October - November 2017

1. Taipei, According to the MRT and My Faulty Memory (Red Line) (October 2017)

I don't ride the Red Line as much as I used to.  When my brother-in-law lived in Taoyuan 桃園, we rode it more than any other MRT line, but that was many years ago already.

1. Taipei 101/World Trade Center 台北101 / 世貿.  You can get to the 101 on the Red Line too?  I had no idea.  Either this is a new stop or I just never noticed.

Sometimes the exhibitions held at the World Trade Center are worth going to.  I've been to a couple of the book fairs there.  It was fairly interesting, even though the comic book part was INSANE.  Seriously, there were so many people in that part of the book fair that I wasn't able to see any of the exhibits.

2. Daan Forest Park 大安森林公園.  I can remember visiting here years ago and thinking it wasn't bad.  It's disappointing if you compare it to "forest parks" in other parts of Taiwan, but taken as another park in Taipei it's pretty good.

3. Dongmen 東門.  Like other, older cities in Taiwan, Taipei has gates marking the boundaries of the older, fortified city.  These gates would be almost identical to what you'd find in Hsinchu 新竹, Tainan 台南, or Hengchun 恆春, so don't feel a need to seek them out unless you won't be in one of those other cities.  If you're interested in Ching Dynasty fortifications, Hengchun would be your best bet anyway.

4. Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 中正紀念堂.  If you use the name "Chiang Kai-shek" with locals and get a blank stare don't be surprised.  His Chinese name, 蔣介石 (Jiang Jie-shr), sounds very different from his "English" name, which was derived from Cantonese.  To make matters worse, in Taiwan he is more often referred to as 蔣中正 (Jiang Jong-jung), which is yet another of his many names.  It is this "Jong-jung" which ought to be put before "Memorial Hall."

Back when Mainland Chinese tourism in Taiwan was going strong, this place was a madhouse.  EVERY tour bus had to stop here, and EVERY tourist had to take a picture in front of this very scenic building.  In case you didn't know, Chaing Kai-shek, the Nationalist first President who "stole" many of China's most priceless treasures and housed them in the National Palace Museum 故宮博物院, is infamous in China.  To be fair, he did flirt with Fascism, he did spearhead a lot of unjust policies in Taiwan, and he isn't all that popular here now, either.

But hey it's a cool building.  There's also a nice park around it.  If you're looking to take some pictures I highly recommend it.

5. Taipei Main Station 台北車站.  Get in and get out as quickly as possible.  That's my policy.

6. Yuanshan 圓山.  This used to be one of my favorite amusement parks.  Every ride was 10 NT, and even though none of the rides were especially exciting it was still a fun place to spend an afternoon.  They've since opened the Taipei Children's Amusement Park 台北市立兒童新樂園 not far from the Science Museum 台灣科學教育館, but it lacks the lived-in vibe of the old Yuanshan amusement park (mosquitoes and all).

This was also where the Taipei Flower Exhibition 花博 was held.  It sounds kind of ridiculous now, but that was a big deal at the time.  I didn't visit it when it was running full steam, but I did stop by there a few days after it ended.  A lot of the exhibits were still in place, and it was somewhat interesting.

An interesting relic of the Flower Exhibition is the international food court behind the main building.  Last time I was there (which was, admittedly, a while ago) they had Japanese, Argentinian, Hawaiian, and many other kinds of food.

On the other side of Yuanshan is the the Taipei Fine Arts Museum 台北市立美術館.  I suppose it depends on what kind of art you're into, but I thought this place was super boring.  There was a lot of pretentious modern art that didn't do anything for me.

7. Shilin 士林.  This is Taipei's (and by virtue of that, Taiwan's) most famous night market.  It's slammed on the weekends, and if a particular stand is popular you can end up waiting a long time for whatever it is you intend on eating.

I've been there a few times, but because my wife HATES it I don't eat there that much.  Many of the foods are very similar, but if you're in the right mood it can be a lot of fun.

Did you know that Shilin makes a special knife called the "Shilin knife?"  Until recently I didn't either, but if you look closely it can be purchased in that area.

8. Beitou 北投.  This is where the hot springs are.  Or at least it's on the way to the hot springs.  I've visited a couple of the hot springs there and they didn't do much for me.  But then again, if you've gotten used to the hot springs on the east coast of the island (like me) this is not surprising.  Beitou just can't compete with some of the more spacious, more scenic hot springs on the east coast.

9. Guandu 關渡.  Went walking here once.  There was supposed to be something scenic in the area, but we never found it.  Instead we ended up walking into some university campus, buying a drink, and heading back into the city.  Was that university campus the scenic spot we were looking for?  I still have no idea.

10. Hongshulin 紅樹林.  The literal translation of "Hongshulin" would be "mangrove forest."  This is a great place for walking, and there are some temples and restaurants of interest here as well.  If you look closely under the mangrove trees, you'll see very tiny crabs in the mud.

11. Tamsui 淡水.  This place is a lot like Shilin.  In the right mood it's a blast, in the wrong mood you'll wonder why you bothered.  The best time to visit is when the sun is going down on Friday or Saturday evening.  There's a night market, street musicians and performers, and a boat across the river to Ba Li 八里.

Nearby is the site of Fort San Domingo 紅毛城 ("Hong Mao Chung," literally "Red Hair Fort" or "Fort of the Red-Haired Barbarians") which was built by the Spanish in 1629.  It predates the sites left behind by the Dutch by a couple decades, though the Spanish never established much of a presence in Taiwan.  The building which stands on that site today is actually Fort Antonio, the replacement structure built by the Dutch after they kicked the Spanish out.

2. 台灣西方文明初體驗 The Influence of Western Civilization on Taiwan (2 of 4) (October 2017)

The information below was taken from 台灣西方文明初體驗 ("The Influence of Western Civilization on Taiwan").  The Chinese was written by Chen Rou-jing, and the English was written/translated from the Chinese by me.  以下的內容來自台灣文明初體驗這本書.  下列中文的部分是從陳柔縉作者的書裡節錄的.  英文的部分則是我寫的.

馬路 Roads

每天分分秒秒踩著馬路, 我們大概已忘記, "路" 並非天生長那個樣子; 現代的馬路是人們在大自然臉上的強行創作.  In the busy moments we spend traveling over roads each day, we may forget that modern roads are not a natural development, bur rather a great achievement in the face of nature.

一百多年前, 台灣的路多半是人走出來的.  清廷治台快兩百年, 雖把這些腳踩出來的路, 修闢成所謂的南北官道, 但是, 不外乎泥路小徑, 遇雨難行.  台北和台南有鋪石子的街道, 但並不是以現代道路的工法鋪設.  一八七六年, 一位名叫柯勒的英國商人在福爾摩沙紀行遊記中說, 在今台南縣的農村, 大水牛拉著兩個大木輪牛車, "在挾窄的鄉間路上...., 轎子或其他車輛無法並肩擦身."  More than a hundred years ago, most roads in Taiwan were little more than footpaths.  During the nearly 200 years of Ching rule over Taiwan, [many of] these footpaths were modified into the South-North Administrative Road.  This road, however, was itself little more than a mud trail which was very difficult to navigate in the rain.  There were paved roads in Taipei and Tainan, but they were not paved in the modern way.  In 1876 an English businessman named Corner described farming villages in Tainan County in his "Formosa Travels."  [He talks of] water buffalo pulling large wooden carts "on a country road so narrow that... sedan chairs or other carts could not pass by from the other direction."

一八九五年日本開始統治台灣, 當年十月, 首任總督樺山資紀南巡視察, 對台南市街也曾描述說, 不規則而狹窄, 且不像台北市街商店前有亭仔腳 (即騎樓), "所以若遇一匹駝馬, 非側身閃避不可, 實不能自由往來."  In 1895 Japan assumed administrative control of Taiwan.  In October of that year the first governor, Kabayama, arrived for his first general inspection, and he reported that roads in Tainan City were both irregular and narrow, and not like shopfront streets in Taipei which had a courtyard/pavilion between the shops and the road.  [In Tainan, he said] "when horses pass along the road, there is no way to move out of their way, and one's freedom of movement is restricted."

當時的道路情況增加了人際往來的困難.  中部士紳傳傅錫祺於一九三0年代寫他住豐原潭子, 朋友住在台中的樹子腳, "相距十餘臺里耳, 然在四, 五十年前, 交通未便, 不易相聞問也."  The problem of traffic increased over the years.  Fu Xi-qi was a member of the gentry who lived in central Taiwan.  He wrote in the 1930s about living in Tan Dze, near Feng Yuan, and about his friend who lived in Shu Dze Jiao in Taichung.  "It was a distance of more than ten 'Taiwan leagues.'  Four or five years ago, it would have been almost impassable.  It is not easy to hear from him."*

時代進入日治後, 馬路有了現代化的契機.  在市區道路方面, 首先就讓馬路有排水溝, 以改善衛生.  像是一九0一年, 為了拓修道路, 折除新竹城門和城牆後, 原來的城豪改建為排水溝.  After Japan took control [of Taiwan], the roads were modernized.  Drainage ditches were installed in urban roads to improve hygiene.  One example of this was the extension of roads in Hsinchu in 1901, which led to the closure of the city gates and city wall, and the conversion of certain fortifications into drainage ditches.

最具現代意義道路的台北 "三線道", 也從一八九八年開始動工, 折除舊有的台北城, 就地拓寬闢建.  當時的城牆不是薄薄一片, 台北城牆厚四公尺, 闢成的三線道當然又遠寬過四公尺.  三線道隨城而呈四方形, 等於今天台北總統府外圍的中山南路, 愛國西路, 中華路和忠孝西路的總合.  Most representative of modern road building was the "Three Lane Road" in Taipei.  This road was built in 1878, and precipitated the closure of the [old] Taipei city fortifications, which were up to four meters thick.  The finished Three Lane Road was of course more than four meters thick, and followed the square course of the old city walls.  [The traces of this old road] can be found along Taipei's Jung Shan South Road where it passes along the Presidential Palace, on Ai Guo West Road, on Jung Hua Road, and on Jung Shiao West Road.

三線道的現代意義主要在於仿自西歐.  十九世紀下半葉起, 西方大城市受巴黎的影響, 城市裡必備林蔭大道.  三線道便是彰顯台北現代感的第一條林蔭大道; 以兩列三公尺寬的綠帶, 隔出三條分道, 中央為車行馬路, 兩旁才是人行步道.  日籍文人曾描寫過在三線道散步的景致; "夜晚, 三線道上的水銀燈漂亮異常, 路邊的椰子樹上, 懸掛著亞熱帶的大月亮."  幾句描述已說明三線道除了綠色分隔島, 還包含了街燈, 行道樹等現代道路外觀上的基本元素.  The modern aspect of the Three Lane Road was a reflection of trends in western Europe.  In the second half of the 19th century, Western cities were influenced by Paris, and it was felt that all cities should have tree-lined boulevards.  [For this reason] the Three Lane Road became Taipei's first modern tree-lined boulevard, complete with two 3 meter wide divisions where trees were grown, separating three separate lanes.  The middle lane was for the use of cars, and the two side lanes were for pedestrians.  Japanese writers wrote about the scenic effect of walking on this type of road; "In the evening, [one sees the] enchanting mercury lamps, and above the roadside coconut trees the large subtropical moon."  Aside from the tree-lined divisions, there are also descriptions of streetlights, trees found along the pedestrian paths, and other modern features.

至於現代道路的內在結構, 台灣在日治期間也追上時代腳步.  現代道路的造法, 十九世紀時興建碎石路.  路基做成拱狀, 用泥土壓砸密實, 上面再鋪兩層厚十公分的石子.  最後覆蓋小卵石, 來往馬車會自然把小礫石碾碎, 讓道路表面質地更細.  As for the internal workings of the modern road, Taiwan followed contemporary trends under the Japanese administration.  Roads in the 19th century were built with gravel.  The roadbed was curved upward, and clay was pressed down onto this surface.  Two ten centimeter layers of rock were then added on top.  A final layer of pebbles completed the road, and the pressure of carriages using the road would break the rocks into smaller and smaller pieces, making the surface of the road flat and the pebbles/rocks very tiny.  

這樣的礫石路, 日治初期以 "敕使街道" 最具代表性.  一九0一年, 日本人把劍潭的古寺遷走, 原地興建台灣神社, 就在今天圓山飯店現址.  一九二三年, 日本皇太子欲仁到台灣巡訪, 隔年, 他的弟弟秩父宮也遊訪台灣, 接著皇室成員訪台的隊伍沒有斷過.  他們從基隆登岸, 坐火車進台北之後, 最重要的禮儀就是從台北火車站出發, 沿今天的中山北路, 走到台灣神社祭拜.  由於這條參拜道有皇太子等皇族走過, 所以都被稱為 "敕使街道".  This type of gravel road was typical of road building efforts near the beginning of the Japanese Imperial Administration.  In 1901 the Japanese moved Jian Tan's old temple and built Taiwan's first Shinto shrine in its place, where the Yuanshan Hotel now stands.  In 1923 the Japanese crown prince arrived for an inspection tour of Taiwan, and during the following year his younger brother Chichibu also toured the island.  The members of the royal family continually visited Taiwan.  Their boats would dock at Keelung, they would ride a train into Taipei, and afterward their departure from the train station in Taipei was a major event.  They would depart from what is today Jung Shan North Road, and then visit the Taiwan Shrine (the Shinto temple) to pray.  Many members of the royal family followed this ceremonial route, which led many to call it "the excursion road."**

敕使街道上同樣裝設路燈, 兩旁還植相思樹, 也成為台北最有看頭的市街之一.  一九三八, 三九年前後, 加種一百七十二株樟樹和楓香樹, 至今還為中山北路添增風情.  The excursion road had streetlights like any other road.  Acacia trees were planted on both sides of it, and it became one of the most famous roads in Taipei.  Between 1938 and 1939, 172 camphor and maple trees were planted along its length, and to this day [some of] these trees add scenic value to [Taipei's] Jung Shan North Road.

到了二十世紀, 世界大城市的道路築法推進到以柏油為主流.  柏油最早用於道路是一八二四年的事.  鋪設柏油路, 路基要先設一層礫石, 而後一層混凝土, 再一層柏油, 最後以瀝青壓平路面.  柏油路普遍化的速度遲緩, 一八七二年, 紐約的第五街才鋪上柏油.  By the 20th century, asphalt roads had become the focus of worldwide road construction.  The earliest recorded use of an asphalt road was in 1824.  When constructing an asphalt road, a layer of gravel must first be put down.  On top of this is placed a layer of concrete.  After this a layer of asphalt is added.  Then the asphalt is pressed flat.  Vehicles travel slower over asphalt roads.  In 1872 New York's Fifth Street was surfaced with asphalt.

台灣的柏油路在日治時代的一九三0年代已經普遍可見.  交通部運輸研究所陳俊編寫的台灣道路發展史, 曾詳列日治時期鋪柏油或混凝土的高級路面; 若不計算較繁華市區的部分, 全台灣篫有四百八十六公里的高級馬路, 西岸各地都有.  即使像雲林縣西螺到莿桐, 或高雄縣的鳳山到大寮這種鄉間道路, 也有柏油路的蹤影.  東半部地區, 宜蘭蘇澳有一段, 花蓮和台東則還沒有柏油路面.  By 1930 asphalt roads were commonly seen in Japanese-administered Taiwan.  Chen Jun, writing for the Transportation Research Institute, completed his "History of Road Development in Taiwan" [at this time].  If one counts both asphalt and concrete roads built during the Japanese Colonial Administration, Taiwan had 486 kilometers of high quality roadway extending beyond urban areas.  On the west side of the island such roads could be seen everywhere.  From Shiluo to Tse Tong in Yunlin County, or from Fengshan to Da Liao in Kaohsiung County, these types of road were found in every town.  Asphalt roads could also be found on the eastern half of the island.  There was a section of asphalt road [as far away as] Su Ao in Yilan County.  Only Hualien and Taitung Counties lacked such roads.

台灣近代的馬路上, 地鋪柏油或小礫石, 旁有樹有燈, 路面上走的當然不外乎人和車.  但那時候的走法跟現在完全不同.  現在台灣人車都靠右行駛, 日本時代卻是靠左走.  據石井研堂的明治事物起原, 日本防人車雜沓危險而規定靠左行走, 已是大正年代 (一九一二年起) 以後的事.  但那時候的陸軍隊伍卻靠右整編行進.  一直到一九二四年才全國統一, 一律靠左走.  All Taiwanese roads around that time, whether asphalt or gravel, had trees and lights beside them, with no separation between pedestrians and motorists.  But the way that traffic moved along these roads was completely different.  Now Taiwanese pedestrians and motorists keep to the right, but under the Japanese Colonial Administration they kept to the left.  According to Ishii Shingudo, in his "Rise of the Meiji Dynasty," the Japanese decreed that cars should move along the left side of the road for the safety of pedestrians during the reign of Emperor Taisho in 1912, even though at that time army units were still marching [driving?] on the right.  Driving on the left didn't become a national law until 1924.

據說, 靠右行源起歐陸.  軍人右手拿矛或劍, 左手持盾牌, 右行的話, 擦身而過時, 盾牌相錯, 比較不生敵意與衝突.  靠左走的起源也在歐洲; 騎士習慣由左側上下馬, 上馬石自然放置左側路邊, 久而久之, 騎士也沿左側路邊行進.  It is said that the practice of marching on the right side came from continental Europe.  The soldiers held their spears or swords in their right hands, while in their left hands they held their shields.  When they marched on the right and their shields were facing the other way, it was difficult to attack.  The practice of marching on the left also originated in Europe.  Knights had the habit of getting on and off their horses from the left, as stones which helped them mount their horses were more often to be found on this side.  After a time all knights rode on the left.***

日治初期, 已意識到人車靠左行的問題, 但到了三0年代, 車量增多, 才積極宣導.  後來總督府編的公學校修身書 (類似戰後的公民與道德課本), 也有課文教育學童 "應遵守道路左側通行, 車道與人道有所分別的規則."  Near the beginning of the Japanese Colonial Administration, keeping cars on the left side of the road was already a problem.  But in the 1930s the number of cars increased, and this problem had to be dealt with quickly.  The colonial government published the "Official School Guidelines" (very similar to the Civics and Morality textbooks used after the war), which taught students "you should keep the left side of the road open, there are different rules for pedestrians and motorists."

台灣道路的發展最奇特的一頁, 可能是蹤貫公路如何築造完全的歷史.  清代台灣西部說是有南北官道, 實際上, 西岸河川多, 阻斷道路, 所謂官道其實柔腸寸斷, 不能稱為 "一" 條路.  清代台灣的路並沒有 "橋" 來銜接, 日治初期, 道路重整拓寬, 情況改善, 但南北道路仍不相續.  終於一九一九年元旦, 總督明石元二郎宣布要完成南北縱貫道路.  The most interesting thing about the development of modern Taiwanese roads is probably an examination of the whole history of road building.  There was the South-North Administrative Road on the west coast during the Ching Dynasty, but this road was so badly maintained and subject to such flooding that it can hardly be called "the first road."  Roads during the Ching Dynasty were not even connected by bridges.  With the advent of the Japanese Colonial Administration, roads were widened and driving conditions improved, even though the use of the South-North Administrative Road was discontinued.  It wasn't until January of 1919 that Motohiro Akashi, representing the Colonial Government, announced that a South-North Through Road would be completed.

乍看起來, 積極交通建設本是件好事, 然而造一座鋼筋鐵橋耗費動輒百萬圓, 工程耗費驚人, 所以也不知道總督府哪個傢伙出點子, 竟然決定強制動員台灣男人去修建馬路, 還強行拆屋, 進行不樂之捐, 強迫民眾無償 "獻地", 讓好事平添各種不同的觀看角度.  At first glance [this type of] expedited road construction seems like a good thing, but building bridges of reinforced steel cost millions of yen, and amounted to a major expenditure.  It is not known exactly who in the government came up with this brilliant idea, but it was later decided to employ forced labor from among the Taiwanese population, to demolish houses without warning, and to seize private land for the sake of providing scenic backdrops for the [proposed] road.

楊肇嘉 (戰後曾任台灣省民政廳長) 當時剛辭公學校教員, 縱貫線通過家鄉臺中清水, 他在回憶錄說, 六十米寬的縱貫道正開始, "當局把土地白白徵用了, 卻一文錢都不付, 而且無窮盡地動用了不給工錢的保甲工, 使這一帶的地主和佃農都受了莫大的損失, 有的竟陷入了破產的危機......."  Yang Jhao-jia (Taiwan Province's Minister of Civil Affairs after the war), was just a school teacher at that time, but the Through Road passed through his hometown of Ching Shui, in Taichung.  He later wrote in his memoirs about the commencement of the 60 meter-wide Through Road project.  "The authorities seized the land outright, and did not pay for it.  Moreover, they used the workers harshly, and paid no wages.  The landlords and tenants were subject to great losses, and many were forced to the verge of bankruptcy..."

蔡培火 (戰後曾任行政院政務委員) 當時曾為文反諷說, 台灣人如此順從, 日本人簡直比不上, 修這條縱貫道路, 跟修萬里長城沒兩樣, 如果人民沒有怨聲, 真是大幸啊!  Tsai Pei-huo (who served in the Administrative Office of the Executive Branch after the war), spoke ironically of the incident.  "The Taiwanese people were so obedient, and the Japanese so obviously outwitted them.  Building this Through Road was like building the Great Wall of China.  If none of these [Taiwanese] people complained, how fortunate [for the Japanese]!"

今天我們再走上這條縱貫線 (台一線), 若能感受一絲先人一牛車一牛車從溪埔載回砂石的辛勞汗水, 或可安慰一點當年前人在這條路上所受的苦.  Driving along this Through Road (Highway 1) now, it's easy to reflect upon the passage of so many oxcarts hauling stones from the rivers, and how much manual labor went into the building of this one road, so long ago.

3. Some Pictures from Tainan 台南 (October 2017)

Went to Tainan last weekend, and these are some of the pictures I took.

Downtown, at the intersection of Yong Hua Road 永華路 and Shia Lin Road 夏林路.  The Shin Kong Mitsukoshi 新光三越 (the newer one) is down the street.

Stopped for a beer at T.G.I. Friday's.  I like their "white beer" 白生啤酒 a lot.

What's left of the old China Town 中國城 department store.  The Tainan City Government 台南市政府 wants make it so passenger boats can sail (?) down the canals 運河, and into the city.  This plan spelled the end of China Town.

Tainan is a strange mix of the old and new.  Temples stand in the shadow of department stores, and religious processions stall traffic for miles around.  Sometimes this mix of old and new works, sometimes it doesn't.

Rice tamale hanger in a local restaurant.  Rice tamales, or 粽子, are a food often associated with Dragon Boat Festival 端午節.  Rice and other ingredients are steamed inside palm leaves.  This was, by the way, the best meal I had in Tainan last time.

One of the religious processions mentioned above.  This one was only a block long, and didn't interrupt traffic too much.  

I couldn't figure out what god or temple this was for, exactly.  Tainan has hundreds (thousands?) of temples, and many are dedicated to gods that I'm not that familiar with.

The Wu Sheng Night Market 武聖夜市.  I will never go to this place again.  It was crazy crowded, and there wasn't much of a selection in terms of food.  It was also a long, dangerous walk from our hotel.

Not far from the above-mentioned night market.  I have a strange fondness for old signs, and Tainan has a lot.

The view from our hotel room.  This would be looking northeast, towards Min Sheng Road 民生路.

4. Those Guys (October 2017)

Those guys, you know.

It's a weekend, and we're foreigners, sitting in front of the local convenience store.  We're foreign because we're in Taiwan, and not in the foreign place we came from.  We're foreign because we're wearing the wrong/right kind of clothes, and foreign because we're speaking the wrong/right kind of language.

And those guys come up, drunk as lords.  Where were they drinking, before they met us?  What had they been doing, before the Heineken?  Before the betel nut?  Before the cigarettes?

"Drink," they say, "You can be our foreign friends tonight.  You are all foreigners, and of course you don't know anything about Taiwan, so let's be friends, and we can teach you many things about it."

Beers are distributed to various people.  Betel nut is chewed.  Cigarettes are lit.

"You are all foreigners," say those guys, "So you don't understand Our Culture.  Let me tell you about Our Culture, even though I don't believe that you'll ever understand it.

"You see," say those guys, "There's this thing called Taiwan, right?

"...and in this thing called Taiwan there are many holidays, and foods, and languages.  But of course you are all foreigners, and you wouldn't know about this.

"We have Chinese New Year, and Moon Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival.  You, being foreigners, have Christmas, and Thanksgiving, and Easter.

"We have stinky tofu, and chicken feet, and dumplings.  You, being foreigners, have hamburgers, pizza, and French fries.

"We speak Taiwanese, and Chinese, and Hakkanese.  You, being foreigners, speak only English.

"You see we know about all of these things because we can learn your language, and we can know your culture.  You, being foreigners, can't learn our language, and can't know anything about us.

"So you see, foreigners?  Afterward, you will wonder why we are saying these things - but it doesn't matter now.  Afterward, you will wonder whether we value Our Culture too highly... or not enough.  Afterward, you will think and you will think and you will think.  But it won't matter then, because we will never tell you."

And on they talk as more beers are passed around.  And we, the foreigners, are left wondering what to say.  Is this Culture they speak of really so hard to understand?  Are those guys really so far beyond us?

...but even this doesn't matter, because now they are leaving.  They are off to some bar, or KTV, where not-so-young girls will pour their drinks.  They're off to some place with flashing lights, and expensive company.

Those guys.  They're always so eager to tell us about the place we live, even if any fool, anywhere, understands any place as well as they do.

Better, perhaps, to have another beer.  Better, perhaps, to give - and to receive - offenses.  What point, after all, in arguing with those guys?  Or in trying to impress them?

Some of us could speak their language, I think.  Some of us could speak of Their Culture, in that same language.  But would they really hear the words we spoke?  Would they ever see through the foreign, to the part of us that isn't?

5. Taitung 台東 to Fangliao 枋寮, According to the South-Link Line 南迴線 and My Faulty Memory (October 2017)

1. Taitung 台東.  This is where I live.  I live not far from the train station, near Bao Sang Junior High School 寶桑國中.  Taitung can be very "country" at times, but I still like it better than any other part of Taiwan.  I could see myself living in Taipei, I could see myself living in Tainan 台南, but I doubt I'll move away from Taitung anytime soon.

2. Kangle 康樂.  I'm not really sure why they keep this stop open.  Maybe a lot of people ride the train to the Prehistory Museum 史前博物館?  It's over on the other side of RT Mart 大潤發, and there's not much around there except fields.

3. Jerben 知本.  Jerben is where all the famous hot springs are.  The Royal Formosa 老爺, "Toyugi 東遊季," "Dongtair 東台," and many others are all here.  I've been to them all, and I can tell you that The Royal Formosa is where you take people you want to impress.  If you want to save a few NT, however, A Ya Wang ㄚ一丫旺 is probably your best option.

Jerben also has the Forest Recreation Area 森林遊樂區, a sadly overlooked local attraction.  The views from the upper trails are beautiful, and it's a good place to learn about local wildlife.

But you know the sad thing about Jerben?  Every time a big typhoon comes through they get the worst of it.  Their roads get washed out, their hotels fall down, and their businesses suffer as a result.  The hotels get by, but it's not a good place to open a small business.

4. Taimali 太麻里.  Taimali (which I usually spell as "Tai Ma Li") is a town and a township.  The train stops in "downtown" Taimali, a place which is uneventful, if scenic from certain angles.  Near the train station a road leads up Jin Jen Mountain 金針山, the most famous attraction in that area.  But you'd really need a car or scooter to enjoy that place, and even then it would have to be early in the morning to be worth your while.  It's somewhat pretty when the trees and flowers blossom, but there are more impressive mountain retreats in Hualien 花蓮.

Down the other way (down the hill) there's Taimali's Sunrise Park 日昇公園.  Like Jin Jen Mountain it is somewhat pretty, but it's a dangerous place to swim, and there's little shade.

South of "downtown" Taimali you'll find the Three Sisters Beef Noodle Restaurant 三姊妹牛肉麵.  This, I think, is probably the most profitable tourist attraction in that area.  It's good, if slightly overpriced.

There are also hot springs "around the corner" (up the Tai Ma Li River) in Jin Feng 金峰.  But these hot springs are VERY small, and are often washed out by whatever typhoon is passing through.  Most people just go down to the river and put their feet in.  It's a far cry from Jerben.

5. Jin Luen 金崙.  After Jerben, this is Taitung's biggest hot spring area.  It's a funny little town with funny little hot springs.  I've been to most of the hot springs around here, including "Beautiful Beach 美之濱," "Eastern Sun 東太陽," and even that creepy saltwater one next to the cemetery.*

This area is NOT convenient from Taitung City, but it has a much quieter, more local feel.  Many of the small hostels around here would, I think, be interesting places to say.  I've had many good times in this place, though I expect a lot of their business will start to fold with Highway 9 now bypassing that town completely.

6. Longxi 瀧溪.  Also referred to as Daxi 大溪.  I don't know why it has two names, but I suspect that Daxi is the name most people use.  I've driven into this town a couple times.  All I remember is a cement plant across the river, and an aboriginal village behind that.

7. Dawu 大武.  This is the last train stop before you start heading into the mountains that separate east from west Taiwan.  Despite the number of restaurants I've never had a good meal in Dawu, although the trail around the hill in the center of town is kind of interesting.

There are many good seafood restaurants south of there, in Shangwu 尚武.  Shangwu also has Jin Long Lake 金龍湖, which can be a nice walk if it's not too hot.

8. Fangliao 枋寮.  What is there to do in Fangliao?  I really have no idea.  I've driven or taken the train through there a thousand times, but in terms of tourism potential it seems like a dead zone.  I found a few local sites on Google, but nothing that has me on fire to go there soon.

But Pingtung 屏東 can be uninteresting that way.  Kenting is chock full of stuff to do, but most of the townships north of there are either farming country or an industrial wasteland.

6. What's (Probably) Going On in Taitung 最近台東大概發生的事 (October 2017)

I like to stay abreast of local current events, but reading through the local news can get repetitive.  Taitung is a relatively uneventful place, and after studying the local news for a while you start to see patterns.  我想持續關心當地發生的事情, 可是有時候一直讀台東的新聞有點無聊.  台東是個平靜的地方, 觀察台東地區的新聞一段時間後會發現它的固定模式.

For this reason, and out of a desire to "take a break" from the local news this month, I offer my list of what probably happened in Taitung this week.  所以我這個月不想提台東的消息.  我寫我"猜想"台東"可能"會發生的事情.

And next month I promise to get back to the REAL local news.  What follows below is pure speculation.  我下個月再繼續回到台東"真的"新聞.  以下的內容都是我自己臆撰的.

1. The County Magistrate gave someone an award for something agricultural.  While he presented the award many, many pictures were taken.  縣長頒獎給農民.  縣長頒給獎狀時一定有人拍很多照片. 

2. Roads were washed away by recent heavy rains.  And yes, traffic was stalled as a result.  下大雨之後, 大概很多條路發生了土石流,   當然因此也到處塞車.

3. There were traffic accidents.  A bus hit a car, or two buses hit each other, or someone got drunk and drove their scooter into an oncoming train.  可能發生了車禍.  公車撞汽車, 或是公車撞到遊覽車, 也可能有人酒後騎摩托車撞火車.

4. Someone got too close to a river during the recent rains and drowned/disappeared.  It was probably in Lu Ye, or somewhere else close to the mountains.  也可能在鹿野或其他山區, 有人因為接近近日大雨而溪水暴增的河流而死亡或是失蹤.

5. There was a marathon, or there will be a marathon, or there was and will be a marathon.  And any and all marathons weren't planned that well, and were probably inconvenienced by the weather.  The same goes for any triathlons that might have/will have occurred this week.  可能最近舉辦了馬拉松, 或是將要舉辦馬拉松, 還是兩種都有.  其中或所有的馬拉松大概缺少完善的計畫, 天氣因素也可能讓參加馬拉松變得不方便.  這些情形也可能發生在這個星期的鐵人三項賽吧.

6. Crops were destroyed.  By the heavy rains, of course.  大雨當然影響到很多人的農作物.

7. Trains were delayed, either because of heavy rains or traffic accidents.  大雨可能造成車禍或火車誤點.

8. The police busted someone over some KTV-related thing, maybe selling drugs, or prostitution, or selling drugs to prostitutes who later sold them back at an unfair price.  警察在卡拉ok抓到壞人.  可能是跟毒品有關, 或是跟賣淫有關, 還是人把毒品賣給妓女, 之後妓女再把毒品以高價賣給客人.  差不多是這樣子吧.

9. Somebody's house fell down because of the wind.  With all those old aluminum shacks around, it was bound to happen.  可能強風把房子吹倒了.  那麼多的舊鐵皮屋當然會有這種事情發生.

10. The world kept turning, people were born, other people died, and the Earth continued to revolve around the sun.  Unless you believe in some strange religion/philosophy.  In that case, I guess some or all of those things never happened.  地球不停地運轉, 有人出生有人死亡, 地球仍然繞著太陽運行. 除非你相信其他奇怪的思想或是宗教.  在那樣的前提下, 可能某些或全部的這種事情完全沒有發生過!

7. Taitung 台東 to Chrshang 池上, According to the Hualien-Taitung Line 花東線 and My Faulty Memory (October 2017)

I'm guessing on the "railway spelling" of the stations below, but I've listed them in the same south-north order.  A lot of the stops listed below can only be visited via the SLOW train, and as a result I haven't been to those stations more than once or twice.  

I've been almost everywhere between Taitung City and Hualien City by car however, and I was careful to look up unfamiliar stations and their proximity to places on/near Highway 9.

1. Taitung 台東.  As said in a previous post, this is where me and about 100,000 other people live if you're just counting Taitung Cty.  If you're counting the whole County, you want to double that number.

2. Shan Li 山里.  Trains don't stop here anymore, so I guess the map above is somewhat dated.  I remember my school's students visiting this train station on a field trip just before the TRA shut it down.  It's a cute little area, but not much happens there.

3. Luye 鹿野.  The train station is in "downtown" Luye, down the hill from a busy section of Highway 9.  As far as I can tell, there are NO good restaurants in this area, and that "tea museum" on the highway is nonsense.

West of the Luye Train Station (on the other side of Highway 9) the roads lead up to Luye Gaotai 鹿野高台 and Longtian 龍田.  Longtian is a relatively scenic area, and people rent bicycles there.  Luye Gaotai is where they hold the Hot Air Balloon Festival, and is one of the most scenic spots in Taitung.

About 20 minutes south of the Luye Train Station by car or bus is the Ying Jia 盈家 Hot Spring, the Shan Yue 山月 Hot Spring, and a few other hot springs.  The Hong Ye 紅葉 Hot Spring used to be the big draw in this area, but it was buried by a landslide several years ago.  You can still dip your toes into parts of the river, but the hot spring "resort" is history.

4. Ruiyuan 瑞源.  My wife spent a year working in the elementary school here, but I can't think of much else to say about it.  I remember hearing that Chinese pangolins 穿山甲 were easy to see in this area, though I have no idea why.

Wasn't there also some kind of wetland around there?  I once visited a wetland near the Beinan River 卑南溪.  I might be thinking of Ruihe though.  Whichever place it's in, it's not much to look at.

5. Ruihe 瑞和.  Perhaps the abode of that wetland, perhaps not.  I knew this dude from Australia that opened a hostel thing up there.  Is he still there?  No idea...

6. Yuemei 月美.  Is it really 月美 and not 月眉?  I could have sworn the elementary school was called 月眉國小, but then again I might be thinking of that place near Hsinchu 新竹 where they tried to build the "Taiwanese Disneyland."

But that, my friends, is another story...

7. Guanshan 關山.  After Ruiyuan, Ruihe, and Yuemei this is where you "return to civilization."  Not that returning to civilization is all that great - but you know what I mean.

Guanshan is a big town with some sights worth seeing.  The Water Park 關山親水公園 is cool, but if you've already been to the Forest Park 森林公園 in Taitung City I wouldn't bother.  There's also a bike trail around the town that's relatively scenic.  A lot of people like to visit the area around the central market for glutinous rice balls 肉圓 or stinky tofu.

If you're renting bicycles near the Water Park be careful.  Many of those bikes are ill-maintained and falling apart, so don't be surprised if your chain comes off a couple times.  The Giant store next to the train station is trustworthy, but all others are to be treated with caution.

8. Haiduan 海端.  This is one of the most beautiful parts of Taitung, and also one of the most beautiful parts of all Taiwan.  Most of Haiduan lies along the Southern Cross-Island Highway 中橫公路, a road which extends all the way through the mountains to Kaohsiung.  Of course it rains a lot up there, and the road tends to get buried under landslides, but the higher up you go the prettier it gets.

The Bunun Museum 海端布農族文物館 is near the Haiduan Train Station.  This is one of the more interesting aboriginal museums, and is a more "local" counterpart to the Prehistory Museum 史前博物館 in Taitung City.

The Beinan River has its source in Haiduan.  You're not really supposed to swim there - there are signs all over telling you not to - but in the summer it can't be beat.  

Around July the ocean in Taitung turns to bathwater.  The water in the Flowing Lake isn't much different.  But the river in Haiduan is refreshingly cool right up until September.

And if you want an "authentic aboriginal experience" (whatever that is), you don't get much better than some of those villages in Haiduan.  Some of those villagers have SO little to do with Chinese people that it sometimes feels like being in another country.  I've only felt as alienated on Orchid Island.*

9. Chrshang 池上.  Like Guanshan, Chrshang is famous for rice.  They've been working hard to develop their downtown area for tourists, albeit with mixed results.  I know a couple nice coffee shops up there, and also a couple places to buy "treats," but on the whole this area's fairly uninteresting.

The three big points of interest around here are The Lunchbox "Museum" 池上便當博物館, Dapo Lake 大坡池, and the Hakka Culture Park 客家園區.  If you enjoy sitting on stationary trains and eating lukewarm drumsticks (with rice), the Lunchbox "Museum" is for you.  Dapo Lake is kinda scenic but small (and shallow).  The Hakka Culture Park is south of the train station.  It boasts a "flower sea 花海," a store selling local agricultural goods, and a small museum.

The Muye Pasture 牧野牧場 is just south of the Hakka Culture Park.  It sucks.  Don't bother.

8. Getting Lost Near Highway 11 在台11線附近迷路 (October 2017)

One of the things I like about Taiwan is the fact that, even after 17 years, I can still get lost in it.  I'll take a left turn where I usually go right, or go straight where I usually turn, and suddenly I'm lost in a maze of dusty roads, wondering what's beyond the next hill or around the next corner.  我喜愛台灣的理由很多, 其中一個理由就是我住台灣17年後, 還有辦法在這裡迷路.  我在經常右轉的地方左轉, 或是在經常轉彎的地方直行, 突然就迷失在小路中找不到目的地.

Last weekend I was bicycling down Highway 11, not far from where it joins up with Jung Hua Road south of downtown Taitung.  Instead of staying on the highway I took a left toward the ocean, and the result is the pictures you see below.  我上周末在台11線騎單車, 我在靠近台東市區與中華路交接的附近左轉往海邊, 以下的照片是我在那附近拍的.

More banana trees.  While I was bicycling I also saw rice, dragonfruit, and papaya.  更多的香蕉樹.  沿路也看到了稻米, 火龍果, 還有木瓜.

The erosion of Taitung's coastline is a continual problem for the County Government.  If I had to guess, I'd say that their plan is to build a seawall behind the breakwater.*  對台東縣政府來說, 海岸侵蝕是個很大的問題.  我猜他們的計畫是在消波塊後面蓋堤防.

Not even local graves are spared when construction projects take place.  It doesn't seem like anyone has visited this cemetery in a long time, but I was still surprised to see bulldozer tracks over the graves.  施工的時候, 連墳墓都不可倖免.  這裡好像很久沒人來過了, 但我還是不敢相信有施工車輛的輪胎痕跡在墳墓上面.

To the left side of the picture is where a canal empties out.  To the right is the ocean.  I wanted to investigate a village off to the right, but there were too many aggressive dogs there.  照片左邊是水溝的排水口, 右邊則是海邊.  我想去看一下更右邊的村莊, 只是那裏有很多很兇的狗.

Definitely not the most scenic part of Taitung's coastline.  As far as I know, nobody surfs around here, though many local fishermen visit a spot slightly south.  這當然不是台東海岸線最漂亮的部分.  沒有人在這裡衝浪.  釣客也會前往南邊一點的地點釣魚.

Replacing the tetrapods is a continual process.  In other areas they have vast fields of them set aside for this purpose.  放置消波塊是一件永無止盡的工作.  在其他地方有大塊土地放滿了消波塊.

This area is relatively clean, but I've seen other areas nearby that are covered in garbage.  The rivers and canals carry garbage down from Taitung City.  The County Government is aware of the problem, and hopefully we'll see cleaner beaches in the future.  這個地點比較乾淨, 可是附近還有其他的地方很髒.  溪流跟水溝把台東市的垃圾沖到海邊去了.  台東縣政府也注意到了這個問題, 希望未來的海岸不會那麼髒亂.

A nice sunrise at 6 a.m.  It's winter now, and the sun isn't out for long.  6點左右太陽就升起了.  現在是冬天, 白天的時間也比較短了.

Fish farm.  Couldn't get close enough to see what they were raising.  養殖魚池.  沒辦法靠近去看他們在養甚麼魚.

View south toward Jer Ben.  In the background, between the mountains and the treeline, is the Li Jia River.  知本的風景.  背景的山跟最後面樹林中間是利嘉溪.

These old signs are scattered all over this part of Highway 11.  Dental clinics, banks, restaurants - all of the signs used by long-gone businesses, rusting under the trees.  台11線這一段旁邊有很多被人亂丟的招牌.  牙醫珍所, 銀行, 餐廳, 甚麼招牌都有.  全部都在路邊的樹下慢慢生鏽.

The Taisugar gas station on Highway 11.  Somehow, after all that meandering, this is where I came out.  It was beginning to rain, I'd been "lost" for an hour, and it was time to go home!  台11線上的台糖加油站.  我不知道是怎麼發生的, 迷路一個小時之後我從這裡出來.  那時正要下雨了, 是時候回家了!

9. Dongjhu 東竹 to Hualien 花蓮, According to the Hualien-Taitung Line 花東線 and My Faulty Memory (November 2017)

I'm guessing on the "railway spelling" of the stations below, but I've listed them in the same south-north order.  A lot of the stops listed below can only be visited via the SLOW train, and as a result I haven't been to those stations more than once or twice.  

I've been almost everywhere between Taitung City and Hualien City by car, however, and I was careful to look up unfamiliar stations and their proximity to places along Highway 9.

1. Dongjhu 東竹.  By this point you're in Hualien County.  There's nothing around here except a 360 degree view of the East Rift Valley, and a similar view can be enjoyed from Chrshang all the way to Jrshue.  Dongjhu is kind of close to Sixty Stone Mountain (see below), but it's still a long, dangerous drive up from the town.

2. Dongli 東里.  Ditto for Dongli.  I once got bored and walked all over that town.  Nothing of interest.

Dongli is close to An Tong 安通溫泉區 however  An Tong is one of Hualien's best hot spring areas.  The Yu Chang Highway 玉長公路 crosses over from the coast just north of there, and Dongli would be the best place to disembark if you didn't mind a long walk.  Those wanting to take a taxi to An Tong would want to get off the train in Yuli instead.

3. Yuli 玉里.  This is one of the biggest towns (cities?) in the East Rift Valley, with a population measured in the thousands.  There's nothing very interesting in the town (city?) itself, but it's close to both the An Tong Hot Spring Area and Jade Mountain National Park 玉山國家公園.  The entrance to Jade Mountain National Park near Yuli is also by far the most convenient, lying just twenty minutes or so from the Yuli Train Station.

Yuli is also famous for "Yuli noodles 玉里麵."  If you're in town and haven't had them, I guess you could give them a try, but they're not worth seeking out for their own sake.

4. Sanmin 三民.  This is a cute little town, even though there's nothing much to do there.  It's very close to Chr Ke Mountain 赤柯山, which (like Sixty Stone Mountain 六十石山 near Dongjhu) is a much more attractive alternative to Taitung's Jin Jen Mountain.  You'd probably need a car to get up there, but it's worth a visit.

5. Ruisui 瑞穗.  This is one of my favorite parts of Hualien.  The Rueisui Pasture south of town is very nice, and there's also no entrance fee for that attraction.  It's much better than Taitung's Chulu Pasture, which has an entrance fee.

Rafting trips down the Shiou Gu Lan River also leave from this area.  I've been to the staging area, but I've yet to take a rafting trip there (or anywhere else in Taiwan, for that matter).  It's... sort of pretty, but the reason I'm not in any hurry to go rafting there is the fact that they have a "virtual rafting trip" showing their route at the East Coast National Scenic Area Visitor's Center.  The scenery in the video isn't all that impressive.

In my opinion the best thing about Ruisui is the hot springs.  Yes, it's a long haul to get there, but I think some of the hot springs in Ruisui are better (and less touristed) than anywhere else.

6. Fuyuan 富源.  There's a whole big forest recreation area here, and I swear I've been to it, but I can't remember anything about it.  Must have been a while ago.

7. Dafu 大富.  Just a touch north of Fuyuan.  Doubt it's worth messing with.

8. Guangfu 光復.  There's one of the "resorts" (old sugar refineries) run by the Taisugar Corporation here.  If you're tired of driving it's an OK place to stop.  They sell lunchboxes, ice cream, and various knicknacks, and there's an ornamental pond full of fish.

The town itself is fairly big, but there's little to do there.  I suppose when people in Guangfu get bored they can always stare at the mountains.  The view from that town is very impressive.

9. Wanrong 萬榮.  For whatever reason, we once drove there, parked the car, and walked around Wanrong for half a day.  I can thus affirm that there is not much to do in Wanrong.  This said, the pigs' feet at Man Mei Pig Feet 滿妹豬腳 are the best I've ever had (and I've had a lot).

Google Maps also says there's an aboriginal museum 萬榮鄉原住民文物館 and a hang gliding center 萬榮飛行傘基地 near there.  I've never been to either place.

Fenglin 鳳林.  Downtown Fenglin is surprisingly well developed, but, again, there's not much to do.  I do remember this one time when we couldn't find a hotel room in Hualien City, and after a couple unsuccessful attempts to find a room elsewhere we wound up in Fenglin.  The hotel where we stopped had a room, but it looked so terrible that my wife insisted we drive home instead of staying the night in Hualien.

"The Principal's Dream Factory" 鳳林校長夢工廠 wins the award for most strangely-named tourist stop in the whole rift valley.  I tried to go in there once, but it was closed.  Someone explained the name to me, but I've forgotten.  Can't be that interesting?

I ran a road race through this area many years ago.  I remember it being very pretty, though I haven't stopped there since.  The resort where the race started had a nice hot spring inside.

Nanping 南平.  I'm drawing a big ol' blank.  My friend Google says there's a "bee classroom" 鳳林蜜蜂生態教育館 just south of there.  Might be weird enough to be interesting?

Shikou 溪口.  Nope.  (I think this station was decommissioned)

Fengtian 豐田.  Also nope.  (For all I know, this station was decommissioned, too)

Shoufeng 壽豐.  A Taiwanese friend once mentioned the Li Chuan Fish Farm 立川魚場.  She said it was "very fun," though of course my idea of fun and other people's idea of fun often differ.  I still haven't been, though my wife and I talk about going there every time we pass through Shoufeng.

Pinghe 平和.  Just south of Pinghe is where the highway splits in two.  If you keep to the right you'll head toward Hualien City, if you veer left you'll be on another road leading to Liyu Lake 鯉魚潭.  Liyu Lake is one of the more scenic spots in Hualien County, and if you've got wheels it's definitely worth visiting.  That road leading to Liyu Lake, by the way, also winds its way to Hualien City via Jian.

Jrshue 志學.  This is the stop for Dong Hua University, the biggest, most importantest university in Hualien.  The campus is very famous, and even though it won't blow your mind it can be pretty on a sunny day.

There's also an awesome swimming pool there.  Keep this in mind if you're in that area, if it's summer, and if you're dying to go swimming.  The swimming pool has strange hours, so it's best to check their hours before you go.

Jian 吉安.  Regardless of what the maps say, this is also Hualien City.  There's traffic, there's big buildings, and there's people everywhere.  Not much for tourists though.

Hualien 花蓮.  Hualien City has a population roughly three times that of Taitung City.  The traffic in downtown can be intense, and it's often rainier than anyone would like, but it definitely has its good points and is worth visiting.

But before I attempt to introduce Hualien, remember that this entry is titled "...According to... My Faulty Memory."  There are probably a TON of places I'm forgetting, and what I say here is not intended as a comprehensive guide to that city.  If you're going there, don't just take my word for it, seek out other sources of information.

This said, south of downtown Hualien there's the Amei Tribe "Cookie Factory" 阿美麻糬.  This place is super touristy, but I've had a lot of fun there on previous occasions.  You can buy cookies on the first floor, and there's a small museum on the second floor.  It's a lot like other "cookie museums" further north in Yilan 宜蘭.

Don't bother with Farglory Amusement Park 遠雄海洋公園 , however.  The ticket prices are ridiculous, and one or two of the rides are always closed for repairs.

Just up from the Amei Tribe "Cookie Factory" is Hualien's Seashore Park 海濱公園.  It's generally boring and dirty, but on the weekend they have a night market that's not bad.  Just don't think about where most of the plastic cups and straws are bound to end up.

Unlike Taitung, Hualien actually has its own department store, the FE 21.  It's not as big as other FE 21s on the west coast, but if you're looking for air conditioning it's a good place to go.  No movie theater though.

Hualien also has a bigger night market in the center of town.  I haven't eaten all the food there, but I remember the shiao long bao 小籠包 being delicious.  There's also a great barbecue restaurant near there, but I'm forgetting the name!

North Hualien City is weird and interesting.  If you go up by the Hualien Port 花蓮港 there's a trail that winds its way up the coast, and it's nice even though the scenery is far from natural.  Even further north is the Taiwan Beer Distillery 花蓮觀光酒廠, which has good food and beer on tap.  It's a bit of a drive from downtown - and pretty much impossible to walk to - but it's worth seeking out.  Still further north is Seven Stars Beach 七星潭 - but that place is kind of lame, and not good for swimming.

Of course I would be remiss if I didn't mention Taroko Gorge National Park 太魯閣國家公園, which is northwest of Hualien City.  It's one of the most famous things in Taiwan, and on a sunny day the scenery can be glorious.  Be warned that it rains a lot in that area, and on a rainy day even the most glorious national park can be disappointing.  If you missed that Amei Cookie Museum, there are also a hundred more opportunities to buy cookies between downtown Hualien and Taroko.  By that point, however, you'd be in a taxi or riding a scooter, and thus far away from the nearest train station.

That, I think, just about covers the Hualien half of the Hualien-Taitung Line.  Any places I forgot?  Probably, but it's not all due to my faulty memory.  Some places just aren't worth going to.

10. 台灣西方文明初體驗 The Influence of Western Civilization on Taiwan (3 of 4) (November 2017)

The information below was taken from 台灣西方文明初體驗 ("The Influence of Western Civilization on Taiwan").  The Chinese was written by Chen Rou-jing, and the English was written/translated from the Chinese by me.  以下的內容來自台灣文明初體驗這本書.  下列中文的部分是從陳柔縉作者的書裡節錄的.  英文的部分則是我寫的.

飛機 Airplanes

一九0三年十二月十七日是美國萊特兄弟完成人類首飛的日子.  雖然他們的 "飛行者一號" 才飛短短十二秒; 雖然國際航空聯合會登記的最早飛航, 不是萊特兄弟, 而是法國的桑托斯.  杜翼特, 駕駛雙X機 "雙14" 離地兩公尺飛了六十公尺; 雖然有人懷疑萊特兄弟藉海灘斜坡之助起飛, 見證人又只有寥寥五人, 但這些似乎都無損人類對萊特兄弟駕駛 "飛行者一號", 完成古今人類飛行夢想的認定.  On December 17, 1903 the American Wright Brothers became the first people to fly, even though their "Flyer 1" only flew for a short 12 seconds.  The International Aeronautical Federation, however, does not credit the Wright Brothers with the first recorded flight, and instead gives credit to the Frenchman Alberto Santos-Dumont, who piloted his "Twin 14" from a height of 2 meters to 60 meters above the ground.  And although people deride the Wright Brothers for using beach slopes to assist their takeoff, and only having five witnesses present, this takes nothing away from their achievement with regard to realizing people's age-old dream of flight.

一九0三年, 萊特兄弟撕下人類航空歷史的第一頁後, 聞名世界開始跑出許多所謂載夢的 "飛行家", 他們不斷挑戰天空屋頂的高度.  世界首飛十一年後, 台灣島上空也出現第一架飛機的身影.  After 1903, once the Wright Brothers had turned the first page in the history of human aviation, many "aviators" throughout the world began to pursue their own dreams of flight.  They fought an unceasing battle against the heavens.  11 years after the first flight [had taken place], the first plane appeared in the skies over Taiwan.

原來是有個叫 "幾原知重" 的日本飛行家, 從美國學得一身技藝回東方, 來過台灣計畫飛行表演, 但回日本不久生病, 飛機和計畫給了一樣留美的野島銀藏.  一九一四年三月二十一日, 有七十二位原住民聞風而下山, 蹲在飛機螺旋槳後頭好奇這雙人造大鳥, 等野鳥飛機的發動機運轉, 爆炸一般的聲音, 捲起
激烈的強風, 他們趕快轉身跑開, 一邊驚叫; "是暴風啊!"  In the beginning there was an aviator from Japan by the name of "Kohara Seigo" who studied aviation in America and brought this knowledge back to the East.  He originally planned on giving a flight exhibition in Taiwan, but shortly after his return to Japan he fell ill, and both his plane and the planned exhibition were passed on to Nojima Ginza, another man who'd studied aviation in America.  On March 21, 1914, 72 members of an aboriginal tribe heard the noise [of the plane] and came down from the mountains out of curiosity.  They followed the noise to find two "artificial birds."  Once the engines of these "wild birds" roared to life, the sound was deafening and a strong wind assailed them.  They quickly ran away, shouting "It's a storm!"

就在今天台北市新店溪旁中華路二段, 水源路的南機場, 即日本時代的馬場町練兵場, 三月二十一日早上十點三十六分, 野鳥銀藏舉起左手, 現場三萬多人屏息以待, 幾乎忘記要吞口水, 七萬隻眼珠聚集在蠢蠢欲動的飛機身上.  霎時, 野鳥的助手放開飛機, 滑行四十公尺後, 喝采聲瞬間直破台北的天際, "萬歲!  萬歲!  萬歲!" 練兵場內外一片像黑白浪花漂蕩, 大家不是揮手帕, 就是向天空猛揮帽子.  During the Japanese colonial administration, on the present site of Taipei City's Jung Hua Road section 2 (near the Xindian River and the southern airport on Shui Yuan Road), there was a parade ground.  On the morning of March 21 at 10:36 a.m., Nojima Ginza raised his right hand while 30,000 people sat on the edge of their seats - all too excited to swallow.  70,000 eyes were glued to the planes as [a group of] assistants rushed out, and thrust the propellers into motion.  After taxiing 40 meters, a tremendous roar filled the skies over Taipei [as Ginza took to the air].  "Ten thousand years!  Ten thousand years!  Ten thousand years!"  The [crowds] inside and outside the parade ground looked like a field of black and white flowers as people waved handkerchiefs and doffed their hats.

野鳥銀藏的飛行僅四分鐘, 但時間長短無關緊要, 跟萊特兄弟的十二秒一樣, 依然寫下台灣航空史動人的第一頁.  Nojima Ginza's flight lasted 4 minutes, but the duration was not the most important thing.  As with the Wright Brothers [in America] and their 12 second flight, [this event] marks the first page in the history of Taiwanese aviation.

為了迎接這歷史性的時刻, 當年總督府鐵道部頗有行銷觀念, 發行了參觀台灣首飛的八折乘車券.  擔心人潮引發人力車哄抬車資, 相關部門也限制從台北火車站載客到練兵場的車費在十五錢以下.  As a way of promoting this historic event, that year the Colonial Administration's Department of Railways issued a 20% discount voucher for those visiting Taiwan's first flight.  [They did this because] they worried that the number of people visiting the event would exceed the number of rickshaws available to take them.  The Department of Railways also set a 50 yen ceiling on the price of tickets to Taipei Station.

多數西方文明傳入台灣的管道是日本向歐美學習, 台灣再轉道由日本傳入, 台中豐原人謝文達就是在日本千葉縣的伊藤飛行學校學習, 成為台灣第一位飛行家.  一九二0年, 他在家鄉台中做了 "鄉土訪問飛行".  一九二三年, 也是台灣知菁士紳組團向帝國議會請願爭取成立台灣議會運動的第三年, 謝文達曾飛越東京, 灑下幾十萬張宣傳單, 東京街頭一時散落 "給台灣人議會!" "殖民地總督獨裁主義是立憲國日本的恥辱" 的傳單.  Most of the aspects of Western culture passed into Taiwan were passed from Europe and North America via Japan.  In this way Taiwan was doubly influenced by the Japanese.  In Fengyuan, Taichung County, Xie Wen-da studied aviation in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, and became Taiwan's first pilot.  In 1920, he embarked upon his "local flight" around his hometown.  In 1923, the Taiwan Gentlemen's Club held the Third Annual Taiwan Sports Conference with the Imperial Council's permission, and [at that conference] Xie Wen-da flew to Tokyo.  [As he arrived in Tokyo] he released tens of thousands of leaflets which rained down on Tokyo streets, [these leaflets imploring], "Give the Taiwanese their own Council!"  [At that time], the fact that the Governor of Taiwan was appointed by the Japanese Emperor was a source of friction between Taiwan and Japan.

日本時代, 共出八位台灣籍飛行士, 其中排序第五的楊清溪卻教人記憶最深, 可能與他返台做飛行表演途中機毀人亡有關.  和謝文達因戰受傷, 終止飛行生涯比起來, 楊清溪劃下的句點更令人多幾分不捨.  大概也因此, 回顧楊清溪生前種種的文字, 遠多過號稱 "台灣第一" 的謝文達.  In Japanese times, there were eight Taiwanese pilots altogether, but the fifth of these, Yang Ching-shi is best remembered.  This is probably because of his death, resulting from an accident during one of his return flights to Taiwan.  Like Xie Wen-da, his flying career was also brought to an end by an injury, and his writings have also given people food for thought.  He is ranked behind Xie Wen-da, [who is often referred to as] "Taiwan's Number One."

照史 (與楊清溪的姊夫林東辰熟識.  林東辰時為臺灣日日新報記者) 所著高雄人物第一輯指出, 一九三三年, 楊清溪係向兄長壽款兩千圓, 向日本陸軍買偵察機, 整修之後取名 "高雄號", 是當時全日本民間僅有的六架私人飛機之一.  According to both Yang Ching-shi's older brother Lin Dong-chun's testimony and an interview with him published in The Taiwan Daily News, and also the first book of Figures in Kaohsiung's [History], in 1933 Yang Ching-shi borrowed 2000 yen [?] from his older brother Chang-shou.  He used this money to buy a reconnaissance aircraft from the Japanese army, which he named "the Kaohsiung" after it underwent repairs.  It was one of only six private aircraft in Japan at that time.**

一九三四年十月十七日起, 二十六歲的楊清溪開始了他的鄉土訪問飛行.  當時人形容飛機沿途所經的地方 "無處不是萬人空巷, 人人翹首仰望, 似乎都有一種難以形容的快樂與鼓舞."  On October 17, 1934, the 26 year old Yang Ching Shi began his visits to various towns.  People at the time described the places where he visited as having "streets teeming with people, where everyone strained to see, where it was hard to describe the level of their excitement."

楊清溪飛行事跡, 最讓人回味無窮的倒非旁人種種的追述, 而是刊登於報紙臺灣新民報的楊清溪手記.  楊清溪彷彿給讀者他的眼睛, 雖然讀者不能飛登上青天, 一樣可以隨他的文字鳥瞰台灣山川大地, 周旋於詭譎的雲層之中, 楊清溪寫道: "其中最耀眼的還是白得如銀河的淡水河.  悠悠的河流, 與陸地上的眺望大異其趣.  ...大台北很鮮豔, 可能是紅磚建築烘托, 彷彿一幅西洋畫....  驟然, 飛入沉鬱的黑雲裡, 伸手不見五指... 碰上最險惡的黑暗, 只好將機艙關起來, 盲人騎瞎馬." 楊清溪從容對應, 終於衝向明亮的南台灣天空.  台南長榮中學師生在操場排成 "祝" 字歡迎這位校友, 他低空飛過投下花束, 差一點撞到竹林.  高雄的小學母校數百人聚集, 楊清溪說: "成黑色的凝結, 揮動小旗, 歡迎遊子回來, 我想到那裡面有親戚和隔壁流鼻涕的小孩, 不禁熱淚盈眶."  The aeronautical accomplishments of Yang Ching-shi were very inspiring, but what gave people a feeling of closeness to him were the accounts of flying he wrote for the Taiwan New People's Daily.  In these accounts it is as if Yang Ching-shi lent the reader his eyes, and although they weren't actually able to ascend the heavens they could, through his words, participate in his flights over Taiwan's mountains and rivers.  

Writing about his spiraling ascent into the clouds, Yang Ching-shi wrote: "What draws the eye most is the movement of the clouds, as if drawn along by a silver-hued river.***  The views of the land from this languid river vary greatly... to see the contrasts of Taipei [from above], the red brick buildings baking in the sun, the brightness of the ocean to the west... and then to fly into the blackness of the clouds, where even your five fingers are invisible before your face... When one encounters such darkness he can only draw the cockpit closed.  A blind man injures whatever horse he rides."  

Yang Chi-shi pressed on, however, and eventually arrived into the clear skies over south Taiwan.  Teachers and students at Tainan's Chang Rong Junior High stood together to form the character for "congratulations" to welcome [Yang Ching-shi], a former student at their school.  As he came down at a low altitude he almost struck a stand of bamboo trees nearby.  Hundreds of people gathered at his elementary school in Kaohsiung, where Yang Ching-shi said: "As the black, waving flag [of this school] greets its prodigal son, I can't help but think of my relatives here, and of the children next to them with runny noses.  [Thinking of this], I can't help but shed tears."

除飛行士外, 戰前只有極少數台灣民眾搭乘過飛機, 其中台籍貴族院議員許丙的太太葉白曾留下她的搭機感想.  依許丙長子許伯埏 (一九一九年生) 的回想錄記載, 許丙太太於一九三一年秋天搭上飛機, 是因民航機進行營業前測試, 招待少數官民試飛遊覽.  她飛了短短十分鐘左右, 在空中俯瞰, 並不感覺恐怖, "房子如火柴盒, 人像螞蟻一樣走動."  許伯埏推想, 他的母親葉白可能是台灣第一位搭飛機的女性.  Aside from the pilots, prior to WWII only a very small number of Taiwanese people rode on airplanes.  One of these was the Ye Bai, the wife of council member Xu Bing, who left behind her impressions of riding on a plane.  From Xu Bing's grandson Xu Bo-yan (born in 1919) and his Memoirs [we learn that] Xu Bing's wife boarded a plane in the fall of 1931, on a People's Airline test flight which took a small number of officials on a short tour.  She only flew for about 10 minutes, and did not feel frightened when looking down upon the land from the air.  "The houses were like matchboxes," she said, "The people moved about like ants."  Xu Bo-yan goes on to add that this mother Ye Bai was possibly the first Taiwanese woman to ride upon an airplane.

中國第一家民營 "中國航空公司", 於一九三0年開始營運, 台灣民航則以一九三五年十月八日, 日本航空輸送株式會社的 "雁號" 飛機飛台北福岡線為濫觴.  在此前一年的七月二十七日, 也有一次盛大的招待遊覽飛行.  所招待的七十二位官民, 分十三趟搭 "雀號" 升空.  第一批的總督中川建藏, 說也是第一次搭飛機.  被分在第六批的台籍貴族院議員辜顯榮, 應是唯一的台灣人乘客.  事後, 辜顯榮受訪指出, 在飛機上看台北市, 好像排列著火柴盒, 農田像切塊的豆腐.  又說他已經知道坐飛機很安全舒適.  以前去日本, 要花四天 (搭船), 坐飛機只需十小時.  以後去日本開會, 應該改乘飛機.  China's first privately owned airline, "The China Airlines Company," was started in 1930.  Taiwan's People's Airline dates back to October 8, 1935.  The Japan Aeronautical Transport Co. Ltd.'s "Goose" airliner flew back and forth between Taipei and Fukuoka.  On July 27 of the previous year, there was also an "official diplomatic inspection tour," in which 72 officials split into 13 groups and flew the "Sparrow" [around the island].  The first imperial governor to ride an airplane was Tadashi Nakagawa.  

The first Taiwanese person to ride [as a passenger] on a [commercial] plane was probably Senator Gu Shian-rong.  After his flight, Gu Shiang-rong [also] said that the houses of Taipei looked like matchboxes, and that the fields looked like pieces of tofu.  He went on to say that he regarded air travel as very safe and comfortable.  Where going to Japan once took 4 days by boat, riding an airplane reduced the trip to only 10 hours.  He planned on taking a plane he next time he had to go to Japan for a meeting.

定期台日航線開始營運後, 第一年載客一千兩百一十六人, 其中多少台灣人無法辨知.  但日治時期, 即使富貴家族往返日本, 也多只是搭船, 搭飛機的少之又少.  據報載, 一九三七年六月, 曾有一位八十歲老太太莊阿隨搭機回台灣.  莊阿隨在日治之初, 就是女中豪傑, 能在屏東家鄉騎馬指揮壯丁.  八旬之年敢坐飛機也不會太令人驚歎了.  After regular Taiwan-Japan routes started operating, 1,216 people flew during the first year.  We have no way of knowing how many of those passengers were Taiwanese people, but during the Japanese colonial period even wealthy families returned to Japan via boat, and very few took planes.  It was reported that in June 1937 an 80 year old woman by the name of Juang A-sui took a plane back to Taiwan.  She was well respected in her hometown Pingtung, and was known to be very brave.  That she rode on a plane at her advanced age should come as no big surprise.

女性首先介入航空業的, 不外空中小姐.  一九三八年台灣開始有空中小姐, 日本時代稱 "エア·ガール", 即譯自英文 "air girl" 的外來語.  第一次只招募兩位, 要求學歷在高女以上, 身高一五六公分以下, 父兄同意, 未婚, 二十歲左右等等條件.  最後出線者為兩位北一女畢業的日本女性 "波多美智" 和 "村田千鶴".  Women first entered the air travel industry as stewardesses.  In 1938 the first stewardesses appeared in Taiwan, and during the Japanese colonial administration they were called "hikaru" or "air girls" in English.  In the beginning, only two women met the desired qualifications, which were a level of education above high school, a height below 156 cm, consent from fathers and brothers, unmarried, and an age of around 20.  The two women who successfully applied were two graduates of the Taipei Girl's School, Yoshitomo Hata and Murata Chizuru, both Japanese.

一九四一年日本偷襲珍珠港, 太平洋戰爭爆發, 台灣的天空開始出現嚇人的美國轟炸機.  雖然大人急於躲進防空洞, 但是天真無知的小孩依舊看飛機如天上的大鳥一般, 興奮得對飛機揮手歡呼.  其中隱藏的心情, 和十五世紀達文西畫航空器圖沒什麼不同, 和現代派老詩人紀弦寫下 "我從小就想飛" 也一樣.  紀弦在詩的前三句寫著: "我從小就想飛  我從小就想飛  我從小就想飛".  相信百年, 千年以後, 人類還會執著這個近乎本能的, 純真的夢想, 繼續飛行.  In 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and war erupted across the the Pacific.  Allied bombers were glimpsed fearfully in the skies over Taiwan.  Yet even as the important people scurried into air raid shelters, children ignorant of the realities of war greeted the planes flocking through the sky with open arms.  Their sense of joy was akin to that of Da Vinci, drawing pictures of flying machines in the 15th century.  It was also akin to the modern poet Ji Shian, who wrote "From my childhood I wished to fly."  The first three lines of Ji Shian's are, moreover: "From my childhood I wished to fly / From my childhood I wished to fly / From my childhood I wished to fly."  It's easy to understand why so many years later people still hold on to this simple dream of flight.