Taiwan Adventure Volume 3 - Hualien

Following yesterday's disastrous weather I was less than optimistic about my chances for a great visit on my first trip to Hualien. So when I opened the window this morning to find the sun shining brightly...let's just say it was a great start to the day. On the way to Ba Du八都 train station the Taxi driver told me I spoke Chinese very well, so that brings the tally in Keelung to 7.

The train ride was decidedly less breathtaking then I had expected, although I was able to take in a few impressive views of the ocean. In some places the strip of land separating the ocean from the mountains can't be more than 200m and yet the Taiwanese were able to build multiple train tracks and a highway along the coast.

I'm staying at the Formosa Backpacker's Hostel & Bar. It's a nice enough place with friendly staff.

During the afternoon I mostly walked around the city and along the coast. There is construction taking place along the beach, so the view in some places was little more than a corrugated metal panel. Needless to say I decided not to rent a bike and ride along the metal walled bike path. After what was a fairly uneventful afternoon I headed back to the hostel for a quick nap, after which I headed for a night at the night market.

The Night Market was great fun, albeit a bit packed. The only problem was that there wasn't a large variety of food choices. And it was all the same stuff I can eat in Taipei. Luckily I was able to find a niu pai 牛排 place. A niu pai is essentially a grade C quality beef steak served on a hot iron skillet with noodles, an egg, and a generous helping of black pepper sauce. While niu pais can be found all over Taiwan, they are suspiciously lacking in Taipei. They are also delicious and this place didn't let me down. I ended up talking to the boss, Mr. Chen 陳先生, who was a really friendly man.

He told me about his grandfather who came from Japan to work in the gold mines at Jiu Fen and ended up staying because he met a local Taiwanese woman. He also told me about his travels to South Africa, which sounded like a great memory for him. I wasn't able to understand everything he said, but I understood enough and it felt really gratifying that I am able to now have these experiences with everyday Taiwanese people that would never have been possible if I couldn't speak Chinese.

I finished the night by sitting on a bluff overlooking the city and ocean, watching fireworks blasting from all sounds. Someone was preiodically releasing chinese lanterns into the sky, which I would watch as they floated off into the foggy night sky. Overall, Hualien was great and I can't wait to come back.

Tomorrow I head to Taitung at 10AM. I'm not sure what I'll find, but I'd like to check out a farm. Who knows...

And before I forget, I received a total of 6 Chinese compliments in Hualien, but two people also told me they thought I learned to speak in Beijing...I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult.

Keelung - 7

Taitung - 6