Taipei Taiwan

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Took the High Speed Train from Zhoying north of Kaohsiung City to Taipei. It only took me 1.5 hrs to get there. The new Speed Train is quite lovely with spacious leg room. The cost was quite reasonable, about 1260 NT (1 CAD=31 NT) but could be less than 1000 NT if I had opted for earlier time. Traveling by Train or subway in Taipei is quite easy.
Been to the Subway system (MRT) in Taipei. They have a Rail/Bus travel card that you can top up the money any time instead of buying one each month. The distance of 25 stops only cost me maybe about 60 NT which is about 2 dollar CAD. You can swipe the card on the bus or for parking in government run parking lot. I find this system is quite convenient.
The subway is quite clean in and out despite the large volume of riders on a daily basis. I do not see any graffiti or gabage on the platforms or inside the train. Gum, food, nor drink are allowed inside the train and people seem to be quite adherence to the rule.
Check it out----the cost of Vietnam Visa is much cheaper here in Taipei than through Ottawa. I only had to pay equivilent of 46 dollar CAD as compare to 90 dollar to send by registered mail. Visa pictures are also quite economic. They touch up my pictures to make me look 10 years younger!!!
Been eating out daily to try out all the local foods. Love the beef noodles and cold noodle dish with slices of thin cucumber and sesame sauce. Loads of different variety of road side food stands that are always full.
Went to the Taipei Night market on Saturday. Could hardly move about due to the weekend crowds. There were lots of illegal vendor who displayed their goods in the middle of the narrow pathway between shops. Suddenly I saw them all packing up and ran to hide away because there was a policeman slowly making his way down the path. This cat and mouse games seem to be a daily routine.
This Wednesday, I was dropped off at one of the subway station by my brother so I can go on my own to the Palace Museum in the north. Got to the Museum with connecting bus!!! Now I have confident on solo travel using the Transit system here. It is also good that I can speak and read Chinese though I noted that most younger generation can speak some English.
Downtown Taipei is no different than the Yong and Avenue road with high end botique stores, shopping centres and beautiful highrises.

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Photos

Moon Land
mountain range from Kaohsiung to Tainan striped of mineral from rain water and now plant can not grow on the land

Hot pot
favorite dish in Taiwan, you can order variety of vegetables, meats, seafood to be cooked in your own individual hot pot

Rainforest in Taipei
I would not have believed that Forest can exist in the vicinity of Taipei city, just 45 minutes away

venors every where
You will notice vendors everywhere in Taiwan. We went up to a Buhhdish Temple in Tuchen and noticed that these vendors were there selling foods, vegetables, beans, grains, herbs, and walking sticks. I also noticed some pilgrims who stopped on every 5 steps to pray on their way up to the temple.

Play time
my brother's two dogs at play time

traditional fishing boats in Bali
It is pretty dry in the winter. So the boats are docking on the sandy lagoon

Comments

[Beth]

Impressive
Hi Lian Your pics and subject matter very interesting. Can we send our politicians there to learn how to have a neat effective transit system. Everyone here up in arms with the TTC. Hope you are havin a fab time connecting with relatives and culture. cheers Beth

[lilanee]

Neat TTC
Hi, Beth They have a big brother system here there is camera everywhere that monitor your every move so the people are more cautious. I heard of one student who was carrying a 10NT bun in the train and was caught by the police and fined 900NT. This transit system is still quite new but I think the controlled management style helps to keep it clean. I do not think that our Canadian public will tolerate that much control also, there is much government cash injecting into help with getting people into the subway system to control the pollution--if you have seen the amount of motocycles on the roads with the gas exhaust that you inhale along the way. lilan

[Monecah]

HI
HI! =]