World class Taiwan
I have just enjoyed the pleasure of showing three very good friends around Taiwan for a week. While personally it was a great privilege to have such company to show around, the entire week was made so pleasurable by everything Taiwan. We enjoyed swimming in rivers and the ocean, climbed Daguan Shan and Hehuan Shan. And of course we ate like kings and were shown nothing but great hospitality.
We made a 5 day island tour across the southern cross island highway, east coast, Taroko Gorge, Hehuan Shan in snow and back past Sun Moon Lake to Kaohsiung. On their last day here we made a day trip to Taipei to see the bike exhibition followed by dinner then returned to Kaohsiung in the evening.
It was this last day’s trip to a city 400 km away that made me realise just how incredibly easy life has become in Taiwan.
We live approximately 5 km from expressway 88. This was completed around 8 years ago and is just a small addition to the incredible freeway system that makes car travel in Taiwan so convenient.
The new High Speed Rail is connected directly to this freeway system so we parked in the car park and within 10 minutes purchased tickets from the simple to use ticket machine and were on the 10:06 express to Taipei.
This train has just two intermediate stops and covers the 400 odd km in 1 hour 36 min at around 300kmh. The ride is smooth, the staff are friendly and the whole experience is fantastic.
In Taipei we caught the incredible efficient and growing MRT system to the brand new Nangang exhibition centre to see the largest bike exhibition in the world. As the MRT does not quite yet reach here we used the free shuttle bus.
After quickly looking at more bicycle frames and handle bars than I ever thought existed, we went shopping at the Miramar in the Neihu shopping district.
And then as a final meal we ate at the amazing Five Dime restaurant.
This is a truly exceptional place that would rank as one of the worlds best themed restaurants.
After dinner we made the three hour return to Kaohsiung via taxi, MRT, HSR and car.
This was a world class experience in a world class nation. I love Taiwan.
Hello,
It is the best gathering in the world. Envy you with all the best friends in this tour. All the outdoor activities really keep in your mind & all of us. Happiness & joyfulness are always with you & family.
Cindy Chih
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Hi Cindy,
We especially loved the Five-Dime restaurant. Thank you for your introduction. I would like to live in a house like that one day! With all the crockery, stonework, crafts and carp.
Stephen
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Hi Stephen ,
Wow! What a wonderful time !
I’m really happy you love Taiwan !
We all really enjoy reading the new and special items you found and wrote. The Five-Dime restaurant is much more different than the one in Tainan. I think you can be defitinely a great photographer and reporter some day.
Best Wishes
Annabelle
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Thank you Yi-chen,
The Taipei Five-Dime is much bigger and more elaborate than the original Tainan restaurant you introduced us to some years ago.
They are both great restaurants but I think the Tainan one is more natural and shows much more imagination with the use of those pieces of wood.
I’m glad you enjoy the blog.
Stephen
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