First China <--> Taiwan flight in almost 60 years

Woohoo! About freakin' time...

Direct China flight lands in Taiwan

July 4, 2008 - 10:27AM

The inaugural flight of the first regular direct service between mainland China and Taiwan in almost six decades has landed at Taoyuan international airport, outside Taipei.

The China Southern Airlines Airbus A330, piloted by airline president Liu Shao-yong, touched down at 8.05am (10.05am AEST) with 100 mainland tourists among 258 passengers after a 100-minute flight from Guangzhou.

"This is a sacred moment. The two sides of the strait are like members in one family. Flying over the strait to Taiwan is like coming home. It feels good," Liu said after landing.

Several fire engines splashed water over the aircraft when it was on the tarmac in a welcome gesture.

"We were lucky to be on the plane since many people were fighting for seats on the inaugural flight," said Wang Yu, a Chinese businessman from Zhuhai in southern China.

Wang, in his 40s, said he would take his wife to noted scenic spots like the National Palace Museum, Mountain Ali and Sun Moon Lake.

Taiwanese businessman Tsai Chang-lung and his wife also took the flight.

"It is my wife's gift for me for my 50th birthday. We are happy to enjoy this historic moment together," Tsai said.

There will be a total of 36 round-trip flights across the Taiwan Strait weekly, operating from Friday to Monday. They will fly between six Taiwanese airports and five mainland ones.

On Friday alone, there will be 18 round-trip flights.

The deal will increase the number of tourists making the trip from both sides to 3,000, which is expected to give a much-needed boost to Taiwan's sluggish economy.

China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary. But ties between Beijing and Taipei have improved markedly in recent months.

Taiwan banks can now exchange Chinese currency, limits on Taiwanese investment on the mainland have been eased, and some Chinese media outlets which had been banned on the island now have clearance to work.

AFP

Adapting to different cities/countries

This is a sort of continuation from this post

From speaking to people and thinking about events in my life I've come to the conclusion that there are those people who love change and those who hate it.

I used to think I hated change but I think that part of the reason why I like Shanghai is because it is so different to Sydney. Totally different. There are many people like me who like different places to the ones they grew up in. Then, of course, there are those can only deal with the types of places they grew up in.

My parents are a perfect example. They both grew up in Taiwan and left in their late 20s. My father loves living in Australia and really doesn't like Asia at all. He did a 1 year stint in Germany and really liked that too (apart from the cold weather). He really looks up to Western people, culture, on the most part. Maybe it's because he suffers from this 'reverse racism' thing where he believes that everything in the West is better, white people are better, etc etc. My mother, on the other hand, although she lives in Sydney too, is always yearning to go back to Taiwan (or Hong Kong or China) and visit. She loves the hustle and bustle, the crowdedness, the cheap food stalls on the street, the great shopping the nightlife... My stepmother moved to Sydney a couple a years ago and is always complaining about it. She can't seem to see any positives about living there (despite the fact that there are millions of people around the world who would kill to live there, I'm sure). She is constantly whinging and complaining about how crap Sydney is and how great Taiwan is. ARGH. It's so frustrating. I guess age has a lot to do with it too as the older you are, the less malleable you are to change.

Then, of course, I think that the longer you stay in a place, the more it loses its 'lustre'. What seems like a great place for a vacation may actually be a shitty place to live! It got me thinking that it's like a relationship with a person ;) at first it's fun and interesting, then as time goes on more and more problems arise and you have to try harder to rekindle the interestingness that was there at the beginning!

Just a pointless post that doesn't really mean much to anyone except me.

Taiwan presidential election and Easter

What the heck does the Taiwan presidential election have in common with Easter?

1. Both of them happened recently.
2. I feel oblivious to both of these big events, living in China.

I have to admit politics bores me to tears. Yeah yeah I know I'm going to be flamed from all the goody-two-shoes intellectual (or psuedo-intellectual) academic know-it-all so-and-so's but really I couldn't give a crap about politics and I freely admit this. (I also don't care much about religion either btw - I just like to think of myself as 'spirtual'). I was into politics for a brief 6 months or so while I worked on our university's newspaper and I hung around very smart law students a lot, and through subtle influences I sort of became interested and involved. I even participated in my first ever (and last) protest march down George Street (the biggest street in Sydney)! LOL.. those were the days...



Anyway, to the Taiwanese the election (every election) is almost as big as life and death. In fact it probably is life or death to them. They are fanatical about it. But can you blame them? - when the whole future of their country is determined by which party wins the election. My father, who basically never watches tv (except maybe half an hour of news each night) will sit in front of the tv watching cable for HOURS on end, watching any news about the Taiwanese election. It's like he's in a trance. It's quite scary. Many overseas Taiwanese pay thousands of dollars to fly back to Taiwan simply to vote in the election because they really want to make their vote count.

The elections are so emotionally charged you actually have candidates having fist fights on live television. It's so scary it's almost funny!

Anyway, living in China there's basically no news of this election. And since I have no interest in any elections I didn't even know the exact date of it. My mother just rang me and told me the 'great news' that Ma Ying-jeou (Mǎ Yīngjiǔ 馬英九) had won. Everyone in my family both on my mother's and father's side are jumping for joy (because they are all actually Chinese, living in Taiwan, as opposed to the 'real' Taiwanese people). Yay! I'm so happy that they are happy. Apparently this means that direct flights between mainland China and Taiwan are more than likely going to happen.

(getting off track a bit, his name in English means Horse-Hero-Nine, and to me it sounds like "My angel" when people say it, and people tell me I look like him and could pass for his daughter! but I can't see it..)

So (from Wikipedia)

The election for the 12th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China (traditional Chinese: 第十二任中華民國總統副總統選舉) was held in the Republic of China (Taiwan) on Saturday, March 22, 2008. Kuomintang (KMT) nominee Ma Ying-jeou won, with 58% of the vote, ending 8 years of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rule.

This was the fourth direct election for the President of the Republic of China... Unlike the 2004 presidential election, the political rhetoric of the campaigns tended to focus on economic issues and government corruption rather than national identity and the political status of Taiwan, with both candidates endorsing the status quo in the near term. But much like previous elections, this election was also marked with island-wide mass rallies and much political mudslinging.

Mǎ Yīngjiǔ (born July 13, 1950 in Hong Kong) is the President-elect of the Republic of China (Taiwan), a former Justice Minister, former Mayor of Taipei, and the former Chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) from 2005 to 2007. Ma is newly elected as the President of Republic of China. His term will begin on May 20, 2008 and will end in 2012.

So there you go.

Meanwhile.. these last few days and today even is Easter. Hmm... OK. I haven't had a single chocolate egg or hot cross bun! Strangely I didn't even realise I was missing easter till I vaguely saw it mentioned on some websites and blogs that I read. I guess when you live in another country you kinda just 'go with the flow', well I do anyway. And to be honest Easter never meant anything to me anyway apart from eating the abovementioned items, and going to the Sydney Royal Easter Show!

There are Christians, of course, in Shanghai. According to Sinosplice's blog the Xujiahui Cathedral was packed yesterday, on Easter Sunday.

Speaking about his blog.. he mentions about YouTube being blocked by TGF. Yes it's been blocked for several days now, ever since the Tibet incident. ARGH. And yes Flickr is not fully working even with that Firefox plug-in.. Oh I am so sick of that damn firewall of China! Sorry YouTube is sort of working now.

China.. Taiwan.. Tibet.. oh dear.
Link

Taiwan poll result allows Beijing to focus on Tibet

BEIJING: Even as it battled domestic problems vowing to crush Tibetan rebels, the Chinese government got a huge relief from across the Taiwan straits. The Taiwanese people elected a pro-China president for the first time in many years.

A lot of China's energies have been spent on the Taiwan problem. The poll outcome in Taipei will release pressure on the Chinese government on an important front and help it concentrate more forcefully on solving the Tibet challenge. The Communist Party of China's mouthpiece, the People's Daily, came out with an editorial on Saturday calling for efforts to "resolutely crush" the movement for Tibet's independence. The government also released photographs of 21 ‘most wanted' protesters in order to flush them out of their hidings.

The statement showed that the hardline segment within the party has emerged stronger in comparison to the section that favours negotiations with the Dalai Lama. "We must see through the secessionist forces' evil intentions, uphold the banner of maintaining social stability ... and resolutely crush the Tibet independence forces' conspiracy," the People's Daily said.

An estimated 250,000 Taiwanese expatriates returned to Taiwan, Saturday, to choose their next president.

Tetsuya's lookalike in Taipei

Link

This post is not related to Shanghai

Tetsuya's is a French-Japanese fusion restaurant in Sydney, owned by Tetsuya Wakuda. I first heard about this restaurant sometime in 2000. I read about it in the SMH Good Food Guide book. I thought it sounded really good. Never got a a chance to go there though because:
1) the price for their degustation menu is something ridiculous like $180/head
2) it is so popular with yuppies you have to book at least 3 months in advance
3) I realised that the menu is mostly seafood and I don't even like seafood that much. Unlike most people I don't go gaga over prawns or raw fish!

But, you can get your Tetsuya fix in Taiwan for only $50/head! Amazing!

Taiwan is a foodie's dream come true. You can get all sorts of different Asian cuisines and European ones, catering for all price ranges. The foreign food there is cheaper than here in Shanghai! As well as that most restaurants are smoke-free and the staff are super friendly and polite. And despite me being paranoid about eating street food, I ate at Taiwan's famous night markets and didn't get sick. It is so cheap (approx. $1 a meal) and quick and tasty! How can I not promote Taiwan as an eating destination? ;)

Shortly before a recent trip to Taiwan, I was given a red-hot tip for a restaurant just outside the capital, Taipei. A colleague's friend had dined there last year and reckoned it was in the same league as Sydney's Tetsuya's but one-third of the price. It sounded like an ambitious claim. Last year Tetsuya's was named as the fifth best restaurant in the world by London's Restaurant Magazine, and was awarded the top accolade of three chefs hats by The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide. It would be fair to say I was curious but sceptical.

Armed with a name - Da Shan Wu Jia - and an address, a group of us took the plunge and headed away from the bright lights and scuffle of Taipei. We hit the foothills that surround the city and followed a narrow, winding road to the restaurant. We were greeted by an elegant waitress dressed in black and ushered to a long wooden Japanese-style table.

It was one of only six such tables, each cordoned off by bamboo screens. The decoration was simple but striking. Japanese prints and mandolins on the walls; plants and decorative ornaments placed sparingly around the room. Candles and Chinese lanterns provided a flickering, intimate light while traditional Chinese music played softly in the background.

The staff spoke very little English and although we were accompanied by a Mandarin-speaking guide, it wasn't a necessity. There are no menus to labour over and only one option available to order: a 10-course set menu.

Ten minutes later a platter of beautifully sculpted white dishes arrived on an engraved wooden serving board. Each dish contained a cube of red wine jelly which, after exchanging quizzical glances, we slurped like an oyster. It was a deliciously sweet but potent palate cleanser.

Next up was a creamy square of tofu studded with wasabi and goji (a berry often used in Chinese medicine), together with a spoonful of succulent lobster garnished with white Japanese seaweed powder.

By now my initial scepticism had been replaced with bewildered astonishment. Each course that arrived set a fresh benchmark in terms of presentation and flavour.

Over the course of three hours we sampled 10 intricately prepared culinary treats. Highlights included a citrus salad topped with juicy chunks of tuna and salmon sashimi, whole shrimps with roasted pumpkin and eggplant and a steamed egg topped with grapefruit foam served with mountain potato and crabmeat.

Some courses were better than others, but they were never less than beautifully presented in an elaborate array of ceramic, stone and glass dishes.

With regard to the comparison with Tetsuya's, two of our group had dined there recently and said that Da Shan Wu Jia was definitely in the same league. In fact, the only area in which it let itself down was the bill, which came to a very un-Tetsuya's-like $50 a head, including wine.

The chef and owner of the restaurant, Mr Yo, joined us briefly at the end of the meal and through our guide we learned that despite the Japanese influences in his cooking, he's never been to Japan. The menu changes seasonally and he often experiments with new dishes to keep his regular clientele happy. He has no website, never advertises and relies purely on word of mouth for business.

So, if you ever find yourself in Taipei and fancy both a culinary and a cultural adventure, I know this great little restaurant you simply must try.

Da Shan Wu Jia (meaning Priceless Big Mountain) is an hour from the centre of Taipei:
No. 62 Sec. 3, Beiyi Road, Xiandian City, Taipei County.
Phone (+886) (0)2 2217 8891

(I think they have a typo in the address and it's supposed to be Xindian, not Xindan! I was staying in Xindian for some of my time in Taipei too!)

Hello Kitty Cafe - Taipei, Taiwan

I have to admit, I like Hello Kitty. I know I'm a bit too old but I don't care. Heck if Hello Kitty was a real person (er cat?) she'd be the same age as me! I don't buy a great deal of HK things (in fact I have hardly any) but I really enjoy looking at HK things in stores and when I heard a new cafe had just opened in Taipei I had to go there! What were the chances that I was in Taipei at the same time? Of course I couldn't miss this opportunity!

First of all, let me backtrack a bit. When I went to Taiwan in Feb '05, my cousin (10 years older, on my mother's side) took us to Danshui and we ate at a HK cafe. It was really nice and cosy, and the food/tea there was delicious. I was dying to get back there. This time, I took my other cousin (6 years younger, on my father's side) back to Danshui and show her this great cafe. Well, we got there and were sorely disappointed to discover it does not exist anymore! Boohoo. Downstairs there is still a HK gift store, the upstairs cafe has now turned into a Japanese toy store. Hmm..

Anyway, here is a pic of the cute house-shaped cake we had at the cafe back in 2005.



And here is a selection of pics I took of the NEW Taipei HK cafe. More can be found in my Flickr photos (click any of the photos in the right hand column on this page).













This cafe opened on 18th January, 2008. I was giddy with excitement when I finally arrived there. I was so proud of myself I had just come from the Core Pacific City Living Mall and managed to read lots and lots bus signs (all with traditional Chinese characters) and figure out which bus I could take to get me there. There was only one bus that could get me there and luckily I didn't have to wait long for it.

I was very disappointed when told I'd have to wait at least 1.5 hours for a seat! There were already lots of people waiting and apparently you should book. I was so disappointed, I left empty handed and didn't even buy anything to take away :(

I did spend a while in there taking photos though (LOL). I absolutely loved the decor. My sister will tell you that growing up I was obsessed with pink and everything in my bedroom had to be pink or white so this interior was like my dream bedroom... (sigh).

Please book before you go otherwise you will have to wait hours. This cafe is very popular!


Hello Kitty Sweets

台北市大安路一段90號

90 Da'An Road, Taipei, Taiwan

(Da'An Road is across the road and perpendicular to the big Sogo department store on 45 Zhongxiao East Road (Sec. 4)).

Ph: (02) 2711-1132

Beijing smoking ban? Ha!

I'm sure some of my readers may have been wondering why I never write about pubs and clubs. Well the short and simple answer is because I don't go to them! And the reason I don't go to them is because of the damn @#$@%@$ smokers. I would love to go to them but I don't. I didn't go to them in my hometown of Sydney either. Not until they banned smoking. OK I'd go rarely and never stay very long till it just got too awkward so I just stopped going altogether. I hate the stench and I hate the fact that I just can't breathe after a while and cough non-stop. It's not particularly easy to have a 'good time' when you can barely breathe...

As great as Japan and Europe are for places to travel to, the smoking problem leaves a lot to be desired (moreso in Europe). After being in Taiwan where it was like 'heaven' and coming back here to 'hell' I just want to scream! Apart from Taiwan the only other place I have been to recently which was non-smoking-heaven was Hawaii. There, you are not even allowed to smoke in public places OUTdoors! eg at bus stops, parks, beaches, etc. And because the people who live there are so nature loving and are at one with their environment they are all very happy to oblige. To me it was simply heaven and made me enjoy my time there even more (in fact made me want to move and live there!)

link

Tue Jan 22, 1:26 PM ET

BEIJING (AFP) - Beijing is about to extend a ban on smoking in public places ahead of the Olympic Games despite the Chinese capital's image as a paradise for smokers who have faced few restrictions on where they can light up.

According to a draft bill the majority of public places, such as restaurants, schools, hospitals, stations, libraries and museums will have to be non-smoking.

Hotels will also have to reserve at least 70 percent of their rooms for non-smokers.

Smokers who ignore the ban will face a fine of 50 yuan (6.9 dollars, 4.7 euros) while those who allow them on their premises will have to cough up between 1,000 and 5,000 yuan, according to the bill.

Beijing had already taken some tentative measures to establish non-smoking areas in 1996 without much success, but the approach of the August Games provided the impetus for the new decision, Chinese media said.

The places that will accommodate athletes and officials during the Beijing Games will all be non-smoking.

China has about 350 million smokers, or about a quarter of its population, and accounts for a third of the world's smokers, according to official statistics.

About a million people die of smoking-related diseases each year in China. Since October, Beijing taxi drivers have in theory been banned from smoking in their vehicles under penalty of a fine of between 100 and 200 yuan.

Link

Customers desert smoke-free restaurant
Fri Jan 18, 2008 1:45pm EST

BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing's first smoke-free restaurant chain faces going out of business after its customers deserted it in droves after the ban was enforced, state media reported on Friday.

The Chinese are the world's most enthusiastic smokers, with a growing market of more than 350 million, making it a magnet for cigarette companies and a focus of international health concerns.

The occupancy rate at Meizhou Dongpo, a chain serving the spicy fare of southwest Sichuan province, had dropped to "about 80 percent of that enjoyed by other restaurants across the street" after it banned smoking in October, the China Daily quoted its manager as saying.

"We figure that if we're going to die, at least we're going to die honorably," the paper quoted Guo Xiaodong, deputy director of the restaurant chain, as saying.

Meizhou Dongpo had trained its waitresses how to discourage people from lighting up, but met resistance from customers who would lock staff out of private dining rooms to sneak a quick puff, Guo said.

"It just illustrates how much resistance there is to kicking the habit among Chinese smokers," the paper quoted Zhang Xuemei, a Beijing reporter who lobbied the restaurant to ban smoking, as saying.

Beijing, set to mark the 200-day countdown to the Olympics on Monday, has yet to issue clear rules on smoking bans, despite Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao promising a "smoke-free Olympics."

Along with spitting, and not queuing, Olympic organizers fear Chinese people's tendency to smoke anywhere at any time could taint the country's image in foreign eyes.

China banned smoking in taxis in October and launched a drive to ban smoking in hospitals, schools, and government offices last year.
But resistance to the campaign has been fierce.

Beijing authorities had written to 30,000 restaurants asking them to put smoking bans in place, but not a single one had taken up the suggestion, the paper said.

Good luck to them! I'd like to be positive but in my mind it just aint gonna happen. 6 months is not enough time to get people to change lifetimes and generations of bad habits. 6 years and that'd be a good starting point but it does not change that quickly. Even in a country like Australia the process was LONG and gradual...

I really really hate the fact that my social life has to go down the toilet just because some brain-dead $#%#%#@% choose to light up incessantly! ARGH! Drives me up the wall. Coupled with the fact that Chinese people are the worst for following rules. Make any rule or regulation and they will break it. They just don't bloody understand!

Last few days in Taipei / A couple of hours in Hong Kong ...

What did I do? Random stuff in no particular order...

* With Chinese New Year coming up (tomorrow actually) I got some red packets. Woohoo! I felt bad about taking them but I couldn't not take them so...

* I went to Guanghua market on Bade Lu and near the Technology University and Nova across the road from Taipei Main station to get me a graphics tablet. My dad took me and we traipsed around in the rain to compare prices. Unlike China they have set prices (price tags) and you can't really bargain much at all which makes it easier to compare prices. I didn't know which size I wanted/needed nor which type. In the end I went for a cheaper, smaller one as I figure I'm not gonna be drawing masterpieces or anything so I didn't really need the high end Intuous model (which cost double the price!). I got the Bamboo Fun model (from Wacom) which has a 'Fun' name (LOL) and from reviews I read online it seems to be pretty good. Yes, this research-aholic actually bought something without researching it beforehand! It cost 3420 NT, which we 'bargained' down from 3490 (other stores were selling it for 3600 and 3700). (and no, it would not be cheaper in China and comparing prices is a nightmare here). I was actually after the Hello Kitty model but they didn't sell it. The Graphire line is being phased out and replaced with the Bamboo/Bamboo Fun line.



* I went to the new Hello Kitty Cafe only to be told there was a minimum 1.5 hour wait (it was that popular) and that next time I should pre-book beforehand!

90 Da'An Road
(very close to Sogo Zhongxiao Fuxing / Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT station).

* Got my Swatch (Menthol Tone - HKD$480) only to realise it was cheaper in Taiwan (2050 NT). ARGH!

* Met up with a friend in Hong Kong (at Times Square, Causeway Bay) for one hour. She is from Taiwan originally, met her in Sydney and now living in Hong Kong.

* Nearly missed my flight in HK after telling myself I wouldn't let that happen again. Of course my plane had to be literally right at the very end of the long terminal in the very huge airport (again!) I don't know how this happened. I checked the board and it didn't say anything. It did not say "Boarding". A few minutes later I looked at it again and it said "Final Call". WTF? Needless to say I ran like crazy but I was surprisingly not even the last person to go on board. You don't want to know what it is like to travel with Mainland Chinese people (roll eyes). They think catching a plane is like catching a bus or a train!

* Can't get the Chinese New Year song out of my head. I am sure there is only one song? They play the same song in stores in China and in Taiwan. There is an English version too. OMG. It is so annoying yet so funny, I can't get that crazy song and wacky lyrics out of my head. "Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni..."

* I went to Core Pacific Living Mall - A 19 storeys and open 24 hours a day mall in Taipei

* I left my video camera at my grandparent's place! :(

* When I came home last night I thought "Wow, our place looks so big and so clean and tidy!" (the joys of having an ayi who cleaned our place and washed and dried and put back on all our bedding and stuff was pretty nice, as was having a chauffeur-driven taxi take me home from the airport at around midnight!)

* I'm feeling quite sad and missing my family :(

* I'm feeling quite hungry and cold so must go out now to buy food and another heater!!

Farewell Taiwan... I'm coming 'home' !

It's my last night in Taiwan and tomorrow morning I'll be off on my flight to Hong Kong and later to Shanghai. I hope I make it home in one piece. I'll be very sad to leave my relatives and my second 'home' after Sydney :( but I must be getting back - I have a tonne of washing to do and many hours of missed sleep to catch up on!

I have to get my dad to send off a parcel for me because my luggage is overweight... waah.. I've never been in a situation where I've reached the weight limit yet my bag isn't even full. The reason is because I bought heaps of cool design books (in English, Chinese and Japanese) and some magazines. Stuff I can't get in China at all. Right now my bag is around 26-27kg. If I added everything it would probably be 35kg!!

Don't get me started on how I think it's unfair that us 'underweight' people aren't allowed to bring more luggage onboard. I know it's discriminatory to make overweight people pay more for their ticket or whatever, but then what about cutting some slack for us lighter people? If I ate all of my books and kept them inside my body I'd be allowed to bring them, but if I bring them in my checked in luggage... noooooo I might have to pay a hefty fee/fine for it! But it is still the SAME total weight going onto the plane! UGH! Duh!

Breeze Center (Mall), Taipei 微風廣場

(View from Zhongxiao Fuxing station)

24 January

I went to Breeze Mall in Taipei. I had to go to this place because I am still suffering from Japan-withdrawal symptoms and I could get my fix by going there because they have: Kinokuniya (bookstore), Hands (lifestyle/homewares store) and Muji (clothing and general goods). As well as that they have other cool shops and a great food court. I lost count of how many hours I spent browsing in here! About 3 or 4 I think. I think it is my favourite mall in Taipei so far...

The lower floors feature all the impossibly gorgeous and impossibly expensive goods from brands such as LV, Gucci, Prada, Cartier etc.. but I was after something a little more affordable, and a little more interesting.






First stop: (Sony) Plaza store
They sell lots of cute licensed character goods and homewares. At the entrance there were Barbapapa character seats. I have an affinity with these characters because my sister and I owned books featuring these in our childhood, and we discovered through our baby photos that we also had a purple Barbapapa plastic doll too. Then, a few years ago we discovered what they actually were and both fell in love with them again.

From Wikipedia:

Barbapapa is both the title character, and name of the "species" of said character, of a series of children's books written in the 1970s by Annette Tison and Talus Taylor, who resided in Paris, France. The books were originally written in French, and were later translated into many languages.

Barbapapa himself is a generally pear-shaped, pink shapeshifting blob-like creature who stumbles upon the human world and tries to fit in. The shapeshifting is usually accompanied by the saying "Clickety Click—Barba Trick". After various amusing adventures, he comes across a female of his species (more shapely, and black-coloured), named Barbamama. They produce seven children, known as the Barbababies, each a different colour.

Obviously the Japanese loved the darling characters too, and made lots of merchandise featuring these 'blobs'.





Second stop: Hands Tailung
Known as Tokyu Hands (that's not Tokyo) in Japan, Hands features the most amazing stuff that is mostly Japanese-designed but also some cool American or European things for your home. They are all beautiful, cute, useful and practical. I could go on and on about how great this store is! Check out the photo - unbelievable how many types of food package clips they can design and sell!




Third stop: Kinokuniya
A Japanese bookstore I am familiar with having visited their large Galleries Victoria/Sydney store many times (I also visited their tiny Neutral Bay store way before they became so widely known). I also visited a Kinokuniya store in Osaka JR station. The bookstore here (just like the Sydney store) sells books in three languages: Chinese, Japanese, and English. I browsed through all three languages to find books on my topics of interest. I can't read the Chinese or Japanese ones much of course but for design/art/craft books it doesn't really matter - all you want to see are the pictures anyway and most of it is pretty self explanatory. Their English section is fairly decent but there are no computer/software/internet/web related books in English (in fact NO bookstore in Taipei sells computer books in English. ARGH! :( ). Also like the other bookstores in Taipei/Taiwan, if the books are shrink wrapped you can ask them to unwrap them for you so you can look at them. Not sure if this applies to magazines though - probably not!









Fourth Stop: The Basement (B1 and B2) floors
Featuring the food court and supermarket known as Breeze Super. I particularly wanted to check out "Dean and Deluca", a NYC deli which was featured widely on one of my fave tv series "Felicity" starring Keri Russell. (See what I mean about Australia never getting anything cool like this?)

(order of photos) 1: Lamingtons from Australia... really? I found the koala motif rather amusing.

2,3: Maison Kayser - Amazing French bakery selling DELICIOUS bread. I bought some to take home to have for breakfast the next morning (ditto above comment about Australia getting cool stores...)

4,5,6,7: Dean & Deluca - Everything looked so delicious. Look at those cakes! I ended up having dinner there (vegetarian quiche) - 170 or 180 NT I think it was. It was nice but not as nice as it looked!

(sorry for the crappy layout of the photos. I still have no idea how Blogger lays out photos. Ugh. Also the photos are pretty crap because they were all taken without a flash and are unedited).


Breeze Center, Taipei, Taiwan
39, Fu Hsing (Fuxing) South Rd, Sec. 2
(about a 5-10min walk north from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT station along Zhongxiao Fuxing Road).

The most densely populated cities/countries

I was reading over some of my old blog entries (where funnily, I'd forgotten some of the stuff I wrote about already) and found this post about stats about the most densely populated cities.

Taipei was 7th, and Shanghai was 10th. Boy oh boy do you feel it in Taipei. The people living in the building next door.. well when I sleep at night it feels like they are living in the same apartment, in the room next door!

Now take into account that Taipei has roughly 2.5 million people and Shanghai has roughly 18.5 million people and that gives you an idea of how much bigger in area/size Shanghai must be!

Weird.

Wikipedia also lists Taiwan as the 15th most densely populated country but other sites place it higher up in rank, like 7th or 10th.

Do I miss home? / Weather...

(Warning: Yes I'm a foul mood hence the tone of this post)

People constantly ask if I'm homesick and to be honest I'm not at all which is strange considering I definitely thought I'd start to get homesick around the 3-6 month period and now it's 7 months already. Of course I miss my family, friends, clean air, blue skies, beaches, my own bed/room, yadda yadda.. but apart from that, not much.

The reasons I don't miss home (Sydney, Australia) are as follows (in no particular order) or... WHY AUSTRALIA SUX:

* Everything is so much more expensive there, especially notable is food/eating out

* Everything that involves labour is slow, slow, slow. I mean in the time we've been in Shanghai they have built several new rail lines (officially opened on December 29) in God knows how many years Sydney hasn't even completed one part of one rail line. Here, if I ring the landlord with a problem regarding the plumbing, electricity, water, furniture, etc it is fixed within minutes, hours or at most 24 hours. In Sydney I'd be lucky if it was fixed within 2 days. What about something like the telephone line/internet? Here they will come to your house (usually within 2-3 hours of calling) and look at it and fix here. In Australia be lucky if they come within a week!

* Hayfever. I suffer from very bad perennial (all year round) hayfever back home. Here I don't get it at all. It is such a relief not to have a constantly running sneezing nose (and being asked fifty billion times by people if I have a cold - no I don't!!), eyes so itchy I have constant thoughts of pulling my eyeballs out of their sockets (Itchy and Scratchy style) and dunking them in a bowl full of ice water for a few minutes before putting them back in, etc. Antihistamines and nasal sprays do shit-all for me too (not to mention the expense and the toll on your body by taking these things daily) so I'm stuck with this horrible condition. In Shanghai I only went through a few days where I got it in the beginning of autumn/fall. It was horrible but at least it was gone pretty quickly.

* Crap public transport. The public transport in Sydney is a joke. The buses are crowded and slow. The reason why they are constantly late is because the driver has to give people change. Imagine 20 people get on a bus and 10 pay with cash and need change. AT EVERY STOP. Of course this is gonna screw up the timetable. Trains. Never on time, either. The older ones are disgusting and don't have air conditioning nor heating so you either sweat like anything in summer or freeze in winter. Stations in the city are downright dirty and disgusting and signage? What signage!! They seriously need to get a clue and some brains about labelling and signage and giving names or numbers to the exits for example. I don't think anyone knows what 'information signage' is. And the privilege of riding transport... well it's not even cheap!! I could give them a billion and one suggestions (as a matter of fact have written them countless letters in the past) but when big decisions are made by big, fat, pot-bellied, balding, middle-aged, rich, white men who spend their entire lives in cars - it's not going to be a good outcome.

* Shopping. Expensive and crap. Nothing ever fits. I'll try the smallest size and it'll still be too big. Apparently the smallest size gets sold out the quickest but the dumb-ass buyers don't ever think of ordering more clothes in smaller sizes. Besides the sizing scale is a rort. All it does is make bigger people feel better about themselves.. Wow, I'm now a size 12 instead of a size 16! Cool! Meanwhile the size 8 girl is now a size 4 and not all clothes come in a size 4, hardly any in fact (but the thing is it's still a size 8 just labelled differently). The thing I don't get is Americans generally speaking are also big if not bigger than Australians. So why is in the US I can find clothes and shoes to fit me, but not in Australia? I don't get it. Maybe ALL the buyers for department and chain stores are brain dead. I once did an experiment. I went to Myer in the city and played a game. What would I buy if I had endless amounts of money? So I couldn't look at the price tags, just choose something I really liked. I so I went through the whole floor and chose random stuff and not one single thing I liked came in my size. Even the AUD$300 top or $1000 dress. I used to think it was because of my 'budget' that I couldn't find smaller sizes but nope... Shoes is even worse than clothes because if it doesn't fit you can't wear it at all. I have smallish feet (36-37 Euro, 5.5 Australian, 6.5 US) but not obscenely small but in Australia all I ever get told is "We've sold out of that size." "We can order it in for you... it'll take a week or two." "We don't make that style in that size." "The small sizes always get sold out the quickest." And all sorts of similar comments that just make my blood boil because there are heaps of people with feet my size and smaller! Besides, I don't want to pay $150 for a pair of uncomfortable FAKE leather shoes that are made in China anyway. So in Shanghai I have bought heaps and in Taiwan I have already bought two pairs. It's like a dream come true to know that there is a 90+ % chance they have my size in stock. Also, Australia very rarely gets any cool brands from overseas from Europe, the States, Japan or elsewhere. Zara or Gap? Nope... (in short, what is supposed to be a pleasant experience for any woman just leaves me angry, disheartened, and depressed. Trust me, it's not only the 'big girls' who feel like crap when they can't buy stuff in their size!)

* Uneducated labourers getting paid top dollar ie plumbers, electricians, builders, etc. It makes me feel like getting a degree is not worthwhile and just a waste of time, really. It's funny because the opposite is true here. Those people are paid lowly. Australians don't value education (yes I'm generalising!) and it seems now only rich peiople are allowed to get degrees given the cost these days. Hey I'm not smart enough to get into the course on my own merits so I'll get mummy and daddy to pay top dollar for my degree! Pfft! OK OK I know this is the same for many other countries but they used to have a decent system and are allowing more and more places for fee-paying students which sux IMHO.

* Travel. It costs a lot of money and a lot of time to travel anywhere. It takes around 5 hours to fly from Sydney to Perth, 4 hours Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand, and 6 hours Sydney to Bali, Indonesia. Here I can fly to another country in 2 hours and 11 hours to London. Anyone flying from Sydney/Melbourne/Perth to Europe will tell you it's a nightmare especially if you cannot sleep on planes. I mean it takes 22-25 hours!! It's not just air travel.

---

I wrote the above post (in draft mode so it was offline) on 6th January.

Now it is 29th January and I find myself really missing home... weird. The number one reason I miss it right now is because of the weather. Because it is summer there! Sure it can get hot in summer but it rarely gets so hot where it is very uncomfortable, like say in Queensland where it is not only hot but extremely humid as well. Summer time in my parents' family home was a true joy. It is so cool in our house (because we live fairly close to the coast) that one year we didn't even need a fan. Most years we get the fan out and use it only about 5-10 days of the year. I shouldn't talk about how freezing our house gets in winter but in summer it is really nice and comfortable. It is 27 degrees right now in Sydney, 15 in Taipei and -1 in Shanghai. What a difference!

The day I arrived in Taipei it was 21 degrees and sunny. I was really happy knowing I had just come from a 4 degree place. It was not too hot and not too cold. It was perfect. Now it's been consistently raining every day and around 12-17 degrees and although it may not seem like it, I am freezing. Yesterday I wore 6 layers of clothes, 2 layers on my legs and I don't feel hot. I just don't get it. Temperatures don't really tell the whole story at all.

I know I think about the weather and temperature way too much and the reason I do is because I find it really affects my moods and my health. I actually find it impossible to be sad or grumpy when it is sunny (even if it is cold) but if it is constantly grey and cloudy and drizzly it is slowing driving me up the wall! If I wake up and look outside the window and it is cloudy, foggy, raining or all of the above I just want to go straight back to bed.

Funnily, as I write this I can see the sun peaking out through the clouds outside the window - Woohoo!

My Grandparents Part II

In contrast to my maternal grandparens my poor paternal grandparents have been riddled with health problems. My grandfather is generally OK (despite having diabetes and asthma and being quite underweight) and can get about and do things, but my grandmother is pretty much house-bound and has been for a very long time. From the last time I saw her (3 years ago) till now she seems roughly the same but now she has a walking frame, which she didn't before. She apparently fell over and hurt her foot or ankle so can't walk that well without it. It really pains me to see her in such pain. It also really sux why my family (on both sides) have been riddled with SO many health problems (many of which I've inherited). It really is sad... my poor grandmother (to list but a few.. I don't think I know everything) is partially deaf, has no natural teeth and refuses to wear dentures (can't talk well and everything she eats has to be mushy), extremely thin and underweight, thinning hair, constant stomach pain, feels the cold really easily, had a hysterectomy and heart operation, needs a catheter to go to the toilet, and the list goes on.. it's so so sad and depressing. She can't leave the house unless somebody accompanies her but there is not much point for her to go out anyway. At home she can't be alone either in case something happens or she needs help doing something. She is also no various different medications which she needs to keep track of. She is still sweet and lovely though. She offers me food and drink even though I tell her I am fine. I mean I don't need her hobbling around in her walking frame to get stuff for me! Sheez! But she tries so hard to be a good host/grandmother. It just pains me to see her in such pain. :(

Restaurants non-smoking in Taiwan, Toilets in Shanghai

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/06/22/2003260251

SMOKE-FREE DINING: The health department called on the public to persuade restaurants to go non-smoking, and is offering prizes to people who are successful

By Mo Yan-chih
STAFF REPORTER
Wednesday, Jun 22, 2005, Page 2

Hoping to increase the number of non-smoking restaurants across the country to 10,000 this year, the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday invited the public to ask restaurants owners to establish a smoke-free environment.

"Since the non-smoking restaurant program was introduced in 2003, over 5,000 restaurant have registered with the DOH as smoke-free," said DOH Deputy Director Wang Hsiu-hung (王秀紅) yesterday. "This year, we invited the public to join the campaign and exercise their rights to say `no' to second-hand smoke when they eat out."

The non-smoking restaurant program's director, Han Bor-cheng (韓柏檉), said that the concept of smoke-free restaurants is a global trend, and more restaurants in Taiwan have joined the movement.

"In Ireland and Norway, legislation prohibiting smoking in restaurants has already been passed. In other Western countries, such as the US and Canada, are making similar efforts," said Han, who is also a public health professor at Taipei Medical University.

"In Taiwan, 88 percent of restaurant owners do not believe that a smoke-free environment will drive consumers away," Han said. "We are seeing progress through this program, so I think it will eventually lead to legislation banning smoking in restaurants."

While local restaurants across the country are not required to prohibit smoking, restaurants of at least 200m2 in size are required to establish non-smoking areas. Violators can face fines of up to NT$30,000 in accordance with the Tobacco Hazards Act (菸害防制法).

Wu Chi-hsiung (吳志雄), president of Taipei Medical University, said that people who eat at restaurants with designated non-smoking areas are still harmed by second-hand smoke. Only by establishing smoke-free environment can customers enjoy avoid being harmed while dining, he said.

According to DOH statistics, 93 percent of people support for a law banning smoking in restaurants. Over 75 percent would support the government if it legislated against smoking in restaurants -- and about 80 percent supported the idea of waiters asking smoking patrons not to smoke.

Since the DOH initiated the campaign two years ago, instances where non-smokers had to put up with second-hand smoke in restaurants dropped from 66 percent to 41 percent, according to statistics from the DOH's Bureau of Health Promotion.

Calling on the public to join the campaign, the bureau is sponsoring a raffle in which anyone who successfully persuades restaurant owners to make their establishments smoke-free may win up to NT$100,000.

People who are interested in participating in the program should sign up for the program, persuade restaurant owners to post non-smoking signs in the restaurant, have owners sign a pledge to make their restaurant smoke-free and fax or e-mail the pledge to program officials. They will then be eligible for prizes including refrigerators, DVD players and NT$100,000.

The campaign runs through July 31. For more information, visit the www.health99.doh.gov.tw Web site or call 02-2377-7152.

In addition, people can also participate in the "Help My Favorite Restaurant Quit Smoking" promotion, by casting a ballot for restaurants they think should become smoke-free. People wishing to participate in the online vote can do so at the above Web site. Voters will be eligible for NT$500 gift certificates to smoke-free restaurants. The event runs through July 20.

One thing I've noticed so far is all the restaurants and food courts (well all the ones I've been to!) are non-smoking. This is a true joy and pleasure for me. I feel like I'm back home in Australia again rather than some 'poor' little backward Asian country.

One of the things I hate the MOST about China is the incessant smoking. Outside, inside, everywhere. I hate it because I'm an asthmatic with crappy lungs and sensitive airways, but even if I wasn't I'd still hate it. Not only do I hate the effect on my health I just hate the smell permeating throughout my hair, clothes, everything. It stinks and it's gross.

I've long thought if China cleaned up its air pollution, enforced the non-smoking indoors policy (sticking up stickers doesn't do jack), cleaned up the disgusting toilets.. it'd be a much nicer place to live. I wouldn't even complain about all the other stuff foreigners complain about such as traffic, crowds, rudeness, etc.

Not only are restaurants smoke-free in Taiwan, it is rare to see a person smoking full stop! I can't believe it. In Shanghai you can't walk anywhere outside or inside without seeing someone puffing away. And don't get me started on the atrocities inside Grand Gateway. The mall that sells big name brands - the stuff I would never be able to afford - which is supposedly non-smoking but I've seen men hiding out puffing away and then a cleaner lady comes along and picks up the cigaratte and keeps it like it's a $100 dollar bill - ew ew ew!!! And for such an upmarket mall the toilets are in an atrocious state too. Oh and I haven't even mentioned the queue cutters who just walk straight in, ignore the queue of women waiting and then go to the first available toilet!

I was very pleasantly surprised how far Taiwan has come in the world of toilets. There are far fewer squat toilets and more Western style toilets and they are spotlessly clean and they even have a shelf for your belongings, and (OMG!) provide you with toilet paper too. There is nothing worse than having nowhere to put your bags of shopping (no hooks, no shelf, nothing) while you are also hiking up your pants to go to a squat toilet, hoping to God your pant hems don't touch the disgusting, wet, dirty floor! Ew!

I will write more in detail but I am loving Taiwan (except the mosquitos who have eaten me alive). It is more like Japan rather than China. It is like a congested, smaller, messier, cheaper version of Japan - haha. :)

PS I am leaving Kaohsiung now. This is the last time I'm going to have internet access in my bedroom. My huge room with a queen size bed, own bathroom, lovely 4 storey house and grandma that does everything for me (she doesn't let me do anything!) and I never have to worry about food/meals/eating, the place that allowed me to finally be rid of my insomnia and start to get better over my sinusitis and bronchitis! Not to mention it is 17-27 deg C here vs 14-17 in Taipei. I will be very sad to be leaving this nice place and my grandparents but alas I will always have the good memories :) Now I now have to go to Taipei to visit my other grandparents.

Taiwan memories and my grandparents

As I sit in front of the internet again, coughing and feeling malaise and crappy... I will write about my memories of Taiwan...

Roughly every 3 years since I was born I have been to Taiwan to visit our extended family. We see aunts, uncles, cousins but we don't always see them all (some of which now don't live in Taiwan anymore) but we always have come to see our grandparents. My father's parents live in Taipei and my mother's live in Kaohsiung (where I am now, still).

There have been so many memories and I was too young to even remember the early ones but I have photos and stories to remind me. My sister and I used to be the darlings on both sides of the family. For a long time we were the only really young children on both sides and were spoilt by our much older cousins, our aunts/uncles, and grandparents. Everyone thought we were cute and adorable. Then we got older and other relatives were born (who were younger than us) and then gradually we got not so cute, and older, and now it seems everyone is old(er) which makes me feel rather sad.

While my sister was here we were reminiscing over old times and how much fun we used to have here. We'd be taken around by our relatives and never have to worry about anything. We'd take taxis or cars, get driven around, taken out to fancy restaurants, get given red packets to spend, get spoilt with clothes and presents, it was awesome. Alas, those days are now over. It seems everyone is not only older but has more problems be it health, financial, relationship or otherwise. Noone seems to care about us anymore :( that is, except our four lovely grandparents. The cousins and aunts who used to spoil us so don't even know we're in town and even if they did we are not to bother them. I guess it is all part of life. People get old, people change, things happen.

Anyway, I have some really fond memories of visiting my maternal grandparents here in Kaoshiung. This house I've been coming to is the exact same one my mother grew up in which is kind of cool. It is a tall, skinny 4 storey building. About 15 or so years ago they did some renovations to it but it has largely remained the same. I remember in 1986 when we came and it was summer (which is intensely hot and humid) and my sister and I were obsessed with these creme caramel pudding things you got from the supermarket. After we ate them, we'd fill the cherry-blossom shaped plastic containers with water and freeze them. Once frozen we'd play with the frozen ice blocks and rub them all over our body and that kept us amused for days. Then there were the times we were taken to the nice department stores and spoilt with imported American toys like Barbies or She-Ras. Also there are mini amusement centres in these department stores and we'd play games and ride rides. We were also novelties to passers-by in these stores when people would stop and ask our parents why these two little Chinese girls (who looked like locals) were speaking fluent English to each other...

I remember the time my grandfather sold his motorbike and bought a car and we were driven everywhere. He even parked the car in the living room (kind of hard to explain) but then as the years went on and he got older he sold the car as he knew it wasn't safe for him to drive anymore so now we have to take the bus. While my sister was here we both agreed it was appalling we sometimes had to wait half an hour for a bus! This is unheard of in Taipei or Shanghai. Geez I felt I was back home in my little suburb in Sydney where public transport is crap and we DO have to wait half an our or more for a bus sometimes. I realised I had been too spoilt in Shanghai by having buses that came very often, or being able to take taxis everywhere.

I remember the time in 1991 when we came back for my uncle's wedding. It's scary to think that his son is now about the same age I was in 1991. I remember coming back in the mid-late 1990's and feeling a tad jealous that my grandmother was now all over this new baby/kid and I was no longer cute anymore. Of course she still loved me but it wasn't the same as before...

I have been back so many times now and each time holds a new and different memory. The house is the same but the people are slightly older and slightly different. My grandfather at age 84 is still going great guns. He is like a big old Santa Claus. He has a big belly and laughs a lot and has grey hair (but no beard). Given that their house is full of stairs he can walk them with ease too. My grandmother is a superwoman though. At more than double my age she is constantly moving, cleaning, cooking, shopping, walking, everything. She is non-stop man!! She is quite hyperactive. She is amazing. I am very lucky to have fallen sick here as she is taking care of me. She doesn't let me do anything. When I offer to she says she has it under control. She is a bit of a control freak too, though, I have to admit.

When I get to Taipei (if I can get onto the internet) I'll write about my paternal grandparents.

Taiwan

13th

What should I write about?

Should I write about how HOT it is here? (low 20s in Taipei and 30 in Kaohsiung) not to mention the high humidity.. or...

Should I mention that this trip has been a nightmare for me starting from when I missed my connecting flight in Hong Kong but didn't really (the flight from Shanghai was delayed, I ran like a crazy woman and actually just made the flight but they wouldn't let me on cos my baggage was not on that plane yet)

to

it taken 12 hours to get there.. left house at 8am, arrived airport 9pm, got to taipei airport around 7:30pm, got to my cousin's house (where i was staying) at 9pm,

to

having chronic insomnia every day of this trip I can barely function anymore

to

the best bit - having a good sleep last night (finally) but this morning coughing up thick mucousy yellow phlegm with blood throughout it?!!!

My sister and her bf are in Kaohsiung with me now and I am not spending the day with them cos I can barely walk I'm so tired. It fucken sux. Why am I always sick???!!!

Oh I am having a freakin' wonderful time...

---
16th

Now, the weather has gone cold and I didn't even bring enough warm clothes with me and left my jacket in Taipei. Went to the doctor twice, second time yesterday who told me I now have bronchitis. Fan-bloody-tastic. My sister and her bf left yesterday and I have absolutely no energy to go out and do anything.

The good thing is I have a clean, queen size bed all to myself in a huge, clean room, this computer with 19" monitor and internet, own bathroom, and a lovely grandmother who provides three meals a day for me. I am not looking forward to going back to Taipei at all where I'll have a tiny crappy mouldy musty room, makeshift what-the-heck-is-this?-bed with gross sheets and blankets, thousands of screaming kids at the school next door (so zero chance of a sleep in), no internet, colder horribler weather, eesh.

Oh and then I get to go back to freezing cold, driest-of-dry-air Shanghai which will do wonders for my bronchitis?!! Isn't life great?!! I'm having a brilliant time... ARGH!

PS when I get back to Shanghai and feel half normal again I will write about the fun and positive aspects of my trip (and put up some photos). I just don't feel like it right now while I'm coughing up a lung and a half!

Who the heck are Wade and Giles?

As if the Traditional vs Simplified script thing wasn't confusing enough... it got me thinking about the pinyin that they use in Taiwan... well, they don't! They use the Wade-Giles method but even then not always. They could use different methods of writing in the same sentence or sign. I remember reading a hilarious article about it in Culture Shock Taiwan about it all.

Actually, when I was growing up I never learnt pinyin OR Wade-Giles, I learnt 'zhuyin' which is by far more accurate than pinyin in terms of getting the right pronunciation of a character. (I also believe it made it easier for me to learn Japanese hiragana and katakana as it's the same kind of thing).

My surname starts with Ch in Wade-Giles but in pinyin starts with Zh. When stupid strangers ring me up on the phone (both back home in Sydney and here in Shanghai) they try to say my name in Chinese but they always get it wrong because it doesn't actually have a 'Ch' sound at all!

Wade-Giles was developed by Thomas Francis Wade, a British ambassador in China and Chinese scholar who was the first professor of Chinese at Cambridge University. Wade published the first Chinese textbook in English in 1867. The system was refined in 1912 by Herbert Allen Giles, a British diplomat in China.[2]
The Wade-Giles system was designed to transcribe Chinese terms, for Chinese specialists. This origin has led to a general sense that the system is non-intuitive for non-specialists and not useful for teaching Chinese pronunciation.
The Republic of China (Taiwan) has used Wade-Giles for decades as the de facto standard, co-existing with several official but obscure Romanizations in succession, namely, Gwoyeu Romatzyh (1928), MPS II (1986), and Tongyong Pinyin (2000). Taiwanese place names are still being virtually written in Wade-Giles, and many Chinese Americans and Canadians also write their Chinese names in Wade-Giles.

Read more here if you are interested

I think due to pressure from China and from the rest of the world, though, that Taiwan will gradually convert all their English signage and documents to pinyin. It just makes more sense to have a standardized way of 'writing' Chinese in English. Those poor foreigners who have been to both Taiwan and China must be confused out of their wits!! I know I was.

So... Taiwan will remain Taiwan (no change)
Taipei will become Taibei (small change)
Kaohsiung will become Gaoxiong (big change)

On a different topic but same line of thinking. When the bloody heck is the USA going to change from imperial to metric system, huh?

Taiwan revisited

Well after all the hooha with travel agents being slack in getting back to me the price mysteriously jumped from 3500 to 5500 (RMB inc. tax)! I was horrified. In the end I decide not to go to Jeju (way too cold) and Okinawa became booked out and some dates were either fully booked or mega expensive so I gave them a 10 day range of leaving and returning and said I wanted the "cheapest" flight within those days. They came back to me and I got the ticket for 3900, so not too far off the original quote. Also I had no choice but to go through Hong Kong. I purposely planned an 8 hour transfer on the way back so I have plenty of time to kill in Hongkers :)

So yes, I am leaving for Taiwan in just 6 days! Woohoo! I have a LOT of planning to do. Despite the numerous times I've been before this will be the first time where I will be planning my own trip AND the first time I'll be going there by myself. Before, my parents or either parent took us around. The previous time I went with my sister and hubby.

Taiwan is rapidly changing and there are so many things I'm looking forward to doing, seeing, and experiencing.

First of all, I want to take the bullet train from Taipei to Kaohsiung. It cuts travelling time from 4.5 hours to 1.5 hours!



Second of all, I want to go to the new mega mall (Dream Mall) in Kaohsiung, the sixth largest in Asia

Thirdly, I want to go to Ximending (which I have been to before but it has changed a lot!)

Ximending

Fourthly, I want to go to Danshui and have a hot spring in Beitou (also done before but want to do again)

Fifthly, I want to go to some natural landscape place. Hard to pick, so many good ones and I've actually already been to them all before!

I think that's about it. I will be chillin' and relaxing and visiting as many relatives and friends as possible :D

---

Adding my comment here because I can't comment due to TGF.

I'm not doing the whole travelling around the country thing because I have already seen the whole country when I did the Taiwan tour :) Plus, I don't think it's that nice during winter and also I don't have a travelling companion so I don't think it'll be that fun at all, unfortunately.

The Amazing Race

Related post

Right now we're watching "The Amazing Race" season 12 on AXN on our good ol' satellite tv courtesy of the Philippines ;) I love this show and it's about the only show I watch on TV these days. We are also watching "The Amazing Race Asia" Season 2. I just love it! I love the travelling aspect, I love the competition side, the psychology side seeing how people interact with their partner and with the locals, etc etc. Fun fun fun!!

Right now I'm playing a bit of TAR myself. I am trying to get myself to Taiwan to see my grandparents but it's been a bit of a headache deciding the dates let alone the route!

When we were little kids there were no direct flights from Australia to Taiwan and we always had to go through Hong Kong. Similarly, although there are direct flights between Sydney and Shanghai it is easier to get flights stopping over in Hong Kong. All of our recent guests came via Hong Kong. So, obviously Hong Kong is the logical place for me to stop if I'm going to Taiwan (since you cannot fly directly between China and Taiwan).

However, my dad's ex-classmates were telling us it's quicker and easier to get to Taipei via Jeju (Cheju)-do (island) in South Korea. So I had a look into this.. The first quote I got off a travel agent quoted me this route as being more expensive than via Hong Kong, but the second one quoted me as it being cheaper. Weird.

What to do, what to do? And then, I had another thought. I could go back to Okinawa and visit there again since I loved it so much last time. I don't think the cost would differ that much. ARGH I don't know what to do?!

Here is a map so you can see my three options.



Jeju

Pros: I've never been to South Korea, Jeju is apparently "The Hawaii of South Korea"!

Cons: I can't read or speak Korean! It'll be too cold to enjoy the island-ness of it all, don't know how to get around or what to do there

Hong Kong

Pros: I know my way around there, I have no problems communicating, it'll be warmer than anywhere else mentioned, I miss it funnily enough

Cons: I've been there so many times already

Naha

Pros: I've been there already and already know where I'd stay and what I'd do there, how to get around, etc

Cons: I've been there already, I can read Japanese but not speak it that well

My life as an Amy Tan novel... Taiwan continued...

I can't believe I'm writing such personal stuff but I feel it's very cathartic and cleansing to get it all out...

My parents being typically Chinese don't talk about the past that much, or about 'taboo' subjects. I have to pry and pry and sometimes they will open up. During his time here, my dad and I had a heart to heart over Xi yang shen (or American Ginseng). We were both stuffing Xiyanshen powder into clear gelatine capsules whilst having a big 'heart to heart' chat. After two hours it still looked like we had hardly done anything. I can't believe it took so long!

Anyway for some reason or another we got talking about his parents (my paternal grandparents) and he was telling me stories of their lives when he was only a small child. So small that he cannot even remember the story and only knows from what they told him. He tells me that first of all, they were set up by a matchmaker. They were both living in Fujian province at the time. As in Chinese tradition, my grandmother moved in with my in-laws. Apparently my great uncle (grandfather's older brother) and great grandfather were horrible and mean to her. In 1947 at the age of 18 my grandmother gave birth to my father. In 1949, during the Nationalist-Communist Civil War the family moved to Taiwan. They had a reasonable life in China but now had practically nothing and were dirt poor. My poor grandmother... My father tells me she had to walk at least 2km each way on some crappy little dirt path, wearing shoes that were falling apart, whilst carrying 4 young children, to buy the food. Then she'd have to come back carrying the 4 children as well as the food. For those that don't know the summers in Taiwan are stifling and oppressive - not only hot but intensely humid (much more so than Shanghai - afterall, it is an island in the tropics).

My mother also told me some amazing tales of her mother's life before she was born. My mother's family are from Zhejiang province and my grandfather was in the army and the family was fairly wealthy. My grandmother didn't have to lift a finger and had multiple servants to serve her every need. After moving to Taiwan that all changed. They had nothing and had to start from scratch. My maternal grandmother ended up having 7 children, of which my mother was the youngest. She's told me stories like only having one pair of shoes per year and having chocolate once a year (usually Chinese New Year) and savouring every little tiny morsel.

Neither my father or mother had TVs or washing machines growing up. I am constantly being told how lucky I am to have these things. I was told when I was kid and didn't understand but of course now I understand and feel so grateful and lucky to be so spoilt and have such an easy life when they did not. I got driven to school every day, picked up from school or caught the school bus. My parents had to walk far distances - rain, hail or shine.

My mother had some big familiy secret that she didn't tell me till I was 12 years old. 12! I was angry she didn't tell me earlier and kept it from me for such a long time.

My father has told me things about my mother and what she was like before I was born and even before he met her (heard from other older relatives). My parents were also set up by matchmakers! They got married legally in Taiwan and soon after moved to the United States for the sole purpose of having children there, so that we would attain US citizenship. They had their wedding banquet in Los Angeles and I was born 1 year and 1 day after they were married, with my sister following 2 3/4 years later.

A few months after that they decided to move and were either going to choose Canada (Vancouver) or Australia (Melbourne). They crossed Vancouver off the list only because it was too cold and so we moved to Melbourne. My sister was only 7 months at the time and had a long haul international flight for the first time of her life. After a year or so in Melbourne it was concluded that the weather sucked (and it does!) and contributing way too much to my asthma, and they moved north to the biggest city of Sydney. This was in 1981 and we remained there ever since (where the weather was better/warmer/predictable but my asthma still remained).

Now I have family in China, Taiwan, the United States, Canada and Australia. I feel a bit sad that I grew up without any (none whatsoever) extended family around me but hey, you can't have everything! I guess I feel privileged to lead such an easy life and so amazed that my older relatives have gone through so much and come out so strong.

(oh my dad also told me he felt that first-borns were smarter, and of course I had to agree ;) I have big shoes to fill as the first born, of a first born, of a first born!)

---



Xi yang shen / American Ginseng

My dad's been making me take this stuff for years, my whole life probably and not once did I even think to find out the English name for it ... until now. It looks like a dried root and my dad grinds it up into a powder himself. To make it easier/convenient to take we put it in capsules.

For the quantity it is quite expensive. However, not as expensive as the ginseng we saw at Carrefour... almost 60,000 RMB for 160g! No, that is not a typo!!

So not only did I not know the English name for it, I didn't even know what it would do for me. I guess I just trusted him. Well, now that I've looked it up it is supposed to help with:

increasing resistance to environmental stresses, general tonic, stimulant, diuretic, digestive aid, anemia, diabetes, insomnia, neurasthenia, gastritis, impotence, fever, hangover, immune function, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), pseudomonas infections in cystic fibrosis, aging, stamina, blood and bleeding disorders, atherosclerosis, loss of appetite, vomiting, colitis, dysentery, cancer, insomnia, neuralgia, rheumatism, memory loss, dizziness, headaches, convulsions, and disorders of pregnancy and childbirth.

Wow! Sounds like a miracle herb! :D Go check it out if you are interested. I am mainly taking it now to help build up my immunity towards nasty colds and flu for this winter. (you cannot and should not take it if you are already sick though).

Taiwan vs China, Taiwan vs Japan

Ever since I was kid I was brainwashed into thinking "Taiwan good, China bad." "China communist, Taiwan not." Of course I was also told "Australia - safe to cross the road, clean. Taiwan - crazy drivers, dirty." etc, but that's another story...

OK so up until my late teens this is what I always believed. Now, when I had the opportunity to go to China for the first time (in 1997) and make up my own mind I didn't think it was that bad, but of course I could see the differences between China and Taiwan straight away, or China and Hong Kong.

In 2005, my sister was living in Shanghai... Mike and I flew from Sydney to Taipei and my sister flew from Shanghai to Hong Kong to Taipei and met us there. The first time the three of us took the MRT (subway) there, she commented that she couldn't believe that people were actually queuing in an orderly fashion to wait for the train, and that that would not happen in Shanghai. Throughout the trip she made similar comments about the differences between Shanghai and Taipei - not so much the city itself but the behaviour of the locals.

Likewise, when my father recently visited he was making similar comments. But it was much much worse. OMG. He was China-bashing 24/7. I don't even know how I could take it! "The air pollution is so bad" "The plants/trees are not that green." "The people are so rude." "That person must be Taiwanese because they said 'Excuse me' when they pushed their trolley close to us." etc etc. Oh did I mention we went to Carrefour after he told me I should throw out all our rice and condiments because anything made in China was 'bad' and 'crap' and made me buy Thai and Japanese rice, and Taiwanese soy sauce? hahaha.

Despite the fact that he was born in China himself he still (unfortunately) hates China and will probably continue to do so. :( He feels that China is what Taiwan was 40 years ago. Yes time will change everything but who knows how long it'll take?

On the other hand, my mother loves China. She loves the rapid progress it's made in recent years, the buzz, the nightlife, the shopping, the food, etc.

I wouldn't say I 'love' Shanghai but there are certainly good points to it. Just like any other city. There are good and bad points to everything.

It's just a bit much when guests come to visit you and start bashing the place you live in. I feel quite 'weirded out' by it. I just don't know what to say or how to react. Yes the air pollution is bad. So bad it's one of the very few things I can't stand here (along with the incessant smoking everywhere and anywhere), the footpaths are uneven, the drivers are all psycho, pedestrians have no right of way (EVER), etc etc. But frankly, I feel a bit offended. How would you feel if I visited you and pointed out every single negative thing about your city or country?

Now, getting back to the topic, hopefully I'll get to visit Taiwan real soon and make my own comparisons once again now that I've actually lived here (in Shanghai).

I just read here that the Taipei-Kaohsiung high speed rail is in operation. The trip takes a mere 1.5 hours instead of the 4 hours it used to take. Awesome!

When I was in Japan I started making a lot of mental notes and noticed so many similarities between Japan and Taiwan. The breakfasts. The breakfasts I was brought up to eat and my parents are still eat - are very similar to what the Japanese typically eat - rice with pickled vegetables, radish, eggs, fish, and bits and pieces. Also the love of tofu and soybeans and soy milk. (Still am surprised that soy milk isn't that popular in China. It is even more popular in Australia).

Also the delicious tidbits known as 'mochi' or 'moji'... The snacks in Taiwan are amazingly delicious. My relatives that live here in Shanghai are always bringing back suitcases full of food and snacks whenever they visit Taiwan. So many things that floated about in my childhood - I was suddenly brought back in time when I saw the same delicious things in Japan. My eyes glazed over and my stomach yearned to be filled. I wondered if Taiwan 'copied' them or that they were so similar simply because of their geographical closeness. Anyway mochi are (according to Wikipedia) "a Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice pounded into paste and molded into shape." They are usually filled with delicious creamy sweet fillings like green tea, green bean and red bean. One of the ones I had in Osaka was peach flavoured - makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

Despite having been to Taiwan about 10 times now I always look forward to going 'back'. Every time I discover something new :) and every time, reality hits as I realise that everyone is getting older :(