We travelled warp-speed on the high-speed train (speeds up to about 130mph) from Taipei Main Station to Taijung, in the very heart of the Island. Time: 58 minutes!
We were picked up by our ambitious and enthusiastic host for the weekend, Chia-Cheng. He took us immediately to a paper museum where we learned how paper is traditionally made out of rice pulp. Then, we got the chance to make paper ourselves!
Professor Cho (however, NOT in attendance) from Taiwan Normal University wanted to host us for a meal, so we ate a delicious feast for lunch in his honor. We also had the most intriguing basil-seed concoction, suspiciously resembling frog eggs.
Our next destination was to Sun-Moon Lake. We hiked a short but steep trail down to the lake's edge, stopping along the way to learn about Taiwan's ecology from our very own host/naturalist.
We also hiked up to a Pagoda, with beautiful views of the lake and surrounding mountains. The building is normally open to the public, but damage from an earthquake this year made it closed to visitors.
Chia-Cheng took us to a quaint little village nestled in the foothills of the mountains. We stopped at the local laundry facility, a natural spring where the women wash their clothes the traditional way. It was great to cool down and ease our weary feet.
We survived the long, windy road down the mountain and back into the city, to the home of our host where we spent the night. We were greeted by their family and an enormous meal! It was delicious.
Chia-Cheng had planned for us to do "frog observations" that evening, but we were SO tired that we headed upstairs to our beds - so early that the cheesecake was STILL in the oven and our hosts were still preparing our sleeping area. Not only had he planned a late-night activity, but he wanted to take us around his neighborhood at 6am the next morning. I said he was ambitious! Hillary was the only one that woke up early - 7:30ish - but by that time we were told that it was too late (thus too hot) to go out. So, what else to do than eat cheesecake for breakfast!
Despite the heat, after breakfast we took a walk around the neighborhood, and toured some of the local farmland.
We hopped back into the car and took a driving tour through the most amazing farm country - rice, bananas, dragonfruit, pineapple - it makes me hungry just thinking about it! He took us to a beautiful lookout of the surrounding countryside.
A local always knows the best places to eat, and Chia-Cheng took us to the locally 'famous' noodle shop in the town market.
And then cold meatballs in jelly!
We travelled to a conservation center where we learned about the flora and fauna of Taiwan. Such incredible biodiversity!
Our next destination was to a logging museum/theme park (?) up in the mountains. We overcame a variety of team challenges, including making a train car move, putting a wooden puzzle together, and a group walk!
We raced back to the high-speed train and made it just in time. Whew, what a fun and exhausting whirlwind trip!
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