A Crazy New Year’s Day Half-Day Trip to Sun Moon Lake—Part 1: Dawn and Sunrise

January 2, 2011 — A Crazy New Year’s Day Half-Day Trip to Sun Moon Lake, Part 1: Dawn and Sunrise

Canon EOS 500D 18-55mm F3.5-5.6

On Saturday morning, I took the two kids to Grandma’s house. As usual, my plan was simply to freeload for a meal and head home that night… But all four siblings happened to be there, so I scored an extra hot-pot dinner too ^.^

Once everyone was full, we sat around the dining table shooting the breeze—talking about which countries we had visited, how much fun we had, and how we ought to plan a trip together next time. My mother had been watching television in the living room when she suddenly said, sounding terribly aggrieved, that when I was little, I—the very same me >.<—had promised to take her abroad when I grew up, and I still hadn’t delivered @.@'"

Well, that was awkward. The others seized the opportunity and gave me a merciless ribbing. I finally countered with a little verbal misdirection: “Forget somewhere far away for now. Why don’t we leave right this minute and go watch the sunrise at Sun Moon Lake?”

After a brief silence, my youngest sister said, “Let’s go, then.”

Suddenly, some people were phoning hotels while others cleared the table and washed the dishes. After a burst of chaos, all thirteen of us—adults and children—arrived at the Del Lago Hotel beside Shuishe Pier at 12:40 a.m. on January 2, 2011.

The predicted sunrise time for Nantou that morning was 6:39. At 6:05, it was only six degrees outside. The moon had not yet set, and Venus was still high in the sky. We left the hotel terrace and followed the growing light through the cold.

The Del Lago Hotel terrace and Sun Moon Lake before dawn — At 6:05 a.m., the view beyond the Del Lago terrace was still deep blue.

The moon visible above Sun Moon Lake before dawn — The moon was still up as the sky slowly began to brighten.

At 6:27, we reached Shuishe Pier, where the lake was still veiled in mist and dim morning light.

Shuishe Pier at 6:27 in the morning — At 6:27, Shuishe Pier was still wrapped in mist and faint morning light.

Calm water beside Shuishe Pier at dawn — The water beside the pier was almost perfectly still.

At 6:30, we continued along the Hanbi Trail. The sky grew brighter minute by minute, but the sun was nowhere to be seen.

The Hanbi Trail at 6:30 in the morning — At 6:30, we kept chasing the sunrise along the Hanbi Trail.

The lakeshore beside the Hanbi Trail at daybreak — As we walked and waited, color gradually returned to the lakeshore.

At 6:37, we reached Chiang Kai-shek Pier and got ready to welcome the predicted sunrise.

Chiang Kai-shek Pier at 6:37 in the morning — At 6:37, we reached Chiang Kai-shek Pier to wait for the predicted sunrise.

Huh… it was already 6:41… Where was the sun??

The lake after the predicted sunrise time with no sun visible — 6:41—the predicted time had passed, so where was the sun??

By the time the whole sky was bright, we realized we’d been tricked ~.~'"

The sun was still hiding behind the mountains. It clearly had a long way to climb before clearing the ridge @.@'"

Morning light over the mountains before the sun cleared the ridge — Only after daylight arrived did we realize the sun was still behind the mountains.

Sun Moon Lake with the sun still hidden behind the ridge — The ridge was blocking the sun, so we still had some waiting to do.

Since the sun refused to show itself, everyone played beside the lake while we waited. At 7:10, we finally decided to return to the hotel for breakfast. After waking up early to walk and run around in the freezing cold, we were starving ^^"

Family members playing beside Sun Moon Lake in the early morning — While we waited, the lakeshore became our playground.

Lisa’s cousin Ariel had joined our spur-of-the-moment sunrise expedition too.

Ariel beside Sun Moon Lake in the early morning — Lisa’s cousin Ariel.

Someone even opened her arms wide enough to embrace the whole lake @.@'"

A family member posing with arms open beside Sun Moon Lake — Giving Sun Moon Lake a hug @.@'"

It was rare to have all four siblings and the whole family traveling together, so naturally we kept playing as we walked.

The family posing together at Sun Moon Lake in the morning — A rare outing with all four siblings and the whole family.

At 7:40, we arrived back at Shuishe Pier.

Huh… the sun was out!!

Sunlight illuminating Shuishe Pier at 7:40 in the morning — Back at Shuishe Pier at 7:40, the sun finally came out!!

After waiting all morning, we finally managed to photograph nine suns at once ^.^

Apparently this was the trendy way for young people to take pictures. It was called a “Foot Print.” The one in flip-flops was me… I was practically freezing to death…

A playful group photo showing everyone’s feet and shoes by the lake — The one wearing flip-flops is me—I was practically freezing to death…

Remember, all I had planned to do was go home and freeload for one meal ~.~

The group arranging their fingers into a star shape — A star made with our fingers~~~

Back at the hotel, the hungry ones went for breakfast while the sleep-deprived ones crawled back into bed. It wasn’t the sunrise we had imagined, but we did eventually see the “sunrise”… Hahaha~~~

Next up: “A Crazy New Year’s Day Half-Day Trip to Sun Moon Lake—Part 2: Cable Car and Lake Tour.”

Related posts