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Photo of the Day: On the Walk to Tamsui
May 31, 2008 | Posted by InvestorBlogger | Be the first to leave a comment
It’s not often that we see contrasts in Taipei, but in the walk on Saturday, we came across this sharp contrast: traditional setting in the front, modernity rearing its head behind!
In the foreground, there’s a large pond filled with bullfrogs. In the middleground, a family house that’s been there for years - who knows? There are other even older settlements now abandoned in the area, including redbrick farm houses in the traditional Taiwanese style. In the background, three towers from the Shang-Hai Community that was just completed, which is selling for approx. NT$300K per ping. If I remember rightly, this is probably what the farmhouse would have cost when it was first built in the ’70s.
Tamsui was, in the words of one friend, just rice fields, trees and farmers when Tim first visited our area in the early ’80s. Since then it’s been transformed at least twice, with electronics factories; and now, residential units. I’m in the search for early photographs of HongShulin and Zhuwei from that period. There’s not much online yet.
Trips in Taiwan: From little Bavaria to little Italy
May 26, 2008 | Posted by InvestorBlogger | Read these 2 comments
Fancy a little bite to eat… Lusting for some good German food… Then head out into the countryside of the North East Coast, to a little place called Smoky Inn.
It was a little tricky to find (I’ve borrowed the map to highlight its location). You can see the mark there. We nearly missed the turning, as it is easier to find from the SanChih direction.
But we found it. I’ve linked to the Google Map of the area for you.
We went in the latter part of the day, just before dusk… Tim, Cindy and myself. Since we drove, our only beverage was non-alcoholic beer, but it was tasty and COLD!
Their website boasts: “ENJOY THE REAL BAVARIAN MEALS. OUR SPECIAL ARE SMOKED PIG KNUCKLE, SAUSAGES AND OTHER TRADITIONALS. ENJOY TASTY BAVARIAN CHEESE AND NUREMBERG SAUSAGES, HOME MADE MUNICH SAUSAGE SALAD, ROAST PORK, POTATO BALL AND BREADS.” (their caps, not mine!).
And this is what came: Large sausages of all kinds, Sauerkraut, Bavarian potatoes, horseradish, and pickles, … We enjoyed the food, had some leftovers, and paid a reasonable NT$1600 for the three of us. Four would have cost about NT$450. The neat thing was taxes and service charges were INCLUDED. I haven’t any idea why more restaurants don’t do that. If you decide to go on a weekend, call ahead and reserve a table. Don’t be put off by the automated answering service. They’re too busy to answer phonecalls most of the time.
Needless to say, the local wildlife were attracted by the bugs buzzing round our lights, and they had their own bug meal. I do have a video of this, too. If you can’t see clearly, it’s a gecko! A very active one, judging by the speed with which it devoured its prey. Then we drove to a nice coffee shop near JingShan called Young Door.
It’s a well-known coffee shop on the North East Coast highway, and probably serves the best coffee in and around JingShan. Of course, we’ve paid more than their but had much worse coffee! I can guarantee their coffee is always good! You can read the review in Chinese. Prices are reasonable, and coffee is great! What more can I add?
New Blood: New Hope - Can Taiwan Finally Escape the Impasse of the Last 30 Years?
May 24, 2008 | Posted by InvestorBlogger | Be the first to leave a comment
Taiwan has always been in an awkward position in its relationship with China. At different times, Taiwan has been the aggressor, the victim, had the upperhand, been at the bottom of the pile… While the actual position of its relationship hasn’t been that important to Taiwan’s political and economic position, in recent years Taiwan’s relationship has vacillated between ice cold and tepidly warm.
This vacillation in its diplomatic relationships with China, Japan, the US or Europe, hasn’t been conducive to good business, developing the economy here, or increasing the security of Asia Pacific. In fact, since the 1992 warming with Beijing, relationships have hit several low points with the mainland with the missile threats, the missile crisis in 1996, the cold-shouldering of Taiwan under Chen Shui Bien from 2000 ~ 2008.
Whatever one’s position on the final state for Taiwan’s future, whether it is independence, status quo or reunification, no one can deny rationally that the uncertainty is a factor that limits business opportunities, creates additional risk, and uncertainty.
With the new presidency here in Taiwan, and the assumption of office by Ma Ying-Jeou one can only hope that we are about to enter a period of increasing stability with the PRC. Seeing the news story on the BBC website with the headline “China talks to resume”, filled me with some hope perhaps the first in nearly 10 years that Taiwan could at least begin to emerge from the shadow of its big neighbor.
I don’t expect much to evolve from the talks in the short term, there are just too many practical issues that need to be worked out first: trade, travel, communications, visas, currency exchanges, ownership rules, … But if Taiwan is to ensure its own security for the future, attempts at cutting itself off from the PRC for whatever dumb ideological reason will only serve to increase its insecurity.
However, by tying the PRC increasingly into the well-being and fate of Taiwan - both politically and economically - seems to be the only real way to create a scenario in which the PRC cannot afford to cut off what has become a part of its own society, anymore than Germany (despite antagonisms that are historical) could cut itself off from France, or the UK from Europe, …
This is something that the PRC would be hard pressed to admit, but increasing its own involvement indirectly or directly with Taiwan would make it significantly harder for the PRC to launch any kind of strike against Taiwan. Their generals may whine, complain and moan, but the generals don’t provide jobs and social stability any more. It’s the factories, the companies, the money, … that all comes from the wider economy, both domestic and foreign.
Here’s hoping that President Ma Ying Jeou makes progress in talks, helps to open up Taiwan to China more, strengthens Taiwan’s future both locally, nationally, and internationally.
Living in Taiwan: Photographs found on Flickr
May 24, 2008 | Posted by InvestorBlogger | Be the first to leave a comment
I’ve lived in Zhuwei for nearly 8 years now, and I realized how few pictures I’ve taken of the streets around our area… Fortunately, for those who don’t live here, you can find lots of pictures of the area on Flickr.
Just Flickr to this location and take a look at the snaps.
Zhuwei literally means ‘bamboo garden’ but I haven’t really seen many bamboo gardens in this area!
If you’re intending to visit Tamshui, check out both Wikipedia and Wikitravel entries for either. There aren’t any decent hotels in the area, so I’d suggest staying DOWNTOWN unless you like semi-decent accommodation! If you read Chinese in traditional characters, then there’s a fairly decent website introducing Tamsui.
Be warned if you come to Zhuwei, there are actually two Zhuwei’s - one in Taipei Hsien (ours) and one in Taoyuen nearer the airport. There’s not much to see in Zhuwei, but the views across the river towards Tamsui and Taipei are incredible on a good day.
So, enjoy.
Weekend Trips Around the North East Coast
May 19, 2008 | Posted by InvestorBlogger | Be the first to leave a comment
May 2008 has been a remarkably cool month or so with only a little rain in the north of the Island. It produces wonderful weather occasionally, and yesterday was one of those days! We traveled to Jiou-Fen and The Gold Mining Area nearby. It was remarkably quite and pleasant even when we drove up the mountain roads.
David from Taiwan Guide visited the museum on several trips, taking these pictures and these. He was my inspiration to go, so we left. Unfortunately, we were delayed quite a lot by laziness. Then we
Taken in Keelung on the No. 2 Coastal highway, some kms south of Central Keelung. Of course, we hadn’t intended to be here at all, as we ended up taking the wrong route. To get to the area of the south of Keelung, we took the No. 1 Superhighway, and exited in Keelung City. We then followed the No. 2 all the way to the Jiou-fen exit. We had planned to take the No. 62 Expressway, but hadn’t realized that to get on that, you have to take the No. 3 Superhighway! So irony of ironies, to avoid going into the City Center, you HAVE to drive into the City Center on the No. 3, but you can avoid it. By avoiding the City Center on No. 1, you actually end up going through the City. But then we discoved this nice area on the coast, with impressive rock cliffs, low density of population and right by the sea.
Once you find a place to park you can enter the museum property and walk along this charming roadway which I’m told was used in a movie or tv show that I have never seen: City of Sadness.
This is the little Gold Nugget Store with real nuggets in the window. Of course, they’re not worth a lot! Each nugget has a little speckle of gold in it! Great souvenirs~!
By then, the Museum was closed so we headed out… Next time we’ll leave earlier, make a more detailed stopover and take a bunch more pictures!
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