Thursday was a bit of a travel day, with lots of time in the car enjoying the scenery, interspersed with snippets of this awesome country. On our journey down the east coast we passed the marker for the Tropic of Cancer, appropriate so close to the summer solstice!
We stopped at one of the small seaside villages for a foot massage. Don't let the name fool you. Yes, it was relaxing and pleasant with comfy chairs and fans and light music and all, but this was medicinal and they took it very seriously. Using a small wooden roller and strong hands, they worked us over. Turns out it only hurts in places you have an issue, which was fine for the spry 15-year old, but not so great for the 55-year-olds. You could follow along with a chart, matching the spot on the foot with the place in the body they were working on. It was astoundingly accurate.
Our vegetarian lunch, like all the food in this country, was delicious. I especially liked the little black beans that exploded in your mouth with a huge burst of soy-sauce-like flavor.
We took a moment to stretch our legs at Sanxiantai Arch Bridge. We put our feet in the warm, clear ocean water, looked for tide pools (unsuccessfully), and enjoyed refreshing mango smoothies (successfully).
We headed over the mountains on one of the curviest roads ever. I was once again thankful for our guide's experience. We made one stop at the side of the road to hang out with baby monkeys!
It was late afternoon by the time we rolled into Chishang, a valley filled with rice paddies and tourists riding through them. You could rent it all--bikes, scooters, cars. We opted for a four-passenger electric bike, and Romi insisted on a Thomas the Tank Engine bike.
Tommy had no idea what he was in for because we let Romi drive. It is difficult to describe the pure joy on his face as he tooled us around, honking and waving.
The rice is said to be some of the best tasting in Taiwan. The weather was glorious, with a great breeze and gorgeous clouds, and the entire area smelled like a hybrid of rice and grass. One of the best hours we've ever spent.
Driving into Taitung City the street is lined with trees that create a beautiful year-round canopy. The city is perfect. To me, it feels like a smaller, more manageable Taipei. We explored the Music Village and night market, where there were countless things I couldn't even come close to identifying. Rob loved the shopping complex constructed of shipping containers. I loved the lanterns made by local kids and Romi loved everything and continued to plot how to move here.
It's the start of a holiday weekend here, so everything is getting more crowded. And our hotel, the Gaya, is by far the most high tech. Even the curtains close with a button. Forget a simple sign to hang on the door; the do not disturb is also a button which lights up outside.
It gets darker earlier on this side of Taiwan as the sun dips behind the mountains. Tomorrow we head back to the west coast for more adventures.
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