TAIWANFINN BLOG: Taoyuan City - Hutoushan park

Hutoushan park is an excellent place to meet people. One Sunday afternoon, as I was taking photos by the river, an old gentleman came to me leaning on his walking stick. "Where are you from?" he asked. Later on he told me that "I was born in Nanjing in 1911." It means that at that moment he was 103 years young. Maybe he meant the year 11 in Taiwanese calendar. Then he would be only 92 years young. I was moved by his joy and peace.

Little later I met this lovely Taiwanese-Russian couple.

Hutoushan park is also home for an important buddhist temple. This monk is begging and meditating at the same time. I will tell about the temple in a future article,

On the way up to the hill you will meet vendors. They don't force you to buy anything, tho. I used to buy a drink from this lady. I tastes wonderful after climbing to the top of the hill. My favourite is green tea, not too strong and not too sweet. Green bottle on the lower right hand corner of the photo. It is often difficult to identify which drink is good for you. Some bottled green teas are so strong, that they alter your state of conciousness for whole day. Your mind is somewhere else, you are fully awake, but cannot understand anything around you. You cannot sleep in the night or concentrate on anything.

Best durian fruit I have found here, in Hutoushan park. It is not native to Taiwan, but imported from Thailand. Durian is The King of All Fruits. It is stinking ammonia, but when you put it in your mouth, a creamy pleasantness fills you. I freeze it and eat it like ice cream. It will not become hard when frozen. One fruit gives several servings and cost approximately 300 dollars (7 euros).

Fresh durian, peeled and ready to eat. In Singapore, it is forbidden to bring durian in the public transport, because the smell may drive some people crazy.

USC, unidentified stuff for cooking.

Vegetables.

These clothes are trendy, at least for ladies who practice rhythmic dance in the Hutoushan park early in the morning.

Most people just pass you quickly.

Not this man. He have heavy chains wrapped around his ankles. With those he climb the hill. Wow. He is tough!

This is a place where fathers bring their kids to learn.

But sobre todo, it is the place for exercise.

I like young people in Taiwan. They are friendly and positive, and like to be in photos. Almost always they make this hand sign in photos. I don't know what it means, but with time you get used to it.

Favourite spot for the young people is in the North-West side of the park area. This is where hundreds of people gather to chill in the evening and look over the city. The place used to be a waste landfill, but now it is a pleasant recreational park. No drunk people here.

Taiwan makes you feel welcome.

It took me a while to figure out what are these dirty habitations. They are shelters prepared for the stray dogs. People bring them food and water. This is where they sleep.

Some of the dogs once had a master.

These two still have a master.

I am a stray dog. Can you be my master?

Stray dog playing with family dog.

This lady brought her home made lemonade up to the highest point. It is more expensive than elswhere, one euro per glass, but it is worth the investment, hen hao hé.