Taiwan

Top things you need to know for first time visit in Taiwan (visiting Computex for first time?)

So, you decided come to Taiwan first time? Probably you want to visit Computex this year? Then read the tips below, so you do not make my mistakes, and everyone's else before.

- Let your supplier or friends reserve a hotel for you. If you ave a friend, and in case you visit Computex, I guess you have at least 1 or 2 suppliers here - ask them reserve a hotel for you. Do not reserve yourself from online sites, or travel companies. I had made countless mistakes trusting a nice photo shop enhanced pictures, whereas, the perfect hotels without a web sites in English at all was the best choice. Remember - Taiwan and people here are very nice to guests, so they will reserve you best hotel, with a decent prices. For those, who seek for cheap hostels, I guess Lonely planet guy can help. Below this post is the link to Amazon. You anyway need this guide, I will tell you later why.

- Print out your hotel name in Chinese and English, before you arrive to Taiwan. Most likely your supplier or friends will come to pick you up in airport, but if not - you still need it - remember - even if the street signs have a names of streets like Nanshan road, and etc - if you show it to most of taxi drivers, they will have no idea about it, or even worse - your english spelling of letters Nanshan, will FOR SURE not understood. Another thing why you need the hotel name in english and Chinese - you will need to fill out the landing forms in passport control - there is a need to fill in the address where you stay in Taiwan.

- Schedule all first. In writing. Meetings with potential suppliers and visiting their offices. If you are going to visit suppliers in their offices, be sure, it will take a longer time as you think. Everyone will want to have lunch with you, and office meeting needs to be reached yet by car in traffic jams. Besides, you will want to see around the Taipei, and maybe go out - so, write all e-mails to suppliers 2 weeks BEFORE you go. DO NOT just bump on their heads saying - hey, I am in Taipei, we were in touch 1 month ago, I want to visit your office now. Look I am supplier, and I am international sales as well, and half of the time, I am traveling out - today your supplier contact person can be out, or not available, and your plans are destroyed.

- Schedule the Computex (or other show trade booth visits BEFORE you arrive). You know what happened all the time I came here many years ago for trade shows as visitor first time? I took the guide and opened it and said - OK, this one is interesting I go there. Them hmm, this one also - I go there - and it's in another hall, another corner - 20 min to find. Then 3rd one is interesting - hmm, it's again in the hall I was before, I need go back now. After 20 min I can not find it at all. This is a mess, and in such way you will not find anything there.

You need to do as follows, if you want to get everything done fast and still have a time:
    - Go online to Computex or any show you need website, and print out the booth maps in all halls;
    - Take a pen and circle all Boothe's that makes interest for you;
    - Then make a groups of all booth, which you want to visit, and then you have a plan. You will finish one area, then another, and so on.

    - DO NOT just take a keyword in guide, like "keyboards" and then go to first booth in list that offers keyboards. They are listed in alphabetic order, and believe me - next booth in list will be exactly other hall in another side of all campus.

 - Ask hotel write the Computex (or the Taipei 101 at least) name in Chinese for you. If you tell taxi driver COMPUTEX please, or anything else will be bad.

- In Computex - do not take the brochures, catalogs, or whatever. Take the business cards from suppliers, or CD's. Ask stick the card to CD, later you will not find who is who - tested by experience. Why not take brochures? Here is 12 years trade show experience from me - first as visitor, and then as exhibitor.

- You will need bring them home. Remember airports, and your heavy bags, already packed with Taiwan souvenirs. You will NOT have a space for brochures, just trust me. You will not. They Will be left in hotel.
- Computex is in June, +32 or more outside. You will need carry them all day with you. Do you use anti odor spray?  You got my point of view...

- Even if you bring them home - you will never read them. I never did, I always took card and went to website, because I wanted then more info, I wanted see what else they have... you got the idea. It's 2009 after all.

- Take more business cards as you think you need. If you think that 200 is enough, you are wrong. Taiwanese are crazy on business card exchange. Remember! Business card is given by two hands, never ever use 1. It's an etiquette.

- What is the best outfit to visit trade show? Well, depends. Someone will, argue, need suit. I do not agree. Look, you are BUYER. You are already looking serious if you are there - and not look like chinese. So, it is OK, to wear a polite trousers and and shirt without a necktie. Of course the shirt with palms and shorts are not good idea but also, full suit with neck tie is not needed. No dress code, you will be treated seriously also without necktie.

Note: If you visit a formal visit and are invited to office - then also you can wear necktie, I talk here about wandering in halls.

- Tissues - it is good idea to leave hotel with some. Some public toilets in Taiwan have no any.

- If you are staying in cheaper hotel, take all hygiene items including towels.

- If you want to seek for employment, and make some meetings for this - take as much as possible diplomas, honors, awards and certificates. Here people like it more than skills you have. I have a special post on this.

- For woman - take your makeup and all cosmetics with you - here all cosmetics are whitening, you will see here everyone walk with umbrella - more white is more nice here.

- Also, do not buy socks and underwear here, take yours. I have no idea why, but all underwear I bought here - makes you wet and feel very bad immediately. I am here long time already, but the underwear - I still struggle to adapt to it.

- If you come in winter time - take warm clothes - south part of Taiwan is OK, but in Taipei it will be rainy and cold.

- Umbrellas are very cheap in any 7-Eleven convenience store - no need take yours with you.

- One of the first trips here I wanted bring shoes for my father - in Europe he is just middle sized leg - I did not find a shoes for him that time - all were too small. Prepare for that.

- Lonely Planet guide on Taiwan. There is good coverage in Taipei, and all Taiwan. My suggestion is do not go standard way, as every supplier will want you:
    - go to National Museum;
    - go to Taipei 101;

Don't

Take your time to read the guide and then ask your friends bring you there, what you want to see. The must see things are night markets, in Taipei there is a lot of them, Loney Planet guide covers most interesting.

If you do all what I said above - you will survive easily and have nice memories from this trip. Or.. you will get addicted to this island and stay there - like me and many other expats!

Have a nice trip!

Fengchia road park in Taichung, Xitun district - full insight with pictures

If you consider Taichung as a place to live in Taiwan - that's good choice indeed (read what Michael Turton says about choosing a place where to live in Taiwan), then one of the best choice are district around Fengchia university. It's vibrant, nice, lively and there is a biggest (as far local newspapers say) nightmarket in whole Taiwan now (yes, bigger than the Taipei ones).

And if there is another post in the blog related to this night market, here I would like to specially share the insights about the Fengchia road park.

There is an inside trail, going around the park, making it popular place at morning, when much people are running there (I must start do it - since monday, i guess).

... where benches are installed just for you to enjoy the ice crea,. Only thing that, women - young and not so, here does not enjoy the sun at all - they use the umbrellas, as my wife says - more white is more beautiful. Well - who said infrared sauna is good business? Not in Taiwan.

Also a tennis court here:

In the park, you can enjoy not only ice cream. Picnic with friends in a middle of working day is below. Is that because of crisis that everyone are forced holidays?

and then allow me abuse you, and your internet connection with flora pictures I admire...

This shop, facing the park, as I had watching it grow already second year in row, soon will start place the items they sell on the street, since it's all crowded inside shop outside shop & beyond.

Everyone knows about Google Ads, Yahoo Ads, and similar. That is Pay Per Click marketing. Fewer people knows about Pay Per Car Ads:

Trapped in mountains - why bicycle sometimes is faster than car

Unexpected things happen. Unexpected things happen in mountains in Taiwan, and quite frequently. You should know, that in a typhoon, it's not allowed to be in mountains because of the high risk of rock slides, and that happens very frequently, Taiwan all the time is repairing some roads damaged by typhoons. And if you happen to be there - it's already not a joke.
But, I am now talking about unexpected things in good weather. Once we were driving in picturesque Alishan Scenic area last weekend, I proudly bypassed extremely hard working fellow on bicycle - he was doing a really hard job - I do not have bicycle, and to backup my own laziness I told myself that moment - well you see - here is how they work hard, don't you feel better now and not so guilty?

And then as usual life gives a lesson.

Nothing much to say. You can see it yourself.

Needless to say, that soon after we all were standing here and admiring the views, bicycles passed over us, and easily lurked in a gap between the mountain and drilling machine. Here is the lesson to take away: If you are proud, at least do not seek excuses. In Taiwan it comes back, echoing in mountains back to your head.

I guess - correct me if I am wrong, they are making holes to prevent land and rock slides. It took well over the hour...

Bombing (Welcoming) the Dragon in Miaoli, Western Taiwan

At the end of last day of Lantern Festival in Taiwan, and when all the dragons had successfully walked through all the yards for bribes collection then, it is a time for probably main event in whole Miaoli, for what this place is known the best - Bombing the Dragon, or Welcoming The Dragon event held in Miaoli.
It's a Hakka people tradition, held at Lantern Festival time.

The lighting of firecrackers originated from the Hakka tradition of “Welcoming the Dragon” on Lantern Festival. Spectators throw firecrackers towards a dancing dragon to ask for blessings for the New Year.
And when I say firecrackers - then there is a LOT of firecrackers and there is a lot of sound, and there is a lot of people. And a lot of dragons at whom all the sparkling stuff is being thrown at.
Well,  will show you how it looks like, as I visited this event in February 2009.

You can go with me now.

First of all - what you should remember, and prepare accordingly BEFORE you go to this event:

1. Plan to come earlier, at least not later than 7 at evening, because you will have no space to park, all the freeways at Miaoli outskirts will be stacked with cars, and sometimes it's needed to walk 20 min's. If you have girlfriend on high heals or 2 kids, both you will later need bring on your own neck, if you park wrong;

2. Seek for parking turning everywhere on side streets going in the farm, rather than standing on a freeway, there is hard to move through by car since a lot of people walk, but sooner or later parking place will be - near the farm. Just do not fall down with your car to the farm ground, when park on paved road - it's higher.

3. It's suggested to not take a small kids with you, the smaller they are - bigger the risk and inconvenience for you. Why?

Because once you are up on a hill what's used for spectators place - you will need start elbowing exercise, and if you happen to be a less tall than everyone else here, then you are going to have hard times.

Check this:

Anyway,always there is someone who wants to risk:



If you successfully elbowed your way to left side of this small trail, you are going to see a scene, where everyone is still waiting a dragon, and show woman announces various officials who came up here to see the show.

 

Besides, there is a usual fireworks to entertain a crowd until a dragon prepares shoes for dancing. Again, even with my not a very small height, I could not see clearly all - imagine a those who are less than 1.70 m though. And here they come:

Oh yes, cameras. Cameras - mostly mobile phones (I always just amazed to see a crowd of people recording a fireworks in a sky by mobile phone - do they ever watch it?). And most funny is that they watch the fireworks then through the mobile phone - it reminds me a story about a man who can't notice a dolphins right in front of him, because is busy filming them.

 

If you do not like a sounds, then, well this is not a festival for you. It seems that a motto for this here is - the louder the better, and this is why soon after the a bomb throwing starts, smoke covers all the scene, so, finally you see only shadows moving around between wild splashes of fire. Anyway, impressive.

Now, right behind you there, are a night market - specially hosted for this event, a really interesting and delicious selection of various Hakka and western Taiwan and not only dishes. Let's walk through, and watch what they have.

And now, let's analyze most interesting and useful ones.

Barbecue.. A really juicy one, here just wait's for your hunger. 

Eggs. Else are part of the Taiwan foods culture, I already had gathered a collection of egg's seller here in Taiwan so, it will be a separate post on this topic.

Vinegar made from plums. And plums in vinegar..



Red sugar cooked so, that it has also some dry fruit inside. Longan fruit inside:

龍眼 - Longan

Potatoes in sweet sauce.



Nuts and chicken..



Fried vegetables



Bergamot - good for throat when dried

佛手柑

Some cookies



Pao Cai - Chinese pickled vegetables, spicy....



Left one is apricot seeds cooked so, that can eat, sweet gourmet. And the right one is, pumpkin seeds, again sweet prepared.



Sea food - cooked in this way. English name - spray, chinese name - Hua Zhi.

Following the Dragon in Miaoli. Tradition that still is alive in Taiwan

If you happen to be in Taiwan at the time for Lantern Festival at Chinese New Year, then you for sure are going to see a dragons wandering on a streets all over the island. What it means for you is unusual experience and interesting show, however, the tradition is vanishing last years, as young people has no big wish to follow this tradition.

And those who still do, in my opinion mostly does this for money, because here is how it happens and looks like in Miaoli, I followed one dragon to see what will happen.
Basic idea is somewhat similar to that, when kids at Christmas time are going to house from house, and singing the songs and expecting back the candies, money or some other gifts.
Here those guys with a dragon, are not expecting the candies, apparently.

In the front of this procession there is a small blue track, with a drummer, who makes the rumble, you hear. Notice the leader with a stick with a ball attached, dragon follows the leader.

Now, if you feel, that they has no any passion on what they do, then you are totally right, most of the time they walk, and even do not try to make any dance like movement - and that is because the youth you see in the video are usually related to various non profit religious organizations, where they live away from home (escaped as usual, and without any wish to go to school). Their primary life though, are such events, so it's not a passion or deep love to culture, what asks them bring the dragon. 

Now, finally something happens. Dragon notices that someone are at home you see at left side of video, and bumps in there, expecting a gift. In fact, they must earn the tips, which a great dance, showing their ability to steer and dance a dragon various ways. But they don't, at least this one no:

My wife says, that most interesting happens, if 2 such dragon meet each other on street - they must start fight, "dancing against each other" and then the aha-ing crowd should decide the winner who gets then wow's and tips.

I need to say, that this particular dragon met another one, and I grabbed the camera to make a fight recorded. Unfortunately, but I would not say, that it was a surprise - after a little talk of leaders, dragons went 180 degrees from each other. No fight-dance.

No kids also follow the dragon in his way. My wife says, that when she was a small girl, they was excited and were waiting for a dragon to come, to run out from a home, and then follow it on his way over the city. Some dragon's, who were dancing especially, that time where gathering a lot of people to follow them.
It was a real event and really came from heart. Anyway, this is one dragon in city - you should not judge the Taiwan because of this - but my blog shows Taiwan from inside - as it is. No photoshop edited glamour brochures type oriented to causual traveler. Life is as it is.

Also photo of them in "action":

Baguashan Great Buddha Scenic Area in Changhua

In case you happen to be in Changhua, it's definetly worth to visit the Baguashan Great Budha Scenic area.

Besides the central element of this place - a big, big sitting Buddha, where you can go inside as well:



.... you can also take a panorama view of Changhua city:

Old TV set in Chinese Traditional Style design

I had found such TV in Tianwei district, in Changhua county - it's something that reminded me a stable times, when US dollar was US dollar, and not just a peace of paper, when Mercedes Benz was a car, which after 20 years still were running like brand new, when table in kitchen was hand made to fit your own taste, and not copy-pasted in cheap factory in Chengdu Province in mainland China.
I could not guess, what can be the age or release year of this - any one knows?Let me know in comments, I will then update the post.

Incredible feel of security and stability, that comes from this thing:

Tianwei Flower Gardens: Flora Paradise of Formosan Island

Tianwei Township (田尾鄉) - are located in Changhua County, Western Taiwan. Locals like to call it Flower Factory of all Taiwan.
And seems, that they are not far away from truth, as once you visit the area - you will find that flowers, trees, and other vegetation here are made really with factory approach. There is retail, there is wholesale, seems the local people took all the Taiwan's approach to sell IT, and applied it to flowers.

I had been told, that very early in morning, cars are sent out from Tianwei to all Taiwan markets, flower shops and houses, with a fresh deliveries. Wonder, who grown up those flowers you buy in small shop near your nightmarket?

Think Tianwei now.

It's worth to visit at any time of year, and even if you are not a flower retailer. you will enjoy the stay her. District has a main street, where all retailers are located:

The main street in Tianwei looks like above, and nearly 99 % of houses are in flower business - they had stacked up the yards with the flowers, decorative trees, garden design elements and every imaginable thing you may need for your flora addiction. If you are considering a restaurant opening those trees are a good idea, and can be from there. This is why, the motels and hotels always have nice palms and trees in correct rows - they are buying them pre-grown there.

You can rent such a bicycles - walk can be a bit too long, since distances there are quite large, from other hand,driving a car will not give you the full feeling of beauty here.

Nostalgic picture from Tianwei district, also on main street.

Another home/business in Tianwei, selling various plants.

I took pictures inside of this shop

Also, it is important to note, that you should not stay on main street all the time, take your turn to farmland inside, to get such a views:

If at first there is no much differences with other farmlands on island, then soon you will find out, that there is a "tree & palm" factories:

Taiwan is high tech country, so high tech, that you will see such light bulbs hanging over some parts of them. No, it's to make the view fantastic at night time - and it really is - imagine so much lamps, in farm at midnight. What they do, is speeding up the growth, by making "day time" longer. Nothing personal dear flowers, just business. Anyone wanna call green peace?

somewhere hidden in those small farm roads, are even such nice restaurant:

Miaoli, Western Taiwan - Hakka cuisine & dancing dragons heaven

Call me biased, but as my wife's home town is Miaoli, I am going to feature a posts about this place frequently, as I had found, that typical tourist guides, like praised Lonely Planet typically ignores this place in Western Taiwan.

Miaoli County is located at the mid-north of Taiwan . Its northern and northeastern border is Hsinchu County. Its southern and southeastern parts connect with Taichung County, but in between, separated by Da-an River and the Snow Mountain Ranges.  Topographically, Miaoli is divided into four landforms: plain, hill, platform and mountain ranges. Apart from platform, other landforms are regularly arrayed in good order from the west to the east.
Here is again a graphical view:

 
he name Miaoli was coined using two Hakka words, cat (貓) and raccoon dog (狸), which phonetically approximate Pali (Bari), a community of Taokas people. Miaoli city is the capital of the county, and is also known as "Mountain Town", owing to the number of mountains nearby, making it a great place for hiking.

As it's most popular though, for the dancing dragon races at last day of Chinese New Year Festival Celebration - Lantern Festival, I will devote to this event a separate post.

But for now, let me introduce a great place to eat, which must visit as you are there, and this place will not be listed anywhere in tourist directories. It's a kind of small, but interesting place, like a Cat Mouse Noodles in Changhua City.
Located in center of the town, it's not quite easy to spot it, but here is how it looks like from outside:




50 years in business, as they claim, the most they are famous are:

Noodles with pork, and Bao An - another traditional and widely popular food in western part of Taiwan.

Another, very taste in fact, it's a soup - are captured below. Ingredients are bamboo, port, vinegar, noodles and the brown one - it's  木耳  - mu er, or tree mushroom, sometimes called Jew's ear.

中山路　﹣　zhong shan road - here is what you need find, if you want to find this restaurant. Notice the yellow sign, the round one. This what you need. I did not wrote down the number of building, but if you carefully drive the zhong shan road, you won't miss it. They made it round, and it really stands out from all those typical to Taiwan street sign mess as you can see below. It's a view of Zhong Shan road, to both sides, standing in front to this restaurant.
 


 

Take a look also, how they prepare it:

Confucius Temple in Changhua town, Western Taiwan

As usually we start with a facts: The Confucius Temple at Changhua was constructed by county magistrate Chang Kao in 1726, in the Ching dynasty. Its present appearance was attributed to a radical renovation in Tao-kuang 10 (1830). This temple undoubtedly is a very important symbol of central Taiwan's cultural development. It was originally conceived on a grand scale incorporating two further structures, the Paisha Academy and the Minglun Hall. Today, there only remain the Hall of the Sage, the East and the West Galleries, the Confucius Shrine forming the Rear Hall, the Halberd Hall, and the Ling-hsing Gate. It is unfortunate that some important features outside the Ling-hsing Gate, such as the Propriety Gate, the Righteousness Path, the Pool of Higher Learning, and the Palace Wall, were demolished during the Japanese occupation period (1895-1945). Today the temple is only two-thirds the size of the original construction. The last restoration was carried out in 1978.

For those, who expect virgin antique formosan views, the first disappointment comes  when you find the temple, in the city. Yes, it's literally surrounded by modern buildings, and you should be lucky enough to catch a view of it without a modern building or car in frame. I could not, and here is how it will look like, if you are not lucky:




Entering the temple is free for anyone who wish, and we are going in. This is how it looks like, just after you go in. Let's look around.

Model of the temple can be found inside, as we forgot home our helicopter today, to give you glance, how it looks like from birds eye view, I'll show this:







Now, you see the round hole type entrance there? We move in now. Take a look at video below, walk with me now...

Now, notice in the video building in a center of complex, also you can see in the model above. Separate photo of this central building is below:

It's Dacheng hall. Interior of hall consists of three bays. There is a wicked owl on the ridge, which symbolizes Confucius teaching any kind (also bad) students and can influence wicked owl. Podium is covered by special brick carving, including symbols of copper, incense burners.

Views from inside:

The back of the complex has a building with an original name Chisheng Shrine - it's a title of Confucius father, Su-liang-ge. In the first year of reign of Yongcheng Emperor Dynasty (1723) conferred suplementary titles to five generations of Confucius.