Pineapple Fields Forever

Today I went on a field trip with my friend’s Chinese class. It was amazing, despite the fog and rain and waking up at 8am. I saw and experienced so many new things. We did so much that I have to split it up into three blog posts. Here is a quick preview of some of the things we did today in a movie made by Bu Lai En made:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2YE_vJsKTY

We took about a 40 minute drive up and down a winding road to a city called Nantou and visited a pineapple cake factory. We were surrounded by pineapple and tea fields. There were SO MANY fields of pineapples, which is interesting because I feel like I haven’t seen THAT many pineapples here. The place we visited was called Sunny Hills. 

Pineapple field

Baby pineapple

Tea field near the pineapple fields

Pineapple Cake

Me and Bu Lai En

There were lots of cute little stands under this big tent, selling everything from food to jewelry to dishes. We tried this really sweet, pure honey that was absolutely delicious.

Bees!

Handmade baby picture holders

After awhile a band started playing, and the music was so interesting and beautiful. Their band name is Shou Pai Pai. One girl played a guitar, one guy had a drum, and another guy played a traditional Taiwanese instrument called an Er Hu. 

Shou Pai Pai

Playing the er hu

Here are a few videos of some of the songs the band played:

After listening to the band for a little bit we left. On the way back to the car we got water chestnuts. I have seen these around a lot but had never tried one yet. They weren’t bad. They kind of tasted like refried beans. 

They kind of look like moustaches

After leaving pineapple land, we went to eat lunch at this really cool restaurant. They serve chicken that they cook in a kiln-type thing. They serve you the whoooole chicken, including the creepy black chicken feet with toenails and the head. The chicken was really good, and we had lots of other side dishes with it. I tried bamboo shoots for the first time, and they were amazing! They were so flavorful. I also ate this green leaf called “dragon’s whiskers”. I have no idea what it actually was, but it was good too. 

Chicken cooking kiln

The sign for the restaurant

Chicken

Foooooooood

Tea Time

After lunch, we went to a tea factory. It was an absolutely awesome experience. We actually got to make tea (which is called chá in Chinese)!

Tea plants 

Tea field

The steps for how to make tea

We were taught and shown the steps of making the leaves into drinkable tea. It was really cool because they showed us how tea was made 100 years ago, and then the modern way of making it. In the old way, you have to burn the leaves in this big pan that looks like a wok, and you have to keep mixing the leaves. This lets the smell of the tea out. I actually got to participate in that part! After that they grind up the leaves using this machine you have to crank. This allows the leaf juices to start to come out.

First, the tea sits outside on these mats

Big wok-like tea leaf burner

Gotta mix up those leaves!

Look at me go!

Maybe I should just become a tea maker

Hand crank grinder

In the modern way, you just throw the leaves in this machine that looks like a big clothes dryer. It’s really hot in there. After that, they put the leaves in a grinding machine that is new and doesn’t use a crank. After all that you put the dried, smushed leaves in this other machine that I think just grinds it up even finer.

Modern leaf burner/dryer

Tea leaf dryer, grinder (hidden behind the dryer), and other grinder

The tea comes out much crispier and finer

Final product!

When we were done we actually got to take home a container of the tea we made! It is oolong tea. We also got to sample a bunch of different types of tea they make there. They had a bunch of dried tea from all around the world for something called Global Tea Tourism. It was to show the different types of tea leaves that come from all over.

Our tea!

Global Tea Tourism

At this factory, they also have a tea shop, and something like a little hotel where people can rent a room and stay the night. There was lots of cool things at this tea place.

Tea shop

A pheasant I think? I don't know

Tea flower (chá hua in chinese)

Squirrel house

Foggy tea fields

After the factory, we drove to a tea shop owned by the man who has the factory. We got to drink special tea that costs $6,000 NT ($200 US) a container. It was very interesting. It kind of smelled and tasted like buttered potatoes. But I feel fortunate to have been able to try it!

Beautiful arch near the tea shop

$6,000 NT tea experience

Good Blessings From The Sky Temple

After drinking tons and tons of tea, we went to a temple. It is a Taoist temple called Shoutian Temple, which means “good blessing from the sky”. The temple was so beautiful and colorful.

Shoutian Temple

The temple name in Chinese

The ceiling, created to keep in good luck

Beautiful carved stone pillar

Dragon

While we were there, I witnessed something that I am still not really sure what it was. One minute everything was calm, and the next firecrackers were exploding, a drum was being hit, and there was a crew of people dressed in red in the parking lot. They started stretching, and then became this intense walking/kicking/yelling mob heading to the temple. I don’t know what it’s called, but I know that it is something they do to honor the gods of the temple. Here is a video of it:

The temple is at Songboling. It is very high up on this mountain and had an incredible view. Since it was super foggy, it gave it a really creepy vibe but it was so cool still. Usually, you can see more but the fog was really thick.

Overall, it was a long, absolutely amazing day. It was so much fun experiencing these parts of Taiwanese culture. I definitely want to plan more trips outside my city soon!