Fire meets water, a strange natural phonomenon means that natural gasses ignite upon contact with the water lighting an eternal flame. It was first discovered over 300 years ago by a monk. The flame is unfortunately dying and one day will no longer exist.
We went to Guanziling on Sunday for a relaxing day at the Spa. It was really good, really worth a trip. Its about an hour drive from central Tainan so not too taxing. We went with Mary I hadn't seen her in ages. The whole guanziling complex is based on a mountainside. Hotels and Spa sprawl up the twisting mountainous road. It was misty as we went up the winding serpentine road. the mountains faded into the distance like Japanese ink paintings. There were lots of stalls selling strange wares and foods.
The famous fire and water natural phonomenom is at what seemed the top of the mountain. It felt really spiritaul and surreal. It looks like a natural hearth the flames dancing on the rocks. Its amazing to think the Typhoons don't put it out. We imagined what it would have been like to be that monk who originally found it. It must have been a roaring bonfire. We decided it must have looked like the gates to heaven or to hell. It is really mesmerising.
After that we searched for a spa to go and relax. Octav suggested the police spa which is apparently the cheapest at only 100nt. The only down side is you have to be completely naked. We get enough stares being foreigners without my bits on display not really for me, we made a quick exit. Instead we opted for the nicest spa in the place at a cost of 450nt entry. Beware you need a swimmin cap and you can't wear boardshorts in there and as Octav found neither can you wear your boxers. The spa was really nice lounging in warm pools of thin clay and tea. They have the doctor fish which eat your dead skin on your feet, it really tickles. We tried it and my feet felt smoother but then Pra worried me about catching aids from them. I think that is just a rumour. I wonder if you fell in if they could kill you, a slow death that would be. I felt like I was back in 1940's Japan, the decor was very nice all Bamboo and flowers, It was called the 'the kings garden villa' or something along those lines.
On the way to the Guanziling village there are lots of chicken restaurants The area must be famous for this chicken or something. They cook it in a big pot like some kind of potted bbq. We tried it on the way back...delicious. it's like a big rottissery chicken. They serve it with chicken oil which you use for dipping the chicken and with a chicken soup aswell. decadence. the feast accompanied by noodles, rice, bamboo rice, veggies cost us 250nt each nt i couldn't not have stuffed anything more down.
we kept the bones and gave them to a stray dog on the way home. At first Octav dashed the bones out of the car with the plastic bag on them. The dog just looked scared and bewildered. So I got out the car and ripped open the plastic bag the little dog looked like it was christmas. His expression changed from one of confusion to that of a dog hypnotised by the scent of chicken. 'yo, is that chicken?' We watched him devour the chicken and then drove off.
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