Tack on Taiwan

I read with interest David Patten’s piece on his visit to Taiwan with Adventures Abroad (April ’16, pg. 6). When I wanted to visit in 2010, I couldn’t find a Western tour company that went there, so I wound up traveling by myself.

I entirely agree that the Taroko Gorge is very scenic. I slept in Hualien City rather than in the gorge, itself. I visited one day using a car and driver booked through my hotel and on another day using the local bus.

My second-favorite location was Tainan, in the south, which I reached by high-speed train. (The high-speed trains run down the west side of the island. The trains on the east side are slower.)

There are a number of interesting temples in Tainan, and, since the island was spared the ravages of the Cultural Revolution, they feel more authentically historic than some of those in mainland China. I agree that the Dutch ruins in Anping, just outside Tainan, were disappointing.

While Taiwan may not be a substitute for visiting the mainland, it is an excellent addition. And US citizens don’t need visas for visits of up to 90 days.

KATHY WILHELM

Cary, NC