warpus
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Lukang Snapshots
EnglishEdward
Deity
@ Warpus
I very much enjoy your thread.
I very much enjoy your thread.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
Lukang Wende Temple (鹿港文德宮)
This temple was built in 1730 by settlers from Quanzhou, Fujian, mainland China. It enshrines Wenfu Wangye, one of the divine royal lords who are believed to protect coastal communities and prevent disease.
This temple has undergone several renovations and expansions, including a complete rebuild after the 1999 earthquake.
The finely detailed carvings were restored to match their pre-earthquake appearance as much as possible. They definitely caught the eye, even from a distance.
This temple was built in 1730 by settlers from Quanzhou, Fujian, mainland China. It enshrines Wenfu Wangye, one of the divine royal lords who are believed to protect coastal communities and prevent disease.
This temple has undergone several renovations and expansions, including a complete rebuild after the 1999 earthquake.
The finely detailed carvings were restored to match their pre-earthquake appearance as much as possible. They definitely caught the eye, even from a distance.
warpus
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Hohsing Youth Innovation Base (和興青創基地)
Built in the early 1900s during the Japanese colonial era, these structures originally served as a police station and dormitories. These days the complex is a multi-purpose creative and entrepreneurial space for young people. There's workshops, pop-up markets, exhibitions, temporary installations, etc. but a lot of the insides of the buildings are off-limits to the public. When I was here there wasn't much going on in terms of any of that, but it was fun to walk around and explore a bit nevertheless.
One thing that was happening during my visit was a crew of young people walking around, filming something using a serious looking gimbal mounted camera. I was curious what they were making, but mostly tried to stay out of their way.
Such examples of red brick architecture from the Qing and Japanese colonial years are not uncommon in Taiwan, but Lukang happens to be an especially well preserved example of it. It's almost as if red bricks have become an unofficial symbol of the city.
Built in the early 1900s during the Japanese colonial era, these structures originally served as a police station and dormitories. These days the complex is a multi-purpose creative and entrepreneurial space for young people. There's workshops, pop-up markets, exhibitions, temporary installations, etc. but a lot of the insides of the buildings are off-limits to the public. When I was here there wasn't much going on in terms of any of that, but it was fun to walk around and explore a bit nevertheless.
One thing that was happening during my visit was a crew of young people walking around, filming something using a serious looking gimbal mounted camera. I was curious what they were making, but mostly tried to stay out of their way.
Spoiler :
Such examples of red brick architecture from the Qing and Japanese colonial years are not uncommon in Taiwan, but Lukang happens to be an especially well preserved example of it. It's almost as if red bricks have become an unofficial symbol of the city.
warpus
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Lukang Folk Arts Museum (鹿港民俗文物館)
This structure was built in 1919 as the private residence of a prominent businessman in a mixture of Japanese, Chinese, and Western architectural styles. It blends Meiji-era Japanese design with Southern Fujian influences and Baroque and Renaissance elements. In the 1920s and 1930s it was transformed into a venue for international conferences, and in 1973 it was reborn again as a museum showcasing Taiwan's folk history and art.
There are over 6,000 Ming (1368–1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) artefacts here. Now.. You would be correct in pointing out that the Ming dynasty never ruled Taiwan directly and that many of these Ming era items are likely from the Chinese mainland.. but Ming loyalists did rule parts of the island in the 1600s and were even responsible for kicking out the Dutch. The museum is trying to show a sort of narrative of the evolution of Taiwanese folk art, and Ming influences are a part of that.
This museum came recommended as "must visit while you are in Lukang" by Alexander Synaptic, so I made sure to give myself a decent amount of time here.
This structure was built in 1919 as the private residence of a prominent businessman in a mixture of Japanese, Chinese, and Western architectural styles. It blends Meiji-era Japanese design with Southern Fujian influences and Baroque and Renaissance elements. In the 1920s and 1930s it was transformed into a venue for international conferences, and in 1973 it was reborn again as a museum showcasing Taiwan's folk history and art.
There are over 6,000 Ming (1368–1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) artefacts here. Now.. You would be correct in pointing out that the Ming dynasty never ruled Taiwan directly and that many of these Ming era items are likely from the Chinese mainland.. but Ming loyalists did rule parts of the island in the 1600s and were even responsible for kicking out the Dutch. The museum is trying to show a sort of narrative of the evolution of Taiwanese folk art, and Ming influences are a part of that.
This museum came recommended as "must visit while you are in Lukang" by Alexander Synaptic, so I made sure to give myself a decent amount of time here.
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warpus
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Taro Paste Bun (芋泥包)
I passed by a storefront selling taro paste buns that had a bit of a line, which prompted me to stop and take a look. Online reviews seemed to indicate that one of the presidents of Taiwan had eaten here at some point. I was a bit hungry and intrigued enough to get in line myself.
Taro is a root vegetable that chefs in mainland China began turning into a sweetened paste and incorporating into desserts during the Ming or Qing dynasty. The fusion of this new ingredient with traditional dim sum and modern baking methods in Hong Kong and Taiwan led to the creation of the Taro paste bun. It was popularized in Taiwan in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, during a boom in Taiwanese dessert culture.
The bun doesn't look like much, but I was a fan. The bun is light, fluffy, and slightly chewy, mildly sweet, a bit buttery, with sort of nutty & earthy undertones. I swear I tasted garlic in it too. There were savoury elements that made me want to take another bite to figure out what was going on with that sweet & savoury interplay.
The second steamed bun I ate here was pork filled. Also good, but the taro paste bun has a bit more cultural importance here.
I passed by a storefront selling taro paste buns that had a bit of a line, which prompted me to stop and take a look. Online reviews seemed to indicate that one of the presidents of Taiwan had eaten here at some point. I was a bit hungry and intrigued enough to get in line myself.
Taro is a root vegetable that chefs in mainland China began turning into a sweetened paste and incorporating into desserts during the Ming or Qing dynasty. The fusion of this new ingredient with traditional dim sum and modern baking methods in Hong Kong and Taiwan led to the creation of the Taro paste bun. It was popularized in Taiwan in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, during a boom in Taiwanese dessert culture.
The bun doesn't look like much, but I was a fan. The bun is light, fluffy, and slightly chewy, mildly sweet, a bit buttery, with sort of nutty & earthy undertones. I swear I tasted garlic in it too. There were savoury elements that made me want to take another bite to figure out what was going on with that sweet & savoury interplay.
The second steamed bun I ate here was pork filled. Also good, but the taro paste bun has a bit more cultural importance here.
warpus
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Lukang Mazu Temple (鹿港天后宮)
This is one of Taiwan's oldest and most popular temples dedicated to Mazu, the goddess and protector of sailors and fishermen. Over a million pilgrims visit this temple every year.
The fascinating claim is that this temple was originally founded in 1591, which predates large-scale Han Chinese migration to the island and even the arrival of the Dutch and Spanish. This traditionally accepted founding date of Lukang Mazu Temple is based on local records and oral histories. It all makes sense when you consider that the original temple was likely founded by early Chinese traders or fishermen and looked nothing like the temple we see today.
In fact, in 1725 the temple was relocated to the current location in Lukang, expanded, and completely rebuilt - that is considered to be the modern founding date. There were also significant renovations completed in 1815, 1874, 1927, and 1936. Whatever version of this temple existed in 1591, it would have been far smaller - probably just a small shrine.
Most of the wood carvings, stone sculptures, and other decorations you see were added during the 1700s and 1800s, but some elements were added a bit later, during the Japanese colonial period.
This is one of Taiwan's oldest and most popular temples dedicated to Mazu, the goddess and protector of sailors and fishermen. Over a million pilgrims visit this temple every year.
The fascinating claim is that this temple was originally founded in 1591, which predates large-scale Han Chinese migration to the island and even the arrival of the Dutch and Spanish. This traditionally accepted founding date of Lukang Mazu Temple is based on local records and oral histories. It all makes sense when you consider that the original temple was likely founded by early Chinese traders or fishermen and looked nothing like the temple we see today.
In fact, in 1725 the temple was relocated to the current location in Lukang, expanded, and completely rebuilt - that is considered to be the modern founding date. There were also significant renovations completed in 1815, 1874, 1927, and 1936. Whatever version of this temple existed in 1591, it would have been far smaller - probably just a small shrine.
Most of the wood carvings, stone sculptures, and other decorations you see were added during the 1700s and 1800s, but some elements were added a bit later, during the Japanese colonial period.
warpus
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Wanchun Temple (萬春宮 台中媽祖)
aka Taichung Mazu Temple (台中媽祖)
After visiting the Lukang Mazu Temple, I caught the hour-and-a-half bus back to Taichung and started looking for dinner. Bright lights drew my attention, and who would have thought? I found myself at Wanchun Temple, more commonly known as the Taichung Mazu Temple. Founded in 1723 and also dedicated to the revered sea goddess Mazu, this temple is said to house one of the oldest Mazu statues in Taiwan (which I did not get to see)
aka Taichung Mazu Temple (台中媽祖)
After visiting the Lukang Mazu Temple, I caught the hour-and-a-half bus back to Taichung and started looking for dinner. Bright lights drew my attention, and who would have thought? I found myself at Wanchun Temple, more commonly known as the Taichung Mazu Temple. Founded in 1723 and also dedicated to the revered sea goddess Mazu, this temple is said to house one of the oldest Mazu statues in Taiwan (which I did not get to see)
warpus
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The Dinner
"A bit" too much food was ordered for dinner at a hole in the wall restaurant that doesn't seem to exist on google maps, a not so uncommon reality of eating out in Taiwan. I got the beef noodle soup, pork dumplings, and a hot and sour dumpling soup.
A good and filling cheap dining experience, another not so uncommon reality of eating out in Taiwan. Nothing five star, but the flavours & textures were a pleasure to dig into; it basically tasted like something your mom would make, if your mom had grown up in Taiwan.
This might have been the most amount of food I consumed in one sitting on my trip. I just went a bit overboard when ordering. I did not eat a ton on my day trip to Lukang, and walking around in the sun might have gotten to me a bit too. Zero regrets, although I admit I did leave a bit of the dumpling soup broth behind.
"A bit" too much food was ordered for dinner at a hole in the wall restaurant that doesn't seem to exist on google maps, a not so uncommon reality of eating out in Taiwan. I got the beef noodle soup, pork dumplings, and a hot and sour dumpling soup.
A good and filling cheap dining experience, another not so uncommon reality of eating out in Taiwan. Nothing five star, but the flavours & textures were a pleasure to dig into; it basically tasted like something your mom would make, if your mom had grown up in Taiwan.
This might have been the most amount of food I consumed in one sitting on my trip. I just went a bit overboard when ordering. I did not eat a ton on my day trip to Lukang, and walking around in the sun might have gotten to me a bit too. Zero regrets, although I admit I did leave a bit of the dumpling soup broth behind.
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warpus
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Day Eight Reflections
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Total Distance Walked This Day - 11 km
A beautiful sunny day spent walking around the historic streets of Lukang, once one of the most important cities on the island. This day added a bit of a new dimension to my trip, as Lukang just felt so much older than any other part of Taiwan I had visited. Sure, there were old buildings all over the place, but the whole layout of Lukang and such a large concentration of older structures made it easy to imagine yourself walking around Lukang back when it was a major trading port.
I stopped at multiple street food establishments on my Lukang walk and tried various kinds of pastries. Each vendor I tried seemed to specialize in slightly different textures, fillings, and flavours. My notes tell me that the pastry in the above photo has a pork filling, but I can not figure out which particular dish this is. It could be the particular vendor's take on some related recipe. I remember especially enjoying this one though. I also had one that was a bit chewy and I swear mainly had a garlic filling, which I was also a fan of. Overall I should have probably eaten a more substantial breakfast or lunch instead of just eating random pastries throughout the day, but like I said, zero regrets.
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Total Distance Walked This Day - 11 km
A beautiful sunny day spent walking around the historic streets of Lukang, once one of the most important cities on the island. This day added a bit of a new dimension to my trip, as Lukang just felt so much older than any other part of Taiwan I had visited. Sure, there were old buildings all over the place, but the whole layout of Lukang and such a large concentration of older structures made it easy to imagine yourself walking around Lukang back when it was a major trading port.
I stopped at multiple street food establishments on my Lukang walk and tried various kinds of pastries. Each vendor I tried seemed to specialize in slightly different textures, fillings, and flavours. My notes tell me that the pastry in the above photo has a pork filling, but I can not figure out which particular dish this is. It could be the particular vendor's take on some related recipe. I remember especially enjoying this one though. I also had one that was a bit chewy and I swear mainly had a garlic filling, which I was also a fan of. Overall I should have probably eaten a more substantial breakfast or lunch instead of just eating random pastries throughout the day, but like I said, zero regrets.
warpus
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Day 9
Day Trip to Sun Moon Lake (日月潭)
Thursday, November 14, 2024
I woke up early so that I could catch the earliest possible train to Checheng, which used to be an important lumber industry town. From there the plan was to take a bus to Sun Moon Lake, where I was hoping to rent a bike for the day.
Initially the plan was to make Sun Moon Lake my first destination, but Alexander Synaptic convinced me to head to Checheng first. Unfortunately, the agent at the Taichung train station informed me that I should not buy a train ticket. I couldn't understand why, but after some attempts at communication I settled on a bus ticket to Shuili, a town about 3-4km south of Checheng. From there I was hoping to take a bus or potentially a train to Checheng.
Shuili and Checheng are too small to be marked on this map, but you can sort of see where Shuili is, just south-west of Sun Moon Lake. Checheng is a small town just north of there. You can also see Lukang on the map, where I spent the previous day, as well as a small bit of the eastern coast of Taiwan. Taichung of course was my temporary HQ. For further context, the map is centered on central Taiwan. Sun Moon Lake is somewhat central as far as the island goes.
This is a picture of Sun Moon Lake from later on in the day, once I finally reached it:
Sun Moon Lake is Taiwan's largest alpine lake and a popular vacation destination for locals and tourists alike. My objective was to cycle around the lake and take in the sights along the way.
But first, to get to Checheng..
Day Trip to Sun Moon Lake (日月潭)
Thursday, November 14, 2024
I woke up early so that I could catch the earliest possible train to Checheng, which used to be an important lumber industry town. From there the plan was to take a bus to Sun Moon Lake, where I was hoping to rent a bike for the day.
Initially the plan was to make Sun Moon Lake my first destination, but Alexander Synaptic convinced me to head to Checheng first. Unfortunately, the agent at the Taichung train station informed me that I should not buy a train ticket. I couldn't understand why, but after some attempts at communication I settled on a bus ticket to Shuili, a town about 3-4km south of Checheng. From there I was hoping to take a bus or potentially a train to Checheng.
Shuili and Checheng are too small to be marked on this map, but you can sort of see where Shuili is, just south-west of Sun Moon Lake. Checheng is a small town just north of there. You can also see Lukang on the map, where I spent the previous day, as well as a small bit of the eastern coast of Taiwan. Taichung of course was my temporary HQ. For further context, the map is centered on central Taiwan. Sun Moon Lake is somewhat central as far as the island goes.
This is a picture of Sun Moon Lake from later on in the day, once I finally reached it:
Sun Moon Lake is Taiwan's largest alpine lake and a popular vacation destination for locals and tourists alike. My objective was to cycle around the lake and take in the sights along the way.
But first, to get to Checheng..
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warpus
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Shuili (水里)
Shuili Township is a rural township in central Taiwan with a population of about 16,000. Shuili translates to "In the water", a reference to the nearby bodies of water, including Zhuoshui River, the longest river in Taiwan, and Sun Moon Lake, about 10km to the north-east from here.
The main industries that were historically significant in this region are ceramics, forestry, camphor production, and hydroelectric power. I had to look up camphor myself, that seems to be a medicinal compound made from the camphor tree.
I arrived here at 9:45am or so and found Shuili to be bustling with activity. I had to find some food and figure out what I'm doing next though. I wish I could have spared some time to give Shuili more of a look, but I had to move on if I wanted to have any chance of accomplishing my goal of cycling all the way around Sun Moon Lake.
I found a cafe that makes a damn good fried chicken sandwich, which came served with a badly needed coffee. I took this time to re-energize and plan out my next steps. After looking up bus schedules and analyzing the map in between Shuili and Checheng a bit closer, I decided that it would be more interesting and time effective to walk to Checheng. It was about 3-4km and would take about 50 minutes, although I couldn't quite make out what sort of network of paths connects the two towns, or if a part of it would have to involve walking down the street. Either way, the decision was made to start walking towards Checheng.
Shuili Station, which is where I had originally planned on arriving by way of train, was built in 1922 in part to support the local hydroelectric and lumber industries. It's the only Shuili landmark of any note I would see during my brief stay here.
Shuili Township is a rural township in central Taiwan with a population of about 16,000. Shuili translates to "In the water", a reference to the nearby bodies of water, including Zhuoshui River, the longest river in Taiwan, and Sun Moon Lake, about 10km to the north-east from here.
The main industries that were historically significant in this region are ceramics, forestry, camphor production, and hydroelectric power. I had to look up camphor myself, that seems to be a medicinal compound made from the camphor tree.
I arrived here at 9:45am or so and found Shuili to be bustling with activity. I had to find some food and figure out what I'm doing next though. I wish I could have spared some time to give Shuili more of a look, but I had to move on if I wanted to have any chance of accomplishing my goal of cycling all the way around Sun Moon Lake.
I found a cafe that makes a damn good fried chicken sandwich, which came served with a badly needed coffee. I took this time to re-energize and plan out my next steps. After looking up bus schedules and analyzing the map in between Shuili and Checheng a bit closer, I decided that it would be more interesting and time effective to walk to Checheng. It was about 3-4km and would take about 50 minutes, although I couldn't quite make out what sort of network of paths connects the two towns, or if a part of it would have to involve walking down the street. Either way, the decision was made to start walking towards Checheng.
Shuili Station, which is where I had originally planned on arriving by way of train, was built in 1922 in part to support the local hydroelectric and lumber industries. It's the only Shuili landmark of any note I would see during my brief stay here.
warpus
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The Checheng - Shuili Bikeway
Imagine my surprise when I realized that the set of ambiguous paths I saw on google maps connecting these two towns was actually a well maintained cycling and pedestrian route! Most of it is elevated, there are several alternate paths and side trails you can explore along the way, as well as occasional rest areas and lookout points. The route takes you by the Shuili river, through lush mountains, passing by remnants of the area's logging and hydroelectric past, including active hydroelectric infrastructure.
I was ecstatic! I had no idea what sort of route I would be walking on or if all the trails I saw on the map were even connected. I thought I might have to walk parts or all of this down a sidewalk-less road. Taiwan surprised me once again with pedestrian and bike friendly infrastructure that would take me where I wanted to go. It elevated my spirits to new heights, even though there was a slight drizzle of rain coming down.
Imagine my surprise when I realized that the set of ambiguous paths I saw on google maps connecting these two towns was actually a well maintained cycling and pedestrian route! Most of it is elevated, there are several alternate paths and side trails you can explore along the way, as well as occasional rest areas and lookout points. The route takes you by the Shuili river, through lush mountains, passing by remnants of the area's logging and hydroelectric past, including active hydroelectric infrastructure.
I was ecstatic! I had no idea what sort of route I would be walking on or if all the trails I saw on the map were even connected. I thought I might have to walk parts or all of this down a sidewalk-less road. Taiwan surprised me once again with pedestrian and bike friendly infrastructure that would take me where I wanted to go. It elevated my spirits to new heights, even though there was a slight drizzle of rain coming down.
warpus
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Scenic Hike to Checheng
I ended up really enjoying this hike! I had initially hoped to take a train straight to Checheng, but this wasn't an option at the time. I eventually figured out that this was likely due to the recent supertyphoon Leon, as I am pretty sure I saw downed trees on the tracks in the distance at one point. I had also considered taking a bus to Sun Moon Lake from Shuili, bypassing Checheng entirely, but ended up deciding on doing this walk instead. I am really glad that I did! The scenery was beautiful and there was barely anyone else there. The rain was coming down in a drizzle here and there, but it wasn't really a problem.
There was something burning nearby, but I couldn't quite figure out what. I assumed it was a local area farmer or resident performing some sort of a controlled burn. The smoke did not really reach me, so it wasn't much of an issue.
Luckily I did not encounter any monkeys, bees, or snakes on my walk.
One thing on my mind was that a supertyphoon named after my late father seemed to lead to me being here. It gave this walk a bit more of a purpose.
I ended up really enjoying this hike! I had initially hoped to take a train straight to Checheng, but this wasn't an option at the time. I eventually figured out that this was likely due to the recent supertyphoon Leon, as I am pretty sure I saw downed trees on the tracks in the distance at one point. I had also considered taking a bus to Sun Moon Lake from Shuili, bypassing Checheng entirely, but ended up deciding on doing this walk instead. I am really glad that I did! The scenery was beautiful and there was barely anyone else there. The rain was coming down in a drizzle here and there, but it wasn't really a problem.
There was something burning nearby, but I couldn't quite figure out what. I assumed it was a local area farmer or resident performing some sort of a controlled burn. The smoke did not really reach me, so it wasn't much of an issue.
Luckily I did not encounter any monkeys, bees, or snakes on my walk.
One thing on my mind was that a supertyphoon named after my late father seemed to lead to me being here. It gave this walk a bit more of a purpose.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
Checheng (車城)
Checheng translates to "Train yard" or "Rail yard", a reference to the town's historical role as a logging transport hub. It lies at the terminus of the Jiji rail line, which was constructed in 1921 to transport heavy equipment, construction materials, and workers needed for the area's hydroelectric facilities. More or less at the same time logging companies set up shop here and turned Checheng into an important base for the logging industry. This is how Checheng became associated with logging and timber even though the Jiji railway was initially constructed with the hydroelectric industry in mind.
In the 1950s, 60s, and 70s Checheng thrived as a vibrant hub for Taiwan's logging and hydroelectric industries and was known as "Little Taipei". It had a reputation for being an unusually well developed and prosperous mountain town with modern urban-style amenities that made it feel like a miniature version of the capital.
By the 1980s Taiwan faced severe deforestation problems, which lead to the government restricting logging, and by 1989 there was a complete ban on logging in natural forests. Meanwhile the hydroelectric projects in the area had been fully constructed and required far less attention. Modernization, automation, and a shift to other energy sources also contributed to the decline of Checheng as an important industry hub.
In 1999 an earthquake severely damaged the Jiji railway route to Checheng, at a time when the economic importance of the railway had significantly declined and passenger numbers had dwindled to record lows. Instead of scrapping the line entirely it was decided to rebuild it as a scenic tourist route. This is the train ride I was hoping to initially take to Checheng, but fate had other ideas in store for me.
Today Checheng is a small town of about 450 inhabitants. Much of the old industrial infrastructure has been repurposed as tourist attractions.
Checheng translates to "Train yard" or "Rail yard", a reference to the town's historical role as a logging transport hub. It lies at the terminus of the Jiji rail line, which was constructed in 1921 to transport heavy equipment, construction materials, and workers needed for the area's hydroelectric facilities. More or less at the same time logging companies set up shop here and turned Checheng into an important base for the logging industry. This is how Checheng became associated with logging and timber even though the Jiji railway was initially constructed with the hydroelectric industry in mind.
In the 1950s, 60s, and 70s Checheng thrived as a vibrant hub for Taiwan's logging and hydroelectric industries and was known as "Little Taipei". It had a reputation for being an unusually well developed and prosperous mountain town with modern urban-style amenities that made it feel like a miniature version of the capital.
By the 1980s Taiwan faced severe deforestation problems, which lead to the government restricting logging, and by 1989 there was a complete ban on logging in natural forests. Meanwhile the hydroelectric projects in the area had been fully constructed and required far less attention. Modernization, automation, and a shift to other energy sources also contributed to the decline of Checheng as an important industry hub.
In 1999 an earthquake severely damaged the Jiji railway route to Checheng, at a time when the economic importance of the railway had significantly declined and passenger numbers had dwindled to record lows. Instead of scrapping the line entirely it was decided to rebuild it as a scenic tourist route. This is the train ride I was hoping to initially take to Checheng, but fate had other ideas in store for me.
Today Checheng is a small town of about 450 inhabitants. Much of the old industrial infrastructure has been repurposed as tourist attractions.
warpus
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Checheng Logging Exhibition Hall
aka Checheng Wood Museum
This museum is housed in a structure that was built in 1958 and used to be the main sawmill of one of the largest lumber companies in Taiwan. It was partially destroyed by a large earthquake in 1999 and rebuilt as a museum in the early 2000s.
With the limited amount of time I had in Checheng, this was at the top of my list of things to see here.
aka Checheng Wood Museum
This museum is housed in a structure that was built in 1958 and used to be the main sawmill of one of the largest lumber companies in Taiwan. It was partially destroyed by a large earthquake in 1999 and rebuilt as a museum in the early 2000s.
With the limited amount of time I had in Checheng, this was at the top of my list of things to see here.
warpus
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The main thing that got my attention at the Checheng Wood Museum were the wooden carvings, many carved by local artisans.
The multi-level open concept design of the building itself was the other highlight here. It was easy to imagine this place as a busy sawmill.
The multi-level open concept design of the building itself was the other highlight here. It was easy to imagine this place as a busy sawmill.
warpus
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Mingtan Reservoir Dam
One thing you can see from Checheng is some of the nearby hydroelectric infrastructure.
This dam built in 1995 forms the Mingtan Reservoir, which stores water released from Sun Moon Lake. The just out of view Mingtan Power Plant is the largest hydroelectric plant in Taiwan.
I wish I had time to explore some of the hiking trails in the area, which likely give you interesting views of Checheng and the surrounding landscape.
One thing you can see from Checheng is some of the nearby hydroelectric infrastructure.
This dam built in 1995 forms the Mingtan Reservoir, which stores water released from Sun Moon Lake. The just out of view Mingtan Power Plant is the largest hydroelectric plant in Taiwan.
I wish I had time to explore some of the hiking trails in the area, which likely give you interesting views of Checheng and the surrounding landscape.
warpus
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Checheng Snapshots
Turns out the November bus schedule to Sun Moon Lake was not as frequent as I had hoped; I had to wait over an hour and a half for the next bus. This was cutting it a bit close in terms of me still being able to cycle around the lake before it got dark.
I used the extra time to explore a bit more of Checheng, these days a cute little mountain town that occasionally shows you hints that it used to be an important lumber industry centre.
Turns out the November bus schedule to Sun Moon Lake was not as frequent as I had hoped; I had to wait over an hour and a half for the next bus. This was cutting it a bit close in terms of me still being able to cycle around the lake before it got dark.
I used the extra time to explore a bit more of Checheng, these days a cute little mountain town that occasionally shows you hints that it used to be an important lumber industry centre.
warpus
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Cycling around Sun Moon Lake
The bus from Checheng to Shuishe took just over an hour, arriving at 2:30pm. Shuishe is just about where the top-left corner of the C marker points to on the first map, in the north-western part of Sun Moon Lake. This is where the majority of cyclists begin their Sun Moon Lake cycling adventures.
There are a lot more bike friendly routes in this part of central Taiwan than I initially thought. The elevated one I had found earlier when I walked from Shuili to Checheng is marked by the red 3 marker; You can see the Mingtan Reservoir just north of there. In hindsight I wish I had spent a bit more time in this part of Taiwan.
Cycling around Sun Moon Lake can be a bit of an adventure, as there are a decent amount of things to do and see along the way. A part of the route takes you down a dedicated bike path, often independently elevated, but for a part of the route you have to use the public road. There are plenty of uphill & downhill sections as well and at times multiple routes for you to choose from.
The employees at the bike rental shop assured me that I would be able to cycle all the way around the lake and make it back before the 6pm closing time. I grabbed something quick to eat and got acquainted with my e-powered bike. I was told to not use the two highest settings too frequently, as that would drain the battery too fast. It would suck getting stranded somewhere, as the bike shop closes at 6pm and there were only a handful of buses back to Taichung after that time as well.
The bus from Checheng to Shuishe took just over an hour, arriving at 2:30pm. Shuishe is just about where the top-left corner of the C marker points to on the first map, in the north-western part of Sun Moon Lake. This is where the majority of cyclists begin their Sun Moon Lake cycling adventures.
There are a lot more bike friendly routes in this part of central Taiwan than I initially thought. The elevated one I had found earlier when I walked from Shuili to Checheng is marked by the red 3 marker; You can see the Mingtan Reservoir just north of there. In hindsight I wish I had spent a bit more time in this part of Taiwan.
Cycling around Sun Moon Lake can be a bit of an adventure, as there are a decent amount of things to do and see along the way. A part of the route takes you down a dedicated bike path, often independently elevated, but for a part of the route you have to use the public road. There are plenty of uphill & downhill sections as well and at times multiple routes for you to choose from.
The employees at the bike rental shop assured me that I would be able to cycle all the way around the lake and make it back before the 6pm closing time. I grabbed something quick to eat and got acquainted with my e-powered bike. I was told to not use the two highest settings too frequently, as that would drain the battery too fast. It would suck getting stranded somewhere, as the bike shop closes at 6pm and there were only a handful of buses back to Taichung after that time as well.
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