David on Formosa

I bought a motorbike during the week. As much as I love bicycles, they are not always the most convenient means of travel. Having a motorbike allows me to travel a little further and not feel exhausted when I arrive at my destination. In the earlier morning I headed out to Sanxia (三峽). My first stop was the Jin Guang Ming Temple (金光明寺). This temple is run by Fo Guang Shan (佛光山). I had passed by it a number of times, but never been inside to have a look. The temple is built around a courtyard and early in the morning it was deserted. I walked around and took some photos including this one of a lotus flower.

Buddha statue at Jin Guang Ming Temple

The main prayer hall contained a large white Buddha statue in the Burmese style. There was a nun in there doing prostrations, but after she left I had the whole place to myself.

Harvesting tea at Baiji

Next I headed out to Baiji (白雞). Along the way I came across this idyllic agricultural scene of people harvesting tea.

Xingxiu Temple

The Xingxiu Temple (行修宮) is nestled amongst the mountains in Baiji. My photo above really doesn't do justice to the beautiful setting of the temple. Here are some links to a couple of photos taken by Andres which highlight the beauty of the place (photo 1 and photo 2). I wandered around the temple and climbed up the hill behind it (from where I took the photo). After having had my weekly fix of temples I pointed the bike toward Manyue Yuan (滿月圓). I had ridden my bicycle up here a few weeks ago. It was interesting to do the trip again on a motorcycle. Although it was much faster, the road seemed much narrower in places. I think it is just a function of travelling at higher speed.

Forest at Manyueyuan

Unlike last time when I turned around and went home after I got to the entrance to Manyue Yuan, this time I went inside the park. This place really is lovely and the temperature is always a few degrees cooler than in Taipei. It is a great spot to enjoy some beautiful mountain scenery and fresh air. There is a hiking trail from here to Dongyan Shan (東眼山), which I must follow some day.

Waterfall at Manyue Yuan

I walked through the forest and then visited the two large waterfalls which are the main attraction of the park. The photos are actually of two smaller waterfalls. The big ones wouldn't fit in the lens of my camera!

Another waterfall

On the way home I took a detour. Rather than going directly back to Sanxia, I turned off on a road that has a sign pointing to Xindian. It doesn't actually go to Xindian, but to the road that links Xindian and Sanxia. This road passes through a valley with only half a dozen houses. It gives the impression of being very remote, yet it is only a short distance away from Taipei. I came across another beautiful agricultural scene on this road. The people out harvesting with a backdrop of mountains reminded me of the Himalayan foothills in India.