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2011年9月15日 星期四

The Colors of Taiwan

Taiwan is undoubtedly a paradise of 24-hour snacks. But it is not only that. It has another name, "Green Island" (綠島) on account of its lush vegetation. I wanted to go to a flower show. But when I was there, I found that it was already over. But the logo had not yet been removed.







The logo of the missed flower show.

In fact, the very first day I went to Taiwan, I visited one of the favourite local leisure centres close to Taipei, Bali (八里 ) (8 Chinese Miles). Before I could go there, I first had to go to Dan Shuei (淡水) . Once off the station, my eyes were greeted by a garden. What struck me was how long some of the plants had been there.





The air roots of a bunyan tree at the garden outside of the Dan Shuei Metro Station.

Flowers and trees there seemed to pay absolutely no attention to the extension works being
carried on just a few tens of feet away along the Dan Shuei river bank. 






Some flowers were in pink and yellow.






Some in pure pink.






Some in red.






Some in yellow.

Once I crossed the river however,  I found myself walking along first a beach then an enormous 
wetland park, the "Danshuei River Mangrove Wetland Park".(淡水河紅樹林濕地公園)







The path leading to the wetland park coasting the wetlands.





Some of the trees lining the path to the wetland park.






Some of the leaves of a bush growing by the water in the wetland park. I like the silvery lines
embroidering the leaves. .

The wooden walkway was surrounded by bushes and shrubs.











Some morning glories I found about to burst into flower.










Morning glory in full bloom under the sun along the path.





One of the flowers I found strewing the wetland path. I like its bright color.

I also visited another popular tourist attraction, Yaliu (野柳), a little distance from Kam Shan (金山), where
I visited Ju Ming's Museum later in the day..
 





Some wilting leaves under the sun on the way to the beach where a large number of wind and
water-eroded sedimentary rock formations in strange shapes can be found.





A close up of one of the leaves. I like the lines and dots and its translucence.

On the final day of my visit, I visited the Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山 1914 藝文區) quite close to my hotel.
It was formerly a distillery and has now been turned into an area where young aspiring artists may exhibit their
works. I shall introduce some of those artists whose works were on exhibit at the Creative Park in later blogs.






A tree growing into one of the walls. When given the slightest chance,
Life will find a way to survive.






The air roots of the tree sneaking through the formerly broken canopy.








Two fallen leaves in a dying embrace on the ground ?






Plants old and new , growing cheek by jowl, both straining for a bit  of the life giving sun.
 
In the afternoon of the my last day. I tried to catch what I thought would be a flower show. How
disappointed I was when I learned that it just closed a few days ago. But I got a plan B. I would
visit the nearby National Museum of Art. So I walked around the area. I discovered a number of
gardens. I loitered there for a while.








The entrance to the Garden of Sian.






A pink flower just after the rain.






A hibicus? But not in the usual red or pink!







A yellow flower. I really like its bright yellow. How soft and yet bright, especially sharp against
the surrounding green leaves displaying its splendour under the sun.





Wow! What a complicated flower! Is it one or more than one flower? No matter what, I like
their  colorful rims embroidered in gold! Just like a middle aged lady with heavy make-up! 







When I exited the garden, my eyes were caught by some blinding sunlight coming through
the edges of some plants stuck on a wall. When I looked carefully, I found that they were
actually potted plants! The pots were ingeniously hung upon a wire network strung along
the outside of the wall. What a clever idea! When I walked further, I was quite surprised.






What a good idea for fencing and decorating the bottom of a tree!






When I lifted my head, I was struck by the contrasts between the yellows and greens. A quick
click and now I have it !

The tree was just in front of another garden.






This is the second garden.





The inside of the garden. I love the blend of various shades of green with reds and yellows.






Not only greens, yellows and reds, but blues, purples, oranges and whites too!

When I walked in the direction of the National Museum of Art, I found some rushes.







Their flowers were swaying gently in the wind along the side of the park.






A close up of two of the gentle flowers, with hairs as soft as the fur of a Persian cat.


Next, I found myself in a bamboo garden, with all kinds of bamboos.





Through a window Inside an igloo like bamboo hut serving as the entrance hall, I could see 
 some lotus leaves and bulbs in an adjacent pond.






Through another aperture, I could see the reflections of some bamboo leaves.






Through a third rectangular window, I could see more lotus leaves but they were not in
the habitual green color nor in yellow, but in red!









Ah! This was what I saw through those windows in the bamboo hut! What a sight!

After the brief tour through the bamboo garden, I hurried to the object of my plan B, 





This is the garden outside the National Museum of Art, with the plants, shrubs and trees
 tastefully laid out . There were even three pumpkin shaped works of art!

But when I approached its entrance, I found that admission time was over! Just not my day!
Who told you to linger so long in the other three gardens! But not all is lost!







I discovered a "Tunnel of Flowers"  nearby. Might just as well go and have a look.





This is what I found.








More flowers, peering their heads through the overhead bars of the tunnel rack to look at
this unfortunate visitor!


 


Others say, "We would like to take a peek at that hapless guy too!"







This was what I found at the end of the tunnel, a tree growing between
two bunyan trees whose roots I had seen on my first outdoor visit
in Dan Shuei. What a curious coincidence. I saw at the end
what I saw at the beginning of my trip! Is it the beginning of the end
or the end of the beginning? No matter what, I had to go back to
town.






Trees glowing in gold at the town centre close to where I had my last meal before leaving for
Hong Kong.


8 則留言:

  1. 花展過後依然如此花多,似乎台灣也可稱為花島了.你有些葉照好像拍出了博樂照片的影子.你台灣之行收獲豐富啊!
    [版主回覆09/17/2011 00:18:32]Yes, there are flowers everywhere in Taiwan. I don't know photography. Therefore I got to learn by imitating those who are more experienced.

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  2. 謝謝分享花葉的光影。台灣花木茂盛,有看過陽明山上美麗的蕨嗎? ^_^
    [版主回覆09/17/2011 00:20:24]Thank you. I went to Yeung Ming Mountain many years ago. I remember there was a beautiful garden up there but I did not go there this time.

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  3. dupreheifetz's world2011年9月17日 凌晨2:46

    lovely photos El Zorro! Also I have a question which I'm sure you can assist me with. Can you teach me how to insert background music on our blog entries?
    [版主回覆09/17/2011 07:14:27]It takes many steps and will exceed the permitted number of words if I were to tell you how here. Better to email it to you. If you don't mind, let me have your email address.Give me your email and I'll email it to you.

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  4. Good attempt.

    Please email me too ways to insert background music. I am dumb so please let me have a step by step instruction. Many thanks.
    [版主回覆09/17/2011 10:32:59]Done! If you've got problems, write me. I'll see if I can help. I'm doing no more than what someone else did to me!

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  5. Nice pictures and thank you very much for your sharing! It seems to me that you have had a rather busy holiday in Taiwan.
    [版主回覆09/17/2011 14:02:59]Thank you. I didn't waste any time photographing various events, gardens, parks, exhibitions, sightseeing etc. It was a very enjoyable holiday and helped me to understand a bit more about the delights of Taiwan I was ignorant of in the past..

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  6. 光影洒落花葉之上、 異常好看! El Zorro 拍照意興越濃厚、 越讓我們分享到好照片呢!
    [版主回覆09/17/2011 18:16:30]Photography is a very absorbing hobby. It gives me as much joy to take photos as it does for me to share them with fellow bloggers. I first became aware of the beauty of the sunlight shining through the semi-transparent bodies of leaves by reading Thomas Hardy's novel, Tess of D'Urberville! Since then I have never ceased to look at the sky through the underside of tree leaves. I'm glad you enjoy them too.

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  7. 謝謝分享,花兒很漂亮啊!之前聽朋友介紹過這個花展,知道規模很大,很精采,看來是真的。
    [版主回覆09/18/2011 23:33:18]Yes certainly. But you never know whether you'll be free when they're on. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
    [peace回覆09/18/2011 15:29:38]You may consider next year.
    [版主回覆09/17/2011 23:07:18]Thank you for your kind words. What a pity I missed the flower show.

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  8. dupreheifetz's world2011年9月20日 下午2:42

    thanks in advance. pls email me the "steps" at dupreheifetz@yahoo.com.hk =)
    [版主回覆09/20/2011 17:54:15]Done!

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