Taiwan -A few videos

Hi all,
This year Google wants me to go through YouTube for videos. I apologize for the quality, I’ll work on that issue later. Just wanted you to see a few videos on Infrastructure. The US transportation system (Mass not highways) is embarrassing after you visit Asia. We have a long way to go.

and retail is still alive and well here in Taiwan, maybe they haven’t discovered Amazon yet. The department store pictures were taken on an ordinary Thursday night at 9:30 PM!  I hope these video links work, if they do enjoy

High Speed Train

My Garmin says 182 mph!!

Taipei Metro (MRT) Transfer Station


SoGo Department Store Taipei Shopping District Thursday Night@ 9:30pm

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Tainan - Taiwan History

One Taiwan city I visited along the western coast was Tainan. The history of Tainan is a lot about the history of Taiwan. Small numbers of mainland Han Chinese lived in Taiwan migrating from the region in China adjacent to the island joining Taiwan’s indigenous tribes. And then came the Dutch in the exploration time of history, early to mid 1600’s. The Dutch offered incentives to the Chinese to work the land, oxen, seeds and tools and the Chinese flooded in. They brought modern methods of farming and finance. The Dutch built forts to defend the area. Rice and sugar was exported in great quantities, the economy grew and Tainan became the most well developed part of the island through the 18th century. It became Taiwan’s early capital city, moving it to Taipei in the late 1800’s

I think I said in an earlier blog it is also a city renowned all over Taiwan for its special food and desserts. Yup! I tried much of it. A few pictures of Tainan and to old port area of Anping:

Motorscooters - Taiwan’s people mover

Hi all,
You know how something is buzzing around you for a long time and you finally “see” it? This is the case with the scooters everywhere in Taiwan. They are the transportation of choice for everyone. Taiwan has the largest number of them in all of Asia.  I’ve seen very young to very old, men women, girls and boys all riding or driving during this whole trip. Finally I started looking closely at them. These things are really cool! Much better than the Cushmans or others I’ve seen in the US which look a little frumpy. These are well designed and resemble their “crotch rocket” bigger brothers.  I went to the local Yamaha shop and window shopped. Here they run from $2,000 to $3,000 USD, average about $2,500 each. 125cc max.  Probably couldn’t touch them for that at home. Here are some I liked:

Police “Cars”

Lukang Village Market

Hi all,
I had to stop and do this one live, a journalist on assignment thing :) It’s about markets in Asia. These are no once a week farmers market deals, these are daily serious markets where local folks and restaurants buy their food.... fresh!  Here in Lukang there are a lot of fresh vegetables compared to the big city markets since it is so close to the growing fields. This market is not only in the street for about 4 blocks, but under cover as well over one city block - huge! The pictures tell the story:

The Taiwan People

Hi all,
I think I have already mentioned how wonderful the people are here in Taiwan. Everyday I experience some act of concern or kindness or effort to help the traveler. This morning when I arrived at the Changhua train station it wasn’t real obvious where you go to pick up the bus to get to the village of Lukang. I went to a line of buses but that turned out to be a staging area lol. So I figured time to ask. Over to the booth with a huge ? On the wall.. ah this must be the place. I ask the attendant in the window through an obscured peep hole. He said “wait there”...huh? I’m thinking.. he walked out of his office, around the large room he was in which was quite a walk, came over to me and took me to the door and pointed way across the street and said over there by the Police station. Ahh now I see.   Shie Shie! Thank you

Do you think you would get that service from AMTRAK?   :)
Here are a few random people pictures:

Kk

Taiwan Evening Meal

Hi all,

I arrived in Tainan yesterday. It’s on the Western coast of the island nation. Tainan is the old capital city and is deep in history and culture, going back to the Dutch rule in the 17th century (more on that later). But one thing Tainan is known for is its great and distinct food much admired by the rest of Taiwan. One of the great traditions all over Taiwan is having meals out with family and friends. More than half of the Taiwan people eat all their meals out. I have gone to only a couple of traditional restaurants, most of my meals I get by walking along the streets and looking for a busy place that I know is popular with the locals.

Last night was no exception, except I had one of Tainan’s traditional dishes - cooked eel over noodles. Yea a great vegetarian meal right? Actually I asked via google translator if they had a vegetarian plate, the waitress said no, but I have fish. How about eel? I said go for it, and asked if I would like it. She just laughed. She spoke great English, didn’t need google :)

It was good! Tasted a bit like river trout. Here. Is the scene:

Food Taiwan Style

Hi all,

One of the rewarding things about travel is the chance to try different foods from different countries and cultures. Taiwan was no exception. The food is basic Chinese in origin, with dumplings (remember DimSum?) different meats, rolls and Soy. As a vegetarian, although meats were very prevalent, I really had no problem since the Buddhist influence added many non meat dishes to cultural food choices. Here are some things I tried:

The Grand Canyon of Taiwan

Earlier in the week I booked a tour of Taroko Gorge on the east side of the island a little north of the city of Hualien. This is THE top tourist spot in Taiwan. Millions of years ago the corals in the ocean under pressure were converted to limestone and then to marble. The collision of adjoining tectonic plates caused this layer to raise up high above ocean levels. Then soft portions eroded by water and wind over millions of years, similar to our own Grand Canyon, created this beautiful gorge 18 kilometers long. Many places are just a stones throw apart.

The tour guide spoke only Chinese of course (that was a trip listening all day :) ) but as is typical of these wonderful Taiwan people, several of my fellow tour members took care of me during the day with key translations on tour logistics.  Here are some pictures of this amazing place: