Here in Hualian - Taroko

DAY ONE: (Thursday)

Hualian, or more specifically, Taroko gorge, is one of those things you can't come to Taiwan and NOT see. So we couldn't plan to skip it, and boy, did we chose an exciting time to go. This narrow gorge, featuring cut marble cliffs to form an amazing canyon, is especially susceptible to earthquake and typhoon damage. Considering one of the largest typhoons in the last 50 years struck just 4 weeks ago and the 5 plus point earthquake whose epicenter was right near here was just the day before we hit the gorge, the locals seemed quite concerned going was STILL in the plan. But what do we care? We're dumb Americans. And besides, we were wearing safety helmets!

Left: the fam at the visitor's center. Below: these helmets were free to borrow to walk the Swallow's Grotto Trail.

We only wore those for one hike on day one where we walked a path cut into the face of the cliff. I'm not sure a helmet would save us from the cliff crumbling on top of us, but supposedly with heavy rain and earthquakes, rocks become unsettled and can drop on the unhelmeted innocents below.

We did, in fact, see a MAJOR land-slide in the process of being cleaned up. And the water, that usually is a gorgeous Carribean blue, looked more like a frothy chocolate milk with 30 feet walls of crumbling sediment cut by the flow. When I asked at the visitor's center, we were told only 4 of the over 14 trails in the gorge were open. Most of the damage and closures was still left over from the typhoon. There wasn't a large impact here from the earthquake.

As it turned out, it was a few more than 4 trails - I think the guy at the desk didn't count a few because for a serious hiker, they were small and insignificant. But for us they were PERFECT! This first day was more like a leisurely stroll through this national park.

Right: a nice shot of the narrow gorge. Below: These shots are all from trails in the Buluowan area.

The drive itself was it's own adventure.

Those pillars in the distance are the road winding under.

Here is the evidence WE encountered of the hugeness of the most recent typhoon. This enormous boulder lay across our trail. At many places, trees and other debris had taken out the hand railings, but this was the only spot that hadn't been cleared. I do wonder how they will clear THIS.

Below are the hand railings lining generally lining the trail. In some spots, they were so damaged they were completely gone. Mostly, we noticed a lot of dents in the thick rods stretching from post to post.

Though helmets were only recommended for ONE hike, when you look so cute in one, why not wear it all day?

We drove all the way to the top, just to get a lay of the land for our return on Friday. Crazy tour buses filled with main-landers started packing in at about 2:30. That was our cue to start heading out. For much of the day, it seemed we timed things just right. We saw crowds heading in, or along trails or eating establishments we'd just finished at. It was lovely to feel mostly the whole place was all to ourselves. I credit the mid-week, light rain, post-earthquake, post-typhoon conditions.

Lunch is served. Dumplings in paradise.

The drive in and out of the gorge takes us the better part of an hour. We are staying south of Hualian city in THESE lovely accommodations. I thought after all our travel we could benefit from some room to relax, be in our own space, and spread out. Then we found out Sophia and Sammi were coming for the weekend, so it hasn't been as spacious as we had thought, but there is room for all of us to sleep, to sit, and to entertain each other with goof-ball antics.

This lovely 3 bdrm apt is on the 4th of a 5 floor bldg with no elevator. It is worth the hike.

It is a very modern design, and very spacious. It also has natural lighting in every room! Looking at the outside of the building, you would NEVER expect it!

This is Rachel's room which she is currently NOT using, having sacrificed it to Sammi and Sophia who are here for this portion of our trip too!

This is the parents room. The bathroom is behind the silver designed sliding door on the left.

THIS is where the kids sleep. The floor mats are much softer than the bed's box-spring mattresses. So actually, I'm on the airbed, and Q has been in here with the kids.

A failed attempt at a
"sleepover" on Friday

Finally, I know it is odd to include a bathroom shot, but this place has two bathrooms, and they are so delightfully spacious and modern, it would be a shame to NOT highlight at least one! The bathroom off the kitchen has a similar design. This one is "the master bath."










DAY TWO: (Friday)

Stew was great on this hike. Can you guess from her expression who had a turn being the griping one?

Thanks to the helmets, I'm sure, we all survived a peaceful day in the gorge and were ready for more! After two "resting days" (driving to Hualien from Yuli on the first, and simple walks IN Taroko on the second) we saved up enough energy to take in the rest of Taroko Gorge with gusto. We headed out early by Chinese tourist standards (there by 10:30am) and were to the first hike, Huliu, AFTER a potty break at the camping area that Q and I spent our first nights in the gorge many years ago in.

We celebrated our return with a kiss!

The Huliu hike was fantastic and action packed! Not too steep, had a suspension bridge, cave, hiking along cliff walls, plenty of jungle, and the history of being built by the Japanese occupying force to keep an eye on the Aborigines! It looped back to the road, but since our vehicle was one end, we hiked almost to the end, and then enjoyed the whole hike again on the return. (Can you believe the un-named griper was calling this hike "boring"!?!)

Bouncing on a suspension bridge DOES cure whining, miraculously!

After the Huliu hike, we headed further into the gorge for food, but thought we would first REALLY work up an appetite by hiking to this temple and shrine.

The hike was short, but the stairs were plentiful. I prompted the kids by telling them we could go all the way to the top of the tower. I remember going myself. Sadly, it was now chained off. (Maybe I hopped the chains when I went years ago?)

I love the beams of light in this photo. It's like something out of a movie! Anyway, it was lovely and had that peaceful feeling most Buddhist places seem to have. Still, we don't follow how you turn Buddha's teachings into a temple and worship....

We might call this "The Tower of Disappointment."

After this destination, and getting lunch at the near-by eating establishment, we started on our way back down the river and to our final destination, the "Eternal Springs Shrine." But first, we had to stop by just one more suspension bridge that spanned the gorge, because it was THERE.

On the other bridges, the boards were placed tighter together. This one had the extra exciting featuring of being able to see the drop and the gushing river (a bit less chocolate-milkish on the sunny day compared to our first rainy day in the gorge). Also exciting were the instructions that it was an 8 person maximum bridge. We got to one end, paused, and attempted to come back, but suddenly a line of Chinese tourists began to fill the bridge. We thought we would wait, at first, but as more and more ignored the signage to step onto this exciting piece of history, we thought the sooner we crossed, the fewer there would be. Hopefully THEY all survived! :)

Below is another "full circle" shot. Q took a picture of me in this pagoda near the suspension bridge over 13 years ago. So we had to pause to reflect on how blessed we are to BE BACK! And with the whole fam!

Once again, everywhere we went, we seemed to just miss the throng. Our final stop was at the below AWESOME looking temples built spanning, what looks like from the road, a hidden waterfall.

The trail to this destination is mostly tunnel cut into the cliff - you may notice these holes in the cliff face on my right and left.

When you get there, you realize the gushing water really does seem to be a spring - it is pouring from the mountain at incredible speed. The whole thing is lovely and moved my young observers to strike ballet poses, as most lovely places do.

All in all, it was a perfect day in the gorge, and it was perfect we had just two. One would have been too tight to fit it all in at the kids' pace, and three would have been stretching what was opened to us too far. Beyond that, the ladies at our breakfast shop of choice here in Hualian say that the gorge, on the weekends, is filled with people and cars are stacked bumper to bumper.

So we bid a final good-bye and headed back to Hualian to get Sammi and Sophia from the train station at 4pm. All the kids were really looking forward to having Sophia around again, and I am glad that to have Sammi's company AND literacy to manage another two days in Hualian.

Our dinner destination, and yes, Q's fingertips could literally almost touch the opposite walls of this restaurant. 

Her skills hooked Q up with another massage because his neck was hurting, a nearby place for dinner, and a stroll around the Hualian night scene (we ate one of MY favorites there - tian bu la!) before we decided we were too pooped from our day of activity and needed to head home to hit the sack!

PS: As a final mind-blower, I'll include a shot of our dinner menu. Mmm, delicious!