Friday, November 26, 2010

Thanksgiving

Yes, it's that time of year again, at least for Americans. In Taiwan, of course, this day isn't a holiday, but we were still able to have a turkey dinner this evening at an expatriate bar/restaurant in Taichung 台中. Amber seemed especially satisfied with the meal. As this day is meant to be a time of reflection, I have a lot to be thankful for. While the last ten years or so certainly haven't progressed in the manner in which I had hoped (and in some areas, there has been virtually no progression), I realize things could be much, much worse. I have a wonderful family, I've gotten to know a lot of great people (though, sadly, a couple of them are no longer with us), and I've had the chance to do things and go places that many others will never get. No matter where you are in this world, or what your passport has stamped on its cover, I wish all of you a happy thanksgiving in the truest sense of the word.


Wednesday, November 24, 2010

写真

A couple of pictures taken on my way home from the pool this afternoon:



Tuesday, November 23, 2010

In the news

In a move that is sure to generate yet another unintentionally hilarious China Post editorial fulmination, it's "Japan eyes doubling ground troops on islands close to China, Taiwan", courtesy of Japan Today:

"The Defense Ministry 防衛省 is considering doubling the number of ground troops deployed in Okinawa 沖縄 and other Nansei islands 南西諸島 in southwestern Japan close to China and Taiwan to 4,000 by 2014 under its basic defense program to be updated at the end of this year, defense sources said Sunday. In the new National Defense Program Outline, the full strength of the Ground Self-Defense Force 陸上自衛隊 would be stipulated as 157,000, the sources added. The figure is less than the 168,000 personnel stated in the ministry’s initial plan but 2,000 more than the current 155,000. The new troops will be deployed in the islands as part of Japanese efforts to step up vigilance against China, which has been increasing naval activities in areas around the Nansei Islands, a chain of islands stretching from southern Kagoshima 鹿児島 to Okinawa prefectures near Taiwan. Tension grew between the two countries following collisions in September between a Chinese trawler and Japanese patrol vessels near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands 尖閣諸島, which are also claimed by China."

Friday, November 19, 2010

Play ball

Sports are in the news now in Taiwan, but for all the wrong reasons, as the country reacts with disbelief and fury over the disqualification of Taiwanese taekwondo athlete Yang Shu-chun 楊淑君 at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. Rather than throw my two cents-worth into the maelstrom of anti-Chinese and anti-Korean conspiracy theories, I'll refer you to an article in the Daily Yomiuri ザ・デイリー読売 about baseball, that shared national pastime among the USA, Japan and Taiwan. The veteran baseball writer Jim Allen, in his regular Hot Corner column, has a piece on efforts being made in Japan to expand the grand old game in the international market, with a large part of the article referring to Taiwan ("Taiwan next stop on road to future"):

"...Nippon Professional Baseball 日本プロ野球 Commissioner Ryōzō Katō 加藤良三 met with his counterparts from Australia, South Korea and Taiwan in September. As a result of that meeting, Taiwan has offered to host a revived Asia Series in November 2011. The club championship started in 2005 and was held at Tōkyō Dome 東京ドーム four times. 'It's been our goal to unite Asian baseball,' Richard Wang, the secretary general of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League 中華職業棒球大聯盟, told The Hot Corner by phone on Tuesday. 'From many years ago, we had a dream of having a champion of the Asia Series play against the major league champion.' Taiwan makes an interesting setting for the Series' revival, considering the CPBL is undergoing its own rebirth nine months after being rocked by a massive game-fixing scandal. 'It [the scandal] was somewhat of a disaster,' Wang said. 'But since then, we've gotten great support from the Taiwan government's baseball revival plan. We had trust issues. Baseball had been tainted with bad influences.' Wang says the government's recognition of pro baseball's role in the nation has been crucial. 'It's not just from government policy, but from law enforcement,' he said. 'This is so helpful to keep the bad things away from baseball.' Wang believes the more visible government role will make it easier to secure sponsors. 'More than just getting their names out in public, companies will see involvement with baseball as a positive thing,' he said.

As a crucial part of today's baseball business, sponsorship - or the lack of it - can make or break a venture. The Asia Series began as the Konami Cup and for three years participating teams reaped the rewards of the sponsorship deal. In 2008, the tournament operated without Konami's コナミ cash and hasn't been played since. In the meantime, Japan's champion and the winning team from the Korean Baseball Organization have squared off in a single game. A year ago, the Yomiuri Giants 読売ジャイアンツ beat the KIA Tigers in Nagasaki 長崎. On Saturday, the Chiba Lotte Marines 千葉ロッテマリーンズ defeated the SK Wyverns at Tōkyō Dome before a crowd of 32,743. The strong gate ensured a profit, but was more a reflection on the Marines' fanatic local following than an indication of the tournament's popularity. 'Making money is good,' Wang said. 'But we need to build this Asian Series. It's our goal to unite Asian baseball. In the process, we try to make money.' A challenge for the 2011 tournament, will be finding a way to include a team from Australia, a difficult prospect considering the Australian Baseball League's schedule begins in early November, just as the Japan Series 日本選手権シリーズ is ending. Teams from Taiwan and South Korea already have to wait until the Japan Series ends in early November to meet Japan's champions. To make international competition work, there needs to be coordination and compromise among teams and leagues, particularly in the touchy area of scheduling. It isn't going to be easy, but when individual owners believe their operations will benefit from baseball having a higher international profile, they will jump on the bandwagon like nobody's business."

It's a good article, and one hopes the professional leagues in the various countries will be able to bring about a revival of the Asia Series. There are many obstacles to holding a true World Series with the Major League champion, however. The season is long enough as it is, and MLB is talking about expanding the playoffs further, starting in 2012. The MLB Players Association would also have to be involved in any negotiations to bring about a trans-Pacific championship.

As for Taiwan, Wang sounds very optimistic on the issue of gambling, but considering all the controversies that have beset the league since its formation in 1989, it's doubtful the specter of game-fixing has gone away.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Random pics

While having to take care of some personal matters in Taichung 台中 this afternoon, I managed to squeeze in a 2½ hour walk in Dakeng 大坑. Here are a few random photographs taken today:

 
Why bother with all that hiking when you can just drive up to the top of the Dakeng No. 3 Trail?

 
ケムシ

 
I have no idea what kind of establishment "Pretty Wife Eat Cheese" is, but if I'm not mistaken, the Chinese is either "Jellyfish ("Shuimu" 水母) eat cheese" or "Medusa eats cheese"

 
Better be good around this temple, because the god is keeping watch over the neighborhood

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Jeff and Barbara Do Taiwan, Part VII

The final act of Jeff and Barbara's visit to this fair isle was played out this past weekend in Taipei 台北. Having taken the train from Fengyuan 豐原 after work on Friday evening, I joined my friends for a dinner of "Thai Fusion" that was pretty good, and coined the buzzword for the rest of the weekend. After listening to their impressions of T'ainan 台南 and their first two days in the capital, we returned to our rooms (same hotel), and met up early the next morning for the train trip to Fulong 福隆, the start of the Caoling Historic Trail. The weather would prove to be less than amenable for the entire day, but kitted out with rain ponchos courtesy of the Fulong 7-Eleven, we were ready to go:


The 9.7 kilometer (6 miles)-long trail that exists today is the last remaining section of an early-19the century stone trail that linked Tamsui 淡水 in the west with Yilan 宜蘭 in the east. Both the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet books describe the walk in glowing terms, with the LP guide going so far as recommending it as THE route to take if you only have time to do one hike in Taiwan. Unfortunately, thanks to the weather, we weren't able to enjoy the "mesmerizing views of the ocean" or "the high grassy bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean that make this trail such a treasure". The fact that it was a Saturday meant the trail was crowded despite the inclement conditions. The guidebooks also neglected to mention that getting to the start of the route from Fulong Station 福隆車站 meant a long walk along a busy highway, with tour buses and trucks brushing close by us at high speeds (though it was much easier to find the trailhead than the Rough Guide made it out to be).

All things considered, however, it was still a worthwhile trek. The scenery that we could see was splendid, with several historical sights along the way, such as the Tiger Tablet - somehow, inscribing a large stone with the character for "tiger" resulted in some serious wind control back in 1867:


Descending towards Dali 大里, the rain started to let up, and the views improved, with even Turtle Island becoming visible. Passing by the large Tiangong Temple, we made our way to Dali Station 大里車站, and the return trip to Taipei:


Back in Taipei, the evening turned into one of frustrating searches topped off with alcoholic rewards. A long walk along Dunhua Road failed to turn up a promised brew pup, but we did end up having some drinks and appetizers at a Dan Ryan's Chicago Grill. From the restaurant, a taxi took to the area near the Shilin Night Market 士林夜市. However, from where we were dropped off, we couldn't see the building where the majority of food stalls had been relocated to a few years ago, and spent most of the time walking the around the vicinity of the original market (which I remembered from a couple of visits in years gone past). Beer at a roadside food stand saved the evening (having the Asahi Beer アサヒビール girl pour our drinks didn't hurt, either), and we did manage to find the new building and have a walk-through before taking the subway back to our hotel (I preferred the old market layout before things were "improved"):

 

Sunday opened with a walk over to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 中正紀念堂, where Jeff was afraid his Slovenian soccer jersey might be judged as "slovenly dress", but we managed to make it out of there before anyone could take umbrage:


Next up was the Chienkuo Holiday Flower and Jade Markets, with some tasteful items for sale:


Following lunch, we took the MRT 台北捷運 to Guandu 關渡 and the nature park. Unfortunately, an event of some kind was being held. While it was free to get in, the noisy crowds ensured that not much wildlife was going to be hanging around in close proximity. While the mass of humanity was a drawback at the nature reserve, the hordes only added to the atmosphere at the nearby Guandu Temple, one of the largest and liveliest I've seen in Taiwan, with great views looking out from the front and back:



It was getting late in the afternoon, and I had a train to catch back to Fengyuan, so the three of us headed back into central Taipei, and dinner at a Korean restaurant in the Breeze Mall at Taipei Station 台北車站. A final cup of coffee and dessert, followed by a walk around the neighborhood, and then it was time for the final goodbyes:


I can't even begin to describe how wonderful it's been to see my old friend Jeff again after all these years, and getting to spend more time with his lovely wife Barbara was an additional pleasure. The two of them really seemed to have enjoyed their two-week stay on the island of Formosa, and I hope all the memories they take back with them of their trip to Taiwan will be good ones. With talk about meeting up in Tōkyō 東京, along with an invitation to visit them in Belgium, I'm sure it won't be that long again before I get to meet up again with Jeff and Barbara.

Friday, November 12, 2010

In the news

From today's Japan Times ジャパンタイムズ, it's "Taiwan seizes chance to make regional statement":

"Taiwan has thrown its support behind a proposed Pacific Rim free-trade zone and considers APEC a key forum to achieve this, according to a senior T'aipei 台北 official...APEC is one of the few international gatherings where Taiwan has representation."

For those who don't know, Yokohama 横浜 will play host this weekend to the annual gathering of leaders from the Asia-Pacific Cooperation forum, and the Japan Times is running a brief interview with Cho Shih-chao, director general of the Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Taiwanese Ministry of Economic Affairs 中華民國經濟部:

"'Due to political realities, APEC and the WTO (World Trade Organization) are two of the most international organizations we attend," Cho said...'Unfortunately, we are not able to attend the Group of 20 meetings or the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), even though we'd like to. As a result, we treasure our participation in APEC.'...Cho said Taiwan has actively undertaken steps to slash tariffs and open its service sector in an effort to reach APEC's ultimate goal of trade and investment liberalization. It also launched the APEC Digital Opportunity Center project in 2004 to enhance the information and communications technology of member economies in an attempt 'to transform digital divide into digital opportunity.'" (whatever that means)

One focus of this year's APEC gathering is the U.S.-proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement, the negotiations for which the Japanese government is considering joining, while weighing the opposition from the country's influential agricultural sector. The TPP has also caused some confusion in Taiwan, with "Chinese Taipei" 中華台北 APEC representative, Lien Chan 連戰, claiming that Taiwan has been invited to join, while a trade official said only that the country is "interested" in the initiative (read here). In any event, Cho stated that...

"Bilateral economic partnership agreements and (Free Trade Agreements) are 'not a good way to develop trade facilitation and liberalization,'...adding a free-trade accord covering the entire Asia-Pacific region would bolster trade by easing import-export restrictions. Taiwan, however, is concerned that it may be left on the sidelines of the APEC summit due to political pressure from China. 'Legally speaking, as a member of APEC and the WTO, we have the right to enter into any free-trade agreements,' Cho said. 'But practically, because of the global political situation, we may have a little bit of difficulty in doing so.'"

Being a government official, it should come as no surprise that Cho toes the party line, noting that...:

"...China-Taiwan relations have improved significantly in recent years, especially since Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou 馬英九 took office in 2008. Under Ma's leadership, Taiwan has taken a number of steps to strengthen ties with Beijing, including direct commercial flights between the two rivals. In June, the two governments signed the historic Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement 海峽兩岸經濟合作架構協議, which obliges China to cut import tariffs on about 540 goods and services worth an estimated $14 billion (¥1.15 trillion/NT422 billion). On the flip side, the agreement requires Taiwan to slash tariffs on around 270 imported products worth $3 billion (¥247 billion/NT90.4 billion). '(The ECFA) was a very positive development because it (established) a predictable and systematic way of doing business with China,' Cho said. 'The ECFA provides a really good opportunity for mutual benefits...Our president adopted the so-called pro-China policy and he sees China as an opportunity instead of a risk...'"

In the interview, Cho also chose to ignore the recent clashes over the Senkaku Islands 尖閣諸島, and Taiwan's tacit siding of China in the dispute. Instead, he mimics his boss in noting that:'

"'We have a solid relationship with Japan at all different levels — economic and trade levels, as well as people going back and forth...We'll only get better and better in future.'"


Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Compass points the way

It isn't often that Compass Magazine ("Making silk purses out of sows' ears") actually gets something right, but this article on T'aiyuan Station 太原車站 from the October issue is fairly spot on. While I don't share the anonymous government hack's admiration for the station's exterior architecture, and I had to settle for a can of Mr. Brown instead of the promised NT40 ($1.30/¥110) cup of coffee, it was fun to sit in the cafe area and watch the trains go by (and under). The shop also makes for an interesting browse, and if I hadn't already spent a lot of cash showing my friends around central and southern Taiwan this past week (not to mention the horror I received this afternoon at the travel agency when I learned just how much it's going to cost the three of us to fly back home during the next Chinese New Year 春節 holiday), I might have bought a few things. No doubt I'll make the mistake of bringing Amber here (probably by train) in the very near future.






Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Jeff and Barbara Do Taiwan, Part VI

Jeff and Barbara's last day in T'aichung 台中 was spent high above it, in the hills of Tak'eng 大坑, or, to be more specific, on Trails 1 and 2 (and a segment of #5). They were impressed with the lushness of the vegetation, and the variety of insect life. But most of all, it was the Formosan Rock Macaques 台灣獼猴 that will probably be the highlight of today for them. For while we didn't get to actually see any monkeys, we definitely heard them moving about in the trees, and in one brief moment, arguing with one another over some simian matter.


Following the hike, I dropped my friends off at Taichung Station 台中車站, where they caught a train for T'ainan 台南. As for me, life goes back to normal from tomorrow, at least until the weekend, when I'll meet up with Jeff and Barbara again up in T'aipei 台北.


Monday, November 8, 2010

Jeff and Barbara Do Taiwan, Part V

After several days of experiencing Taiwan's more modern side, Jeff and Barbara finally got to see the "real" Asia, beginning with the Great Buddha Statue of Changhua 彰化:





From Changhua, we drove to Lukang 鹿港, and plunged into the chaos so typical of popular tourist spots in Taiwan on weekend days. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the souls - the meaning of the term jenao 熱鬧* was starting to become clear to Jeff and Barbara:


When in Rome, do as the Lukangans, so lunch was oyster omelets 蚵仔煎 and dragon whiskers 龍鬚糖:


No time for quiet contemplation at the T'ienhou Temple 天后宮:


For Amber, Lukang meant an opportunity to get a T-Rex balloon:


Streets thronged with visitors, old storefronts selling touristy knickknacks and glimpses of traditional homes behind locked gates - welcome to Taiwan:


At one point, we stopped to listen to a performance of traditional music:


Some locals discuss the transient nature of existence:


Lukang on a Sunday not only means hordes of people, but also lot of cars clogging the roads. Eventually, we made it back to T'aichung 台中, meeting up with Steve and his kids for dinner at an Indian restaurant, followed by dessert at Swensen's. Taiwan, truly Asia:

The Citrus Heights contingent partially reforms in central Taiwan!

Tomorrow will be Jeff and Barbara's last day in Taichung. While I go back to work this week, our intrepid duo will set out by themselves for T'ainan 台南 and T'aipei 台北. I'm looking forward to hearing about their travels next weekend.

* 熱鬧 = bustling with noise and excitement/lively


Sunday, November 7, 2010

Jeff and Barbara Do Taiwan, Part IV

The plan had been to take my honored guests to see Taiwan's most prized scenic attraction, Taroko Gorge 太魯閣. However, thanks to Typhoon Megi and the effect it had on the Suhua Highway, the four of us (me, Amber, Jeff and Barbara - my wife had to work) instead fell back to Plan B - two nights in K'enting National Park 墾丁國家公園, at the southern tip of the island. The disappointment of not being able to drive to the east coast, plus the disappointing rainy weather that precluded any attempts at swimming and/or snorkeling while in Kenting, were greatly eased by our lodgings at the Fullon Resort:


It was a long, leisurely drive from T'aichung 台中 to K'enting 墾丁, and our first night (Thursday) was spent strolling along the main strip:


The next morning, Jeff and Barbara were hoping to do some snorkeling at Sail Rock, while Amber was eager to go swimming, either at the ocean or in the hotel pool. However, Friday was windy and frequently drizzly, so plans had to be adjusted. We began by strolling along the beach not far from the resort (visible in the photo on the right):


...before making the short drive to Sail Rock. The tide was out, and some crabs and fish were visible in the tidal pools:


Next stop was Eluanpi 鵝鑾鼻, where we had lunch, then visited the lighthouse and strolled the grounds:


You know you're in the tropics when you can buy a coconut, and have the seller cut off the top, punch a hole in it, and insert two straws for you and your loved one to share in the milk inside:


From Eluanpi, it was up the coast road to the coral formations of Chialeshui 佳楽水:




Continuing our driving tour, from Chialeshui we drove inland to Hengch'un 恒春, stopping to see the old East Gate 東門 and the natural gas fires at Ch'uhuo 出火奇観. At the latter,Jeff and Barbara could see first-hand the great respect Taiwanese have for posted regulations, especially those warning people against trespassing and vending:


We ended our mini-road trip back at the hotel. After freshening up, we took the shuttle bus back into Kenting, where we all enjoyed a truly Taiwanese evening by dining on Mexican food, and drinking Belgian beers afterward. Globalization in action!

Today (Saturday) we checked out of the Fallon, and visited Taiwan's premier aquarium, the National Museum of Marine Biology 國立海洋生物博物館. It was well worth the time and money spent there. The displays are well-organized, and the collections of sharks and rays (and a whale shark) were fascinating, especially to Amber. My favorite part was the exhibit on prehistoric oceans, in 3-D no less - dinosaurs so realistic you could reach out and touch them:



It was another long, leisurely drive from the aquarium back to Taichung. Everyone had a great time this past couple of days. Tomorrow it's off to Changhua Shō彰化 and Lukang 鹿港. Stay tuned...