Cycle Taiwan Day 19 Taroko - Taipei for the final leg of the tour.

After a good breakfast at Hong Ying B&B we have to bade farewell to Taroko and Hong Ying B&B for a wonderful and memorable stay.

The weather was excellent in the morning with bright blue sky as we rode to Xincheng Station to catch a train to Taipei.

A big handicraft work suspended at the ceiling of the station which looks very tribal.

Taiwan Railways Administration has been very adamant with their ruling on bike bagging. This is found at the station.

Slowly we moved our stuffs to the platform and waited for the train to Taipei. This will be our final leg of the round island tour after 18 days of adventure.

Taroko Bridge 太魯閣大橋 (GPS : 24.145313, 121.644148) at the highway Route 9 as seen from our moving train.

By the way the fare to Taipei is NTD391 and the longest distance taken on train so far for this tour. It is about 150km to Songshan 松山.

Yes we decided to disembark at Songshan Station 松山站 at the last minute so that we can explore the places before we reach Ximending.

A little while out of the station we saw this Sea Goddess Temple, Songshan Ciyou Temple 松山慈祐宮 located at Section 4 Bade Road GPS : 25.050933, 121.577717 where we found a lane to the river side via Raohe Street Night Market 饒河街觀光夜市.

We were hungry after a delayed train ride due to a technical hiccup and decided to eat at one of the side street stalls at Raohe Street Night Market (GPS : 25.050394, 121.576792). We had a good lunch and thank you to the nice lady boss and her daughter for the food. They were amazed with our bicycle tour in Taiwan and gave us their "加油" encouragement.

Just a short distance away from the eating stall we were at the evacuation opening at the river side with a welcoming sign "Rainbow Bridge".

Our photography session began....... as the scenery started to get awesome and interesting. The Rainbow Bridge and the Love sign.

Raohe Street Night Market
饒河街觀光夜市 is found near the river side. The yellow bridge is Huandong Boulevard crossing over Keelung River.

The park and bicycle path on a Wednesday was rather relax as we enjoyed the ride and the weather.

It seems that the whole bicycle path has been taken over by these Brommies from Malaysia.

Viewing from Yingfeng Riverside Park
迎風河濱公園 (GPS : 25.075371, 121.547157) to Minshui 明水 development. 

Dazhi Bridge spanning over Keelung River. The Dajia Riverside Park, at this section of the river where this bridge is located, is frequently a venue for outdoor activities, such as the ceremony for blessing dragon boats during the Dragon Boat Festival

Dalongdong Baoan Temple 台北市大龍峒保安宮 at Hami Street GPS : 25.073002, 121.515553. Originally constructed in 1742 as a wooden shrine, the Bao'an Temple is a Taiwanese folk religion temple. Throughout Taiwan's history, the temple was renovated and reconstructed numerous times, leading to a 2003 induction into UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation.

We were back to the wharf where we first started our journey at Dadaocheng Dock 大稻埕碼頭.

We were happy seeing familiar places again and just like feeling at home again in Taipei.

It took us about 16km from Songshan Station to our Homestay at Mei Lodge. Jo and myself decided to book this place to enjoy a comfortable 3 night stay in Taipei which is also near to the rest of the team. 

Our dinner at at five footway for a nice and yummy spaghetti. 

臺北市電影主題公園 Taipei Cinema Park is known for graffiti, skateboarding and is a popular spot among Taipei’s youth. It used to be an old factory area with some remaining factories around. The murals on the wall are very colorful and interesting for people to see and take picture. We were on our way to Dadaocheng Wharf to meet a group of folding bicycle riders as we were invited by our local friend Pei hsuan.

I had a feeling youthful again as I was surrounded with this Taipei youth's culture.

We were glad to be invited to join this fast riding Birdies and thank you so much Taiwan Birdies especially Pei Hsuan and Ou Yi-min.

Coincidentally it's a Wednesday Night ride and we were following them for a taste of Taiwan Tong Sui.

I met this young man of the same surname with mine Sim, 沈韋良.

They were so fast and we were tailing far behind them, fortunately we have Pei Hsuan taking care of us.

Finally we arrived at the destination and I could smell food again.

At the serving counter, my first impression was the Tangyuan is a Chinese dessert made from glutinous rice flour prepared during Winter Solstice when I saw the coloured balls. Let's try it guys!

The different types of the Tong Sui at the shop and we had it all. Once again thank you so much for the delicious treat to our Taipei buddies 爱你! 爱你!

The shop at 第一家冰品湯圓 (No.1 House) at Section 2, Zhonghua Road, Wanhua District GPS : 25.024777, 121.509420

Satellite

A picture with the Tongsui brothers and I "tapao" for Jo. I heard they are also fast riding cyclists. Bravo!

The loop we took with the Taiwanese Bridies in the evening for Tong Sui.

Cycle Taiwan Day 17 Hualien to Taroko 太魯閣 A short ride into the gorge

早上好 and a good morning Day 17. We will be leaving Hualien soon after 2 nights. Our next destination is Taroko.

Our breakfast @ the shop near Chan Tai Hotel located at Guolian 3rd Road GPS : 23.991338, 121.603194

The Information Counter of Hualien at nearby the train station. Initially we wanted to take a bus to Taroko but due to some price haggling with the bus operator we opted for a train ride.

The train fare from Hualien to the nearest station to Taroko, Xincheng Station was NTD36 each.

We met a group of  tourists from Penang at Hualien Train Station, we were also waiting for the same train but they were not going to Taroko as we have already finished visiting it.

Within 15 minutes we were at Xincheng Taroko Station.

Another beautiful station in Taiwan. My thumb up for Taiwan Railways Administration for putting up such attractive buildings at their stations.

We were hit with dusty wind and it was all over the place as we began our ride to Taroko, apparently it was caused by monsoon wind crossing the area and making it to be unfavourable.

We had to masked up our faces and we looked like bandits on the road.

Just before we reach the entrance to Taroko Gorge we unload our luggage at Hong Ying B&B. Together with us was Sim the owner of Hong Ying. 

The Taroko Gorge 太魯閣 here we were. The name, Taroko, means the "magnificent and splendid" in the language of Truku, the aboriginal tribe who resides in the area.

East-West Cross Island Highway gateway at Taroko. A must visit place in Taiwan if not you will regret.

We met a solo cyclist from mainland China and requested for have a picture taken with him and surely we obliged.

Inch by inch we moved into the gorge, feeling dangerous as the road is narrow. This is the East - West Highway cutting across the centre of Taiwan. 

Fortunately there wasn't much vehicles on the road and the drivers were all understanding and patient. Slowly we got used to it and felt comfortable as we got deeper into the gorge.

It is also known as the Central Cross-Island Highway (中部橫貫公路) or Provincial Highway 8 is one of three highway systems that connect the west coast with the east of Taiwan. It starts from Taichung and coming out to Taroko National Park.

The highway was severely damaged during the Jiji Earthquake in 1999 since then it has been repaired, rebuilt and still improving it as we could see construction work was still under going. 

It is indeed an engineering masterpiece cutting through the mountain range joining the west and the east.

Going through many natural tunnels, some could be very narrow like this.

Taroko Gorge is famous for its natural marble landscape. 

Tunneling is essential in the construction of the highway as it will not to disturb the natural terrain of the mountains.

The Red Bridge 長春橋 of Taroko.

As viewed from the Red Bridge to Zhangchun Shrine trail 長春祠步道.

Be it a bicycle-riding through Tunnel of Nine Turn, an overlook from Lushui Trail, or paddling a canoe on the Pacific Ocean looking up the Qingshui Cliff, you can feel the extraordinary creation of nature.

And slowly we inched back to the gateway of Taroko.

The Central Cross-Island Highway was officially opened for traffic in 1960 and the Taroko Archway was built in the same year. It serves to remind the early days of the road construction. Taroko Archway has become the most photographed landmark in Hualien. 

Immediately after exiting from the gateway of Taroko, we stopped by a stall for a bite of this grilled sausage. We are always fascinated with local delicacies and always wanted to try ...

Taroko National Park was established on November 28, 1986, it was of special significance for the environmental protection movement in Taiwan: it showed that both the public and the government agencies had realized despite the nation's four decades of extraordinary economic success, serious damage was being done to its natural resources. The parks are established to protect the natural scenery, historic relics and wildlife; to conserve natural resources; and to facilitate scientific research and promote environmental education.

We came to the national park for our lunch at Taroko Visitors' centre.

This statue reflects the main two features of Taroko tribe - facial tattoo & woven fabric. This is a statue of a woman tribe and for the power of the women.

Jo and myself checked into Li-Wu Hotel 太魯閣住宿~立霧客棧旅館 while the rest were staying at Hong Ying B&B (just next door). 

We got a big room with two queen size beds and indeed a very comfortable evening to rest.

Everyone of us gathered at Li Wu for dinner, surprisingly the food was very delicious though prepared and cooked by the sole land lady. Photo credit : Anne Cheong.