Taipei and finally having to leave beautiful Taiwan

 Again, I am posting this after I have returned home.  This post relates to Thursday 5 to Monday 9 November.

On Thursday we went into Taipei and did the tourist thing.  We went up to the top of Taipei 101, which is one of the tallest building in the world. The view from the top is superb.  But quite honestly, I was annoyed by the over-commercialisation of it all. It was just too much over the top.  This is quite at odds with most things Taiwanese, so I put it down to the large numbers of mainland tourists comprising the vast majority of visitors. Despite this, Taipei 101 is another must see!! I got over the commercialism and embraced it by buying souveniers.  Kenny bought some of the cables they use in the  elevators. Apparently, while Taipei 101 is no longer the tallest buildiing, the elevators remain the world's fastest. 

Here are some photos.

We lunched at Din Tai Fung in the Taipei 101 mall - an iconic Taiwanese dumpling restaurant.  Such beautiful food!! I love Taiwanse food, especially the dumplngs.  If you ever find yourelf in Taipei you absolutely have to go to a Din Tai Fung restaurant.  I guarantee you will never regret the experience.  There are a couple of Din Tai Fung restaurants in Sydney now. So you don't have to even travel to Taiwan.  Kenny had Beef noodle soup which is probaly one of taiwan's national dishes and reported that it was delicious. I had vegetarian dumpliings and prawn dumplings followed by steamed layered cake.  

Kenny wanted to buy a new lens for his camera so after a bit of research we found what amounted to camera street.  We found a shop that sold what he was after and he purchased the lens at a price much lower than what could be gained home. We caught the MRT back to Taipei main sation whre we had coffee. Then it was back to Xihzi where I cooked dinner for everyone. 

On Friday I attended a seminar at the Council of Labor Affairs.  That took up the entire morning.  Kenny wandered around Taipei and found a great electronics market area.  I met up with Kenny around 2 pm and he stll hadn't had lunch, so we found a cafe so he could eat.  After Lin-Hui finished  work we went to Taipei City Hall for more shopping, dinner and to a coffee shop.  

Saturday morning we went to Costco!! I wanted some supplies to make breakfast but everything was in bulk. So it was the Wellcome supermarket where I bought what I wanted.  We travelled into Taipei after lunch and I bought a great carry on bag at a department store.  

The next morning (Sunday) I cooked blueberry pancakes with a yoghurt and honey topping.  Janet and Jennifer loved it so mission accomplished.  This was my last day in Taiwan so we stayed at the apartment.  Kenny and I put our bikes into their cases and packed up our stuff.  Actually, I discarded most of my bike. I got rid of the wheels, handle bars and pedals plus all the cabling. All I kept was basically the frame, forks and the group set.   For the rest of the day we just lazed around talking.  It might be 10 or 12 months before I see Lin-Hui again. 

The next morning (Monday) was departure day.  It only seemed like I had arrived a few days ago.  I said goodbye to Janet and Jennifer earlier in the morning and before long our taxi van arrived to take us and our bikes to Taoyuan Airport. It was very sad to say goodbye to my friend. It was a very quiet journey to the airport. I was wondering when I might return and when I would see Lin-hui and the girls again.  Sitting in the Cathay Pacific lounge I pondered over a truly remarkable trip to Taiwan.  By a combination of bicycle and train I had completed a circumnavigation of Taiwan.  I had met some wonderful people, shared some remarkable experiences with new friends and witnessed such beautiful scenery. It all didn't go to plan and I sure regret not completing all of the ride I had planned.  But, hey, that's a good reason to return. 

How I love this island of Taiwan!!  The Portuguese were right - it is Formosa the beautiful island.  

Arriving in Hong Kong we checked into the Hotel Nina in Tsuen Wan and had dinner at a local Dim Sum restaurant.  Tomorrow some sightseeing.  The Peak awaits.  

Taroko Gorge Tour and back to Taipei

Well I have been a bit slack on writing up the rest of the Taiwan adventure. So I am writing this after I have returned to Australia. This write up relates to Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 December.

On Tuesday we had a pretty lazy day. After breakfast we went for a short bike ride around Hualien. We stopped at a market and looked around.  After that we walked into the city and momentarily considered hiring I scooters again.  We decided after a while to head off to a local shopping mall.  Kenny wanted lunch at Mos Burger. It's asian fast food with rice hamburgers and the like.  I also admit to a fondness for Mos Burger.  It's fast food that is probably reasonably healthy.  At the shopping centre I bought a tea pot for Charlotte at work.  She had preordered one and I saw one I hoped she would like (and she said she did when I presented it to her). Kenny purchased an insulated flask which are all the rage in Taiwan and Hong Kong right now. Then we made a decision that Kenny said he regrets.  We got haircuts.  I must admit it was a rather severe haircut.  I asked for a trim and got a very good old fashioned short back and sides. I quite liked it.  Kenny gave rather specific instructions about what sort of cut he wanted - number 4 comb here, a number 2 here etc.  And he got exactly the same as me. Which he wasn't too keen on.  What do you expect for $NTD100 (about $4 Australian)? He did not take kindly to my question - what's the difference between a good and a bad haircut? A week.

That night we returned to the Hualien night market for dinner. My stomach was improving because I was able to eat over half of the pizza I ordered.  I had more watermelon juice and local tea ice cream. Tea ice cream is a real treat.

Wednesday was the Taroko Gorge tour.  I visited Taroko Gorge in 2009 and I was really looking forward to today.  Tiffany our guide picked usup from our B&B in the morning and our first port of call was Chissington beach and after that the Qingshui Cliffs.  At the beach we had time to wander arond.  It seems that a popular activity is to erect stone columns - so Kenny did as well.

A lovely day at the beach

Tiffany wih Kenny

Qingshui Cliffs

As you can see, the scenery is stunning.  The road up through th Qingshui cliffs was extremely narrow.   If you want to do an around Taiwan ride you have to do this sretch - a 100 km ride from Hualien to Suao. It looked quit scary to me.  Narrow and dark tunnels with very litle room for trucks to pass a slow bike rider. I think if I return and atempt the whole island that I would stay on the northern outskirts of Hualien and start really early.  Like 5 am or so.  

After the cliffs we headed to Taroko Gorge.  This is one of the natural wonders of the world.  We went to Swallow Grotto and lots of other places.  I will let the photos do the talking.

The Jin Heng memoral - a famous engineer who died working on the tunnels 

Taroko Gorge is a must see if you ever travel to Taiwan.  You can do one day tours from Taipei where you fly into Hualien in the morning and catch a train back that night.  If you are pressed for time do that. But my personal recommendaton is to contact Tiffany Chang and arrange a personal tour with her.  She is really good and will take you places that the other tours don't take you.  Her email address is: tiffany_935lk@yahoo.com.tw  

Tiffany also has a Facebook page. Just search for Tiffany Chang tour guide in Hualien.

After the tour we arrived back in Hualien at about 4.30 pm.  We collected our bikes and Tiffany dropped us at the train station where we boarded our train back to Taipei.  Before we left we donated our helmets to the B&B we were staying at.  We arrived back in Taipei just after 10 pm and caught a taxi back to Xizhi.  it had been a long day, but an incredible one with lots of extremely beautiful sscenery.  

Taiwan is such a beautiful islndand Taroko Gorge is one of the jewels.  

For the nex few days we will stay in Taipei to spend time with Lin-Hui and Janet and Jennifer.  It has ben great travelling for the week or so, but it will be great to spend time with Lin-Hui.

Tour Taiwan: Day in Hualien

Kenny's room lets him get in touch with his more sensitive self.  Here's a photo. Very strawberry.  

My room is a much more manly nautical theme. 

Kenny kept on insisting we try and hire motor scooters.  I had heard of a place called Pony that hires scooters to foreigners but. I thought that we would need an international drivers licence which I had neglected to arrange before hand.  Anyways, we found Pony very easily as it is near the railway station.  To my utter astonishment they gave us two Yamaha Breeze 125 scooters for $NTD500 each for the day.  They asked if we had riden a bike before and that was it.  Here's a picture of the scooters. A full 125 cc's of raw power.  

What to do?   Well why not ride up the Rift Valley and see what happens.  I quickly found a road that led us to the Eastern Rift Valley scenic area and we followed that.  About 15 kms up the road we stopped for coffee at Lake Luye.  I then formulated a plan. We would ride up the road 50 kms to Guangfu and over the mountains to Felnglin.  After that we could ride up the coast along route 11 back to Hualien.  Total trip about 150 kms.  

Off we rode sitting on speeds of about 70-80 kms an hour.  This was about the speed the traffic was going at and I did not want to get the attraction of the law.  We stoped in Guangfu for a drink and light lunch.  Kenny had sushi, I had a - actually I can't remember.  Then it was over the mountain pass. I remember thinking that every car is going to catch us and it is going to be slow going.  Boy was I wrong.

Scooters on the mountain

These scooters actually handle really well.  I found we could really throw them into corners and get through the corners pretty well. And Kenny discovered that if you put your foot down hard on the side you hare cornering into that made it even better.  He was right.  Our problem now became one that we caught every car in front of us.  So we would catch, stop and then catch up again.  The climb was about 25 kms and it was great fun.  I also thought this would be a great road to ride over on a bicycle.  

Into Fenglin we turned up the coastline. It was once again a spectacular day with beautiful scenery.  Here are some photos.

We finally got back into Hualien about 5.30 PM just after dusk.  Returned the scooters and returned to our accomodation.  Dinner was at the night markets. These are amazing places and if you ever want to see the soul of a Taiwanse city or town head to the local night markets.  I guarantee it will be an experience you will never forget.  

Tomorrow we will ride around Hualien on the bikes.  Then on Wedensday we are booked in for a Taroko Gorge Tour.  

Tour taiwan: to Hualien

Well Kenny has had his wish.  We decided to take the train from Taitung to Hulaien.  I booked an extra two nights accomodation at the Gallerie 6 B&B and booked a train at 2 PM. 

The train trip up the eastern Rift Valley was superb. I really regret not riding this. But reality hurts sometimes.  The 2 1/2 hour train ride was extremely relaxing and it pretty much followed the roads we would have ridden. 

Here's some photos

Kenny and his beloved TRA lunch box.  

Views from my room in Hualien

For dinner we went to  a local Jaanese restaurant.  Kenny had purchased a translation application from  ITunes  and it helped a little as the menu was all in Chinese.  Two women at the next tAble also helped us order.  Once again I have to say how nice and helpful the Taiwanese people are. In almost every situation where I have been stuck, someone notices and steps in to help.  It just makes me love this place even more.  

Kenny's application called Waygo was not perfect. It translated lemon iced tea to, and I kid you not, 'five women diced'. He took a screen shot of that so I will get him to send it to me and I will post it. From no on Lemon Iced tea is Five Women Diced.  Here it is

After dinner we realised we were within a few hundred metres of the night markets. Along the way we found the Doris Bike shop.  I hope you like it Doris. 

So we wandered around the markets. I bought some watermelon juice.  Delicious. Then it was back to the B&B for sleep.  

Tour Taiwan Day 10: Dawu to Taitung - 63 kms

We had dinner last night at a restaurant opposite our hotel. One of the ladies there was from the Philippines and that sure made it easy to order dinner. She is from Taclobban, the city that that has just been destroyed by the typhoon.  She had returned from a visit only days before Typhoon Haiyan had hit. 

Kenny eating dinner

The next morning we resumed our trek up the east coast towards Taitung. The scenery was remarkable, but to be honest the road was a bit narrow in places. On the four long climbs we had to get over it was a bit freaky.  There was not a lot of gap between us and the tour buses and trucks. Of course, as always they did their best to give us some room.  But I sure felt exposed.  Each of the four climbs were around 3-4 or more kms long and meant climbing 100 or so metres.  It doesn't sound like much but the headwinds (did I mention we had a 25-30 km headwind) and the feeling of being exposed made it seem harder than it was.  But the scenery from the top of each climb was worth the toil.  Here's some pictures at various points along the coast.

Coastal views

At the top of one climb- this lady had a motor scooter as support.  Great idea!

The railway line

 

Me riding through the tunnel 

It took us around 40 kms to get through the hills.  As always Kenny took off when a large hill presented itself and waited for me at the top or at the bottom of the climb after the descent.  On one drop he told me he tried getting over 60 kms an hour but the wind pushing on the panniers wouldn't let him. I descended more sedately at 40 kms an hour tucked in behind a tour bus. 

We stopped at a 7-Eleven about 15 kms out of Taidong for a light lunch.  It was only 1 PM and we did not want to arrive before 3 PM.  So we dawdled for about an hour surfing the free wifi each 7-Eleven has. The ride into Taitung was pretty uneventful.  It's a very pretty ride and I did intend to take some photos of the rice paddies that line the road. But before we knew it we were in the city. We then set about trying to find our hotel, which took us some time because the location on google maps was a bit out.  Luckily Kenny used another map system to locate it.  

The scenery today was absolutely stunning.  The east coast is certainly the pick of Taiwan.  It is so different from the bustle of the west coast.  You sure get the feeling of isolation over here, with. One road (highway 9) and one railway line connecting them to the rest of the nation.  

Along the east coast school children call out encouragement and in one town there wee policemen running a radar speed trap and they also started calling out encouragement.  A lage number of police stations actually run bike stations where they provide,water, track pump and other help.  You have to love Taiwan!!!

After we got in we had a bit of a snooze and then went out in search of dinner. Kenny has taken a liking to night markets so he quickly found out the the Taitung night markets were within a kilometre of our hotel. So at about 6.30 PM we wandered down for dinner.  The night markets are an incredible experience.  Often situated near university campuses and they cater for students and families. The Taidong night markets are much more relaxed than in Taichung or Kaohsiung. They had a nice feel about them.  And you can eat incredibly cheaply. Kenny of course found his smelly tofu.  I had noodles and fruit juice. And these custard tarts.

That's it for today.  We rode 63 kms at an average of only 17.9 kms per hour.  My stomach is still giving me grief and one of the side effects is that I find it hard to sit on a bicycle seat.  I won't go into the details.  I am also finding it hard to eat food during the day.  At nights after a few hours off the bike it's a bit better.  So tonight and tomorrow morning we will need to reasses our plans.  We can continue to keep riding to Hualien or catch the train.  Kenny is in favour of the train option because that gives him the chance of hiring a motor scooter.  I prefer to ride but I am struggling with this 'bug'. So he may get his wish.