Tak'eng (Dakeng) 大坑

I had the pleasure today of hiking in Takeng with Michael Turton. We met in the parking lot at the trail heads of the numbers 6 and 7 trails. It was 7:45 in the morning, but the place was packed with cars, scooters and people, all out to get some exercise before the things got too hot.

We started by walking up the No. 6 trail. Despite some haze, there were good views of T'aichung (Taijhong) 台中 on the way up.

 

台中の眺め

Lots of insects were out warming themselves up in the early morning sun.

 

毛虫

Most of the people on the trail ventured no further than a Kuanyin (Guanyin) 観音 temple part of the way up, so we pretty much had the rest of the No. 6 trail to ourselves. It's a good thing we didn't drive up, as this sign attests.

Before the end of the No. 6, I led Michael onto a detour. This alternate route took us first through some orchards, and to a small temple that overlooked the Takeng area.

The trail then took us over the top of the mountain. On the other side was an orchard that was in the process of being converted into a recreational area. There were good views of Taichung and T'antzu (Tanzih) 潭子. The building under construction in the foreground is part of the new T'zu Chi (Cih Ji) 慈濟基金會 complex, and is close to Michael's home.

We then walked downhill and back towards the the temple where the Nos. 6, 7 and 8 trails meet. Before reaching the start of the No. 7 trail, we came across this huge but beautiful butterfly wafting about.

 

ちょうちょう

The morning finished with a stroll down the No. 7 to the parking lot, followed by a stopover at Michael's house, where I had the pleasure of meeting his wife. Alas, I had to get home for lunch, and then get ready for work in the early afternoon, but I'm looking forward to the next time when we can meet up.

Speaking of work, one of the staff members at the school was gracious enough to let me take a picture of the back of her T-shirt.

OK, here goes nothing...The cool pickled eggplant guy イケマンナス漬 (I'm not making it up - look at the caricature). A handsome man is already old 男前はもう古い. The cool guy of the pickled world 漬物界のイケマン...it's my thing オレのことさ. What does it all mean? Who knows, but this shirt was manufactured 製造 by Hoten Foods 豊天食品. So there you have it!