Hiking Zhuilu Old Road

The best hike in Taroko Gorge, Zhuilu Old Road, offers the thrilling experience of standing over two thousand feet in the air above Taiwan's most famous gorge. The hike itself and the views from the cliff will leave any hiker feeling exposed to the sublime (aka. standing over something that is both beautiful and deadly). In fact, just a month before our trip, a hiker was caught in a gust of wind and fell to his death from the cliffs. Backing up to more mundane things, the trail was started by the aboriginal tribe living in Taroko Gorge about a century ago. Later, during their occupation of Taiwan, the Japanese developed the trial a bit more. Unfortunately, they used it to subdue the local Taroko people.

In spite of its ugly history the old road is beautiful. To access the trail, you have to plan ahead of time. You cannot just show up and hike. The national park locks it up tight and only people with the correct paperwork can get in. To get started on the paperwork, apply online for the first permit you need to access the trail. In total, you will need to apply for two permits. The earlier you start, the better, as they only allow about 60 people on the trail per day. You can apply online here.

To complete this application you will need your passport number (or ARC number), the address of where you are staying in Taiwan and a Taiwanese friend who will agree to be your emergency contact. If you’re staying at a hostel or hotel, see if you can enlist someone in management or at the reception desk to help you. Your contact does not have to be Taiwanese, but they do need to have a local phone number that is based in Taiwan. There is a possibility that someone will call and confirm the number with your contact. You will also need your contact’s national ID number and birthday.

Currently, the trail is only open for the first three kilometers. This is perfectly fine as the best views are at the beginning of the trail anyway. On the first page of the online application map your route as follows: Zhuilu Suspension Brigdge - Badagan Outpost - Cliff Outpost - Badagan Outpost - Zhuilu Suspension Bridge. Once you’ve completed the application, you will receive an email approving your permit within three days. It’s very fast. Again, there is a limit on how many permits are issued per day so it is best to apply earlier rather than later. Upside, there won’t be more than around 60 people on the trail at any given time. Not only does this help preserve the natural environment, but it also means most of your hike will be in relative privacy.

After receiving the first permit online, print out three copies. One is for you to keep, one is for the police office at Taroko and the last one is for actually entering the trail. On the day of your hike, try to get an early start and be at the trail head no later than ten in the morning. This means you should get to the Taroko visitor center by nine o’clock. At the visitor center, go to the police station and fill out the paperwork for the second permit needed to enter the trail. The station is located a short walk down the road from the actual tourist visitor center. You’ll probably see police cars parked out front. At the station, show your identification and the printed hiking permit. In return, they will give you the second hiking permit. It’s as simple as that. The whole process is very fast and completely painless. If the officer behind the desk in especially slow, it might take ten minutes.

Once you have the second permit from the police station, make your way to the trail head. There are two ways to do this. First, you can head to the visitor center and they will call a taxi to take you there. Alternatively, you can go to the Taroko bus stop. The buses run every hour and they do stop at the Zuilu Old Road trail head. It’s the same stop as Sparrow Grotto and you can see the entrance from the bus stop.

At the trail head, show your paperwork and identification to the gate keeper and he’ll unlock everything for you. (That’s right. This trail is cool enough to have a gate keeper. With suspension bridges, tunnels, ruins and cliffs, the only thing missing is the fairies.) After making everyone jealous with your apparent magical powers over the gate keeper, enjoy the hike. It’s not for the faint of heart, but the path is clearly marked. There’s no need to worry about maps or getting lost and there’s certainly no need to pay for a tour guide. The whole hike takes three to four hours. Be warned, there are a lot of stairs.

Doctors in Taiwan: Gynecologist

One a year, ladies are required to visit a local sadist and get our plumbing checked. It’s quite important actually. The gynecologist will check for tumors, cysts, diseases, etc. Any kind of doctor visit in Taiwan is fairly inexpensive and going to the gynecologist is no exception. For your first visit, expect to pay around $600 NTD or $20 USD. This includes your registration fee as well as the cost of the appointment. Without an insurance card, expect to pay a bit more, but this is still cheap compared to Western standards.

Unfortunately, some of the quality goes down with the price. In Taiwan, the breast exam is completely omitted. I guess they expect us to do that on our own time. (Like any of us actually know how to tell a cancerous lump from any of the other stuff going on in there.) Also, you are not expected to undress completely. This shouldn’t be much of a surprise since the doctors appear to have a fear of breasts.

The gynecologist will be quick and efficient though when it comes to getting your pap smear done. So much so that you’ll feel a bit more like an animal at the vet than a girl visiting the doctor. Upside: the appointment only lasts about five minutes and you can be on your way. Just don’t expect any coddling or patience when it comes getting those legs spread. The gynecologist should email you the results of the pap within two weeks.

I can personally recommend the Jung Shiao Shing Fu Clinic (Zhongxiao Xingfu OB/GYN), which is conveniently located near a great shopping center. After suffering through a completely impersonal 10 minute appointment, at least you will be able to reward yourself with a new shirt from Zara. Also, all the doctors there speak English and I think most (if not all) of them are women. (In case that matters to you.)

To get there, take the blue line to Zhongxiao Dunhua MRT station and use exit 2. After exiting the station, just walk straight for a little while (it’s not far) until you see a round shaped bank building in front of you and a Rolex place beside you. Turn there. It’s that building. Enter from the side and take the elevator to the 12th floor. If you’re not sure you’re at the right place, just hold up the address below to some strangers on the street and look confused. Taiwanese people are generally very nice and will help you.

One last note, it may be worth booking your appointment in advance. It appears that the clinic accepts both walk-ins and appointments. However, having an appointment should speed things along so you can get out and get to Zara faster. Here is the current address (as of 2016):

Jung Shiao Shing Fu Clinic
235 Zhongxiao E. Rd
12 F
Taipei City
02-2776-2222

Dogs in Taiwan: Superstitions, Expectations & Trends

Taiwanese people tend to have a very superstitious nature and because of this have a few terrible beliefs when it comes to dogs. For example, if a dog is solid black and stray, it will most likely be killed and eaten. If the dog is solid black with white paws, it will just be killed. These markings are considered unlucky and no one wants to risk catching the contaminated luck by eating the poor animal. Unfortunately, many people in Taiwan still believe in this nonsense and won’t hesitate to tell you about it. In their defense, there are quite a few wild dog packs in the city and in the mountains and yes, some of these dogs are too far gone to be rehabilitated into a home.

Strays are a big concern for Taiwan. When the mining towns closed and people migrated to the city, many dogs were abandoned. There are not very may large predators in Taiwan and, consequently, there are now a number of packs roaming the mountains. It is not uncommon to run into them and they can be aggressive. Certainly, don’t try to pet them, but I haven’t heard of them actually killing anyone. Occasionally, someone does come back with a few scratches and a bite mark though. There are even some of the packs in Taipei proper. Again, approach with caution. One last thing, apparently, it’s not unknown for dog owners to take their family pet into the mountains and let go after getting tired of it. For this reason, family dogs are no longer allowed in national parks, such as Kenting, Yangmingshan and Taroko.

Some people and organizations are trying to improve the situation. There’s at least one catch and release spay and neuter outfit going around. If the volunteers think a dog has a chance at being adopted, they will do their best to find a foster home for the animal. There are, also, half a dozen different animal shelters in Taipei alone. The big government shelter located in Neihu seems to be the most popular. However, Taiwan has its own SPCA and there’s a shelter called Animals Taiwan. If you’re thinking of adopting, try following these groups on Facebook. They regularly update their feeds with available pets. There’s another organization that frequents the big flower market under the expressway on Saturdays. They always have the cutest puppies on display.

The requirements for owning or fostering a dog in Taiwan are quite lax compared to the United States. No one expects you to have a fenced in yard or hours of free time. If you can buy your pet food and take it for a half hour walk everyday, you’re good to go. Of course, you will have to train your dog to use a designated pee pad. Also, the lack of exercise may make it crazy and bark all the time. So be honest with yourself and your responsibilities before you decide to take on a pet. If people did this to being with, the shelters would be far less crowded. For example, golden retrievers were popular in Taiwan a few years ago, but few people realized how big they would get. (The Taiwanese idea of a big dog is about 30 pounds.) Consequently, many of them ended up in the shelters. A word of advice: Try fostering first. The SPCA is always looking for a new foster family and they even pay for everything until the dog is officially adopted. Also, if you don’t speak Chinese, it’s not a problem. They are very nice and helpful.

Dog Parks

If you do decide to adopt, owning a dog in Taiwan is easy and inexpensive. There are a number of popular dog parks with designated free roaming areas. The best one is called the “number four” park and is a short walk from Yongan Market MRT Station on the orange line. (You can't miss it. It's the park with the big library in the middle of it.) At the parks, you’ll see unleashed dogs running around and having fun, especially on a Saturday afternoon. They’re great places to go and the people are very friendly. In fact, they are sometimes too friendly, but never mean. There are even a number of dog cafes in the city, and many restaurants will welcome a well-behaved pooch. I can personally recommend Tiere Pet Hotel, which doubles as a doggy day care. It’s great. People get to eat food and give dogs some attention while their owners are away.

Pet Hotels

If you need to board you dog while on a trip or just for an afternoon, there are lots of places to choose from, including Tiere Pet Hotel and Pet Pet, which is near the number four park. Pet Pet is cheaper and fine for a short term stay. If you’re going on a longer trip though, spring for Tiere Pet Hotel. They will send you Line updates, wash your dog and let it play with the customers in the café. For a small fee, they will even pick up and return your dog to your apartment. Again, if you don’t speak or write Chinese, it isn’t a problem. Someone on staff will be able to help you. Prices run between $500 and $1000 NTD per night. That’s around $12 to $30 USD, which is pretty good compared to prices back home.

Veterinary Appointments

Veterinary appointments are around the same price actually. Like boarding houses, they are extremely common and there’s bound to be at least one within walking distance of your apartment. Frontline and Heartgard are inexpensive as well. (If your dog spends any amount of time outside get Frontline. It’s the only thing strong enough. Concrete does not mean no fleas.) You can get a six month supply of each for about $2000 NTD or $60 USD. These can be found at your local vet and maybe even at your local pet store.

Pet Supply Stores

Pet supply stores are also very common and offer a wide selection of high end products, including KONG, Science Diet and other brands. I can recommend Mixed Pet Shop, Hapet, Sophie Dog and Pet Park. Hapet, Sophie Dog and Pet Park are all chain stores that you can find throughout Taipei. Mixed Pet Shop is cute little shop near the Dinxi MRT Station. All the proceeds go toward helping shelter dogs and there’s also a dog training studio above the store.

When it comes to buying food, get a Costco card. (That’s right. Taiwan has a Costco.) This could potentially save you up to $2,000 NTD a month. The most expensive bag of food at Costco is $1,500 NTD and will feed one medium sized dog for two and half months. At specialty pet supply stores, the same bag would, literally, be double the price. The cheapest bag at Costco is around $600 NTD. You won’t find dog food at this price anywhere else in Taiwan.

Apartment Expectations

If you live in an apartment, there are a few things to be aware of. First, if your dog barks loudly and often, you may be fined. Second, if you put feces in your trash bin, instead of in the organic waste pile, you might be fined. These are easy problems to fix. Just recycle the poop along with any other organic matter properly. A barking issue may be slightly more difficult to fix. If your dog is just barking (and not tearing up your apartment), consider giving your pet more exercise or trying a shock collar if things things don’t improve. I know it’s inhumane, but it’s a lot better than ending up back at the shelter.

If your dog is barking and tearing up the apartment, you may need to buy a kennel. Don’t worry, these are relatively cheap. You will have to hunt around, but you can find a large kennel for about $1000 NTD. Then buy some blankets to go in and on top of the kennel. Basically, turn it into a den for your dog. Then, of course, you will have to kennel train you dog. Here in Taiwan, if you’re dog needs to be kenneled for seven to eight hours, it isn’t considered to be a huge problem. Again, it’s terrible, but doable and a lot better than being back at the shelter.

Trends

The most popular dogs in Taiwan are (without a doubt) poodles and Shiba Inus. People here love their little bundles of pure-bred fluff. Their owners will cut crazy designs into their fur, dress them up and then push them around in strollers. (Don’t Judge! I wouldn’t want my baby walking around barefoot on a city sidewalk either.) Other popular dog breeds include the corgi and french bulldog. Since owner’s can’t cut shapes out of their fur, they settle for cutting designs into it. My favorite so far has been the batman logo. Can’t tell you how much hair cuts and baths cost, but they can’t be too expensive. I know a nail trim only costs around $50 NTD or $2 USD. Also, doggy salons can be found all over the city.