Return to Taiwan Tour 2011 - On the Bus - Day 3 Continued --

Yesterday, we were just coming up toward our next stop,  Tianxiang, 

 I want to remind you to click on any photo, which will open-up and fill out your computer screen.

Don't be confused with the spelling of the village.  Chinese characters can be translated into English with various spellings.

  We're at the village, just across this bridge on the left is the Silks Place Taroko Hotel.

Most of us got off the bus here.

The hotel, on a clearer day, taken from a little farther back down the road. (stock photo)

Here is another bridge just to the left of where our bus stopped. There's a Temple up in the hill.
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Ted is speaking with a Buddhist, who is soliciting donations at the bridge entrance.  At the far end of this bridge, a few yards up the sidewalk, steps begin on a long and steep walk upward toward the Temple. 

A better view of the far side of the bridge.  Notice Ted walking across.

More sites across the bridge toward the Temple, farther upward.

Standing next to the red bridge, looking down on the river, here's a hiker.

This and the photos following give you an idea of the size of the river and boulders.

Here you can see the two rivers merging, notice the water color of the two rivers.

A wider shot of the above photo.  The boulder here.. huge! The hiker is seen on river bed.

Walking up and across the bridge across the darker water river.  The village is background.

In the village, looking back at the area where all the previous photos were taken.

Looking from the parking lot in the village, up Highway 8.  Not much in the village.  Quiet.

I turned around and took this photo.  A taxi waiting for a fare, our bus and driver also waiting.

Time to leave, here, walking down the parking lot to our bus.  

We drove back down Highway 8 east through Taroko Gorge. 

Another stop along the highway that we missed on our way up.

A long shot of the above photo.  There is a walkway that zig zags up the mountain.  It begins just to left on the mountain side, you can see some folks walking on the trail in this photo.  If you look upward from the temple in the distance, you can see the trail cut into the mountain as it winds it's way along upward. There is a pagoda way up toward the top of this mountain, the only way to visit is by hiking up along the trail.  

We load up and head for our next stop, a Aborigine resort where we'll enjoy a great lunch!

Our lunch stop.  

Open this link to the Leader Village Taroko and read about the village.

Also watch a video taken at the village, audio is in Chinese, but the pictures help explain it.

We're greeted by this warrior statue.

This was a great lunch. 

Top left, green salad (note the stick of fresh okra) a bowl of pork flavoured clear soup with  vegetables, a large serving of rice served in a large piece of bamboo, I don't recall what the bowl in the right corner contained.  In the center, green steamed vegetables, including a slice of baked sweet potato, front left, the main course, BBQ fish, a plate of various BBQ mushrooms and a dish of medium fresh salsa.  Chop sticks and a fork.  Hot tea and a serve yourself area for drinks and desserts.

This was the view from our dining room.

I walked outside and onto the lawn and took this photo.  

The (hotel) cabins are in the background.

There were flower beds just off the dining room and they were loaded with all sorts of bugs and butterflies.

Tomorrow, we will finish-up day three.  We've still got a lot to see, We've just stepped out of the dining room and there are a number of photos of this area yet to see as well as the marble factory and a small museum.  Really interesting stuff - see you tomorrow.