Cet endroit est à la frontière de 3 provinces: Hualien, Nantou, Taichung.
On se gare au parking de 小風口, dans la province de Hualien.
These last days, we did again the hike of 合歡北峰. We often go there.
This place happens to be at the frontiers of 3 counties: Hualien, Nantou, Taichung.
We leave the car at the parking of 小風口, in Hualien county.
11AM: at trailhead, 500m away from the parking lot.
Le sol est plutôt sec à cette époque.
12:35PM: au sommet. Pas très dure, cette rando.
Familiar scenery of 合歡群峰.
The soil is quite dry at this season.
Il caille malgré le soleil.
On est partis de la province de Hualien mais on est maintenant dans la province de Nantou.
12:35PM: at the top. Not a difficult hike.
It is cold despite the sun.
We started from Hualien county but end up in Nantou county.
View to the south: so many famous peaks in the background.
Les sommets et flancs des montagnes ont été malheureusement dénudés pour les plantations de poires, pommes, pêches, thé, chous, etc...
Après tout, Lishan veut dire la montagne des poires...
View to the north: the agricultural regions of Lishan 梨山 and FouShou 福壽山 that we are going to visit tomorrow.
The summits and flanks of the mountains unfortunately lost their original vegetation to the plantations of tea, pears, apples, peaches, cabbages, etc...
After all, Lishan means the mountain of the pears...
La nuit, il fait 0 degré à cette altitude, alors on restera bien au chaud à l'hôtel. De toutes façons, il n'y a rien à faire la nuit ici en pleine montagne.
Tonight, we stay at the hotel 松雪樓, the highest in Taiwan at 3150m.
Il is freezing cold at night at this altitude, so we'll stay warmly in the hotel. Anyway, there is nothing to do here at night in the middle of mountains.
On n'a pas réussi à régler le chauffage, ce qui fait qu'on crève de chaud.
The room is simple but well equipped (100euros the night, including dinner and breakfast).
Central heating could not be adjusted, it was so hot at night.
La ferme produit fruits et légumes mais a aussi aménagé un parc botanique très visité pour ses arbres et fleurs toute l'année.
On est dans la province de Taichung maintenant.
On the 2nd day, 2 hours of car to get to the agricultural farm of 福壽山 (2500m high).
The farm is a legit plantation business but has also created a botanical park with trees & flowers, much visited by tourists all year-long.
We are now in Taichung county.
Par exemple, des pins magnifiques originaires du Japon (金香柏 , goldrest pine).
For example, beautiful Goldrest pines, originating from Japan.
Or, calla lilies.
But the star of the season is of course the cherry blossoms.
The park also boasts a botanic curiosity, an apple tree grafted with 49 different species of apples, and producing fruits yearly.
Elles ont de la compétition avec les pommes importées du Japon, NZ, USA.
Taiwan does produce apples and pears locally. Apples are small and pears are much bigger.
These are expensive fruits, at more than 5 euros / kg. They taste OK but nothing unique.
Local apples have serious competition from imports from Japan, USA, NZ.
In the park, we can also visit a summer residence of CKS. He indeed knows how to pick good locations. The place is beautiful.
C'est calme, vert, et frais l'été.
I would love to have a summer residence like this one!
It is quiet, green, and cool in summer.
