Taiwan Day 21 (Hualien, Taroko National Park)

 Early start today I woke at 6:30am and then wasted no time getting dressed and going to get breakfast. 不懂事長 shop, the closest one next door was open (it's 6:55am) so I decided to go in.

I got a bacon egg sandwich, lobogao, and  milk tea drink. The sandwich was a little dry/they didn't spread the mayo to all corners. But it was good, and their lobogao was a little spicy without allium.

After that I pooped some more (very important) and packed the rest of my things and got ready to leave. God I am so tried from the early am wakeup.

Jimmy came to pick me up around 8am (a few mins late) and there were 3 other guys in the tour group. 

One of them introduced themselves as Nati, and later I learnt his partner was Benson (German) and the other guy was Andreas (Poland). Benson told me later in thr afternoon when we're were stuck in traffic control to Qingshui Cliffs that Nati's family was originally from Sri Lanka. 

First Jimmy took us to 七星潭 and Pebble Beach. There were so many types of rock, and Jimmy could tell is what the most common ones are. In the car our guide Jimmy was happy to turn recirculate off! Phew. I could also open a gap in the van vindow, it's the old style wedge open type. 

The white is quartz, the red mottled one is granite, heaps of marble... Fascinating. I noted they used serpentine and marble in the street tiles and maybe limestone?

I forgot to touch the water and the other commented that the water is warm!

 

Air Force airport across the road 

Granite

We got back in the car and headed towards Taroko National Park. On our way Jimmy stopped at a shop and got us handmade mochi. First was a stop at the East entrance. The West entrance gate I'd a European style one. 

We also saw an endemic green snail! 

I moved them into the bush so they don't get squashed. 

And then whole we waited for traffic control to open at 10am, we had 25 mins at the Visitor Centre, which was not enough! I found the stamps though. There were heaps more exhibits I didn't have time to take photos of them all, hardly read them! I also had to go pee again. 

Then off we go. Jimmy zoomed through first but pointed out the main attractions on the way, because of traffic control so we couldn't stop often. 

We stopped 3 mins at a bridge to get photos before continuing on. The lions on the bridge are hand carved! 

The off we went and seeing the sights on the way. 

We stopped at a bridge a little later.

The way the marble walls form and the patterns are just amazing. 

There was a suspension bridge just before a permit required trail. 

Then we went to the service station area where there's a real 7am to 11pm 7-11, which is currently closed as well as the post office. 

We saw monkeys though! 

As usual, keep food out of sight and the toilets have anti-monkey doors. Respect their private space. 

And then we headed to the Buddhist temple. 

There were cyclists out and about. I admire them. 

I found the gloves funny xD good idea though

We climbed up! I ate the mochi (very yum soft... Handmade yes) whilst climbing. 

Jimmy knew a lot about plants.

Rabbit's paw fern. Medicinal for broken bones. 

I think it's a fir? That grows on rocks

Endangered endemic Taiwan Lily

We had a break stop around 12pm and Jimmy bought us a herbal tea to drink. I got braised tofu $100 (50 split) with the German couple Benson and Nati. Later at lunch I learnt they are vegetarian! 

The braised tofu was so good. After that we left. On the way down we saw a green beetle. 

And then when we got down a stink bug was stuck on Andreas' shirt at the back and Jimmy got it them off. 

Then off we went in the car back to the entrance. We spotted at a bridge where there used to be a 2nd gen bridge that you could walk on, but after the quake it broke. 

At some point you could also see the original walking trail from the JP colonial period, quite high up the mountain. How I think about it, maybe the gorge got deeper since then?

A suspension bridge also collapsed on the old trail Ave you can see parts of it hanging off.

Trail's closed sadly... 

The old 2nd gen bridge

Entrance to a trail that is closed, I think it was of the old highway. 

Then continued our way out. Jimmy asked any vegetarians? And Benson and Nati were. He took us to a local restaurant at Xincheng Old Street. It was about 1:30pm now so it wasn't as crowded. Ppm was low red, which isn't too bad considering the amount of people and space. It was tolerable. 

I got a plate of braised goods and a bowl of lurofan. Jimmy got the table a plate of eggplant tempura to share. It has the peppersalt in it and Benson commented on how different it was. I said it's at the supermarket if they like it! 

The lemonade here is also famous. I got a bottle I think it was $60. It's 20% fruit. Frozen, you can't really taste the acidity. But later that evening when I had it, it was so sour... Definitely need to water it down by half. I even debated getting the smaller cup one at 10% but ended up getting the big one... 

Next door was a historic old photo studio. We weren't going to stop... But I said let's go in and have a look... And.... 

I ended up doing the DIY postcards, 4 for $200 combo rofl.  There are 6 stamps and you can change up the order for. Different look. 

The owner used to work at a Japanese sweets shop, so the moulds are finer and actual antiques, before he started the studio. 

The next stop was to Qingshui cliffs. There were road works and traffic control, and while we waited I chatted to Benson and Nati. I showd them what I did at the Studio and my stamp book. Nati mostly napped after that. Poor guy hasn't got enough sleep recently. 

When we finally arrived it was worth it. Sooooo beautiful! And there's ATV happening on the beach too.

One of the tourist ladies there said they had to come back because in the morning the traffic line was so long, they couldn't get through. So we are lucky. You can see the fishing nets and some boats in the water too. 

The we headed back and dropped people off. First were the German couple at Jin Gu An B&B near Dondamen, which I got off to let them out of the car as narrow street. I also paid Jimmy now as he was slid payment with them. And then Benson got dropped. 

Then me. 

I thanked him and said byeeee. 

And rested in my room before deciding to challenge Dondamen nightmarket for dinner. Via bicycle.

The minsu has a bike I could borrow so I did! 

I had to pass through and underpass which was a little scary. But I made it. Parked the bike, found the Indigenious street, and started browsing! I ended up being called into a stir fry stall by a handsome guy, and just got a plate of Indigenous wild vegetables and rice. That plate was $200 and rice was $20. Wow. The plate was a good size for my tiny appetite and I took some time to finish it. All the stalls pass into a shared covered seating area behind. Some of the greens were a little tough but it be good fibre. 

I noticed that there was a table of 3 guys and they had drunk 12 bottles of beer. One was the stall staff, and he cooked orders with a flair in his actions. 

Another was clearly a bit drunk and the other guy helped him walk out.

The stall staff came to ask me if my plate was good, you visiting Hualien? Alone? Are you lonely? No I'm free. And saying that I should pick up black "rose stone" next time at a river. Haha ok. 

After dinner I went and managed to try millet wine at a different stall! The guy was like, welcome to try if you are curious. The first one was acidic and mellow. The second was sweeter. The third tasted like tianjiuliang. Haha. The last one tasted very smooth and similar but lighter in taste.

I thanked the stall guy and left. 

Then I went and got a drink, millet sago $55. The drink park was milky ricey. I sat down and watched two ladies sing in their Amis clothing at the stage, while drinking my drink. I pretended to wave my imaginary  light stick. 2 people gave $100 each and at the end of my drink I did too.

The funniest name

Then I went back to get my bike and on the way I decided to grab a box of dragonfruit for $50 from a stall. 

Haha funny blowups! The hand was moving. 

And then I cycled down the different streets and one of them had an info centre!! With stamps! I didn't bring my stamp book!! Argh! 

Then the last street had some handicrafts stores. The first one I went into had these cutest hand carved and sanded piggies and large mammal fish. I ended up buying a spatula for $200 from the Amis lady and learnt how to say thank you "Arai" with a rolling r. 

I made my way down and next door was another handcrafted store! They had cute cat shaped coin pouches. 

I kept going and there were quite a couple. It wasn't really crowded so some shops started closing early at 9pm. 

I came across a sand art in a bottle shop! Amazing. Some were glow in the dark! 

My last stop was another wood craft shop with a lot more animals than the first one. 

I didn't think I'd wander around until like 9:30pm. 

Then I cycled my way back and went too far, missed my turn 2 blocks ago, turned back and made it home. How did I survive the whole day? Slept at 11pm. I'm gonna be paying for this tomorrow lol.