Green island getaway

Last weekend, our friend Richard organized a trip for the ten of us to visit Green island which is a very small island off the east coast of Taiwan. First we drove to Taitung which took about four hours.

The ten of us are : Richard and Jean, Ed & Kukui, Keith, Yi Fang & Joshua, and my family of three.

We stopped at a few scenic sights along the way...

Green island is beautiful, and until a few years ago, it housed the most notorious prison in Taiwan, which was where political dissidents from the Chiang Kai Shek (228) were locked up, and those were the lucky ones. Many were murdered for crimes they did not commit, but just out of pure fear of resistance to the ruling party. It was a sad chapter in the short history of Taiwan and many to this day, are still bitter and resentful. Part of the reason for the insurgence of the DDP in the years after Chiang died.

The prison now houses the most hard cored criminals of Taiwan, and because of its location, quite similar to Alcatraz. Richard is a retired Warden and has been posted twice in Green island, therefore, he took us in for a grand tour of the prison inside which is not opened to the public. We watched the inmates in their cells and all seem peaceful. Guards do not carry weapons, which is amazing given the fact that this is a maximum security institution. Daily teachings of the buddha are compulsory, and inmates earn grades so that their comfort level improves when their grades improve. Early parole is also possible when inmates show that they have been rehabilitated. 

Green island is known for its scuba diving and snorkelling. Surrounded by coral reefs and miles of sandy beaches, the marine life is abundant and various. Frankie snorkelled for the first time, and she liked it so much that we went out again the next day. 

We rode scooters around the island, and every where we went. It was fun except when it rained, and it rains a lot on the island. Reminds me quite a bit of Hawaii. 

Here are some snapshots Ed took......