We woke early (for us) to the sound of those persistent songbirds from the previous evening and took a short guided walk to a nearby Buddhist temple. I would love to share what the guide talked about, but the English portion was restricted to observations and warnings of uneven steps. Not having expected any talking when signing up the night before, we enjoyed the views of the valley and the adornments and artistry of the temple as the sun swept across the landscape. The steep walls of the gorge lead to some extreme and stark imagery. After breakfast and a quick napack (that's where one of us naps while the other packs, it can be easier than both trying to pack with colliding visions, and definitely more productive than both napping), we were back in a van to Hualien to a train to Taipei. 

As we waited in the train station, dark clouds rolled in and presented a very different view from our train windows from just the previous day. A short cab ride and a vegetarian dim sum dinner later, we packed and prepped for an early revelry for our flight to Hong Kong!