Bangkok
Thailand
18 October 2007
Sawadee krap,
Or should I say "Ni hao?"
Since last June I have been mostly home in Bangkok although I did manage brief trips to the Thai beach resorts of Phuket and Hua Hin and an automotive jaunt up north to the fresh air of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.
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Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China October 24, 2007 Dear Family and Friends,
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Please click on the image
for more photos of Taipei. |
I am shocked, shocked to find that "Für Elise" is the "national anthem" of Taiwan!
As I check in to the Han She Hotel in Taipei, "Für Elise" flows forth from the lobby sound system. It's not a very good version; it's too heavy for my taste, and not lovely and lyrical as Beethoven intended. *
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Taipei Taiwan Taipei. The capital of Taiwan. 2.7 million well-educated, well-dressed, energetic, hospitable people. Everyone carries a colorful umbrella. |
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Please click on the image
for more photos of Taipei 101, Beitou, Danshui. |
It's crowded, busy and glitzy. Modern buildings. Modern fashions. Some boys wear spiked hair and the girls "accessorize." Spotlessly clean. Lots of bright yellow taxis with drivers who accept any destination without question.
| Hualien Taiwan 1 November 2007 |
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| Dear Family and Friends, |
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The first test of my dormant driving skills begins in Taipei. Did I say "skills?" I am so intimidated by the city traffic that I insist the car rental agency chauffeur me to the edge of town, and deposit me at the entrance to the Expressway, National Highway 1. Alone now, I ease on to the truck-filled route. I hug the right lane and chug north towards the port city of Keelung.
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Shuishe, Taiwan Dear Family and Friends, |
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Please click on the image for more photos of Taroko Gorge, Mt. Huhuan. |
Imagine driving alone through the mountains over an endless, tortuous road with multiple hair-pin turns. Imagine one narrow lane in each direction. A yellow line bisects the road and a white line guards each shoulder.
| Taipei, Taiwan 6 November 2007 |
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| Dear Family and Friends, | Please click the photo for more images of Shuishe, Puli, Longshan. |
Shuishe Village hugs the shore of Sun Moon Lake, the largest body of fresh water in Taiwan. The brochure reads, "A magical crystal lake . . . dialogue between sun and moon, link between mountains and water." My stroll along the waterfront, the boat excursion and the short climb to hillside temple all confirm that this is "one of Taiwan's most spectacular natural landscapes." * The indigenous Thao tribe sells food and handicrafts at the tourist-filled market.
