Taroko National Park

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From what I understand the Japanese created the national park and carved tunnels along side the valley the river eroded. It runs deep into the mountains. I can’t remember how many km but the drive did take awhile.
Part of the path was closed due to the earthquake, the roof had caved in.














We didn’t spend long there as we had just driven all the way from Taichung, I believe it was about 7hours drive?


Some info on wiki [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taroko_National_Park]
The park was originally established as the Tsugitaka-Taroko National Park (次高タロコ国立公園 Tsugitaka Taroko kokuritsu kōen) by the Governor-General of Taiwan on December 12, 1937 when Taiwan was part of the Empire of Japan. After the Empire of Japan's defeat in World War II, the Republic of China assumed control of Taiwan. The ROC government subsequently abolished the park on August 15, 1945. It was not until November 28, 1986 that the park was reestablished.





















Swallow Grotto - Yanzihkou
Liufang Bridge - the deeply incised Liwu riverbed.
Tunnel of Nine Turns - Jiuqudong

Dolphin Shows @ Hualien Farglory Ocean Park

Hualien Farglory Ocean Park - Underwater World

Orange fish :)












Clown fish, the only one i know the name of :)






Glow in the dark jellyfish!!!
found this info on http://www.jellyfishfacts.net
Jellyfishes contain a special kind of protein called as GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) which has got the ability to glow in the dark. But not all Jellyfishes are having this special protein.








There is a specific variety of Jellyfish which is also called as Neon fish. These fishes do not have the GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) in their body fluids. In spite of that they glow brilliantly in the dark.




















Manta rays.

I Heart Rocks!

Little zhezhe (I think is the pinyin). ZheZhe and I share a common trait, we speak no mandarin.
I lie he can speak a little more than I can :)
He is hording the rock ;) Wouldn't let them go

Father and son
We hired bicycles to ride around Hualien...so TIRED hahaha

Hualien Touch Down!

Aunty's House...I mean mansion

4 or 5 story house @_@ I can't remember but I do remember it has a lift!
level G was entry, level 1 was living, level 2 main room and another bedroom, level 3 was 2 more bedroom then level 4 was laundry and balcony....Really big house, bigger than anything i seen in Perth.

Living area and sweet sound system for all those late night kok parties.


















Above is uncle's teapot collection. I'd estimate it to be about $100k AUD in tea pots.
Two of them are atleast $10k AUD each
Chair and table is made out of solid wood. It need a crane to bring it in via the window.

Tiger City Shopping

Tiger City Shopping Centre ^_^
Found this info online:

Tiger City is a modern shopping center that houses more than 100 shops, good restaurants such as Chili's (the best Mexican restaurant in town), a Warner Village cinema complex, teashops, a Starbucks, spa facilities and a huge arcade. Map.

Lep just loving it>>>



Sitting and chilling. I have no idea why we came here?
I think it was to look around or watch a movie @_@
Bad memory, hence I am blogging about what I can remember.
I saw two movies in Taiwan with my other half and that was Avatar in non 3D and Werewolf? I think the movie was called. Pretty crap movie but nothin else on




A construction site i took a photo of. I stuck the camera over the fence, I couldn't see what was behind the fence.
But this photo appeared!
I love my 10.5!

Local Street Food

Scootering around the streets of Taichung. First time my lady has driven. Put alot of trust in her skills.
Taiwan drives on the opposite side of the road compared to Australia.






















Popular fried chicken street food.
Its like a chicken cutlet on a stick :D

Local Temple Visit

I visited Taiwan during CNY so all the temples were busy and looking pretty.
This was a local temple in the area that we went to via scooter!

Walls covered in little luck charms i believe and lanterns.






Roof architecture was amazing. Don't know how they did it

Taichung Timber Factory

My lady's parents own a timber factory that buys trees from Malaysia and turns them into timbers for businesses and houses (I think this is an accurate description).  Been in the family for a couple of generations.

Tree log being cut that is over 1.5 metre in diameter.









Processed timbers being moved around by aunty.










Hand ground saw blade sharpening. A tool that rotates the massive blade ribbon and sharpens it.









Workers of the factory don't need to bring lunch. It is provided in typical Taiwan style. Soup, meat and a vege dish.
This was cooked by aunty for us. Extremely delicious.

Day Zero - Taiwan!

Another reason why I stayed in KL is that the plane from Perth to KL arrives around midday, but the plane to Taiwan from KL leaves midday. It would be impossible for me to connect.
Hence I left KL on a bright summer’s day. Thanks for the lift to the airport Siti and Jef, you’re the best!
Plane flight from KL to Taiwan was longer than i expected! approximately 4hours.




Once in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport I got questioned by immigration @_@
Because I had no idea where I was staying.
Only thing I knew was that I was staying in Taichung with my lady. So they had a bit of a sad I didn't know where I was going, or where I was staying.
But I was backpacking, what do they expect!

From the airport you take a bus to Taichung. It takes about three hours?
Some info i found, To/From Taipei (Taoyuan) Airport:

Free Go Bus Company has regular buses to the airport in Taoyuan for NT$270. They leave from Chaoma area and Shuangshi Rd, near Taichung Park. If you take the taxi, just tell the driver: "Fay Go Bus" and he'll understand.

http://www.taiwanese-secrets.com/taichung-travel.html

Taiwan also has HSR a high speed train similar to Shinkansen of Japn. Its quicker but more pricey.

First dinner in Taiwan/Taichung. With Lep, Delia and his mate. It is a simple local buffet. Load your plate up and then pay :D
Think less than $5 and after we got sago bubble tea but with small sagos unlike the large ones found in Perth