Taiwan: Road Trip To Taroko Gorge

One of the most beautiful place on Taiwan, is Taroko Gorge at the East Coast, i read.

So, i took a direct train to Hualien, rented a car, grabbed a coffee early next morning and went off to see the landscape. And what a landscape i saw. Deep in the gorge, the walls went high on my sides when i drove in the narrow gaps of the mountains. Started at sea level, the road went higher and higher, got almost 2500 m.a.s.l. before i turned back. Many stops for photos or just taking a deep breath or resting on a quite place while was stunned about the old trees, the forest covering the high mountains and the river cutting its way down to the sea.

A fairly long hiking trail goes all the way up, but was closed due a typhoon earlier. Unfortunately i didn’t get to the hot springs there neither. At least another shorter, but still nice trail was open, as i found out on my way back. But this is another story for my next post. Stay tuned!

Taiwan: Hot Springs And Night Market

Not far from Taipei is a hot spring area in the town of Beitou. It’s easy and fast reachable from Taipei by metro train. In a few steps, a green park invites for a stroll, or to play mahjong, or skating.

I found the public bathing places. There’s an open air one, but i decided to go to the more authentic bathing house. At entrance i got informed, that female and male visitors have separate zones and use to bath naked. I acknowledged and entered, after changing room, a room packed with men sitting in and around two pools. The temperature of the water was between 42-44°C, while the second pool had a thermometer showing constant 45.9°C. The hottest bath i ever had.

Back in Shilin, i went another time to the nearby night market, enjoying some food and the lively atmosphere.

Nights out in Taoyuan and Taipei

Many years back i met a beautiful couple on travel. Somehow we stayed in touch, but i postponed my trip to Taiwan year for year. Meanwhile they got two wonderful kids. After my first days in Taiwan and the great experience of the Lantern Festival in Shifen, my friends invited me for dinner in a ‚hot pot‘-restaurant in Taoyuan. The food was delivered to the table by a robotic trolley and was really delicious. But there was more entertainment by a ‚changing mask‘- dancer, which was great amusement (but not only) for the kids. I’m so thankful for my friends, who gave me this great evening, i would rarely experienced on my own.

The next evening i was just strolling around my neighborhood in Taipei. Surprised of the lively street around it. The famous tower building Taipei 101 was mostly in clouds. That’s why i postponed the viewpoint up there. Just having a walk on the streets was amazingly interesting already.