Yilan Trip

1st Stop: Traditional Arts Center (傳統藝術中心)

Traditional Umbrella, Traditional Flip Flops

Lovely Garden of the Center

Cosplay Show --> Taiwan traditional art?

Nice costume!

2nd stop: Forest Center (林場)

The Team!

3rd Stop: Boating around the Turtle Mountain Island (龜山島)

Turtle Mountain Island (龜山島)

Chasing the dolphins

They finally surface to breath!

Cheers!

4rd Stop: Surfing on the waves of Wai'Ao Beach (外奧)

Nice Beach!

Big Waves, Best for Surfing!

Approaching dusk...

Danshui by bicycle

漁人碼頭 - 天空真漂亮

 

終於找到海了

哈皮！

情人橋，居然沒有帶女生。。。

漁人碼頭的夕陽

La France a Taiwan

La France ne reconnait pas diplomatiquement Taiwan comme une entité politiquement indépendante de la Chine, et pour cette raison il n’y a pas d’ambassade française a Taiwan.

La présence Française a Taiwan est coordonne par le Bureau Français de Taipei qui assure les fonctions de consulat (administration française a l’étranger) et de mission économique (développement des relations économiques entre la France et Taiwan).

Parmi les autres institutions d’importance on notera la Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de la France a Taiwan (CCIFT), l’Alliance Française et l’Association des Français de Taiwan (AFT).

La CCIFT est spécialisé dans le service aux entreprises françaises qui investissent, ou cherchent à investir, a Taiwan.

L’Alliance Française est le pole culturel de la France à Taiwan, ouvert aux français comme aux taïwanais intéressés par la France, son langage et sa culture.

L’AFT est une association qui regroupe des français de Taiwan qui sont heureux de se retrouver régulièrement pour une partie de pétanque et un barbecue, et parfois des événements de plus grande importance

A l’approche du 14 juillet, différents événements furent organises par ces institutions.

Jeudi soir c’était un grand banquet très select organise par la CCIFT dans un hôtel de luxe de la capitale (The Regent).Les présidents des entreprises françaises implantées localement (Thales, Air Liquide, Société Générale, L’Oréal, etc.) invitaient une partie de leurs employés y participer. Ce fut l’occasion de quelques contacts professionnels, une grande tombola et des verres trinques avec les collègues et le président, tout ca autour de délicieux petits plats bien de chez nous.

Samedi c’était une fête populaire ouverte a tous organise par l’AFT. Ambiance de kermesse a la française du milieu de l’après-midi avec différents stands de jeux a la soirée dansante au son d’Indochine et Claude François. Entre deux des groupes de musique, des crêpes, du pastis, pas mal de français rencontres et finalement beaucoup de Taïwanais et Taïwanaises présents pour participer a la bonne humeur de ce rendez-vous.

En conclusion, laissez-moi vous souhaiter une bonne fête nationale !

Fly around Taiwan

A short note about Taiwan main airlines - read it if you plan to visit me here one day !

Eva Air (長榮): Eva is mainly famous for its flight attendants: tall, thin, attractive, sweet voices and all dressed in green. That's a reason good enough to fly with them! Note that Eva is the only Airline proposing a direct flight between Taipei and Paris, 3 days a week. 

China Airlines (華航): China Airlines usually offers the cheapest tickets. But safety may have been sacrificed in the battle for lower prices, since China Airlines suffered several accidents since its formation. It is always a hard decision to make when I buy new plane tickets: is the discount worth the risk?

Cathay Pacific (國泰): Cathay Pacific is the main Hong Kong airline. Though not a Taiwanese company, I include it in this discussion, because of the super-high frequency of the Taipei-Hong Kong flights, and the extensive network between Hong Kong and destinations all over the world. Cathay is Highly Professional. All services are high standard: the interior decoration of the plane is colorful and pleasing to the eye, the passenger is welcomed into the plane with a quiet and relaxing music, flight attendants are smiling and elegantly dressed, food is good and after-sale service is impeccable. Flying on Cathay is slightly more expensive than flying on Eva or China Airlines, but it is definitely worth it if you are looking for high quality standard.

A Taiwanese Sense of Altruism

I've always been deeply impressed by the Taiwanese profound sense of Altruism. Caring about the others needs, easily willing to help - trying to male people feel better without looking for personal advantages. Hereafter a few situations where I experienced this sense of Altruism:

1) My landlord, Mister Tsai, has been caring a lot about how I was settling down in Taiwan, my conditions of work and any need of help. He's been taking me out for coffee, restaurant, karaoke, and providing me with all I needed for the apartment. I felt bad eating McDonald's after 8:30pm because other restaurants were closed; Mister Tsai found me the closest night market where I could find better food until late at night. The iron I brought from Beijing was belching out steam instead of making my shirts flatter - problem of differences in electricity voltage and frequency between Taipei and Beijing - Mr Tsai bought me a new one!

I also wanted to share one of the text messages I regularly receive from Mr Tsai:

“晚安！我的好友，:-O辛勤工作的您已累一天，異國風俗民情是否還習慣？;-)需要我幫忙請不用客氣，下班後放慢腳步，忘掉一切不愉快，:-)好好享受美味晚餐，補充體力迎接明天的挑戰，加油喔！B-)麥克” .

This could be translated into:

‘Good evening! My friend, :-O You who must be tired after a hard working day of work, do you now feel comfortable with the customs and traditions of this country which is not yours? ;-) Don’t hesitate to ask for any help, slow your pace after work, forget all unhappy things, :-) Enjoy a good diner, refill the body and be ready for tomorrow’s new challenge, you can do it! B-) Michael”

2) A high school student who was sitting in a bus on his way home unfortunately let a glass of milk tea slip from the inside of his back bag, fall and explode on the floor as he was preparing to get off the bus. Instead of rushing out he stayed in the bus to sweep the floor. Several other high school students joined the effort, took out more tissues and helped the unlucky one sweeping the floor. It was only once the milk tea spilled on the floor had been thoroughly swept up that he finally got off the bus, already far away from his planned destination. I've been impressed by his attitude, and the generosity of the other people spontaneously joining to help him.

3) I landed up late on a Sunday evening at Taoyuan International Airport, and the shuttle bus to downtown was almost empty: we were only 2 passengers. The driver offered to take us straight to our final personal destination, instead of following the regular line. Isn't that lovely?