New Year's Eve In Puli

I went to the small mountain town of Puli for New Year's Eve. Small by Taiwan standards Puli is about 90,000 people. It is in a lush mountain valley and known for the fresh natural mineral water that is bottled and sold. I rolled into town with a couple of friends about 11 PM. We checked into the hot springs hotel and then drove back into town to look for a pub to celebrate the New Year. We didn't find any pubs so we stopped at a Family Mart near the edge of town that was nestled between a gas station and a public restroom. We got some food and found a table in front to drink our bottle of wine. There were a lot of people around so it festive but relaxed.

New Year's Eve is always a difficult time for me. It reminds me of one thing that is missing in my life, someone to love and be loved by. Although I was a bit melancholy I was happy to be with friends and looking forward to soaking in the hot springs in the morning. The hot springs are wonderful. There are coed pools outside for those with bathing suits, or there are men's and women's pools inside for naked soaking. I did the naked springs. There are three pools of different temperatures and a sauna. The pools tiled but are surrounded by natural rocks and plants to give a natural appearance. It's a very peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. What a great way to start the New Year.

A quick nap after the hot springs and then it was time to drive into the mountains for some lunch. It was foggy but the restaurant on the side of the mountain still offered good views and good food. Then it was back to Taichung and a bus ride to Wuci. I was tired, but ending up going to the gym to workout and then home to relax.