Hualien
We spent two weeks in Taiwan, and most of that time we were in Taipei. We did go on one excursion, to Hualien, a city on the east coast of the island. The main attraction in Hualien is the Taroko Gorge. But our trip surprised and delighted as soon as we got on the train- when we bought tickets, we saw an option to add a bento box meal for about $2.50 (bento boxes are a legacy from when the Japanese colonized Formosa). We didn't know what to expect, but when it arrived it was much tastier than we had dared to hope! It included rice, a stewed egg, chicken, and some veggies. Unfortunately, the bentos can only be added at the time of ticket purchase, so we weren't able to order more for the ride back! Yum! Once we debarked the train in Hualien, we made our way to the Shining Forest Hostel. On the way, we stopped for a boba tea- it was the worst boba we've ever had , and the only bad boba we had in Taiwan! Fortunately the hostel did not disappoint- there were so few pe