There have been no issues overnight at Taihu Hotel, and I've slept well after travelling to Sun Moon Lake yesterday. My only concern is the lack of a comfortable chair to sit in. It's as if we're expected to be out all day; not for that to matter normally, but at this time of year it does. They've gone to the trouble of adding a good-sized smart TV, but sitting on the edge of the bed to watch it makes no sense. Anyway, what might change things this morning is breakfast.
We head downstairs, where we've booked an 8:00 AM slot. I'm thinking set times are to spread the load on the small dining area, but there is another reason. There is a set menu, and it's better to give notice. That should be the explanation, but the food is cold, suggesting it's not prepared here. When the food arrives, it's served Japanese style in a tray. Mostly the food is familiar, with the main portion being grilled saba fish. Coffee, bread rolls, soup, and fruit are provided self-service. It's a good start to the day, but nothing is planned.
As we stroll outside, there is a clear blue sky as opposed to the cloud of the last few days. The wind has also dropped, probably because we're away from the coast. It feels like a fresh April day in the UK, with a light jacket all that is needed. After a slow morning we walk down to Ita Thao pier and have a look around more for inspiration. We need to see more of the lake now we're here, and there's an obvious way to do that right in front of us. Motorboats they call yachts can be hired to take you at different points round the lake. For three trips out and back, it costs 600 TWD for both of us. At just after 11:00 AM we are sailing on the lake. The first port of call is at Shuishe, where we arrived from Taipei yesterday. As the lake is not huge, it takes little time to cross it, and we can view the lake from a different perspective. At Shuishe, it's still too early for lunch, so let's go souvenir hunting! It makes sense to do this while we can.
We return to the pier to board for the second leg of our boat trip, crossing to the south of the lake once more, but this time to a temple that at one time could only be accessed by boat.
Xuanguang Temple was built in 1955 on the shore at the dividing line between the Sun Lake and the Moon Lake to honour the Buddhist monk Xuan Zang. This is a monk who made such a great contribution to the propagation of Buddhism in China by travelling to India and bringing back the Buddhist scriptures. The temple was originally constructed to house a relic of Xuan Zang that was brought back from Japan. The round-the-lake highway did not extend to Xuanguang Temple at the time, and people who wished to worship the relic had to take a boat to the dock below the temple. After the Zuanzang Temple was built in 1965, the Xuan Zang relic was moved to a new abode.
While sentiment for Xuan Zang may not be huge, he certainly found a peaceful spot with outstanding views across the lake that many come to enjoy today.
The final leg of the boat trip sees us return to Ita Thao and a rare chance to have a siesta.
As dusk falls, we head out again to find a dinner. There are plenty of opportunities for that, but to be honest I've not really enjoyed the food since the first night I arrived in Taiwan. It's odd that some of the tastier food is street food.
As I return to Taihu Hotel, I'm already in a winding-down mood and summing up what my feelings are about Taiwan, which are certainly mixed. As it stands, I've been quite generous with my budget. There has been some unnecessary expenditure, but I'm well within budget without cutting corners. We just need to reach Taipei again tomorrow and complete some unfinished business.

Source: Visit