The main theme of this blog is about my travels. But, whatever ...
I had put quite a proportion of my meager savings into this stock before I left for travelling and made good return (about 30% in 2 months). This was but a short tag in the bigger climb - in my view. Of course, this was no secret to those in close contact with me during the bullish months. I was not wrong, as Geely hit 1.10 HKD before settling into a more "reasonable" level. I had sold everthing around 87c, and bought myself this trip to Taiwan and some furniture for our new home in Tsing Yi (HKSAR). The hot money came a day after I had sold, on a piece of news 4 days old. That day, I was not sad, but not thrilled either, as the mark shot past my 87 and ended above 1 HKD in the next 48 hours. Oh well, Geelys cars are still crap, and I was hoping some farmer would drived it into the woods in some long distance ride he never should have taken and cause commotion before the next earnings report came in. Timing, timing, timing ...
Efficient market hypothesis? More like, when are they going to read that paper? Or hold that meeting? Or, how about, why don't fund managers use Google Alert instead of Bloomberg. Ehhhhnywayz. Not a blue chip, no analyst, can't have everything.
At least since recently, South African's, Malaysians, and I bet others are getting more nervous about Geely's cars, or Chinese cars in general. I, am very proud of this fact. Regardless of the dialogues suffixing the insurgence of China Cars in the global auto industry. As a Chinese, I got no benefit from the millions of compasses nor the billions of bullets cooked up in the last 200 years. There's no shame in miniturizing cars into a Made-in-China product for the good of our poor citizens. I do sincerely hope SAs and Malaysians end up as beneficiaries as well.
Well, I stop the anecdote here before somebody calls it bigotry.
One more thing ... go Geely go!!!
btw, what do you guys think about Beijing Airport?
I'm going downstairs for a foot massage. 1 block south of 通化信义口.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Short Stay in Kao-hsiung, back to Taipei, back on a massage chair.
My adventure in Kao-hsiung consisted of too much time in netcafe (again), and a delicious food called 鸭肉饭/下水汤 (which is basically rice and soup, but which different parts of a duck in each).
However, the ride back to Taipei was incredible! -- I decided to head back to Taipei to recuperate some and greet Rosanne, who is visiting tonight from HK for 4 days. I don't mean to rub it in but ... yeah ... I'm taking holiday from my holiday.
How incredible? Click on the title to see the provider Ubus. Here's my take:
This is an adjustable leather massage chair. There are about 15-17 of them on this huge bus. The lower deck is for luggage and bathroom, which can be entered from inside the bus.
Other Amenities: AV station with VOD movies from Hollywood, China, Japan, Korea, video gaming, and more; Some GPS thing; Wet towel and water; Newspaper and Magazines.
You can bring you own champagne or whatever to max out the expereince.
The ride took 5 hours in medium rain and had about 4 stops at major cities. Cost: 710NT. Question: Where can we export this thing? China? China? or China? Maybe not, with the oil tax and the new railways. Or maybe yes, with all the new highways and a steepening propensity to try news things. Not to mention the lingering curiousity of how a “华人“ is different from, well, a “中国人”. Well, it's good bus; driving is tiring; and, quite simply, China's big, and big.
My email is in my profiles page.
宝岛就是宝岛。
However, the ride back to Taipei was incredible! -- I decided to head back to Taipei to recuperate some and greet Rosanne, who is visiting tonight from HK for 4 days. I don't mean to rub it in but ... yeah ... I'm taking holiday from my holiday.
How incredible? Click on the title to see the provider Ubus. Here's my take:
This is an adjustable leather massage chair. There are about 15-17 of them on this huge bus. The lower deck is for luggage and bathroom, which can be entered from inside the bus.Other Amenities: AV station with VOD movies from Hollywood, China, Japan, Korea, video gaming, and more; Some GPS thing; Wet towel and water; Newspaper and Magazines.
You can bring you own champagne or whatever to max out the expereince.
The ride took 5 hours in medium rain and had about 4 stops at major cities. Cost: 710NT. Question: Where can we export this thing? China? China? or China? Maybe not, with the oil tax and the new railways. Or maybe yes, with all the new highways and a steepening propensity to try news things. Not to mention the lingering curiousity of how a “华人“ is different from, well, a “中国人”. Well, it's good bus; driving is tiring; and, quite simply, China's big, and big.
My email is in my profiles page.
宝岛就是宝岛。
Monday, May 29, 2006
一夜一市
一夜一市-- 婪牛做事厂
玩家囊中馅，
老板心中愿。
夜市打烊前，
超级变变变！
The axes of Evil: credit, Tainan food, alcohol, and, majeong ... woosaa
Game TV
A TV station broadcasting computer game matches -- I wonder how much potential there is in this? I bet alot. If you knew the demongraphics of today's China, maybe you'd be inclined to agree. Games, are they anything more than games? Can playing computer games spawn an economy as big as making them? Europeans play soccer. Americans play poker. Japanese play Pachinko. Chinese play ... Starcraft? Sounds like a very efficient business. We all have television. Plenty of volunteers in China to start and maintain this thing. Not to mention sponsors. It's already happening.
I used to be a just a curious casual player but the commentators (kids now in their 20s, clearly got the oratory skills) this incredible network kept me watching a few starcraft games for the last 2 hours. Watching this on pplive while writing blog in a net cafe is an enjoyment that stimulates senses in the new frontier. Dear Mary Magdalene, what's next? If only I had routed some cash to my discount broker before I left, then in 10 hours I can be in the same place trading equities and commodities around the clock in tandem... Or it that toooo much? Internet is the invention of inventions!
Watch out the rest of the world -- the red army is coming!!! How fast and how forceful?
Just a thought in today's 2nd hour. Back to hotel.
I used to be a just a curious casual player but the commentators (kids now in their 20s, clearly got the oratory skills) this incredible network kept me watching a few starcraft games for the last 2 hours. Watching this on pplive while writing blog in a net cafe is an enjoyment that stimulates senses in the new frontier. Dear Mary Magdalene, what's next? If only I had routed some cash to my discount broker before I left, then in 10 hours I can be in the same place trading equities and commodities around the clock in tandem... Or it that toooo much? Internet is the invention of inventions!
Watch out the rest of the world -- the red army is coming!!! How fast and how forceful?
Just a thought in today's 2nd hour. Back to hotel.
假豹谋逮聚着，18667 (一爬溜溜ぎ)，到了高雄。 Signing in Kao-Hsiung
像瘪三一样，拉着有潮气衣服，头上一根烟，嘴里再一根，从新掘江兜到在六合夜市。途中买了小份的“香豆腐”（30NT），一斤荔枝（80NT，是季节）和一碗爱玉冰（15NT）。夜市大同小异，再说有些倦，没仔细看就先附近落了户。600 NT。好鬼dai2！这里算是市中心。差不多在南方新掘江和北面火车站中间。
出来逛逛，看到网吧先进来把白天被 Google 吃掉的字补回。发现已经有50多位朋友看过新 Blog，亦是欢喜。今天周日，朋友们早些休息，明天頑張って！
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Tainan， 不太难。高雄，高密度雄激素。
Conventional Wisdom
-- 懒牛做事厂
去香港，小心累死；
去上海，小心气死；
去东京，小心迷死；
来台南这地方，小心吃撑死！
I like Tainan. No. I love it. Take yesterday for example: In the morning I took 30 mins exploring the trains stn and vicinity. I learnt that I can deposit my backpack for only 17 NT (New Taiwan Dollar, 1 USD ~=33 TWD. I like the abbr NT). Hours are 8 to 8. Then I checked out all the local buses: Amazing! These Greyhound (North American) / 大巴（中国）sized buses seat but only 17 people, in 17 sofas (some of the companies use leather massage sofas) .... and, personal LCDTV with a wide range of channels ("wide" is my imagination but I bet it's true). The best part - swallow this - a 4.5 hr non-stop bus ride on this mammoth sofa to Taipei costs 600 NT (20 bucks, 145 HKD, 150 RMB). I was interested in the 45 mins due south sister city Kao-hsiung (高雄) -- 135 NT, runs every 40 mins around the clock. Kul! No problems. On I go with breakfast at a nearby bakery called 85C (Is this a special temperature for bread?) . The bread here was more to my liking than those in Tokyo, and definitely better than HK. No wonder the Taiwanese are taking over the bakery scene in Shanghai (Interested parties: this is a good business with enormous potential. Shanghaiese want more bread and are buying more pastries; yet 99% haven't tasted bagel nor baguette. Another story has to do with sugary stuff but I'll save it for another day.) 85C was also a mid-high end, clean , well managed, Japanese style service (This means treated-like-royalty for those who haven't had the chance to visit the Rising Sun). Price? about 30 NT for something creative, tasty, and filling. Clearly culture is a big factor in business. Trade the hardware at the right price, then use software to upsize flow. I spend an hour here on the bakery sidewalk patio reading Business Weekly Taiwan Edition (got some inspiration here for a different blog), and watching the locals eat their bread, drink their tea, do their thing, put on their helmet, then vroom off on their scooter. It's a bug's life here. People are friendly but unpretentious. Like.
I digress. Complete the picture: I put my bag in the station. Convinced there are motels everywhere. Conclusion: Travelling on this island, planning ahead is suboptimal. Was hot so I went to this cafe to create my blog, carrying with me only a travel waist-pouch.
S
ix hours later, after too many movies (legally obtained, of course) and too much typing, and way too much tea, (btw I spent about 200NT here), I reluctantly left the cybercafe, yawning. Heading for Wusheng Night Market (武盛夜市), I was feeling a bit drowsy, so stopby this motel and asked for a room. Only 10pm, I could not haggle up to far their pants. On I go.I kind know where Wusheng is, but in Taiwan -- the friendly place it is -- I had gotten into the habit of asking directions whenever I had half a shadow of doubt. Three girls on 2 scooters were very helpful: "我们也正好去武盛，那你现在就要去吗？“ I rode of the back of a scooter for the next 3-4 blocks, feeling good about myself. I thanked them again for their kindness after hopping of at the entrance of Wusheng.
Feeling hungry, I spotted my first hunt of the night. A place called 古味豆花 (beancurd store) on a mainstreet just outside the nightmarket. It was good. Let me to elaborate. The most famous 豆花 in Tainan is 安平豆花 in 安平区 to the west of the train, closeby was where I had the incredible 周式虾卷 (interested parties: ten ten ten) -- It was so incredible that I ordered a second serving immediately after my first bite (I'm not ditsy-- the store was about to close). I'm going back there for the rest of their menu... Back to 豆花. I may be generalizing from but one experience, but the beencurb here in Tainan has a texture much to my liking. How so? It's slippery, soft, and doesn't break easily. The exterior is tough but very thin. Incredible! The stuff we buy in Shanghai and Ottawa were very fragile; one had to steam/boil it some to make it tougher. But this thickens the skin and changes the texture inside as well.
凄い！素敵！微妙！本とに美味しいかった！
After the beencurd I bought some wet knapkins from 7-11 (39NT for a 10入-2-pack, JnJ, quite a bit cheaper than HK), and heading to where the noise was.
I've got 3 interjections here:
Firstly, this trip was brought to me by 2 great inventions: the wet knapkin, and the disposible underwear. These 2 products both fit into my little pouch and are light enough to be almost unnoticeable. Yet the untility...! The latter can be in paper or cotton form. I highly encourage export/importers to expand this market. Travellers far and wide would benefit. Especailly ther paper underwear, it's just a knapkin for your bottom, friendly enough for the environment.
Secondly, Tainan is small. A 2.5km radius covers bulk of the city. Guys from back home Canada: this is but a stroll in some park -- Not even enough space for me to warm up on my blades before I start my backflip and triple axle routine (obviously I'm kidding). Well, it was good for me that Tainan was small. I was able to cover much ground as a relaxed pedestrian.
Lastly, 3 markets? 4?
Ok. End of Interjections.
Food. mJ. Food. Mj. KTV. Motel.
, brief passage through 台中 and 嘉义, and arrival in 台南.
List and pictures of food are also coming..... Ciao!
}
damn it i just lost about 2000 words on some stupid script error in blogger. plz fix this!!!
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Taipei to Tainan, 宝岛之旅，始め！
あんた、どんな様？
-- 览牛做事厂
也许有获者，
或者也许多 …
此者何其人，
"华人"，是也！
Alas! 'Tas been almost 2 weeks since I arrived in Taiwan, the first leg of my "Asian Invasion".
Recent days were a unique experience for me. I haven't been more relaxed and unpremeditated for a long time -- perhaps a long long time. The Plan, is to backpack my way across the Asia Pacific for the next couple of years. The Precursor, was my putting a pause on a career in the financial industry. I'll save a proper preface for another day, because at the moment, I've got another eye and half a mind on another application playing Bruce Li's Classic Fury of the Dragon (猛龙过江), in this all but too common Cybercafe in Tainan, the former mecca-city in southern Taiwan -- now still a centre of commerce, culture and magnet for travellers like myself.
Enough purple dialogue ...
My god! It's already my fifth hour in this cafe today. Tainan mosquitos and today's 30C temperature are keeping me indoors, until night markets open in Hai'an Street (海安路).
Tautology Number Zero:
I left HK for Taipei on May 16th, 2006, and met up with Chan-san, my buddy in Taipei. Thankfully, he and his family are my kind hosts.
Week 1:
Time Modifier: May 16 - May 22
Place: Taipei and abouts
What I did: Slept alot. Browsed night markets. Early hour scotch (Ballantine) with Chan-san, over food from 通化街 and Soul Calibur match on PS2 -- felt good!
And... Touristy stuff.
Taipei 101: Modern, Pricey. Very. In case you didn't know, it's (was?) the tallest building in Asia with, yes, 101 floors under the pointy roof. I had a good time here looking at prices, enjoying friendly service, and marvelling the archetecture; but this place doesn't really have much merchandise I can't see everywhere in HK, if not Tokyo. Well, here are banks, investment banks, gourmet, showrooms (Bose, Sony), you name it. But, I learnt later from Chan-san that a little food stand (not restaurant in any right) in the night market (通化夜市) whereabouts he lives on that sells 米粉 (Taiwan styled Vermecelli) has an offspring branch in this building. Interesting ... [ntspic]
故宫博物馆： 昔日与女友访台时慕名而去，可惜未有福一览，原因是当时维修。这次，笔人虽有幸入馆，但看到的多数锅碗瓢盆类，并没有如愿我赏画之心。 原来，只开放了部分展览。离去时得知失望的非我一人。车换车来时花了小许久，只有门前香肠对付一下，没看到画，就别去了，亦是有所不爽。微笑着的前柜姐姐告诉我：“过几天就会有的，不好意思！”。听后感觉 ~okay。。。回港前再来过，是対です！问别去哪里? -- 预算当晚与詹餐聚西门町，那还不去西门町的邻居--龙山寺。 [ntspic]
龙山寺： 这里是江湖，有吃（没试），有卖（一般便宜），有蛇，有龟，有按摩（咸淡柬有）。我一身虽低调但哪里逃得过噢卡桑法眼，谢绝后向西门町步去。
西门町：好友詹子庆这里上班。他就是 Chan-san。为甚么我这样称呼他？原来詹是女友一年前留学日本的同学，我等三人当时居东京，是促进日文学习，是入乡随俗，还是自然而然的这样称呼对方？--“O-san, Yo-san, Chan-san" 均为王，杨，詹；我，女友 Rosanne Yeung，和子庆三人。
My Budda!! Make that the 6th hour. Save some for tomorrow. Off to the night market.
再说回西门町。 Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku -- this place has got genes from all 3. I could go on for hours about this joint for the young and fresh 'cause there's just too much here. Next time you're in Taipei, this is a must see. Moving on.
永和市，永和豆浆：小地方。本来我想去看看怎么回事。赫赫有名的永和豆浆是这里诞生的。台北附近的小城市，地铁可到。卖豆浆的 5pm to 12am，我去早了。
基隆市：比永和好玩。101号巴士从火车站接我去了和平岛。岛上有沙滩，岩石，小山。可以钓鱼，抓小螃蟹，玩碰碰船等。海景不错 (photo on right)。 找了块躺椅型的岩石，拿出 Ipod，睡了一会儿。天没黑就会了台北，因为当晚有K-聚。
钱柜，台北卡拉OK：上海的朋友们，无论你去钱柜还是好乐迪，收钱的都是台湾人。但是我们可以骄傲的是：上海的 KTV 比台北的好。歌多，设备先进，点歌方便，超市经营，现在有多了超好的服务。台湾的朋友：但是他们要排队，有时排得很厉害 -- 10 个人在侯 K 区打扑克。
夜市 (Night Markets) ：What are they you ask? They're stores, stands, and the like getting together to form an off-hour trading floor -- typically 7pm-1am. Merchandise? From food to underwear, to ...... other stuff. I go almost every night. Got my Nike sandles in 通化夜市, downstairs where Chan-san lives -- preparation for wetter weather in higher ground the next week.
Week 2:
May 23
Pickout 6-7 pounds of most useful gear and caught the 9am train from Taipei to Chia-i (嘉义). Plan was to catch the 13:30 twice-a-day train up to Alishan (阿里山). This train, amazingly enough, traverses through trees and rocks up this 2000+ metre mountain. It was built originally by the Japanese to help harvest wood here. How uncomfortable was it? I don't know. Because I found a driver with a van. The train was void of seats when I arrived at Chia-yi station at 12:45. I bought a sweat shirt nearby (don't do this when you go, because you can buy it cheaper on the mountain). There were 6+driver in the van. I was the only loner. Up we went.
It took 2.x hours, inclusive of Mr. Xu, driver of the Volkswagen 10-seater, stopping for diesel, stopping for a spare tire, a teapee break, and his lunch break (bread only).
Actually I had already booked a 600NT room (a 6-share) at the youth hostel one stop from the top (二万里). But since Mr. Xu gave me a deal on a 800NT room on Alishan stop, plus the Youth Hostel was "privatized" and tried to sell me a 1600NT room, then tried to cheat me of my deserved free breakfast when I specifically asked for their cheapest room.
Turns out I made the right choice. It was a little town up there. More like a resort. Well organized. I took a little hike while most others (notably those who came in tour buses) where taken to restaurants with some light entertainment from local Alishan women. If you're Chinese you could imagine this: “大家这边看，这位就是我们阿里山的姑娘！” No trip to Alishan would be self-respecting without fulfulling the need to turn lyrics from the song into some sort of reality. Espcially since it costs 120,000NT for each Mainlander to visit Taiwan. They can come in only groups of 10, so far. I, too, I admit, knew Alishan only from this song before this day.
“高山青，澗水藍。阿里山的姑娘美如水，阿里山的 少年壯如山。。。”
Tautology Number One:
Here, of course, few cared to see the that "youth, strong and stout like the mountain".
May 24
Hours of sleep: 11pm-3am.
Train to Zhu Shan (祝山): 4:30 - 5am. This is a convenient spot for viewing the famous sunrise.
Estimated time of sunrise: 5:20am
Actual time of sunrise: #N/A -- Everyone was disappointed.
I made a couple of friends on this leg. Lucent from Bay Area and Angie from Taipei.
To Lucent from Cisco:
Sorry Lucent =P I guess you're used to it but I've always wanted to make that joke. I'm waiting for that picture you took of me. And, after we parted, I hiked down the mountain with a retired English AstraZeneca chemist. Then I tried to sleep a bit before going back to Chia-i with Mr. Xu. Then I got woken up by Mr. Xu with a message that the family who hired his van no longer want to go to Chia-i, but back up north through the mountains and enjoy Nantou County (南投县). That's when I met the Yan's, and began my tree-hugging, nature loving, oh-way-too-much H2O two-day escapade in the mountains, where grounds covered included 东浦温泉, 彩虹瀑布, 水里, 溪头森林(!!!), 日月潭.
Left: 彩虹瀑布
Right: 大学池, 溪头森林
More Photos: ethan.fotopic.net/c976358.html
I hope you made it to Tainan safe and sound, and had as much fun in Tainan as I did. Give me a call if you're still in Taiwan (0930140246). If not, best regards, and we shall try that sunrise again another morning -- another mountain?
Sun Moon Lake to Tai'chung (台中) was our last ride together. I thanked and goodbyed the Yans at their hotel in Tai'chung, where a near relative was to be married the next day.
Mr. Xu has both property in Chia-i and on Alishan. That night he was to live in Chia-i. Perfect. This connected me to the western rail tracks real quick. I got on a train (电车, 非自强号火车) to Tainan and quickly shopped for lodging.
Rest is what I need for the next day my gastric forces need to battle Tainan food ...
-- 览牛做事厂
也许有获者，
或者也许多 …
此者何其人，
"华人"，是也！
Alas! 'Tas been almost 2 weeks since I arrived in Taiwan, the first leg of my "Asian Invasion".
Recent days were a unique experience for me. I haven't been more relaxed and unpremeditated for a long time -- perhaps a long long time. The Plan, is to backpack my way across the Asia Pacific for the next couple of years. The Precursor, was my putting a pause on a career in the financial industry. I'll save a proper preface for another day, because at the moment, I've got another eye and half a mind on another application playing Bruce Li's Classic Fury of the Dragon (猛龙过江), in this all but too common Cybercafe in Tainan, the former mecca-city in southern Taiwan -- now still a centre of commerce, culture and magnet for travellers like myself.
Enough purple dialogue ...
My god! It's already my fifth hour in this cafe today. Tainan mosquitos and today's 30C temperature are keeping me indoors, until night markets open in Hai'an Street (海安路).
Tautology Number Zero:
I left HK for Taipei on May 16th, 2006, and met up with Chan-san, my buddy in Taipei. Thankfully, he and his family are my kind hosts.
Week 1:
Time Modifier: May 16 - May 22
Place: Taipei and abouts
What I did: Slept alot. Browsed night markets. Early hour scotch (Ballantine) with Chan-san, over food from 通化街 and Soul Calibur match on PS2 -- felt good!
And... Touristy stuff.
Taipei 101: Modern, Pricey. Very. In case you didn't know, it's (was?) the tallest building in Asia with, yes, 101 floors under the pointy roof. I had a good time here looking at prices, enjoying friendly service, and marvelling the archetecture; but this place doesn't really have much merchandise I can't see everywhere in HK, if not Tokyo. Well, here are banks, investment banks, gourmet, showrooms (Bose, Sony), you name it. But, I learnt later from Chan-san that a little food stand (not restaurant in any right) in the night market (通化夜市) whereabouts he lives on that sells 米粉 (Taiwan styled Vermecelli) has an offspring branch in this building. Interesting ... [ntspic]
故宫博物馆： 昔日与女友访台时慕名而去，可惜未有福一览，原因是当时维修。这次，笔人虽有幸入馆，但看到的多数锅碗瓢盆类，并没有如愿我赏画之心。 原来，只开放了部分展览。离去时得知失望的非我一人。车换车来时花了小许久，只有门前香肠对付一下，没看到画，就别去了，亦是有所不爽。微笑着的前柜姐姐告诉我：“过几天就会有的，不好意思！”。听后感觉 ~okay。。。回港前再来过，是対です！问别去哪里? -- 预算当晚与詹餐聚西门町，那还不去西门町的邻居--龙山寺。 [ntspic]
龙山寺： 这里是江湖，有吃（没试），有卖（一般便宜），有蛇，有龟，有按摩（咸淡柬有）。我一身虽低调但哪里逃得过噢卡桑法眼，谢绝后向西门町步去。
西门町：好友詹子庆这里上班。他就是 Chan-san。为甚么我这样称呼他？原来詹是女友一年前留学日本的同学，我等三人当时居东京，是促进日文学习，是入乡随俗，还是自然而然的这样称呼对方？--“O-san, Yo-san, Chan-san" 均为王，杨，詹；我，女友 Rosanne Yeung，和子庆三人。
My Budda!! Make that the 6th hour. Save some for tomorrow. Off to the night market.
再说回西门町。 Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku -- this place has got genes from all 3. I could go on for hours about this joint for the young and fresh 'cause there's just too much here. Next time you're in Taipei, this is a must see. Moving on.
永和市，永和豆浆：小地方。本来我想去看看怎么回事。赫赫有名的永和豆浆是这里诞生的。台北附近的小城市，地铁可到。卖豆浆的 5pm to 12am，我去早了。
基隆市：比永和好玩。101号巴士从火车站接我去了和平岛。岛上有沙滩，岩石，小山。可以钓鱼，抓小螃蟹，玩碰碰船等。海景不错 (photo on right)。 找了块躺椅型的岩石，拿出 Ipod，睡了一会儿。天没黑就会了台北，因为当晚有K-聚。
钱柜，台北卡拉OK：上海的朋友们，无论你去钱柜还是好乐迪，收钱的都是台湾人。但是我们可以骄傲的是：上海的 KTV 比台北的好。歌多，设备先进，点歌方便，超市经营，现在有多了超好的服务。台湾的朋友：但是他们要排队，有时排得很厉害 -- 10 个人在侯 K 区打扑克。
夜市 (Night Markets) ：What are they you ask? They're stores, stands, and the like getting together to form an off-hour trading floor -- typically 7pm-1am. Merchandise? From food to underwear, to ...... other stuff. I go almost every night. Got my Nike sandles in 通化夜市, downstairs where Chan-san lives -- preparation for wetter weather in higher ground the next week.
Week 2:
May 23
Pickout 6-7 pounds of most useful gear and caught the 9am train from Taipei to Chia-i (嘉义). Plan was to catch the 13:30 twice-a-day train up to Alishan (阿里山). This train, amazingly enough, traverses through trees and rocks up this 2000+ metre mountain. It was built originally by the Japanese to help harvest wood here. How uncomfortable was it? I don't know. Because I found a driver with a van. The train was void of seats when I arrived at Chia-yi station at 12:45. I bought a sweat shirt nearby (don't do this when you go, because you can buy it cheaper on the mountain). There were 6+driver in the van. I was the only loner. Up we went.
It took 2.x hours, inclusive of Mr. Xu, driver of the Volkswagen 10-seater, stopping for diesel, stopping for a spare tire, a teapee break, and his lunch break (bread only).
Actually I had already booked a 600NT room (a 6-share) at the youth hostel one stop from the top (二万里). But since Mr. Xu gave me a deal on a 800NT room on Alishan stop, plus the Youth Hostel was "privatized" and tried to sell me a 1600NT room, then tried to cheat me of my deserved free breakfast when I specifically asked for their cheapest room.
Turns out I made the right choice. It was a little town up there. More like a resort. Well organized. I took a little hike while most others (notably those who came in tour buses) where taken to restaurants with some light entertainment from local Alishan women. If you're Chinese you could imagine this: “大家这边看，这位就是我们阿里山的姑娘！” No trip to Alishan would be self-respecting without fulfulling the need to turn lyrics from the song into some sort of reality. Espcially since it costs 120,000NT for each Mainlander to visit Taiwan. They can come in only groups of 10, so far. I, too, I admit, knew Alishan only from this song before this day.
“高山青，澗水藍。阿里山的姑娘美如水，阿里山的 少年壯如山。。。”
Tautology Number One:
Here, of course, few cared to see the that "youth, strong and stout like the mountain".
May 24
Hours of sleep: 11pm-3am.
Train to Zhu Shan (祝山): 4:30 - 5am. This is a convenient spot for viewing the famous sunrise.
Estimated time of sunrise: 5:20am
Actual time of sunrise: #N/A -- Everyone was disappointed.
I made a couple of friends on this leg. Lucent from Bay Area and Angie from Taipei.
To Lucent from Cisco:
Sorry Lucent =P I guess you're used to it but I've always wanted to make that joke. I'm waiting for that picture you took of me. And, after we parted, I hiked down the mountain with a retired English AstraZeneca chemist. Then I tried to sleep a bit before going back to Chia-i with Mr. Xu. Then I got woken up by Mr. Xu with a message that the family who hired his van no longer want to go to Chia-i, but back up north through the mountains and enjoy Nantou County (南投县). That's when I met the Yan's, and began my tree-hugging, nature loving, oh-way-too-much H2O two-day escapade in the mountains, where grounds covered included 东浦温泉, 彩虹瀑布, 水里, 溪头森林(!!!), 日月潭.
Left: 彩虹瀑布
Right: 大学池, 溪头森林
More Photos: ethan.fotopic.net/c976358.html
I hope you made it to Tainan safe and sound, and had as much fun in Tainan as I did. Give me a call if you're still in Taiwan (0930140246). If not, best regards, and we shall try that sunrise again another morning -- another mountain?
Sun Moon Lake to Tai'chung (台中) was our last ride together. I thanked and goodbyed the Yans at their hotel in Tai'chung, where a near relative was to be married the next day.
Mr. Xu has both property in Chia-i and on Alishan. That night he was to live in Chia-i. Perfect. This connected me to the western rail tracks real quick. I got on a train (电车, 非自强号火车) to Tainan and quickly shopped for lodging.
Rest is what I need for the next day my gastric forces need to battle Tainan food ...
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