Man, what a day! I’m tellin’ ya, Hualien City is a wild ride. I woke up this mornin’ in my little hotel on Zhongshan Road, and I was like, “Today’s gonna be chill.” Spoiler alert: it was NOT chill.
First off, I hit up this local breakfast spot on Guosheng Road. I ordered some dan bing (egg crepes) and a cup of soy milk. I mean, who doesn’t love a good dan bing, right? But then, the waiter totally messed up my order. I got this weird tofu dish instead. I was like, “Dude, I didn’t sign up for a tofu surprise!” But hey, I rolled with it. Tofu’s cool, I guess.
After breakfast, I decided to stroll along the beautiful Qixingtan Beach. The waves were crashin’, and the sun was shinin’. I thought, “This is the life!” But then, outta nowhere, a seagull swoops down and snatches my hat! I’m chasin’ this bird like a madman, flappin’ my arms, yellin’, “Come back, you feathered thief!” People were lookin’ at me like I was nuts. Whatever, man. It was my favorite hat!
So, I finally gave up on the hat heist and headed to the Taroko Gorge. OMG, it’s like nature’s own Instagram filter. The marble cliffs, the river, the whole vibe is just breathtaking. I was takin’ pics like a tourist on steroids. But then, I got lost. Like, seriously lost. I took a wrong turn on the Zhuilu Old Trail. I thought I was gonna end up in another dimension or somethin’.
I was wanderin’ around, and I stumbled upon this group of locals. They were chillin’ and playin’ cards. I asked ‘em for directions, and they just laughed. I mean, c’mon! I’m a lost foreigner here! But they were super nice and offered me some snacks. I tried this weird jelly thing. Not sure what it was, but it was oddly delicious.
After finally findin’ my way back, I was feelin’ pretty accomplished. I mean, I survived the gorge! But then, I got hit with a sudden downpour. Like, seriously? I was drenched in seconds. I ducked into a little shop on Fuxing Street to escape the rain. The owner was this sweet old lady who offered me a cup of hot tea. I was like, “Bless you, lady!”
While I was sippin’ my tea, I noticed all these cool trinkets and souvenirs. I ended up buyin’ a bunch of stuff I didn’t need. But hey, who can resist cute stuff? I got a little jade turtle and a bunch of postcards. I’m gonna be the postcard king when I get back home!
Finally, I made my way back to the hotel, soaked but happy. I plopped down on my bed, and my phone buzzed. It was a message from my students. They wanted to meet up for dinner. I was like, “Sure, why not?”
We hit up this night market on Zhonghua Road. The food was insane! I tried stinky tofu for the first time. Let me tell ya, it’s called “stinky” for a reason. But I kinda liked it? I’m not sure if I should be proud or ashamed.
The night ended with us laughin’ and talkin’ about life. I felt so connected to these kids. Hualien City, man, it’s got this vibe that just pulls you in.
So yeah, my day was a rollercoaster. From lost hats to new friends, Hualien City is a place I won’t forget. I’m exhausted, but in the best way possible. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!