Mar 1, 2010
A visit to a mining town
Jin Gua Shi 金瓜石 was a mining town in northern Taiwan. It was the site of a POW camp operated by the Japanese during WWII when Taiwan was a Japanese colony. It features stunningly beautiful mountains and waterfalls.
This waterfall is chosen for the background for many wedding photos in Taiwan. It looks like something from Middle Earth.
The mines officially closed in 1987, after operating for almost a century. Mining was dangerous.
There really is gold in them thar hills. This brick of gold from the local mines weights 220 kg.
But I think that the natural beauty above ground is more valuable than the gold underground. Don’t ask how many steps up it took to get there. And that wasn’t even the top of this particular mountain. That’s the Pacific Ocean off in the distance.
Maybe we can see this next time we come over. It’s beautiful, as so much of Taiwan is.
I can see why people want their wedding pictures there. It’s gorgeous!