TAIWAN DIARY 4     

From Diary  3 and the south, I now head up the western coast.
5/1 The first stint is along the large, costal Highway 1. I stop a few time to see the beach, but the dark grey slate do not really amuse me anymore. Here are not that many towns, and only a few, but large resorts on the narrow stretch between the mountains and the sea.

Then it widens out, and Country Road 185 leads into a huge, fertile valley. I see the first Kobota harvester in action, but it is beans it is harvesting, not rice. Here are generally plantations with nuts, bananas, fruits, pineapples and other I don't recognises in the passing speed. Most are fairly small, but a few are huge.

Sadiman is a little town, but it is use to guests. Here are the Aboriginal Culture Museum and a famous suspension bridge. Learned by experience, I start the search for a bed right away. I have actually been looking in all towns I have passes, but except from the huge resorts, I have seen none so fare.

I spot a single sign with Hotel in the middle of town. It is run-down, but clean and cheap. I pay, but keep my bag, as I head on by Highway 24, which leads into the mountains. It is my main reason to be here, but the Sunday weather is not that great for a mountain trip. It is quite misty, and I might postpone the tour for tomorrow.

I stop in the other end of town, which is packed with local tourists: Here must be something worse seeing. I am actually still looking for some more of the awesome indigenous' pearls, and this area should be a hot-spot. The signs and many large sculptures are made in their design.

Sa-Di-Man Craft Village, ought to be the right place to look. It is made up by small houses on a hillside, and it look so cosy. It seem like each family have two half houses, one of each side of the road. Some are even connected by a roof. Nothing is hidden away. But here are no shops and no pearls.

Just as I'm about to return, I am meet by a caravan of people, and I head on, thinking they originate from something interesting. The make-believe path leads through a line of tents, but it is just more fried pork. Well, one have some necklaces with the pearls, but the owner have gone, and I just want the pearls alone anyway.

The people originates from the huge suspension bridge. It is one-way, and busses take the masses to the other side. I can easy do with a photo alone! I return to the car, and head further up the Highway 24. A narrow road is announced to lead to the Lai Tribe and a natural trail, and why not? Well, because you need a permit from the police, but I don't get that in Chinese.

The narrow concrete path leads several kilometres down-hill to another, just as big suspension bridge. Two cars, who have the "Aboriginal-look" over them, are parked here, else there are no sighs of humans.
I eat my 7-Eleven lunch, and walk over the bridge, enjoying the scenic views. But it is still a bit misty, and it have darkened. I find a huge, orange Lady-bird, and here are so many butterflies. That might be why the valley are called Purple Butterfly Valley. Most have bright purple spots on their wings. They only have them open when they fly, and getting a picture is truly hard - whiteout catching one, which I refuses.

The trail soon turn narrow and badly maintained, and while two groups of monkeys are trying to scare me off, the starting drizzle do the job. Here are not that many interesting plants anyway.
Back at the CW 24, I I head up-wards along with quite a few others, mainly mopeds and motorcycles. Then at the turn-off to Guchuan, the police have closed the road to the mountains. It is apparently a thing they do, when too many want to use these narrow mountain roads.

I fail to see what it is Guchuan offers, but here are quite some cars. It might be people are changing to busses here? I don', but returns across the huge bridge, and turn down a small road, leading to Jiamu. It is another narrow, badly maintained concrete road, although it is covered in sledge in some parts, from the mountain above.

Despite the mist, the mountains look great - and so they are. It seems like there is always on more, higher and more misty behind the other.
Here is a real interesting plant: It is one of the few who can stand to dry our completely. It is not a Selaginella lepidophylla, but closely related - I think. And here are a lot of them!

I try to capture the greatness of the views, but I fail to get more than small parts at the time. The mountains are too steep and tall for my little lens. I try with videos, but it fare from capture the waste area.
The road seems to end at Chiamu, a little village way up on a mountain side. Well, another small settlement is found on the other side of the gorge, and I guess they are connected. The weather considered, I don't have to know. I returns.

Way up, I can see Road 24, and now, there are cars heading further up. I cross the huge bridge again, and the police have gone. It lead steep up, and very winding through the steep sides. At a pass, the village of Shenshan if found. Here are a lot of guests, and I give it a try with the pearl-search.

Some friendly people are calling me in to their shop, where they sell local tea. I get a whole pot for free, and while I sip the polite amount, I wonder why people would consider to buy it? I use the "Arigato", which falls as natural as "Ni hao" by now.

Further up the mountain road, numerous shops are found, along with a lot of people. Unfortunately, 99% is only dealing in roasted pork. The last bit in colourful summerhats. Neither have my interest. The few pearls I find are either made of glass or painted clay. Real bad copies.
Many of the small houses are dressed in plants, and the tall mountains give a great background. Some houses are covered in sledge, others sticks and stone, but they are fairly new anyway. On the down-slops, small fields are found. On is harvested from its sugar-cane. Way down, the huge river is found.

The weather have fare from improved, and I call it a day, though I plan to check the Aboriginal Culture Museum, to see if they got pearls. While I pass a police station, it turns out they have shifted the blocking of the road to further down, not lifted the ban. I was just lucky to get in-between. I hope Monday will mean normal procedures and open roads.

The Aboriginal Culture Museum is about to close, but I get to see their shops: Fake pearls as well. I'm back at five, and get time to do a bit a walking around the hotel and old Sadiman.
It is a real charming little and old town. Most houses are covered in green plants, the streets are so narrow and twisted, and a large river runs right through the centre.

Despite the lack of light, caused by the clouds and the time of day, I actually succeed to get some descent photos.
I return to the hotel, drop the bag and head out for dinner. Here are so many restaurants, and some are still open. I ask polite in eight for vegetarian food, but I have to use all my charm in the last one, to get them to chop some tofu up, and head it with some noodles and a few bean-sprouts. The worse is; I have to eat here tomorrow again, I guess.

Back to do the usual work, but supplied with a Lipton English Milk Tea and what hopefully is some sweet cakes. Anything to pass these lonely evenings with no entertainment, only work.
The photos of the day are generally found in the Sadiman and Around slideshow.

6/2 I get an early start, trying to use the clear and sunny day in the mountains. The plan is to drive all the way through the mountains by Highway 24, which should be spectacular. When I reach the police station, the road is still closed. I can't understand why, and he can't understand why I want to go.
I end up showing my Cambodian driving license (as all other documents are at the hotel), fill out some forms, and I get through.

Here are several villages with aboriginal tribes in the central mountains. Not that they difference that much from others, besides from they appear to be Christians. Here are at least one church in each village.
A few of the villages are found along the Highway 24, while most are found way down narrow but good roads, following rivers deep into the mountains. I visit a few of them, but don't find them that interesting.

The bigger mountains are still covered in a light mist, but they are between three and four thousand metres, and it is expected. I pass the point I reached yesterday, and head slowly upwards. The pink cherry trees; Kwanzan Cherry; Prunus campanulata are just blooming, and it look fantastic. Beside from them, not many flowers are found here yet.

Just around a corner, a fence cut off the road. It is 43 kilometres in, exactly halfway to the eastern coast. It seems like they have lost a significantly chunk of the road, and they are not sure, if that will be it. That might explain why they are not that keen to send people this way! I thought it was because the road, despite its name, was one-lane in around half the way.

While the distant peaks, the deep valleys, the forest covered slopes and the entire scenery look fantastic in real life, I find it impossible to capture with the camera. Either the mist covers it, I get too little to show the greatness or it is just blue and black. Well, I got mountain pictures enough anyway. What is next on the plan?

Mountain Country Road 132! Well, it is nearby, although the GPS can't find a way. I have to drive back to the lowland for sure, as these minor roads don't connect. I turn around at 1056 metres height, and while I can look over on the peak at some, others are covered way up in the clouds.
On the way down, I make a detour to the village of Tewen, but they have nothing new to show.

The big city of Pingtung is useful for one thing only; It have at least one 7-Eleven. And I am addicted to their Assam Black Tea Latte. It is the only place I can find tea, and I have to be real careful with the coffee, if I want to avoid migraine - which I do.

The lowland villages are not interesting either. Kind of depressive, greyish and with a feeling of abandonees over them. The fields continues all the way in through the towns, and the newly prickled rice look nice. The tobacco have had its leaves picked, and the pineapples are being harvested in some fields.

I have seen many funny road signs here, and one reminds me so much of a fat, little native, holding a spear. Here are also some, warning about butterflies, which they do take quite serious in this valley. Many fields are covered in flowering plants, and it is only for the joy of man and feeding of butterflies.

I reach Country Road 132, which seems to run through a slightly dryer area. I soon reach a huge white bridge, and along it, is a suspension bridge. A path follow the mountain range from below, all the way up to the suspension bridge. It is made to stand numerous Taiwanese's feet, but I have it to my self, most of the way.

The area is dominated by the huge river, which have cut its way down through the mountains. It have meandered, and formed The Dragons Head Mountain and The Serpents head Mountain. Despite the mist, the views are great, and the trail easy to walk.

While I continue into the mountains on CR 132, I try not to make more mountain photos. The road end in Dona Village, which is known for its slate houses. That attract quite some guests, and they all eat roasted pork, it seems. When I leave, I meet five busses, and I'm glad they were late!
Now, I have seen mountains enough for one day, but it is only three o'clock, and I find a lake, 50 kilometres to the north, mainly through lowland.

Here are plenty of fields, covered in pink, red and yellow flowers. It seems like they will be shredded, when it is time for the rice. I find the Nanhua Lake, but fail to get close to it. As expected, it is caused by a dam, and the brinks are barren.
I head home and find the only restaurant, who will serve me in town. Then home to do the last laundry - I hope, while I have my own room.
The photos of the day make the small slideshows; Highway 24 - West and Country Road 132 .

7/2 I get yet another early start - perhaps too early, as the breakfast restaurants have still to open. Well, the Family Mart and 7-Eleven are scattered generously along the roads, and they have calories for sure.
I am heading north, a bit inland. It is mainly small farms and villages, and they seems to have known better times.

One village is real outstanding; most fences are covered in a orange flowering vine, and it look almost surreal. So do hundreds of ducks on a muddy field - but they are all so clean!
In the town of Yanchao, I spot a market in a covered alley. It is not big, but here are vegetables, fresh fish, frogs and meat. Even a stall with hot food.

Outside the town, huge bamboos are covering the fields. It seems like either the soil have been removed between them, or it is used to cultivate another crop.
I end in a village with some odd buildings and nurseries. It seems like they have a lot to show, but all sighs are in Chinese, and everything is closed. I thought this was where to find the Wushanding Mud Volcanoes were, and I find pictures of them on the wall of a shed, but not the actual mud.
I finally find someone to ask, and give a clear demonstration what I'm looking for. Further out the road, it seems.

Then the signs starts. It is out of a narrow, very eroded road, but the nature and fields look great. The area is dominated by mud, which have been overgrown. Some parts are eroded, and it look like huge mountains - just ten metres high. The large bamboo dominates around here.

The Wushanding Mud Volcanoes area is a restricted place, and I have to fill out a form to enter. It is a football field size, barren area with two cones on. They look real dry, but a small hole next to the path is slightly bobbling. It is not much larger than a bucket, and I find it entreating: How come this little dot is the only one in a vast area?

The larger cone is dry, but the smaller, fatter one is actually also alive. Here seems to be a small and a large canal which produces bobbles in an irregular paten. I try to capture the bobbles before they pops, and in the middle of it. But is is hard; they are fast, and size and speed variants a lot. A few are big enough to splash on me.

The mud is not leaving the top of the cone, but by a small hole on the side. It flows slowly, and it seems like the speed changes a lot. This is a slow period, I guess. A bit into the bushes, a small cone is found, filled almost to the top with mud.
They are fascinating, but it is limited how much attention they can draw from me. I head on through the other side, and that is apparently the main access road. It leads down to the university of a larger town - which I passes long time ago.  Well, the mud landscape with huge bamboo was interesting.

The next target is the old part of Tainan; Anping. There are no countryside roads this time, and I bite the bullet and go by Highway 1. The traffic is surprisingly light, although the trucks have returned to the roads.
The road passes fields, but also huge factories and what appears to be a oil distillery.

The city is huge, and two millions call it home. I drive right through it - in zigzag, and finally, I reach the old port of Anping. This is where the Dutch trading company build their fort between 1624 and 1632. I drive right to the pre-booked hostel, and to my big surprise, a large, almost empty parking lot is found right next to it.
I later learn this part of the city is only alive in the holydays and weekends.

I drop the bag and head over one of the many bridges, crossing the canal. Here are the evidences for a lot of guests, but around half the shops are closed - guess they have their vacation now. The old Matsu Temple is said to be one of the oldest in Taiwan, but it look pretty much like the others. Never the less; I am always so impressed about their sandstone carvings! Here, there are two layers of figures in perfect 3-D around the pillars. Each horseman or dragon is only 30 centimetres high, but so detailed.

I walk around in some of the narrow streets, and some of the houses are dressed in potting plants. Most in trash thought. I reach the other branch of the canal, making Anping an island. It is looking like mangrove, and so peaceful, considering how close to the big city it is. A few boats are found at the brinks, but here are no traffic on the water.

A bit inland, the The Tree House is found. It is part of the former Japanese salt factory, which have been completely overtaken by several large fig trees. Most of the roofs are gone, and some of the walls are entirely covered in roots. Perhaps it is not a good idea to have a Ficus benjamina in the living room, after all?

I follow the pedestrian streets back, and they are dominated by tourist shops. But for local tourists. Here are all kind of plastic toys and -jewellery along with all kind of local sweets (real boring for a Dane!) and food, based on meat. I do the main street and all the side streets, but fail to find anything interesting at all. Here are no craftsmanship, only machine produced items.

The central part of the island is dominated by The Dutch Fort, which is actually Japanese. Only a single wall remain from the 1624 Dutch build fort. The rest is build around 1850, and is in a way better condition. I see the little museum and all the angels, but it still don't catch me.

Then I try the Matsu Temple again, but besides from the stone works, it is a bit too wax-museum-like to me. Another old temple have some huge works in white marble and wood, covered in gold'ish layers.
I try to find the harbour, and on the way, I pass a graveyard. I have seen many on other hills, but this is the first one I'm close to. Here are no plants, and the little grass that were, have been burned recently.

Next to it is Anping Lesser Artillery Fort, used as a sculpture in the roads. The harbour is filled with small fishing boats, but here are no activity at all. I end up at home, and start working until it is time to seek some dinner. I end up with a real great sandwich with fresh vegetables and thin slices of apples. It take the poor girl forever to make it, and me a split second to inhale it. I still feel so bad about doing that to my former girlfriend, and I refraining from ordering one more. End up with a bun and tea at 7-Eleven, as it is the only other vegetarian I can find.

My initial idea of going to this town, was it old buildings, but despite I have walked most, if not all streets, I fail to find anything remotely interesting. I guess Taiwan just don't have anything real old? Well, back to nature tomorrow!
I had expected to have someone to talk with, booking into a hostel. But I am all by my self. I even saved a few $ by taking a dorm-bed, but it is still lonely! The manager told me to give anyone a bed, if someone should turn up, as he would leave.
The photo from the last days are gathered in South Western Taiwan.

I will now start exploring the central Taiwan, and start Diary 5.