Rajeev's World: Hualien

Showing posts with label Hualien. Show all posts

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Off To The City Of Azaleas...

And so we wrapped up our exciting day trip to the eastern part of Taiwan, visiting the magnificent Taroko National Park, checking out the majestic deep marble gorges and catching a glimpse of the Pacific Ocean.

And it was now time to return back to the City of Azaleas, Taipei...

We got dropped off at the Hualien Station and said goodbyes to Josephine and others on our group - there were quite a few Americans, British, Australians, Japanese and Chinese from the Mainland, who had traveled with us today.

And we waited for our train to Taipei to come in...

Like back home in India, train stations in Taiwan, as we observed today are the hub of activity. They are crowded, but spotlessly clean...

Waiting for our train to roll in...

The train on the opposite platform was decorated in Aboriginal motifs....

Buddhist nuns make their way on the opposite platform...

Getting ready to say goodbye to Hualien!

There comes in our train...

Snack time - mixed nuts and iced green tea...

We resolved to keep it light, as both Neeti and I wanted to pig it out at Din Tai Fung, when we get back to Taipei! Yes, Din Tai Fung again, afterall, we loved it so much!

The First Glimpse Of The Pacific...

For some unknown reason, I have always had a deep attraction towards the Pacific Ocean. Some unknown force has always tried to pull me to the Pacific. Perhaps, as some would believe, it is a past-life connection or it may just be the evocative, stereotypical image of paradise that is so associated with the Pacific. And I always wanted to be in the Pacific, or at least visit the region.

And little did I realise that it would be during our Taiwan trip that I would get the chance to see that vast ocean that I have fantasised about quite so often!

From the Marble Factory, we headed towards the Chihsing Tan Scenic Area, a verdant patch of palms and green between the Hualien Airport and the coastline.

And this is where I saw the amazing blue hues of the Pacific Ocean, for the very first time! I had to pinch myself to confirm that it was for real, yes, I was on the Pacific coastline...

Seeing the blue of the ocean, my heart skipped a beat! It was incredibly beautiful...

The waves were very, very strong due to the incoming Typhoon Dujuan. The administration had barred access to the beach to prevent a mishap - this was the sad part!

The water here is so clean!

Due to predictions of inclement weather, the beach area started getting evacuated. I wish we had some more time to spend here...

The waves kept getting stronger as we retreated...

But I kept looking back...

There is a strange force that is drawing me towards the ocean...

"We need to go!" I heard Neeti as tugged me along...

One last look back...

...and I promised to myself that I will return to the Pacific soon...

Happy In Taiwan...

As we headed back from Taroko National Park towards Hualien, we stopped by at Xiulin to visit a marble factory...

Taiwan's national flags fluttering in the air. The wind had become really strong and we were told by Josephine that there was a weather alert for strong winds, as Typhoon Dujuan is expected to make landfall over Taiwan soon...

The marble factory...

It looked less like a factory, but more like a stately mansion...

Sculptures depicting a hybrid of traditional Chinese and Aboriginal styles...

A monk with a lion head holding a coin...

A serpent...

And there's our guide, Josephine - the red-haired lady with pink pants, who kept us all in good humour throughout the day...

When we started our journey this morning, we had been "warned" that Josephine looked like a lion and talked too much. But she is quite a kind and helpful person - she arranged a vegetarian meal for Neeti, which was quite delicious!

What a huge jade rock on display...

A Mickey Mouse carved out of stone...

Traditional Chinese lions guarding the gate...

It seemed we had entered Aladin's cavern...

A map showing Taiwan's mineral wealth...

Photography inside the factory was prohibited and that was the sad part. We managed to pick up a few souvenirs for home and as we headed back...

...we saw the message "Happy In Taiwan" emblazoned on the bus...

With all its natural beauty and friendly people like Josephine, Taiwan can indeed make anyone happy!

Endless Wonders Of Taroko At Changchun...

And as we draw towards the close of an exciting day in Eastern Taiwan, we headed to the Changchun Shrine or the Eternal Spring Shrine.

We headed along the Central Cross-Island Highway, to reach a picturesque spot along the gorge is the site for the Changchun (Eternal Spring) Shine...

Right ahead lies the shrine...

The shrine commemorates 226 military veterans who died during the construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway in the mid-1950s. The shrine is located right next to a perennial spring that descends down into the Liwu River and the feature is named the "Changchun Falls." It is now customary to stop by here when one travels along the Central Cross-Island Highway.

A tribute to those who constructed the highway...

There lies the shrine...

From our vantage point, the shrine is nearly 1.5 kilometres away...

This spot is particularly vulnerable to landslides. In 1987, catastrophe struck when the cliff by the rivers collapsed and destroyed the pavilion next to the shine. It took 10 years to restore it back to its original condition and is now open to the public again.

The story of the Taroko, the aboriginal people who belong to this land...

The Marble Gorges Of Taroko... Part II

And we drove on to head towards the legendary Tunnel of Nine Turns (九曲洞), passing by some amazing landscapes on the way...

I could stay here for ever...

Hello Kitty tissues on the bus. I swear Sanrio, the Japanese company, which owns the Hello Kitty must be laughing its way to the bank. Perhaps, Sanrio would make a good stock to invest in...