Spontaneous Snapshot along the Leisurely Journey! Single De-stressed Trip to Taitung Guanshan and Chihshang Township
Guanshan and Chihshang Township in Taitung County is an ideal spot for a traveler to relieve stress and space out. Before rice-reaping season, travelers can appreciate the beautiful landscape of blowing paddy waves while savoring local delicacies.
Being a hobbyist photographer, I get extremely excited upon seeing the beauteous postcard sceneries that can be found everywhere in Huadong Valley. According to my experiences, summer mornings are often clear and sunny, with the light most suitable for taking pictures; the weather is still clear but with strong sunlight from 10 o’clock in the morning to 2 o’clock in the afternoon; as for the weather condition in the afternoon, the clouds often gather along with the decrease of sunlight, and it is particularly suitable for carrying out outdoor activities after 4 o’clock as the temperature becomes fair and proper with plenty of light. As a result, you need to be an early bird if you wish to take attractive photos of morning view and keep yourself away from the sun after 10 o’clock. Determine what you would like to do in accordance with the condition of clouds during the afternoon.
Chihshang Rice Leisure Farming Industrial Zone and Guanshan Waterfront Leisure Agriculture Area
Speaking of Guanshan Township, “Guanshan rice”, “Guanshan lunchbox”, and “Guanshan Bikeway” are the typical impressions people have for the region. “Guanshan Hydrophilic Leisure Agriculture Area” is exactly designed by following Guanshan Bikeway, Guanshan Canal, and the mountain terrain of Guanshan. There are many tourist orchards along the route of cycle path, and the downtown area of Guanshan Township, where many delicacies and local dishes are offered, together with farms and fruit gardens open to the public, is also included in the planned area. It is an extensive scenic site blended with local characteristics of Hakka and aboriginal tribes. Guanshan Rice Miller combines multiple resources including Hakka and aboriginal cultures and unveils many DIY programs such as “Experience of Agriculture in Guanshan” and “Ingredients Treasure Hunt”, the ones based on local theme, indigenous “Rice and Millet Chase”, and the experience activity of “Hakka Ground Tea”. Since the site allows visitors to partake in all kinds of activities at the same time, it is ideal for companies or group travelers to sign up for the programs. “Takeshi Kaneshiro Tree”, the well-known sacred place of Chihshang Township, is situated right within the range of Chihshang Rice Leisure Farming Industrial Zone. As the crowds begin to cram into the hot spot, new stores and businesses have been opened one after another on the streets during the recent years. Many youngsters have returned to Chihshang Township for future development, creating the demeanor of “hospitable sensibilities in small town accompanied by farming culture”.
Guanshan Rice County School
The new arrival of “Rice Kuai Kuai” piled up and displayed on the pallet of sales center like a hill is indeed eye-catching. The snack is the latest big hit of Guanshan Farmer’s Association, and unlike the Kuai Kuai as far as everyone can remember, Guanshan Rice Kuai Kuai is made from Guanshan paddies which gives out a mild aroma of rice upon tasting. No longer after its launch during the Spring Festival of 2017, the item was sold out within a few days and successfully gained product awareness on the market. The staffs are busying themselves with handling orders, confirming product availability, and gathering up boxes and boxes of Rice Kuai Kuai that are to be delivered for shipment. Seeing you are already here in Guanshan, do not forget to savor this exclusive snack of Guanshan.
Guanshan Rice County School is modified from the old rice miller where a gigantic rice polishing machine is demonstrated right before your eyes. You can also join guiding interpretation tour, have a firsthand experience in packaging a small pack of Guanshan paddies and bring it home as a souvenir. On the other side of the building set up “Agricultural Village Museum” where farming implements that are rarely-seen in large cities in compliance with the four seasons of “spring ploughing, summer weeding, autumn harvesting, winter storing” are exhibited. If you are traveling with kids, you may also recollect the rural life of their grandparents in former times together.
Tian Ma Ma Restaurant is established inside Guanshan Rice County School with the signature dish of rice bowl of old-time flavor which depicts the circumstance of rural life when farmers relished rice-reaping dimsum in the fields in the past. The bowl is filled with Guanshan rice and seasonal vegetables. The dish of today is served with braised pork ribs with plenty of flavor.
Chihshang Promenade
Chihshang Promenade, a renovated old house which has turned into a coffee shop filled with artistic and literary ambiances. As a designer, the owner of the coffee shop decorates his shop with the postcards chosen based on his own photographer’s vision, and the image shown on each postcard is distinctive with tactile appeal. The visitors are able to not only refresh themselves but also acquire bountiful travel information by browsing the homemade maps posted on the wall. Residents of Chihshang tend to sleep early; Chihshang Promenade and Jiece Used Bookstore are two of the few shops where visitors are allowed to halt and sip coffee, tea drinks, or beer during the night. In addition to drinking beverages while writing cards or having a little chit chat with strangers in the evening, one can surely enjoy the time of solo travel and the pleasure of interacting with new friends.
Go on an Inspection Tour of Crops and in Quest of Snacks and Sweets
Along with the rise of clouds in Huadong Valley where thick clouds cut off completely the blazing sun, it is the time when tourists “go on an inspection tour of crops”. Entering eastern Provincial Highway No. 9 and County Highway No. 197 where the one-lane road tightly adheres to the coastal mountains, a large paddy field, together with Dapochih Wetland of Chihshang Township come directly into sight by looking in the direction of Central Range. Along with the change of the weather, the field under dense clouds varies considerably from the one under the blue sky. The distant mountains surrounded by white clouds under which the wind blows against the rice field, such scenery is definitely worth slowing down the pace to appreciate in pure silence.
There are many patisseries in Chihshang Township, each of which has developed its own extraordinary flavor: Ann Be Loved on eastern Provincial Highway No. 9, BIKE De Koffie and Tianweijia on the main street, for instance. You will be fascinated by the term “Niu Wenshui” once stepping inside the store of Tianweijia. The most authentic way to eat this Hakka snack is to spread peanut powder on top of mochi and enjoy it together with the sweet soup. It is exactly because the appearance of mochi floating in sugar water resembles the back of a cattle rising to the water surface that the dessert has got its name. Almond black tea is also an amazing highlight: with its rich texture plus strong drupe flavor, the serving is easily to be consumed within a few minutes.
Pilgrimage
Dawn is the best time when people should make a pilgrimage to Mr. Brown Avenue, the earlier the better since there is unlikely to be lots of early birds around. You will be able to take pictures beside Takeshi Kaneshiro Tree and on Mr. Brown Avenue freely as much as you want all by yourself. Residents of Chihshang tend to sleep early and get up early. As the sun begins to rise from the coastal mountains, the harvester will have already been reaping the second field. Standing next to the farmland while pressing ceaselessly the diaphragm button on the camera, countless photographs of rarely-seen landscape are successfully collected. If you try to ask the farmer who stands on the edge of the field about anything, he will undoubtedly share much farming knowledge with great passion.
You should grab the chance of taking pictures and checking-in at several celebrated tourist attractions such as “Heaven’s Path”, “Waterwheel”, and “Laundry Pavilion”. I have found that if you try to look as far as the eye can see from the bridge over the pond, you will be able to get the panorama view of wonderful sceneries and expert composition at a glance. Parking is the only thing you need to pay extra attention to. Find a safe spot and you will be able to enjoy the marvelous views of this rice town by standing aloft.
Waterfront Pumpkin & Rice Cake Pastry
Before departing from Taitung, the last souvenir gift of Guanshan you must buy is the “pumpkin rice cake”, which is also the signature dessert of the pastry. Located nearby Provincial Highway No. 9, Waterfront Pumpkin & Rice Cake Pastry has developed the brilliant technique of kneading the pumpkins grown in Southern Cross-Island Mountains with Guanshan rice to make lots of fantastic baking products. The texture of pumpkin rice cake is velvety, spongy, and al dente. The slightly sweet savor of agreeable sweetness brings out the aroma of pumpkin. The pumpkin seeds hid inside the cake add pleasant surprises to the taste bud. Pumpkin rice cake is suitable to be served as an afternoon tea sweet. Before bidding farewell, remember to visit Waterfront Pumpkin & Rice Cake Pastry, which is not far from Guanshan Railway Station, to look and shop for the souvenir gift and trip snacks for the journey home.
