Sunday 22 August 2010

Day 5: Lengshuikeng Hot Springs

I have mixed feelings on going to the hot spring.  First, it was our last day in Taipei and I think it was a good idea to just relax.  Second, I wasn't really sure how and where to go.  I only wrote down the public hot spring in the mountains thinking that maybe it's a good idea to bath while looking at the view.  Third, I am feeling lazy.  :P  Since dear boyfriend knows how much I wanted to experience the hot spring, he convinced me to go.  Thank God he did!

Going to Lengshuikeng Hot Spring is a bit difficult.  First, we don't know which stop to get off.  The Info Desk at Jiantan wrote the bus number to take and told us to get off on the last stop and she then wrote another number.  I assumed that we can take either.  Dear boyfriend told me that we should Take Bus number 5, get off at the final stop and get to another bus, 108 I think.  Guess who's right?  Dear boyfriend.  Guess who's plan we followed?  Mine.  This is where the big disaster began.  On my note it says, "from the Visitor Centre cross the Macao Bridge".  My God!  It forgot to mention that the Visitor Centre that we have to get to is the Visitor Centre in Lengshuikeng.  We were in Yangminshan then.  We saw a sign that says, Visitor Centre.  Little did we know that we are in for a hike.  The Yangminshan Visitor Centre was 2 stops away from the final stop.  The hike was horrible!  I was hot and sweaty.  You probably guessed it, I turn into a bitch.  When we get to the Visitor Centre, an old man informed us that we need to take the bus 108.  He spoke perfect english and I was happy.  We got into the first 108 bus that we saw and when people got off in the Butterfly Garden(I think), we showed the driver the Lengshuikeng in Chinese characters and he asked us to get off.  We were confused and asked at the Visitor's Info.  He told us to get into the 108 bus.  I was like, we just been to the 108 and they are asking us to get to another 108 bus?  I was really confused.  I didn't realise that 108 goes 2 different routes.  We waited for another half an hour.  I told Luke that if this doesn't go to the hot spring, maybe we should just enjoy the hike in the Butterfly Reserve.  I was disappointed by this time but willing to settle for less...




This was the hike that I was talking about.  This was one of the better steps.  Most of the time, you should be careful when walking as there is a great risk of falling into the cliff.  Cliff is actually exaggerating it.  :P
The sign that says, to the Visitor Centre and the Hiking Trail.
Yangminshan Visitor Centre.
The butterfly place.  It was Tagaytay,only better.  It was cold up there.  Very foggy.  Luke told me that there was a chance of rain.


We got on the other 108 bus that would take us to the Lengshuikeng Hot Spring.  The view from the Butterfly place to Lengshuikeng is amazing!  It was green everywhere.  A day is not enough to get through the whole mountains.  If we left the Hotel early, we could have seen the Waterfalls and all the nature wonders.  

I know from research that Lengshuikeng Hot Spring is free.  What I didn't know is, it's a locals place.  I know that we should be naked.  Luke didn't want to go, he isn't comfortable being naked but when he saw me going straight to the bath, he went against his will.  Men are separated with Women.  When I emerge from the bath 20 minutes later and saw him relaxing outside, he said, "I can't believe that I just did that.".  I asked him for his experience and asked for the old men's package.  Hahahaha!  He said, one men instucted him on what he should do.  He said,"He practically showed me how to clean my balls!".  I told him mine.  When I entered the bath, I felt like I am invading people's privacy.  I immediately went to the toilet and took my clothes off and thinking that I can trick them, I went straight to the hot spring without cleaning myself up.  Of course they are old and wise and shouted at me.  I then went to the locker to find my soap.  One old lady who speaks English approached me and told me to, " wash yourself properly especially your ass" which I did.  I scrubbed myself so much that she told me, "that's enough.  I think you are clean now".  She also informed me that I should wash my feet every time I enter the bath.  I copied how they do it.  I learn immediately and followed what they did.  I went to the hot spring for 20 minutes.  The old lady spoke with me the whole time.  She asked how I did I know about the hot spring.  I told her that I researched.  She also asked me where I am from.  Told her that I am from the Philippines.  She told me that she is an English Teacher and she got a Filo friend who teaches Spanish in Taiwan.  She told me that I am beautiful too.  I know I shouldn't write about it but I found it funny at the time.  Don't ask me why.  I left the hot spring and I got changed.  I was feeling light headed at this point as I was hungry and thirsty.  Dear boyfriend was my saviour! He got water ready.  Thank you baby!!!


This was toilet.  Sorry I can't take photos of the hot spring itself as I find it offensive.
This is the hot spring place.
And me outside the hot spring.  The view was amazing!!!!!  This photo don't give justice to it.

We flew back to the Philippines that midnight and flew back to HK after.  It is cheaper to fly from PH to HK than from Taipei to HK.  You save 2/3 through Cebu Pacific.  I know, I sound like an ad now but it's true.  :P

Follow my blog with bloglovin

0 comments:

DISCLAIMER

ALL PHOTOS ARE OWNED BY ME UNLESS CREDITED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE GONNA USE ANY OF MY PHOTOS. THANKS!

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin

nuffnang

 

Template by Best Web Hosting