To celebrate Double Ten (and by that I mean to take advantage of the day off from school), Josh and I went to Kaohsuing, which is in the south. Our one year anniversary is this coming Thursday, so this trip was our primary gift to each other. After watching our train pull away from the Fengyuan train station without us at noon, we caught the 1 o'clock train on Saturday and enjoyed a 3+ hour train ride through Taiwan. Our hotel was directly outside of the train station (so easy) so we dropped out things off and took a cab (I know, ritzy) to the port. Kaohsuing is the fourth or fifth largest port in the world, and my water and ship obsessed boyfriend and I walked the pier passed the fishermen, trying not to slip on seaweed and fall in. We watched the sunset from the pier, watching enormous tankers enter and exit the port, anchored out in the straights or emerging from the port after unloading or picking their goods. We watched as a few adventurous senior high Taiwanese boys (one wearing a pink polo shirt, the other a shirt that read "nip and tuck season 3" on the back) jumped down onto the cement monstrosities protecting the coast from the continual pounding of waves. Laughing as the tide came in, they made it back to their group of friends who had been taking cell phone pictures the whole time.
After we had sufficiently drank the sunset, we went to the Love River, a converted rags-to-riches river that has become the pride of Kaohsiung. Five years ago the river was a mess, but now it is lined with paths, trees, and street vendors. We took a 20 minute boat ride tour of the river, watching the neon of the city and the neon of the boat mix with the neon of the bridges and the echos of fireworks. Hungry and without food, we went to one of two restaurants we could find-Outback Steakhouse. We sat by the river after dinner and then watched movies until we fell asleep.
Sunday we had a traveling adventure. Four different bus stations finally got us a bus to the south, where we going to catch a ferry to Shaoliuchao Island. When we got to Donggong (the place with the ferry), I was famished...some of you know that kind of hunger in me means almost throwing up, so it was crucial we found a place with recognizable food (for me) and air conditioning (for el Joshua). Finally we did, and the noodles were delicious (although when the Tainese say juice they mean something like watered down Tang). THEN, to the ferry (which, had I not eaten, would have been BAD news) and to the island. We rented a scooter and got, as quickly as we could, away from the throngs of people. We had three hours before we needed to be on the last ferry that left the island. After stopping a few places to take pictures and breath fresh air (finally!), we found a little cove which people were leaving. For a few brief minutes, we had the cove to ourselves or shared it only with a couple or two. The water was warm and greenish blue and the waves were just perfect. The "sand" was broken coral and so interesting. Here I am, a white girl in a bikini, hoping to get just a little sun, and here are pretty asian girls, in long pants and and jackets over their head, hoping to stay as light as possible. Our cultural ideas of beauty are weird.
After swimming, we got back on our scooter and drove around the rest of the island. The whole thing was beautiful. Exquisite temples for what we estimated was every three people. The whole drive would take 30 minutes in one shot. Island navigation, as pointed out to me by the driver, is easy. Just keep the water on the left and stay as close to it as possible, and we'll get back to the boat. Indeed we did, with time to spare (12 minutes. Josh would call this too early. I call it three minutes late. We're working on our timing.)
The ferry ride back was crowded with scooters, but we got a spot along the edge and watched the sun set as we traveled back to the mainland. Upon our arrival, we were greeting by a parade (probably 10/10). Lit temple-types being pulled and pushed and connected to a generator, rocket fire works being lit at our feet on the streets, and groups in paint and costumes. Incredible celebrations on the streets. We caught the hour and half bus back to Kaohsiung, and then caught the 3.5 hour train back home. Hopped on our scooters at the train station with our bags balanced at our feet, and were home by midnight-thirty.
It was an adventure definitely. Josh likes the thrill of rushing to a train, etc. and I like the thrill of having everything planned in advance, so it is an interesting dynamic with the two of us. but ultimately traveling with him is wonderful because I'm allowed to like birds, or sit when I need to, or eat when my body gets angry, and once our schedule is figured out and I relax a little, we laugh and learn and explore and now I've been swimming in the Taiwan straights.
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