Penghu Islands - 澎湖

This past weekend, I spent 3 days on the beautiful islands of Penghu. Located in the Taiwan Strait, this archipelago consisting of 64 islands is worth a visit! Highlights include: beautiful cliff side ridges that drop down into the multi-coloured waters of the Taiwan Strait; unbeatable & delicious seafood; and breathtaking scenic views. It took me roughly 6 hours to get back home from Penghu on Friday evening! I went via boat from Budai harbour which is in Chiayi County (next county south of Yunlin County where I am). During this past weekend, I must have gone on a total of 5 different boats! Definitely a highlight here is the yummy seafood! It's worth it just to go for that! Ha! Despite the scorching sun & dead heat (what's new in Taiwan?), the trip was still enjoyable!
Douliou City (start) -> By train to Sinying City (Tainan County) = just under an hour
Sinying City -> By bus to Budai harbour (Chiayi County) = just under an hour
Walk to Budai harbour for boat departure = 20 sizzling mins.
By boat from Budai harbour to Penghu (Makung City) Island = 1.5 hrs.

Two Hearts Stone Weir - 雙心石滬

In front of the Tomorrow Star boat: Boarding
from Budai Harbour

Temple

Cheers!

Yummy seafood!

Em & Alicia

Colourful Guanyin Bridge, Makung City, Penghu Island

On the boat en route to Chipei Island

Unbelievably
HOT!
HOT!
HOT!

Chipei Island - biggest island on the northern
Penghu Archipelago

Taking a snooze: falling under the
spell of the robust sun & immense heat!

Sending my love: Writing Home

At the centre fountain in Makung City

We unexpectantly see the Taipei Mayor, Ma Ing-Jeou here who visits to help celebrate
the Penghu Seafood Festival

At our homestay

above left

Waiting @ the Visitor's centre
prior to departure to Chimei Island

Finally on board heading to Chimei Township - ???

We discover that there are some problems with our King Ba Da boat so our trip to Wan An Island is cancelled however we hitch a ride on another boat tagging along with a tour group. We're told by a couple of different people to wait so we do as we are told. Then, we're asked rather hurriedly to follow a man to board a boat. We quickly board the boat....then all of a sudden somone shouts out,

"YEE SOO-YA!

We quickly get off the boat & get onto a different one. Man, as long as these workers know what they're doing & we get to where we're supposed to, it's all cool because I have no idea how there communication & organization network works!?!

Taking in the beauty

Tomb of the 7 Virtuous Beauties

Overlooking sparkling waters

Waiting Husband Reef: See the rock shaped like a pregnant woman? Legend has it that a fisherman went missing at sea and was not able to return to his wife & unborn child. The woman was so overwhelmed with sadness, she jumped to her death. A reef supposedly grew at the place where she made that fateful plunge.

Cliffside rock shaped lionhead

Chimei Island - Located on the southern tip of the
Penghu Archipelago (approx. 1 hr. away from Makung City)

Two Hearts Stone Weir - 雙心石滬
The heart-shaped fishing trap is made of stacked stones.
Openings in the traps allow fish to enter during high tide
but during low tide the openings in the trap
are blocked

En route to Husi Island

Underground bunkers

Exploring small Husi Island

Husi Island harbour

Eating shabu shabu: check out the pile of dishes!

With homestay family

Chingjing Farm 清境農場 - Nantou County

Guanyinshan - 觀音山, Taipei County

During my weekend trip to Taipei, my friend, Em & I did a pretty decent hike up Guanyin Mountain. The hike took around 3 hrs. to go up & down. However, the ascent up included a lot of uphill stair climbing. Still, the weather was perfect and I just thank God for all those trees that shaded us from the sun!



















Funny photo booth shots..these machines are so hilarious! Why are they so funny? The reason is because you're always doing spur of the moment poses. In one particular pose during these series of shots, I lifted one of my legs up for Emily & perhaps it was too heavy of a load for her that she sort of couldn't hang-on anymore and nearly fell out of the booth! I, on the other hand fell on my butt! Ha! Ha!

Hualien - 花蓮 (Again!)

This past weekend, a group of us went to Hualien to go whitewater rafting on the Siouguluan River (秀姑巒溪) in
Rueisuei Township (瑞穗鄉), Hualien County

Preparing to board Mandarin Airlines from Taichung Airport
Sara, Erica & Me
Using the napkin to combat the sizzling action!



Enjoying dinner at the nightmarket beside the lovely beachfront

Yikes! Stinky
Tofu!

Cheers!

Enjoying a drink under the moonlight

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Beach Park/Nightmarket
I remember seeing the glow of the moonlight
reflect off the water & recall how tranquil that
moment was!











Enjoying dinner at an Italian
Restaurant

Green Tea w/
Heiniken Beer!

Chilling in our hostel room

Check out those lobster thighs on Sara & Erica!

Liyu Lake

Steinbeck Sisters outside our hostel

En route to Rueisuei
~2 hrs. south of Hualien City

Getting ready to gear up

Holly's special
visor hat!

Whitewater rafting on
Siouguluan River

Look at those shorts! Can you
tell the foreigners from the locals? Ha!

In our protective gear
Check out the classic boxing "helmet"

Ready to hit the rapids!

As we paddled on the Siouguluan River, I couldn't
help but soak in the peacefulness & breathtaking scenery. So serene,
so beautiful..so awesome...

Moigee! Moigee!

Tasty soft treats!

Taking a picture with the founder

Going home...leaving Hualien Airport...

Kinmen Island - 金門

Going aboard Uni Air

Approaching Kinmen Island

It has been said that Kinmen is a 'garden built upon a fortress. Indeed, Kinmen is a beautiful island which seems laid back, peaceful, very green & luscious. Kinmen is made up of 15 islands & islets at the junction of the mouth of the Chiulung River & Xiamen of mainland China. The largest islands are Kinmen & Liehyu (aka Little Kinmen). These are the only two islands open to tourism. 3 islets are controlled by mainland China, the other 12 by Taiwan. Kinmen is divided into districts: Kincheng, Kinhu, Kinning, Kinsha, & Liehyu.

A Glance of Kinmen Island...

Street Mural



Beautiful Ceiba Tree





Gorgeous Flower

Climbing Mt Taiwu, 253 m

Taiwu Mountain

Hiking up the scenic mountain

Soph & Erica

Erica, Em & Me - Hiking up Mt Taiwu

Fried Dumplings/Egg with Clams

Enjoying dinner

Playing Scrabble & Having Yummy Fruit Tea

Creepy...Underground Tunnel

Chris, Denise & Erica @ dinner

Bowling Fun!

Foreign Crew in Kinmen!

I got over 100 in 9 frames!

Cultural Center

Kinmen National Park

Old Mofan St.

Checking out the beautiful beach

Using tissue paper to line the dirty helmet.
Funny eh?

Chris locked her keys in the scooter!

Bomb Shelter

Fightback Position!

WARNING: Dangerous Mines!

Taroko National Park - 太魯閣國家公園

Taroko Gorge 太魯閣

15 km north of Hualien • Taiwan's top tourist attraction • Park covers over 120,000 hectares w/ mountain peaks rising to 3700m. Valleys, ravines & waterfalls caused by the Liwu River cutting through the park.

Interesting note:

The gorge was created through an elevation gain that rises from sea level to 3740m, fostering a range of ecological zones, from tropical to alpine.

Mode of transport:
Rented Scooter • Hualien to
Taroko = approx. 1 hr.

Tunnels of Nine Turns • twisting road of tunnels
blasted through sheer marble cliffs • during construction many workers
were killed

Take a look at the sheer magnitude of the canyon!

Marble-walled canyons

Giant sized cliffs w/ lush vegetation
& cliffs

Scenic Wonderland

Taroko Gorge

Hualien - 花蓮

En route to Taroko National Park

Chihsingtan

3 km north of Hualien On this day, the wind was incredibly strong.
• waters are too rough to swim one can admire the high waves & its soothing sounds

Catching a snooze

Enjoying the East coast scenery from the train

Rice fields

Mountains

The East Coast defines natural beauty

Taitung County - 台東縣

Platform of the Three Immortals

The Arched Bridges

• A series of arched bridges span the shallow water off the coastline leading to a small island. The weather on the east coast can often be described as moody. At one point, it can be sunny and then the next, it could be severely overcast and cloudy! This precise condition was what we encountered on our way to The Platform of the Three Immortals. The bus trip north of Taitung City took roughly 2 hrs. On the bus, the weather was picture perfect - sunny & comfortably cool. Once we got there, it was overcast and quite dark. Rain started spitting from the sky. We went & admired the arched bridge & took photos by the waters edge. We walked across the bridge & enjoyed a coastline walk on the island at the other side.

Once we were finished our 40 min. stroll, we decided to head back. By then, the rain was starting to trickle. As we made our way back to the mainland, it began to pour! We used an umbrella that we had but that poor thing started busting because it couldn't bear the oncoming strength of the wind. Within a short time from walking out of the area to the bus stop, we were wet right to the bone! I began feeling the "squeak squeak" from the water in my socks & shoes. I think we had missed the bus back to the city so we were forced to wait at the bus stop...By now, it was downpouring. We stood outside a convenience
shack while waiting for the bus. Several cars stopped by the roadside to buy various things. A minivan stopped & a gentleman started talking to us. He seemed to feel sorry for two stranded girls being stuck in the middle of nowhere in the midst of heavy rain. He asked when the next bus was. His wife went into the shack. Anyhow, he ended up offering to bring us to the Cheng Gong bus stop which was really kind of him! Despite being drenched in wet clothes, I was thankful that we got a ride. While we waited for our bus, we headed to a restaurant to eat a dinner box. We had offered to give some money for the ride but he declined to accept it. The compassion and kindness of others is something that I'm always thankful for!

Kaohsiung City 高雄市

Han Holiday Trip: Kaohsiung, Taitung & Hualien

Love River

Kaohsiung City

Outside train station

Morning java in hand

Nightviews by the Love River

Busy Liu He Nightmarket

CKS Memorial Hall - 中正紀念堂 Lantern Lights

Nearing the Lantern Festival - February 2006

For a lovely collection of photos from the lantern lights display, please click on the link below.
Photos are courtesy of Yu-Mei Li

CKS Memorial Hall - Lantern Lights