Those who have been saying Taiwan is not doing enough to give bicyclists space to ride, as an alternative form of travel, rather merely as a form of leisure are wrong. Look at this picture, for example. Last weekend, I rode my scooter to Ilan once again. On my way back, driving North up the East Coast highway, this roadwork was clearly evident again and again. In the parts that are closer to Ilan, the bicycle paths have already been built, but it looks like they are going to be finished the paths going all the way up to Keeluing in a couple of weeks, if not a month.
3 comments:
It's great that you live close enough to the cross-island highway to make a ride to the East Coast possible. I'm not sure how long such a trek would take from Taichung.
Keelung has some interesting sights, but the city is a nightmare traffic-wise. I'd recommend taking a train there, and walking through the downtown area for a few hours.
I've read somewhere that swimming on the East Coast can be dangerous as the island literally plunges into the sea in some places, resulting in relatively deep water close to shore and treacherous currents.
Speaking of swimming, I'm thinking of taking Amber up to Chiding Beach to go swimming sometime soon. Would you like to join us if we go?
"[Keelung] is a nightmare traffic-wise. I'd recommend taking a train there, and walking through the downtown area for a few hours."
Excellent advice. Of course, if you can manage to find a place that rents bicycles, that would be good, too.
Keelung is relatively flat, and the twon is small enough to navigate by bicycle in a very short time (if you don't always stop at every light, of course - as long as you look and be careful).
"[...]Swimming on the East Coast can be dangerous as the island literally plunges into the sea in some places, resulting in relatively deep water close to shore and treacherous currents."
It seems like it, although the daredevil aspect is what I suspect tempts surfers to this coast, particularly during typhoon season (my two colleagues being a case in point).
"Would you like to join us if we go?"
I'd love to go. Or even Bali (near Danshui).
Bali's beach is small, but beautiful, and free. Both would be great. Citing is nice because it's close.
I've never been there (except to drive past the West Coast Highway).
I've been to Bali and to Kenting, but never ever got a chance to swim or even put my toes in the ocean the whole time I've been here in Taiwan. I'm hoping to change that trend.
"I've read somewhere that swimming on the East Coast can be dangerous as the island literally plunges into the sea in some places, resulting in relatively deep water close to shore and treacherous currents."
I don't know about Ilan, but some of the water off Hualien is very deep, but what makes it dangerous is not the undertow by itself, but the strong undertow in conjunction with the height and especially the frequency of the waves. It's the relentless one-after-another of the waves that will drown you by leaving you no time to surface for air.
I found out the scary (and stupid) way.
Further south in Taitung county, some way north of Taitung city there are some much better, safer and more tranquil spots along the beach, but you have to know where they are.
I had planned to go there this week, but... typhoon.
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