AS WE took a ride to Wanli District in New Taipei City, Taiwan, after a visit to the Yangmingshan National Park, I couldn't help but close my eyes.
The fog has prevented me from seeing the scenery from the mountains en route to the sea. After I dozed off to sleep, I was awakened by our car stopping, as we parked outside the Yehliu Ocean World.
Our driver and guide beckoned us to follow him across the street, and he led us to a ticketing booth of a different attraction. Sensing the confused look on our faces, he explained to us that we would be entering the Yehliu Geopark.
What I had in mind were boulders by the sea, a common sight in the Philippines. But as we made our way towards the water, we were astonished by the sight that welcomed us. A crowd has gathered at the park. Interestingly, the people looked like tiny dots amidst giant mushrooms scattered all over the area. It was like treading on the surface of another planet.
We made our way towards the rock formations, trying to find popular figures of the Queen's Head, Princess' Head, Dragon's Head Rock, Sea Candles, Ginger Rocks, Fairy Shoe, Elephant Rock, and a lot more. Erosion, weather and nature's forces have sculpted these rocks that come in peculiar shapes.
There are also fossils that are protruding from the ground, creating a visible stamp of plants and creatures that lived eons of years ago. Walking around the Geopark, it felt like I was enjoying an outdoor art exhibit. The awesome thing is that the artist is our Mother Nature.
This Geopark within a 1.7-kilometer cape is considered as one of Taiwan's natural wonders, alongside Shei-pa National Park, Tianliao Moonworld, Longdong, Penghu Blue Cave, and a few others.
As we looked at the narrow strip of the cliff that led to the Queen's Head, waves splashed powerfully, giving us a small glimpse of the process of erosion and weathering. Horizontal lines are visible at the side of these cliffs, a cross section of the earth that marked layers of soil.
There are portions that are off-limits to the public. Park employees patrol the Geopark to make sure that people do not go beyond the red lines. This is enforced to safeguard the well-being of visitors because there are parts where it could get slippery at times.
Also, it is also to protect these natural treasures because they are constantly facing the threat of getting damaged, whether through human interventions or natural calamities.
The Yehliu Geopark is a fascinating attraction not only to geologists and rock lovers but even to those who are interested in nature. It made me aware that over time, changes in our climate can wreak havoc to such beauty if we are not careful of our ecology. Nature has a way of creating beauty. And if we run counter to its course, it also has a way of destroying its creations.
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All photos are by this author unless otherwise stated. Claire Marie Algarme blogs at http://firsttimetravels.com. Follow her as @firsttimetravel on Twitter and Instagram and like her Facebook page First-time Travels blog.