Taiwan National Highway No. 61

On Friday May 25th 2018, Eleng and I took Taiwan National Highway No. 61, also known as West Coast Highway or Poor People's Highway (meaning 'toll-free'), southbound, all the way from the head to the tail of this island.

Officially in statistics, the length of Taiwan National Highway No. 61 reaches 351.4 km (195.98 mi). It begins at Bali District New Taipei City and ends at Qigu District Tainan City.

With speed limits ranging between 90 km/hr and 30 km/hr, this Highway offers itself as the third north-south corridor in the west in addition to National Highway No. 1 (Sun Yat-sen Freeway, completed in 1978) and National Highway No. 3 (Formosa Freeway, completed in 2004).

Our trip, however, took 525 km in 7 hours in total.

The west coast of Taiwan where National Highway No. 61 strides features industrial areas, wind farms, harbors, flat wetland, and the immense blue surface of Taiwan Strait.

Wind farms against a navy canvas embroidered with  the sea and the sky  are the most breathing-taking view in the northern and central sections of the Highway.

Also, the Highway prizes its multiple bridge designs, such as the extradosed Yong-an Bridge (永安脊背橋) in Taoyuan City or the Rushgrass Bridge (藺草脊背橋) in Taichung City.

In this photo is the Waterfowl Bridge (水鳥脊背橋). It prays that the town of Wang-gung in Taichung may soar like a bird higher and higher in prosperity.

First detour: Baisha-jia Lighthouse in Guanyin District Taoyuan City.

Completed in 1901, the third lighthouse built in the Japanese Occupation Period.

Second detour: Fang-yuan Lighthouse in Fang-yuan Township Changhua County.

At first look, I thought it was fake, made only of cardboard! Funny. Sorry; didn't mean to offend the genius behind its creation.

Completed in 1983, it is the youngest among the thirty-five lighthouses in Taiwan (19 on the big island and 16 on off-shore islets).

I especially enjoyed this stretch in the southern section of the Highway.

Driving on the road that cuts through a body of waters somehow reminds me of an ancient road trip from Mississippi to New Orleans. Of course, the scale is not the same; my impression, though, is equally deep.

What a  beautiful sunset lying low above the surface of Taiwan Strait.

In reality, National Highway No. 61 is not yet done. News advise that we should look forward to the end of 2019 to witness its final  completion.

I can't wait.