiwan.  They are considered to be "highland aboriginals" and due to the difficulty of the terrain they were left alone by foreigners until the Japanese occupation in the 19th century.  Modern-day aboriginals have maintained their rich culture and are multi-lingual in Chinese, Hakka, and Formosan languages.

The Japanese were attracted to Chiayi County-especially Alishan （阿里山）Mountain due to its natural resources such as camphor trees and timber.  We visited Alishan National Scenic Area which had a plethora of sacred trees, mountain lakes and waterfalls.

The largest tree still left after the Japanese cut down many for timber.  This is regarded by Formosan aborigines as sacred.  

An aboriginal myth states that these two lakes were used by a pair of sisters to commit suicide.  After falling in love with the same man these aboriginal sisters decided to kill themselves instead of deny one another his love.   Romance.  Tragedy.  Shakespeare, where you at?

Sister #1

Sister #2

Shortly after exploring the beautiful sights at Alishan, we travelled half-way down the mountain to have evening tea at an Oolong plantation.  Besides the delicious tea and snacks (yes, I bought some) the seemingly endless rows of tea were oh-so aesthetically pleasing.  

Finally here is a picture of me and some of my gals from Grand Valley... we are so happy to be here!!  (Thanks Mom and Dad)

Taipei 101

A few weeks ago my classmates （同學）and I went to Taipei 101.  Taipei 101 is iconic for the Taiwanese.  It is the central hub of the financial and commercial district, is LEED platinum certified and is one of the tallest buildings in the world.  "101" exemplifies the ingenuity, prestige and futurism of Taipei.

The interior of Taipei 101 is home to a large shopping mall, multiple eateries and corporate offices.  It has 101 floors above ground (hence the name) and five below.  The facade blends Asian tradition with functionality.  The double-paned blue and green glass is UV protected, blocking external heat by 50%.  The pinnacle of 101 shows different colors of light at nighttime, according to the day of the week.  The  colors are meant to symbolize the seven colors of the light spectrum.  This represents a rainbow, that is seen in Chinese culture as a bridge connecting the earth to the heavens and all peoples together.

 Here is the facade of Taipei 101.  Big building, eh?



 According to our guided tour the most notable parts of the building are not its aesthetic design but the internal building structure.  It is supposedly typhoon and earthquake proof, featuring hundreds of piles that extend into bedrock within the earth's crust.  It also contains the largest steel mass damper in the world; spanning five floors, from the 87th floor to the 92nd, respectively.

massive!  pretty!  functional! 

Architectural prowess, genius engineering and size aside, to me, the most notable part about Taipei 101 is the amazing view of Taipei city.  We were lucky enough to go to the outdoor viewing area while the weather was gorgeous!

A view of the city.

My friend Megan and I posing in the outdoor viewing area.  

Gorgeous Taipei, on a sunny day, from the (2nd) tallest building in the world.