Asia trip Day 13 - Hualien, Taiwan

Friday March 10

Even more photos today. This was a wonderful day. With hikes! Just wait and see.

Yes, we had to have the alarm clocks set. Breakfast at 6:30 and off for an 8-hour excursion. The tour was called "Amazing Taroko National Park" and yes, it was amazing. Seeing the mountains was promising.

Taking photos our of the bus is not really working. The mirror image of the curtains on the other side of the bus is distracting. 

Our guide was very proud of the new road/tunnels through the park. He pointed out all the old bridges and parts of the old road. This was the old entry. 

This was a fancy plaza. The inlaid tiles were cute. I could have taken even more photos.

But this one is for my friend Becky. I think our friend Irma has a frog-story too.

The park welcome center which also has a very impressively done exhibition.

When we are getting further into the park and driving through our first tunnel these lights came on in the bus. And they changed colors gradually over and over again.

I had of course the window seat and the view was breathtaking, sometimes even too much because we were so close to the edge that I wondered were the wheels were.

Sometimes oncoming traffic had to wait before a curve. It looked like that buses had first traffic rights. I have so many more beautiful photos but even if I upload more they can not really show this experience.

At 9:20 am we had stopped and were on our first hike. 

It was very nice including hanging bridges ...

... and a tunnel for pedestrians (?).

Taiwan is very proud of their air. Rightly though because not much pollution even in the cities is a very good thing. Breath deep and injoy the view.

We would have liked to have more time for this hike. It could have been a little longer. We enjoyed it very much. But there is another hike supposed to come.

Another short ride and we were at the Eternal Spring Shrine. 

The bus parked at the side of the road just before this bridge. We walked over the bridge and down to the entry.

There was the way. It was mainly a tunnel.

Sometimes there was a "window".

There were signs to watch your head and this one (at one of the "windows" said "beware of falling rocks, do not linger".

I just noticed that I didn't take a good close-up of the shrine or the spring. 

On the way back half-way we suddenly saw a puddle of red in the middle of the way and then drops almost all the way back. We contemplated what it was. Blood for the native up at the shrine temple? Or "holy" paint. We tried not to step into it.

Just at the entry was a cave at the side we had missed in the beginning. This was a memorial to honor those who had died while building the Central Cross-Island Highway. On a plaque about it one worker was quoted "... it was more dangerous than fighting in a war. In a war you know where the enemy is but, working on the highway, no one could predict when an accident would happen."

Back at the bus on the side of the road you can see the line of "windows" in the mountain going from the left to the right where you can see the shrine.

Back at the bus we unfortunately also found out what the red puddle was on the trail from the shrine. One of our fellow travelers in the bus had hit his head on the ceiling and had a big gash. He was sitting on the step of the bus. An ambulance had been called and arrived very fast. Our guide accompanied him to the hospital and we were later told that he was ok. 

The rest of us were taken to lunch and served food native to the aboriginal tribes. 

The only complaint I have about that is that one thing after another was brought to our table, mostly without any serving utensils, and we were left to it. None of us had any idea what it was and how to serve it and/or how to eat it. The table was also very large and I never got to really see are taste this fish which arrived second.

This stick of bamboo came first, we were told to hit one end of it as hard as we could on one of the rocks close by. That endcap would come off and the stick would split. Somebody helped me. There was sticky rice in it. 

A roasted duck was plopped before me but without any tools. Somebody attempted to get to some of its meat. 

Aboriginal music was also played. At one point they played the song about "West Virginia". 

This part of the lunch I enjoyed very much. It reminded me of the one time when James and I had been to lunch in the cafe at our VMFA and they had a fiddle fern salad. I have never seen it again anywhere. It had been so delicious. This looked exactly like it and tasted very good.

The only thing I didn't care so much about it where those little fish I find inbetween the greens. I think they were those dried fish from the Phillipines they talk so much. I didn't think they added much to the taste but probably nutrients.

It was nice ... but could be grately improved.

There were also handicrafts for sale. This lady was weaving the headbands.

On the way out I finally figured out what these flowers where: banana blossoms!

Bye-bye, time to leave.

Waiting for the bus. Right next to the restaurant a church.

After lunch and some ride in the bus we stop for the second hike. The bus actually parks at the end of a tunnel. We walk a very short way along the road to stairs down. 

James was very careful at the overhangs. I always chased him to the outside when we could walk next to each other.

It was a very, very nice hike and I have many more photos. But I really have highly exceded the number which I normally upload to a blog. I can't tell you enough how much we enjoyed those hikes. The view changed every few steps and it was just gorgeous. 

We were told that fast walkers would have time to get to an indigenous village/cafe but to turn around there. 

Of course we do what we are told, ha-ha, and make it back exactly in time. The way back was not boring because somehow things would look different from this perspective.

There were so many different colors in these rocks which unfortunately dont show much.

James counted the steps: 85.

Back at the ship. The excursion had been called "amazing" and it truly had been. What a day. This had been the write-up for it: Friday 3-10 HIE-002 Amazing Taroko National Park 7:05am   (8 hrs)

Hike two trails that wind through the mountainous Taroko National Park, an experience that will reveal the natural beauty in all its glory. The scenery couldn’t be more spectacular as roaring cascades, deep gorges and sheer rocky cliffs are abundant. The views will be awe-inspiring while driving through the park and even more memorable up-close during the hikes. The Shakadang Trail follows the gently flowing, brilliant turquoise Shakadang River and passes through an indigenous Truku village. There aren’t many elevation changes, which makes the trail easy to negotiate. The Lushui Trail clings to a series of cliffs and offers elevated views of the river. Even so, it is mostly flat unlike the landscape around the Eternal Spring Shrine. While pausing to view this landmark that clings to a cliffside, you will surely be in awe of the gushing natural spring that feeds the waterfall beneath the shrine. 

When we got to our cabin we unfortunately found paperwork for the excursions of the second leg of our trip. One had been called. Two had changed and not to our liking. We imediately had to go to the Excursions desk and of course there was already a line. Since the one cancelled was for the next day we did have to deal with it though. We could book something so it would be ok.

We went to dinner probably a bit too early so there was nobody there to share a table with. But of course we didn't mind. Only pictures of our appetizers this time.

Main entertainment was a bit earlier today at 9 pm. Almost came too late. Pianist/Singer James Doughty from England performed "Me & My Piano" and it was nice.

And yes, time to fall into bed. Night night.