[Trekking] Once upon a trail: A-Xi trekking trail （阿溪縱走）

Team: Yuanze Mt. Club and GoforWild
Time: 2012/6 and 2015/10
Place: Alishan town (阿里山) and Shanlinxi town （杉林溪）, Nantou
Difficulties: **** (4/5) for the whole trail, **(1.5/5) for section to Shuiyang. 

A-Xi trekking trail 2012 (Photo credit: Monica Liu)

1. Once upon a trail: Alishan  - Xitou 

Back to its glory days during 1970s-1980s, a hiking trail had been settled in the woods of Nantou District by Taiwan China Youth Corps . The original trail was in total of 32 km, start from Xitou to Alishan which runs along side of Xitou Giant Trees logging road up to Shanxi highway, Liulongtou, Andingwan, Shanlinxi logging camp, No.9 Trailhead, which later meet up with Mianyue Divine Tree, Shihou (Stone Monkey), Mianyue station, Tashan station and final destination, famous Alishan mountain scenic spot, which called Xi-A vertical trek. 

Running along redwoods and cedar, the trail was relaxed and enjoyable. Especially it was featured with several railway stations, which made 32 km seems an acceptable distance. Once, young people used to sit in the train, looked out window for continuous ranges of green forest and enjoyed its fresh pure air. Then they made an easy walk on logging road or good conditioned forest path to the other end of the trail, or pitched a tent elsewhere to stay for one more night in arms of mother nature. Doubtlessly, the trail attracted hundreds of thousands visitors and won a great fame for its name. 

[Trekking] Chialo Lake － scattering pearls from fairyland （宜蘭加羅湖）

Team: GoforWild
Time: Sep 26-27, 2015
Place: Siji Village, Yilan

Difficulties: ** (2/5),  steepy forest with big tree roots, and all year round wet mud, and bushes of trenchant miscanthus.

1. Tales of Chialo lake:

There is one tale tells a story in the elder day, a beautiful fairy accidentally drop off her mirror, broken to shiny pieces of misty lakes. Another story tells this lake group is a scattering pearls from hand of a pretty peri. The biggest and most beautiful lake was named after mountain Chialo. 

At the height of 2300m and moist lake group environment, Chialo lake easily get foggy and sudden change of weather. Foggy smokes and rains cover the lake mysteriously, meanwhile beams of sunshine makes it look fairy-land alike. Together with its reflections, the lake mystique unlimitedly expands and forms a scene of mirrored wonderworld. 

Scattering pearls from fairyland

2. Cypress woods: 

At the moderate to high altitudes of 1000–2900, green coniferous forest. This including two kind of famous cypresses that can be found here: Chamaecyparis taiwanensis (hinoki, 扁柏) and Chamaecyparis formosensis (meniki，紅檜）, both are very valuable timbers. How to distinguish those two ones? Basically, even looks quite the same, however, differences still can be found in their smells and growing directions of leaves. Hinoki is solid and shows greater in quality then Meniki.

A walk in the woods

[Book] The 100-year-old man who climbed out the window and disappeared

Author： Jonas Jonasson  
Year: 2009

I agree with first phrase of Marie Claire's review of  this book, such a a playful book; however, in my opinion, it's more than remind us to live life to the fullest, it's a review of significant events and memoirs in 20th century. It's hard to believe what happened in Allan life, or in fact, it's impossible to happen. Even though, I guess everyone would love to listen to stories of grandpa life long experience; especially when they represent the social context and movement then. By learning the past from the elderly,  you'd get a clearer idea of how incredibly this world moved on. 

Allan view of politics and religions

Growing up experience social political system changed rapidly, Allan define himself as no interested in any politics related topics and refuse to pick a side. Ironically, later his life always crushed in complex relationship with well known politician from all over the sides: Fascist, Capitalist, Communist, Socialist. By accidentally had the only Capitalist of the town exploded into pieces, forecast his successful life as a destroyer and confusing implication with political strategic. I'm quite impression with the way the writer arrange Allan met up with all great politician like Truman, Song Meiling, Stalin, Mao, Kim Young Il...

With his rich experience, Allan always affirm his attitude towards religion, atheist. From the earlier history, there's a firm connections between religion and power control. Since the date Christian had become official religion of Roman Empire, it gained power and shared glory with those Majesty. The pastor in Iran brings along the idea of how far religious propaganda can be seriously taken? When you found your endless and enlightenment, should you go further by spreading this delight to others? The pastor no doubt want to relieve public sorrow; however, his way of combine religious and politics made faith been forced but not a freely choice. No one has the right to  force others to do or follow anything. Too much propaganda for an unclear purpose in a large scale, and even worse, not at the right time can lead to tragedy. 

"To keep on saying the same thing over and over again thus served no purpose."

[Trekking] Fuji Mt. - spiritual temple of Japan

• Height: 3776m
• Team: A-lone 
• Time: July, 2014
• Place: Kawaguchiko, Japan
• Trail Ascend: Yoshidaguchi Trail head. (850m), Yamanashi Prefecture. 
• Trail Descend: Fujinomiya trail, 5th station (2400m), Shizuoka Prefecture.
• Difficulties: ** (2/5), since it's summer hike.

This moment --- when the sun is rising on top of Fuji Mt. 

Intro:

1. Admission: 

Usually, trails are open from early July to mid September! You can check for more details here: Fuji Climb season. If climbing season ends, you need to ask for permission. 

2. Number of trails: 

a. Yoshida: oldest and longest, not steep; since ancient time, it's official trail that hold many holy rituals. Most of the mt. huts gather on this trail.
b. Fujinomiya:This route is the shortest and lowest in elevation among the four trails and, therefore, is the second most popular course next to the Yoshida Trail.
c. Subashiri: east side of Mount Fuji. You start from a lower elevation than Yoshida Trail. This trail is characterized by the abundance of plants and trees up to an elevation of around 2,700 m and the sand run on the descending trail. The trail is suited to climbers with experience because there are fewer huts.
d. Gotemba: starting from the elevation of 1,440 m, is an exceptionally difficult route compared with the other routes in both distance and the difference in elevation.

More details here: Fuji mt. Route

Trails of Fuji Mt. Source: Japan Guide

3. Access: 

Train JR Tokaido Shinkansen Line 'Kodama': Tokyo Station > Shin-Fuji Station (1 hour and 15 minutes) or Fuji Kyuko Bus: 2 hours and 15 minutes 

Local bus to North Sengen Shrine (height: 850m)

4. Mt huts booking: 

Every station there're many huts. But my personal opinion 8th station would be the best height to stay, for 2 reasons: first I started from trail head, and second, at least you have some distance to walk until the summit. You dun want to go there too fast when it's still dark and cold. 

One of the huts in 8th station is :http://www.mfi.or.jp/fujisan/. I booked and get all email contacted by Japanese, they dont use English in email but speak English, luckily. No deposit required, I guess because Japanese do business by credit. So if you booked the hut, please do come. 

I stayed there, dinner is ok, nice staff; however, breakfast is sth you shouldn't put too much expectation. The hut was full and you just get right enough place to lay down, sleeping bag already well-prepared. (And for this trip I brought my own, no need to get it out. Don't have a lot of place to move comfortably, also don't have time; you gonna be hurry in the morning.)

Hiking Notes:

I've heard that it's quite an ugly mt. to hike, without any trees and fauna and you have to queue in line to get to the top. Uhm, my word is: it depends. Beauty lies the eyes of beholder and the holiness stays in the heart of devout. As the spirit of Japan, Fujisan nowadays more like a sight seeing spot than a mountain.

However, my worry is the capacity of Mt. Fuji to hold thousand of ppl in this high season? Ppl line up miles away and moving slowly to the top. One of the big rock fell down and thrilled through right in front of me (yay, just me, among the huge crowd, just me, how can ???? ), luckily it just get my legs bruised. Back to the main point, how can a mt. suffer such a huge crowd trample on? Once upon a time, she's a holy mt. , a sacred goddess. At present, to many ppl, she's just a must-go-sight-seeing when visit Japan.Fuji became one of the most visited mt. of the world. 

Japan take really good on hiking trail management. Easy to access to hiking trail head by bus. Good condition hiking trail. safe and clear trail, convenient mountain huts attract thousand of hikers, tourists visit every summer.Mt. hut like a small convenience store, just 3 times expensive than the original price. Guiding station and first aid station along the way. Bio-toilets are everywhere (from a humorous perspective, excrement is everywhere, and if the mt. active again, I'm not sure that the magma is the thing gonna be threw to the air. :)) )

Let's review some scenic ard Fuji first, before officially step on the trail to this sacred mt. 

The Japanese say that the clouds that cover the tops of other peaks only curl around the foot of Fuji. Its summit, a lofty place of contemplation, provides an attractive sanctuary for the deities, who dwell there free from the sorrow that trouble the world below.

View from Kawaguchi station

Sengen Jinja Torii: Away from Kawaguchi station 10-15 mins walk (as I remember) is this can't  miss scenic spots. 

Fuji Sengen Jingja Torii (aiks, the cloud cover the sacred mt.)

Fuji North Sengen Shrine, formally known as Kitaguchi Hongū Fuji Sengen Jinja (北口本宮冨士浅間神社, "North Entrance Fuji Sengen Shrine"), is the main Sengen Shrine on the north side of the mountain. Means there are other shrines from other sides? And the head shrine of them all? Let's talk about it later in my other series of Japan Shrines. 

View of Fuji Sengen Shrine

View of Fuji Sengen Shrine

The main deity worshiped and was symbol of Fuji Mt. is Konohana (木花咲耶姫) goddess. 

Konohana Sakuya Hime originally had little or no connection with Mount Fuji. Sometime between the 14th and 16th centuries, the belief arose among the people of the region that she would protect them from eruptions of the volcano as she had her newborn son from the flames of the burning bower. During the Tokugawa period, between 1600 and 1868, the Fuji-ko [Fuji mountain-climbing] movement confirmed Konohana Sakuya Hime as the principal goddess of the sacred mountain. She is now the central deity in major Shinto shrines at the base of the volcano and on the rim of its crater. 

Ironically, until late 19th century, women was banned from trekking to the summit, only can reach to very low station and must turn back. 

View at Sengen Shrine Trailhead, by that time, the enchantress walked by. Seems I was brought to ancient time.

[Writing] Up in the air

When people are young, they looking for where to go? 

 When they get old, thought of where to return
 raised from deep down their mind. 

-Nguyen Ngoc Tu-

Sunset, left its last and most gorgeous light (2015/02 from Vietnam to Taoyuan)

For me, I know the answer for the second question, problem is when? When will I be ready for that? Since I always drag along excitedly where is next destination to waste my youth, to feel my breath and my heart, to widen my vision, to up side down my prejudice and to surprise the naive me. For years, I wandered, to nowhere. Pass by, look at strange things; and eat and sleep and play dump.  

Always looking for yellow egg sun whenever coming back home, and imagine I would take its picture falling down with background of the vast tropical fields, or enormous rivers, or simpler, right at the park next to my home. What a joke, the biggest and most beautiful sunset, appeared daily then in Formosa, on the way I get back to Yuanze Uni.; and appears right now on 8000m height more or less,  outside the window of the plane carrying me back to Formosa. Oh Formosa! 

The journey started with 6 holly words repeatedly, flowing softly from my lips: All Money back ma home (no offense), the way my humpty dumpty brain learnt by heart “Om mani padme hum” . Anything related to money can be easily remembered. Six words match to one pace of breathing, bring calm and peacefulness. Praying to all God I know for a safe flight.  Hilarious me! More than 10 times moving by planes around and now I start praying for a safe flight. 

Fears now replaced the eagerness on flight to Formosa 4 years ago, the first one in life. Soon my eagerness about flying was erased, instead came the exciting of watching Inception in that 7 inches LCD. Second flight came one and a half year later, Tiger Air transfer to Singapore first, heading home 2 days later; too bad I can't recall what special about that, except for their advertisements selling stuffs that nobody want to buy (I guess) and a great despair of English announcements, which I later get used to  flying with Air Asia and now Vietjet. 

Ah, small enlightenment then is the Malaysian guy next by sharing his recently taken photos, one sporty brown guy with a lens camera is enough to make me giggle all the way home. He left splendid thousand tropical suns in my heart, by introducing places  to go if visit Singapore. I then listened but hardly heard for all my energy was focus on my eyes and my lips, force the most elegant smile ever among >20 years I ever been on earth.  Maybe he saw my thirst, offering a can of coke or whatever I don't remember. Who care? Don't you see the little me is busy jumping up and down and dancing Honolulu on Hawaii beach? Reflecting lights dancing on surface of twinkle water, and a long bold line staying still between two coasts.