...And We're Back!

I thought I was done but I'm back again, funny how things work out...

I came home to Sydney almost two years ago thinking it was going to be forever, that I would finally settle down, get a job, start a family and become an active, productive, tax paying member of Australian society again.  Fate however would have other thoughts.  It has been one long winded way of getting myself a job offer from NYC, a move that would potentially mean leaving Australia's shores for a long, long time.

It's taken a while to get organised, but last Friday my E3 visa to the US was approved; I'm officially allowed to enter the States to live and work there.  Indefinitely.  This means I have exactly 4 weeks from today before I get on a plane to fly back to Taiwan for a 2 week stopover with my family before I begin my new life in the land of freedom fries, Barak Obama and the blues.

Time to restart the countdown.

Goodbye

The window opened a little and I saw a sliver of expression of the interior. It was dark, though the light touched lightly upon a corner of a padded chair, highlighting the gentle fall of dust above it, an indication of the still and warmly hypnotic air inside. There's no one there any more, the house is empty. Soon a cool breeze will blow and rattle the curtains, beating the dust into a flurry of a dust storm until they settle, and disappear to their secret life.

Adventure's End

I'm no longer in Taiwan. I am in Sydney. I have moved back to Sydney for good.

Between the last post and this one, quite a lot has happened. Time for a recap as my memory as already become fuzzy. I don't want to forget some important times so let's do it as per usual, countdown style, from end of employment to my return to Sydney.

Week 6, Dec 13 - 19
Taipei
First week of unemployment and hence, freedom. Began research for 2-week trip to Vietnam, departing the following week. Also began packing up apartment, as will only have one week left after coming back from Vietnam before lease is up. It's turning out to be a bigger job than I had imagined.
Stress level: moderate

Week 5, Dec 20 - 27
Taipei/Hanoi/Sapa/Halong Bay
Packed for Vietnam right up to the last minute. Departed for Hanoi on Tuesday Dec 22. On the flight decided the best way to see Hanoi is through a local, so made friends with the Vietnamese guy sitting next to me. 26 year old Wun Hong has been in Taiwan for 3 years, working and sending money back to his family in Vietnam. It's his first time back visiting and I predicted that he'd cry when he sees them at the airport. He agreed. His family doesn't live in Hanoi but rather the outskirts but we nevertheless swapped numbers and planned to meet up whilst I'm there. Friend objective achieved.

Experience culture shock upon arrival in Hanoi. The Old Quarter where hostel and most tourist attractions reside is a maze of look-alike streets, crammed to the rafters with motorbike traffic. Sights and smells out of this world. Feeling overwhelmed as even something you'd think as simple as crossing the street is an immensely difficult activity - that's how crazy the traffic was. But at the same time can understand how intoxicating the entire mix can be, that is, the exoticism of Asian culture here. Thankfully meet like-minded travellers at the hostel which is in part why travel is so attractive and rewarding.

Two common trips outside of Hanoi is to trek Sapa in the mountains towards the north and take an overnight boat cruise in Halong Bay towards the east. I had pre-planned so that I would spend Christmas in Sapa. It was a great idea as Christmas was utterly non-existent there and I felt a world away. The best way to escape and de-tox from my previous existence in Taipei.

I recommend Sapa but not Halong Bay. Perhaps it was the weather, perhaps it was the company. I'm not sure, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. Furthermore I come to conclusion that any visitor to Vietnam, Asian or not, will be ripped off at some point or another. It's just a matter of how much. So, simply know this and you will have a better experience of Vietnam.

Again, whilst in Sapa and Halong, met some great traveller friends.
Stress level: high

Week 4, Dec 28 - Jan 03
Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City/Taipei
As per my plan, flew to Ho Chi Minh City on Dec 30 to spend NYE there and catching up with a friend who was flying in from Bangkok, someone I hadn't seen for 6 years. But first thing I did in Ho Chi Minh? Get myself pampered with a half-day spa package to feel relaxed and beautiful for NYE. It was the perfect start to 2010.

Also made local friend number 2 in my taxi driver from the airport to the hotel. Tho is 22 years old, originally from Hanoi but has worked in Ho Chi Minh for 2 years. Each month he only gets 2 days off work and as a young man it's difficult as he wants to have a girlfriend and enjoy himself as anyone his age should. But he's wanting to save enough money to go to cooking school, which he will be able to next year. Good luck Tho, you're almost there.

Say fond farewell to Vietnam and my friend from Bangkok as we part ways at the airport on Jan 03.
Stress level: moderate

Week 3, Jan 04 - Jan 10
Taipei
Nothing to do except plan packing strategy and tying up boring loose ends ie. utilities, banks, phones. Catch up with ex-colleagues for lunch to farewell CG supervisor RK. A great guy who's going back to the US.
Stress level: low

Week 2, Jan 11 - Jan 17
Taipei/Taichung/Ali Shan
Last week at the Taipei apartment. It was sad to see it go. At the end of the week Mum and Dad comes to pick me up and we go back to Taichung. A little sad but mini trip to Ali Shan that weekend cheered me up immensely. Went with 1 ex-colleague from Standard and 2 ex-colleagues from Digimax. A very happy and fun trip where we got out of bed at 5am to climb a mountain to see the sun rise. Beautiful. Also walked through an amazing cedar tree forest, with trees up to 1000 years old. Just lovely.
Stress level: low

Week 1, Jan 18 - Jan 24
Taichung/Tainan/Kaohsiong/Taipei
Last few days in Taiwan. Mum and Dad takes me on a little holiday to Tainan and Kaohsiong. Most importantly for me though, it was a chance to see my granddad one last time before I leave. My 91 year old granddad. I love him to bits and berate myself for never having enough time to visit him. There is something I want to do for him and I really hope I manage this in time. Fingers crossed.

I never knew Tainan to be the historical hot spot that it is. A great town to visit. We stayed at the newest hotel in town and it was damn swank. Kaohsiong was host to the 2009 World Games so a visit to the main stadium was necessary. Many other sites were also worthy destinations. All in all, it was the best way to spend time with my parents and to see a bit more of Taiwan, to fall in love with both all over again.

Dec 23 was the last Saturday I would spend in Taiwan, so took a coach up to Taipei to catch up with my friends for the very last time for dinner and drinks. At the end of the night, M takes out marker and gets us to sign his T shirt. R's suggested that M also draw caricatures of us all to commemorate the night. He's an amazingly talented artist.
Stess level: moderate

Week 0, Jan 26
Taipei/Sydney
Packed to the very last minute. Again. We leave the house at 4:30am to get to the airport around 5:30am, for my 6:30am flight. As I wheeled my luggage into the airport I see a familiar face. It's M. I am shocked and in disbelief. Then R appears, followed by T and E. 4 of my favourite boys have come to give me a surprise send-off! To be there that early on a Tuesday morning showed me how great these guys were. Love them all to bits.

Saying goodbye to Mum and Dad was hard too. Dad is his usual cool self to keep emotions under check, but Mum as mums do got a bit teary and so did I.

I leave Taiwan with a heavy heart, arriving in Sydney feeling almost like a new immigrant. It's Jan 26, Australia Day. I've finally come home.
Stress level: high

Night Thoughts

Nights are mysterious. So are night creatures. We need light to flourish but night creatures flourish against nature's intent. Wondrous night creatures.

I Got It!

Was at The Wall tonight. Finally! Yo La Tengo ("I got it" in espanola) created a night of eclecticism, writhing in softly tingling tones, bursting to massive guitar rifts, percussion upon percussion to individual piano keys. The venue was great, small but perfectly suited to the seductiveness of the sound emanating from the stage, drawing circles in the air then rocking the dust out of it.

The Wall
台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1
近捷運公館站1號出口
Tel: 02-2930-0162
B1, No. 200, Roosevelt Road, Taipei City
Near Exit 1, Gongguang MRT

He Looked Like Colin Firth

Having been a little miserable lately what with work clamping down on us like a bloody vice, I thought back to happier times and laughed out loud today at the thought of having slept with a guy many years ago purely because he looked like Colin Firth. Colin Firth, or Mr Darcy of acclaimed BBC fame, that tall dark smouldering man any woman with brains would give up her intellect for. It was one of those nights out that had become regular, with some really close friends, out for a good night at a small club in Kings Cross that was partly owned by a friend's friend or some other equally close non-acquaintance. Drinks and dancing, but predominately E-laced euphoria sustained by the energy of speed, that was always a favourite mix of mine. We'd laugh all night, crowded into the small rooms of the converted terrace house, where you could go onto the first floor balcony to take a cool sip from your drink and cool breeze through the leaves before you overheat and dehydrate. Always remember to hydrate yourself in that situation. It's so easy to forget. But we didn't and we were happy, and danced and danced and danced. And when I looked across the room in my happy state, I saw happy reflected. If not more. We danced together and chatted about this and that. Nothing was amiss, just a feeling of invincibility and utter understanding. Towards the end of the night friends began to dwindle away. We bade our farewells, and left together, back to his place. The sky was beginning to lighten and I remember looking at him in the growing light and thinking, my god, he really looks like Mr Darcy. He really, really looks like Mr Darcy. There was no hiding my delight. Then he says, my girlfriend is away at her parents this week so we'll be alright.

What?, I said. Didn't I tell you?, he said. In our state who remembers who said what when, but I know that he didn't say anything before hand. I calculated. He approached me. He spoke to me first. He suggested we come here. I was single. I didn't want anything except the moment. The beautiful moment. Nothing could be sweeter. I am still euphoric, and I was with Mr Darcy. Driving home, I made my usual call to a close friend to tell my secret. He was a perfect gentleman! He was exquisite! We were connected in our minds and souls. I even remember telling her, almost pontificating as I insisted that ecstasy played no part in my judgement of his agreeable manner and I was on top of the world and everything had its perfect ending. Everything was sublime. And it was. And I laugh that I have this strange, far away, dream-like memory.

The Never Ending Journey

Landed on Saturday at 1030am. The comfort and ease of catching the Airport Express into HK station was a great start to the trip. As the MTR traversed towards my destination, the clear blue sky and pillows of white clouds released me for the weekend. From HK station it was only a short ride to Yosy's place, but that cab ride continued to heighten my delight. Hong Kong is tall and modern, yet its narrow streets and hills make it a city of its own making and character.

Arriving at Yosy's new apartment building was like arriving at a boutique hotel. As I walked through its front door a man walked past. He was casually yet smartly dressed, wearing sunglasses and talking on his mobile phone. And gorgeous. I was liking Hong Kong so very much, and it was only the first hour.

Yosy and Ted lives on the 35th floor. The views from their apartment was amazing. Their apartment was equally impressive containing all mod-cons. Though not a huge place, it still boasted a kitchen that even Martha Stewart would be proud of. Which means I was positively drooling (they had a normal oven, a steam oven, dishwasher, 4 gas burners AND a built in grill).



I was reunited with Yos and Corrinne, two dear friends I had made in London. This was the first time we'd all been together in two years. Corrinne had moved back to Melbourne for a stint, then relented to her travel bug and Yos's current location at that time and the two lived and worked in Singapore. After Yos met Ted, the two married and moved to Hong Kong about a month ago. It was a perfect arrangement to spend my birthday in Hong Kong and have both Yosy and Corrinne to celebrate with me.

Lunch on Saturday was at a small, local claypot joint. Corrinne impressed us all with her fluent Cantonese and even ordered me a milk tea and coffee combo drink. Let's just say it was interesting. After lunch we made important visits, to Zara and H&M. Two clothing stores that are close to many women's hearts and quite obnoxiously not available in Taiwan. We like to pay our respects and homage to them.



A quick cool dessert of mango ice cream, fresh fruits and birds nest jelly refreshed us and we headed back to Yos's to ready ourselves for the main event: dinner at Aqua and drinks in Lan Kwai Fong.

I had chosen to dine at Aqua not because of its food, but purely for its location which boasted one of the finest views of Hong Kong. It was a short ferry ride from Hong Kong to Kowloon. From our private glassed room on the corner of the 29th floor restaurant overlooking the harbour, Hong Kong Island was lit up in candied-coloured lights. Its festive mood matched mine and I couldn't be happier with the setting and company. I had two additional friends join us for dinner, Kelvin who I'd first met in Toronto and Felix, a friend of Kelvin's I'd first met in Taipei last year who'd moved to China earlier this year. Three ex-colleagues would have been present also, if we hadn't miscommunicated and they hadn't changed their flights to arrive the week before! The girls were missed, both by myself and the boys I think.






Despite missing their presence, I had the good fortune of typhoons from two weeks ago delaying my friends' travels in Asia. Ant, an ex-colleague from London and his friend Louise are currently on a backpacking trip and circumstances aka natural disasters allowed us to all be in Hong Kong at the same time. Ant and Lou joined us for drinks afterwards in Lan Kwai Fong, possibly one of the rowdiest drinking arenas I'd ever been. It reminded me of Temple Bar in Dublin. Small narrow streets with pub after pub after bar after pub. And plenty of white folk which enforced that idea.



We first went into the Russian ice bar for a shot of vodka each, then it was followed by jellied shots from Australian bar. Later in the evening, as we stood on the street, a man approached us with a box and offered us its contents. We peered in and saw giant novelty syringes. Curious. The syringes were filled with a burnt yellow/orange colouration. Definitely curious. The man then enthusiastically explained they jellied shots and that these were on the house. We laughed thankfully and all grabbed a syringe each. Beside us were a group of people attending a pyjama party. In their pyjamas. Further down the street were girls dousing each other with beer. And the last memory of the crowd of the night was seeing famous a Hong Kong radio DJ wearing a black T shirt and black leather skirt and boots (he is a man), walking with three women linked to his arms. He only has two arms.




Corrinne and I walked back to Yosy's place at the end of the night. It wasn't a far walk, but our heels were giving us great grief. Ending the night in a comfortable bed on the 35th floor of central Hong Kong took the grief away in a jiffy.

Sunday lunch was a late affair. But we'd kept to our plans of eating the famous roast goose at Yung Kee, famous for, well, its roast goose. It's roast goose cooked in the same way as Peking Duck, though the meat tasted far more tender, the flavours were rich without being overly powering, and the plum sauce to dip into was superb. I also ate salted pork and preserved egg congee which is a Hong Kong staple and it was just as tasty as I'd expected it to.



After lunch we strolled around Hong Kong a little bit more and embarked on the travelators that go on forever. This is the world's longest outdoor escalator, officially known as the Central-Mid-Levels Escalators. Mid-Levels is an area that boasts higher rent for its elevation and views, and we passed an open inspection of a residential building on our way up. The queues for this viewing was large to say the least, it was as if it were a queue for tickets to a concert or night club. It reminds you of how little land/housing there is in Hong Kong and that they are actively filling in the harbour to make more land. Eventually, one of our cab drivers told us, Hong Kong and Kowloon will be connected by landfill roads. Not bridges and ferries.



We stopped for an egg-tart break once we had enough of the escalators and jealousy of the rich in Hong Kong that lived in this area. It was time to head back. At Yosy's, we relived our night and days in Hong Kong over champagne the boys had bought for me the night before. The girls also presented me with a pair of beautiful earrings from Bali as a birthday present. Corrinne and I then said goodbye to Ted and Yos and their newly wedded bliss and we made our way back to the airport from whence we came.

At the airport I said goodbye to Corrinne who was returning to Singapore. I was to return to Taipei. It was a perfect weekend but I was sad to be leaving behind friends. Yet again.



Hong Kong. The world's Chinatown.

Aqua
29th Floor, One Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Hong Kong

I Jump Off A Bridge

Watch me jump off a bridge.

Down the Rabbit Hole

My usual Saturday routine was in full swing. I slept in. I parked the TV on an AFL game and left it in the background. I ate a late lunch and I surfed a lot, of the internet kind. Then the phone rang and it was M suggesting a dinner and a movie. M's cool. I don't socialise with him very often but it's always a pleasure to chat to an intelligent human being, and sensing something is on his mind, I accept the invitation knowing I have the task of cheering a friend up.

M takes me to Lawry's which is for him comfort food. Inside, the bar has wood-panelling, high ceiling, and a suit of armour stands in front of an ornately framed, floor to ceiling mirror. The dining room was lit by chandeliers. We are shown to a comfortable booth by waiter in gold thread waistcoat who spoke polite, textbook English. Lawry's have been "Celebrating special occasions since 1938".

The salad was prepared on a silver cart that was wheeled to our table. Once all the main salad pieces were placed into a large stainless steel bowl sitting in a larger bowl filled with ice, the waiter spun the steel bowl then poured the dressing from high above his head. Salad was tossed and served with a chilled fork. Showmanship from a by-gone era. For dinner I had a rack of lamb which almost melted like butter, and M had chosen Surf and Turf. We rounded off our meals with coffee and port.

When dinner was over we retire to the bar. M lights up his signature cigar. In the faint haze of smoke and slowly sipped scotch we chat about life, people and of course, love. No matter who we are or where we are in the world, love is the one thing we are all hurt by.

Time came for us to leave the restaurant for the good people at Lawry's had kept the bar open only for us. We let them and the old world go and left in search of a night cap.

Only a few steps later we find The Queens. Posters at the door indicate this is a place that regularly host live rock bands. A girl in a tight demin skirt, tank top and heels stands near the door chatting loudly on her mobile. No doubt we'd get a drink here. There is only a handful of customers so we get seats and drinks promptly. The band is taking a break so the DJ is at the helm. The floor-lit dance floor is empty but the music plays as if it was full. The mirror ball and swirling spotlights shine like the inside of a school dance hall. When the band returns to the stage they play without hesitation. They have three back up singers who are also dancers. Or more accurately, dancers who also hold mikes and think they are singers. It's mostly R&B, hip hop and pop. Songs that pump up a party of students. Surprisingly the band's energy level is not been deterred by thin crowd. M and I watched the slender, almost pre-pubescent dancers gyrate, whipping their long black hair back and forth and push their flat abdomens out at us, mocking us. The lead singer even jumps onto the bar top telling us to wave our hands in the air, or something closely mimicking that effect. I was impressed. These guys were working hard for their pay checks.

When time came for the band and back up singers/dancers to take another break, DJ takes over and plays the same kind of hip hop tunes and dance floor fillers. Though at no point do any of the 20 people in the audience take preference of the dancer floor over their seats. After a quick break where we all make for the bathroom, the band mixes it up in a strange playlist of Beyonce, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake followed by Bananarama and Tom Jones.

The girls put on a show. A stripper pole is installed atop the bar and each girl takes her turn with the pole. Minus the stripping. It was hard to take your eyes off. I found one girl to be more of a dancer than stripper, as she had more athletic moves than the other two who simply shook their bodies around the pole. And of course I am qualified to state this as I am both a veteran of dancing and stripping and judgement-laying. I am intrigued by this kind of display in this supposed respectable live band venue. I can't deny the presence of the live band, nor the style of music they played, yet this club is dangerously tipping the scale of acceptable sleaze for a rock joint.

During the next band break, the first lone male dancer of the night begins his routine on the floor. I breathe a small sigh of relief as the issue of Balanced Scales in the 21st Century deserved urgent addressing. He was no doubt well-built, with a washboard for a stomach but he didn't do very much for me personally. It was the attire. Baggy jeans with a black leather waistcoat (?), bare chest and a black arm band. He jumped around for a minute impressing least of all me then suddenly throws his waistcoat by the wayside and suddenly again his jeans were off too! Whipped in a flash the velcro seams of his stripper jeans flew apart and he was down to a pair of god-awful black leather briefs with an arrangement of silver chain links on it that nestled in the middle looking like a giant silver-backed spider was gobbling up his package.

Part of his performance included placing a chair in the middle of the dance floor, having one of the girl dancers in the chair and doing a polite little stripper dance in front of her. He then gets her up on her feet, partners with her in a wiggle before the finale of picking her up, she lying back in his arms, her arms and legs stretched out and he spinning with her in that horizontal position a number of times. It was pretty impressive considering entry to this show/club was free. We had no idea.

Once he and the audience of 20 got their breaths back, sweaty stripper man moves towards the closest girl in the audience. She turns out to be twice his size and completely reaction-less to his outstretched hand. Her companion, a middle aged man in a surfer shirt and happily sozzled since M and I walked in, spiritedly encouraged her. She stands, and is lead like a limp rag to the disco floor, arms half up in a very surrenderous posture.

He begins performing new stripper moves of the night. As she stands either in a drunken daze or wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole, he crouches to her feet and pretends to run his hands from her legs up to sides of her torso, ending up pressing rather close to the entire length of her body. A few more up and down motion he gets her in the seat that's still on the floor. Instead of lying back and having fun with the moment she sits slightly rigid. He stands astride her and grabs her hands in his and guides them to his back, butt, legs and back again.

M and I are laughing our arses off. But in a brief moment of guilt and reflection, I turn to M and say, "I wonder if it had been me, would I have been brave enough to do it?" M shrugs and I turn back to the show, only to see stripper man climb over sofas and offer his hand to me in the dark, where I'd been sitting with M. Up close, I notice stripper man is just a smidgen shorter than me. Do I accept?

Just Imagine This For A Minute

Oh, just wishing I was travelling. T'is all. I had originally planned to do another big trip in about 5 years' time, when I've saved some money and got the career going. Urgh, but I want to go now. So maybe the comprimise would be to do a trip after Taiwan, just before I go back to Oz, around this time next year... Hmmm... Could work!

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Everyone Should Do It At Least Once In Their Lives

I've been told I haven't blogged with any pictures for a while. Apologies.

To rectify such hideous oversight, I hereby enclose forthwith... PICTURES! A short yet conscise photo-essay of a recent outing to 台灣電力公司第二核能達電廠, Taiwan Power Company's Nuclear Facilities No.2's Visitor Centre. We were on the way to some other tourist destination on the North Coast, but seeing everyone else had the same idea and choked up the roads, we decided to abandon it halfway and pulled into this place. It was on the way home and it was free.

Here I am posing with a giant, round, spinning thingy that sat at the front of the Visitor Centre. We presumed it was of significance to the whole nuclear power production line somehow or other. Hence the confused expression.



Inside the Visitor Centre it was classic 1970s. We even watched a little educational film in the entrance foyer about how nuclear power is produced. The host of the film was a robotics arm moving about next to the screen, talking to a cartoon professor whose face would appear in the screen.

Here is a schematic of the nuclear fission plant. Press a button and a light would glow indicating the section you've selected.

What a lovely mannequin in a yellow raincoat with matching orange gloves. Good to see the nuclear industry is also fashion conscious. But it's obviously very delicate. Note the railing that prevents you from reaching over and touching its fine textures.

Mum and Dad were very taken by one of the displays. Warning: Learning in Progress. Do Not Approach.

Besides the little introduction film in the foyer, we were also guided to the theatrette by some uniformed guides at the Centre. Uniforms are very big in Taiwan. I'm sorry I don't have a picture of them. But just imagine a lot of polyester and really safe black shoes. But back to the theatrette. It wasn't any old theatrette, it was in 3D!!! I shit you not, we got given 3D glasses as we went in. Man those effects came straight from 1976.

Edumicated! We came out happy we'd learnt something. Were there subliminal messages spliced into the psychedelic 3D film we'd watched a minute ago?

A rockin' family Sunday for the memoirs.

Tourist in My Own Country

I visited the National Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Park and the Dr Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park in Taipei. These two memorial parks are named and in honour of two men of controversial importance in the complex and entwined history of the Republic of China and of modern China itself.

Within the mammoth grounds of the National Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Park stands the National Theatre and the National Concert Hall and at the far end, a white building with blue octagonal roof is the Memorial Hall. Within the hall is a large sculpture of a seated Chiang Kai Shek, though it was closed for renovations during my visit.

Chiang Kai Shek played a large part in Taiwan's history. Towards the end of the Chinese Civil War against the Mao-led Communists, Chiang and his Nationalist Party, Kuomingtang (KMT) retreats to Taiwan in 1949. His retreat meant a temporal move of the goverment of the Republic of China (ROC) which was first established in 1912 by his mentor Dr Sun Yat Sen. Here he claims his government to be the rightful sovereign over all of China and Taipei its provisional capital. In 1949 Mao establishes the People's Republic of China, in China. Chiang and the ROC has effectively been ousted.

Chiang was elected as the President of the ROC in 1948 and remained in the position until his death in 1975. Taiwan under the Chiang and the KMT was a single-party state. In fact, Taiwan is placed under martial law until 1987 and this entire period is known as 'White Terror', suppression of all political dissent against the KMT. Actual or even perceived dissention was punishable by imprisonment or execution. Even something as trivial as the local Taiwanese dialect is banned and Mandarin, favoured by mainlanders and KMT is enforced. I clearly recall my childhood as a first grader, in 1984, discussing with my friends in know-all tones that speaking in Taiwanese is not allowed.

The Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall was officially opened in 1980. It is an impressive building, its blue and white colours and traditional shape stands proudly in the large open square. Under Chiang's rule, Taiwan under goes massive developments and throughout the 60s and into the 70s grows an economy of envy, earning a place as one of the "Four Asian Tigers".

With the Cold War in place during this time, Chiang is regarded by the West as a legitimate and respected leader of China (which included the island of Taiwan) even though the ROC had no actual control whatsoever with anything that occurred on the mainland. One has to remember that Chiang led China into WWII as an Allied force and was the one of the four most powerful nations at that time along with the USA, UK and France, collectively known as the "Four Policemen". At the end of the second world war, Chiang was the head of a country that became a founding member of the United Nations and also a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

With the lift of martial law in 1987, criticism of Chiang from the people of Taiwan is finally bubbling forth. Many monuments, statues, streets named after or in honour of Chiang are being gradually removed or replaced. In fact in 2007, President Chen Shui Bian of the Democratic Progressive Party announced that the National Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall to be renamed the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall. However supporters of the original name (predominately KMT members) objected to the change and now due to political scuffling and legal tug-o-war the old name is still technically the correct name but none from either side of the political fence likes to refer to it as such. Kinda like Taiwan's own political/legal status. I mean ROC.

Technically Taiwan does not exist as a county. Doesn't that just blow your mind?


L: Impressive gates to the Memorial Park; R: CKS Memorial Hall, large and looming in the distance. High school kids in the foreground.

L: Troops in prep for the "Double 10 Day" parade (or Independence Day, held on the 10th of October), in front of the National Concert Hall; R: The National Concert Hall, under renovations for the celebrations.

L: Front view of the National Concert Hall with troops parading ant-like in front; R: Sweaty soldiers guarding rifles during a break in their practice.

I mentioned earlier that Dr Sun Yat Sen was a mentor to Chiang Kai Shek. He is considered by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China as the "Father of the Fatherland". Dr Sun's influence culminated in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, the last dynastic family that will ever rule China.

Inside the memorial hall which is topped by a wonderful golden roof, is a large statue of Dr Sun, guarded by two military personnel at all times. There is a sign in front of the statue asking visitors to bow to the statue as a sign of respect. I did not, as one is under no obligation. But I did see a Taiwanese man and his wife bowing deeply upon entering.

The memorial hall sits in a less austere sounds and its verandah on the shady side that day sat many old men playing Chinese chess with other old men onlookers.


L: Old and new - SYS Memorial Hall and Taipei 101; R: Side view of SYS Memorial Hall.

L: The front of SYS Memorial Hall; R: Mosaic on the foot path.

L: Sign declaring new name for CKS Memorial Hall, technically not correct due to legal and political game play; R: The verandah of SYS Memorial Hall.

L: A Chinese chess game in session, one of many on the day; R: Sign in front of Dr Sun's statue requesting visitors to salute. Bowing is acceptable.

Touched By an Angel

In every tour group there's always one or two characters that stick in your mind. Mine was a lady who loved to answer to everything our tour guide said to us, whether it was required or not. It was like being in a southern gospel church.

Tour guide: "Hokkaido is a very picturesque island..."
Lady: "Yes! Picturesque."
"... famous for dairy products like milk..."
"Like milk! Yes!"
"... you'll have the opportunity to enjoy the baths tonight..."
"Hot baths tonight. Uh-huh."
"... please gather in the lobby for dinner at 6pm..."
"Lobby at 6. Halleluiah!"
"We'll visit a waterfall this afternoon..."
"Praise the lord!"
"... followed by a sulfur valley, the source of this area's hot springs..."
"Amen! He speaks the truth!"

I wanted to clap and sing and jump on my feet and raise my hands and be loved and healed! But I didn't think the tour guide would've appreciated the interruption.

Climb Every Mountain

I went to Japan for 5 days. Hokkaido to be exact. The folks were going, so I invited myself along.

Food great. Coach rides not so great. Natural hot spring baths every night divine... especially the outdoor ones. Ever seen footage on National Geographic of those Japanese mountain monkeys bathing in natural rock pools in the middle of winter, whilst snow falls around them? And how content and relaxed they looked, faces flushed rosey pink they are languidly close to nodding off? That was me, minus the fur and the snow.

It is the custom in Japan to bathe in public baths in the nude. To cover your modesty you are allowed one small towel. I struggled with that small towel on the first day. It simply wouldn't stretch beyond what seemed like the size of a fig leaf. Facing the reality of the situation I plunged (excuse the pun) into the world of nude public bathing. It wasn't so bad. Being in a roomful of naked women, mostly of a retired age-group, I took a sigh of relief knowing these women weren't interested in sniggering like teenage girls I once knew (or were).

Once you sink into that neck-high bath with your fellow bathers, you feel at peace and at one with everybody there and the world. After an enjoyable soak you can stand and walk away without clinging to your fig leaf. You've overcome a cultural barrier, you've done as the Romans did, you've understood the connection we all have as human beings, to the planets, and the universe. You are on the top of the world.

Just don't slip on the wet floor on your way out.

My Taiwan (So Far)

Taiwan was once known as "Formosa Island", after the Portuguese who in 1544 named it "Ilha Formosa", which means "Beautiful Island."

To see the beauty of Taiwan you really must escape the towns and head for the hills. As Taiwan is a tropical climed country the hills are quite green and lush. Not to mention extremely humid at this time of year.

L and R: Streets in Taichung day and night. There are worse examples of neons which I will capture for you.

L: Mountain ranges 30 mins drive from my parent's place; R: Lounges facing mountain views at a restaurant 55 mins from my parent's place.

L: Views towards Taichung at dusk; R: On motorway - see the pale mountain ranges at bottom and layered clouds above.

There are Buddhist temples aplenty in Taiwan, ranging from minature single-god temples to multi-layered mansions honouring numerous. The one I visited (see below) had a giant Buddha statue in its forecourt.

L: Temple; R: Second floor interior honoring five gods. The third floor is dedicated to Buddha.

L: "Milefuo" - statue of the very happy monk who brings good luck and happiness; R; Giant Buddha sitting on a giant lotus flower.

And you thought I'd forget? No, here are some ever important food shots for you.

L: Coffee and cake at mountain restaurant; R: A cheap and cheerful chicken lunchbox for $70 NTD = $2.50 AUS = $2.00 CDN = 1.10 pound sterling. Talk about affordability.

L: A VERY popular snack in Taiwan - Smelly Tofu, so named because it smells like BO, or feet. But let me assure you it is VERY VERY good; R: Thai fare at Taichung's premier hotel, Hotel One on the 28th floor.

Random pics chosen for their verticality:

L: Lunch July 18th 2007; R: Pegoda.

L: My Dad in the trees; R: Lunch July 1st 2007.