Here goes the journey, in front of the gateway of Taiwan's East-West Cross Island Highway.
In order to have a picture with the scooter, Boel and me, I ask a man to take pictures for us. After taking photos, he recommends us to buy a drink, lemonade, in Xin-Cheng新城, a town, which is less than 5 K from here. I decide to take the advice. I follow his words and ride carefully in order not to get lost. Later, when I wait for a traffic light at an intersection, I see a person waving his hand from a car. Waving a hand? To me? I turn my head around. No more car or scooter next to me. So, what does the hand mean then? Very soon, after entering the town, I see the shop the man mentions, and the car with a weaving hand also stops! The driver steps out from the car. Hey! It's him again! So fun! (OS: Is he worried if I don't take his advice? :-P ) The man takes his family to travel along the east coast during the spring vacation, and they come from Chunghwa, my father's home town! He treats us two cups of lemonade and gives us even more his "secret" scenic spots to visit. BTW, the lemonade is awesome! Not only because of the taste, but also because of the feelings of sharing!
I take his advice again. The second place is located beside the train station Chong-De崇德. We should ask a "tall" staff for the direction (there are only two staff in this station), the man says so... The tall staff points out the direction. We cross the rail ways directly (quite exciting) and walk towards the second pile of stones. At the right side (east side, face the Pacific Ocean) of the piles is a jungle. The man says a path is hidden among the jungle. It takes me a few minutes to discover the path. It is just like running orienteering in a dark green area. We have to use our arms to protect our faces from being hit by the branches and grass. Luckily, I have my long pants on! About 100 meters away, hurray! the Pacific Ocean is just right in front of us! This place is the best place to see the Cing-Shui cliff, the man says. I agree. You might be able to take a bath in the Pacific Ocean and to take a rest on the stone beach as well.
The beach is full of "round and flat" stones. They are so beautiful, and I don't know which one I should bring home... And I just remember there is a story about this situation: It is a garden, full of valuable stones. A fairy talks to a boy, " you can pick a biggest or a most beautiful stone up home, but you only have one chance to do that. You are not allowed to go back to the place where you have sought, besides." The boy is looking around here and there, but he can't decide which one his favorite is. In the end, he gets NOTHING home... Is the boy too greedy to get a stone? I think so. People always expect s/he can find a better one next time. However, they just let the treasure go away without noticing. Am I this kind of person? I ask towards the ocean. Hwa...hwa...hwa... No answer from the waves... And my hands are still empty.
It is so tricky for us to find the path back. No kidding. We spend at least 15 minutes finding out where the path is. Thanks God, finally. :-D
We continue to visit San-Zhan Village (三棧村). It is a small village surrounded by a green and singing creek in the front and some hills as background. Lovely place and people. A man says it would be perfect if we could go there to go river trekking in the summer time. I think I would visit here again, no doubt.
Yo! That's the whole story. Thanks for the man sharing his secrets with me again. :-)
