Day 14- July 17th- Taroke Nat. park Taiwan

We were out the door by 6:30 am and took the train to the mountains of Taiwan to visit Taroke National Park with our energetic tour guide, Teresa. We rode in some of the tackiest busses- orange curtains, brown and pinks.

Fun facts about Taiwan - or the few I could catch from the fast talking Teresa
- 2nd most overpopulated country (2nd to Bangladesh)
- Tsuanmi waves (Madog waves) are a threat
- Island sits on the edge of 2 tetonic plates (Phillipino and Eurasian plate) the convergence of the plates created the island 20 million years ago and the mts. on the island
- famous foods: Taro, Mochi (my favorite)millet wine
- Taiwan was known as a "pirate island"

- Indigenous tribes include Taroko and Pulong. These tribes are not allowed to hunt wild animals anymore but now farm in the mts. The monsoons and mudslides have hurt their farming. These tribes also put up a tough resistance to the Japanese. In the 17th century many mainlanders came to the island and intermarried with the indigenous on the plains. Some fled to the mountains and they maintain a more traditional indigenous lifestyle.

- The cross-Island parkway:
-More then 200 people were killed out of the 10,000 needed to build the road through the mountains.
-Built between '56 and '60-- 4 years to complete
-The same soldiers who fought the communists and the Japanese later were used to build the highway.
-There is an altar with all 200 names inscribed at one of the Buddhist monasterys to honor the dead.

Highlights of our hike in Taroko Park
Huge spiders, blue crystal water which was pretty warm, a cave like trail, sometimes a bit crowded but beautiful. We put our feet in the water after just a simple 20 minute hike

Lunch at an restaurant that features indigenous food
Individualized lunches of fried fish, sweet potatoe, salsa sauce, mushrooms, beef soup and sticky rice in bambo and all you can drink fruit juice- yeah!!!

Driving the Cross-Island highway
we only drove 12 miles but it took all afternoon.
29 huge tunnels, some that were closed and required hard hats to walk under

Marble bridge- "bridge of motherly devotion"
(Chiang Kai Shek loved his mother who raised him so many monuments are dedicated to his mother.

Suspension bridge (only 8 people at a time- fyi)

Buddhist monastery (1960)
"when your spirit is sick visit a monastery"- Teresa
The 1st monastery was destroyed by a landslide
There was a white Buddha statue and 2 Bodhisatvas and a list of the 212 names who died building the road

Marble Factory
We learned the difference between Jade (translucent- light shined through) and Marble.
we got a serious sales pitch and then were followed around by sales people although most of us had no interest in buying anything.

Dinner at the Hotel and then off to a sculpture festival and outdoor performance. The highlight was a group of young girls 9-18 years old in traditional dress doing a dance/drum routine. It was perfectly coregraphed as the girls swung ropes that hit the drums. It was followed by a flute show. Some of us relaxed and watched and others went to a night market which ended up being some type of outdoor fair with go-carts.

Overall a fun and full day of hikes, vistas and a much needed day in nature. This made us all realize the beauty of Taiwan and its diversity. Teresa's pride in her home country was obvious and well founded.