Category Taiwan
Many companies in Taiwan have a (for me) strange practice where, if there is a work day squeezed in between a national holiday and a weekend, they will give their employees that day off. As compensation, you have to come in to work on a Saturday, usually the week before or the week after. This Tuesday it was the 228 Peace Memorial Day which commemorates the February 28 Incident. Due to the squeeze day policy this meant that we had a nice long four day weekend. It is still winter here in north Taiwan with bone chilling temperatures of around … Read the rest
Today we continued our sightseeing in Tainan county, starting with Zengwen reservoir, a large man-made lake that provides irrigation for the Chianan plain (one of Taiwan’s most productive agricultural regions). We came up the river valley and our first view of the reservoir was the big dam with floodgates open and water flowing out. Luckily there was a viewing platform nearby and we stopped to snap a few pictures.
We made a quick stop at the top of the dam before continuing on to the main tourist site, a … Read the rest
It is Moon Festival in Taiwan which means we have five days off. Except for going back to Erlin to celebrate with Yini’s family, we planned to go out to the coast for a few days. However, the weather gods didn’t seem to like our plans because they sent not one, but two typhoons our way. The first one caused floods and lots of chaos down in the south and east parts of the island but Erlin, which is in the middle, was fine and we had two nice days with the family, barbecuing and shooting fireworks in the evening. The second … Read the rest
Today was the day we did the actaul crossing. When we woke up this morning it was raining but by the time we left the hotel it had cleared up. We rode out of Tianxiang, and while the landscape was plenty dramatic I was so happy to be on the road we didn’t really stop to take photos.
Riding a motorcycle on a road like this is a powerful experience. You feel like you are one with the machine and that you and the bike are one with nature. There is only the … Read the rest
Today we set off towards Taroko Gorge which will be our starting point for the actual crossing.
A few kilometers out from Hualien city we went down to a secluded beach. When I was younger I would have jumped into the water directly but now I didn’t feel like it. I still took off my shoes, rolled up my trousers and just stood in the water’s edge, letting the waves wash over my feet. By now this has become a kind of ritual for me.
After that we headed … Read the rest
At the beginning of this year I decided I should ride my motorbike from east Taiwan, across the central mountains to the west. With lots of other things taking up our time it’s not until now the wife and I were able to go.
On Friday evening we took the train to Hualien city on the east coast.We have several days for our trip, so instead of setting off directly on Saturday morning, we stayed in Hualien for some relaxed sightseeing. Among the places we visited were Liyu lake, Lien Cheng lotus garden and Qiqi highlands.
Paddle boating on Liyu
Since Yini and I had to go to work on Monday, our goal for Sunday was mainly just to get back home. We did have all day however, so we decided to take the long way around i.e. the coast road, stopping along the way whenever we felt like it.
Our first stop was rather random, just some large flat cliffs stretching out into the sea where Albin, Oscar and I walked around for a bit looking for crabs.
The beach 
That freak wave looks really evil
Next up was the sandiago lighthouse where the boys could get a bit … Read the rest
A while ago mom told me that the son of her friend was coming to Taiwan. I used to know the kid when I was young, so I suggested the wife and I could take him round to some interesting places. He arrived yesterday afternoon and I met him and his friend up in Taipei. We went to Taipei 101 to take in the view, then met up with my wife in a night market for dinner.
Sunset view from Taipei 101 
The two friends Albin on the left and Oskar on the right 
Having dinner in the night market
There is lots to see around keelung, but I had set my sights on an island close to the harbor opening called Peace Island. It is densely populated and not much different from the city, but a park out by the sea is famous for it’s beautiful landscape. We went there the first thing we did in the morning, and although the landscape was indeed beautiful, it was a little too small and too touristic for my taste. There was a walkway leading off towards some more secluded cliffs but sadly it had been damaged and was closed. I think … Read the rest
Some years ago me and a few others went to an abandoned copper refinery in Jinguashi near Keelung. That time we were ill prepared so we didn’t see all of it, but I promised myself I would come back one day. This weekend Renegade Wife needed to work but I didn’t feel like staying inside all Saturday. Since she is not all that into urban exploration, I decided this would be the weekend I went back.
On Friday morning I took the motorbike to work instead of the train like normal, and as soon as I got off work Friday … Read the rest