Taiwan travellogue, Day 4 Part 2 (Fenqihu)

Shortly before five o'clock, we arrived in Fenqihu (奮起湖) amidst a light rain—not a downpour, but a gentle drizzle that had persisted for some time prior to our arrival. The bus came to a stop, and we disembarked, pushing our luggage forward. A narrow road inclined downward caught our attention, and instinct guided us to use it. As it turned out, it was one of the charming old streets of Fenqihu. Reaching a junction, we sought shelter from the drizzle. A local resident approached, inquiring about the hotel's name, and then directed us to Yeashow Villa, which was not far away, perhaps only another 10 or 15 metres. However, a flight of stone steps awaited us. Once at the bottom, there it was—the entrance to our next pitstop.

Above the entrance loomed an imposing signboard proclaiming 莊山琇雅, which might have made little sense to those accustomed to reading characters from left to right. Yet, reading from right to left, the traditional method of writing and reading Chinese characters, it read as 雅琇山莊 or Yeashow Villa. After checking in, the helpful staff assisted in carrying our luggage up a flight of steps and deposited them outside the door.

The name Fenqihu carries an interesting nuance. The 湖 (hú) in its name translates to "lake" in English. However, in this mountainous region, there is no actual lake. Interestingly, 湖 also means "basin," which makes more sense in this context. Fenqihu is nestled in a basin, surrounded by hills on three sides.

The railway track connecting Chiayi to Fenqihu was constructed in 1912, with subsequent extension to Alishan a year later. In the past, the train service operated only once in each direction daily. Since Fenqihu was approximately in the middle of the route and there was only one rail track, the steam engines would both pause here around noon to allow each other to pass. This practice led to the locals selling railway bentos to passengers, marking the beginning of the town's rapid growth.

About one-and-a-half hours later, we stepped out of the hotel, only to discover that the entirety of the Old Street was nearly deserted. Most of the shops that were open at five o'clock had already closed for the day, leaving not more than five still operating. Fortunately, a 7-Eleven and a restaurant a few doors away were still open. Anticipating the imminent closure of the restaurant as well, we opted for an early dinner.

Following our meal, we ventured into the quiet, narrow streets. Encountering one or two other groups of tourists exploring, we stumbled upon a flight of stone steps leading to the Fenqihu rail station. "It's so close to our hotel," I muttered to myself. Without a doubt, we resolved to return the next morning to explore the station and, if luck was on our side, even witness a train's arrival.