HUALIEN
Today was the best of my Taiwan trip. You'll see.
We woke up, got ready and on the dot, breakfast came to our room. It was a good meal to start the day.
We meet our driver, Tonny, downstairs and headed to a place that I read around the web is a must see but not well known.
On the way, he took us around Hualien with its green farms everywhere. Beautiful.
You even need a permit to get in because it's a secret Aboriginal area. Yes, there are Aboriginal tribes in Taiwan. They also limit the number of people to come to this place.
Check out the bridge the workers take everyday to the water turbine. :-O
We showed our permit at the mini police station just outside the 'park' and drove in. Tonny walked with us a bit because he said he never really go around this place and even showed us what plant to look for if we got lost in Taiwan forest. Apparently this plant, that looked like ancient map of China is to look for. You can pull the roots and it's a source of water.
Being adventurous, I tried it. He said to just chew. It was very watery but sour and delicious! I almost finished the whole plant.
Then, everyone, welcome to Mukumugi.
It was the most breathtaking place I've been. The water was literally blue, which is caused by the content of the marble in the rocks.
There is no one except for a family doing a walk. We were able to climb down from the cliff in 2 spots.
We spent not enough time here. Next time, I would definitely allocate one day just to walk down the river.
Beautiful.
After our Mukumugi, we headed to the touristy spots. The Carp Lake.
Plum Blossom. The national flower of Taiwan, which also in their coins.
Tonny took us to eat Taiwanese Beef Noodle, something I've been craving since I got there. See the symbol? They're using Aussie moo cows.
Oh gosh, it was super rich and super delicious!!!
In winter, when they can't really grow much, the farmers grow flowers instead and celebrate flower festival. This way, they'd keep the soil fertile and once they're ready to plant, they just crush all the flowers so it acts as fertilisers. Hence there's lots of decorative flower exhibitions like this one.
A very very old house... like hundreds of years old.
We went to the Sugar Factory and have ice cream. Not understanding the sign, we just pointed and turned out it was mint. :(
Then we went to the milk farm.
Then to this pointy thing...
and tea plantation...
Then to tropic of cancer....
Then to Mataian Cultural Centre.
Luckily, we have time to soak in a private room of the hot spring. WOW, it was HOT!
Then we had dumplings for dinner. Supposedly a famous one. It was pretty good.
Then Mr E bought my favourite drink, wintermelon tea.
That came in a cup as big as my face.
Then we had more mochi.
It was a full day! Tomorrow, Taroko Gorge!
Day 7, over and out!
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