清水斷崖 Chingshui Cliff

I walked down 清水斷崖 (Chingshui Cliff) today... sort of... although I did not get to go all the way down... I did managed to go down and back up in one piece... 清水斷崖 (Chingshui Cliff) is a part of the Taroko National Park lasting for around 21 km.  About 5 km of the cliff extends along the coastline and rises almost perpendicular from the Pacific Ocean.  Like the rest of the mountains in Taiwan, the steep mountains in the east coast such as Chingshui mountain is formed due to the continental drift with the Philippine Sea Plate continuing to slide under the Eurasian Plate.  Which the steepness we see above the sea level also translate into the steepness below the sea level... drops in hundreds meters in altitude within tens of meters off shore.

Such huge drops inevitable will result in undercurrents in the water... thus, so I was told, it makes it dangerous for you to go into the water unless you are on one of the rare sand beaches in the vicinity.

The last time I took my parents to  清水斷崖 (Chingshui Cliff) in 2006, I was still physical capable but did not take the walk.  (Should've known better?  How'd anyone know?)

So, I took my time and did my walk... the not-so-steep slope also helped...


Although I did not get to make it all the way down... because I had to make sure I could carry myself back up in one piece and without making the rest of the people waiting for mes, myselves, and Is for too long... I made it far enough for myself and I am happy about it-- not to mention, without a cane.  From not even able to move after Jan. 7th, 2011 (yet again), to bringing myself down to ground zero by trying to get up to see St. Paul and them canons on Mount Fortress in Macau, to my still be in one piece right now after today's attempt... sure, I have not gone all the way day to the waterfront and touched the Pacific ocean... and the not-so-steep slopes might have helped.... yet, this is one of the biggest achievement I have made so far since Jun. 19th, 2007.

One thing I can say to myself is that... all them ground work I put all things down for... to walk... one step at a time on flat surface or on slopes... whether it looks like walking or not... it paid off!

When you go to Hualien, I hope you can take some time to enjoy a walk I took... (though all the way done not).