Tunnel of Nine Turns: Taroko Gorge

by Jamie Rhein on

Reading Justin’s post about the world’s longest tunnels made me think of Taroko Gorge near Hualien, Taiwan. Taroko Gorge’s Tunnel of Nine Turns isn’t the longest in the world, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s one of the curviest. The tunnel cuts through the rugged mountains of the middle of Taiwan that separates the eastern part of the island from the western part where most of the people live.

The tunnel is exactly what its name says. The ruggedness creates the curves and makes for an interesting walk. Because this section is only open to pedestrians, you don’t need to worry about getting mowed over by a truck careening around a corner. In a few spots you can look through natural windows to the marble and granite rock face and lush trees that cover the gorge. Just walk a few steps; you’ll figure out where the lushness comes from. It is HUMID!! Bring water and a bandana to wipe off sweat.

Besides walking through the tunnels, there are hiking trails to explore and some temples that offer a view when you get to them. Of all the places I went in Taiwan, Taroko Gorge is perhaps my favorite because I didn’t expect its beauty. The first time I went here I was on a bus that crossed the country from west to east. I remember I had to drink a Coke to settle my stomach. The second time we took a tour from Hualien. We got to Hualien from Hsinchu, the city where we lived, on the train. [photo: Morgan Calliope, Flickr]

Buddha Day: Birth, Death and Enlightenment

by Jamie Rhein on

If you missed Chinese New Year and the celebrations that go along with it, there are more opportunities. Buddha Day, also called Vesak Day, falls on the full moon in May. This is a time where Buddhists honor everything Buddha-his birth, death and enlightenment. When exactly events are happening is sketchy. Dates I found are scattered throughout May

You could do some temple hopping to see what’s being celebrated. Finding out exactly when that day isn’t the easiest thing. In Singapore, Chinatown will be lit up with lights starting May 19 and there’s a parade on the 30th. On May 31st head to Lian Shan Shuang Lin Temple in Toa Payoh or Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Temple on Bright Hill Road. According to the Singapore site I found Vesak Day is the 31st.

In Seoul, Korea, Buddha’s birthday is part of the Lotus Lantern Festival that starts today and goes until the 20th. The actual birthday is listed on the 24th. Head to Jogyesa Temple and Jongo. The Parade of Lanterns in the evening is a highlight. In addition to the parade, the festival has lantern making workshops, food, music, dancing. Here is a slide show that’s pretty cool. It’s one of those inspirational types with quotes and photos of festival activities.

In Taiwan, you could head to Dharma Drum Mountain. This is a Buddhist center in Taipei County with events going on every weekend. Everyone’s welcome. This is more of a ceremonial place but it might be interesting. The Web site explains symbolism associated with this day and has photographs of various happenings.

Asia is Turning into a Gambling Hot Spot

by Jamie Rhein on

Soon, there may be yet another way to come home from that trip to Japan with less money than you anticipated–or if Lady Luck is smiling at you, you’ll end up with more.

Japan is pondering casino gambling Las Vegas-style. According to Bloggingstock.com’s wordsmith Tom Barlow, casino investors are eyeing the gambling investment pay-off in Macau to see if Japan will be lucrative for raking in the dough as another gambling hotspot. Disneyland worked in Japan, so why wouldn’t Las Vegas, the adult version of an amusement park, be a winner?

Singapore, always looking for ways to bring in money, already has gambling–I think I won about $2 Singapore dollars at the horse races once. Wheee!!! A casino project is already underway at the resort island Sentosa. And, according to the info Tom presented, Taiwan may also become a place for a gambling vacation. Recently, sports gambling has been voted in.

As a person who hates to lose money, I don’t think I’ll get a big win by gambling the next time I go to Asia. But, if there are free drinks at casinos as long as one is gambling, like is a common practice in Las Vegas, I might dig into my pocket to unearth some quarters. Because alcohol is so expensive in Singapore, a free drink might be worth a few pulls on a slot machine. Besides, three cherries do come up once in awhile and what a lovely sound that makes.

For gambling options in Asia check out World Casino Directory. There are 10 countries in Far East Asia with gambling already. Here is a place to find out where the best casinos are and how betting is done in each one. Good luck.

Photo of the Day (3/30/07)

by Neil Woodburn on

Mmmm… boiling pots of random food products.

This shot, taken somewhere in Taiwan by Styggiti, gives me flashbacks of hunger pains in Asia overriding hygienic good sense. The “point and pray” method of eating is what makes travel all the more exciting; you never know what you’re eating, nor will you know the evil it might wreck on your insides until a few hours later. And yet, you still point out something to the kind lady and pray it doesn’t kill you.

7-ELEVEN’s Worldwide: A Taiwan Version

by Jamie Rhein on

Oh, how Justin’s post on 7-ELEVENs to help promote the Simpson’s movie brought back memories. Taiwan is a 7-ELEVEN lover’s dream-come-true. They are on every other street corner it seems–with 44,498 of them, it’s no wonder. Taiwan is not that big. One of the 7-ELEVENs was the first place we went shopping right after we arrived in the country to live there. It was after midnight and we had just flown in. The person who picked us up at the airport took us to one in our new neighborhood to shop for groceries so we would have something to for the next few days. In my blurry-eyed jet lagged fatigue, I picked out the differences between the American version and Taiwan’s food offerings. Some were the same; several were different. For example, you can buy peanut butter if you want a fix, but products are much more Asian in scope.

First, there’s the smell of tea eggs cooking in a crock pot. Then there are the beverages and instant noodle variations. Taiwan has more boxed drink flavors than any place I know. Most are variations of flavored teas like durian and melon, with some soymilk brands thrown in. Of course there are Coke products for the western palate. British food items like McVities Digestives are also popular, plus Asian snack foods. Once I lived in Taiwan for awhile, I learned that 7-ELEVENs were the best place to buy wine. If you were heading to a party, this was the perfect stop for a last minute purchase. No super-size bag of chips though. For that, you have to be in the U.S.

The website also has a list of how many 7-ELEVENS are in each country worldwide. Japan has the most–8,478. Guam, with 9, has the least. These are the 2001 statistics. Notice the crockpot at the right edge of the photo? Those are tea eggs. This is the inside of a 7-ELEVEN.