Taiwan (part 2)

Going South

We got up early on our first Monday in Taiwan. We skipped the hotel breakfast which was usually plain white rice, steamed vegetables, a type of rice pudding (made with water not milk), bread and oolong and jasmine tea. Normally the other guests were either from Taiwan or from mainland China which gave the place a less touristy feel.

After checking out, we stopped at a coffee shop on the main street for delicious freshly made waffles and steaming coffee. Now for a place that traditionally drinks tea, Taipei's coffee shops are up there with the best in the world. Many roast and grind their own coffee, the aroma of which teases and tantalises you as you walk past.

We took the blue line to Taipei Main Station where we had previously bought the train tickets to the south. This is easily the biggest and busiest train station I have been to. I do not remember Tokyo's stations being as huge. And yet, despite the expansive area and the variety of services, shops, malls and number of people, it is calm and orderly.

A short wait at the platform and we were soon boarding the slow train. Slow in comparison with the fast high speed rail. The city's skyscrapers slowly gave way to quieter outskirts which in turn gave way to the mountains and fields. Just over a couple of hours later and we had arrived in Hualien. The train hugs the coastline for the last hour or so. Th empty beaches below the cliffs are breathtaking. When we wandered out of the station, it clearly contrasted with Taipei. A simpler, functional station with some shops and tourist information is further served by taxis and touts renting out motorbikes.

We took a taxi to our hotel, checked in and stepped out.The day promised to be warm if slightly cloudy. On crossing the first street, we were greeted by street dogs, which we thought was odd. For the next few hours that day, we crossed streets hurriedly in one direction then another to avoid what seemed like an epidemic. Some of the dogs appeared to belong to local businesses and stood guard outside the establishments. Others we were not so sure of.

Hualien is small, the center is composed of the train station, a square lined with tourist services, then a grid system down to the port. The port area is meant to be lively at night but we did not dare go there late as we had seen the biggest prolification of dogs there. The city serves as a gateway to Toroko Gorge, possibly Taiwan's biggest natural attraction.

Having stuffed ourselves on freshly made dumplings and soup, we spent the afternoon walking along the old railway route, now a park with cute boutiques and coffee shops. We discovered the town's cultural centre which hosts live music, and local artists' exhibitions and products.

At night, the streets really came alive as people took their evening stroll, munched on street food or cruised the streets on motorbikes. We would set off on a short tarin ride to Toroko Gorge the next morning. We drifted off to sleep, images of photos and videos we had seen of the gorge flowing in and out of our dreamscape like a kaleidoscope.