Taiwan Connections

 

 

 

At Buluowan in Taroko National Park 太魯閣國家公園  one can have a traditional aboriginal lunch. Specially interesting is "bamboo rice".  I am not sure if they cook the rice inside the bamboo or they put it inside the bamboo after cooking.

Some of the colours and costume reminded me of Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland. No wonder because this area is populated by Atayal 泰雅 aborigines of Taiwan. They are the descendant of the people from southern China and Northern Laos who crossed over to Taiwan about 7000 years ago. These areas are not too far from northern Burma.

One does not realise it, but Taiwan is more south than Nepal. Latitudes from Kagoshima 鹿児島県 to Okinawa 沖縄本島 is the same as Nepal's latitude. Taiwan is further south. Kaoshiung is the same latitude as Calcutta. As a result even in mid January in the mountains one could already see cherry and other blossoms.

Images: At Bulowan Taroko National Park, Taiwan. January 2013.