Hiking on Bagua Mountain

Classroom for Nathan's New School
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This morning Nathan said to Evan and me, "I need some exercise, let's go up to Taoyuanli jungle at Bagua Mountain for a hike."  This activity falls into the category that my sister Jennie warned me about...she said just trust Nathan and do what he says and you'll have fun.  Since Nathan and Evan had gone along on the cultural stuff, it was my turn to do some outdoor stuff.

We stopped first to visit the new language school that Nathan just opened in two floors of a building near their house.  He has recently left his job as a middle school teacher to open his own private language school where he specializes in English writing.  After having recently completed his graduate degree in linguistics from Surrey University, he has now written two textbooks  and is building a reputation as a very effective teacher.  In my observation, his success is thanks in no small part to his Taiwanese wife, who not only teaches her own classes but also deals with all of his student's parents, maintains his "exclusive" reputation and waiting lists and helps him get the good students.

Nathan had warned me that he had seen several big rat snakes and a python

"Study Hall" for Nathan's New School
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We had a quick breakfast of steamed buns (delicious) and sticky rice (with gravy--a weird breakfast) and milk tea at a local stand.  Nathan knows all of the really good street food stands where you can get breakfast, lunch or dinner for a couple of bucks.

Prepared with lots of extra water to survive the 95 plus heat (thanks, Collin, for the hydrating backpack and thanks, Karin for the Tevas!) we started our hike through the jungle.  Nathan had warned me that he had seen several big rat snakes and a python, but said we'd mostly see just little blue tailed salamanders.  Evan ran on ahead, glad to be outside even in the oppressive heat and humidity.  He was fascinated by a rope bridge (who needs Indiana Jones?) and Nathan kept urging him on, telling him his football coach would be glad that he was getting in shape.  And here I was hiking behind them, and believe me, the thought of being left behind with the snakes was a big motivator to keep me walking fast enough to keep up with them!

Breakfast outside of Nathan's School (the restaurant owner offered me a job giving English lessons to her son!)
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There were lush tropical plants all around us and the ground was littered with star fruit and litchi nuts.  I kept seeing huge versions of tropical plants I had seen at the Manito Greenhouse, and it was incredibly hot.  After a couple hours, Nathan pointed me in one direction and said he and Evan would take the long way around and I could take the shortcut.  He said I should look for the sign pointing to the Stairs of Penance, go to the top and there would be a lookout and he and Evan would meet me there.

Look Closely to See the Blue Tail Lizard
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I found my way to the sign but just stood there looking up at  the hundreds of "Stairs of Penance" built into the mountain, exhausted, sweaty and very hot.  Two women who looked like they were in their 70s walked briskly towards me and started gesturing me to hurry up and get going...what else could I do but start up the mountainside?  As we hiked, the women were very encouraging, and so I followed their lead and stopped when they did for little breaks.  At one point when I was almost ready to drop, one of the women reached into her pack and pulled out a blackish, wrinkled dried fruit about the size of a plum and handed it to me with encouraging words.  I didn't care what it was, I thought maybe this is some kind of energy drug and that sounded pretty good!  As I chewed on it, it was sweet, salty, bitter all at the same time and it quenched my thirst...then it seemed to even give me a boost of energy to get going and it even seemed like my vision got clearer and my mood changed...they motioned me to get going again, so up the mountain I went and made it to the lookout at the top.  I met Nathan and Evan there and told them my story--but Nathan said nah, that's just a bitter plum, but whatever--I had made it to the top!

Evan on the Rope Bridge
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At the top there was a sort of jungle like botanical gardens, and I hiked by myself through the gardens and the rest of the way back to where we had parked the car.  And no, I didn't see any snakes...just a lot of blue-tail lizards.