Een van de meest adembenemende plekken die we hier al bezochten is voor mij het Thousand Island Lake en het Crocodile Island viewing platform. De naam komt niet van de krokodillen die in het water zwemmen, want die zijn er niet. Duizend eilandjes zijn er ook al niet, en een meer eigenlijk ook niet. Laat ons zeggen dat Taiwanezen heel goed zijn in het bedenken van namen. (Denk aan die Elephant Mountain, waarbij je op een bepaalde plaats een olifant zou moeten zien 🤷🏼♀️)
One of the most breathtaking places we’ve already visited in Taiwan is (to me) the Thousand Island Lake and Crocodile Island Viewing Platform. Once again, the name doesn’t come from the crocodiles in the water because there aren’t any. Neither are there thousand islands or even a lake. Let’s say the Taiwanese are very good at picking creative names for their places. (Think about that Elephant Mountain, where you should see an elephant from a certain angle 🤷🏼♀️)
No, where does the name Thousand Island Lake come from?
In fact, it’s an area formed by man. It all looks very natural because of the beautiful colors and if you’re lucky, the light, low-hanging, misty clouds.
In 1987 people built an enormous dam to solve the water problems in Northern Taiwan, it is called the Feitsui Reservoir. This is, in fact, the Thousand Island Lake. A lot of mountains have been flooded and that’s how the ‘islands’ got their shape. But why did they choose for the name ‘thousand island’?
In North-East China there’s a lake, also made by man, with literally thousand islands. The building technique was the same, and the mountaintops form a thousand islands. The name is just a copy of the Chinese, bigger version, of the Thousand Island Lake. (Why make it hard when it can be sooo easy? 🤷🏼♀️)
Then we still have the name ‘Crocodile Island’. You have to use your imagination on this one. If you look really good, you’ll see the shape of a crocodile in the green island in the middle of the picture. (I told you, you needed some fantasy! 🐊)
Do you see the crocodile in this picture?
When you’re in the around, don’t forget to visit the tea fields. The area is known for them and believe me, you’ll find a lot of tea fields. You can join a tea ceremony, visit the tea fields of the famous Pingling and Oolong tea or just enjoy the beautiful view.
HALF A DAY AWAY 