Loa on the Go

Off on another train! The train system, like all transport here, is so organized and has been a great way to view the countryside. When we arrived at Chishang, a well-known rice growing region, we were greeted by cute maps and cute train station cats.

In Chishang, there is an extensive set of bike pathways through the rice fields. The rice was currently about ready to harvest, so it was a beautiful golden color. It was a sunny day, the first of our trip, with a light and refreshing wind. We rented bikes for about $3 each, left our luggage with the bike guy we had just met, and headed out.

Much like the day before, it was hard to capture the expanse and beauty of the landscape in pictures. It was also such a treat to bike around and move our bodies in a different way.

For lunch, I was looking at the map on my phone and Jensen (looking in real life) said “what’s that place there?” It turned out to be a couple who moved from elsewhere in Taiwan and had opened up a handmade noodle shop. I got wonton noodle soup, Jensen got sesame noodles, we shared seasonal greens. One of my favorite meals so far this trip!

We returned to the train, admired more scenery along the way, and arrived in Taitung where we took our first bus of the trip to get into town.

Taitung we found to be a land of very few sidewalks, so navigating the motorcycles, dogs, and cars proved to be a full-time job. We did a loop around town, seeing massive fruit and veggie stands, little arcades (common everywhere) and plenty of things to eat. I had asked Jensen earlier in the day what he wanted for dinner and he said, “Taiwanese food” (haha). We made that happen.

In a moment of kindness, a woman at the restaurant helped us order, making sure we got the pork rice we had been dying to try. She happened to know a fair amount of English, and made sure we had enough to eat in a way that made me feel very cared for.

After a long day, we were worn out but so satisfied. Cheers!