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。

A Happy Accident

A Happy Accident 

May 24, 2016, Tuesday. It's rainy, in the mountain area, the paths were so slippery that we watched our steps and minded down the floors .I fell to the ground and sprained my ankle after all.

The doctor showed me that my ankle's bone cracked under the X Rays needing plaster cast to stay still five weeks steady. 

The God closes the door but opens a window. My husband was in charge all the housework such as cooking ,shopping, washing ,cleaning....,which he considered to the women's jobs. He did them rough  to smooth and hard to easy. I enjoyed the great treat doing nothing just putting up the leg waiting the ankle to recover by nature. It's not so bad, it's a happy accident.

一個快樂的意外

二O一六年五月二十四日星期二。下雨天，在山區裡，山徑濕滑，我們小心走每一步路，注意下台階。終究我還是跌倒了，扭傷了腳踝。

醫生指著X光片告訴我腳踝骨頭裂傷了，必須包紮石膏繃帶完全固定五星期，等待癒合。

上帝關上門卻開了一扇窗。我的丈夫接手處理所有的家務事包括烹煮，採購，洗衣，清理⋯這些他一向認為是女人的工作。他從開始的生澀做到順利，從感覺困難做到簡單。我享受貴婦款待，整日無所事事，僅僅把腳抬高，等待腳踝骨頭自然癒合。想想偶而微恙也不錯，這真是個快樂的意外。

Associating a Song with Languages

Associating a Song with Languages 

April 19,2016 on the trip way to Ilan , Maggie Lin sang a song " An eighteen aged girl looks like a beautiful flower."in  fluent Hakka language that was attractive and fascinating. It reminded me to listen a Peruvian girl 's song " The Way You Make Me Feel ." from You Tube, she sang Michael Jackson's famous song entirely in her native tongue :Quechua.

In Taiwan ,the official language is Chinese .Since 1949 ,the schools were banned to use  mother's languages to teach ,even never had a native tongue's conversation with each other in 1950s campus.Through our growing time ,mother's languages were regarded as from non- education ,rural people,rough and older people . We felt ashamed to watch native opera or to sing native songs being the lower class. It's so weird and wacky that nearly missed the roots of oneself.

The same language is the advantages to communicate and understand , how to learn more languages is significant ,especially speaking Chinese, English is a strong point.

Hopefully, we still pay attention to respect the difference of the cultures and languages.

一支歌與語言的聯想

二〇一六年四月十九日在往宜蘭小旅行的遊覽車上，秋梅以流利的客家話翻唱了一首國語歌「十八的姑娘一朶花」，語言的魅力頓時迷倒衆生。它使我想起在You Tube聽到一個秘魯女孩唱一首麥克傑克森膾炙人口的歌「你給我的感覺」，她用的是她的母語印加古語克丘亞。

在台灣，官方統一使用國語。從一九四九年學校禁止使用母語教學，甚至整個一九五〇年代校園內禁止使用母語交談。我們整個成長的年代，母語被視為來自未受教育，鄉下人，粗俗的，老年人的語言。我們恥於看歌仔戲布袋戲等地方戲曲或視母語歌曲俚俗而貶低其社會階層。這實在是很奇怪扭曲的現象，因之幾乎失去自己的根。

相同的語言有助於溝通和理解，如何學習更多的語言是有意義的，尤其會説中文英文是強項。但是希望我們仍然關注去尊重文化和語言的差異性。

Wandering by Train

Wandering by train

In Taiwan, we can take a train from Keelung to Pentung with an Easy Card , it's convenient to take a wandered trip, no destination just following the feeling to somewhere.

Someday ,when the rainy and cold weather bothered us , we got on a train toward the south, through emerald green fields and hills ,passed by the blue sea rolling waves of breaking against the rocks, and the rural , farm and urban view like changing pictures.

Chasing after the sunshine ,we got off the train and walked out from Fun-Shan station.

Awesome ! It's a beautiful city, surrounding by a long stream called Tsaur Gong Jiunn which was an irrigation channel, built in 170 years ago by Tsaur Gong ,from Kuo- Pen River to irrigate the farms almost all Big Kuoshung area . When the industrial life instead of agricultural society, the people ignored it's existence and became a dirty under channel. Currently, the local residents remembered the past great channel and recovered glorious features in friendly environment with clear water, plenty of various plants ,athletic equipment ,leisure garden ,children park and bike path.

Now ,Fun Shan is a quiet, pleasure city surrounding by the winding stream and making your head swim scenery. Our meeting with the amazing city was by accident but enough an unforgettable trip.

坐火車漫遊

在台灣，我們可以憑一張悠遊卡坐火車從基隆到屏東漫遊，它很方便可隨意上下車，可以是沒有目的地僅隨感覺去某個地方的旅遊。

某一天，當我們煩透了濕冷的雨天，我們坐上了開往南部的火車，穿過翠綠色的田野和丘陵，駛過藍藍的海洋，看滾滾浪潮衝向岩石激起浪花，鄉村、農田、城市的景緻像一幅幅不斷變動的畫。為追逐陽光，我們在鳳山市下車，走出火車站。

哇噻！這是個多麼美麗的城市！它整個被一條長長的河流包圍著。這條河流叫曹公圳，是一條灌溉渠道，在一百七十年前由被尊為曹公所建設，從高屏溪取水，曾經灌溉區遍及大高雄地區的農田。當工業化的生活取代了農業社會，人們忽視了它的存在，逐漸成為骯髒的地下渠道。近年來，地方居民懷念以前偉大的灌溉渠道，並以生態環保的友善思考，淨化水質，廣植各類水陸植物，運動設施，休憩庭園，兒童樂園和自行車道，恢復其過往的繁榮景象。

現在，鳳山市是一個安靜舒適的城市，它被一條蜿蜒的河流和令人目眩神迷的風景包圍。我們和這個奇妙的城市相遇純屬偶然，卻是一個令人難忘的意外小旅行。