David on Formosa

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107568172011-04-22T02:47:14.905+07:00David on Formosahas moved to blog.taiwan-guide.orgDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comBlogger1051100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1156658319942681612006-08-27T13:53:00.000+07:002008-01-01T08:28:33.419+07:00Blog moved to blog.taiwan-guide.org

David on Formosa has moved to:blog.taiwan-guide.orgPlease update your links and bookmarks.* * * * *

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1156599012828492842006-08-26T23:24:00.000+07:002006-09-16T15:59:33.093+07:00More travels in Sanxia

I bought a motorbike during the week. As much as I love bicycles, they are not always the most convenient means of travel. Having a motorbike allows me to travel a little further and not feel exhausted when I arrive at my destination. In the earlier morning I headed out to Sanxia (三峽). My first stop [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1156512384645519862006-08-25T22:20:00.000+07:002006-09-16T15:59:47.610+07:00Hiking in a different light

I normally go hiking in the mornings, but this afternoon I finished work early and in the late afternoon I headed for the hills of Tucheng (土城). It was a good change to hike in the late evening. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1156308095677957172006-08-23T12:56:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:00:08.313+07:00Close Songshan Airport

I had a letter published in the Taipei Times today. It was in response to an article which ran in the paper on Monday. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1156054447402232212006-08-22T07:00:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:00:25.853+07:00Making it simplified

A while back I posted about the use of simplified characters in the word Taiwan. It is also interesting to note that quite a few simplifed characters can be seen around Taiwan. It is not surprising given that many of the simplified characters are based on cursive or shorthand forms [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1156055118953209632006-08-20T22:14:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:00:48.480+07:00Taipei by night

After leaving Longshan Temple just as the sun was setting I walked across Taipei passing by a number of famous landmarks. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1156056648322452552006-08-20T21:48:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:01:15.123+07:00Longshan Temple

Late on Saturday afternoon I took the MRT to Longshan Temple Station to visit the temple of the same name. This temple was established in 1738, although it has been reconstructed and renovated several times. It is not just the beautiful stone carvings and history that make it an interesting place to visit. The temple [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1155905871471003262006-08-18T22:59:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:01:41.103+07:00The best beef noodles

Since I returned to Taiwan a few months ago I have found the food here disappointing. I guess living in Thailand one gets spoiled. While Taiwan offers a huge range of different dishes most of them are quite bland in their flavour. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1155297889955431512006-08-15T17:40:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:02:15.160+07:00Two movies in three parts

About Love (關於愛) and Three Times (最好的時光) are two movies that share much in common. First, they are both love stories. Second, both films are shot in three separate parts. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1155549611701825342006-08-14T18:05:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:02:41.390+07:00David on Formosa on What's up in Taiwan

My interview with Henry and Julian from What's up in Taiwan has just been "podcasted". You can listen to it by going to What's up in Taiwan (中文). [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1155478342991708272006-08-14T08:00:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:02:58.916+07:00Cycling to Wulai

On Sunday morning I rode out to Wulai. I started out a bit late by my own standards, hitting the road at 6:30. Still on a Sunday morning there is not much traffic. It took me about an hour to reach the Xindian MRT Station, although that included a stop for breakfast. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1155377195690014452006-08-12T18:20:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:03:13.050+07:00Greening area

When I first saw this sign I thought it was yet another example of extremely bad romanisation that is often seen in Taiwan. Not only are there several different systems of romanisation in common use, but often the signs are just plain wrong. Tay Tzyy would be written as tàizĭ in Hanyu Pinyin. The pinyin on the sign is actually written in Gwoyeu Romatzyh (國語羅馬字). This system is designed to avoid

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1154955315358587902006-08-07T21:21:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:03:28.596+07:00Some photos from Taiwan

Late this afternoon I met up with Julian and Henry to do an interview for the What's up in Taiwan podcast. We did the interview on the 32nd floor of the Taipei County Government Building in Banqiao. There had been a few thunder showers during the afternoon and the air was clear with glorious views across Taipei City. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1154768707055310352006-08-05T18:25:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:03:44.923+07:00Some books about Taiwan

In a recent post I lamented the lack of books in English published about Taiwan. Although there is a lack of books compared to those available in or about some other countries in Asia there are still some good books about Taiwan. I had the chance to buy two books about Taiwan this morning at the breakfast meeting at Swensen's in Taipei. Both these books were written by Jerome Keating, who very

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1154768248553687862006-08-05T18:05:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:04:10.656+07:00Not as easy as it looks

On Saturday afternoon I went to Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei where I discovered an exhibition* of calligraphy by Master Hsing Yun (星雲大師), the founder of Fo Guang Shan (佛光山). As I wandered around the exhibition some ladies who were volunteers invited me to sit down and write some calligraphy. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1154646167896285202006-08-04T07:59:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:05:18.956+07:00A movie that needs to be made

I found out about plans for this new film from cleverCLAIRE. The film Formosa Betrayed is currently in pre-production with a planned release in 2008. The film is about the struggle of Taiwanese democracy and independence activists during the 1970s and 80s. It is a fictional story based on true events. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1154302783181178882006-07-31T11:07:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:05:35.933+07:00On reading Chinese

A couple of months ago I wrote about the beginnings of my efforts to learn to read Chinese. It's time for an update. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1154172920993901792006-07-29T20:31:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:06:07.653+07:00The view from Banqiao

The windy weather this afternoon blew away all the pollution creating one of those rare days with crystal clear views of the mountains surrounding Taipei. Late in the afternoon, as the sun was about to set, I went [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1153803599411328102006-07-25T17:40:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:06:23.686+07:00Learning Mandarin in Taiwan

Today's Taipei Times has an article by Dan Bloom about learning Mandarin in Taiwan. The article was written in response to a a recent issue of Time magazine about the growing popularity of learning Mandarin and studying the language in China. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1153696942309287772006-07-24T13:05:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:06:40.580+07:00206cc in Yilan

My friend 亮亮 is a dedicated member of 206cc and she has long promised to take me on one of their trips. I finally had the chance on Sunday, joining the trip to Yilan. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1153465327887994842006-07-21T16:01:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:06:55.030+07:00Cycling to Manyue Yuan

This morning I cycled out to the entrance of the Manyue Yuan Forest Park (滿月圓森林遊樂區). The last time I rode out here was over three years ago. Not much has changed [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1153450422386536592006-07-21T10:57:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:07:11.476+07:00Human trafficking in Taiwan

I blogged about the problems with human trafficking in Taiwan back in June. David at jujuflop has just posted an analysis of the report. He makes the conclusion that [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1152979158751455302006-07-16T10:05:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:07:23.146+07:00A-yue live at the Living Mall

I caught Taiwanese rock musician Zhang Zhen-yue (張震嶽) performing live at the Living Mall in Taipei last night. He played about half a dozen songs [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1152950814674497812006-07-15T17:27:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:07:45.450+07:00Urban spaces, hidden places

The geography of Taipei combines dense urban living with forest clad mountain slopes. I have previously blogged about some of my hikes around Tucheng. While none of the places I have hiked could be described as wilderness, they are a stark contrast to the pollution and chaos of the nearby city. I lament the failure of imagination that is evident in the new development in the Xinyi and Neihu

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1152358509267079142006-07-08T20:44:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:08:52.200+07:00Wonderful Wulai

With the weather having been so hot recently I decided to abandon my usual plans for a Saturday morning hike. I still headed for the mountains though, but with the intention of swimming and bathing in the hot springs. I took the MRT to Xindian Station and then [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1152266873314527342006-07-07T18:05:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:09:12.190+07:00More updates for Taiwan website

David's Guide to Taiwan has finally had some major and much needed updates. All the travel related pages have had lots of new information and photos added. Have a look at the Taipei, Taipei day trips and Banqiao & Tucheng pages to see what's new. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1152089482800838572006-07-05T18:13:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:09:28.123+07:00Discovering more of Taipei

A few days ago I spread out a map of Taipei on the table and looked at all the places I had visited. I noticed that there are still many places in Taipei that I have hardly visited, let alone explored.This morning I took the MRT to Xiaonanmen Station [more...] rel="nofollow"

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1151667838835668672006-06-30T20:05:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:10:25.746+07:00Taipei panorama

Below are two panorama shots I took while hiking to Tianshang Shan in Tucheng a few weeks ago. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1151288592086886392006-06-27T07:05:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:10:59.793+07:00Show me the money

When I first came to Taiwan in 1999 I was paid NT$480 per hour at ELSI (now known as Kojen). Now seven years later, I am getting paid NT$650 per hour, a 35% increase. It seems ok at first glance. However, when you consider a number of factors it is not very good at all. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1151128841821810192006-06-24T15:19:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:11:23.613+07:00Another hike in Tucheng

I went for another great hike in Tucheng this morning. Earlier in the week I discovered a new trail leading to Danuanjian Shan (大暖尖山) where I saw a monkey. Today I followed the trail all the way to the end. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1151128854340122002006-06-24T14:29:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:11:44.766+07:00This is disgusting

The classified ad shown above appeared in the Taipei Times today. Bad spelling aside, it provides an example of how Taiwanese employers blatantly and unashamedly engage in [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1151067645974036292006-06-23T21:11:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:12:11.426+07:00Free holiday in Taiwan

The Taipei Times today reports that the National Youth Commission is offering young travellers a free holiday in Taiwan as part of its efforts to promote tourism. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1151066492804142772006-06-23T20:52:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:12:28.290+07:00English language magazines in Taiwan

The Tapei Times today has an article about English language magazines published in Taiwan. There are several different magazines published such as 24seven, Xpat and Highway 11. What most of these magazines have in common [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1150714087526917362006-06-19T19:03:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:12:50.626+07:00A monkey in the mountains

I have been out hiking the trails around Chengtian Chan Temple in Tucheng regularly over the last few weeks. I have been refamiliarising myself with the area and also trying to find some new trails to walk. This morning I followed a trail [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1150621586847303942006-06-18T17:03:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:13:11.656+07:00Taiwan blog feed

Mark of Doubting to shuo has set up a website that aggregrates RSS feeds from Taiwan blogs. The Taiwan Blog Feed [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1150592356947694722006-06-18T16:24:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:13:28.243+07:00The art of martial arts

On Saturday afternoon I went to visit the martial arts exhibition at the Taipei Story House. I read about it in the Taipei Times and it sounded interesting. The exhibition wasn't quite what I expected. Rather than being about martial arts in Taiwan per se, it was about [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1150518474049561122006-06-17T00:50:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:14:18.200+07:00Hiking from Tucheng to Zhonghe

A couple of weeks ago I posted about hiking in Tucheng. I noted that from the summit of Tianshang Shan there appeared to be a path leading all the way to Yuantong Chan Temple in Zhonghe (via another path I had earlier hiked). [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1150348373248939492006-06-15T13:22:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:15:28.853+07:00Certification for Mandarin teachers in Taiwan

Earlier this year I blogged about a Ministry of Education (MoE) plan to certify Mandarin teachers in Taiwan. Yesterday's Taipei Times carried a report giving more details of the plan. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1149855555886641052006-06-09T20:43:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:15:48.653+07:00Taiwan is no better than China

A report from the US State Department has ranked Taiwan equal with China for its failure to address human trafficking. The Taipei Times carried an article about it yesterday. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1149582780526174072006-06-07T09:40:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:16:59.266+07:00Hiking in Tucheng

Yesterday I went hiking at Chengtian Chan Temple (承天禪寺) in Tucheng. After the windy weather on Monday the air had cleared and there were some great views over Taipei County and City. The temple is very close to Tucheng and now that the MRT has extended all the way out to Tucheng it is very easy to get there. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1149580833077120362006-06-07T08:38:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:17:12.603+07:00MRT arrives in Banqiao and Tucheng

The Banqiao and Tucheng line of the MRT opened last week. I was impressed with the way it opened on schedule despite the cynicism of many Taiwanese people and foreign residents that it wouldn't open on time. New bus routes appeared overnight and the line seems to be running without a hitch. With the high speed rail (HSR) set to open in October [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1149168137431295852006-06-01T21:40:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:17:26.153+07:00Computer based Chinese test

Last year I blogged about Taiwan developing its own Chinese proficiency test. Today's Taipei Times reports that Taiwan is launching a computerised version of the Chinese Proficiency Test (CPT).[more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1148966483753166632006-05-30T12:19:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:17:43.016+07:00Lost in Keelung

As if the problem of romanising street signs in Taiwan wasn't already bad enough, it seems that in Keelung (基隆) the situation is even worse. The problem is not over the use of Tongyong Pinyin, MPS 2 or any other variation that might be used in Taiwan. In Keelung some streets have their names romanised using the Taiwanese* pronunciation. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1148717447067320602006-05-27T16:50:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:17:59.343+07:00Travels in Zhonghe and Yonghe

One of the best things about living in Taipei is that there are so many places to visit in and around the city. You could easily visit a different place every weekend for a whole year. This morning I got up early and rode my bicycle out to Zhonghe. The first place I visited was the Yuantong Chan Temple (圓通禪寺). It is nestled in the mountains with a commanding view over Zhonghe and Taipei. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1148646101023352962006-05-26T20:16:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:20:26.366+07:00David's Guide to Taiwan updated

I just updated my website David's Guide to Taiwan. The main updates are on the Taipei and Banqiao pages. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1148521971899165822006-05-25T19:30:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:20:43.796+07:00Learning to read Chinese

One of the main goals that I have in Taiwan is to learn to read Chinese. I can already speak Mandarin to a reasonable level. However, it is frustrating not to be able to read much more than a map or a restaurant menu. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1148341924863386742006-05-23T08:20:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:20:56.046+07:00My new teaching job

I have been working in my new job for a little over three weeks now. So far everything has gone well, perhaps a little better than expected. The two previous times I taught in Taiwan (1999 and 2002) I worked at Kojen (or ELSI as it used to be known). [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1147780226785278752006-05-16T21:20:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:22:00.846+07:00Trip to Sanxia

After visiting Yingge the week before on Saturday I went to the town on the other side of the river, Sanxia (三峽). Sanxia looks like any other Taiwanese city with its high-rise apartment buildings and narrow streets crowded with shops. In the midst of this it is still possible to discover a little history and some beautiful artwork. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1147135246785663142006-05-13T14:57:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:22:22.613+07:00Book review: Far East Pinyin Chinese-English Dictionary

Far East Pinyin Chinese-English DictionaryThe Far East Book Co, Taipei, 2001ISBN: 9576124638Cost:NT$450 at PageOne Bookstore, TaipeiOne of the best things about this dictionary is its compact size. It is easy to handle and not too heavy or bulky so you can easily carry it round and refer to it. All the characters are arranged in alphabetical order according to Hanyu Pinyin. There is a Hanyu

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1147350134062867812006-05-11T20:34:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:22:35.980+07:00The dragon lion team

I came across this amazing performance by chance. It was at a small local temple in a narrow street in Zhonghe. The occassion was something to do with promoting a candidate in the local elections. The performers had 龍獅團 (dragon lion team) [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1147349181231158542006-05-11T20:06:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:24:01.156+07:00One night (betel nut) stand

The name of this betel nut stand is yīyèqíng (一葉情). It translates literally as "one leaf feeling". This is perhaps a reference to the leaf the betel nut is wrapped in. The character for leaf [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1147043839653139192006-05-09T08:14:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:24:19.603+07:00The ceramics centre of Taiwan

On Sunday afternoon I took the train out to Yingge. I last went there a few years ago so I wanted to see how it had changed and visit the Ceramics Museum which had been built since my last visit. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1146969533281798362006-05-07T10:46:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:24:38.426+07:00The future of this blog

I started this blog a little over a year ago. I wasn't living in Taiwan at the time, but the blog was a good way for me to maintain my interest in Taiwan. I also saw the blog as being complementary to my website, David's Guide to Taiwan, which I had been maintaining for several years. The dynamic nature of blogging [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1146730468241857252006-05-04T16:10:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:24:59.713+07:00Reading tea leaves

Here are a few more examples of interesting word plays using Chinese characters. The first one is the sign on a shop selling tea. The characters read as dìngshān cháyè. Hearing this read aloud it would be interpreted as Dingshan Tea Leaves (or perhaps just Dingshan Tea). However, [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1146730203320369852006-05-04T16:02:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:25:21.310+07:00How to spell confusion

The Banqiao-Tucheng extension of the MRT is supposed to open at the end of this month. All the station entrances are now finished. It is interesting to note the signage that is used on the stations. The MRT, being based in Taipei City, uses Hanyu Pinyin for the romanisation of station names. However, Banqiao and Tucheng are in Taipei County where Tongyong Pinyin [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1146295731457104112006-04-29T19:43:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:25:39.233+07:00Green House

I discovered an interesting story about a "green house" in Taipei in the April 2006 issue Verve, EVA Air's inflight magazine. The Green House (祿房子) is a house that has had various features added to make it more ecologically sustainable. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1145538776087449582006-04-20T22:07:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:27:15.153+07:00Changing visas

I am currently in Bangkok and went to get a Taiwanese visa today. The process of getting the visa was fairly simple and hassle free. The last time I had a Taiwanese visa was in 2002 (also issued in Bangkok coincidentally). Although I have been in Taiwan a few times in the interim period [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1145068026603395292006-04-15T10:25:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:27:59.686+07:00Seven Star Betel Nut

Betel nut beauties are a rare sight in Taipei City [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1145063332015473092006-04-15T10:17:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:28:15.406+07:00Simplified characters in Taiwan

Taiwan likes to promote itself as one of the last bastions of traditional Chinese characters. Traditional characters are seen as being under threat from simplified characters which are used in the PRC. Simplified characters are also the main system used in Chinese language education throughout the world. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1144635762103159492006-04-10T10:40:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:29:04.190+07:00Interesting

I discovered another interesting play on words in Chinese. However, this one doesn't rely on the use of the Roman alphabet. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1144381284391382692006-04-07T11:50:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:29:20.003+07:00The e in coffee

Pinyin News recently blogged on the letter "e" being used in Chinese characters on a DVD cover. I discovered another example of an "e" in Chinese characters. However, this one is something of a clever play on words. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1144279099677682582006-04-06T06:15:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:29:35.323+07:00Tomb Sweeping Day

Yesterday was a day when most Taiwanese packed their family in the car and headed for the hills. Tomb Sweeping Day is the day when Taiwanese respect their ancestors by visiting their graves. They will [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1144115332037079012006-04-04T10:15:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:29:52.683+07:00Spinning around above Taipei

On Sunday afternoon I went out to Neihu to take a ride on the Miramar Ferris Wheel (美麗華摩天輪). I saw it when I was in Taipei last year, but the weather was not suitable for viewing the scenery (i.e. several days of continuous rain!!). [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1143805104209796982006-03-31T19:02:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:30:13.673+07:00English teaching blog round-up

There have been a few interesting blogs about English teaching in Taiwan recently. I want to post a few links and comments about them.[more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1142156032006238622006-03-12T16:23:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:31:17.480+07:00Taiwan romance novel

Jade Pheonix is a romance novel set in Taiwan. Syd Goldsmith, the book's author, is a former American diplomat who has spent many years living and working in Taiwan. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1141789870756898622006-03-08T10:39:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:31:33.406+07:00Bikes on show in Taipei

The Taipei International Cycle Show 2006 starts today. The Taiwan News reports,The Taipei International Cycle Show - Asia's largest professional cycle exhibition - will open at the Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Halls 1 and 3 for a four-day run from March 8 to 11.[more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1141371155756754352006-03-03T14:30:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:31:48.936+07:00The casuistry of it all

So much has been written about A-bian's decision to scrap the National Unification Council that I can't really add anything of significance. However, this interview with Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on ABC's PM program caught my eye.[more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1141269828524709632006-03-02T10:18:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:32:06.126+07:00First impressions of Taiwan

It was seven years ago today that I first arrived in Taiwan. I spent a year in Taiwan back then working as an English teacher. I had already studied Chinese at University for a year before I arrived, but I found that I still couldn't communicate that well. It took a few months before I could really start to communicate effectively.[more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1140940718992788502006-02-26T06:25:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:34:14.980+07:00Taiwan not in the twenty-first century

Pinyin News and Michael Turton both blogged on Premier Su's recent remarks that Taiwan may consider abandoning the ROC calendar and [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1140612134347070712006-02-23T10:55:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:34:59.410+07:00Surviving Chinese

An excellent resource for people learning to speak Mandarin comes from Hess, Taiwan's largest chain of English schools. They have published a series of 22 podcasts as a "Chinese Survival Guide". The podcasts cover [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1139562102500623122006-02-11T07:05:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:35:40.306+07:00Certifying Chinese teachers

The Taipei Times reports today that the Ministry of Education is planning to introduce a certification system for teachers of Chinese [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1139231194776560172006-02-07T07:54:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:36:27.666+07:00More on population density

In my previous post on population density Mark S commented that Yangmingshan is included in the area of Taipei City (Yangmingshan is a large mountain and national park in the north of Taipei). This would [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1139138610195760982006-02-06T10:07:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:37:33.183+07:00Crowded cities

The Taipei Times today reports that Taiwan has a population density of 629 people per square kilometer. Only Bangladesh has a higher population density among countries [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1138457623772186132006-01-29T12:11:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:38:17.076+07:00Betel nut girls galore

Michael Turton has just added a new betel nut girl page to his website. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1138174194432947292006-01-26T05:35:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:39:27.256+07:00Environment report card for Taiwan

Taiwan was ranked 24th out of 133 countries in the 2006 Environmental Performance Index released by Yale University on Monday. Taiwan was slightly behind Australia which ranked 20th and slightly ahead of the USA which ranked 28th. New Zealand topped the list. China was 94th. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1137486601363756272006-01-18T06:34:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:40:08.700+07:00English teaching in the news

In July last year I posted about teaching English in Taiwan. There I noted that the Ministry of Education (MoE) program to recruit foreign teachers [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1136523766675106572006-01-07T07:06:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:41:05.113+07:00Visa issues for students at language schools

There have been several posts on Forumosa over the last month reporting that the government is no longer extending visas for students enrolled at non-university language schools. The Taipei Times reported yesterday that the Ministry of Education was cracking down on "fake Chinese-language schools". [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1135327573004058512005-12-23T15:35:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:42:00.716+07:00Taipei bike paths

I came across this map of Taipei's bike paths in this thread at Forumosa. It shows that there is a quite extensive network of bike paths around Taipei. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1134380787848172262005-12-12T16:05:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:42:40.646+07:00Foreign workers raise their voice

Conditions for foreign workers may not have improved much since the Thai workers rioted in Kaohsiung back in August, but the political shockwaves are now being felt. Much of the poor showing by the DPP [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1133925392498535752005-12-07T10:12:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:43:24.006+07:00Betel nut is bad for you

Oral cancer as a result of betel nut chewing is the fifth leading cause of death among Taiwanese males. The Taipei Times reports that the Department of Health is offering free check ups for oral cancer [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1133597869025578292005-12-03T15:13:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:44:41.280+07:00Little earthquakes

A report in The Guardian yesterday suggests that Taipei 101, the world's tallest building, may be causing earthquakes. Taipei 101 is a building with [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1132490496729115472005-11-20T19:30:00.000+07:002006-09-19T05:41:15.136+07:00A Tibetan in Taiwan

Bradley Winterton reviews a new book by Tsering Namgyal in today's Taipei Times. Tsering Namgyal is a former reporter for the Taipei Times and now a freelance writer. Searching for Buddha's Tooth is his first book. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1132298253418502482005-11-18T05:10:00.000+07:002006-09-19T05:42:07.063+07:00Learning your own language

The Taipei Times today reports on the shambles the Ministry of Education have made of educating students to speak "native languages" (i.e. Taiwanese (aka Hoklo), Hakka and aboriginal languages). No progress in native-language education has been made in schools despite the central government promising to encourage [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1131971490695715542005-11-14T19:11:00.000+07:002006-09-19T05:43:07.690+07:00No justice

This recent letter in the Taipei Times highlights the injustice of the recent deportation of some English teachers. There is some more background on the issue in this thread at Forumosa.[more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1131009974185183442005-11-04T07:03:00.000+07:002006-09-19T05:43:51.913+07:00Taiwan gets a Chinese test

The Taipei Times reports that Taiwan is set to introduce its own Chinese Proficiency Test. The test will be for foreign students coming to study at Taiwan's universities. China has had its own proficiency test [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1128342130481278232005-10-05T01:11:00.000+07:002006-09-19T05:39:59.286+07:00Monks' thunder

A new book just published in Australia, Thunder From the Silent Zone: Rethinking China by Paul Monk, may be of interest to readers in Taiwan. The book "seeks to challenge many of the received assumptions and fixed ideas which so often determine the way we think about China and its relationship with the rest of the world." [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1127211220622812772005-09-20T17:10:00.000+07:002006-09-19T05:37:08.966+07:00Disappearing fish

This article by Bill Stimson, a writer living in Taiwan, is about discovering beauty in the mundane and valuing what we have. It offers many insights into Taiwanese attitudes to the environment. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1126587484062453432005-09-13T11:45:00.000+07:002006-09-19T05:37:52.276+07:00Betel nut key to solving crime

This report from today's Taipei Times reveals that betel nut is the key to solving a crime in the south of Taiwan. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1126254165816698552005-09-09T15:00:00.000+07:002006-09-19T05:38:40.340+07:00Respect your elders

I was shocked to read today that Linda Gail Arrigo may possibly be forced to leave Taiwan this month over problems with her residency status. The Taiwan News thought this news worthy of an editorial while the Taipei Times merely ran it as a photo with a caption. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1125203769156142562005-08-28T11:27:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:51:06.926+07:00Redrawing the map

Taiwan's Vice President Annette Lu is well known for making controversial comments. The Taipei Times reports that yesterday she put forward a proposal to move the capital to the south and creating four administrative regions [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1149856511569484302005-08-27T19:34:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:51:55.570+07:00Thailand reflects on Taiwan

An editorial in The Nation yesterday reflects on the poor treatment of Thai workers in Taiwan and what it really means for Thailand. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1124775138885287992005-08-23T12:24:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:56:01.950+07:00Thai workers protest

Hundreds of Thai workers started a riot in Kaohsiung on Sunday night in protest against poor working conditions. Among their grievances were bans on alcohol, mobile phones and buying food from outside. Reading the news reports it seems [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1124545222954277222005-08-20T20:36:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:56:44.643+07:00Understanding Taiwanese religion

Religion is a very fluid thing for Taiwanese people. I once asked a Taiwanese friend about her religion and she said she was Buddhist. She then went on to detail how she performed practices that [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1124191350289236192005-08-16T18:17:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:54:37.256+07:00Comics chronicle the history of Formosa

Bradley Winterton, the Taipei Times regular book reviewer, recently wrote a very praising review about a ten volume set of comics, A History of Taiwan in Comics, that tell the history of Taiwan. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1123072878718685672005-08-03T19:30:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:57:26.223+07:00Not Chinese but Signese

Signese.com is a photoblog that looks at Chinese characters in daily life. A couple of my photos from Taiwan have appeared on there recently. The photos show Chinese characters as they appear on signs and in public places. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1122894260509156142005-08-01T17:50:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:58:07.176+07:00New media in Taiwan

Xpat magazine is a new journal of art, literature, and adventure for the foreign community in Taiwan. The first issue is yet to hit the streets, but you can find out some [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1121854778284895502005-07-20T17:14:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:48:57.666+07:00Taiwan information

I recently came across this new website, info4tw.com. [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1121419716902741582005-07-15T16:15:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:49:16.506+07:00About teaching in Taiwan

There have been a few interesting blog entries and news articles about teaching in Taiwan recently. Michael Turton presents a very interesting analysis of why pay rates for foreign teachers have stagnated. Some people suggest the reason for low rates of pay [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1120365180068355522005-07-03T11:31:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:49:31.513+07:00Taiwan bikes for the elite

Although very few people in Taiwan actually ride a bike, Taiwan is the world's largest exporter of bicycles. If you buy a bike anywhere in the world that cost more than a few hundred dollars it was probably made in Taiwan. When it comes to making the finest bikes though Chang Sheng-kai is a step ahead of the rest. His bikes [more...]

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10756817.post-1117946739332455562005-06-29T11:45:00.000+07:002006-09-16T16:48:40.410+07:00Taiwanese literature

Walk into almost any bookstore and you can be sure to find a plethora of books, both fiction and non-fiction, about China. Yet there seems to be very few titles about Taiwan published in English. Does this mean there is no great Taiwanese literature or has it simply slipped through the cracks of the fickle world of publishing? I suspect the answer is the latter. I recently stumbled across a very

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13061413827755873948noreply@blogger.com