Too many sheep in one day can really stress anybody out. Bleats of our bushy friends reverberated through the valley making any possible effort at relaxing difficult. Getting lost in the scenery was quickly diminished after stepping in their leftovers a few times, and I'm not talking about food. But the kids are having a good time, all still alive, and a visit to the hot spring is right around the corner.Destination #2: Hot Spring Hotel
Nottaclue, Taiwan
This should have gone in the previous post but I was feeling uninspired at the time. After all the sheep had outrun the children, it was time to move on. Back on the tour bus once again, I was informed that our next stop was the hotel for some dinner and R&R. But this wasn't just any hotel; under foundation of this place (and many others in the town) were natural hot springs. Taiwan is located in the collision zone of two tectonic plates. For centuries, indigenous people knew about them but paid no attention, it is after all really hot and sometimes that hurts. But under Japanese control in the late 1800s, their own culture rich with hot soaking, the spas and hotels began to develop. Which brings me to the hotel. While the kids splashed in a pool off to the side, I was being blasted by a stream of hot water powerful enough to strip paint from a wall. While the kids were drying off, I was in a sauna sweating out months of poor behavior. And while the kids were being brought back to the rooms, I was enjoying some hydrotherapy on my back with water so hot it changed the color of my hair. Quick sidenote: when getting into the sauna I missed a small step, slipped a little and fell forwards. Luckily my hand caught my balance on the sweaty inner-thigh of a man in a speedo tipping the scales at 300lbs, also the only person in chamber. International incident avoided, sustained awkwardness achieved.
Destination #3: Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village
Yuchi, Nantou County
Of course the time spent away from my pupils evaporated as quickly as my muscle aches. I'm technically on duty, shortly after the kids are back in the room I return to survey the damage. Like I imagined, my roommates have learned nothing about the how to dry their suits and towels. No Michael, this shirt will not get dry balled up in the sink. Titan, please hang your towel on the shower curtain rod and not the lid of the toilet. After vigorously beating them with pillows, some mindless TV to numb trauma and a little gameboy, lights out. My roommates Michael, Titan and Andrew were as worn out as I was. Worn out enough that a few minutes later, one of my roomies began snoring something awful. It was what I imagine to be the sound from the combination of a blackhole closing up and massive hog that just received some terrible news. Really kid?
Bright and early, time for the morning feed. Here is almost a complete picture of the little monkeys. From left to right is Andrew, Titan, myself and Michael. By far, the funniest breakfast meal I've had, there may have been a stoned chef in the back. Not to be confused with bad taste, it was the offering that made me smile, here is the list: chicken nuggets, scrambled eggs, salad bar, rice, toast, cereal, pork lo mein, hot and sour soup, pizza and a few more things. Don't tell kids in America that over here they eat chicken nuggets for breakfast, one of the only times you'll hear a 10-year old American kid say "I WANT TO GO TO TAAAAAAAAAAIWAAAAAN!!!"
Back on the bus, an hour away to Sun Moon Lake. The lake is super famous in the country; home to the Thao tribe, this spectacular body of water represents holy ground for them and talked about extensively in their folktales. It is also the largest body of water in Taiwan and hosts a 3-km race during the Mid-Autumn festivals.
The culture village was on the other side of a hill as big as a mountain but the crafty Taiwanese had installed a gondola about twenty years earlier, good work! The monkeys and I got into our skyward cube, enjoying the spectacular views. Well, they enjoyed spitting out of it into the forest below but I took a lot of pictures.
Arriving on the other side at 11:00AM, we are handed maps and are taken inside the park. Once there, our guide says meet here at 3:30PM, adios. The park has the largest European garden in the country AND the largest outdoor museum in the country including nine different villages highlighting Taiwan's earliest tribes. Or you could do what I did: eat corndogs, ride a merry-go-round 59 times, eat corndogs, play videogames, ride a tram, get sick from corndogs. There were much bigger rides that peaked my interest but motion sickness really bummed out my partners in crime. And I didn't feel like cleaning up their motion sickness. But we had a great time; I bought them ice cream, we ran around a lot and made it back to the meeting point on time. My bosses were surprised but pleased.
Back on the odorous coach, ready to get back to the city. During the daylight, the views were simply phenomenal; I had no idea the country had this kind of natural splendor. It actually reminded me of New Zealand. Winding roads hugging the mountain on one side and a steep drop on the other, rivers carving through the valleys and eating away the luminescent limestone masses, leafy flora growth stretching endlessly. A great break from the city, a bluer sky and certainly cleaner air. I'm very lucky my bosses took me and luckier that the kids are all well behaved. Without a doubt, I'll certainly be coming baaaaaaaah-ck....
Yikes.
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