How do you go on?

Leaving Dulan and cycling south toward the southern terminus of the island it was hard to believe that we had only made it about 1/2 of our intended cycling path.  Based on most of those we had spoke to we had at this point passed through the best of what Taiwan has to offer to tourists.  But as many cycle tourers will probably tell you the best part of places aren't always the sites, at least not the sites that you might expect.  In fact, often the best things, those that you talk about years after your trip is just a memory, are those places that either people never tell you about or even those places that people suggest you avoid all together.  We first learned early in the trip in places like Geoje Island, Korea and Osaka, Japan.  And even more often it is the people that make a place truly magical such as in Yadoriki, Japan or now as we headed around the south of Taiwan new surprises awaited.  First we needed to find our way across the island from the wild and scenic east to the busy, traffic choked west.  Based on a few factors we decided to tread across island a bit north of the picturesque, and tourist laden Kenting area.   Though there is no debating the pictures we have seen of this area are amazing we decided we preferred to put some space between ourselves and the tour busses that choke these sites.  Also we knew that we had a long journey ahead of us both in Taiwan and in other locations and that we decided to opt to take a less crowded route.

                     

There's a lot of great public art in aboriginal villages

Riding through a typical neighborhood

As the daylight started to fail we found ourselves in some out-of-the-way villages with no intended destination.  For the first time our go-to Police station stop failed to result in a good option to camp.  Based on the maps, however a small town in the mountains a few km away appeared to be our best chance.  As seems to happen all to often we found ourselves making a sweaty climb up a narrow and mildly busy road at dusk searching out a place to camp.  This one payed off and we found a great school grounds with a covered area and friendly, inquisitive locals.  We made an early start, followed some wonderfully, quiet roads through villages and dropped into the west side of the island.  From a suggestion of another cycle tourer we headed toward the small port town of Fangliao where a hostel awaited.  This became one of those places discussed prior- that being one where we met wonderful people and had an experience that cannot be planned, charted, or booked.  Fresh seafood, drink, conversation, hospitality and an a/c cooled room- what else does one need?

Super rad people who cook some mean seafood by the train station

Tainan- the early capital city of Taiwan-would be our next stop.  Of course, as is our lot, we arrived on a holiday weekend where no Warmshowers were  available but a recommended hostel had room...and we soon found out the reason.  Not only was there a large typhoon approaching the island but also the recent upsurgence in heat and humidity (a sign of an imminent storm we learned) but along with this came a local outbreak of Dengue Fever, one of the very few potentially deadly illnesses which has no immunization.  Turned out these things resulted in an enjoyable four day layover in this ancient city.  After two nights in the hostel we found a returning Warmshowers host who turned out to not just offer our own room but also Michelle was the best tour guide through this history and cuisine rich city.  We cycled through the small streets to see temples, where we finally began to understand a bit more about these ubiquitous, ornate structures that dot every corner of Taiwan's landscape.  

  Pretty canal bikeway, Tainan

With Michelle, the hostess with the mostess, visiting a temple

 

Idyllic temple grounds

The typhoon passed the island more to the north however did not leave us untouched more to the south.  There were many inches of rain and winds that took down trees (and my kickstand...RIP) but this only temporarily slowed the people.  Early the next morning the people were out and about cleaning up and going on with their lives- something we admired.  

The night of the storm we had another one of those chance meetings that was in none of the tour books.  A local man invited us to visit with him to a local painter we later found out is considered by some to be an incarnation of Buddha.  A small, lean older man sat eating his dinner while his art hung in various stages of completion all around.  All pictures of dieties from Buddhist and Taoist lore which he had seen while he is entranced.  They also took multiple pictures of yours truly saying that he had seen Jesus and that I was that image.  We laughed, talked, ate deserts, drank tea, and ultimately....as you do...finshed the night singing karaoke as the rain and winds from the typhoon raged just ourside the doors of his cluttered studio.  

Exhausted, arms full with prints of his art bestowed upon us and dreading our wet, windy ride home we left and headed home.  How do you forget moments such as these?!

We enjoyed one more day with our host then made our way again north.  Originally we thought that it would be nice to ride the roads away form the cities but the hilly, winding terrain and the late start we got that morning found us on the heavily tavelled roads through towns and cities making our way toward our finally destination, Chieyi, where we would catch the train back to Taipei.  Leaving the 7-11 about 40km into our day we were confronted by a vaguely familiar looking man who thrust a phone in our faces with a translation from Chinese - English saying 'We met yesterday.  Do you remember?'  We, of course, did as he and his wife were at coffee shop that we stopped in to buy some beans.  The couple asked us what we were doing and where we were headed, through Michelle our host/translator/guide/friend.  They were excited about our trip and took her number saying that they wanted to show us the coffee growing region of Taiwan between our location and intended destination.  Thinking this was lip service or a well intentioned but empty offer we thanked them and after not hearing from them that night we moved on with our plans.  And now, here they were, in front of us encouraging us to put our gear and bikes into their small SUV so they could take us somewhere.  

High up in the mountains drinking coffee 

Unwilling and ultimately unable to refuse such a generous offer we piled in and communicated, slowly, for the next hour drive through the winding mountain roads via a phone translator app. Turns out they had spent the better part of the morning driving all over the area looking for us so they could fulfill their offer to show us the area!  This being more than we could have imagined we were beyond greatful to their hospitality.  We arrived at their friends coffee...uh, store, in the region where hundreds of butterflies fluttered about and we were served fresh baked breads, tea and fruit from the Lagdon (I think...) trees growing right on his property and of course his freshly roasted coffee.  In what world does this happen?!  And this wasn't the end of our surreal time spent with our new friends.  They told us all out their family and asked us whether we wanted to visit an area famous for its MUD hot springs.  When in Rome...so we found ourselves at a beautiful resort with our hosts offering coupons that made our visit to this unique (truly there are only 3 places in the world with these type of hot springs, Italy, Japan and here) cost $3 USD.  We cannot express enough our greatitude and awe at the unselfish and hospitality of all the people of Taiwan that have made our time here beyond compare.

Butterflies!!