New Year Day 2010

Upon the invitation of my dear interpreter friend, I spent the New Year Eve at her lodge on Yangmingshan National Park (YMSNP) in order to climb the Seven Stars Mountain, the highest mountain (1120 meters) of YMSNP on New Year Day.

At midnight, January 1st, the streets of Taipei city were jammed with people and cars. Everyone in Taipei seemed to aim at Taipei 101 to see the countdown fireworks. When the clock struck twelve, everything froze for 188 seconds. Everyone was speechless gazing at the overwhelming fireworks of Taipei 101. I saw the fireworks of Taipei 101 from YMSNP for the first time.

It has been a habit for YMSNP volunteer interpreters to climb Seven Stars Mountain on the New Year Day for more than two decades. It was the first time I tailed the crowd on New Year Day. Were I not in charge of YMSNP blog to report the volunteer interpreters activities during my service term from July 2009 till June 2010, I would have slept in bed late on New Year Day.

At 7 o'clcok, YMSNP Director Lin greeted volunteer interpreters, Happy New Year! At 7:30, Director Lin announced the beginning of the mountain climbing event and led a group of 50 climbers with him. I followed them for the first 100 meters and decided to chat with volunteer interpreters who stood guard along the trail.

It was nine after nine when I finally made it to the Sever Stars Park. I gave up climbing all the way up the peak of Seven Stars Mountain, in stead I took another route back to YMSNP Visitors Center at 11 o'clock! Director Lin and his entourage finished the full course and returned to the Center at ten past eleven!