The Big Bloom

Each year, Yangmin- shan National Park heralds the coming of Spring not with floral maidens prancing around the May Pole, but instead with a festival all its own. On the peaks of the mountains you will find hoards of folks lining up to take photo- graphs of the newly budding trees and flowers in a spectacular natural setting.

Walking along the trails of this paradise, one senses he or she is parading around the stomping grounds of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (of course, for those who have had the fortunate experience of visiting both Yangmingshan National Park and Kensington Gardens, one is bound to note that London's greenery has nothing over Taipei's).

The main event is a floral clock and with flowers acting as the numbers and large hands circulating around it.

Just behind you is the park with its dashing flowers, serene pagodas and calm, unobtrusive streams complete with the tradition stepping stones.

However, after about thirty minutes of this, it all becomes somewhat of a bore. This ennui is best reduced by escaping the calming gardens for a vigorous climb up a mountain trail. And as luck would have it, this trekking pays off as a stunning waterfall is no more than ten minutes away. Well-maintained trails and man-made bridge allow for excellent viewing points of this waterfall, and collecting pools make for ideal praying spots next to the temple at the base of the waterfall.

After the waterfall excursion, it is an easy bus ride to Yangmingshan's and Beitou's hot springs. If you don't mind walking around naked in front of other people, this is a perfect way to relax and unwind after a day spent in the mountains. There are three pools from which one can choose- a cold spring, a hot spring, and a burning hot spring. It's amazing how, after a soak in the scalding spring, the cold spring can feel like ice water.

And nothing completes a hot spring dip like noodles and beer.

So with that, your flower sniffling, waterfall gazing, hot spring junkie of the Pacific Ring of Fire, Michael.