Taiwan celebrates national Taiwan Day each year on October 10th (10/10) and there are always extra days off for the entire island. The trouble with traveling during that time is that the whole population is likely doing it too. Roads are jammed, trains, busses and planes are completely booked and the crowds can be unbearable. So you’re often better off staying at home. Unless, of course, your timing is perfect.

Since Becky and the boys had Monday off school, we decided to hang out around home Friday and Saturday and travel early on Sunday. My theory was that we would be going somewhere at exactly the same time everyone else in Taipei was coming home from somewhere . Turns out I was right. Throughout our drive on Sunday, we saw traffic jams on the opposite side of the road.

We opted for Hualien – roughly halfway down Taiwan’s Rocky East Coast – since many of our new friends here have raved about the beauty of the drive there and it’s close to Taroko Gorge which we’ve wanted to see since we’ve been here.

The 4-hour drive to Hualien was just as dramatic as described. Taiwan’s rocky east coast has fabulous green mountains that go right up to the sea. The road is carved into the side of cliffs and offers breathtaking views of surf crashing on rocks.

Once we arrived, we settled into our accommodations and hit the shoreline. Hualien has a rocky beach with many beautiful views of the ocean and what was on that day a pounding surf. This was when Bodhi discovered that he is actually the god of the sea able to summon large waves at his leisure, as this video shows.

We captured and observed a tiny crab, walked with the dogs on the boulder-strewn shoreline and enjoyed the fresh air and crashing waves for a few hours before heading out to dinner.

Second son is fascinated by the waves. Comes from his seagoing gypsy heritage on his mother’s side, I’m told.

Few things are more fun at the seashore than finding a good stick.

While we were walking past, a local man held out his hand to me and said “Give to your son,” handing me this tiny crab he had found.

Most of the family is shown here with me behind the camera and Bodhi off in the distance.

Nice art in the seaside park.

Buddhist-themed art abounds in Taiwan.

Large boulders and small children nearly as far as the eye could see.

Later that night we went out for dinner and explored the city at night. Hualien has a very laid-back vibe, almost hippyish compared to Taipei. The Klars Afar approved.

The next day we packed a lunch, stopped for breakfast and headed out early to Taroko Gorge. Taroko Gorge is one of the most stunningly beautiful parts of Taiwan and certainly has an interesting history. It is named after the Truku People, one of the many tribes of aborigines present in Taiwan when the Chinese arrived over 400 years ago. For hundreds of years the aborigines lived in relative harmony with the Chinese who tended to live in cities on the coast while the aborigines were given free reign over much of the mountains.

According to Wikipedia, there were good reasons why most of the Chinese-descended residents of Taiwan tried their best to stay the hell away from the Truku. They were renowned for their skill in headhunting, which was a symbol of bravery and valor. A headhunting raid would often strike at workers in the fields, or employ the ruse of setting a dwelling alight and then decapitating the inhabitants as they fled the burning structure. Once the victims had been dispatched the heads were taken then boiled and left to dry, often hanging from trees or shelves constructed for the purpose. A party returning with a head was cause for celebration, as it would bring good luck. Some tribes took prisoners and inscribed prayers or messages to their dead on arrows, then shot their prisoner with the hope their prayers would be carried to the dead.  These guys (and gals) were scary.

Only the occupying Japanese were able to battle the Truku people into submission and force them to abandon their decapitating ways. And (sigh) head-hunting was completely abolished by the 1930s. Otherwise we might have stayed home. Taroko Gorge is incredibly beautiful, just check out this gallery for proof.

The road through Taroko Gorge starts in Hualien and goes all the way across the island to the West Coast. This was no easy task and many workers died during its construction. In their honor, The Shrine of the Eternal Spring was created and we stopped there to enjoy its beauty.

After visiting the shrine, we motored home, enjoying once again the beautiful views along the way. Sorry for the long time between posts. Thanks again for reading and please post comments and questions. That’s it for now, please remember we love and miss you all…

–The Klars Afar