Taipei Botanical Garden in the Depths of Winter

December 26, 2010 — Taipei Botanical Garden
Canon EOS 500D 18–55mm F3.5–5.6

This winter...was seriously cold....

It had rained for days, and we had even spent Christmas Eve tucked away at home with no desire to go anywhere. The temperature outside was only 10°C that morning, but by noon we had run out of food and had no choice but to venture out in search of lunch ~.~'"

Unexpectedly, the sun came out as soon as we finished eating ^.^ So we immediately decided to take the kids outside and eventually found ourselves at Taipei Botanical Garden.

Just look at Belle and Lisa bundled up like snowmen...you can probably tell how cold it really was @.@'"

Belle and Lisa wearing heavy winter clothes at Taipei Botanical Garden — Belle and Lisa were bundled up for a walk through the garden in 10°C weather.

The lotus pond had no lotuses. It reminded me of a couplet from The Legend of the Condor Heroes, exchanged by Huang Rong and one of Reverend Yideng's scholarly disciples: “Frost withers the lotus leaf; a one-legged ghost wears a carefree scholar's cap.”

The lotus pond at Taipei Botanical Garden in winter, with withered lotus leaves — With the lotuses gone, the winter pond had a stark beauty of its own.

The red building across the pond was the National Museum of History. During our 2010 visit, it was hosting an exhibition of Tang-dynasty treasures from the Famen Temple crypt. Once the two girls were a little older, we really ought to bring them to places like this more often and broaden their horizons.

And this...a frog-shaped telephone booth...(does anyone actually use it?!)

A frog-shaped telephone booth at Taipei Botanical Garden — A whimsical frog-shaped telephone booth in the garden.

As we walked along...huh...a sign saying, “Do not feed the squirrels.” Sure enough, plenty of squirrels lived in the woods—and someone was feeding them peanuts anyway @.@'"

A sign asking visitors not to feed squirrels at Taipei Botanical Garden — A “Do not feed the squirrels” sign—and squirrels were indeed nearby.

Some were shy and ran off as soon as they got a peanut. Others had a strong sense of “professional ethics”: they took the peanut, sat right there, and started nibbling...

A squirrel about to run off with a peanut at Taipei Botanical Garden — One shy squirrel took its peanut and prepared to dash away.

Within moments, visitors carrying DSLRs gathered around. Shutters clicked from every direction as everyone happily snapped away @.@'"

A squirrel sitting and eating a peanut at Taipei Botanical Garden — This squirrel stayed to nibble, drawing a circle of clicking cameras.

Beyond the woods stood the historic Taiwan Provincial Administration Hall, also known as the Fantai Yamen—the island's highest administrative office during the Qing dynasty.

Exterior of the Taiwan Provincial Administration Hall at Taipei Botanical Garden — Beyond the woods stood the historic Taiwan Provincial Administration Hall.

Historic architecture and surroundings of the former Fantai Yamen — Architectural details of the former Fantai Yamen remain in a corner of the garden.

The building had been moved from the site of Zhongshan Hall during the Japanese colonial period. The side wings displayed excavated artifacts, historical remains, and introductory exhibits.

Historical displays inside a side wing of the Taiwan Provincial Administration Hall — The side wings displayed artifacts, remains, and historical introductions.

Artifact displays inside the Taiwan Provincial Administration Hall — The displays offered fragments from which to piece together the yamen's past.

A historical-remains display in a side room of the former Fantai Yamen — Historical displays unfolded through the quiet side rooms.

Historical information and displays inside the Taiwan Provincial Administration Hall — The museum displays traced what remained of the Fantai Yamen's history.

I tried peering through the lattice windows in search of time gone by, but apparently I lacked the necessary enlightenment ~.~ I could not feel the grandeur of Taiwan's former highest administrative office in the empty hall either @.@'"

Leaving the “Fantai Yamen” and returning to the botanical garden, we imagined it as the yamen's own “imperial garden”...Everything was arranged pleasantly enough, but it was still missing a touch of splendor...ha~~

Plants and paths in the winter landscape at Taipei Botanical Garden — Back outside, the winter garden was arranged in a pleasantly varied landscape.

Garden scenery beside the former Fantai Yamen at Taipei Botanical Garden — We imagined the garden as an “imperial garden,” though it lacked a little splendor...

Winter plantings and garden scenery at Taipei Botanical Garden — The winter garden lacked bright blooms but retained its quiet layers.

A quiet corner of Taipei Botanical Garden on a winter afternoon — A corner of the garden felt especially still on the quiet winter afternoon.

Cute little squirrels could be spotted all around the garden ^.^

A small squirrel roaming through Taipei Botanical Garden — Cute little squirrels darted in and out all around the garden.

A squirrel at Taipei Botanical Garden on a winter afternoon — Another garden squirrel appeared during the peaceful afternoon.

In the biting cold, the garden was quiet and nearly empty. Still, it gave us the rare pleasure of spending a slow, peaceful afternoon in the middle of the busy city ^.^

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