Jianshi Hot Spring (Part 1)

If you have access to one of these, this popular family spot is easily in reach between Taoyuan and Hsinchu, in Jianshi.

Although the road is VERY rocky with fragments piling up in uneven heaps after rains, it doesn't stop 4x4 owners to practice their skills going down. I don't own an SUV but that just means I had to park my scooter higher up the mountain and walk down - something even SUV owners do as the road pays testimony to the difficulty of maneuvering even a off-road vehicle down.

At the bottom of the road lies a hot spring next to the river. AND it's free. Well, not really hot, but warm enough to count as a hot spring. After bathing in the icy river first the heat of the hot spring is very welcome. So, on week-ends groups camp here, barbecue and enjoy the environment.

Twenty three siblings!

Finding large families these days is not an easy task but while spending time in Jinshi I met youngsters who were part of a 23 sibling family. I was told by one of the boys that all of them share the same mother and that their parents have been married for 23 years. Some full time job she has!

As the family is part of an aboriginal tribe, Atayal I believe, one wants to feel sorry for the children as reports about unemployment and poverty among the Taiwanese aborigines are well-known. However, the children I met looked healthy and were all attending school - some in Jianshi and the older ones boarding school in Hsinchu.

Their house is large but seems small for such a numerous family. However, since some kids have moved out, and some others in boarding school I suppose it is sufficient. Imagine waking up every morning with a splendid view of the evergreen mountains and spending vacations cavorting in the rivers.