Penghu - Before the rains came...

So we decided it was time to check out Penghu, aka Pescadores, off the west coast of Taiwan. Like all of our travel adventures, we arrived and wondered why it had taken us so long to get here...

With islands and places named Husband Islet, Wife Islet, Incense Burners Islet, Chicken Head Islet, Ox-Hearted Hill and Goddess Mercy Hill to name a few, the islands were sure to have lots of charm, or at least character.

We eventually made our way from Magong Harbour after the puke-worthy ferry ride, to our homestay Sunrise B&B on the eastern side of Magong, in Hu-hsi township.

We braved the cool light rain on our scooter ride over.

Then the rains disappeared and the sun came out. We made our way to the closest beach to our B&B. 



The beautiful beach



View of the town from the beach



The shower/ toilet block and, yes, it looks like an army tank




Coral shore, blue skies and a big fat cloud rolling in



Now all we can do, after stopping in at 7-11 for some supplies of Smirnoff, Asahi and pea crackers, is sit back and wait for the rains to ease.

The view from the B&B - rain!

Overcast sky, miserable drizzle

Chillin' and waitin'

Mmm, I'm in love with Taiwan's LYCHEES 荔枝

How do you like your lychee's? Out of a can? Perhaps with ice cream? Only in a martini? Never had one before?

I like my lychee's fresh. Fresh from a tree. Green bug bitten leaves intact. Stems and all. Smelling sweet and fresh.

We have been fortunate in Taiwan, having access to 'exotic' fruits such as guava, pineapple, papaya, various melons, mangoes and the sort. I love seeing my fruit growing in the roadside fields and then being sold at a roadside stand. I love knowing that the fruit was picked from the tree, stem and all to secure freshness, right before I bought it.

Lychee's just taste better that way.

To be brutally honest, I had no idea how lychee's grew until I came to Taiwan. I also had never seen rows of spiky pineapples shooting up out of the ground. And in Taiwan is where I spied green mangoes hanging from a branch, on random roadside trees. I will miss the ease, organic nature and family run businesses which supply us with our delicious  fruit here in Kaohsiung. I will also be missing the price on return to Australia...

Taiwan Traffic: A Graze with Death

Well, it very well could have been. I could have been. Dead. Too close for my liking. Way too close.

It went down something like this.

I was heading off to an 8pm Yoga class at Our Yoga House, which is very conveniently located at the end of my street, past the Husia intersection. I usually wear my black zip-up jacket to Yoga, but since it was raining, and getting dark, I decided to wear my white rain jacket. I distinctly thought it would make me safer against – scooters riding on sidewalks, cars running reds, the usual Taiwanese traffic terrors.

I waited for the light to turn green, and then cautiously crossed the road, making sure not to skid on the slippery white paint on the crossing. I was halfway across when I froze. Well, I didn’t really freeze. I don’t remember. From the corner of my eyes, on my right I saw a gold coloured 4WD coming towards me. I instinctively swung my upper body to my right, grazed my right hand on the grill and thumped my palms on the hood of the car.

I can’t remember what went through my mind. I remember looking at the middle aged male driver, anger screaming through my eyes, terror on my face, head shaking slowly from side to side at the imbecile behind the wheel.

He looked fearful. Perhaps because he was almost a murderer, sentenced to a life of guilt and prison, or perhaps because he thought in rage I might damage his expensive car, or perhaps he wasn’t paying attention and this was a close call. Perhaps he ‘lost face’ – a term thrown around here in Taiwan too much for my liking.

I regained my composure, although I felt like I hadn’t lost it too much. I slowly walked to the end of the crossing, left hip a little jarred from the quick turn, right knuckles slightly scratched from the connection to the grill, head spinning, breath unlikely slow and deep.

People stared at me as I turned around, got my little notebook out of my bag and wrote down the license plate of the almost death -car. ZL-3616. I really didn’t need to write it down as I kept repeating to myself to the short walk to the Yoga House.

Taiwan traffic is dangerous. A well-known hierarchy exists here. Trucks and buses rule supreme. They are the bullies of the road, followed by large, medium and small cars, then scooters, bicycles and finally the lowly pedestrian. Just because the green man says ‘go’ and there are no cars in sight, does not mean you are safe. 

Lesson learned.

My very own handmade Hakka Oil Paper Umbrella

So pretty, so strong, so unique.

I wanted one.

I chose my favorite.

How could I resist?

I asked the young female cashier about it's history.

My father made it from bamboo. My grandmother painted it. The Chinese words wish you luck and happiness. It takes a month to make one. These umbrellas are special and will bring you good luck.

The family run business is quite famous in Taiwan. It is one of the only remaining paper oil umbrella workshops in Taiwan, and perhaps the world. The Hakka people used the umbrellas in their everyday life. They are also used as wedding presents with parents giving them to their children on their special day.

In 1989, after watching his skilled parents make umbrellas, Lee Ming-Hsiang decided to open a business of his own. I am glad he did. You can visit the family run business's website here.

Meinong is about a 50 minute drive from downtown Kaohsiung.

You can buy your own oil paper umbrella from the Lee family store. Directions below. 

View Larger Map

Mmm, I'm in love with MANGOES 芒果

Mmm, mangoes of all shapes and sizes

I loved Morocco for the fresh fruit and vegetables, namely the mandarins and strawberries. Now, my favorite fruit, well, one of my favourites, is now in season.

I have wonderful memories of Christmas time in Australia. Buying mangoes by the boxful from the vans that stop on the side of the main roads. Mangoes with ice cream, mango smoothies, mangoes in salads, or just mango is it is, dripping down my chin and off my elbows. Yum!

Now I am so happy it is mango season in Taiwan. Mangoes are cheapest bought from the back of the small trucks, or 'moving markets. Otherwise, a grocery store or fruit store is the other option. 'There are so many types of mangoes here. Big ones, small ones, medium ones... I have tried them all and they are all delicious. They are juicy and sweet and ready to eat.

I am not sizest

In Taiwan I have had mango tea, mango juice and mango with frozen ice 雪花冰; a very popular dessert here in Taiwan. 

Delish!

Of course, I love mangoes a la Mark Darcy, just as they are. 

Reflections: Yoga Teacher Training Completion

Read about my reflections of my Yoga Teaching Practice here at the Yoga House Blog.

Yoga House Director and Teacher Sucharita and me

Graduation with a Difference

The past 2 weeks of Yoga Teacher Training have been very awesome. We hiked to the second highest peak of Shoushan Monkey Mountain, meditated amongst a maze of tree trunks, roots and branches, each student taught an hour and a half class - which included us taking 12 classes over 3 days, and today was the culmination with our RYT 200 Yoga House Institute Graduation and party.

Monkey Mountain

Monkey Mountain

Enjoying the view

It is difficult to imagine that 10 weeks, that's 200 hours of Yoga Training spread over 10 weekends, has come to an end. I feel that the Teacher Training has given me a purpose to being in Taiwan. I have met some truly wonderful, inspiring and knowledgeable people who have enhanced my experience in ways I only know. To be around such positive, kind-hearted souls, weekend after weekend, meant as much to myself as the Course.

I don't care what people say - tree huggers, vegis, hare krishnas, hippies, whatever. Who can possibly say that feeling and being healthy, happy, energised and strong is bad? Take it in. Try it. What do you have to lose?

Today's class, the last one of the course, was amazing. First, a student taught the class a variety of poses, calling from each of the groups - core, balance, twists, forward bends and backward bends. My flexibility and balance was challenged, even though I am mush stronger than I was at the beginning. Yoga is a continual practice with improvements being able to be made during every practice.

Secondly, another student-teacher taught an emotion filled class. She has recently learned that her father will be passing away in the USA in a few days time, while she is here in Taiwan. She was fortunate to be able to visit him last week and share with him some Ujjayi Pranyama. Her lesson was centered on opening the heart, spreading peace, love and compassion - and accepting them as well. Her poses called for strength and opening of the heart, connected to the breath.

Lastly, a very spiritual student-teacher taught the class heart opening chakras. We attempted to engage our Kundalini often referred to as the dormant serpent at the sacrum. We visualised different images as our chakras were engaged, seen and opened. Restorative postures ensured we remained relaxed and calm.

After a delicious pot-luck it was paparazzi time.

Yoga House Graduates and Friends

We then moved on to the emotional Graduation. Candles were lit amongst bright hibiscus bringing calmness and light to our ceremony. We were issued with a framed, signed and stamped certificate - the first of many for many of us, I am certain. Then came the emotionally awakening part of the ceremony. Chanting has been a part of our practice. It is a form of meditation - something to concentrate on and visualise. However, this chanting was different. We sang to each other All I ask of you is forever to remember me, by loving you. Oh, Kylie we love you, oh Kylie we love you. How powerful. How beautiful. How amazing.

Michael and Sucharita 

I hope it is not the last time I will see my classmates from Yoga House. With so many experiences shared, it would be a shame to let friendships fall away. Through the natural course of life, I am sure some friendships will cease. However, I know that what I have gained will remain. For me and for them.

Namaste

Reflections: Yoga Teacher Training Day 12

Energy

I sit here at my desk, typing this on my large, blue inflated fit ball. Learning more about yoga has made me more aware of my body; my limitations and extensions. Sometimes I am at my desk for hours – hunched over a keyboard, marking student work – and I feel my neck and back muscles tightening and aching. Of course, Yoga asanas help to relieve this tension. However, I am now thinking beyond that at what I can do to prevent muscle aching and enjoy my yoga practice for what it is, and not for what it can fix.

Reflecting on the Yoga Teaching Training so far, I have learnt so much! I have become more open in my thoughts, my instruction is more knowledgeable and my outlook is more positive. I have always been a positive person, but Yoga Training has allowed me to tap into my positive side even more, and become aware of it.

An interesting workshop that we shared was ‘Energy Healing’. When I was younger I suffered from painful headaches. My mother and I tried numerous remedies; yoga, massage, balm… It was during one of my numerous massage sessions that I think I encountered energy healing of some kind. I was about 16 and my mum had driven me to a massage practitioner of some kind in farming town, Jamberoo. At the end of the remedial massage, lying on my back, the aging male masseuse cradled my skull in his hands. I was a little freaked out. What was this guy doing? What happened to the rest of my massage? It is only now that I look back and understand. I was receiving a Cranial Sacral Therapy. The masseuse was giving me energy and was lightly massaging the nerves and joints in my neck to relieve my headaches. I was a little nervous at the time, and this alternative treatment was not explained to me.

Now I am aware of energy healing and its power. I used to not be so open, perhaps even a disbeliever. Although I do not understand the physics behind the thermodynamics, I understand to transfer of heat as energy. All 13 students as well as our two teachers participated in Energy Healing. We each took turns to lay in Savasana and receive the energy that was being given by the others, by way of placing hands on the recipient and giving positive energy for around 5 minutes.

The effects were amazing. Different people felt different emotions when giving and receiving. Tears were shed, for no reason and for many reasons. Happiness, anger and sadness was shed and shared. Upon completion everyone felt grateful, energized and calm. It was an amazing, experience that really can’t be described.

The energy workshop also taught me how the universe is good at balancing energy. We learnt to think that there is no bad energy. There is positive energy and no energy. Just like people may have positive energy or no energy at all. I already believe that certain people need more positive energy, and are able to ‘zap’ that energy out of people with lots of positive energy. I am one of those people with good energy. On many occasions, I feel that my energy has been depleted when I am around no energy people. After listening to a colleague or friend unload their problems, I often feel both mentally and emotionally fatigued, and then person sharing their problems or feeling negative feels better and energized. I understand now that I have been giving my positive energy, and not receiving any in return. I have to make my own energy in order to feel revived.

When I read what I have written it sounds a little weird. But it is the truth and it is how it works. Perhaps it has happened to you. After being around optimistic, life loving, energetic, high-spirited people do you yourself feel motivated, active and positive, even though you may have done nothing but listened and talked? And when you are around negative, gloomy, miserable people do you feel weak and exhausted, even though you only spoke or listened? 

It is the transfer of energy that you feel. It exists. It’s there. Do you feel it? 

Very cheesy, I know. But also very true.

Reflections: Yoga Teacher Training Day 10

Halfway There Already?

Yesterday I completed my 10^th day of Yoga Teaching Training. Halfway there. Yoga Training at Our Yoga House is more like a Yoga retreat, or camp, than a course. We are greeted warmly each Saturday and Sunday morning, are fed healthy and delicious snacks, lunches and desserts (most recently – red bean cheesecake- yum!). We have access to organic teas, plum juice and coffee, of which Teacher Sucharita’s family grows right here in Taiwan’s mountains. Students mix, mingle, converse and learn together, breaking down language and cultural barriers, forming friendships and spreading good energy.

As cliché as it may appear, we are a big happy Yoga family. We care for each other, learn from each other, even upset each other. But we are all there for each other. I am a little sad that it is already week 5. Only 5 more weeks to go! 

This really got me thinking - What will I do with my free weekends? Who will I share my leftist ideologies with? Who will inspire me to try advanced postures? Where will I get my cooking inspiration from? Where will I be able to talk about chakras and pulling in my ‘shining diamond’ or mudra bunda? Who will be the recipient of my unprofessional yoga massage?

My partner Jeff. Of course.

We will rekindle our free weekends with winding car drives and hikes; he will pretend to be sympathetic to my views on the environment and animals; he will un-yogi-like boost my ego as I demonstrate the difficult crane pose and wheel; he will be my cooking inspiration as I attempt to win over his stomach with delicious vegetarian meals; he will try to lend an ear without rolling his eyes as I teach him about energy flows and chanting; and finally, after learning asanas from me, he will gladly be the receiver of a neck lengthening, full body sprawling back compression massage. 

Let's face it, whether he likes it or not really  ;o)

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
(Pigeon Pose) variation 1

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
(Pigeon Pose) variation 2

Natarajasana (Lord of the Dance)
modified with a Yoga strap

Reflections: Yoga Teacher Training Day 6

Anger and Gurus

This weekend's classes left me feeling so light, happy and balanced. Workshops centered on the Chakras - Sanskrit for 'wheel' or 'circle', and Gurus - Sanskrit for 'spiritual teacher', as well as core poses and forward bends. However, it is often the lunch time talk with newly acquainted friends, which captures my thoughts.

The lunchtime conversations between the foreign females can be just as educational and enlightening as the classes. Sunday's conversation centered on Anger. We all seemed to agree that girls, or at least the ones at our table, handle anger differently to men.

We spoke about our experiences with our boyfriends, husbands and brothers. It seems us girls don't take other's anger personally. If someone gets angry at us, or cuts us off in traffic, or says something nasty, we often react by feeling bad for that angry person, because they are... angry, unwell, troubled. While our male partners may get upset because they feel we are letting someone 'walk all over us', we feel that becoming angry would only make us upset. It is easier and more positive to let it go. Yelling back, or thinking violently only serves to make us mad - an emotion that we fell is not favourable.

I mean, everyone gets angry. But it is how you deal with that anger that got us thinking.

It seems that it is hard for us to convey this idea of non-negative reaction to our partners. Just as men may think that this approach to anger is frustrating, we too, find it difficult to understand how our dearly loved men can easily turn to violence to feel better or solve a problem. Perhaps it comes down to one thing. Hormones. Or perhaps, Empathy. It could also be that the world has distinctly moulded us into two groups. Boys and Girls. Men and Women. Even Lovers and Haters. Optimists and Pessimists? Maybe it is not a simple girl vs. boy thing after all...

Perhaps we all need a Guru.

Immediately when hearing the afore mentioned word, my mind races to stereotypical images of lotus sitting Indians, perched on the edge of the Ganges, clad in an orange loin cloth, with matted greying hair falling over a painted white face. Of course, I knew better than this. I know a Guru is a teacher, guiding one to their personal awakening. However, that cynical side of me that often rears its ugly head, popped up first.

Teacher Michael said, "Absolutely. You must have a spiritual teacher in order to learn about yourself." He said that he himself has many gurus. His wife, son, the ocean, a contented homeless man, every student he has ever taught. People who allow you to learn more about yourself and your world can be your spiritual teacher, your Guru.

You don't need to select a Guru. I think your Gurus will find you. It got me thinking Who are my Gurus?. Who has allowed me to learn about myself? The world? Books? Am I allowed to say Oprah? This is one I am going to have to think about...

Reflections: Yoga Teacher Training Day 4

Saturday's training session left me feeling refreshed and energised. I am beginning to love balance poses and felt extremely comfortable and relaxed in Garudasana (Eagle Pose). I felt my hips open in Virabahdrasana Tri (Warrior III), thanks to home training against a wall. I felt proud and my inward ego grew.

This is not very Yogi-like. Not at all. It is very natural to feel proud when accomplishing a difficult task or pose. However, this is not the point of Yoga. I was reminded of that fact today, Sunday, Day 4 of teacher training. Although my body and mind felt strong in the core poses, I encountered a great sense of contradiction when practicing 'Mindfulness Yoga'.

Mindfulness Yoga is about being aware of your body. Being in the posture in every way. Being an observer to your body. Being and enjoying the moment. It is about being able to stop, look and listen. Being present in Yoga. This means not letting the mind wander. It is feeling the sensations in your body. It is not attaching emotion to a pose; just... Being.

Yoga is not a performance. It is not a gymnastics display; you are not being judged or criticised. Too often however, there is a judge lurking in the darkness. This judge is the most harsh and unforgiving. This judge does not speak out, but acts silently. This judge is you. It is me.

I experienced this today. I experienced this harsh judge when the class and I were being guided through Mindfulness Yoga. I tried to pay attention to my body. I moved slowly. I breathed. I felt the asana. I felt my body tighten, my upper back muscles clench. I found sitting cross legged frustrating. I couldn't forward bend in the pose. I became restless. Annoyed. Frustrated. Angry. Useless. I became even more perturbed when I realised I was not allowing my body to relax, not allowing my mind to be in the moment. The whole point of the exercise was to be mindful. I was being judgmental. I relaxed in Savasana (corpse pose) and let my body rest. I began to become mindful. But when the exercise finished, I felt annoyed for being that judge that shouldn't exist in Yoga.

I know it takes practice.

Now we begin our practice.

Note to self: must remember.



Read more about my Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga Reflections
Day 1

Reflections: Yoga Teacher Training Day 1

Where do I begin?

What an awesome day. I feel a little tired, but refreshed. I feel confident, but still have so much to learn. I learnt that I am not as flexible or strong with my asanas (postures) as I used to be. But I quickly latched on to the first sutra - verse - of the first book of Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali,

Now we begin our practice

For me, this is an important thought not to be forgotten, but embraced. Yoga is the moment. It is not about previous experiences, or future practices, it is about being centered and clear. It is about sharing the practice. It is about practice. I have to lose the need to be the most flexible, strong and balanced. I think I am almost there. Today's teacher training lesson allowed me to do that.

We began the morning with Ujjayi Pranyama - breathing techniques - and meditation with Teacher Michael. This allowed me to become centered and remember my fondness of learning and practicing breathing techniques over 10 years ago. Meditation followed for five minutes. I must have been in a deep meditation because I got lost in the moment and it felt like less than a minute for me.

I judged myself too harshly during Teacher Sucharita's asana flow. I found the postures asked for strength I didn't seem to have, and for balance which had escaped me. My inability to 'master' the asanas made me internally unbalanced, which only added to my frustration and showed in my poses.
Throughout the day I learnt to accept the idea that Yoga is about practice. It is momentary. Every day and every practice is different. I shouldn't compare myself with the 16 year old ex-gymnast I used to be. I have to move on. I have to practice Yoga now.

In a way, I feel that I am beginning my practice from scratch. Learning how to be grounded. Learning how to stand in a seemingly simple tadasana - mountain pose - correctly. I have to pay attention to my feet, knees and hips in a way I have never had to before. I enjoyed 'pulling apart' the poses, body part by body part, and teaching techniques with other students. We are more hard on ourselves than each other. Being able to correct each other and learn more about the pose was enlightening. A roll of the shoulder here, and slightly bended knee there, and the pose becomes deeper and stronger.

In the first book of The Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali, a sutra really struck me,

Misconception occurs when knowledge of something is not based upon its true form

I wrote in down in my notebook, to serve as a personal mantra. However, when it came to the last activity of the day, chanting, I couldn't get past it. The chant today was Hare Krishna. Immediately my mind raced to stereotypes. I thought of the lyrics of  'I am the Walrus' by The Beatles and of students at my university in Australia coming to lectures with a shaved head and bare, dirty feet. After reading the handout we were given, I understood Hare Krishna to be a universal feeling of spiritual awareness and inner peace.

I reread the sutra I had previously written down. I tried to chant and join in, but I held back. I had dove into seated quiet meditation earlier in the day, but I couldn't perform this type of meditation. Maybe chanting isn't my thing. Maybe I have been consumed by misconceptions. Maybe I just need to let go. Maybe I am just not there...yet.

Reflections: Yoga Teacher Training RYT 200

I began practicing Yoga when I was about 16 years old. My mother and I used to head down to the local community centre on a Tuesday evening for our Yoga class with Maurie. I suffered headaches and neck tension as I grew up and Yoga, as well as remedial massages, was a way for me to overcome those pains. I loved Yoga immediately. I was flexible and relished in the opportunity to learn advanced Asana's, or poses, especially the more difficult balancing poses. I loved learning Pranayama - centered breathing techniques. I didn't love meditation though. I found it a boring - I wanted to perform headstands and full shoulder stands, not close my eyes and think of nothing.

Fast forward 10 years and my practice of Yoga has continued, albeit sporadically. I practiced Yoga at home and in gyms, as well as Bikram 'hot' Yoga in London, taught it to my lovely Grade 2 class and as an after school class in Morocco, and have recently began teaching it to Grade 10, 11 and 12 students at my current school in Taiwan. I am not as flexible, balanced in mind and body and perhaps strong as I used to be. I want to get that back.

I have not taken a 'proper' class in years. By 'proper' I am referring to the full practice. From Pranyama to Asana's to Meditation. I felt it was time to return to my practice and love of Yoga, so I joined a Registered Yoga Alliance Teacher Training school - Yoga House Institute, in Koahsiung.

I have been super excited for the course since signing up. I have to be honest and confess to being a bit of a nerd, and am happy at the prospect of having to study and complete projects. I want to learn more about Yoga and be able to help others who want to practice Yoga too.

The course takes 200 hours. That is every Saturday and Sunday for 10 weeks. I was a little apprehensive about 'giving up' my weekends. But then I thought about it with a different perspective. I will be gaining so much. Knowledge. Strength. Flexibility. Calmness. Balance. Positivity. As well as Yoga teacher certification.

Read my reflection on my first class here.

Hair Wash - the Taiwanese Way

I had heard the boasts by many ex-pats about the luxe hair washes in Taiwan. I had more than one  friend offer a hair wash date, so I took up the offer and went.

I am not so fond of hair cuts abroad. My hair is thick and curly and tests even the most experienced stylist. So a visit to the hair dresser without scissors in their hand, made me less anxious about my visit.

My friend took me to DMS Hair Salon where $250NT (about $8.50US) bought me 2 hours of bliss.

First, I sat in a comfy chair and had my neck and back massaged for about 10 minutes. Then, the stylist took a large paddle brush and strongly brushed my hair, concentrating more on my scalp than actual hair, for about 20 minutes. I closed my eyes and relaxed. Then, I felt a strange action on my scalp, kind of like a monkey tickling my head. When I opened my eyes I saw that the stylist was using the end of the paddle brush to make circles on my scalp - bliss.

Next, I moved on to the horizontal chair where I was covered in a blanket, and my head was laid on a little pad in a basin. A fragrant cloth was placed on my forehead, partially covering my eyes. My hair was shampooed with L'Oreal products and massaged not once, not twice, but THREE times! Conditioner was applied and then after what felt like a n hour, it was time to move back to the styling chair.

Peppermint oil was applied to the nape of my neck and my neck was massaged once more.

To finish, my hair was meticulously blow dried straight, the stylist like a orchestra conductor with nodding head and all while he dried my soft, clean hair.

What an experience! There are many women who go at least once a week for this experience. And for less than $10US who wouldn't?

This will become a fortnightly "splurge" for me and I am so looking forward to my next visit.



The salon I visited is DMS Hair Salon. I received a L'Oreal Shampoo for $250NT.
I tipped $100NT.
View Stylist Max's blog here.
A map to the DMS Hair Salon is below.

View Larger Map

New Years Fireworks in Kaohsiung

2011 was brought in atop a friend's apartment building in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. We made it up to the 22nd floor just in time to witness the coming-in of the new year, heralded with numerous fireworks displays. 

We enjoyed the displays of Dream Mall, Kaohsiung Harbor and  many other parties. The view was spectacular, even without the fireworks. 

Happy New Year to you and your families.

Shoushan 壽山 and Monkeys Galore at Monkey Mountain, #2

We enjoyed Monkey Mountain so much the first time, we decided to head back and hike another route. This time, we persevered and found the entrance near the Gu Shan High School. We parked the car in the large parking lot, shaded by a rock face. We took the wooden stairs by the vendors selling hiking gear, to the trail and began the ascent.

The northern parking entrance

We began our hike here

Just the same as the southern side of Mt Shoushan, the trails are very well marked in Chinese and English.

Before we knew it we were face to face with some friendly, and also not so friendly, mountain Macaques.

This little guy was chilling waiting for
some orange from a fellow hiker.

We were strangely fascinated to see some gym equipment occupying some shaded leaf littered areas of the trails.

Jeff couldn't resist

The board walks took us to numerous caves, view points and banyan trees. The vegetation changed from coarse and dry to soft and lush throughout the hike. We ended up walking the entire route that day. In part because we had lots of energy, and in part because we got a little lost. Regardless, the hike was enjoyable and entertaining.

A view of the eastern side of the Kaohsiung

And the view of the east 

During the last 15 minutes of the descent to the temple, a few minutes north of where we began our hike and parked the car, we stumbled across a troop of monkeys making their way up the stairway. The numerous amount of placid monkeys at the bottom can be attributed to the temple and large amount of visitors feeding them. Definitely the place to go if you want the monkeys without the hike.

Hanging out on a side trail 

Can you see the monkey in the background?

See how close you can get to the Macaques in this short video I took