US $100 Travel Vouchers for US and Canada Citizens now through June 30

The Taiwan government has been working hard to attract international tourists to visit Taiwan. I found this useful information for people who are thinking about visiting Taiwan in the near future. Check out the link below and take the advantage of the offer while you are in Taiwan.  

近年來, 台灣政府為了吸引國際觀光客來台灣,針對各國的觀光客有不同的優惠活動;在這提供針對美加國民的優惠活動,台灣政府提供美金100元的禮巻,如果你在6月30日前會到台灣, 不妨享用這個優惠活動. 歡迎來到台灣!

http://www.go2taiwan.net/

Sun Moon Lake with its tranquility!

A couple of our friends visited us in Taichung from Taipei. I and my husband took them to Sun Moon Lake which is located in Nantou County. It is approximately an hour to an hour15 mins drive from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake. It is the biggest artificial lake in Taiwan, built by the Japanese for the purpose of generating power during their 50 years of occupation.

 I had been to Sun Moon Lake many times, and I didn't really see how attractive it was until this time. I discovered why so many people were attracted by its beauty and I felt that I had not really taken the time to absorb the atmosphere of this beautiful place. I had underestimated the natural beauty Sun Moon Lake had to offer.

It was around 8:40 AM when we arrived at the Wen Wu Temple. There were no clouds or mist. The lake was clear and everything was quiet even with two buses of polite Japanese visitors. I entered the temple and paid my respects to the Fortune God and wished for good fortunes. A half hour later, I was amazed by the lake. The mist started rolling in on the surface of the lake and gradually covered portion of the lake. Suddenly, I felt I was in a calm and peaceful world. Traveling to a different spot, it changed its form. It followed the rhythm of the mountain and veiled as a mountain. It was waiting for its visitors to reveal its beauty via their minds.

After circling around the lake with our vehicle, we decided to have High Tea at the Lalu in the afternoon. It was an enjoyable moment with beautiful scenery and good friends sharing life together.

The tranquility was a moment in my life I shall cherish forever.

Year of Steps at Wenwu Temple: There are 366 stairs which represent 366 days of a leap year with the engraving of world famous people on their birthday on each stone.   

Pull and Push 推拉之間

It has been 4 years since I came back and resided in Taiwan; however, I am still not used to opening a door in the public areas like a restaurant or other places in Taiwan. Every time, when I enter a restaurant or a shop, I always tried to pull the entry door instead of pushing the door. Meanwhile, I have noticed someone looking at me with a funny or disdain eye. They probably thought I couldn’t read the Chinese character of “PUSH.” 

In the States, the fire prevention regulations require any public doors to be pushed out when leaving or pulled when entering the building. The main reason is to avoid massive casualties when the area is on fire.  When there is a fire, people will run to and escape through the doors. If the doors are installed to be pulled in when leaving, then there will be no space to pull the door open and crowds will be injured or die at the door. In many instances people died at the door because they could not pull the door open because of the number of people pushing against the door. If the door is pushed out from inside, then most people would not have to worry about opening the door because the crowd strength will force the door to open.

But in Taiwan, we don’t see this regulation in any public areas. Most of the doors in the public areas are pushed in going inside and  pulled in going outside.  So, next time if you visit a restaurant or a store, please voice your opinions on this issue to protect yourself and your loved ones.  If you just come to an idea of remodeling your business or open a shop or a restaurant, please keep this in mind: having your doors installed to be pushed or pulled out.

The awareness of the 9 death at Ala Pub in Taichung

距我和先生回來台灣定居的時間，已過了四年之久。四年來， 我還不習慣台灣公共場所的開門方式，因為它和美國完全相反。有時候，當我試著拉開門時，我發現門是要往內推，所以常常因為自己不經意的舉動而遭來異樣的眼光。這些眼光好像是在告訴我說：＂小姐，你是看不懂門上這個字＂推＂嗎？＂頓時，讓我有些不好意思。

美國的消防法規上，要求所有進出公共場所的門一律要往外拉或外推。　因為為當火災發生時，群眾會往門口擠推。如果是往內拉的門，因群眾的全擠在門前，而導致没有空間把門拉開，大部分的人則會因而受傷或死亡。但如果是外推的話，群眾推擠的力量則會迫使門自動打開，　大家也可以全身而退。

在台灣，　我們並没有這樣的消防法規可以約束所有的商店，所以大部分的門都是內推或內拉方式。因此呼籲大家到餐廳或任何商店，如果有看到這種門，請你把這個意見告訴店家，讓他們可以在重新裝潢時，可以改善門打開的方式；如果你正想要重新裝潢你的店面或想要開店，　請把這一項安全規則也考慮進去。

因台中阿拉酒吧而有感而發！

捕捉記憶中的大自然聲音-- Capturing the natural songs by Morris Ng, Taiwan

Tea Tasting Trip in Nantou, Taiwan

I remember that I wrote about Taiwan’s Chinese Tea Ceremony in my English Composition class when I was a college student in the States a while ago. Time really flies by and it has been 6 years already. Now, I live in Taiwan and see people changing the way of drinking tea, especial the young generation. They go to a tea shop which is similar to Starbuck Coffee to buy a cup of brewed tea and share time with friends. It is much more convenient compared to the traditional way of drinking tea. It also seems to adapt to the modern lifestyle which requires everything must be quick and no time to wait.   But, it changes the relationship between people and the enjoyment of drinking good tea with friends. 

The traditional way of drinking tea is not about quenching people’s thirst in Taiwan culture. It is about the spirit of tea. When we have the tea ceremony, we enjoy the companionship and share our feeling and lives with friends and loved ones more than the quality of the tea. When you visit Taiwan, don’t forget to experience the art of tea in the Taiwan tea ceremony.

回憶起不久前，在我的英文寫作課時交了一篇有關在台灣的茶道文化，當時的我還只是一個學生。没想到時光飛逝，一轉眼已經是六個年頭了。回到台灣，看到台灣人喝茶的方式變了，尤其是年輕的族群。大家似乎已經習慣的到茶店小鋪如星巴客一般的店面買一杯飲料茶，再和朋友談天聊地。不可否認地，這種喝茶的方式確實比傳統的方式方便多了，也更符合現代人凡事講求的快速和没有耐心等候的生活習性。然而它也改變了人和人之間的關係以及和朋友分享一杯好茶的喜悅。

在台灣的文化中，傳統的喝茶方式並不是在解口渴而是在於喝茶的精神。當我們在品飲茶道時，我們要的是那種和人分享生活經驗以及人和人之間的緊密關係，而這種關係又比一壺好茶重要。當你來到台灣時，別忘了親自體驗台灣茶的藝術。

The way of Tea Competition Procedure（台灣比賽茶評比的方式）:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsXJ6FGLivY

Christmas Celebration in Bunun Tribe, Nantou County,Taiwan

A Wonderful Christmas in Taiwan

We visited our friends in Fongchuo, Sinyi Township, Nantou County. It is a small Bunun aboriginal village with only 51 students in the elementary school. It was the school’s anniversary celebration, Christmas day, and also New Year for the aboriginal people. The elementary school and the village were holding an athletic event together. It is common in many aboriginal villages in Taiwan. Almost the entire villagers turn out and get together to celebrate this event. Gene was invited by the principle to the VIP stage and was introduced to all the villagers. He had to wave his hand to everyone. Since he was treated as an honored guest, he had to participate in the celebration. Gene became a team member for the tug of war. As a result his team won the event and he was exhausted.

We also saw two volleyballs games being played. Each game had two balls in play at the same time with twenty people who were a mix of teens, adults, grandparents of both sexes on each side.

In the afternoon, we were taken to the BBQ party at the former chairman of the school board with three of our niece and nephews. It was the first time we met all the people who were from many place in Taiwan. It was also the first time for our niece and nephews visited an aboriginal village. They were excited to have a chance playing with an aboriginal boy and experienced their lifestyles because they only read about the aboriginal cultures and customs from their textbooks. Everyone was happy to attend this party and enjoyed the traditional aboriginal full pig B.B.Q. The meat tasted good; however, it was not a comfortable experience for five of us at first because of seeing the head on the pig. Gradually, we accepted and respected their unique lifestyle which we had never experienced before.

When we left this passionate and friendly aboriginal village, we had a really unforgettable and remarkable Christmas with at least 30 bunches of famous and good quality grapes and 50 ears of sweet corns in our trunk. Tonight, we had our sweet corns and talked about our wonderful experiences in a cold evening. The villagers have touched our hearts.