Illegal Hikes of Taiwan: The Journey Continues....

Saturday morning...up....pack...on the road. Our scooter zooming along the highway to Taroko Village, through gateway and into Taroko National Park for yet another journey, sans permit, into the wonders of Taroko's mountains.

We spent the day hiking, got a little lost and then a little found, saw some (new!!) parts of Taroko and ... after dinner...while hiking through the evening darkness looking for creatures of the night....we found.....on...two...three(!) flying squirrels. This was one animal that we honestly thought we would never actually see yet, here in our favourite part of the island were three of them. Totally amazing to see.

Thats all for now...

A Green Island Farewell

Lets just get this out of the way first. Winter in Taiwan means wind. Wind from the north is bad, cold and wet. Wind from the south is warm and clear. Tuesday and Wednesday last week were south wind days.....gorgeous. I was in shorts and feeling the heat at work. Thursday turned a little cloudy....by Saturday it was a wind-fest. But Dry...windy and dry.

Wind and the ocean - this is another saga. When said wind interacts with said ocean, and you are on a boat on said ocean....you vomit. Just like the rest of the 60 or so people on the ferry with you. We took the ferry (I never want to step on that fetid boat ever again....) and we felt the pain of being a small chunk of fiberglass on the mighty rolling Pacific.

However, after a wretched hour or so trip through the pacific we arrived at the blissful Green Island (LuDao). And immediately went to bed. An hour and a half later we awoke, showered, picked chunks of hardened vomit off of (my) beard and went about having a grand old time on the island. Seashore, animals, tide-pools, hotsprings, epic volcanic spires and rounded volcanic nubs reminding us of a history unseen...a wonderful weekend. It was also the last weekend we would get to spend with our fabulous Jhong-Li co-escapaders. Claude and Claire are moving to Australia...and that is more than a weekend adventure away. So, this was to be the last time we would hang out for the next little while. A sad goodbye, a hard goodbye, but not forever. A "see you later..."

Here are some pics to enjoy.

(we flew home...)

Us sharing a drink and a laugh Friday night after (finally) arriving in Taitung; Crystal on the ferry as we leave Fugang Harbour and head out to sea

Prison used by the communist Chinese government during the "White Terror" period in Taiwan. Poets, academics and intellectuals were confined here by the KuoMingTan regime (600+ of which were executed on these grounds) as the party wanted to keep public voices quiet and government control permanent. A horrid existence was had by all who were confined within these walls. The prison is now a human rights memorial, and some of the rooms have been turned into art exhibits criticizing the Chinese role in the suffocation of humans rights. This represents chaos - you cant walk anywhere in your cell without walking through clattering bamboo stems. You may try to find inner peace during confinement but no matter what you do the reality plagues you constantly.

Left: I love my country. Right: I love my flag. A highly political shot at Chinese rule (and the China of today) as bookends to a flag representing the people and the bright power of the land (the sun), the clear blue sky and potential for the future (the blue) all set upon a history built of blood (the red). The country of Taiwan is still picking itself up from a history of red...

Walking the tide pools...looking for critters.

Claude helping me down to the beach (what a friend) and the Green Island lighthouse.

Taitung Half-Marathon

We ventured south again to Taitung for another go at the venerable (well, its two years old now!) Taitung Marathon. This time, being our third half marathon, we were a little more prepared and adjusted to the formality of the Taiwanese "get ready-wait-get ready-wait-GO!" mentality and ready mentally for what was to come in the race ahead.

We did well (Crystal got third place!) and had a great time overall. Weather was cool and cloudy - perfect Taiwan weather for running.

Ill post some pics when I get a chance.....

Nanfang'ao and fish...

This saturday we took a train from Hualien to Nanfang'ao, a fishing harbour about an hour north of us, to see some sights, watch the catch come in (and check out the buckets of illegally caught reef fish and sharks) and have some fresh seafood.

We got to the harbour in time to see four or five boats come in, unload and to watch the hordes of buyers sometimes scramble and bustle, sometimes stare, at the fish. Interesting to see what the ocean hides beneath its glistening surface....

The south harbour, boats serenely waiting; the ocean not so serenely waiting for the boats.

Fresh eyeballs.... ;Crystal peering down at the shark waiting to be brought in.

Gonads (apparently really good on a bed of raw cabbage...) and buyers fighting for their fish at the market.

Yue Mei Trail

First, a test. Try to wink with both eyes. Crystal cant. I can. I think she is weird.....you be the judge...come on.....who cant wink? I picked a ripe one.....

Anyway, back to the basics. Us, hiking boots, ground, sweat, glory.

A walk we have walked before...that never fails us. It starts with the beauty of bananas and ends with a rising moon...enjoy.

...followed by an experimental but delicious homemade tortilla dinner. More like pancakes with salsa....apparently.

:(

Wuliaojian Hike

It has taken us two years....two full years of failed attempts to make it to this place. A wandering mind could not imagine such grotesque beauty of Wu Liao Jian, a trail that urges the climber quickly uphill to poke out on a naked ridgeline, following fixed ropes, through bamboo forests to the openness of sandstone peaking out from the jungle.

We assumed that it would be a three day jaunt for us humble Hualien folk...but when a perfect weekend came upon us - perfect time and perfect weather - we hit the train and made our way to the trailhead. Two years of waiting....accomplished. And we were left astounded.


One of the many ropes that lead up technical oddities and cliffs. On the right an early dip into the bamboo forest of the lower section.

Crystal managing her way up two sections...the picture on the left is the first exit from lush brush to open air. Then....a tramp along a linear peak.

Peak ridge, with the accompanying (and often necessary...) roped section. Left, Crystal makes her way along the ridge while I, on the right, make my way through (yet another) roped section.

The map....I think, by the information on this map, that we walked at least 8 or 9 kilograms that day. Some maps had scratched out "g"'s and a nicely etched "m" in their place. Kind hikers, we are.

....Hawkmoth in action. So bloody cool.

As we exited the trail, as the sun was dipping low and the hike was setting into our legs, we came upon this nice, perfectly Asian, scene. There is beauty in them thar hills.....

The trailhead...often weird and not-obvious trailheads mark the Taiwanese landscape. Unless, of course, you can read the Chinese in which case you are set and it is obvious. After a full two minutes of passing this place, utter solitude in the bush. The little shop was though, at the end of the day, a perfect place for a nice conversation and a beer as we waited for the (we hoped there was one at least...) bus that would take us back to town.

After the hike, and a sleep, we made our way back to the train station, then home. The government's train exhibition - marking the historical journey that Taiwan's trains have made - caught our attention. A nice exhibit, full of interest......and horrid, weird, English. See below.