Hualien, Taiwan
I am enjoying another fine dinner—served by my two fine table attendants, Yuda and Dewa, from Indonesia, whose photos I will try to include later. Although it was mostly misty rain again today, the shore excursion to the Taroko Gorge National Park went on as scheduled. Because it has been raining here for several days, the trails we were supposed to explore on foot are closed, so looking through the bus window with occasional stops for photos had to suffice.
After the drive through the gorge we are taken to s large rather run-down auditorium for a terribly sincere but amateurish dance performed in costume by a group of young girls who are natural descendants of the original local tribes. Even worse, this was followed by an unnecessary visit to a jade factory with a very large sales room. At least I was able to exchange my leftover Korean Won for Taiwanese Dollars, so the day wasn’t a total waste.
The photos below give a hint of what would be a beautiful mountain and river setting if the weather had been more obliging. Tomorrow I spend the day on my own in Taipei, the capital and largest city of Taiwan. The forecast is for sunshine. We shall see . . .
Entrance to Taroko Gorge National Park
Park Headquarters
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| School Group Singing Pep Song |
Driving Through the Marble Gorge
At the Marble Bridge
At the Marble Bridge
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