Green Island 綠島

Heading to Taitung
Devin and Katy

Devin's beautiful smile!

I like both their faces as well!  Hehe!
Allison and Kristi

Me and Allison

Erin's always excited about something.
Libby and Erin

We stayed the night in a hostel in Taitung.  The next day, we took a 50 minute ferry ride to Green Island.  Devin, Libby, Kristi, Katy and I stood on the back deck outside.  It was helpful to feel the fresh air on our faces.  I didn't realize that the ocean waves could rock a big boat so much.  I, who opted out of taking motion-sickness pills, was the only one in our group who got "sick".  Go figure.

Waiting to board the ferry.
Devin, Erin (excited), Katy

Stoic

We have a thing for the Taiwan flag.

Ladies and their scarves

We got wet.  Kristi got it worse than me.

"Land Ho!"

"We see Green Island!"

Ferry To Green Island

When we got to beautiful Green Island, we got scooters and went to our hostel.  This was the nicest place I stayed at while in Taiwan.  We, of course, went for a scooter ride around the island.  It was so beautiful to ride along the rugged coast line.  Taiwan is just so gorgeous!  Kristi was my scooter buddy.  The scenic route around the island took about an hour.  Part way around, Devin's scooter broke down and wouldn't start.  We had a deadline, and had no time to lose.  I had the wonderful opportunity to be as the Taiwanese.  We put three people on a scooter, and I got to be the driver!  I have had the secret desire to do that sometime.  Yea!  Dream fulfilled.  Kristi and Allison were my passengers and it was an adventure.  Lots of squealing, more than necessary.  Haha!  I was in control.

The hostel lobby

"Insert Key For Power"

We ate lunch here...twice.

First Group Photo
Devin, Kristi, Erin, Katy, Libby, Me, Allison

This is how we do.
I am extremely focused on being a scooter master.
And Kristi is taking pictures.

Devin, Libby, Kristi, Katy

I like this picture of Erin and Kristi.

Help!

Creepers!
Allison and Erin

I tried to take a picture of the three of us, but you can't see Allison.

My proudest moment!  JK!
Tripling it up on the scooter.

Everyone wore helmets.  They took theirs off for the picture.
I am secure in my protected-head gorgeousness.

Scootering Green Island

When we got back into town, I got to go snorkeling (at Dabaisha Beach) for my first time ever.  I wish we had pictures, but everyone forgot to bring a camera.  It was a sight to behold with everyone in their full-body wetsuits, boots, life vests, snorkels and goggles.  We looked like a bunch of loonies.  Snorkeling was so much fun!  Sometimes I forget that I was on a tropical island.  There was rust colored coral and lots of rainbow colored fish.  They were so pretty.  We were given bread and with that in hand the fish swarmed around me kissing my fingers to get at the bread.  It was so cool to be so close to the fish!  That was my favorite thing.

A funny thing about Green Island is you see goats tied up all over the place.  I even saw a full grown deer tied up in front of a house.  Devin told me that it was their dinner.  So, that night when we went to Crazy Fried for dinner, I ordered venison.  Horrible, I know!

I spy goats!

At Crazy Fried

Later in the evening, we went to the Zhaori Hot Springs.  On the way there, my scooter broke down.  We had to leave it on the side of the road.  The hot springs were unique.  There are only three natural salt water hot springs in the world: in Italy, Japan and Green Island.  It was very relaxing to sit in the hot springs and look out on the ocean.

This is a picture of the hot springs during the day.
Picture taken from this website.

After soaking for a while, we decided to try and get my broken scooter closer to town.  I pushed the scooter until I would come to a downward slope and then I would coast down as far as I could.  A lot of the way, I tried to run while straddling the scooter seat.  My roommates thought that was such a hilarious sight.  They said I looked like a lizard.  I felt like a roadrunner.  When I got too tired to go on anymore, I parked the scooter on the side of the road.  We all gazed at the stars.  There were no city lights, just the big black sky.  There were so many stars!  We even saw a shooting star!

The next morning we woke up very early to go see the sunrise near Sleeping Beauty rock.  It was the perfect spot, overlooking the ocean and beautiful rocky mountains on the coastline.  We got to our spot much too early, but we got to see the transformation from night to day.  We didn't forget our cameras this time.  The sunrise was magical!

Waiting for the sun.

Little Great Wall

Libby's idea

Devin's photo
Miniature mode.

We...must...jump!

Kristi's turn to drive.
Pre-departure.

Notice how focused she is.

Kristi is still driving.

Green Island has cool seashells.  We spent a nice chunk of time searching for them on the beach.  It was a very zen relaxing experience, just like looking for rocks on the beach in Hualien.

Libby

"Say what?"

Erin, Devin, Me, Kristi, Allison

Searching for seashells

This is how Libby searches.

She's still driving.

This is how I really feel about the matter.

We also visited a lighthouse on the island's northeast tip.  It was actually donated by the US government after one of our ships hit the coastal rocks and sank in 1937.

We went to the Green Island Human Rights Memorial Park.  It used to be a prison which was named Oasis Villa by its inmates.  Green Island was under martial law for more than 40 years.  The prison held thousands of political prisoners until 1987.  I sat next to an older Taiwanese man on the airplane back to America, and we talked about Taiwan's history.  Anyway, when he was in high school, one of his friends wrote a political slogan on the bathroom stall wall, got caught, and was sent to this concentration camp/prison for five years to reform.

Erin wins the prize for best flag picture.  I had several choices.

Political slogans.

Are you supposed to be doing that?

Going up...
Kristi and Erin

Haha!

At the top of a watch tower.
Allison, Me, Kristi

Prison cells
Allison, Libby, Katy, Devin, Erin, Me

I see you.
Allison

"Let me out of here!"
Me 

Libby and her piggies.

We went to Guanyin Cave where inside there is a small temple where a stalagmite wears a cape to represent  Guanyin, the goddess of mercy.  And went to a cement wall in the middle of a field.

Katy, Allison, Me, Kristi, Erin, Libby

There's a light at the end of the tunnel.

Random wall

Erin peeping...

Kristi sat on a prickly green thing!

Erin took a picture.

We love scooters!

All in all, we had a great Christmas vacation on Green Island.  The ferry ride back to Taiwan was much better, because I was asleep most of the way.  我愛台灣!

The moustache must make an appearance.

Very Sleepy....

Very very sleepy...