The Forest Is Precious

The Forest is Precious

About thirty years ago,we were badly shaken by a forest fire on the street of Kukuan .The fire was burning all the night, they said ,the fire fighters praised that the fire was controlled in the limited area, though the nightmare always gave me a thrill.

June 23,2014 ,we made a trip to Yellowstone National Park and surprised that the hills were covered with little pine trees ,the guider said that in 1988,the forest fire in Yellowstone had damaged 26% of the park trees and the pole pine trees grow slowly. So terrible !

Watching the program " The New Silk Road."on  the CCTV ,showed about the Chinese archaeologists who found out a great graveyard of a thousand tombs over 1600 years ago on Du Land of Qinghai Province .All the tombs were built with a layer woods of Cypress tree on a layer of stones and the nobler man used the bigger and more woods,based on the fact to suspect that the palace buildings would use the more giant

woods. Due to the Cypress tree grows slowly ,the circle is 15 cm in diameter needing 200 years and 60cm in diameter needing 2500 years. We could suppose to 1600 years ago,the Tsaidam Basin was covered the plenty of thick forest instead of the wild and dry plateau now.

Don't let the history repeat itself, we are reserved and take things very seriously to protect our forest and friendly environment.

森林是珍貴的

大約三十年前，我們曾極度驚恐的站在谷關街上看熊熊烈火焚燒森林，整夜火光衝天。據說消防人員慶幸森林大火被控制在有限的區域內燃燒，雖然如此，那場夢魘常讓我一想起就不寒而慄。

西元二O一四年六月二十三日，我們到黃石國家公園旅行，非常驚訝所見山頭覆蓋的是一片小松樹林，導遊説在一九八八年黃石國家公園曽發生森林大火，燒毀了百分之二十六的森林，松柏樹長得很緩慢。好可怕！

看中國中央電視台的節目「新絲綢之路」，報導了中國考古學家在青海省都蘭發現一千六百年前古墓地，估計有千座墓葬。所有的墓穴都是一層石頭上疊一層柏木頭。層級越高的貴族堆疊的層次越多，使用的木頭越粗大。基於這事証推論宮殿巨室建築會使用更巨大的木頭。根據柏樹生長緩慢，年輪直徑十五公分的柏樹需生長二百年，直徑六十公分的柏樹需生長二千五百年。如此推論，一千六百年前，柴達木盆地應是覆蓋大量茂密的森林，而不是今日所見乾燥杳無人跡的荒野高原。

不能讓歷史重演，我們得謹慎保守嚴肅的看待森林保護和友善環境這件事。

Chasing After the Blue Tears to Matzu

Chasing after the Blue Tears To Matzu

May 15,2017.We were curious to see how beautiful the Blue Tears are,stepping on the Matzu Island again. The island is located on the entrance of Min River ,was a militarized frontier till 1999 becoming a National Scene Area to open to the tourists.

The first night ,we were chasing after the Blue Tears by boat around the seashore , the  floating blue color sparkled in the water, all passengers were cheerful and wanted to catch the moment , "Don't use the flash,because the Blue Tears are afraid of lighting."the owner of the ship spoke  loud.

We failed to take any photo in the faint light with cell phone or iPa. They said that the photographers with high classic function cameras can take the beautiful scene floating moment.

The next morning,we came to the magic shore again ,the big waves were breaking against the shore  and hitting out white-blue bubbles rolling over the rocks. The local fisher said,when a school of Ding Xiang Fish find out the food of plenty of the  Night Light Bugs ,they will gather to the area. So ,it is a fishing information of catching for Ding Xiang Fish time. Recently, the artists took the romantic pictures and caught the international eyes and burst into the Internet named Blue Tears. In every May, crowded tourists come to the rough calm island and figure out the beauty of slow-paced live. People from average Joes to celebrities are engaging in this infectious trend.

Being a battlefield in the past, the military facilities were digging into underground or through the Rocky Mountains .Today ,we were shipping through the water tunnels or walked through the holes with the wine store-rooms which the trenches faced the tremendous battles in the past. It's a hard time to the whole generation and we wish to live in peace  never a cruel war.

追藍眼淚追到馬祖

二〇一七年五月十五日。我們因為對美麗的藍眼淚充滿好奇和熱情，再度踏上馬祖島。它座落於閩江口，過去是前線的戰地，直到一九九九年劃為國家風景區開放遊客觀光。

第一個晩上，我們坐船繞著海岸去追尋藍眼淚，看到流動的藍光在海面上閃閃爍爍，所有的乘客都歡呼並急欲捕捉這美麗的剎那，船主大叫：「不要用閃光，因為藍眼淚怕光。」在微弱的光暈下，我們用手機或iPa都拍不到任何一張照片。據說必須是有髙級效能的專業攝影機的拍攝者才能抓住那美麗的流動的瞬間。

第二天早晨，我們再次來到這個魔幻海岸，看到大浪拍打衝擊著海岸，激出藍白色的泡泡在岩石週圍滾動。當地的漁民說，當丁香魚群發現大量的食物一夜光藻蟲，會集結到這片海域覓食。所以藍光海面是個魚汛，告知我們捕撈丁香魚的時節到了。近年來，藝術家拍攝了羅曼蒂克的影像，引發國際關注，並在網路上以藍眼淚之名發燒。每年五月，觀光人潮湧進這純樸寧靜的漁村，並發現步調緩慢生活的美好。從普羅大眾到名人雅士都感染了這股慢活的風潮。

作為一個過去的戰地，所有的軍事設施都挖掘到地下或挖穿花崗岩山脈。今天我們坐船穿梭水道，或走進酒窖的坑道。當年那是面對可怕的戰爭用的戰壕坑道。對整個世代的人來說，這是個艱困的年代，我們衷心期盼生活在和平中，不再有殘酷戰爭的恐懼。

Hiking in the Foggy Forest, on the Flowery Path

，Hiking In the Foggy Forest,On the Flowery Path

May 9,2017,Tuesday ,cloudy.We were hiking from Nanzhuang Townshiip of Miaoli County,through Nan- Tian ancient path ,the heights 570m ,the length 8.3km,to Siangtian Lake.

To Saisiyat Native people ,Nan-Tian ancient path is an important line to connect with outside world,currently it expands enough to run traffic.During the period of Japanese ruled, surrounding the mountains planted plenty of wood-oil trees,named You Tong Tree,used in making lacquer to paint .Until chemical material instead of lacquer, they were abandoned in the wild .Someday the photographers were pleasing to the eye to show the beautiful scene of the You Tong Flowers, blooming over the hills looks like cover the white snow, so amazing !

Hiking on the way ,the small white flowers danced with the wind and covered with the pure color blanket like on the wedding ceremony field. We were cheerful and excited in the scenery. Up and up and up ,we entered the foggy forest as if flying into a fairyland ,the air around the secret atmosphere,all the people and near things were imaginary. 

Finally, we arrived a high elevation lake , 738meters above sea level , named Siangtian lake,which means "Look up to the sky". It's the place where the Saisiyat Native People hold the most important ceremonies to worship. Due to the foggy weather ,Our sight unclear ,just walked along the lake not only carefully,but also lightly breathed in and out. We were afraid to wake up the spirits.

Thanks for the Guider Wei ,we enjoyed the experience to explore a wonderland.

健行於迷霧森林中，走在落英繽紛的花道上

二〇一七年五月九日，星期二，陰天。我們從苗栗縣南庒鄉，經過高度570公尺，總長8.3公里的南天古道，到向天湖。

對賽夏族原住民來說，南天古道是一條很重要的與外界聯絡溝通的管道，近年來，它擴展成足夠車行的道路。在日本統治期間，滿山遍野種植大量的油桐樹，用於生產桐油製造油漆塗料。直到化學物質完全取代桐油，它們因此被遺棄於荒野。某一天，一些攝影者拍下了賞心悅目的美麗桐花鋪天蓋地綻放山頭，彷彿五月雪，多麽神奇的白雪紛飛的雪景。

健行在南天古道上祇見小小的白色桐花隨風飛舞，走在覆蓋純白花毯上，好像走在結婚典禮的場地上。我們歡呼激動於這美麗的場景。不斷的向上爬升，我們走進迷霧森林，山在虛無縹緲間，彷彿飛進一個童話世界，空氣中感染了神秘的氣氛，所有的人和周邊的景物都如真似幻。

終於，我們到達了一個高山湖泊，海拔738公尺的向天湖，意思是面向天空的湖泊。它是賽夏族原住民舉行祭祀典禮活動的重要地點。由於霧濛濛的氣候，我們的視線糢糊，僅僅沿著湖邊小心且屏息靜氣的走，猶恐吵醒了神靈。

感謝魏領隊，讓我們享受了探索夢幻世界的經驗。

Climbing Up a Brilliant Mountain and Down a Mysterious Coast

Climbing Up a Brilliant Mountain and Down a Mysterious Coast

April 25,2017. Cloudy. We were visiting Tsankuangliao Shan, the name means "the brilliant mountain",the heights of the mountain is 738 m ,that is the highest of a chain of Kelong volcano erupted mountains. On the North-Eastern corner of Taiwan Island, due to face the destruction to the growth of plants by the winter season gale wind and the summer typhoon coming from the Pacific Ocean, all the mountains cover the Silver Grass shining bright in the sun and dancing around with the wind.

Fortunately,it's cloudy day, the breeze blowing lightly .We breathed the fresh mountain air and follower the guider foots to climb up from Diau Shan Ancient Path to Tsankuangliao mountain. Holding the ropes ,along the obvious small paths ,we were step by step up to the top. We could get wonderful around view of nearby hilltops and the further ocean and enjoy the far and wide scene .

Carefully down the mountain ,we were approaching to the mysterious coast including a golden fall and the sea eroded in the rocks to make numerous strange shapes which anybody might try to imagine anything,so amazing !

The mountains sit close to the ocean for thousands years ,though we met them for a short time ,an unforgettable time.

爬上一座閃閃發光的山，下到一個神秘的海岸

二〇一七年四月二十五日，陰天，我們拜訪了燦光寮山，它的名字意思是「閃閃發光的山」此山高度為海拔738公尺，是基隆火山爆發山系中最高的一座山。在台灣島的東北角，由於面對來自太平洋冬天強大的東北季風和夏天颱風的摧殘，樹木生長困難，附近所有的山都被菅芒草覆蓋，整片的菅芒草在陽光下閃閃發光，隨風搖曳款擺多姿。

很幸運的，今天是陰天，微風輕輕的吹拂。我們呼吸著山中新鮮的空氣，跟隨著領隊的步伐，從貂山古道入山爬上燦光寮山，拉著繩索，沿著明顯的山中小徑，我們一步步緊跟著登上山頂。在山頂上可以有360度視野，四周群山山頭盡在眼前，遠望可達海洋，享受這樣四面八方遼闊的景象很美妙。

小心翼翼地下山，我們趨近神秘的海岸線，包括一個黃金瀑布，和海洋侵蝕的岩石，變化成數不清的奇特景觀，任何人都可嘗試去想像成任何様貎，多麽奇幻的景象啊！

山緊緊靠著海洋坐了幾千萬年，我們與他們相遇雖然短暫，卻是難忘的時光。

Matzu Madness on The Third Lunar Month

Matzu  Madness on The Third Lunar Month

The young people in America are excited in March Madness of watching  an NCAA game ( National Collegiate Athletic Association ). Other people in Taiwan get ready for Matzu madness on the third Lunar month.

A numerous immigration into Taiwan who brought Matzu,a Sea Goddess,  across the terrific channel by ships ,the alive believed getting the help of Matzu and dedicated the temples to her. Peikang Chaotienkung Temple was built in 1694 ,the home of over three hundred Matzu Temples in Taiwan.

During the third Lunar month, all the Matzu Temples around Taiwan get ready for celebrating Matzu's birthday, on the twenty-third day of the third Lunar month,to come back mother's home- Peikang Chaotienkung. In particular, Matzu of The Jenn Lann Temple of Daijia,Taichung,has majestic parades and crowds of religionists to pass through the home way back and forth by foot ,she is relieved of the troubles and received of the worship along the streets. 

Now ,it is a highlight day in Taiwan and regarded one of the most important three religious events of the world. 

瘋媽祖在農曆三月

美國年輕人每年瘋三月，躁動於NCAA籃球聯賽，那是國家大學體育協會籃球錦標賽。台灣人則每年農曆三月瘋媽祖。

大量的移民進入台灣時，帶著海上女神一媽祖坐船渡過人稱黑水溝的恐怖海峽，倖存者深信得到了媽祖的庇佑，很虔誠的建廟祭祀她。北港朝天宮建於西元一六九四年，是台灣超過三百多座媽祖廟的娘家。

整個農曆三月，遍佈台灣各地的媽祖廟都準備慶祝媽祖的生日，她的生日是農曆三月二十三日。各地廟宇要回北港朝天宮參加慶典。最盛大的是台中市大甲鎮瀾宮媽祖遶境，雄偉壯觀的遊行隊伍，和人潮洶湧的信徒，來回均以步行前往朝聖，媽祖鑾轎沿途安撫疑難雜症的人心，也接受沿街香案朝拜。 

現在，農曆三月媽祖生日活動在台灣幾乎是普天同慶，也被視為世界三大宗敎慶典活動之一。

Hiking on the Ancient Footprints

Hiking on the Ancient Footprints

"Are you missing out on the right way?" An aged farmer advised us and pointed a drive-way to the Castle restaurant. "Thank you,we just go hiking on the ancient path -Stone-Empty ,a part of connecting Taipei with Ilan." The aged confused and murmured,  

"It's tougher and further more than the new road,up and down about eight kilometers." It's popular to search for the ancient footprints.

At the top of the hill,prepared to stretch our mind and expanded our horizons , a fascinating island is like a turtle far away insight and the hand gliders are the graceful flight of the gull in the big sky, and The Black Stone Harbor,the best beautiful harbor in Taiwan by tourists voting, is magnificent with a bird's eye view .

An estate ,Mr.Brown ,provided coffee and dessert, we all cheered our team on  the day of February 14,Valentine's Day,with lover and friends.

健行在先民的足跡上

「你們走錯路了。」一位老農夫提醒我們並指出往城堡餐廳的正確道路。「謝謝你，我們正在石空古道健行，一條淡蘭古道的支線。」這位老者一臉疑惑並喃喃自語道，「這是一條比新路辛苦又更遠的路，上下至少要八公里。」現在我們流行去尋找先民的足跡。

在山頂上，我們準備伸展身心，擴展視野，遠眺有一座像烏龜爬著的迷人小島，在廣濶的天空下，滑翔翼像海鷗般優雅的飛翔，鳥瞰烏石港遼闊壯觀的展現在眼前，它是觀光客票選台灣最美麗的港口。

伯朗莊園提供了咖啡和甜點，我們在二月十四日這天，正逢西洋情人節，與情人友人一起為我們的健行團隊歡呼！

The West Mediterranean Shipping by MSC Splendida

The West Mediterranean Shipping by MSC Splendida

November19,2016 we took Turkish Airplane from Taipei to Istanbul,then transferred to Milano and changed tour bus to Genova boarding on MSC Cruise. MSC Splendida is a Fantasia-class cruise ship which Length 333m, Beam 37m ,Gross Tonnage137,936 ,Passengers3247，Crew1325.

We started from Genova, Christopher Columbus 's home, along Italian coach to Rome , and Palermo ,the capital of Sicilian, near to Southwestern Malta and crossed the West Mediterranean to Barcelona of Spain and up to Marseille of France,arrived at Genova, spent eight  days.

When the cruise arrived at a harbor ,all Asian passengers in different groups got off to take a trip around the city till the sunset . Otherwise,the European passengers with family members or senior couples, were enjoying coffeehouse ,swimming,warm springs,SPA,casinos,games ,healthy sports,music,theaters, restaurants.......in the cruise.I wondered if the European used to have a brunch or taste a cup of coffee in the sunshine beside the road and salty food ,too sweet dessert or fashionable and designed dark coats .It's a different life style.

Many centuries ago,Europe was the time of explorers and adventurers,they conquered the new lands and resources ,and created the wealthy paradise around the Mediterranean .There were grand and sparkle churches ,colosseum,  columns of buildings,splendid winners gates, springs with fine pieces of sculpture,and the famous artists and sculptors' works filled with the churches, museums,plazas,parks,even at the corner of the streets.

Near the harbor and river was the early development into a great town ,the rich men built prosperous buildings in stylish luxury. Walking in the scenes, seemed the time back to the ancient times full of opportunities and challenges ,desired and curious ambition. It was a good time for current European.This was an amazing experience be carried to the most desirable destinations in the world by MSC Cruise Ship with a flock of good friends to make a trip in the West Mediterranean. 搭MSC輝煌號航行西地中海  2016年11月19日我們乘土耳其航空飛機從桃園國際機場到伊斯坦堡，轉機米蘭後，搭接駁車到熱內亞上船，乘MSC輝煌號郵輪，這是一艘豪華級郵輪，長333公尺，寬37公尺，總噸位137936噸載客人數約3247人，員工1325人。 我們從哥倫布的故鄉熱內亞出發，沿著義大利海岸到羅馬，接著到西西里島首府巴勒摩及西南部附近的馬爾他，橫越西地中海到西班牙的巴塞隆納，上溯到法國馬賽，花了八天時間返回熱內亞。 當郵輪一抵達港口，亞洲乘客都成群結隊下船到港都城市旅遊，直到太陽下山才返回船上。而歐洲乘客多為家庭成員或銀髮夫婦，他們享受咖啡廳，游泳，泡溫泉，三溫暖按摩，賭場，遊戲機，健身運動房，音樂，劇場，餐廳⋯在船上。我感覺歐洲人習慣在太陽下馬路邊吃早午餐喝咖啡。鹹口味的食物和太甜的甜點。或是時尚設計的深色外套，這是不同的生活形態。 在許多世紀以前，歐洲是一個探索冒險的時代，他們征服新的土地和資源，環繞地中海創造了富裕的天堂。建立了宏偉閃亮的教堂，古羅馬圓型劇場，巨大㘣柱的建築物，輝煌的凱旋門，裝飾精緻雕像的噴泉，著名藝術家和雕塑家的作品充滿在許多教堂，博物館，廣場，公園，甚至街頭轉角處。 靠近海港和河流的地方，是人類最早開發發展為大城鎮的地方，富豪競相建富麗堂皇的建築物是時髦的奢華。走在豪門巨室的景觀中，彷彿時光倒流到中古世紀充滿機會與挑戰，慾望與好奇野心追求的年代，對於現代的歐洲人 ,那是美好的年代。這真是個奇妙的經驗，被MSC輝煌號郵輪帶到一個世界上最想望去的地方，與一群好朋友同遊西地中海。