In Taiwan, Taroko Gorge

Dear all;  I wanted to tell more about Taiwan already earlier, but the internet connections in Palau are really, really slow!  I couldn't even open this blog before...  But here it comes.

After Taipei night we took a train for 2,5 hrs southeast to Hualien, a small agricultural center where people mostly grow tobacco.  From the station by bus to Taroko Gorge, a protected area with lots of birdlife, monkeys, deer and even black bears!  Towering marble and limestone cliffs rose to 800 meters height with a river carving it's way on the bottom.  Breathtaking!

Around Taiwan's mountainous areas there still live many indigenous tribes, even though the japanese tried to move them to the plains during the occupation - to keep an eye on them and to "educate" them.  There are several information centers and accommodation provided by the tribes.



We did a nice trek along the gorge spotting birds and butterflies.  And spiders the size of my hand...  The "fly" is a large cicada!

My videos on youtube: 

Taroko 1                  Taroko 2 with english commentary

We stayed overnight in Tiansiang, Grand Formosa Hotel.  The place was absolutely stunning!  The suites we stayed in were about 80 sqm, with bathroom bigger than regular hotel rooms in Taipei...

Everywhere we went, there was chinese food on the table, and lots of it!  Mmmm, the dumplings...  And in our lunch stop in a very local restaurant in Taroko, I had the best wild boar ever!

See you again in Palau!