The dance competitions will interest mainly those who know Native American dance; there are various divisions, including Grass Dancers and Fancydancers.  The opening ceremonies are worth watching, however: the Squaxin Island Tribe, who host the event, wear traditional Northwest Coast regalia, including button blankets, hats made of cedar or mountain goat wool, and garments of cedar bark.  The competitors and vendors represent First Nations from all over North America, and there will be much of interest to see, hear, and taste.

The all-transsexual staff was what attracted me to the place; as a member of the LGBT community, I tend to gravitate toward others in the same category.  These women were fabulous in their skinny jeans and midriff-baring tops.  The hard part was figuring out that I was supposed to just walk in and take a chair; in my home country, these kinds of establishments have receptionists to vet incoming clients.  Anyway, once in the chair, there was no need to speak enough Spanish to explain what I wanted; the stylist had a good sense of what would look good on me, so I just let her go to work, trusting that it would come out right.  Also, the price was only $3 -- that's US$3, since the US$ is Ecuador's official currency.  If you are in the North Coast of Ecuador long enough to need a haircut, I recommend Angel de Luna.

Because it is a hike to get here from the day-trippers' area, I found no one in sight -- look north, look south, not a soul in sight.  So here was a good place to strip down -- my very own nude beach, and who's gonna know?  My only spectators were the wild horses.  Here is an endless sand beach with rolling surf, great for swimming and playing in the water.

Unfortunately, this establishment closed in June 2011.

This is the most spectacular place I have seen in all Taiwan (and several other countries).  The canyon is natural marble, so its walls are boldly banded in black and white.  Yenzikou (Cave of the Swallows) is best visited during the summer nesting season, when thousands of swifts (not swallows) swarm about it.  I was there in the winter (close to Lunar New Year), and went to Wenshan Hot Spring -- the only hot spring left in Taiwan which has not had a spa resort built over it.  The shuttle buses were running at that time, but went only as far as Tienhsiang; it was a pleasant hike from there to Wenshan.  The hot springs are so hot, I felt like I was about to boil, but that was good, since that is what it takes to relieve my rheumatic feet.  At Lyushui, the trail passes through a dark tunnel; unless you like to feel your way in total darkness, like I did, bring a flashlight.

One of the good things about Taroko is that there are members of the local aboriginal tribe living in the area.  At the food stalls, you can get sticky rice prepared in the traditional aboriginal way, wrapped in large leaves.  At Tienhsiang, there were even aboriginal people selling bottles of their traditional sake-like beverage, made from millet.

I would put Taroko on any first-time itinerary of Taiwan.