Day 5: 11/23/23 - A (Taroko) Gorge(ous) Thanksgiving
Train waitin'
Last morning in Taipei and trip to Taroko
After breakfast and checking out of the hotel, we walked to the Taipei main station and caught our train to Hualien. This coastal city ~2.5 hours south and a touch east serves as our springboard to Taroko national park. If our train ride afforded us nice views of the mountains to the sea, the van ride into Taroko Gorge was absolutely stunning. Sheer drops, interesting rock formations, small waterfalls, and water so blue it looked dyed were sprinkled with temples, shrines, and pagodas on our 90 minute drive. My favorite parts were the short tunnels, or more accurately, the re-emerging into the surreal beauty of the gorge. The idyllic and peaceful landscape was comically contrasted by the barely contained frustration of our driver at having to follow first time visitors slowing to glacial speeds on single lane roads to take in the sight above them.
After arriving, I crashed HARD (why do I always think that I'm over jet lag by day 2 and it really takes me a full week) while Kaia and Karen went to check out where Karen had stayed on her last visit (40 years ago). On their walk they were reminded that not only had the scenery changed, but the fauna as well! Taiwanese macaques are the only non-human primate on Taiwan, and are well aware of their protected status: giving little attention to lookers-on and less respect to roads or cars. Other interesting animals we saw included: scimitar beaked hummingbirds, the largest butterflies I had ever seen, and some very vocal (and adept!) songbirds. We enjoyed a turkey-less Thanksgiving dinner, none the worse for its absence, and enjoyed baths in the local spring water before bed.
Taiwan macaque and it's car
How many monkeys does it take to change a light bulb?