Photo by Carrie Kellenberger

1. TAROKO NATIONAL PARK

A landscape carved out of towering mountains, lush forest, and deep valleys, Taroko National Park extends through Hualien, Taichung, and Nantou counties.  This is THE trip to make if you’re visiting Taiwan.

Photo by Carrie Kellenberger

2. YEHLIU GEO-PARK

This unusual geo-park on the northern coastline of Taiwan has a most unusual terrain and is bound to delight even the most seasoned travelers.

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3. ALISHAN NATIONAL SCENIC AREA

Beautiful Alishan (Mount Ali) is just one of several mountain attractions in Taiwan. Located in Chiayi County, the mountain resort and natural preserve includes rugged mountain wilderness, waterfalls, tea plantations, hiking trails and four mountain villages. Alishan is especially popular with nature lovers, tourists, and mountain climbers. One of the top sightseeing attractions in Alishan is its spectacular sunrises, when one can watch the sun emerge from a sea of clouds.

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4. BEITOU HOT SPRING VALLEY

Sink into the steamy warm bliss at a hot spring resort in Beitou Hot Spring Valley.

Photo by Carrie Kellenberger

5. TAIPEI 101
Second only to the Burj Khalifa for tallest skyscrapers in the world, Taipei 101 was the world’s largest skyscraper from 2004 to 2010.

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6. SUN MOON LAKE

The beauty of Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County is legendary. As Taiwan’s largest lake, this stunning alpine owes its name to the eastern part of the lake, which is round like the sun. The western side of the lake resembles a crescent moon.

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7. THE EAST COAST
Taiwan’s dramatic eastern coastline should be included as one of the most scenic drives in the world.

Photo by Carrie Kellenberger

8. PENGHU
This island archipelago in the Taiwan Strait between Taiwan and Mainland China is home to gorgeous white-sand and coral beaches, Chinese-style homes and the largest concentration of temples in Taiwan.

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9. KENTING NATIONAL PARK
Taiwan’s oldest national park encompasses the southernmost tip of the island.  Kenting is well known for its sunny climate, beach resorts, and mountain scenery. It is a long-standing favorite tourist destination for Taiwanese families.

Photo by Steve Leggat

10. JIUFEN
This charming mountain town in Northern Taiwan was once a prosperous gold mining town. Today, visitors flock to the tiny town to experience its quaint streets, stunning scenery, and traditional teahouses.

I have to admit that at first, I was a little nervous about going to Korea. I think it stems from the problems that lie with North Korea…but that has nothing to do with South Korea, so I know it makes no sense. Perhaps it has something to do with knowing there was a smaller amount of tourism than other asian countries which might lead to the same sort of nerve racking problems that I had in Prague (Czechoslovakia) years ago…when no one knew english and everything kept going wrong.  Regardless, my worries about Korea were all in vain.

Monk at the Beomosa Zen Temple

Don’t get me wrong, Busan, Korea was a little confusing and a bit overwhelming. My first impressions of the city of Busan was that it was exploding with color from absolutely millions of signs, advertising god knows what…everywhere.  A bus from our port dropped us off  in the middle of insanity central. There were people everywhere and it was somewhat early. The ONLY thing that looked familiar was a Starbucks that nestled itself in next to a hotel and some other shop. The traffic was worse than a NYC block. However… I loved it, life everywhere. I looked in all directions trying to figure out where to go and what to do.

Busan, Korea

After all was said and done, we walked further down some stairs and managed to figure out which train to get on. I not entirely sure how. The subway system was clean and organized, but the written language of Korean everywhere was very confusing for us. The many symbols in the various signs and video displays were fun to watch though, almost as if we were in a modern art gallery and didn’t understand what we were seeing, but all the while being intrigued.  All we knew was that we saw a bunch of Korean symbols on the train map showing where we were, and a bunch of Korean symbols showing were we needed to be…which of course was about 20 stops further and way out in the middle of nowhere.

Busan, Korea

So, what I can never figure out is if it’s my fault that Billy and I are always tracking off to ridiculous places to see temples….or if Billy is using some kind of Jedi mind trick on me to make me think that I want to see temples. I like temples, but there are lots of them in Asia and I have to tell you…most of them are built in high up and often seemingly inaccessible places. They don’t EVER seem to build them on flat ground. I suppose that would defeat the purpose of having a quiet, spiritual getaway.

Busan, Korea

We rode for a long…long time on the train. Hundreds of local Koreans at various stops got off and on the train as they eyed us curiously. There were no other tourists. I began thinking that it wasn’t normal for out of towner’s to travel on this particular train. After about 15 train stops, an older man got on and approached us with a smile as said “Hello”  is pretty good English.  However, I am ALWAYS suspicious. I’ve learned my lessons over the years about people trying to take advantage of tourists. The good thing though is that as he began to talk, it became clear that he was a nice man and simply wanted to practice his English. He was a retired professor from the local university, and had been practicing English for years. The three of us had an enjoyable chat for a while. Then came the questions…..lot’s of questions.

Busan, Korea

Perhaps Koreans are comfortable with asking  probing questions of each other or complete strangers, but he wanted more detail than I would even tell my mother, much less say out loud on a crowded train. I was so surprised at his friendly interrogation that I tried hard to laugh from embarrassment. I’m sure he meant no harm since he was being kind enough. In the end, we just answered his questions as best as possible.

Busan, Korea

Now, on the map, it shows that such and such temple is at the end of the subway stairway exit. Very simple…ride the train, get off… see big temple. Unfortunately…not so. After we walked up the stairs and reached the surface, we stopped. we looked up and down the street and it was clear that we had ventured into a suburban outskirt that looked nothing even remotely Zen.  I saw a random car repair shop, a small bakery and a few signs I couldn’t decipher. This was Busan suburbia. We decided to walk up the block a ways to try and find a direction sign for the temple, and a cab driver jumped out…”Take you to temple!!” he exclaimed.  As usual..I say no…I don’t trust anyone…let alone cab drivers. “No thank you”  I nodded. He seemed frustrated, but nodded his head.  I walked on confidently around the next street corner, hoping to see what we had come looking for. There was a sign that said…”such and such temple” with an arrow pointing that way. I shrugged my shoulders and we keep walking….and walking….”There’s no temple here Billy…lets go back to the subway.” Yeah, right…like that ever works. No according to the laws of Billy, we must keep walking., why would I bother pretending otherwise? After getting another few blocks…we see another sign that says “such and such temple….3.5 Km s” Ahhhh!!!! Those disposable tourist maps are so misleading.

Busan, Korea

Okay, so…I’m not a wuss….I can handle a good walk, but I have to explain…the sign pointed uphill…up a mountain road that was covered in trees. Pretty, but steep. I’m going to leave out the endless whining, complaining, arguing and colorful explicits that ensued, but let’s just say that I didn’t get my way and ended walking up the mountain road…ahead of Billy (evil Billy) in a huff and complained the entire way. In my defense, it was hot..humid..mosquitos…no breeze, trees on both sides so that you could not see anything and I had walked for eight hours the day before. We had no water….but Billy HAD to go see the temple.

Busan, Korea

During our walk, I couldn’t help but to find it amusing that every so many minutes, a senior Korean man or woman would be briskly exercising as they walked either up or down the road. Here I am panting, sweating and suffering, while people who had to at least be 75 would put me to shame. Not a drop of sweat on their forehead. I know I saw a few of them suppress a giggle. I have to admit that the nature of the trees and eventually being able to see out through them was quite nice. The occasional lizard scattering through the leaves or a bird mocking us just made it all so real. So….after what seemed like hours of mountain trekking, sweating and plotting Billy’s future demise, we finally reached the top. When I say “Top”, I mean the entrance to more stairs and steep hills. The entrance to the Temple was clearly before us.  Yes, folks, I have to report that there were hundreds of more steps involved in our temple viewing process. The monks feel much, much more at peace at zero oxygen levels. By the way, the photo below is not the main entrance. I could handle these stairs…I’m not that much of a wimp!

Busan, Korea

After we reached the top of first hill, I hear…“Water…one dollar”….those were never sweeter words. There was a little old Korean man speaking in rusty english who was selling various items out of a cart. I had decided that I had actually died on the way up and this was my first reward into heaven. I would have given him 20 dollars for that darn bottle of water.

Busan, Korea

Now, here’s where I eat humble pie. Although Billy (evil Billy) didn’t know what we would end up seeing at the end of our torturous trek up mount ridiculous, the results were worth it. The temples were beautiful. There were mountains surrounding us on three sides, filled with trees turning the color of fall. The fresh air and gentle breeze was incredible. The wonderful smell of incense was floating around the large property.

Busan, Korea

There was such a peaceful nature and reverence to it all, that I instantly felt the need to tip-toe. I’m sure that American tourists with cameras in hand were not always a welcome sight for those wishing to participate in their Buddhist rituals. The good thing is that I’m not one of “Those” kids of Americans. I try to be very, very respectful of other cultures when I travel. After all, I’m a guest in their country.

Busan, Korea

It was interesting watching the people meditate in various temples buildings (including outside on some mats) and watching monks lead a meditation chant along with the incense and chimes. Even though I know some about the history of Buddhism, I wasn’t exactly sure what everyone was doing through the Temple grounds. I was surprised to see that the majority of people who were meditating and praying were female, and older. The chanting and chimes were beautiful. I could have stood there and listened for hours. I’m not Buddhist, but I have great respect for the Buddhist teachings. Anything that teaches such peace and harmony gets and A+ in my book.

Busan, Korea

There was an upper and lower courtyard area to the main compound, but the sounds of chanting and bells were heard everywhere. Since I am a photographer, I couldn’t help but to take photos of this amazing place. There is always a fine line between being invasive or not when it comes to photos, so I’ve learned to keep my distance and use a telephoto lens when I want to take pictures of people. It’s not always easy to know how different cultures will react to having their photo taken.

Busan, Korea

I was very quiet as I snapped a few photos here and there. I thought it was so beautiful the way this lady (below) was praying in the courtyard.

Busan, Korea

These Buddhists (below) were sitting outside in front of a small Temple, and I was a long ways away. I enjoyed watching the Monks walk around the grounds with their rust colored robes. I kept wondering how they could handle all the clothing with such heat and humidity. I suppose you get used to it after a while. There actually were a number of buildings on this mountain that made up the temple compound.  Most of these buildings were hundreds of years old, so rebuilding and maintenance were obviously necessary.

Busan, Korea

There were men who were re-roofing some areas, they would take the time to smile and say hello as we walked by.  It was possible to buy a roof tile from one of the buildings, which would have your name signed on the underside by a temple representative. This would be placed on the roof in the reconstruction process. The grounds were actually quite a bit larger than what I’m showing in these photos. You could easily spend a while up there just walking around.

Busan, Korea

I ended up spending some time talking to an older man who had great fascination with my camera and lenses. I let him practice with it for a while. He wanted to know exactly what I paid, where I bought it, et… again with the many probing questions, but overall it was funny and didn’t bother me in the least.

Busan, Korea

Once you reach the second tier, there were multiple yellow lanterns that lined the pathways. I’m not quite sure if there was any significance to the colors, but it was a visual treat. The funny thing is that after all that hiking, sweating and nitpicking about my hike up the mountain, we found that there was a cheap and easy bus that picked up and dropped off in front of the Temple entrance. For a small fee, we jumped on the bus which took us all the way back down and dropped us off a block from the subway. Oh well, at least I got my exercise for the day.

Busan, Korea

What I really liked were the multiple colored lamps that were strung along the lower pathways of the main entrance of the Beomosa Zen temple. There were hundreds of them. The Temple drew lots of visitors, most of them were locals and other Asian tourists. I felt very welcome and comfortable as an American tourist and would highly recommend the Beomosa Zen Temple to anyone who happens to make a trip to Busan. If you’re interested in visiting the temple, you can Google “Beomosa Temple Busan” and you will find plenty of information, as well as the subway stop. I will be posting more on my experiences in Korea. If you’d like to read more of my other blog posts on various countries, you can access my blog at “www.LutherBailey.blogspot.com” Thanks!

Why should Westerners be generally more cynical about religion? It is arguably a cultural signifier. Foremost academics and philosophers have long held that modern consumer culture gradually erodes spirituality (even before Karl Marx called religion “the opium of the people” back in 1843).

Perhaps this is why many Western travelers—including myself—are nonbelievers. However, many of us skeptics confess to enjoying Eastern holy heritages. Devout naysayers are regularly enchanted at the timeless vision of monks placidly padding their alms rounds. We marvel at bejeweled temples and ornate pagodas; linger at incense-laden shrines.

Such gilded novelties enrich our travel experiences, rather than demonstrate abject hypocrisy. I could never be “converted”—but I once flirted with something akin to a spiritual revelation—on my maiden voyage to Rangoon, Burma, in 2007.

Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar (by antwerpenR via Flickr Creative Commons License)

From its hilltop vantage point, Shwedagon Pagoda is Burma’s spiritual talisman. It has drawn superlatives from literary greats. Rudyard Kipling called it a “beautiful winking wonder.” Playwright Somerset Maugham compared the shrine “glistening with gold, like a sudden hope in the dark night of the soul.” Aldous Huxley noted the “merry-go-round style of architecture,” extending his metaphor to the pagoda being “a sort of sacred fun fair” for pilgrims.

A long-term resident had suggested a visit “will change your life.” He couldn’t say how—but I was already sold. I went on my last morning in Rangoon. Historically, the pagoda has hosted celebrated rallying calls. The morning of my visit, all was peaceful. Dawn’s rays were starting to fizz off the mounted golden spire. From the shade of a temple bow, I watched the faithful circumnavigating the dome on their morning pilgrimages; people of all ages sharing a reverential, soft-stepping communion. The mesmerizing ambiance of guttural chanting, punctuated now and again by the soft clang of prayer bells, created a spine-tingling atmosphere; it felt like time had paused for a rejuvenating breath.

Presently, I noticed a lone, twentysomething monk mount the base of the glittering spire. With special permission from trustees, men may meditate on the plinth terrace, 6.4 meters  above the base. This fellow was aiming higher, gradually winding round the circular bands forming sloped transitions to the bell-curved centerpiece.

He continued, purposefully without hurrying, miraculously finding foot and handholds where I could see none. He ascended confidently, never pausing to take stock (or survey what must be a thrilling view over the city). His steadfast intent suggested he knew exactly where he was going.

Just before he reached the sheer-vertical, intricately adorned spire, he vanished. Suddenly and soundlessly disappeared as if melting into the ether. Had he ascended to Nirvana? Was this divine intervention? If there’s a discreet antechamber or vertiginous hidey-hole up there, I’ve never found any reference to it…]

To my side, a couple of the climber’s brethren stared after him visibly spellbound—judging from their rapt expressions of wonder. It was strangely reassuring that monks also seemed compelled by the mysterious vanishing act.

Myanmar's mystical talisman (by SpecialKRB via Flickr Creative Commons License)

Was it a transformative moment? Had I—like John Belushi at the altar of James Brown in The Blue Brothers—seen the light? Did I now believe?

Well, in a word: No. But it was truly unforgettable; a pleasantly perplexing episode leaving me with a cherished memory.

In a literary flight of fancy, Kipling daydreamed that the pagoda spoke, confiding that he had arrived somewhere “quite unlike any land you know about.”

He was certainly right.

The Shwedagon is situated in Rangoon to the west of the Kandawgyi Lake, on the Singuttara hill. It is open every day from 4. A.M. to 9 P.M.

I won’t go through the same tired old recommendations but let you know about some things that won’t be in the guide books.

Chiang Mai is a wonderful and magical place, long regarded by those in the know as a favoured holiday destination. The food is excellent, scenery stunning, people are friendly and the prices are cheap. What more could you want……………..

 Private Food Tasting Tour.

I wish I had done this when I first arrived. There’s a small holiday company that runs individual private tours of local fresh food markets with a free al fresco lunch thrown in. There is a bewildering amount of wonderful food markets in Chiang Mai that are not easy to find, often aren’t listed on tourist maps and if stumbled upon can be intimidating places. They are often bustling with busy local people, all prices are in Thai, each market has its own specialities only known to locals and language is sometimes a problem. A private food tasting tour opens up these secret caves of edible treasure to anyone that has got a spare few hours. Try the miniature fruits and banana dumplings or for the more adventurous, deep fried chicken heads and grilled frogs.  Contact me for more details.

 Wat Ket Museum.

This must be one of the most unusual “museums” in the world. If you walk east over the footbridge over the Ping river from Worowot market the temple is across the road almost in front of you, but surprisingly easy to miss. It’s one of the oldest temples in Chiang Mai and seldom visited. In the grounds of the temple is a crumbling old building with a crumbling old attendant. On your approach he will spring up, offer you a pair of slippers and throw on the lights illuminating the biggest and oddest collection of things you have ever seen in your life. It’s as though whenever anything from any time or place got lost, broken or thrown away it disappeared through a time warp and ended up here. If you are lucky enough to get here I bet you will spend most of your time wondering where on earth the good monks of Wat Ket have managed to discover these treasures.

My favourite is a cabinet in which there is an ancient leather pouch next to a collection of small objects which include a mummified chickens foot, glass beads, bits of bone, crystals and disturbingly familiar looking teeth. Next to this is a hand written sign which says “magic things”.

There is also an extensive collection of genuine old photographs spanning everyday life of Chiang Mai over the past 100 years. Rush past the ones of the old public executions or they’ll give you nightmares.       

Second Hand Flea Market.

This is one of the most unusual markets you’ll find, second only perhaps to the Barcelona Pet Market where a man with no teeth tried to sell me a baby crocodile. If you follow the train lines, on the right side, out of the lovely old station, past the store houses, and the men that are always playing Takraw (a kind of football tennis) you’ll come to a second hand market that snakes its way alongside the tracks. You literally won’t know what you’ll find there. There’s always a good stock of single shoes (can’t quite believe there are that many single legged shoppers on the lookout for cheap used single shoes), tools and Buddhist artefacts. Last time I went there was some very old interesting farming items and wooden kitchenware so ancient and clearly hand made they could easily have pre dated the advent of kitchens.

I have the feeling that one day I will find something incredibly rare and valuable. If you beat me to it do let me know.

Have fun.

Keep you up to date with all things Chiang Mai like next Monday.

Alex.

I throw out my fortune-telling sticks in Kyoto’s Kiyomizu temple; my Japanese friends translates, ‘You will have good fortune in 2010.’ I’ve never been a believer of such old-fashioned predicaments, but it’s hard not to fall for this. I am after all, in Kyoto, a gorgeous prefecture in Japan, littered with vermillion temples, emerald green gardens and towering mountains.  I thank my blessings and continue to explore the cultural capital of Japan. I’ll let my photos do the talking, bringing you through a fusion of culture, street life and faith.

The bright vermillion pavillion in the holy grounds of Kiyomizu Temple, one of the most popular temples in Kyoto.

Kiyomizu Temple stands above the city, offering impressive panoramas of the area.

Ladies dressed in traditional kimono make their way to offer their prayers at Kiyomizu Temple.

Tatami restaurants alfresco-style along the streets of Kyoto.

A young geisha draws in the crowd with her beautiful traditional costume.

A Japanese rickshaw driver on the road.

Sun sets over the golden rooftop of the Bydo-Inn Temple.

Bydo-Inn, an ancient temple rising above a lake, gives an interesting peek into Japanese religious history.

The Red Gate Across the Entrance of Byodo-Inn

Last sunday I decided to go for a ride on my bicycle in Bangkok. WHAT??? Yes, I said ride a bicycle in Bangkok. Whereas most people declare me absolutely insane, little do they know that right in the middle of Bangkok there is a true piece of untouched jungle perfect for riding, called Phra Pradaeng. If you’ve ever visited the Thai country side, you’ll have an idea of what it feels like over there. It’s only 5 Km from the heart of the Sukhumvit area, and it is a true adventure. Many professional companies organize great cycling tours here, and although this is the best option for those that are visiting Bangkok, I like to go independently and discover things for myself. Every trip is a new adventure. Although I am a fanatic road cyclist, this trip is more suitable for mountain bikes and hybrids.

I leave my home around 8.15 AM. The roads are deserted and it’s an easy ride through the Bangkok streets. I end up at Wat Klong Toei, where I buy a 20 Baht ticket to get across the Chao Phraya river (for those familar with the area, take Kasem Rat road off Rama IV, then turn right towards Wat Klong Toei just before you hit the port area. There’s a bus depot, a 7-11 and many food carts there). This little boat trip is great. Barely a few centimeters above the water, cruising amidst commercial ships that look absolutely gigantic from our position, I often share my ride with temple visitors, market merchants, monks and the occasional chicken. Only a few minutes later we reach the opposite river bank and I can continue my ride. First I buy some water and Kluay tak (some sort of dried banana with honey) to keep me going. There’s a little store at this pier, and they also rent out bikes here. Those bikes are great for a short 10-20 Km ride, but if you’re a serious rider, go with one of the professional companies mentioned below that have well equipped mountain bikes available.

After 15 Km or so, I stop at one of the many temples I encounter on my way. Time for a quick break and some spring rolls. Food and drink is available all over in Phra Pradaeng. Little English is spoken, although I am greeted enthusiastically by many kids shouting “hello mister!”. Cats and dogs are all over the place. The pier at the temple is watched by a large number of motorcycle taxi drivers, patiently waiting for the next ferry to come in. Monks come and go, and some people are fishing. Life is good.

A little further down is a market. No signs. I discovered this when following quite a few people that were going into a certain direction along a small path. My experience teaches me that if Thai people in groups get excited, there is usually food or a market involved, and usually both. I was right again this time. I had some amazing grilled pork from the barbeque, and some juice from fruit that I am not familiar with. It tasted very good though, and it was an excellent and (presumably) healthy thirst quencher. All for less than the equivalent of US$ 1.50.

After continuing for a while on one of the main roads, I decide to get off the beaten track and follow one of the concrete elevated paths that are so typical of this area. They are quite narrow, and sometimes I have to make way for the odd dog, pedestrian or motorcycle. The paths are created to connect people’s houses to the main roads, and one gets a close up view of the daily life of the people that live here. Most of these paths ultimately lead to the river, which surrounds Phra Pradaeng (see map below). Although no navigation is needed on a group tour, I recommend a GPS or at least a decent map and compass just in case you decide to go there alone for the 1st time. The area is not big enough to seriously get lost, but especially once you get on the elevated paths it is easy to lose your sense of direction. At the end of the path, indeed I hit the river and another temple. After watching 5 newborn kitties play and fool around, I once again get back on my bike to continue the tour.

I continue going home with a long loop following the river, crossing at one of the bridges, a quick detour into China town, and back to Sukhumvit via Lumphini Park. This last part of the trip is not recommended unless you are a very experienced cyclist and you don’t mind dodging Bangkok traffic, inhaling exhaust fumes and zig-zagging through traffic jams. You’re better off making your way back the way you came.

Amongst Bangkok companies that organize cycling tours are Spice Roads, Recreational Bangkok Biking and Co van Kessel.

Below are some pictures of the Phra Pradeang part of the ride. They were all taken by mobile phone camera, but will give you a good idea on what you will encounter. Enjoy!

Waiting for my boat

Phra Pradeang straight ahead

View of Bangkok skyline from Phra Pradeang

Typical scenery

One of many temples

Elevated cycling paths

Cats and dogs all over the place

Another temple along the way

Gac fruit

Elevated paths through the jungle

The full ride as logged by my GPS. The green lung can clearly be distinguished.