Every autumn season on October and November, Taiwan's luscious and sweet apples are ripe for picking. One place comes to the mind of the Taiwanese, if they thought of grabbing apples with their own hands. Fushoushan Farm! Located at an altitude of 2,500 meters, its location makes it perfect to grow a variety of apples from those with a green tone to the sparkling red color. Before winter envelops Taiwan, visitors come to this place to see the warm colors of the Japanese maple leaves.
I know you are excited to go here, but visiting Fushoushan Farm is not as easy as what you think of. So I made a comprehensive guide to help tourists reach this place easier and uncover its greatest secrets.
- 1. HOW TO GO TO FUSHOUSHAN FARM
- 2. ENTRANCE TICKETS AT THE RECREATIONAL FARM
- 3. WHERE TO STAY AT FUSHOUSHAN FARM
- 4. APPLE PICKING IN FUSHOUSHAN FARM
- 4.1 When is the apple picking season in Fushoushan Farm?
- 4.2 Where is the apple plantation in Fushoushan Farm?
- 4.3 Do I need to register online to book a slot for the apple picking activity?
- 4.4 What is the schedule of the apple picking activity?
- 4.5 How many apples can I pick?
- 4.6 How to properly pick apples?
- 5. THE APPLE KING TREE
- 6. FUSHOUSHAN FARM MAPLE SEASON/AUTUMN FOLIAGE
1. HOW TO GO TO FUSHOUSHAN FARM
There are buses going to Lishan Scenic Area and all of them are designed to take passengers back to the city the following day. The terminal of these buses will be at Lishan Scenic Area which is still four to five kilometers away from the apple orchard. Once at Lishan, your luck and charisma will determine your fate here, if you can find someone to take you to Fushoushan Farm for free. I was able to hitch a ride and see the apple farm, thanks to the kindness of a farmer.
Most people who booked their hotel in Lishan Guest House or in any other hotels will usually arrange a private car that will take them to Fushoushan Farm. Unless you hired a van, then you can visit the recreational farm at ease but it will be more expensive.
If you are planning to do a one-day tour in Fushoushan Farm, then you will end up spending most of your time traveling in a car or a tour bus. It is better to stay in one of the hotels in Lishan Scenic Area or the Fushoushan Farm to maximize your visit.
common wandering technique in Lishan Scenic Area/Fushoushan Farm: ride bus + stay in a hotel + ride bus the following day to go back to the city.
1.1 from Taipei
For people living in Taipei, one must ride first a train going to Yilan and then transfer to a bus that would leave at 7:29 am at Yilan Transfer Station [Google Map] or 7:00 am at Luodong Transfer Station [Google Map]. I was lucky to be able to board a Puyuma express train that left Taipei Main Station at 6:05 am and arrived at Yilan Station on 7:12 am. I then run as fast as I could to get to the Yilan Transfer Station where Bus 1751 was waiting for its passengers.
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| Puyuma express train ticket from Taipei Main Station to Yilan Station |
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| iPass card with gudetama design |
I only had 17 minutes to do this which is not enough time to walk and I was gasping for air as soon as I reached the right gate. There will be no time to buy tickets so I already prepared an iPass card and loaded it with money before I left Taipei. Bus 1751 and 1764 only accepts iPass cards in paying the fare on the sensor. Tourists must take note of this arrangement in order to avoid the hassle.
At Lishan, there are no taxis to take tourists to Foushoushan Farm. Seeking help from the Lishan Scenic Area Visitor Information Center would be useless. The people there were not friendly. When I was able to hitch a ride to the apple orchard, I asked the people at the Fushoushan Farm Visitor Information Center on why the buses stop at Lishan and not at Fushoushan Farm. They informed that the 12:40 pm bus that leaves Yilan Transfer Station takes its passengers up to Fushoushan Farm. The same bus would return the following day at 7:30 am. People can take advantage of this service if they would book their stay at Fushoushan Farm.
| Bus # | Origin | Drop-off point | Departure times | iPass fare (NTD) | Fare (NTD) | Expected travel time | Going directly to Fushoushan Farm? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1751 | Yilan Transfer Station | Lishan | 0729 (MWThFSatSun) | 309 | 352 | 4 hours | no |
| 0730 Tuesday | |||||||
| 1240 Daily | yes | ||||||
| 1764 | Luodong Transfer Station | 0700 Daily | 315 | 358 | no |
| Bus # | Origin | Drop-off point | Departure times | Going directly to Fushoushan Farm? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1751 | Lishan | Luodong Transfer Station | 0830 Daily | yes* |
| 1329 MWThFrSatSun | no | |||
| 1330 Tuesday | ||||
| 1764 | Luodong Transfer Station | 1300 Daily |
*The staff of the recreational farm told me that the bus would leave Fushoushan Farm at 7:30 am.
1.2 by bus from Taichung or Hualien
Visitors from Taichung and Hualien can also get to Lishan Scenic Area but have to endure more than four hours of travel time. Bus 1141 will wait for its passengers in front of the Hualien Bus Station [Google Map] while the Bus 6506 starts its route at Fengyuan Bus Station (a short walk from TRA Fengyuan Station, [Google Map]). The bus from Hualien will arrive in Lishan at around 1:00 pm but the vehicle coming from downtown Fengyuan will arrive at around 3:00 pm.
In either case, tourists are encouraged to arrange for their own hostel accommodation before coming to Lishan. Homestays and hotels usually provide transportation to take their guests to Fushoushan Farm since there are no taxis around.
| Bus # | Origin | Drop-off point | Departure times | Fare (NTD) | IC Fare ticket (NTD) | Expected travel time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1141 | Hualien Bus Station | Lishan | 0840 Daily | 453 | 399 | 4.5 hours |
| 6506 | Fengyuan Bus Station | 0910 Daily | 546 | - | 5 to 6 hours |
| Bus # | Origin | Drop-off point | Departure times |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1141 | Lishan | Hualien Bus Station | 1450 Daily |
| 6506 | Fengyuan Bus Station | 0800 Daily |
1.3 by tripool taxi
One of the most convenient way to get to Fushoushan Farm is by tripool taxi (https://www.tripool.app/?utm_source=luomuji). This private point-to-point transportation service will definitely take you straight to the entrance of the recreational farm and after exploring the place, will take you back to your origin if you booked a return trip.
There are five cities where you can start your journey and return on the same day. They are listed on the price comparison table that I have made. The fares are based on a single rider/couple or a group of four to eight people. Tripool taxi can accommodate up to 8 people in one car and I suggest exploring their web app to get more ideas about their price ranges.
A trip from Taipei Main Station for a group composed of four people would cost NTD 4,800. An MRT ride to Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center will reduce the tripool taxi fare to NTD 4,500. Tourists staying in Yilan will save time and money since the journey is shorter. The expected travel time is only 3 hours and 6 mins for a fare of only NTD 3,700. That's a budget of NTD 925 per person for a one-way ride from Yilan to Fushoushan Farm. Most travelers coming from Greater Taipei whether they are on a tour bus or private car will most likely take the Yilan route, and I think this is the most efficient way to get to Fushoushan Farm.
Those living in Taichung will be glad to know that they can also visit the recreational farm. The tripool taxi fares from the TRA or THSR stations are comparable to those coming from Taipei Main Station, for a price range of NTD 4,400 to 4,600 (one-way ride composed of 4 passengers). But start the journey in Nantou and the prices will go lower.
Guests staying at any of the minsus in Cinjging Farm will be glad to know that their tripool taxi fare is cheaper by almost half. Just take a look at the price for Cingjing Guest House. Its shorter distance to Fushoushan Farm meant a travel time of only 2 hours and 7 mins for a price range of NTD 2,200 to 2,400. The amount of time saved in traveling will be crucial during the apple picking since there is a fruit picking schedule that is being implemented in the orchard. (tripool web app:https://www.tripool.app/?utm_source=luomuji)
Depending on your itinerary, tourists can schedule a trip down to Hualien to visit Taroko. I recommended searching for a hotel in Tianxiang if possible, or select TRA Hualien Station as the drop-off point.
Book for 8 persons and you will get considerable savings per passenger. Imagine paying only NTD 750 for a group of people coming from Taipei for a one-way ride from Taipei Main Station to Fushoushan Farm. Residents in Taichung will not get envy because they will pay almost the same rate as those living in Taipei. In summary, expect to pay NTD 1,500 to NTD 2,000 per person for a roundtrip ride in tripool taxi for a group composed of 8 passengers.
| City | Pick-up point | Distance | Travel Time | Estimated tripool taxi fare (NTD) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # of passengers | ||||||
| 1 or 2 | 4 | 8 | ||||
| Taipei | Taipei Main Station | 174.1 kms | 3 hrs 50 mins | 4,400 | 4,800 | 6,000 |
| MRT Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center | 162.3 kms | 3 hrs 39 mins | 4,100 | 4,500 | 5,600 | |
| Yilan | TRA Yilan Station | 115.9 kms | 3 hrs 6 mins | 3,400 | 3,700 | 4,700 |
| Taichung | TRA Taichung Station | 151.8 kms | 3 hrs 40 mins | 4,200 | 4,600 | 5,700 |
| THSR Taichung Station | 152.6 kms | 3 hrs 33 mins | 4,000 | 4,400 | 5,500 | |
| Nantou | Cingjing Guest House | 68.2 kms | 2 hrs 7 mins | 2,200 | 2,400 | 3,000 |
| Puli Station | 99.7 kms | 3 hrs 1 min | 3,300 | 3,700 | 4,600 | |
| Hualien | TRA Hualien Station Station | 130.9 kms | 3 hrs 44 mins | 4,400 | 4,800 | 6,000 |
1.4 by Bus 866 from Lishan
Recently, a shuttle bus service has been opened for people who are already in Lishan, but have difficulty going to Fushoushan Farm because they don't drive their own car. Just board Bus 866 (Shuttle 1) and you can get to the farm easily. This method is only possible if you are going to stay at Lishan for at least 1 night because the time of the last bus going back to Lishan from Fushoushan Farm is at 15:00. I know for sure that you will want to stay longer once you see this place, so I recommend boarding the earliest bus to get the most benefit of your trip.
It's possible to get to Fushoushan Farm if you're coming from Yilan via bus then transfer to the 866 Shuttle 1 (Lishan-Fushoushan) Farm bus, but going back will be a headache. Unless, you have the patience to walk for 4 kilometers or you found a kind Taiwanese that will give you a free lift back to the town of Lishan.
| Bus stop | Departure schedule |
|---|---|
| Lishan | 09:15, 12:00, 14:00, 15:30, 18:30 |
| Fushoushan Farm | 05:45, 08:45, 10:15, 12:30, 15:00 |
2. ENTRANCE TICKETS AT THE RECREATIONAL FARM
Before you get too excited to enter the apple orchard and pick some fruits, have some time to take a look at the entrance tickets table below. Most tourists enter Fushoushan Farm with their cars so people pay once their vehicle passes the toll gate. Students, the elderly, military personnel and government employees in Taiwan are entitled for the discounted tickets. Yehey!
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| The entrance toll gate of Fushoushan Farm |
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| And there is an apple above the roof! |
| Ticket type | Holiday/Weekend | Weekday | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult tickets | NTD 100 | NTD 80 | Ordinary visitors |
| Concession tickets | NTD 80 | NTD 60 | Military/soldiers, employees, school teachers, and aboriginal people |
| Group ticket | A group composed of 20 persons or more | ||
| Student ticket | University students and above | ||
| Elderly ticket | NTD 50 | Seniors aged 65 and over | |
| Child ticket | NTD 60 | Elementary, junior and senior high school students | |
| Special discount ticket | NTD 20 | Disabled persons and children aged 0 to 6 | |
| Veterans and disabled persons | |||
| Parking fee | Sightseeing bus: NTD 100; Sedan: NTD 50; Motorcycle: NTD 20 | ||
3. WHERE TO STAY AT FUSHOUSHAN FARM
There are a limited number of guesthouse and hotels in Fushoushan Farm and most of them gets fully booked during the maple season. In October, you can still get a cheap room at private minsus or guesthouses but in November your chances of getting a room gets smaller. Check the table for some of my recommended hotels in Fushoushan Farm
| Hotel/Guesthouse name | Room rate per night | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Lishan Guesthouse [Check availability] | NTD 4,400 | Beside the 7-eleven convenience store,ATM and bus stop to Yilan, Hualien or Taichung. They also offer a shuttle service to its guests to Fushoushan Farm |
| Fushoushan Farm Guesthouse [Check availability] | NTD 3,200 | Direct access to the apple orchard. Guests have guaranteed slots for the apple picking activity. |
| 梨山燕華樓大旅社 [fb fanpage] | NTD 1,300 in October | Just send a message to their messenger account. The guesthouse close at night, so buy food for your breakfast/dinner before going back to the hostel after your Fushoushan Farm trip. They also provide a shuttle service to Fushoushan Farm for a price of NTD 300, but you have to tell them in advance. |
4. APPLE PICKING IN FUSHOUSHAN FARM
Fushoushan Farm in Lishan Scenic Area is the place to go during Taiwan's apple season which starts to ripen in September and harvested until the end of November. A veteran's farm located in a mountain city of Taichung's Heping District, various kinds of crops are grown here that are used for tourism. Aside from functioning as a recreational farm, vegetables like cabbage are also cultivated here which are sold in the city.
Fushoushan Farm has various attractions throughout the year with its maple and cherry blossom season being its peak season. The apple picking season is just one attraction that tourists can enjoy from October to November. A lot of people are excited to see the orchard and pick some fruits, but Fushoushan Farm is a very difficult place to visit especially for those people relying only on Taiwan's public transportation system.
4.1 When is the apple picking season in Fushoushan Farm?
It happens every October and November. Although some varieties ripen in August, the autumn season is still regarded as the best time to handpick the fruits. In October, the apple picking activity happens from Monday to Friday only. Unfortunately for 2020, the apple picking activity will only happen from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30, and during the month of November, the orchard is open for tourists every day. The kind of apples to grab during your visit depends on which variety happens to be ripe.
| open | price per catty (6 to 7 medium-size apples) | |
|---|---|---|
| October | Monday to Friday | NTD 300 |
| November | every day | NTD 500 |
I have prepared a table which enumerates the kinds of apple trees planted in the Fushoushan Farm from 1964 to 1985 and you can see it after scrolling down for a few pictures.
Expect the “Golden Delicious” variety to open the apple picking season when you visit the farm on October 1. These apples are light green in color and in contrast to the usual red color of the fruit. But they taste the same only that their skin color is different. Surprisingly, there is also a “Red Delicious” variety.
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| "Golden Delicious" apple |
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| "Fuji" apple |
The “Fuji” and other Japanese varieties are ripe for harvest from mid to late-October. The picking season continues until the end of November but there is a catch when you visit the Fushoushan Farm during this period. The number of visitors to the recreational farm increases as the fall season intensifies due to the foliage of the maple trees in front of the Songlu Villa. During this peak period when people make a long queue at the orchard, only guests staying at the guesthouses of Fushoushan Farm are guaranteed to have slots for the apple picking activity.
| Apple variety | Weight | Fruit color | Ripening period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natsumidori | 150-200g | Green or yellow with light red stripes | early August |
| Kitanosachi | 200-250g | Red | mid-August |
| Hokuto | 300g | Green or yellow with light red stripes | mid to late August |
| Nebuta | 200-250g | Red | late August |
| Sensyu (M26) | Brownish red | late September | |
| Wakou (M26) | Bright red to dark red | ||
| Kogetsu | Red or crimson | ||
| Same red “tsugaru” | 250-300g | Green or yellow with red stripes | |
| Golden Delicious (M7) | 200-250g | Yellow to green | late September to mid-October |
| Megumi | with red stripes | early to mid-October | |
| Mutsu | 450-600g | Red when ripe | mid to late October |
| Fuji | 200-250g | Red | |
| Yoko | 250-300g |
4.2 Where is the apple plantation in Fushoushan Farm?
The orchard is located behind the Fushoushan Visitor Information Center:[Google Map]. After paying the entrance tickets at the toll gate, visitors can walk directly to the apple farm.
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| The right side of the photo is the apple plantation. |
4.3 Do I need to register online to book a slot for the apple picking activity?
No. But there is an on-site registration. Visitors enter a tent where they pay NTD 300 (October) or NTD 500 (November) and leave their belongings on a locker with a key. There will be a person to assist the participant on how to pick the apples properly.
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| Once you are in the apple orchard of Fushoushan Farm, look for the tent where you can register. |
4.4 What is the schedule of the apple picking activity?
The fruit picking activity happens in the morning from 8:30 am to 10:30 am and from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the afternoon with each session lasting for only 30 minutes. During this half-hour period, the participants can pick apples or have some selfies with the fruits. After that, the visitor will be asked to have his/her harvest weighed.
| time | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| morning | 08:30-09:00 | 09:00-09:30 | 09:30-10:00 | 10:00-10:30 |
| afternoon | 14:00-14:30 | 14:30-15:00 | 15:00-15:30 | 15:30-16:00 |
Visitors should also take note that the fruit picking activity may be suspended in the event of a bad weather or when there are no more apples to harvest.
4.5 How many apples can I pick?
The NTD 300 ticket (per catty) entitles a participant to pick six to seven medium-sized apples. Visitors put their harvest on a basket and then weighed before leaving the orchard. Depending on the total weight of the fruits, it will be assessed whether it is less than or more than what you paid for. If it is less than NTD 300, an additional fruit/s is given for free by the staff.
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| Before paying the fee of NTD 300 (October) or NTD 500 (November), prospective apple pickers will have the chance to taste some apple slices. |
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| An electronic balance is used to check the total weight of the harvested fruits |
4.6 How to properly pick apples?
For the harvesting of the “Golden Delicious” variety, the participants are asked to look for apples as big as a fist. Then, the skin color of the fruit is checked near the stem. Since a mature “Golden Delicious” apple is light green in color, a golden discoloration on top of the fruits indicates that sugar has already formed on the outer skin of the fruit and is now ready for picking.
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| To pick the apple, grab the fruit with one hand. |
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| I was assisted by one of the staff of the Fushoushan Farm in picking the apple. To do it properly, just turn the fruit left or right until you feel that it is finally detached from the branch. |
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| A freshly picked "Golden Delicious" apple |
Visitors should refrain from pulling the apple during the picking process. Instead, roll the fruit to have its stem get broken. Turning the fruit to a right angle will actually free it from the branch. An apple tree has multiple fruit-bearing branches, pulling one just to get one apple might damage the whole branch and even cause the other fruits to drop on the ground.
A staff from Fushoushan Farm will assist every registered participant in selecting the right apples to pick and how to do it properly. So do not worry too much.
5. THE APPLE KING TREE
The crowning glory of Fushoushan Farm's apple season is the so-called king apple tree. Planted near one of the buildings of the Administrative Center, it was a round leaf Chinese flowering Crab Apple Tree that was initially grafted with two varieties of Japanese apples in 1971. Now, there are at least 40 varieties of the fruit that have been growing on its branches.
The fruits of the apple king tree are even larger than the ones I saw in the plantation. They also look ripe to pick but unfortunately, the apples are for your eyes only. Haha! Taking a selfie here is a must for those who went to Fushoushan Farm for the first time to see the orchard.
6. FUSHOUSHAN FARM MAPLE SEASON/AUTUMN FOLIAGE
Fushoushan Farm. The best place to see maples in Taiwan. During November, thousands of people go to the mountain city of Lishan to see an impressive display of warm colors. I had been planning to see the autumn foliage here for years but I always failed to do so. Filled with excitement to see it for the first time, I felt that it was like waiting for a chance for true love. Haha! And at last, I've been here and I saw the maple leaves with hues of red, orange and yellow. My dream has finally come true!
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The recreational farm is 5 kilometers away from the Lishan bus stop and DIY travelers will find it difficult to reach Fushoushan if they don't have their own car. Buses only stop at Lishan and not at Fushoushan Farm and there were no taxis around. Most tourists especially the locals buy travel packages worth NTD 4,500 to NTD 5,500 per person. It's a 2-days, 1-night package that will bring them to the most beautiful sight in Taiwan during the fall season. I was envy of them, but the gods and goddesses of Taiwan have a different plan for me.
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| When you meet ultra-friendly locals at Lishan |
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| Sani and her husband |
Romance me, autumn. Ultra-friendly locals helped me to get to Fushoushan Farm from Lishan. Thanks to a family whose house is located on the highway, I was able to ask them for help. Not only that they are very helpful to a foreigner like me, they can also speak English so I was able to have a chat with them. “Please sit down”, the head of the family told me as I wait for a surprise. Sitting in front of their dumpling store, they asked me to wait for 30 minutes, until a car arrived. Inside were Sani and her husband, a couple with a Bunun and Atayal lineage.
But before I get inside the vehicle, I was asked to have a picture with a Taiwanese flag. Haha! It feels so nice to meet these Taiwanese people. Sometimes I think that the Taiwan gods that I have always imagined, are these locals who are always ready to lend their helping hand in times of need.
Dried leaves lying on the ground, lifeless trees ready for winter. The scenery around the Swan Lake embraced me with its calmness. A burst of laughter from a distance broke the silence. Visitors were having fun taking pictures of maple leaves as I talked to Sani and spelled the word “Manila”, the capital of my country, the Philippines. The couple led me near to the entrance of Songlu Lodge where the maple trees can be found. After thanking them and saying goodbye, they went back to the lake to set their mat for their picnic.
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| Songlu Lodge |
A summer residence turned into a popular tourist attraction every autumn. The former guesthouse of Chiang-Kai Shek is now a mecca of maple chasers. With orange to yellow leaves, sprawling branches of small but cute Japanese maples blended with the wooden structure of the house.
The chimney and the triangular roof plus the reddish color of the maples combine, to create a feeling of being in Japan without ever leaving Taiwan. Like a work done from a stroke of a paintbrush, the entire place radiates as the sun rises from the east. The shining rays of the sun illuminate the leaves to create a hearty atmosphere. The invisible hand that created this surreal world is nowhere to be found, but the love is deeply felt by the hearts of those who believe in its magic.
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| A child showed to me her collection of fallen leaves. |
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| Three maple leaves that have fallen on the ground. |
As the wind blows, the maple leaves fly one by one and fall to the ground. There is no promise to forever as the trees need to conserve their nutrients for the coming winter. So the young and old collect the leaves, much to their delight. Preserving a memory in their soul that they will always remember in their entire leaves. They held it tightly with their hands as if they were precious treasures that they will never let go.
The sound of rustling leaves ushered me to explore the other areas of the lodge. There is more to see outside the tall pine trees that envelope the guest house. Larger maple trees are having their own show and visitors took their chance to have pictures with them. I did not waste any time and set up my tripod and camera to pose for pictures. With my orange sweater blending with the color of the leaves, I became one with the maples. They too, fuse to become part of my wonderful life in Taiwan.
The four seasons of the year are remarkable in this country. There is a hot and humid summer, cold winter, lovely and romantic spring, and a poetic fall. The last one is the most special because you would always want to hold onto I but you cannot. The maple leaves will all soon disappear and the foliage party will be over in December. So like letting go of someone you truly love, I will always keep autumn in my heart.
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