Taiwan - the Road to Fonglin

The "Rice Box" of Eastern Taiwan
The fertile valley south of Hualien, which runs between a coastal mountain range and a larger inland range for a hundred miles, supplies much of the rice and many of the vegetables eaten in eastern Taiwan.  We were headed to a farm in a small town called Fonglin but were treated to plenty of beauty along the way.  This field of "you cai hua" translates to mustard greens, I believe.

In the off season, when no rice is being grown, the fields are overtaken by flowers.

There were miles and miles of these on either side of the road.

Jennifer pulled over so Rebecca could buy me some buddha head fruit.  Apparently Buddha had a knobby cranium and this fruit was so-named in his honor.

It is very soft, when you pick it up it feels almost mushy.  There is a fleshy white fruit inside with large, flat black seeds.  It tastes almost exactly like a mango, but more fragrant.  Quite delicious.