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.
