Sun Moon Lake is one of my favorite spots in Taiwan. It's in the foothills of Taiwan's Central Mountain range so there is already a nice mountain drive to get there. It is also Taiwan's largest lake. The scenery is great and it is being enhanced (ruined) by progress (greed) daily. This site is promoted heavily to Southern Chinese tourists and there were plenty of them about chattering in Cantonese. I still enjoy the place and best to go on non-holiday or week day. In fact, I never noticed this staircase before. It is next to the scenic overlook of the lake and docks below, from the front of the WenWu Temple-the largest one at the lake. It was precisely because of some of the aforementioned tourists congregating over there with cameras in hand that I took notice. All the medalliions/trinkets on the railing are a prayer memorial that you purchase in the temple opposite. The temple is quite large and features classic Chinese styling and I'll feature shots from there in upcoming posts.

Google Map Flyover link here.

Update-Staircase Poem

It might have been night
With the world asleep
And in that crazy silence
It might have been I
Waiting on the staircase
For your footfall

The anklets or bangles
May have given you away
And would I have
Gladly taken

But it was past noon
When you wandered
Down my stairs
And I had to go

Many a verse have I written since
Many a long night have I spent
In reflection
But those were contemplations
Of afternoon
And perhaps
Now I still sit
And wait for your footfalls
On another staircase
But the banister
That separates us
Calls for evening

And I wonder
If there will be
Another night
Another staircase
But the same footfall
I ought to have heard
An eon ago
But didn't

Pratip Sen Gupta

Yes it's true folks-Taiwan's favorite Sound Jeweler(from Capetown, SA) has a new musical work: Stone Bell. So new in fact that the mp3 is still wet so I couldn't listen at blog time . Jean (Moshang's off-stage name) asked me to use my photo above for his cover art so I said, "Yes!" How cool is that? Check out some song samples today and see what you think. Is it his typical excellent soothing jazzy chill beats? You be the judge.

Update: The thing rocks-especially "When You Come ft. C Dala & Nego Elias: wow-nice stuff. Good job Jean!