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Published: March 10th 2012
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In the summer of 2008, the Kembel family was united in Taipei and wreaked havok down the entire wild east coast of the island. From the steep canyon walls of Taroko to the salt water springs of Green Island, we cruised by car and scooter in the thick heat of the summer and stood out amongst the locals.
This time things were a little different. It was just Mom and the two boys, and the Chinese New Year weather was damp and cool. As a result, we spent the better part of our time soaking in the various springs in the Taipei region.
First off was a day trip to Yeliu, a coastal park of windblown rock formations and hoodoos. Next we ventured on to Bayan, an undevelopped and technically illegal-to-visit spring on the coastal, Jinshan side of Yangming Mountain. As we arrived, there was indeed a cop cruiser at the head of the forest trail. We took down a beer on a resort patio and waited for the police to leave, then trekked in along the mountain creek. The steam coming off the springs was visible all the way from the highway, guiding us
to the pools. Surprisingly, the hot riverside springs were loaded with Taiwanese. Rotting makeshift changerooms (barely) provided cover for, as Dad says, "dropping trow".
The springs themselves were of the perfect temperature, the surrounding woods an ideal backdrop, and when the dizzying effect came on, you could just dunk into a little ice-cold pool on the river. Dad began lathering up with mud from the base of the pool, and inspired not just a few locals to do the same, helping each other to get those hard-to-reach spots. One man in a speedo did not even hesitate to apply a handful to his sacred region.
Another day we tried a developed, resort-style spring in the same area, with uninterruped views of the creek below and Yangming Mountain above. Yet another day we tried a lesser-known group of traditional hot springs hotels on the Shilin/Beitou side of Yangming, known as Xingyi Street. Here there are generally only 2 options: private tubs for couples, or sex-segregated, fully nude pools. Mom and Dad romanced it up with their own private tub, while I went for the latter, enjoying the clear Yangming skies with several dozen of my
naked Taiwanese brethren. The only time this really took me aback was when I tried the steamroom. It was so crowded that there was standing space only, with rows of guys staring straight forward, holding their valuables so as not to be bumped in the wrong place by new occupants blinded by the steam.
Finally, we headed to the aboriginal village of Wulai just south of Taipei's Xindian area, only to find the entire region overrun with New Year traffic, and the famous riverside springs completely empty of water. According to one local man soaking his feet in the muck that remained, the hot water output is smaller at this time of year, and the local resorts and hotels use up the already limited supply. This is evidenced by the canopy of pipes above the springs that funnel the water to the hotels across the river.
To make up for the loss, Dad purchased some fireworks to shoot across the valley. In fact, being the pyromaniac that he is, Dad shot off fireworks no less than 3 times during his short Taipei visit. Fortunately, the Taiwanese also love to set off fireworks, particularily at
this time of the year.
I had planned a variety of meals for my parents' visit, with the climax being the all-you-eat barbecue/ice cream/hot pot/beer feast where, you will be amazed to learn, Dad claimed that he ate more meat than he ever had in a single sitting before in his life.
Finally came the big meet up; my parents with Emily's family. I had really wondered about how our two eccentric and dramatically different (but eerily similar in some ways) fathers would interact. Surprisingly, both were moderately quiet. Also, given that Dad doesn't drink, Emily's father challenged my mom instead to several
ganbeis (beer chugs), not to mention busting out some fiery
Gaoliang, or distilled rice liquor, during the afternoon visit. Another day we treated our elders to a Japanese dinner, where my Mom put on a smile and ate a variety of sea creatures that she normally would not even consider going near.
After a time too short, we dropped Mom and Dad back at the airport and continued on to the south of Taiwan to visit some of Emily's extended family for the new year holiday. Keep your
eyes open for 'The Kembel Family Rocks Taiwan PART 3', hopefully not in the too distant future!
"The Kembel Family Rocks Taiwan PART 1": see here
For more of my photos and travel stories, or to see my book "Taiwan from the Eyes of a Foreigner", visit www.nickkembel.com
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Markus Klar
non-member comment
Hot Spring, good food and family
Hello Nick, it seems like your family become more and more Taiwanese. You are enjoying the best parts about Taiwan. I miss the good food and hot spring in Germany. Greetings Markus