Taroko Gorge

I know I've already posted a bunch of Taroko images from my iPhone, but I just wanted to share some more from my DSLR. All were taken with my 35mm fixed lens, although I would have liked an even wider angle lens to truly capture the sheer scale and awesomeness of Taroko. Unfortunately, many parts of Taroko are overrun by tourists, particularly around the Changchun Shrine and Swallows Grotto. Fortunately, they don't venture much further west than that, so most of the park is relatively unspoiled. We enjoyed a nice morning hike the next morning; I would love to go back to do more hikes in the Western part of the park. Sheer marble walls, rushing rivers, waterfalls, rocky cliffs, lush greenery, Taroko is straight out of a movie set.

Siangde Temple

Taitung Sights

Bridge outside our hotel. Not for the faint of heart when there's very specific instruction on # of people allowed on bridge and spacing between persons

Taitung is known for its coastlines as well as its lush green mountainside with rivers and hot springs. We spent most of our time in the mountains to enjoy some hiking and hot springs.

You can see the sulfur and mineral deposits from the hot springs

Hot springs hot enough to boil eggs

Taitung Lunchbox

On our way up to Taitung, we stopped by the small town of Chih Shang for one of its famous bian dang ("ben dong" in Taiwanese), or lunchbox, for dinner. Chih Shang is justifiably known for its rice, it's the best rice I've ever had: moist, springy and chewy without being sticky or mushy. With a leg of perfectly fried chicken and accompaniments, it's a lunchbox I would love to eat everyday.

We ate in the old railcar. Trains and bendong are irrevocably tied together

Tainan and Kaohsiung Sights

We spent most of our time in Tainan eating, but we did stop by a few historical sites such as the Confucius Temple and various Koxinga landmarks, mostly for some exercise between bites. Aside from its famous small eats, Tainan is an important historical center of Taiwan, as the former capital of Taiwan, where the Dutch had established their capital and main trading base, before Koxinga drove them out of Taiwan. After Tainan, we spent the night in Kaohsiung, the 2nd largest city in Taiwan. Kaohsiung, at least the part I saw, is very new, shiny and pretty, almost like Japan, but seemed to lack some of the character and intimacy of the other cities in Taiwan I'm more familiar with, such as Taipei.

One of Koxinga's temples

Confucius Temple

Temple outside of Fort Zeelandia

Goddess of the Sea by the Tainan Harbor

Sunset by a Tainan harbor

"Love" River in Kaohsiung

Chez Gado Gado: Lunch in Seminyak

On our way from Jimbaran to Ubud, we stopped for lunch at Chez Gado Gado. It was a lot fancier than I had expected with an entirely western menu, but at least had nice views of the surf. Food was decent, fries were great, but not sure it's otherwise particularly noteworthy. Seminyak / Kuta just really isn't my scene.

Ibu Oka Ubud: Suckling Pig Feast

I've been wanting to try Ibu Oka since our very first visit to Bali, but always ran out of time, so I made sure we fit it in today after a motorbike ride to see Goa Gajah and Yeh Pelu. 30,000 rp (~$3 USD) for a plate of the special suckling pig, including meat, blood sausage, unidentified but delicious crispy bits and a piece of crispy skin, over rice and veggies. Love Balinese spices, with the variety of flavors and just enough heat to keep it exciting. With a huge coconut, a satisfying meal after a hot day of riding around on the bike.