Day1
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Day7
Day 2. Taitung -> Rueisuei
We were so excited to finally hit the beautiful east coast!
Here was our first glimpse of it. The beach here wasn't exactly exotic because they had to put up that big wall and those cement blocks for typhoon protection!
Our first real stop was at Siaoyeliou to look at interesting rock formations:
Then back on the road. Did you know that I am in LOVE with rice paddies? I could stare at them all day long! I had to stop for a picture when I noticed the beauty all around me. To my right were flooded rice paddies with the ocean as a backdrop. To my left were more flooded rice paddies with the beautiful mountains as a backdrop! Can you believe this beauty? (Or have I just been away from British Columbia for too long?)
These beautiful Egrets were everywhere, but they are REALLY uncooperative when it comes to taking their photo. I am so mad at them that I almost hate them now. :) just kidding, but I must admit I cursed at them quite a few times. I guess trying to take photos of birds when its cold out and you're in the middle of a road trip is not the greatest idea.
And this is a monument of my (currently) favorite fruit in Taiwan. Unfortunately I have no idea what its English name is! There was a guy at a stand nearby who was excited to see us and gave us some free fruit.
Our next big stop was at Sansiantai (aka Three Fairy Bridge). I was really looking forward to going here because I have seen such beautiful photos of it. But those photos were in sunlight, and did we have sunlight? OF COURSE NOT!!! It was still nice though!
The Taiwanese are always mortified that we take photos of cemetaries. This is actually a Chinese Christian cemetary (since this side of Taiwan was surprisingly heavily Christianized). Notice that there are photos on the front of the tombs.
Next stop was the Basian caves (aka Eight Fairy Caves)- a bunch of caves up a cliff with some steep steps. The caves were not very impressive, but it was interesting that each cave had its own little temple. The lady in the first photo is a Buddhist nun. They have to shave their heads.
There were also nice views from the cliff we had to walk up. This would have been paradise if it wasn't SO cold!
And this is something I was waiting for all day- crossing the Tropic of Cancer! How dorky, but I like offical things like lines of latitude.
Here's Mark standing on 'the line'.
We stopped so darn much that by this time it was getting dark and we quickly continued on. We eventually turned into the mountains and drove along a scenic road to Rueisuei and our hot springs hotel! We took the same road out the next day.