Shells and empty paths

[special guest post by Paul]

A very surprising thing about Jinmen is just how undiscovered it is. Much of it is a national park in a fairly wealthy country with people who love to travel. And yet, on the beaches you can find beautiful shells that would be picked up by somebody within seconds at any other beach I've been on. In Florida, I spend hours looking for one perfect little shell or sand dollar, and that instinct led me to pick up dozens of pointy spiral shells within feet of where the path deposits you on the beach near Oucou.

On the afternoon we departed, Sylvia and I took a walk while Popo and the boys had a nap.
We visited the beach again, and the decided to walk back on a paved path we crossed between the beach and the road. The path was well-built, and had a stone pointer in the pavement for Jhushan, where we stayed. We walked and walked, the path had been maintained, there were a few rest areas with shade and benches, and many bilingual signs about the flora. The views of the hills, wetlands, rocks, and beach made for a perfect nature stroll. There were no people whatsoever. After a while, the walk seemed too long, and afraid we'd miss our plane, we walked faster and faster. A half an hour after we expected to reach Jhushan, we found ourselves all the way at the tip of the island, near the tunnel we'd visited on the first day, and a good half hour walk back to Jhushan. After several nice stone markers pointing you towards Jhushan, they neglected to tell you where to turn off the path. I guess it doesn't matter, if tourists never take the path. We had to call our hostess to come pick us up.

Anyway, I'm emphasizing some of the ways in which the political/military isolation of Jinmen can make for a wonderful visit for those who love nature.