Photo Entry: Hualien and Taroko Gorge

Hualien is nick named as the "back mountain of Taiwan". What this means is, Hualien is like the garden of Eden of Taiwan, a well preserved pure land that is better left under developed. Hualien is also one of the least accessible cities in Taiwan. Since the main route that connects it with the north was damaged by the storm, the traveling to Hualien by car from Taipei is a pain. Most people travel by train or plane, making tickets hard to come by.

Hualien is indeed one of the most beautiful and well preserved cities in Taiwan. The people here do present appreciation and gentleness towards their environment. There are bicycle lanes everywhere, bicycle shops and rentals to serve tourists. The city is rather slow paced and quiet. Backed by mountains, Hualien's Taroko gorge is arguably the most iconic and must-visit spot in Taiwan. The altitude of the river drops rapidly as it descents from its origin to the ocean, and the speed of the water carved a deep and narrow path into the granite mountains. Along with indigenous culture, this is a very different part of Taiwan.

We were there on new year's weekend, very cloudy, so it was not the best condition for photos. However, the conclusion is, I definitely want to be back some day.