Detour: Taiwan

My wife and I were supposed to be in Europe 2 weeks ago. But thank God our flight was canceled due to the volcanic ash all over Europe, otherwise we probably would have been stranded there. We were desperate for a getaway, so a quick look at the world map brought us to Taiwan.

We started our trip with a stinky tofu supper by the roadside in Taipei :)

Then we followed a local tour which took us to Hualien on the east side of Taiwan island. This is the scene from Baci Lookout Point.

The next day was a tour of Taroko Gorge National Park. We started at the Iyax Valley (Shakadang Trail).

On a wobbly rope bridge…

The Swallow Grotto

A dance show by Taiwan aborigine folk

Jioufen was a nice half day trip from Taipei, pity it rained.

A koi pond near the Taipei Botanical Gardens.

We enjoyed Dansui, at the northernmost MRT stop in Taipei. Here we got our portraits drawn by a street artist.

An ocarina shop. These are cute musical instruments that can be played like a flute.

Street food in Dansui. My favourite was the sui kow (dumplings) from 2 places: a sui kow specialty shop in Ximending (Taipei) and a roadside shop in Hualien town.

I’d like to recommend our driver, Steven. He’ll bring you around the city (or island) in his very well-maintained Volkswagen T5 van. To set things straight, I don’t personally know him, but once in a while I come across someone who deserves a mention.  So if you’re going to Taiwan, give him a call:
(Taiwan country code is 886) 0916-880-828 or 0981-397-928