Page 6 of 10 FirstFirst 12345678910 LastLast
Results 126 to 150 of 241

Thread: Touring Taiwan

  1. #126
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    This was my 4th stop: Lushui. There's the Lushui trail, which takes ~1hr to walk, and a geological museum.


    I didn't do the trail, but wandered around the Geological Museum instead. The writings are in Chinese, but pictures tell a thousand words. The break-up of Pangaea...


    Pacific Ring of Fire. Taiwan is also very geologically active & experiences several earthquakes. There was a strong (6+ mag) eq in Feb last year, in the city of Tainan, which is on the southwest part of the island. On the first day of my trip (April 8), there was a strong eq (mag 6, I think?) off the coast of Batangas in PI; my folks & friends felt it but weren't affected much, thankfully.


  2. #127
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    My last point for the day was Tianxiang, which is also the last & farthest point of the Taroko route. I got there ~4pm. The last bus out of the place was 5pm, so I had ~1hr to wander around. I chose to cross this bridge and go to the temple in the mountains.


    My target: the pavillion and temple in the mountains. By this time, it wasn't raining anymore, so all was good.

  3. #128
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    Crossing the bridge


    There was construction of a road/bridge down below

  4. #129
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    Pavillion and pagoda. Those steel bars below the pagoda - Buddha under construction.


    Time to go up those steps!

  5. #130
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    The pavillion. Some people were resting there.


    Pagoda amidst the mountains

  6. #131
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    Upon reaching the Pagoda, I felt like Rocky Balboa, when he had climbed up the steps of that building in Philadelphia. I watched Rocky as a kid, when old movies were shown on free-TV (not cable). Recently, I watched "Creed", the Rocky movie spinoff, so Hell Yeah!



    Please do not quote this post!

  7. #132
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    View of the bridge from up above


    There's a temple hidden amongst the trees... not seen from below, twas a nice surprise.

  8. #133
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    This temple is tended by female monks


    The buddhas


    Buddha amidst the mountains

  9. #134
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    So after my mountain-temple adventure, it was time to ride the bus back to the city center. Trip took ~1hr, and dropped us off near the train station.

    Time for a leak. Whenever there's a choice, I use the Western toilet.

  10. #135
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    This was dinner - noodles with pork & bamboo shoots, vegs, Taiwan beer. The chicken-flavor Pringles are just for show - they were eaten at a later date. I liked the seafood flavor more than the chicken flavor Pringles.


  11. #136
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    In most places, I ate at this type of noodle shop. It was cheap and food was okay - good for budget travellers. During dinner, I got to talk with an elderly woman from Denmark. She took an organized agency tour (700 ntd). They were only 7 ppl in the minivan, and they spent ~1hr in most points in the Taroko route, plus 1hr for lunch at the Taroko Visitor Center. I told her that the only thing I knew about Denmark was Hans Christian Andersen and the Little Mermaid. Plus the Little Toy Soldier.



    These were the foods available in that noodle shop, or you could order something & they'll cook it for you, like what they did for my noodle soup. They had an English menu, with photos.



    That's it for the city of Hualien. Next was Taitung, a small city on the eastern coast. To be continued...

  12. #137
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    Quote Originally Posted by Dillinger View Post
    Nice pics K, you do have quite an eye for a photo

    What are you using?
    Thanks! Do I get a free ride in your yacht next time? I can be your photographer. Heh.

    For most of the pics, I used a Sony digicam, don't know the model but I bought it in 2015, 20 megapixels. When the batt of the cam died, then I used my android phone, which has lower resolution. The later pics of the Taroko route were from my phone, as I forgot to charge the batt of the digicam the night before. Stupid me. lol.

  13. #138
    R.I.P.
    patsycat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Last Online
    08-11-2017 @ 09:54 PM
    Location
    Geneva
    Posts
    7,387
    Another great thread, Katie!!

  14. #139
    Freelance Astronaut
    Thai Dhupp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Last Online
    23-02-2024 @ 12:36 AM
    Location
    Thailand...just Thailand!
    Posts
    2,103

    Taiwan Travels

    To add to this, when I did a quick visit to Taiwan, of course I was based in Taipei and did those same touristy things you mention but I also caught the train to venture into the countryside.

    My trip was to head to Shifen, and Pingxi along the way.

    Part of my travels always include trying to interact with locals and on the train I met a bunch of enthusiastic students, keen to practise english (lucky for me, chinese not my strong point!) all heading to Pingxi for the Lantern Festival.

    We got chatting and the trip passed by. I bid them farewell and carried on to Shifen, the waterfalls, etc. nice spot, totally different to the capital.

    On the way back I stopped at Pingxi, where my new friends (and many many others), we writing on, lighting the burners and launching the lanterns. We met up again and before i knew it, I too was writing 'n' lighting!! The launch site was the train track so every so often , we all had to jump out of the way to allow the train to pass.

    A very enjoyable, and spontaneous day, these unplanned ones are always the best when I am on my travels.

    I can recommend that train trip for the scenery and for the chance to meet up with fellow travellers
    Last edited by Thai Dhupp; 01-05-2017 at 02:23 PM.

  15. #140
    I'm in Jail

    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Last Online
    Today @ 02:30 PM
    Location
    Bungling in the jungle
    Posts
    10,387
    "Didn't know fish had balls." Good one Katie. Next you'll swear you saw a dragon fly. Some things have to be seen to be believed. On a nother note wasn't there a James Bond film called Octopussy? I could swear I've seen it. Haha.

    Anyway good to see you back in the ring. I can imagine you singing the eye of the Tiger as you conquered the stairs.

    Best of luck.................fish.

  16. #141
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    @patsy - thanks for the luv & the greet. Hope you're doing well. One day at a time...

    @thai dupp - great story, thanks! Taiwan is great, from what I've seen - city, countryside, beaches, mountains, good food.

    @fishlocker - the fishballs remark was from BLD, not me. Heh. Re: Eye of the Tiger, Manny Pacquiao, in his earlier fights, used that song as his entrance hymn. He's a real life Rocky Balboa - rags to riches. The song that was in my head while I was climbing those stairs wasn't EOTG, but the other Rocky theme - the "flying higher" - the one that goes... tatataaaaaa tatataaaaa.... Cheers!

    Btw, thanks for all the greens. It's nice to know that the thread is appreciated.
    Last edited by katie23; 03-05-2017 at 07:32 PM. Reason: thankee

  17. #142
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    Ok, let's see if my net will let me post pics.

    Leaving Hualien train station


    Arrival in Taitung station

  18. #143
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    Some posters about Taitung and its vicinity


    Ticket booths. I bought all succeeding tickets in advance from this station. My friend advised me to buy tickets in advance, as the weekend was near and sometimes all the seats get taken. So I went online, checked the schedules & prices, then bought the tickets.


    Website for Taiwan Railways:
    http://www.railway.gov.tw/en/index.aspx

    blog of Alfred Molon, which was very helpful in planning my trip
    Taiwan 2013 travelogue part 2: Taipei, Hualian

  19. #144
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    Saw a vendor of sugar apple (Annona squamosa), we call it "atis", outside the station.


    Saw some peeps having a group pic, so I took a pic of them too. Then the guy in the middle asked me to take their pic, and I gladly obliged. They're from Zhongshan Community College in Taipei.

  20. #145
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    Exterior shot of Taitung train station


    This building was nearby

  21. #146
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    As I've written in the earlier pages, I couldn't find my accoms in Taitung, and I was hungry already. So I went inside this noodle shop, showed my printed map and asked ppl for directions. One of the locals offered to give me a lift to my accoms after I've eaten. Very kind of him. Most of the locals that I've encountered were helpful.

    My lunch - tofu, sausage, soup, rice.


    Noodle shop where I had my lunch (and dinner later). Beside it is a mom/pop store where I bought stuff.

  22. #147
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    Most of the motorbikes that I saw were (I presume) made in mainland China, since I didn't know the brands. They're smaller than the ones in PI.


    Here's a Yamaha, but also smaller.

  23. #148
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    These pics were taken during a late afternoon walk around the vicinity of the train station. The city center of Taitung is ~20 min away by bus. I didn't go to the center anymore since I was a bit travel-weary by then and I just wanted to chill.



    It's still "country". First time that I saw live cows in Tw, and a duck!


    Saw a greenhouse too, many types of veggies inside.

  24. #149
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    First time that I saw this brand of car, Luxgen. It's similar in size to a Toyota Avanza.


    Rowhouses. I didn't see any single/detached units in all the cities that I've visited.

  25. #150
    Thailand Expat
    katie23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    PI
    Posts
    6,594
    Walked to the end of the road and saw mountains


    Mountains and ricefields. I liked the contrast of pink & green.


    Dinner in Taitung

Page 6 of 10 FirstFirst 12345678910 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •