Imperial Taipei - Formerly Intercon

... was way worse. <br> After that we headed back to Daniel's where I started to pack and get myself organised for the next leg of my trip - Korea! So that's about it from Taiwan, I just want to shout out a big thanks to Daniel for putting up with me and putting me up at his place and taking me around to see the wonderful sights of Taiwan. It has been a truly amazing experience and I am sure that I will come back again in the future. Until next time Taiwan, Bye Bye!!!<br>

7 May 2009 (Thur)<br> We reached Taoyuan International Airport at 6pm and took a cab to the hostel. It was a real stupid mistake to take a cab from the airport - there's a 50% surcharge on top of the fare. The fare worked out to be 10 times more than the airport transfer (NT$125) to Taipei Main Station (&#21488;&#21271;&#36710;&#31449;). <br><br> After dropping our backpacks at Taipei Green Hostel (near Tai Power Building Station, &#21488 ...

... through the temple and I am completely awed by the intricacies of the carvings and the entire experience. Across the street from the temple is a park. What's funny is that they have a sign of things you are not supposed to do in the park - like gamble, etc. Two of the things listed are - washing clothes and urinating. I find that hilarious. Especially the symbols they have for them. We took a picture. What next, but eating. We walk ...

... specialties. English menus are sparse in these places so look for an English speaking patron or waiter. The bakeries are a most stop as they sell fresh baked bread items in the mornings and at 4pm and these delicious items are showcased in their store windows. The Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall was a monument erected in 1987 in memory of the former president. The blue and white structure, the colors of the Taiwanese flag, has 89 steps, one ...

... by the time we had arrived to what we thought was going to be a relaxing city on the beach. We hiked with our luggage up a long winding road around a cemetery trying to find the one resort in town. I am sure there was an easier route to the resort but the bus let us off on some random street without any clue where we were (again no English to help us, just hand waving ...

... punctual ( 3:25 pm ) and stops quite frequently between Taitung and Hualien - this time from the train I revisit all the places I have just visited a week earlier when 'doing' all the four cross ways. The Inner Rift Valley is really beautiful with its own charm. The mountains on both sides, especially the Central Mountain Range towering majestically on the left side. Rice paddies with their light green plants covering like ...

... to us. He is the man who told us the place where to get off the bus the day before - he came home from a homeleave for the weekend - what a small world. The Mr. Guo invites me to go into the tunnel by his car. Tsai Chin as a woman is not allowed - bad luck, a believe known in many tunnel and mining works in many countries ( for mining I know it is or has been true also in Germany ). I get with Mr. Guo into his small off-roader and into the tunnel. It ...

... the landslides. That's for sure a longterm job or perhaps even a lifelong one as new landslides will occur on a regular base. For dinner no place is open, so we buy Rice in a cup to be filled with water and a fish in tomato sauce can and eat bread , bananas and chocolate brought by Tsai Chin. It's better than it sounds. The next day's walking is really questionnable. The wind shakes the windows - forget ' silent night ...'.

... open two hours before a scheduled flight. On the way to Mexico from Korea, I had a 3hr stopover in Taipei (which sucked), then a 16hr stopover in LA (which sucked even more - since I had huge luggage with me and no money to go out). On the way back from Mexico after my course had finished, I had an 8 hour stopover in Taipei. With my luggage automatically transferred by EVA I was free, and had money left over to go out for the day. No one was ...