Hualien or Bust! (Day 5)

                                                                                              Saturday, June 11
 Hello,
    Well, I got all of yesterday's post done, but couldn't get the video to work.  Somehow in trying to fix that, I lost all the writing and photos, and the post from last Wednesday appeared in the Day 5 slot.  I am in over my head, and unwilling to delete that post in case someone with more IT knowledge knows how to find my lost memoirs.  Or should I say--lost memory?  GO Molly!  She got the videos on.  She is MUCH more patient with computers than me.
   But I still have to rewrite it--and save it on Pages, in case I hit that magic button again.  Maybe this one will come out funnier?  Or not.  I'm going to pretend like it is still Saturday.  If I asked any of the others, they would happily agree that it is Saturday due to them being so confused on what day it really is.  Dad is doing the best on that since he has his little thing of pills for each day--he just looks at that and knows!
   It rained all Friday night, and this morning we had a thunderstorm.  One of the lightening bolts was just outside my balcony.  Unbeknownst to us, it took out the elevators.  When we left to head down to the taxi, no elevator.  We walked down 12 flights of steps--with luggage!  I can't really complain since I was doing the last round of my apt to be sure everything was shut off, so Dave took my suitcase down.  I only carried an umbrella--until Molly noticed that and generously shared some of her load.  12 flights down is not bad at all.  We are all hoping that we don't have to go 12 flights up!
   The plane ride to Hualien was nice and short--1 hour.  The hotel shuttle picked us up and we got to see some great scenery on the 45 min ride to the hotel.  We are in Taroko Gorge and it is beautiful.  Peaceful. Loads of crickets.  The sound of rushing water as two rivers join forces.  The perfect place to relax.  We are hoping to see stars.

Hualien from the airplane.  And then I found out I wasn't supposed to take pictures.

On our bus ride to Taroko Gorge

More from the bus

 We had a great Chinese dinner last night.  Dad is determined to conquer the chopsticks.
   Okay, end of post.  Hello to all,
amy

  Molly spent more than an hour making these work.  Here are Chopsticks II and Chopsticks III in the continuing drama.....

and now III.  Don't blink--it's only 5 seconds long.  And the peanut was gone in a flash!