Elephant Statue at Shifen 十分
It seems that I have underestimated the size of the Shifen Scenic Area. It all starts with a walk from the main road and you just follow the bridges and footpaths as you go through the scenic area. Shifen is known for being the site for what is dubbed Taiwan’s Niagara falls. From what I have seen so far, I don’t think it was worth the moniker. I have seen two waterfalls so far and it would appear that the first one would be the one they would refer to as the Niagara of Taiwan. It was a bit of a stretch but as long as they are happy with it.
Deity Altar at Shifen 十分
The path along the Keelung River opens up to a full blown park. Interestingly, they have some sort of temple here. There was a statue of a Buddhist or Taoist figure which I am not familiar with. Perhaps most prominently are the red ribbons which are attached to it. There are prayers or wishes the people have offered to these deities. It seems that these beliefs and traditions are still deeply held in these areas. I thought it was a strange place to find a temple but it was an interesting distraction from all the water that I have been seeing.
[xmlgm {http://www.worldwanderings.net/kml/ShifenWaterfall.kmz} zoom=19]