Round Taiwan – View

I went to Taiwan from March 8th to 17th. Round Taiwan by train and stayed in Taipei for 4 days, Kaohsiung for 4 days. All my trip goes to 3 parts: Transport, Food, View. Here is the final part, View, lots of photos of this beautiful island.

Start in Taipei City, it is my first city I met in Taiwan. As the capital city, of course the Biggest city in Taiwan. And the Symbol, Taipei 101.

During the Japanese occupation from 1895 to 1945, 50 years, the Japanese builded the modern Taiwan. It looks the Japanese just did their best to help the construction, for example the city drainage system, the street system, the functional buildings. This Ximen red house is just like Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse.

There are not many big streets in Taipei, the street system is just different from Shanghai or Tokyo. It is easy to tell a photo of a street view is in Taipei, the style is unique.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a magnificent structure with a huge park around it. This landmark and tourist attraction erected in memory of Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China. How ever Mr.Chiang is under people’s question right now for his political decisions of Inhumanity suppression.

The most expensive metro station in Taipei, Daan Park Station, the fountain performance goes every 30mins. I really enjoyed this motion feeling in the center of an modern city.

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is another huge memorial hall. It is a memorial to the Republic of China’s National Father, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and was completed on 1972. The hall is also located at the center Taipei city, hard to believe that such big personal memorial buildings in a democracy country.

However, here is democracy country! People can explain what they are thing. Can do with their right. Can live like a real human.

Falun Gong’s people always occupy a square under the Taipei 101 to show their whatever Yoga style bodywork and preach the evilness of Communist Party of China. They just get the right to speak up, though I do not like them anyway.

The Taiwan Presidential Office Building located beside the 228 Peace Memorial Park. The park contains memorials to victims of the 228 Incident of 1947, which was an anti-government uprising. It looks great that the government has to remember the Massacre. But the fact is the poor government armed like a military base to defend the aggressive protesters.

The market in Taipei city is great though I had no time to get a further explore. The price is not so high but there is no extremely cheap stuffs, no like in China.  The people lives here has been well educated, the civilization level is obviously higher than Chinese.

Maybe because the warm and wet air of the spring on March, the visibility is poor in Taipei. There is no photo with a clear sky or far away objects. However, 25 celsius degree on March, nothing to complain.

The Religion in Taiwan is colorful and surely with stylish. 35% of Taiwanese are Buddhism (台湾佛教), 33% almost the same are Taoism (道教), 19% are Non-religious.

The Buddhism and Taoism seem coming from China, but they are very different. A lot of temple senses I had never seen before and truly impressed me. Also, inside the temple I could feel a kind of Fear, perhaps the lights were too dark inside.

Taiwanese really put a lot effect on the temples’ decorative works. The architecture is so luxurious and nothing goes simple style.

Night Taipei is just another view. I climbed Mount Xiang (象山) to get to a perfect viewpoint of the whole downtown area. It really tired me up when I ran up to the mountain, in order to reach the last metro back to hostel.

The lookout point on half of the Mount Xiang is fantastic, a perfect position for dating. I was the only lonely guy there, however the view healthed me.

Another city I want to say is Kaohsiung, I spended 5 days in Kaohsiung, the second biggest city in Taiwan. Lays on the south side of Taiwan island, Kaohsiung can reach a 30 degree daytime just on March. And a beautiful harbour city.

Kaohsiung people just live with the sea. The air here smells fresh and much better vision than Taipei. There ia barely beech in Kaohsiung but the transportation by ocean shipping support at the Taiwan island.

People here in Kaohsiung has a leisurely life. The city is just not as busy and noisy as Taipei. They reformed the old railway cargo transport station into big park, reformed old warehouse and factory into creative exhibition area. Kaohsiung people just know how to enjoy life.

My friend who let me stayed in her home, brought me go around Kaohsiung city. Her university is known as the most romantic university in Taiwan, National Sun Yat-sen University. The university locate by the Kaohsiung harbor, on the mountain side. It is unbelievably beautiful, can not imagine that it is a university not a huge park. Even many monkeys live inside the university. I have heard that they attack the dormitory anyway.

In Tainan City, people reformed the old Ghost house into attractions. The tree’s name is Banyan, special and romantic looking. The roots of Banyan will spread and vertical extends into the ground. This lets the tree house into today’s style. By the way, Banyan is also planted as a street trees.

And then, I must talk about the Sea of Taiwan.

Here is the most south corner of the Taiwan island. Winter wind from the Taiwan Mountains just reached here and the wind speed was able to kill me. The sand flyed and sticked into my body. However at the first time, I saw a beautiful sea like this in my life.

One part of the seaside here is all by Coral, naturally of course. Watching this beautiful creature building the long coastline, surprising by the  magic of mother nature. The place calls Kenting, takes a 2 hour driving from Kaohsiung to get here.

Another part of the seaside is sand beach, remember it was 30 degree there, no reason for me to reject of jumping into the sea! The sand is soft and fine and warm. In fact it was warmer in the sea water. Watched a sunset, drank a beer, heaven.

Left Kaohsiung city, I took a Train and ran the railway of southeast side of Taiwan island to go back to Taipei. The middle stop here for changing a train is Hualian. Original natural landscape in Hualian can be seen, I was welcomed by some Fighter on the low sky. However I will trip to here next time.

Taking a Train to travel around Taiwan was a special experience. The train just ran by the everlasting seaside. from the right window, all about the beautiful Pacific ocean. It took 7 hours from South, Kaohsiung to North, Taipei, very long but very worth for it.

As the final part of the trip around Taiwan, in summary, I enjoyed the trip very very much. Taiwanese is well educated, respect the history, has spirit of democracy, warm heart, honest, reliable and enjoys life. Some many sweet remember in Taiwan. I love you, Taiwan. I will be back!