TAIWAN
- the Central Mountain range -
01 - across Taiwan - East - West-
The East-West Cross-Island highway is a remarkable feat of engineering.
The trip started at the Taroko Gorge on the east coast - and ended in Taichung on the west coast - -
My first trip through the Taroko Gorge took place with a public bus, and I had NO idea of how scenic this trip would be - - -
Therefore I went off the bus in the first village on the route - Tianxiang - about 20 km. later - explored a little bit - and then went back the way I came with another bus - - -
The following day I were on my way again - through the Gorge -, but this time in a taxi where I could stop wherever I wanted on the way - - -
To stop whereever I wanted - was of course NOT possible on a public bus, and that caused the magnifiscent scenery just to pass - without any chance to absorbe and photograph the unique wonders of nature, - so - I crossed the entire island by taxi - -
That happened in 1973 - and that was the start of my 1st. trip across the island - at the beginning of the Taroko Gorge where the Liwu River runs out into the Pacific - -
In the most dramatical way, the road twists and turns up across the Central Mountain range,- where Taiwan is most varied and a lot of incredible beautiful scenery can be found.
Here is the highest mountains,- and you can see "the Sea of Clouds" when you pass through the layer of clouds!
This is a true wonderland with breathtaking beauty.
Please enjoy my impressions from my second trip through the Taroko Gorge - and the first trip across the Central Highland of Taiwan - east to west.
12-089 - Here is the view to the entrance to the Taroko Gorge - - - You can see the road along the Liwu River in the middle of the photo - left side - and on that road you see a wooden arch suspended across the road - - That's the start of the Taroko Gorge - - -
1973-12-090 - Just after the entrance you will find the "Eternal Spring" shrine - a beautiful lille temple built across a waterfall.
1973-12-092 - The "Eternal Spring" shrine - - -
In 1973 I enjoyed this lovely little shrine from the opposit site of the Liwu river, - but when I returned again in 2012 - together with Kit Yu - we actually went over there in order to explore the surroundings - - -
You can see the result on the page about the Taroko Gorge in 2012.
1973-12-093 - A stunning view to the bottom of the gorge - and the Liwu river - - -
1973-12-094 - Another stunning view into the gorge - - -
1973-12-096 - The Liwu river - - -
1073-12-097 - Take note of the side of the gorge! It's actually marble - - -
½973-12-098 - View from the road - carved into the cliff - - -
1973-12-099 - A view along the bottom of the gorge - and a piece of the road carved into the cliff like a big cave - - -
1973-12-100 - The Taroko Gorge - and a piece of the road visible - -
1973-13-001 - The road carved into the mountain side - - - Above the Liwu river - -
1973-13-002
The Tianfeng pagoda at the Xiangde temple -
1973-13-003 - The Tianfen pagoda - - -
1973-13-004 - The Xiangde temple - and the Tianfeng pagoda - - -
1973-13-005 - Another shot of the Tianfeng pagoda - - -
1973-13-006 - A view into the Taroko Gorge - - - Take note of the white rocks - - It's actually marble - and the gorge is full of that - - -- -
1973-13-027 - The Liwu river as it twists and turns through the gorge - - - The road along the river can be seen in the background - carved into the cliff face - - --
1973-13-029 - The road carved into the rock along the Tarako Gorge - - -
1973-13-030 - The east-west highway through the Taroko Gorge - - -
At this point a little explanation might be necessary - - -
Why did anybody get this crazy idea of building a road - east-west across the high and rugged central mountain range - and through the Taoko Gorge????
Good question!
But as you know, - in the early thirties - China was invaded by the Japanese - and the following years - the the Chinese army also had to fight the communist army - well supported by Stalin - - -
That - of course - was not a great situation for the Chinese army, and they were forced to retreat, and in the end the Chinese army as well as the Chinese government sought refuge on Taiwan, while the communists split from the Republic of China - and renamed it the Peoples Republic of China - -
During the years as "Peoples Republic of China" the communist rulers were very agressive towards it's neigbours - - - Tibet was invaded and crushed, but others were able to fight back - - - India was attacked in the Himalayas, but gave the communists a good beating - - - Also Vietnam was attacked, but again the vietnamese also gave the communists in China a good beating. Also Korea was attacked, with several hundred thousand soldiers, but again they were beaten and stopped - - -
Now the question is: Does the communists in China dare also to attack Taiwan???? Every foreman of the communist party since the beginning of Peoples Republic of China have that on their agenda: - To conquer Taiwan - - -
Now - if the communists will try again to conquer another country - Taiwan - it is likely that an invasion will take place at the shortest distance between communist China and Taiwan, - across the Taiwan Strait - on the west coast of Taiwan - - - but what if an invasion instead will be planned for the east coast of Taiwan?
That's why the cross-island highway was built, - by soldiers of the Taiwanese army - so that soliers and equipment - in case of need - quicky could be transferred across the island instead of going all the way around by the coastal road - -
Today the road is peaceful although land slides often occurs, - and there is a constant danger that rocks from above will fall down and hit you, - but still it's a paradise for adventurers - like myself - that want something special - - -
1973-13 -031 - A view through the Taroko Gorge - - - A piece of the road can be seen in the background - -
1973-13-032 - The Liwu river - at the bottom of the Taroko Gorge - - -
CONTINUED ON PAGE 02 - - -