This is the first of five posts covering a two-day trip to Alishan [阿里山]. Our three car caravan’s first stop was Fenqihu [奮起湖]. The spot marks the half-way point on the way to the top of Alishan on the forest railway.

Fenqihu is about 1,400 meters above sea level. The Alishan Forest Railway was built around 1912 by the Japanese during the period of occupation. At first, the railway was used for transporting timber out of the mountain.

Everyone posing [coworkers and friends of coworkers (interested in buying steel rope for industrial or automotive purposes? These are the girls you want to contact)]:

A Lima-built Shay Locomotive:

A shop selling Moon Cake, I hope this year I don’t receive any. I broke down and bought a box, but not for my own consumption:

A Railway Lunchbox… much better than what you’ll find in Taipei, the vegetables tasted much fresher:

Oh, probably because they were grown next door:

I tried to sneak up on them and take a shot and this is what transpired:

Square Bamboo [四方竹 (Chimonobambusa quadrangularis)]. When I told my Shida instructor that I was going to Alishan for the weekend she told me that I had to see this bamboo… when I got there I was a little disappointed… on the outside it looks just like regular bamboo:

She’s not the only one, while waiting here a group of tourists passing by exclaimed their excitement to see this variety of bamboo.

More Alishan Posts

All information, unless otherwise noted is from various tourist brochures, information plaques, and the Alishan Forest Recreation Area website.