Taiwan Report(English)
Last year we three brothers had a travel to Korea without eldest brother, but fortunately this time we could include our eldest brother into our travel to Taiwan. It is said that traveling together with all of four brothers is rare case, and you are lucky in a good relation each other. This time we traveled to go round Taiwan from the North to the South by local train and bus while enjoying gourmet and sightseeing taking four days since November 8 to 11th, in 2015. Taiwan has a population of about 23 million and an island having a shape like a sweet potato with area a little smaller than Kyushu. Taiwan is a friendly nation with Japan because Japan contributed to construct dams and roads,etc. in a field of infrastructure during half a century ruled by Japan from 1895 to 1945. Taiwan is also the country to take prompt action gratefully to help our country at the 3・11 Tohoku disaster. ![]() ![]() ![]()
1.The first day (2015.11.8)
It took about three hours and a half from Haneda to Matsuyama airport in Taipei. I felt
tropical warm wind with about ten-degree difference from Japan when going out the airport. I cofirmed 23 members consisted of 5 men and 18 women in our tour. We got on the bus with colorful paint and sat in the front seats. A lot of apartment house and mansion were seen along the street. We heard that the apartment houses are equiped with nets or iron lattice windows for guarding against burglar but no mansions are equiped. Because people employ guard men to protect their mansions. And also we saw many simple retaurant beside the streets. Taiwanese usually take meals out of their houses as same as Vietnamese. Our bus ran through palm and phoenix trees heading toward the East. After one hour we arrived at the town of Kyu-hun situated on the top of mountain, where we got off our bus and went up the stairs to the center of the street. This area was prosperous in the era of gold rush and modelled as a film location or animation film by Miyazaki. After spending about one hour we started there for the Zuihou station to take the express train to Karen. On the way to the station, young lovely girls selling cigarettes made from betel palm were seen along the road. We bought beers and dry foods before getting on the train and enjoyed toasting in all. Our train ran down to the South through mountaneous area in the right for about two hours and arrived at Karen station in the evening. After checking in the "Lake shore hotel" we enjoyed eating Canton food, and drinking beer and Shoko liquor.
2. The 2nd day(2015.11.9)
We started our hotel at 7:15. Our bus headed up to the North along a river and arrived at
the area of the national park called "Tarokaku -Kyogoku"famous for nature's beauty, where we enjoyed taking a walk to the river side and Chosyun-ji temple built on the rocks in the valley. After visiting a marble factory, we went to the Karen station to take express train bound for Takao buying canned beers and dry foods as before. In a little while Mr.Sou, our guide started to deliver lunch boxes for us one by one and we enjoyed eating it and toasting with beers. The volume of the lunch box contained a big meat with bone was seemed a little bit large to me. After eating we exchanged conversation joyfully each other. In proportion to reach Takao, we saw through windows many fields of banana and mango, as well as ponds cultivated prawns, ducks and eels. In five hours and a half we arrived at the Takao station and got on the bus to "Juzann park" under the time when the sun was about to set in. From top of the hill we could see buildings in Takao city as well as Taiwan Straits far away. I heard that the shrine in this park was famous for being visited by the Emperor Hirohito before. Dinner was prepared with seafood and enjoyed eating and drinking all together with six female group in a table. Afterwards we went the night market on Rokugou-Niro street crowded with people and small shops, and enjoyed shopping and looking stalls. We stayed Ambassador Hotel tonight.
3. The 3rd day(2015.11.10)
We left our hotel at 7:15 as yesterday for "Lenchi-dan Scenery Area" situated at the
North of the city. After getting off the bus, we walked along the lake side where we saw such tropical trees as gajumaro and mango, and heard small birds were singing on the trees. In front of "Jisei-gu", there were two seven-storied pagodas called"Ryuko Tower"in the pond. Each tower had a big mouth such as dragon and tiger, and we went into the dragon's mouth first and came out the tiger's mouth so as to get profit as instructed old time. After we stopped at a folkcraft shop for using toilet, our bus started to "Nichigetsu-Tan(Sun Moon Lake)"showing a color of emerald green, situated at a level of 728m in the middle of Taiwan. We visited "Bunbu Byou" which was the biggest temple in Taiwan and standing at the hill near the lake side. It had been completely rebuilt after the big earthquake disaster happened in 1999, and the interior decoration and sculpture were very beautiful as I was duzzled me. We enjoyed eating Yamu-cha food and drinking beer as our lunch today. Our bus headed up to the North on the express high way and arrived at Taipei city after 3hours and a half. On the way we saw graveyards on the hills where the deceased had been buried in the ground from generation to generation. Here and there on the road we saw a lot of motor cycles which were still main traffic means in Taiwan. We participated in the optional night tour with \4,500 paid. After eating Taiwanese food, we strolled about through the night open air market crowded with people. "Hulong Hotel" was the final place to stay tonight in this travel.
4. The 4th day(2015.11.11)
Today was the last day of this travel but unfortunately we got rain from morning. Our bus
started at 7:50 to go sightseeing in Taipei. Through window a lot of people going to their work by motorcycle were seen on a road. After getting off at "Memorial Hall of Shokaiseki" we walked on the square putting up an umbrella to see historical spots. Next we visited " Ryuannji Temple"oldest temple with high status in Taiwan and in spite of becoming heavy rain, a lot of people were praying desperately there. On the way to go to the final place, I found "Presidential Office" that was constructed by Japan in 1919 through the wet windows spotted by rain. Shortly our bus arrive at "Kokyu National Museum"located on a hill and we could see many historical famous exhibits including the chinese cabbage engraved elaborately on a jade green and a piece of meat made from agate. I visited this museum once about 30 years ago but I was impressed more than before. We four brothers took pictures each other in front of the entrance. As we finished all schedule in Taipei, our bus carried us to Matsuyama Airport to take BR190 flight departing at 16:00. We told good- by to all crew members including Mr.Sou and shortly began to plan next travel each other. (The End)
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