Red cypress forests of Alishan, Taiwan

I loved the volcanic treks and stunning, cerulean coastlines of Taiwan, but it was these ancient forests that I came to love the most. Their mossy glory and stillness felt timeless, and they helped me find an inner calm after years of fast-paced, often stressful reporting. In this picture, the late-afternoon sun was peeking through this grove of cypresses at just the right angle. Another hiker walking past me commented that the rays were like “god’s smile.”

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