Lives in the Lotus Blossom, Chapter 08: Down by the Station, Early in the Morning

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Commuting by train certainly has its advantages—in terms of lower cost and less aggravation. It takes me ten minutes to get to the station on my motorbike (because I take the not-so-scenic “Colwood Strip” route), but twenty to get home because I take Jung Shan Lu down to the waterfront and take Hai An Lu (Peaceful Ocean St) home. It is getting dark by the time I get to the waterfront, but the palm trees are illuminated and the ride is very pleasant.

When I get to the train station in the morning, the sun is just coming up—at this time of year anyway. The mountains are a lovely purple colour, and the city is just coming to life. It’s a good start to the day.

Coming home is not so much fun. The train is usually crowded, and tighter-than-the-bark-on-a-tree monthly pass holders like me do not rate an assigned seat. More often than not, I have to stand the whole way home.

It was cloudy and rainy all weekend, with more of the same coming. However, it is still quite warm--up to 30 degrees. After all this time, I am still blindsided--it's cool in the air-condtioned train or car, and the heat and humidity hit like a blanket when I go outside.

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Photos

My Limo Ride to School
The coaches are kept in pristine condition.

Down By The Station...
Hualien Station on Sunday Afternoon. My morning pictures were all too dark.

...Early in the Morning...
People park their motorbikes right in the entrance, because they are too lazy to walk back, leaving barely enough room to squeeze through. This is another argument against a big motorcycle. A 125 is a nice compromise.

...See the Little Puffer-Bellies...
The vast majority of the trains carry passengers not freight.

...All In a Row...
This is the new hot-damn train to Taipei. The overheard electric wires stop at Hualien, so south of there the trains need to switch to deisel-electric.

See the Stationmaster Pull the Little Handle
They don't even ask to see my pass at Guangfu Station anymore.

Puff Puff! Toot Toot! Off We Go!
Catch you on the flip-flop, good buddy.

ROC Armed Forces Recruiting Poster at the Station
If our soldiers are brave enough to draw happy faces on their chevrons, just for the kick of watching the warrant burst a blood vessel, then God help the Peoples Liberation Army!

Guangfu Already...
...and the view from the breakfast table. I can't call it a sidewalk cafe, because there is no sidewalk.

Hai An Lu, in the Daylight
"Peaceful Ocean St", is a nice name, but the Hai isn't very An when the typhoons come slashing.

More of my "Grandchildren"
With one of my smaller classes, I have a story time as a listening activity.

Jung Jeng Lu, Hualien...
...in light Sunday morning traffic.

There are Beautiful Murals Everywhere...
...in the city, as well as really creative stone sculptures.

Motorbike Underpass, Below the Tracks.
I hate having to pass a bicycle under there, or an elderly person in a four-wheeled electric scooter.

Quan Yin Statue...
...at Oceanside Park.

Serendipitous Stumbling on to a Riverside Park.
Pine Grove Hostel is on a hill to the left.

Old Houses from the Japanese Era
(1895-1945) are derelict but being restored.

Penny-Farthing Sculpture on Hai An Lu...
...is lit up at night. It was interesting during the day (framing a departing ship), and very beautiful in the dark.

Voici le Pad
We are comfortable in our Hualien home.

Beautiful Downtown Guangfu!
How many kazillion pictures have I taken of this place? This is the Yates and Douglass of Guangfu--Jung Shan Lu looking towards Jung Jeng Lu. The inevitable 7-11 is on the corner. Oddly, the main intersection in Hualien City is Jung Shan/Jung Jeng Sts also.