*彰化田中-龍吉高麗菜飯--Changhua County Tianjung Township

西部幹線上有許多重建的火車站(左:舊站; 右:新站),雖然蓋新站應有其需要,但也不用蓋得像鐵皮屋吧
Many train stations are rebuilt or renovated in recent years. I found them really ugly and present no local characteristic at all.

*Tour De Taiwan - 國際自由車環台賽台北站

Tour de Taiwan is the premier bicycle race in Taiwan. A total of seven stages decides who can wear the yellow jersey.

*Taipei new and old - 新舊台北

Located in the east side of Taipei, Taipei 101 is the landmark of this city. The fireworks show is broadcasted to the world every new year's eve.

The surrounding area has become the new epicenter of Taipei. Here you can find office towers, dept stores, cinemas, luxury housing for wealthy people, street performers, night clubs, and the trendiest girls. Literally everything is new here.

*Kinmen 金門

As a territory of Taiwan, Kinmen is located by the east coast of Fujian province, very close to Xiamen, China. Airliners connect Kinmen with major cities in Taiwan. It's difficult to buy a ticket during traditional holidays, when Kinmenese people working or studying in Taiwan want to go home. Also the weather can be foggy and the airport is closed from time to time.

*慢車到花蓮,雙腿跑峽谷-Taroko gorge marathon in Hualien

Nov 2007

The fastest way to travel from Taipei to Hualien is to take the Taroko express train. The ticket is hard to get, especially on weekends. Well, in any case, I would prefer to take it slow and go for the slowest local train.

*Sun Yat-Sen and Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

Honored as the father of modern China, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen led the revolution against the last imperil dynasty of China. As a doctor-thinker-diplomat, he is widely revered among people from both China and Taiwan.

When he died in 1925, The newly established Republic of China was still divided and most parts of the mainland were controlled by war loads and western powers. This was the time when Chiang Kai-Shek moved up the ladder by unifying the country in 1928.

Chiang's career reached the acme during WWII. In 1949, Chiang's party lost the civil war and fled to Taiwan. His authoritative governing of Taiwan made him a controversial figure in Taiwan history.

Nowadays, their memorials are more like tourist attractions than political symbols. The hourly change of guards is something special and you don't want to miss it.