Articles in Lanyu Trip
Lanyu 001 – Arrangements and Train to Taitung
The legendary trip to Lanyu (Orchid Island) doesn’t begin until tomorrow morning at 7:18 (that’s when my train leaves for Taitung), but I’ll begin the official account today. It’s 8:30 in the morning and I’m in a coffee shop near work. I have half an hour and a cup of coffee and Beth Orton playing on the Nano.
Other than booking the trains, boats, and planes …
Lanyu 002 – Fugang Harbor and Boat to Lanyu
Friday April 2, 2010
I woke up to some grey skies. Those grey skies came with some wind and rain, and that meant some pretty heavy seas. The boat was quite large (I thought), but I guess large is a relative concept when you’re out in open ocean. The waves out there didn’t care how big the boat was. They tossed the boat around like it …
Lanyu 003 – My Yami Underground House
Saturday April 3, 2010
So far, I couldn’t ask for a better birthday. The magic is still in the air. It is still cloudy and a bit rainy, but it adds a bit of drama to the scenery. I’m sure it would be much better if it were sunny, but the extreme weather, occasional high winds and dark clouds makes it all pretty interesting if a …
Lanyu 004 – Coast Road North of Taitung
One of my favorite things to do in Taiwan is to ramble. I get on my scooter and simply drive around the mountains looking for small adventures. It’s surprising how many tiny roads you come across when you start looking for them. It’s even more surprising how many beautiful and interesting places those roads lead to.
On the last day of my Lanyu trip, I went …
Lanyu 005 – Practical Info for Visiting Lanyu
The Many Names of Lanyu
Lanyu has been known by many names. While the Ching Dynasty controlled Taiwan (1683-1895) it was known as Hongtou, which means Redhead Island. (This refers, by the way, to a mountain which turns red during sunsets, not to redheaded people.) During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan (1895-1945), it was called Kotosho, which also means Redhead Island but in Japanese. The Puyuma …