This weekend, sans camera (Crystal has it in St. Lucia), I took a venture to a place yet travelled by us - Dawu. This is a little village torn between being a fishing village (yet no port or dock to develop a "fish market" vibe) and a forgotten dot on the map. It is a place that people stop by to grab a tea, re-fill their betel nut bag, or make a bathroom stop. It is not a usual place to be destined towards. But, alas, I found myself destined to be there.
I had wanted for some time now to check the area out....a few hours south by train, on the coast and in the mountains all at the same time (I hiked in the mountains during the day and before I could lose that taste of a fresh piece of gum I was walking on the beach). It is not a vacation style place, but there is a beach that stretches for some 10 or more kilometers and at any given time will have 3, or if it is a good fishing day, 4, people on it. So, as I sat and stargazed at night with the waves lapping before me and the moon illuminating the cobble and sand beach, I was alone.
It was an investigation weekend mostly, poking around the woods, up the mountain and drinking water and tea non-stop to try to keep my liquid intake on par with my sweat output. It is a typical village of Taiwan, people are friendly and curious - a lot of staring and "hello" calls - but also one that typifies the level of development of Taiwan. Taiwan is developed in terms of technology and health care, but severely lacking in terms of environmental infrastructure and heightened poverty and all the things that go along with that. It is a, pardon the outdated phrase, a third world country in a first world suit.
An example, you ask? Every house in the village had a satellite dish, yet people still cook with fires and steel pots outside their house, fueled by driftwood. Can't afford neither propane or the necessary materials to make the propane into a workable stove, so the old way persists. Another? Pig blood. The main little supermarket/everything shop was a cozy little place with the owner scooping and mixing fresh pig blood from the pig that was that morning slaughtered (in the back of the shop, no less) in the middle of the store, as I walked around looking for a banana and some tea. Right beside the bags of vegetables and greens, and to the rear of him the remains of said pig. No separation between the slaughter, the cutting or the cleaning and the rest of the shop. Its the way it goes. So it goes. I never knew how bad freshly killed pig smelled. I confess that it is the worst smell I have encountered.
Anyway, the tiny town on the shores of the Pacific was a delight. Hot, sunny and I got to play in the mountains and swim in the ocean - both places which I had totally to myself. I got to try out my newly purchased machete as the vines in the woods, once I left the trail, were unrelenting. It was like they were actually trying to stop me from moving...not just being benign vegetative organisms. They were out to get me. So, with my machete swinging, sweat flying off me like shrapnel, eyes flickering from tree to tree looking for snakes, I trudged through the woods. Then I came to a cliff - almost sheer but spotted with trees and protruding roots. And I decided to try my hand at going down it. you see, at the bottom was a huge river valley that I wanted to cross, and this was simply the quickest way. It was sloped enough that I could look at it and think I could make it, but halfway down, I realized that was a mistaken thought. Then the decision....up...down....stay put....? With all the amassed strength and with I could call up I scrambled back up, trusting dead trees when I had no other choice and feeling an utter sense of relief when I got back to the top. Then, I remembered the vines. out of one battle, back into another!
It ended well, it was an amazing little jaunt into the woods and what make it even more spectacular is that once I got back on the main trail there was a clear view of the ocean. Glittering blue and jade, an endless vista of Pacific water. And that was as good as any of a time to take a break and drink in the moment.
Afterwards, I made it (quickly) to the ocean, had a prolonged swim and spent some time poking around town drinking tea, got a (the only...) hotel for $12CAD and hit up a little place across the road for dinner. Then, once darkness fell and the moon and venus were poking their heads out I took to the beach once more and spent the evening with my binoculars and the celestial bounty above, and the aquatic beauty before me.
The next day it absolutely poured. Like the ocean was flipped on top of us.
That's Taiwan, developing in places, developed in others, beautiful in all of it once you uncloak the rough edges and take in the beauty for what it is worth. And then there is the adventure. Not hard to find.
So much more to see....every little dot on the map, and all places between, offers a secret. It just takes time....
