Haňule z Kyjova

After one month in Hualien, i decided to go in a trip around taiwan to explore and se more. I decided to go to the west coast, then south and back to Hualien without having any plan really.

As there is a way across the mountains that goes from Hualien Taroko gorge and ends in the other side. I really wanted to take this as it seems very exciting to pass the Mountains and I expected some spectacular views. I googled a little and found out there is one bus a day going from Hualien to Dayuling, which is a place in the middle of the mountain area. However another bus from Dayuling to Puli goes also just once a day and it will arrive there sooner, so I new I am not gonna make it.
About taking the bus…. well… taiwanese drivers are crazy, the roads there are winding all the time, left, right, left right… plus going up about 3000 meters… I have to say my stomach was not agreeing with this and the last 30 minutes I just prayed that this is already over!
When the driver said we arrived at Dayuling I gladly left the bus to find myself in the Middle of nowhere! There is just a big crossroad Hualien-Lishan-Puli and few houses which all look totally barren. Just one guy was there selling some vegetables and fruit and rice dumplings so I asked him if i can get one. He was so kind to cook me a new one so I could eat something warm and also gave me some apples.

A man stopped there to go to the nearby public toilets (which in Taiwan are really many, in good conditions and for free). I took all my courage to ask him if he is going in my direction and if i can go with him. He had no problem with that and he took me by his car to Hehuan Shan centre.
First I though I am going to give up as the weather was not very good, the clouds being too low so you could see nothing. But when we got to the Hehuan Shan centre I decided to climb at least the closest East peak of Hehuan Shan. It is only 3421 meters high however the climb with my 10 kilos heavy back and climbing what seemed like million stairs was really difficult. My head kept turning and turning, heaving problems a little with my low blood pressure. But in the end I slowly made it to the top! What a relieve.

The weather was cold and wind strong, but thanks to that the clouds were moving and sometimes the surrounding Mountains peeked through the cloud sea all around. So I was lucky and at least it was not raining. It took me bit more then one hour to get to the top and maybe 30 minutes to go down. When the weather is good it’s definitely worth it.
When I got back to the centre I checked with the hostel however they did nit have a free room. I would like to see the sunset and sunrise there but in this case I decided to go down to Puli. I tried to stop a car and actually it is so easy when you are a foreigner and a girl. The first car that saw me turned back to get me. There were to guys speaking only Chinese but the could understand where I am going and as they were going to Taichung they had no problem taking me to puLi.

As I said Taiwanese are crazy drivers so if you go to the mountains you should either be crazier or stop a car with crazy driver. That’s the only way how to survive. But I have to say weEgot safely down to Puli!!
I did not have any accommodation there so I just wanted to try my luck and go to one of the temples. I have chosen the closest one Zen Buddhist monastery near the Carp lake, still far from the centre of the city.

It was already late, around 6pm and I was getting a bit desperate. The gate was partly closed but I saw a light in one of the rooms, so I remembered all I could about Chinese and went there. There was an attendant women who was very willing to help.me, she just made some phone call andDthen showed me to.my room. She also brought me a dinner which was one of the best food I tried here. Although gives justified rice some vegetable and tofu it was really delicious. I went to bed early as I was totally exhausted.