Why You Should Travel to Taiwan

The rapid industrialization and economic growth in Taiwan has attracted many tourists, investors and other stakeholders to visit this beautiful place. Last year I had to stop at Taiwan luckily because of some business conference and after communicating with some friends I came to know that Taiwan is one of the best vacation spots in the world! Hence I delayed my trip and made it in to a business plus vacation trip.

I was in the north Taiwan so the rainy weather in that region of Taiwan made me delay my trip even further, not only this but there are several other good things about this place which I would love to share so that next time when you plan a vacation you would consider them!

The diversified culture of this place has led many people to practice their religion, culture and social values freely.

People in Taiwan are totally different as they have respect for each other and they welcome people from other nations wholeheartedly.

The visa process is simple and it is easy to get visa for this place.

The marine tropical climate helps anybody to adjust and have fun.

There are several beautiful parks and other scenic beauty which will make anybody go speechless.

The infrastructure and all other facilities for a normal tourist are welcoming.

Many people come to Taiwan to learn Chinese because Taiwan has one of the best Chinese professors. And because Chinese is the other language which will probably be used in the future like English and French, this is the reason why I think if you are planning to stay longer then you should learn the basic language course.

There a lot of museums in Taiwan which are a must watch!

People who are sporty can get involved in the most happening sports of today, which is basketball and baseball! One can even take classes to learn these sports.

The convenience stores at Taiwan are open 24 hours.

The security is also not an issue because Taiwan has an efficient security team and there is no harm in wandering late at nights!

The food at Taiwan will make you go and crave for it whenever you would think about it! Yes trying every type of food there is a must! Especially Chinese!

Vegetarians can get vegetarian food almost anywhere too

There are a lot of religious places in Taiwan because of diversified culture.

I am sure you want the list to go on but how about you discover the rest of the traits? I am sure you are motivated to visit this place at least once! Good luck! Happy exploring!

This is Ahsan Ayub from Marish Solutions. When I visited Taiwan my experience was wonderful because I avail services of a renowned travel agent named Hello Holidays. If you are planning to go to Taiwan then you can consult them to make your trip memorable.

Taipei - Sparkling Temples And Tall Skyscrapers

Taipei is a very important city in Taiwan, as it is its financial, governmental, and cultural hub. Famous for its beautiful temples, huge skyscrapers,and old-world influences, you'll find that Taipei is packed with appeal, making it a top-notch vacation spot. The present and the past intertwine so easily in Taipei, meaning you shouldn't expect a typical city vacation. You will have to get a passport if you plan on traveling here. If you have a passport and it's simply expired, passport renewals can be purchased online.

Americans Will Need A Passport

No matter how old someone is, from infants to the elderly, they will need a passport to travel. Getting expedited child passports is also able to be done online, as well as a host of other services. Because online service drastically reduces the time it takes to get ready for a trip, you don't have to wait around for months for your passport to finally be delivered, which runs the risk of having to delay or even cancel travel plans if you don't have your passport in time. If you choose to get yours online, you will be able to select the best delivery time frame for you.

Taipei 101

Taipei 101 is your first stop if you are looking to get the best view of the city, as it is actually the second-tallest skyscraper in the world. As you might imagine, its 89th-floor (out of 101) observation deck provides amazing photo ops, both while the sun is out and after it sets. Additionally,you get to ride the fastest elevator in the world to this observation deck. The building was constructed to look like bamboo, which contains much important symbolism to this region of Asia. Be sure to check out the shopping opportunities in the basement food store, the book store on the fourth floor, and the mall at the base.

Longshan Temple

Taipei is packed full of temples, and there are many that are worth visiting. Longshan Temple, a beautiful Buddhist temple, is one of the most popular. The people of Taipei come to this temple to pray and reflect on ever aspect of life. Be sure to save some time to explore the historic area around this temple as well. You can often find festivals and celebrations taking place at Longshan Temple, so do a little research and see if any are happening during your trip. If you are interested in more temples, Xiahai City God Temple is another popular one, which also has an interesting surrounding area if you are down to explore.

National Palace Museum

If you are interested in seeing one of the largest and most famous collections of Chinese art and invaluable artifacts, head towards the National Palace Museum. With artifacts dating back to the 10th century, many of the things in the museum have interesting histories.

Yangmingshan National Park

Yangmingshan National Park is a good spot to explore some of the mountainous natural setting around Taipei. Here you'll encounter some stunning landscapes, as well as some postcard-worthy views of Taipei from the peaks of the mountains.

You will never have a shortage of things to do and see while you're exploring Taipei. However, even though you may be tempted to pack an itinerary with activities, save a little time to just get lost in the city. Remember that you'll also need a passport. Expedited child passports and adult passports can be applied for online. In addition, if your passport is expired, passport renewals are available as well.

Hospitals in Taichung: A Brief Summary

Taichung is a city on the Taiwanese Island located off the south eastern coast of China. It is a hugely popular destination among backpackers from all corners of the globe. Taichung is famous for its strong literary and cultural traditions. The people lead a very technologically advanced and fast paced life. In case you are planning a trip to Taichung there are some important aspects you need to do research on. The chief of these aspects is the condition of medical facilities in Taichung. The healthcare sector is pretty well developed and the hospitals are up to date in terms of medical knowledge and equipment. Tourists visiting this city will receive first rate treatment and will be satisfied with the high medical standards.

The hospitals in Taichung are either run by private bodies or they are backed by public institutions. The standards in these hospitals are at par with the global standards. The doctors and other staff are well trained. Most doctors have received training in European or other foreign countries. Therefore, the tourists can experience both the western and the traditional modes of treatment. The public hospitals have all the necessary equipment and facilities in place, but due to their disorganization, they are not very popular. The private hospitals are more expensive but offer A class facilities. Private hospitals also have state of art machinery and testing equipment.

Language is a primary concern of tourists on a trip to a foreign country. While the embassies can help out by providing a list of English speaking doctors in Taichung hospitals, language does not actually pose much of a problem in Taichung. More than half of the doctors in the hospitals in this city possess a working knowledge of English. You can also hire a translator - most likely one of the numerous local students who are always willing to help out visitors. The hospitals require an initial deposit to be made in cash before treatment is allowed to begin. This is a compulsory procedure common in both Taiwan and China.

Ambulance services and blood banks stay open round the clock. They are very efficient. The pharmacies have medicine in stock, but on a trip to Taichung it is advisable to carry ample quantities of over the counter medications with you. This is suggested because the names of the medicines might differ, making it difficult to obtain the necessary medications. Also, it is not easy to obtain over the counter medicines at some pharmacies without prescriptions. The most popular hospitals offering quality services in Taichung are the Veterans General Hospital, Cheng Ching Hospital, the China Medical University Hospital and the Chung Shan Medical University Hospital to name a few.

Before you travel or move abroad, make sure that you and your family have quality medical insurance. Let Good Neighbor Insurance help you find the right international health insurance for your situation.

Culture Shock

Welcome to your new country. You're come here for fun, excitement, change, challenge, and perhaps money. Will the locals speak your language? I'm not trying to scare you, but perhaps they won't. Will some people there speak your language, oh most definitely. This is only one of the things that you may have to think about when you plan on going to a new country.

Culture shock is an interesting phenomenon that doesn't affect everyone the same way. Some just can't understand it when the locals don't speak English. Some can't comprehend why there aren't any English signs anywhere to be found. Why are things done this way, and not that way? Why am I even in this situation? It would never happen in my home country. Questions like these can cause people to get stressed out and want to go back to their own countries. People can get frustrated when faced with change. Many people deal with it their own way, head back home.

In 1998, I traveled to Taiwan. I never once felt that I suffered from culture shock, personally. I always felt it was more like culture fascination rather than culture shock. I was amazed with everything that I saw and encountered. But I still had many questions. For instance, why aren't there English street signs on the corner of every intersection? I felt that they would be very helpful for me and also for other people from English speaking countries. What I didn't think about was that the people that live there can read the signs just fine, and it certainly isn't necessary for them to change them all just for me.

A friend of mine had a girlfriend that hated everything about Taiwan and couldn't understand why it was different from her home in San Francisco. She hated the people, hated the food, hated the smells, hated the transportation, all because it was different from San Francisco. I asked her if she hated everything so much, why doesn't she just leave. I cared about Taiwan and its people and to be completely honest, I didn't want to hear any more of her complaining. She ended up leaving eventually, but after many more complaints. This is what happens to some people, they can't adjust to their new environment properly.

Others suffer from a much more realistic and understandable reason, homesickness. It's easy to miss your family, your friends, and your familiar stomping grounds. For people that decide to go overseas, they have to stay focused, enjoy themselves, and be strong. Yes, this new place isn't like home. Yes, this new place is strange and different. No, your friends and family aren't here. This was one of the biggest challenges that I had ever faced and I thrived on it.

Another factor involved can be diet. The foods that you're used to eating may not be available in this new location. You may have to actually try something different. Believe me, this is a good thing. Trying new things will also be a test for you. Try the food that the locals eat everyday. It's obviously not bad for you, or these people wouldn't be eating it themselves. I have to laugh to myself when I hear about people going to Taiwan and eating McDonald's all the time.

The culture in your new destination will obviously be different when compared to where you're from. Things they say and do will most likely also be different. When I was in Taiwan, it was generally accepted for people to ask others how much money they made. In Canada, this is just an awkward question that is rarely asked, even amongst close friends. Actually, now that I think back to that time, I felt uncomfortable every single time I was asked my rate of pay. I was asked quite frequently and I never actually gave up that information to my inquisitors.

As I mentioned previously, culture shock affects different people different ways. I knew a guy who went to Taiwan; he was originally planning on staying for a year. He lasted 5 days. In my opinion, this small amount of time is not enough to give a fair evaluation of the country. But that's me, and that was his decision, not mine. I just goes to show you that people are different. Don'd be worried about how culture shock is going to affect you, just buy a book and read a bit about your destination. Nothing will totally prepare you for what you're about to discover. Enjoy yourself and make the absolute most of your experience. Don't fear culture shock, embrace it.

Andrew Greenham, founder of ESL Elite.com (www.eslelite.com). Contact: info@eslelite.com or visit more related articles at www.eslelite.com/forum

Exciting Tastes and Smells Came From Taiwanese Cooking Classes

American Chinese cooking can be likened to the French word potpourri. It comes to us with a blending from many different regions of China. The seasoning ranges from hot and spicy to somewhat bland. However you like it, Chinese food is full of veggies and generally packed with healthful eating.

Taiwan is a small tobacco shaped island, a scant 100 miles from mainland of China. The tiny country wishes to be known as the Republic of China. During the two-years my family and I lived there, we resided in central Taiwan, in the town of Taichung. It was the experience of a lifetime.

My two children attended Morrison Academy, a Baptist missionary school in Taichung. Most of the teachers at Morrison were young American women who came to teach for a year or two before returning home. They arrived eager to experience life in a different culture. Few were disappointed. I was there due to my husband's job assignment, but for me, it was the opportunity to live the pages of National Geographic every day.

Through a friend who was a teacher at Morrison Academy, I was invited to attend a Chinese cooking class that the school's Chinese cultural teacher, a native of Taiwan was offering to the newly arrived staff that fall. My friend asked if I would be interested in joining the group. Would I? You bet I would. Allowing me to join them was like a gift. I felt privileged.

For a small fee to cover the cost of our food and supplies, we attended cooking classes every Saturday afternoon for six-weeks in the Morrison High School home economics classroom. The best part of the course came at the end of each class. We sat down to a gourmet lunch that we helped prepare, sharing the camaraderie of young women living abroad and the exciting experiences each of us was uncovering. Not only new sights and smells, but sharing where to shop and what not to miss seeing during our time living here.

Before dismissing the class, our cooking instructor gave us two different printed versions of each recipe we learned to prepare that day. One version listed fresh foods that could be found in the outdoor markets of Asia. The second version she had adapted the recipes to what we might expect to find in the supper markets when we returned to the United States.

The instructor's adaptation of her recipes offered an excellent primer in the art of Chinese cooking. By sharing her recipe for Egg Rolls, I hope it opens your world to exciting tastes and smells and you too might feel that you are gaining a glimpse into living the pages of National Geographic.

Egg Rolls

? lb. ground meat

6 eggs

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

? tsp. salt

? tsp. salt

1 tsp. cornstarch

Some ginger

a little bit of water

Egg wrappers

1. Mix first 4 ingredients together

2. Break the eggs and add salt. Use chopsticks to beat a little. Then put water (about a tbsp.) with cornstarch and beat a little more.

3. Heat a pan and add a little bit of oil to fry the egg wrapper.

4. place the egg wrapper flat, put some of the first mixture on wrapper. Roll them. Then place on a plate to steam about 5-minutes

5. Take out and cut them on the plate ready to serve.

Kathy Manney is the nationally recognized author of autobiographical, lifestyle and travel articles and the travel columnist for "The Vegas Voice," a monthly regional senior lifestyle newspaper.

She was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and has spend her adult years living in Asia and through the United States.

Kathy is open to freelance work in the fields of non-fiction writing and editing.

Find Your Dream Taipei Woman Now

You may think that you have no luck in finding the right woman for you, what more if you become more specific and try to find your dream Taipei woman? Things like doubt may hinder you from finding your match and eventually happiness. But then think again, this can be easily achieved through the net and via Taipei personals.

We all know that it hard to find the right person for us, even if we are actually in the same area as that person. What more if the one whom you truly want lives in another continent? Yes, life can be hard, but with the internet, nothing is impossible nowadays, meeting your dream girl online is now easily achievable.

Now, how do you get in touch with your preferred Taipei Woman? The answer is simple, all you have to do is to go online and look through Taipei personal ads via social networking web sites. There are now a lot of web sites that offer this opportunity to men who are currently seeking for potential friends or partners. But there is a particular website that caters not only to Taiwan singles, but also to other nationality as well.

You can easily strike a conversation with any of the members; you can also start sending them messages, or even view their profiles. All you have to do is to register and you are good to go. In matter of minutes, you will be overwhelmed at how many people will answer back to your messages.

Unlike dating in a regular way, meeting people online is somewhat like speed dating, once you find that the current person who are chatting with doesn't interest you, you can easily jump to the next person. Unlike in a regular face to face dating, you have to wait for your actual date to end, before you are finally released from that person's company.

If you truly want to attract Taipei woman whom you've met through Taipei personal or online, all you have to do is to be yourself, and try not to scare them away. Like, if it is your first time to chat with that person, don't act like a stalker or someone whom she's been talking to for eternity. Take time to find out what her interest are, what makes her comfortable talking to strangers, and best of all your common grounds. Like tell her about you, what you do, where you are, and your reason for joining that site. If you simply want to start making new friends, or if you are actually interested in finding your match. That way, if the person is indeed looking for the same thing, the both of you will then have a smooth flowing conversation.

Find your perfect match now with Taiwan Dating Sites by simply joining Taiwan Dating.

Chikan Tower in Tainan - 'Tower of the Red Haired Barbarians'

Built in 1653, during the Dutch colonial rule, Chikan Tower was initially called Provintia which meant eternity in Dutch. However, the tower was renamed by the Han Chinese as 'the tower of savages' or 'tower of the red haired Barbarians'. The Chinese called it in different names such as Chikan Tower, Fantselou and Honmaulou.

Since Dutch colonial rule, Chikan Tower has been an important administration centre of Tainan in Taiwan. Today the site of the tower has become a prominent tourist attraction. It is also considered as the nation's most renowned historical site. The Chikan Tower has been through the Ching Dynasty, Ming Dynasty and Japanese Colonisation Period. However, many of the Tower's original architectural features can be seen even today. This exceptional landmark which is mainly attractive by night is filled with different types of steels and stone horses. In 1661 when the Dutch were held back by Cheng Chengkung, the famous Chinese general, Chikan Tower was transformed to be the mansion of Chentien governor. Among the eight well-known and picturesque views in Taiwan the sunset in Chikan Tower holds an immovable position.

Right opposite Provintia, visitors will be able to witness nine turtles made out of stone carrying plates. These stone structures were constructed during the Ching Dynasty in another location and were later removed and moved to the site of the Chikan Tower.

Few years later, this outstanding Taiwanese landmark became less popular after it was damaged as a result of civilian turmoil and lack of administration. The original Dutch architectural building was added with a typical Chinese style building. At one point Chikan Tower became the site that hosted the worship for Guanshihyin Buddha. However, it was transformed in to an army hospital during the Japanese colonisation period.

Visitors can further explore this site by staying at the nearby Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Tainan which is a superb Tainan luxury hotel that offers its guests an excellent range of facilities along with professional and friendly service.

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.

Taiwan - A Place to Enjoy Vacations

Every year I plan a vacation with my family, probably because I love exploring new places, food and watching the beautiful sites. However, there are other things to consider when we plan our vacations. I am sure you agree with me on this. When I was planning a vacation I was careful about my budget, however at the same time I wanted to go to a place which reflected a different culture, somewhere I've not been before. The first place, when thinking of a vacation, which came in my mind was Taiwan and I started to study about the place to get familiar whether I should go for this place or not.

People from all over the world actually come to learn Chinese in Taiwan. The visa process is not that crucial in fact it is less time consuming and requires few documents. The best part about the place is its food. People living in Taiwan are crazy about eggs and they have one of the sweetest fruits available. Moreover some of their dishes are very popular too, though the names of these dishes may sound weird, but people from all over the world make it a point to have them when they are visiting this place. The names of these dishes include Yonghe, Chiayi and Tainan. Even if you are on a tight budget then you can enjoy the food by visiting the night markets which have all the food. These markets offer local food at attractive rates. One of the most interesting things I found was that Taiwanese people would actually cook vegetables for you if you're a vegetarian because there are a few Taiwanese vegetable restaurants available, hence if you step in to a meat/chicken food outlet then those friendly people will cook something different for you!

These days everybody wonders if they are safe or not when going to a new place and let me tell you that Taiwan is a very safe place for tourists, including women, even if you are wandering at night. However you must be careful and cautious because a little bit of crime is present everywhere. There are a lot of tourists places which you would want to see in Taiwan and these include national parks, forests, and mountainous areas. Some of the places which you shouldn't miss are the sun moon lake, Yangmingshan national park and Yushan.

I will leave you to explore the rest of the places so that you too get curious like me and wish to visit this place. Happy vacations!

This is Ahsan Ayub from Marish Solutions. When I visited Taiwan my experience was wonderful because I avail services of a renowned travel agent named Hello Holidays. If you are planning to go to Taiwan then you can consult them to make your trip memorable.

Taipei 101 - 101 Stories of Pride

The journey towards the top of Taipei 101, the current record holder as the world's tallest skyscraper, begins with a high-speed elevator ride that ferries you up to the 89th floor in 37 seconds. As the sliding doors of the elevator parted ways, two flight of stairs welcome and lead you to the circular outdoor deck that sits on the 91st floor of Taipei 101.

Go in the late afternoon to enjoy the warm embrace of the setting sun, and you'll notice right away the new condominiums springing up in the east. Far in the south, mountains form tall dark silhouettes, enveloping the precipice of the city. Finally, in the west and north, you'll find a bustling city center with numerous skyscrapers and endless throng of masses making their way through Taipei. One can't help but notice an air of irresistible romanticism about gazing at Taipei and all its glory from more than 400 meters high above its urban heart.

When it was unveiled on New Year's Eve in 2004, Taipei 101 was the city's way of announcing to the world that it has arrived on the global scene. It represented a metropolis of 6 million seeking its rightful place on the international stage, an instant landmark that's become a showcase for the city's global ambition. Various symbolisms highlight the proud heritage behind Taiwan, its oriental influence and the modernization that has taken place throughout the city.

The main tower features a series of eight segments of eight floors each, an obvious association to abundance, prosperity and good fortune. Its shaped like an Asian pagoda, while numerous motif of the ruyi - an ancient symbol associated with heavenly clouds - appear throughout the structure. The structure was engineered to be able to withstand gale winds of 60 mps, and the strongest earthquakes likely to occur in a 2,500 year cycle. This claim was tested when a 6.9 magnitude earthquake rocked Taipei in 2002. Construction was still ongoing, and the tremor was strong enough to topple two construction cranes from the 56th floor, then the highest. Five people were killed in the accident, but an inspection afterwards showed no structural damage.

As I enjoyed a lazy Sunday afternoon sipping authentic Viennese coffee in one of its numerous cafes, a group of Western tourists made their way up with their local guide. They turtled their way up, marveling at the spectacular architecture and snapping pictures here and there. This grandiose structure stood tall as a testament of how far Taipei have come from when the Nationalist government took control in 1949, an achievement they can be truly proud of.

Nikolas Tjhin is the Editor/Designer of Unearthing Asia, an Asia Travel Blog focusing on Culture, Lifestyle and Attractions all around Asia.

Taipei For The First-Timer

Taipei is the largest city, and the capital of The Republic of China, a series of islands off the southern tip of mainland China (People's Republic of China). The country is more commonly known by the name of its main island, Taiwan, or by its former name, Formosa (a Portuguese word meaning 'beautiful island'). The People's Republic of China refuses to recognize Taiwan's sovereignty, challenging any attempt to change the name to The Republic of Taiwan.

The island of Taiwan is distinguished by mountainous terrain and rugged coast-lines. A major economic force in Asia, it produces much of the world's consumer electronics. The Taiwanese are approximately 98% Han Chinese, and the official language is Mandarin.

The first time visitor to Taipei will benefit from the excellent choice of day tours. Two of the best half-day tours are:

A city tour ($28), which includes stops at most of Taipei's must-see landmarks, including; The National Palace Museum, The Martyr's Shrine and Chiang Kai shek Memorial Hall.
The Northern Coast Tour ($32), features Keelung City and harbor, The Buddha Statue, Yehlin Park and Queen's Head.

Once the newcomer has a feel for the city, getting around is easy. Unlike many Asian cities (e.g. Tokyo and Manila), Taipei is compact and easily navigated. An excellent subway system covers most of the city, and has maps, both of the entire system, and of the surrounding area at each station. All directions are in both Mandarin and English. Tokens are purchased from vending machines, or attendants. No trip costs more than a dollar.

The Taiwanese are friendly and helpful. Getting lost is difficult, as someone will always come forward to offer directions. Even those who speak little English will attempt to accommodate with gestures and hand-drawn maps.

Language, though, is often a problem for tourists. Most people here speak Mandarin only. As English is now taught in schools, young people are more likely to speak it than their elders, but even in hotels conversation is usually limited to the essentials. Restaurants are unpredictable, with one offering you service in fluent English, and its next door neighbor not understanding a word you say. Menus are often uni-lingual, with pictures patrons can simply point at. This is not always helpful, as much of the food is unfamiliar to Westerners. Get used to chopsticks, as forks aren't always available.

Pros: Compact and easy to navigate, it is a city where cheap public transit makes getting around a breeze. Taipei is clean and safe, and foreigners can move about at all hours without fear. The people are friendly and helpful. Excellent dining is available in all areas of the city, with options ranging from fast-food to elegant.
Cons: Language is definitely an issue for English-speaking tourists. The city isn't geared to tourists, and lacks facilities (such as information centers) for visitors. The length of the trip is daunting. Flights from most east-coast cities are 16 hrs. (non-stop) or more.

Taipei and the surrounding countryside are well worth the long trip. The ease of getting around, safety, and the friendliness of its inhabitants, make for a rewarding travel experience.

Welcome! Please come and visit us at Flights To Tours, for travel tips and information on flights, accommodation and tours.

I'm Ian Stevenson, administrator and author at Flights To Tours.

The World's Most Underrated Travel Destinations

How popular a country is as a travel destination, has as much to do with image as it has to do with how interesting a place is to visit or how accessible or affordable it is. Some simply want to go somewhere because it looks nice while others are drawn to specific locations - whether it's Tuscany, India or Mauritius - as the image presented by these destinations fits their own personal aspirations. While popular tourist magnets, such as Australia or New Zealand, excel at self promotion, other equally deserving destinations fare less well in the image stakes; they may be a little of the beaten track, have suffered from poor leadership, or simply have failed to sufficiently promote their own attractions. Nevertheless, some of these less appreciated destinations have far more to offer curious independent travellers, than their more adeptly promoted rivals.

Here are some of the world's most underrated destinations:

Uzbekistan

The three great Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva are architecturally outstanding, incredibly atmospheric and great value for money. Majestic mosques and medressas, and huge, ornately tiled minarets seem to reach for the bright blue sky from every other winding alley way. Apart from the members of up-market 'cultural' tours from France and Germany, hardly anybody seems to visit them. This situation has hardly been helped by the notoriously corrupt Karimov regime, which insists that visitors pay for a pointlessly expensive 'letter of introduction' before even being allowed to apply for an equally overpriced tourist visa. The government's tendency to massacre protestors and boil alive political opponents, can't have helped either. Despite the country's fearsome reputation, the people themselves are incredibly warm, friendly and welcoming. Even the once notoriously corrupt militsia are far more friendly and helpful than you might expect.

For a long time, Uzbekistan may have been well off the beaten track but it is now possible to fly into Tashkent, the capital, on Latvia's Air Baltic budget airline, from most major cities in Europe. It is also now relatively easy to obtain your letter of introduction and tourist visa through specialist travel agencies such as Stan Tours.

Taiwan

It doesn't occur to many people to visit Taiwan. It's a little bit off the Far Eastern backpacking trail, and it's certainly more expensive than Thailand or Indonesia, but it still has plenty to offer the independent traveller. The Portuguese sailors, who were the first Westerners to visit, named it Ilha Formosa (meaning 'beautiful island'). After visiting the spectacular Toroko Gorge National Park, you'll soon understand why. The gorgeous gorge is known for its towering marble cliffs, its rock hewn tunnels and the spectacularly snaking Liwu River. It can easily be visited on a day trip from Taipei but many prefer to base themselves outside of the relatively expensive capital city. Taipei, itself, is bright, lively and fun. As well as Taipei 101 (formerly the world's tallest building), it also known for its museums, markets and temple complexes. The atmospheric Lunshan Temple is particularly popular and still plays host to ancient Buddhist rituals. Taipei is also renowned for its varied and delicious street food; the Shilin Night Market is always busy and bustling and overflowing with strange new street food to sample such as pig's blood cake, deep fried stinky tofu and rubbery grilled quails eggs.

It used to be relatively costly to get to Taiwan but with the new generation of budget Asian airlines such as Air Asia and Cebu Pacific, and cheaper flights on Taiwan's own EVA Air, it is now more affordable than ever. It's also incredibly safe and easy to visit and Westerners don't even need a visa.

Tunisia

Tunisia has been a well established package tour destination for Europeans, for some time, but still receives relatively few independent travellers. This may partly be because Morocco and Egypt are cheaper, but Tunisia is still far better value than Western Europe and there's a lot to see in such a small country. The vast majority of tourists stick to the busy coastal resorts such as Hammamet, Sousse or Jerba, with only the occasional day trip inland, but Tunisia has far more to offer than simply sun and sand. As well as magnificent desert and mountain scenery, there are also ancient Roman ruins, rock hewn troglodyte villages, and lush oases and palmeraies set between desolate Saharan sand dunes.

The recent troubles have badly damaged the tourist industry but most (non government) reports seem to suggest that Tunisia is still a very safe country to travel in. It's possible to get great value flights through BA.com - especially if you're willing to book ahead and fly mid week - and once you are there, it's easy to make your own way around. Perhaps Tunisia's greatest strengths, however, are its close proximity to Europe, and the huge variety of experiences to be had with so little travelling time between its many attractions.

Georgia and Armenia

Few travellers ever think about visiting the Caucasus, and yet both Georgia and Armenia are crammed full of magnificent mountain scenery and the architectural remnants of millennia of civilisation. Both countries have somehow managed to retain their unique characters over thousands of years of history despite having been conquered at various times by Romans, Mongols, Persians and Ottoman Turks. The people of both Georgia and Armenia are renowned for their warmth and hospitality, and despite the many historical and political tensions that remain across the region, foreigners are almost always made to feel welcome. There still remains a strong Soviet feel within the region, and many within the more rural areas are still very poor, but the larger cities are rapidly modernizing as they struggle to catch up with the more affluent former Soviet nations on the edge of Western Europe.

Georgia and Armenia may be at the very edge of European civilisation but they are now more accessible than ever, and offer a taste of something genuinely different. Flights from the Latvian budget airline, Air Baltic, fly into Tbilisi and Yerevan from all over Europe (via Riga) and there is only a modest visa fee for Armenia (which is straight forward to buy on entry) and there's no visa fee at all for Western nationals in Georgia.

The Philippines

Like Taiwan, the Philippines are a little off the well worn backpacking trails around the rest of South-East Asia. It's a bit more expensive, and a little less safe, and it used to take a lot more effort and patience to make your around even a fraction of its 7000 islands. Many visitors are less than impressed with the bigger cities but what really makes the Philippines worth visiting, are its many natural wonder. As well as the stunningly beautiful rice terraces of Banaue, there are also numerous world class beaches, 37 volcanoes, the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, and the Underground River National Park in Palawan. If its wildlife you're into, then there's always swimming with whale sharks off of Donsol, the peculiar Tarsiers of Bohol, and some of the best diving in the world.

As with Taiwan, the rapid rise of budget airlines such as Cebu Pacific and Air Asia has now made travelling around the Philippines far more easy and affordable. You can now get cheap flights into either Manila or Cebu, from all over the Far East, and then get even cheaper flights around its many islands. If you research your trip well, and book up your flights in advance, then it is possible to experience an incredible variety of natural wonders within a disconcertingly short amount of time.

More travel stories, articles and photography at http://www.tomcoote.net.

The Website Theory of Statehood

Although the definition of statehood under international law has not been definitively resolved, traditionally, per the Montevideo Convention, "The state as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications: (a) a permanent population; (b) a defined territory; (c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with the other states." In addition, recognition of a state by other states arguably plays a more important role in the statehood process.

I would like to propose a new criteria by which the claims of would-be sovereigns can be evaluated. In today's world, e-governance is rampant. Politicians stay in contact with their constituents via their homepages, agencies administer regulations online, and court filings can be done with the click of a mouse. So whether or not an autonomous region has a permanent, defined web presence that has the capacity to assist its governmental activities is a vital consideration when examining claims of statehood. So, using the Website Theory of Statehood, how do existing unrecognized states stack up?

Taiwan: Taiwan's somewhat unique status in the "Is it or is it not a state?" debate makes it a good starting place to test the theory. Taiwan's pseudo-official statehood is reflected in the fact that it has its own country code top-level domain, of .tw. However, ccTLD's are poor indicia of statehood in themselves; they are distributed by ICANN, and substate regions can also be issued them, such as Jersey's .je and the Virgin Island's .vi.

Still, Taiwan starts off on a good note by displaying two strong hallmarks of internet statehood -- numerous web domains for each different branch of government and the use of the .gov subdomain for its various state webpages. None of the websites of the various Taiwanese government branches get particularly high marks for style, but they aren't offensively ugly at least, and they amply satisfy all requirements for accessibility and content.

Verdict: Although Taiwan may not be a recognized sovereign under international law, it is a thriving Internet State.

Somaliland: Although Somaliland's website is not nearly as sophisticated as the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia's, Somaliland gets credit for the fact it actually operates from within its own territory. The prominently placed waving Somaliland flag image is annoying, but by itself, not particularly offensive. All in all, in terms of web design, it's about on the level of a page created by a marginally talented middle school student.

Of course, the webmaster's yahoo email address is a significant mark against a finding of web sovereignty. And although the fact it maintains a separate website for its Upper Parliament, the Guurti, might have won it back some points, as the website does not appear to have been updated at any point in the past three years, it's really more of a net loss.

Interestingly, the neighboring autonomous state of Puntland has a much more sophisticated web presence, although it is not seeking sovereignty but rather continues to maintain it is a part of Somalia. Aside from the annoying page intro, Puntland's website is respectable and decent looking. It actually reminds me of the websites of several county governments from my home state of Georgia: clearly governmental in nature and reasonably active, but still small-time government.

Verdict: Not a state, but I'll give them a solid E for Effort. Somaliland ought to seek advice from Puntland on how to manage its e-statehood.

Kosovo: The websites for the various government branches of Kosovo are all clean, sharp, and authoritative, with a faint air of bureaucratic staleness. In other words, they look exactly like what you would expect for a sovereign state government's website.

Meanwhile, the website for the Serbian Government of Kosovo is, while passable, somewhat clunkier. More importantly, the dismal imagery and content of the site is all extremely negative in tone, focusing on pictures of bombed out buildings and emphasizing the fear, instability, and chaos of the region.

The contrast between the two certainly weighs in Kosovo's favor. Kosovo's website is professional and businesslike, and gives the impression that it is the model of responsive and diligent governance. In direct opposition to this is the Serbian website, which stresses its inability to control the region and is primarily concerned with advancing a political agenda rather than engaging in ah actual governmental capacity.

Verdict: Although the facts on the ground may be drastically different, in terms of its website, Kosovo qualifies for Virtual Statehood.

Cabinda: The wannabe sovereign territory of Cabinda, located in Angola, is a classic example of the self-deluded unrecognized state. Cabinda's inability to exercise sovereign governmental control over the region is rivaled only by its complete incompetence at web design. Tiled backgrounds, flying bird gifs, scrolling text, spinning "email" icon, images unapologetically created by MS Paint? My god. I'd call this a sad excuse for a geocities webpage, but that would be a gross insult to Geocities webpages everywhere -- Cabinda hasn't even yet progressed past the Angelfire-level of web design.

Verdict: Does not meet even the most minimal of qualifications for Internet Statehood.

Western Sahara: The proclaimed government of Western Sahara has no access to a ccTLD, but .eh has been specifically reserved for the nation once it manages to obtain a unified voice. In 2007, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, the government that claims to speak for the sovereign territory of Western Sahara, tried to lay claim to the domain, but Morocco objected. As a result, ICANN refused to release .eh, stating that because of competing claims,

ICANN does not see a way to approve the .EH ccTLD delegation to one of the applicants without violating its long-standing policy unless the contesting parties are able to reach an agreement.

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic still has a website, however: http://www.rasd-state.ws/

Note the .ws in the domain name. Now that's actually a rather clever bit of statehood marketing right there. The .ws ccTLD is in fact registered to Samoa, although the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is cleverly passing off the "ws" as standing for Western Sahara. Who needs .eh, the intended ccTLD for the nation you claim control over, when your Samoan buddies will lend you a domain name that sounds like it was actually meant for you?

Sadly, the website is in Arabic, which I don't actually speak. The page gets medium marks: although it is simple, it manages to avoid being hideous, and I am reasonably confident that if I could read Arabic the site would be easily navigable. However, judging by the page URL's (in Spanish, which I can pretend to read), the website does not provide anything in the way of government services, which is a mark against it. However, there do appear to be "official government documents" in PDF form, which gives it a little cred.

Verdict: Although Western Sahara's separatist government displays some promising signs of Virtual Statehood, they are still a fair distance away from achieving internet sovereignty.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia: Aesthetically speaking, South Ossetia's webpage is my favorite of all the unrecognized states'. It is official looking and professional in appearance, and yet still manages to be friendly and pleasantly warm and inviting. You'd totally want to vacation in a country with a website like that -- they seem like such nice people. Also, it's got snow leopards.

Abkhazia's website is slightly more severe in appearance, comes across as a no-nonsense kind of nation, and may or may not have been a law firm before it decided to declare itself state. The blue-grey color scheme? The overlapping boxes lay out? That is seriously every D.C. small-to-medium sized law firm homepage ever.

Tellingly, however, both Abkhazia and South Ossetia lack their own ccTLD, do not have separate web pages for different branches of government, and do not employ the use of.gov subdomains.

But this doesn't rule them out entirely. One major point in the break-away regions' favor is that their websites far outclass Georgia's websites for the region. Just take a look at Georgia's Abkhazia homepage: http://www.abkhazia.gov.ge/. It is ugly, slow to load, and contains graphics that appear to have been created by the same MS Paint artist that provided the images for Cabinda. Most of the English language pages are labeled "under construction," and I'm honestly surprised they didn't also include those little animated gifs of smileys wearing hard hats to show that. South Ossetia doesn't even appear to have a .ge website that I could find, perhaps because Georgia revoked South Ossetia's autonomy? At any rate, not having a web presence for it at all is a dismal way of showing your Internet Sovereignty over a region, Georgia.

Verdict for Abkhazia and South Ossetia: Have not yet achieved Internet Statehood, but are clearly serious contenders for the title. Recommend that Georgia take immediate steps to overhaul its own websites for the regions in order to firmly establish its claims of sovereignty.

Nagorono-Karabkh Republic: The website for the Nagorno-Karabkh Republic contains flashing banners and animated .gif files. This is an instant disqualification for statehood.

Verdict: Not a state. True sovereigns avoid anything that might induce epilepsy in their web visitors.

North Korea: Under International Law, North Korea is a recognized nation. However, under the new Website Theory of Statehood, North Korea should be considered a failed state. This may sound harsh, but given that the Admin of the website acknowledges that there is no internet access in North Korea and that no one in North Korea can actually see their own website, and that therefore the only people who use it are foreign North Korea enthusiasts, korea-dpr.com actually has more in common with a Beanie Babies fansite than it does a government webpage.

Although the website does at least exist and is moderately functional, it appears that a 13 year old goth boy was hired to design it. Sadly, the forum that was once featured on the site has since been removed. Apparently a web forum was too democratic for North Korea, as the old forum was replaced by a blog, which announced the change by stating: "Today we launch the new KFA Forum, which will mainly be driven by a few select moderators. Of course, everyone can still contribute with their thoughts, ideas, articles, etc, but we'll be sure to have much more quality content for you." In other words, the proletarians were not generating enough 'quality content,' so a more restrictive approach was adopted for their own good.

Notable features of the site include a FAQ, with helpful answers to questions such as, "Is North Korea a Dictatorship?", "Is it true everyone in North Korea is starving?", and "How can I join the North Korean army?"

Verdict: Not a state. I don't care if the United Nations recognizes North Korea; when Transnistria, Puntland, and Nagorno-Karabkh have better web presences than you do, your statehood is officially revoked.

http://viewfromll2.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/the-website-theory-of-statehood/

New Taiwan Dollar

Finally, it was the end of the year and I was so looking forward to my trip in Taiwan. We left Changi Airport Singapore early in the morning on Boxing Day and we were so looking forward to celebrate New Year at Taipei 101. When we were at Taiwan, I can't help but to notice that the currency that the locals were using was called the New Taiwan Dollar.

Think about it.. If you weren't a local Malaysian and you came to Malaysia and found out that Malaysians are using the New Malaysian Ringgit, wouldn't you be curious as well? So I started asking around, "Why a 'NEW' Taiwan Dollar?" Surprisingly, most of the local Taiwanese have no idea why it is 'new' not 'Old' Taiwan Dollar. Finally, my tour guide managed to give me a reasonable answer and I found out that the Old Taiwan Dollar is called the Taiwan Yen.

History of Old Taiwan Dollar

Long before we were born, Taiwan was under Japanese colonization and Taiwanese were using the Taiwan Yen during that period.

In Year 1945, Japan was defeated in World War 2 and Taiwan was returned to China, at that time ruled by the government of the Republic of China (ROC). Within a year, the Republic of China's government took over Bank of taiwan and started issuing Taiwan Nationalist Yuan (aka TWN) as a provisional replacement for the previous Japanese Tawan Yen at the rate of 1:1. This means that if you have 1 Japaneses Taiwan Yen, you can replace it for 1 Taiwan Nationalist Yuan. Sounds reasonable isn't it?

The Chinese Civil War

Taiwan suffered hyperinflation due to the Chinese Civil War in the late 1940s. In times of hyperinflation, the ROC government started issuing banknotes of higher and higher denominations, up to 1 million yuan to handle the inflation on the island. In times like this, savers who save lots of cash and put their money in the bank are the biggest losers! Why am I being so blunt? Because at June 15, 1949 the Old Taiwan Dollar was replaced with the New Taiwan Dollar at the rate of 1:40,000. This means that if you have saved a total of 40,000 Taiwan Yuan, you can exchange it for only 1 New Taiwan Dollar.

I've 2 questions for you...

Question 1: Imagine if you have saved really hard and got yourself RM40,000 and the government decides to revalue the currency and with the New Malaysian Ringgit (NMR), you have only NMR1. How would you feel?

Question 2: With the price of petrol and food increasing several times in Year 2010, will it stop in Year 2011? Chances are.. NO! In fact, I believe that the price of food and energy will increase tremendously in Year 2011 and beyond!

Lesson Learned: This is yet another prove that Fiat Currency can never rule the world. Ultimately, being a good saver alone is never enough. You need to be a smart one!

If you enjoyed this article from Jonathan Quek and would like to receive more information on how to achieve a successful money mindset and learn personal excellence or wealth intelligence principles that really work, then please visit: www.Jonathan-Quek.com.

Taiwan Dating Sites - How to Explore Taiwanese Dating Sites

Wherever we get in the globe, we have to have acquaintances and settle down finally with an individual. Those among us who do not take a trip, it is not much of a headache for them. But we require thinking where we will settle and the soul with whom we will settle down in life.

One of the countries in the Far East is Taiwan. Taiwan industry is booming and there are many jobs available in several fields and spheres. It is the home to world's top most technology entities and lots of hardware makers. Even if there are a variety of opportunities, looking for a buddy and settling down is hard. Though dating websites do not constantly get the reputation they deserve, it is unjust to cover all of them with the identical brush. It has to be thought that for individuals who are usually busy, they provide a significant service.

If you are a single person who is staying in Taiwan and wish to make friends with someone, either a local or a person just like you, you need to check out a Taiwan dating sites to Taipei girls and boys. You will get to have communication with one another and at last discover the exact individual you need.

Everyone is allowed to log in at Taiwanese websites. Any person despite of gender, work status, physical appearance, personality or age can sign up and search for Taiwan dating sites. Even individuals who are inactive on online system will be pleased to learn how easily they can discover an individual to engage at such Taiwanese dating sites. In most situations, you may register your own free account at a Taiwan dating website. Then you look through the profiles of different fellow members and find out about them. You are capable to send message to other members and establish conversations with them.

Dating websites will fit you with other individual depending upon what you wish. You will be presented the members that will be interested in you. Therefore, you can have friendly relationship with them. So why hold back any more? Just check out the Taiwan dating sites that offers the individual you are looking for and find out an individual who is interested about you and your personality. So there is no more looking here and there.

Get more information, tips and methods about Taiwan dating sites and find the right person at Taiwanes dating sites. Learn more at http://www.taiwandatingsites.com.

Taiwan - Living and Working

Taiwan is well known for its tourist friendly attitude, cultural attractions and scenic beauty. However, initially not many people in the west are aware of the many attractions of Taiwan. In the recent years, the influx of tourists has greatly increased, and as a result, the country is slowly gaining popularity for its varied cuisines, scenic attractions and modern sources of entertainment.

Taiwan offers a multitude of options for accommodation ranging from international hotels, mid-range, budget, and private rentals. While the international hotels offer a number of amenities like fine dining, gym facilities and shopping arcades, there are also a variety of options for budget travelers like youth hostels and budget hotels. For people intending to live and work in Taiwan for a while, then it is recommended to either rent your own apartment or share with others. Renting your own place would usually require you to sign a contract for one year, although there are an abundant amount of rooms available in shared apartments that are more flexible about this.

When it comes to Taiwanese cuisine, there are a number of options to choose from. The Taiwanese cuisine carries influences from the Chinese, Japanese and even the Dutch cultures. The Hakka cuisine is more oily and spicy as compared to the Taiwanese cuisine which is relatively simple and light. Apart from the typical restaurant fare, many tourists prefer snacks like oyster with noodles and oyster omelets, beef noodles, and other delicious dishes which are quite famous in the night markets in Taiwan. Taiwan has opened up to more western cuisine in recent years, and there are now more and more cafes and restaurants with western style menus if that is what you prefer.

There are a number of places to see in Taiwan like Taipei 101, National Palace Museum, Taipei night markets and Toroko National park.

The Taipei 101 Tower is touted as one of the worlds tallest building, and up until recently was the holder of the title. It houses luxury shops, institutions and offices apart from an observation deck and high speed elevators. There is also a food court in the basement, and one of Taipei's biggest bookstores, Page One, on the 3rd floor.

The National Palace Museum is situated in the suburbs of Taipei and houses a great collection of works of arts, calligraphy, paintings and world famous antiques. Die hard shoppers can shop at the Taipei night markets including Shilin, Tonghua, and Huaxi Jie, also known as Snake Alley, where you can get anything from bubble tea to a snakes blood drink at a bargain price.

If you wish to explore more of the island then you can use the High Speed Rail or HSR, a hi-tech train which is fast, clean and safe and is a hot favourite with children. There is also a fast and efficient local train and bus service to get you around the island.

Nature lovers can visit the Taroko National Park which has magnificent gorges made of marble and sandstone. You can also walk on the Liushue-Heliu Trail which has some great trails and tunnels and a glimpse of the magnificent flora and fauna.

Whether you are a nature enthusiast or a modern city dweller or a person who prefers to explore the past eras, Taiwan has something for everyone who visits this beautiful country.

Darren has been teaching in Taiwan for more than 9 years, and is happy to share his experiences of Taiwan life. He currently runs a website for expats living and working in Taiwan called Taiwan Deal.

A Day In The Limo Detail With The President Of Taiwan

After experiencing firsthand the arrival of the Taiwan President in one of our most liberal cities, I had to ask myself, "Did Freedom take one on the Chen in San Francisco?"

Chen, of course being, Chen Shu-Bian, democratically elected leader of the eastern Asia island of Taiwan.

It's not every day in the life of a Chauffeur that we get to be a part of escorting a diplomatic party. It was like what you might see on TV or one of these portrayals of some factionary character on a DVD.

When they started trotting out the bomb-sniffing dogs and rolling those curved concave mirrors under our vehicles, we knew this wasn't an average day.

But who was Chen Shui-bian and why was his visit to San Francisco filled with so much controversy?

Apparently the Taiwanese consulate in San Francisco had ordered about 14 vehicles to pick up their party at SFO (San Francisco International Airport). Later I would find out they do not even have an official consulate in San Francisco. I anticipated we might have to drive their party there, so looked it up on the net. The building was non -descript. Seemed odd for an official site, but than as I was to find out, nothing was exactly as it seemed with Taiwan's presence in the U.S. Again, i thought why is this?

More would be revealed.

Already there was some good fortune that i would be a part of only four vehicles that would get to go on the actual commercial tarmac to pick up the President and his immediate party. This in itself never happens. They just don't let our vehicles go out on general landing space. Right away, it was like whoa! this is different.

Backtracking a little bit we got our first glimpse of the Taiwanese people when we arrived at our first destination, the St. Regis hotel on 3rd st.

The St. Regis is really no second cousin to high profile people staying at their hotel, but this event was on another level.

Our first objective as Chauffeurs was to find our contact. Apparently the party we were going to pick up at the hotel was going to drive out to the airport to pick up the President's party. This was a good time to talk with some of those associated with their group and find out what was happening.

I found a congenial and willing enough Taiwanese gentleman who spoke English well and was relatively eager to enlighten me to the climate surrounding the Presidents (Taiwan) visit here.

A camera crew also approached me from Los Angeles who was hoping i could provide some inside details about the President's arrival.

It didn't take a lot of common sense to figure out there were at least two camps there, those that were very supportive of Chen' visit and another group that were lining up to discredit him for being here.

Chen apparently was beloved by his supporters, who were starting to mingle in. They wore green as the color of Chen's democratic party in Taiwan. There were also present a second group who wore red and these were Chinese people also, whether or not they were from mainland China or the island of Taiwan wasn't clear, but i think they were living in San Francisco. That is where I first learned of the one China policy. Chen's supporters wanted to have autonomy from Mainland China's autocratic rule. They wanted to operate independently, perhaps even seeking their own sovereignty. Seemed reasonable to me. China is a communist regime. Taiwan wanted its freedom. They (Taiwan) were already operating as a viable, prosperous democratic model. These people in the red wanted there to not be two different Chinas, they called it "two state." assertion. There seemed to be a deep divide. It also seemed to be complicated.

I had a humorous thought. At least they were wearing different colors that made it easy, like the home and away teams in sports. Red team, Green team.

But in fact my jest, really concealed my own concerns, somewhat conflicted by an uneasy sense of the rights to freedom, and why not?

The scene at the hotel continued to build momentum, it hadn't really become the full-fledged circus like event it would be several hours later. There was a kind of an edgy melodramatic atmosphere and while i waiting around i noticed other things too.

I took some diversion in taking stock of my fellow chauffeurs and what colorful characters they were. There was George, a rotund and mostly engaging friendly guy. He had a large barrel upper torso and his girth caused his tie to not reach his waist. Because of the way his suit fit, he kind of reminded me of those Italian made guys in a non literal way, but he looked like he could have been a union leader, so we called him the under boss.

Another Chauffeur was this middle age brother, who I never knew his ethic make-up, but English probably wasn't his first language. I got the sense he was Turkish or Greek, maybe Baltic, but all i knew was we called him Zacky. He was harmless really and pleasant in his own way, but his demeanor was over zealous about asking questions right while you were in the middle of doing something. He taught me something about being accommodating, but his mannerisms were odd and he seemed to be hardly aware of personal space boundaries, but i never really got offended by him. He got the name wacky Zacky that made other chauffeurs remember who he was.

Because of the really special nature of the event, we worked as a team more (Chauffeurs) and i was interested to see if either of them picked up the significance of what was going on. We were part of this journey together. It sort of helped me get some co-measurement of perspective, because i was just having all these transcendent thoughts forming in my mind. It really seemed like we were a part of history being made, though not everybody might have counted it that way.

I really got interested in trying to get to know these Taiwanese people who were our clients. I couldn't help but notice the supporters who began to arrive at the hotel location after being bused in. I got the sense that i was getting a glimpse into the soul of Taiwan itself through these people.

There was a quality of peacefulness in them. It was also interesting how the group we were picking up moved about in gracefulness in the midst of all the scurrying of activity and protests put upon them.

There wasn't the sense of pretentiousness about them; they were quite likable, even self-depreciating. They seemed different in a sense of other Asian cultures i have been around. It might to be hard to put in terms, but there was a lack of anxiety in their auras. They had a quality, a subtle nature, self-assuring, comforting and a sense of appreciation towards life.

It may not be something tangible but intuitively i sensed they had a race consciousness that was associated with freedom. It was a flame, a real measurable energy that expressed itself through them. It was something i became aware of through contrast by being in Russia that permeates in people that live in a culture of freedom. There is a joy that accompanies freedom and it exudes in the personality of the people. It is also a quality of the soul.

I actually felt that by coming to San Francisco, these people of Taiwan had brought the reminder of the fire of Freedom that has to live and reside and express itself in the people for a country and its peoples to prosper and to be free.

Compared to these people i felt like Freedom in American had gone soft. Sort of the lumbering, paunchy self contented sort of democracy. We are supposed to be champions of freedom in the world and instead we are becoming a self-bloated, soft in the midsection semblance of our fiery destiny. What a wake up call!

It seemed like tiny Taiwan, had the banner of freedom and they brought it to America as a gift and we had to help them defend it.

In my own heart I began to think of Saint Germain and the sponsorship of Freedom to the earth. I also thought that these Taiwanese people were very dear souls, souls that had a great light within them.

I came across a teaching from Saint Germain that extolled the qualities of people of light that made me think of the potential of America and the critical battle for Taiwan to remain a land of Freedom.

Saint Germain's teaching was given to Guy Ballard in the 1930's and re-vivified through observations of actually contacting the record of that time and lifetime. From "Unveiled Mysteries." referring to a Golden age civilization 70,000 years ago:

"This civilization," he went on, rose to its apex seventy thousand years ago," We entered the city, and felt an unusual rhythmic activity that gave me a strange sensation of lightness while walking. These people all moved with great ease and grace. (Sound familiar?) I asked Saint Germain the reason for this and he replied:

"These people remembered their Source and knew themselves as Sons of God hence, were the possessors and operators of power and wisdom that, to you may seem miraculous and superhuman. Truthfully speaking, there are no such thing as miracles, for all that is according to Law and that which seems miraculous to the present concept of humanity, is but the result of the application of laws to which mankind's present consciousness is unaccustomed, and seems so strange and unusual."

Some of this teaching began to have me consider the similar characteristics of some of the souls I met from Taiwan and the circumstances in modern America. Also the whole sequences of occurrences we were witnessing seemed to be a living social studies lesson, except with some rather cosmic perspectives.

I myself began to assess my own role and purpose for being here in San Francisco during this visit. Somehow i knew the causes of Freedom were at stake. I hardly hid from myself the understanding that Freedom is asleep in America. What we take for granted as freedom is hardly that, it's more like being able to do whatever you want. That's what most people think, but maybe we're missing the point.

I started to see these banners pop up that really got me to thinking how many Americans have no idea about the responsibility of Freedom. First i saw it in Napa, California and it said, "Freedom is not free!"

I thought to myself, well, "I'm not this black tie and this black suit sitting around just watching this Cosmic Civics class playing out before me. I 've got a part! I've got to learn something here, and just like that i felt my whole being surge with more than an ordinary sense of understanding. "By God, Freedom is a force! It's a living, pulsing activating energy. Its a consciousness too, and it our job to fan it, to give devotion to it." Freedom is a principle. We can't become passive and watch all aspects of freedom disintegrate from our culture, our society, and our country. There will always be the Chinas of the world and the oppressions of communism that desire to devour freedoms bastions, freedoms lands and the hearts of people who desire to be free!

From then on at that moment i decided i was going to be Freedom's representative on the scene and i was going to invoke Saint Germain's cosmic quality of Freedom to be upon all those present willing to Stand for Freedom.

If i could i would have made a dash to the utility room and pull off that Chauffeurs uniform underneath it reveal the cape of freedom i wore with the words "Freedom Fighter," emblazoned on my chest. But hey, this isn't some cartoon and i just made an inner shift and the awareness came upon me that what better way then to walk among the people be willing to radiate the power of freedom that it could drawn down right around every soul present. So that's what i did, i just chilled and i got focused that i could be a point of contact for freedoms fire in the earth right here in San Francisco at this very moment. That's what I decided to do.

I really wound up getting hot for Freedoms causes that day. In fact it hasn't really cooled, and before the end of that day on January 8, 2007, it got a lot toastier.

Please feel free to contact me, at sirronald@earthlink.net if you have any questions or comments. If you would like to see the pictures and illustrations that go with this article, click the following

http://www.missionsaintgermain.com/id59.html

Ron Henry writes a range of personal, down to earth articles focusing on a more insightful sometimes Spiritual, Mystical purposes and discovery. Hopefully these articles stand alone as inspiration and even sometimes, whimsy and wit to a contemplative side of Life.

Most of these and others have been posted in the navigation bar of http://www.missionsaintgermain.com that explores Ron's research and experiences with Saint Germain, Ron has perceived since childhood

Taiwan Dating For the Company of Taiwan Women

Dating in Taiwan is a wonderful experience due to the cosmopolitan characteristics of the capital city. Taiwan being the developing economic strong points in Asia is catching up with the western way of living and a westerner will definitely be able to enjoy his stay in the urban environment of the capital city, Taipei. Taiwan dating for a westerner poses no problem at all and you can get involved in this game very easily because the Taiwanese girls have the special weakness for western people due to various reasons.

Taiwan women are fantastic and cute and you should be able to impress them, which requires some kind of preparedness from your side. You should enhance your knowledge of the local culture and should try to imagine the anticipation of the women in the city. You have to be alert always because the culture of the west is originally different from that of Taiwan. Taiwan women, though they are trying to accommodate some trends of the west into their own.

It is not very difficult to start dating with a Taiwanese girl, but you should be well-prepared to maintain it. You will probably do this by learning their culture, their expectations and treat them accordingly. Mutual interaction is the best way of keeping the relation lively. They like to be engaged in talks and you should continue with discussions on various subjects without making her bored. A little bit of juicy humor will be just fine to take it a long way. Refrain from praising her beauty over and over again. Let her feel comfortable in your company and make it witty in your talks so that she feels eager to start talking to you comfortably and finds pleasure in doing so.

Normally, the girls would like you to talk to other people around you and even to other girls. If you can make a friend circle of local buddies, you catch attention of the girls. Remember that the Taiwanese girls have very strong feeling for their families and feel proud to speak about them, which will surely begin the absorbing discussions. In this way you can start talking to a Taiwanese girl and get her to talk to you. You may have to pass test from the girl, which you will have to deal carefully so that you do not lose the date. If you can create an honest picture of yourself, you are sure to get the date ready for you because the girls recognize persons with integrity than anything else. These are some guidelines that you can take up to start dating in Taiwan.

It is better to use the online facilities for dating in Taiwan because numerous singles are trying to do so at the particular dating site that you are in. Many of Taiwan women are there already looking for new dates and especially the westerners. If you are not a tourist and have been posted there in Taipei during your normal employment schedule, you will need friends and partners.

Taiwan women are extremely beautiful and friendly. Even though you live far from the place, you can rely on Taiwan dating sites to make friendship with these women.

The Discrepancy and Prospects of Solar Inverter in Both Sides of Taiwan Strait in 2010

The market of solar inverter in 2010 was in the state of instability. The market almost shared by Europe and America while both parts of Taiwan Strait only took small part of it. However, the mainland and Taiwan were in the great demand for solar inverter since last year with shipment amount hitting a new record.

It was reported recently by DIFITIMES Research that most solar inverters produced by Taiwan firms were in high level of quality and had got certification of Parallel Network. However, the shortage was disappearing in the third quarter of 2010 and since the fourth quarter of 2010, the two sides of Taiwan Strait started to gradually lose their market share. Meantime, when some worldwide well-known solar inverter manufacturers speeded up to produce by 2-3 times, we were wondering if the two sides of Taiwan Strait could keep getting orders when demand was diminished.

Therefore, the mainland and Taiwan must focus on the strategies to confront the competition of the world. At present, the majority of Tainwan firms are offering OEM services for Europe and American producers and most of them have extended their orders to the first quarter of 2011. In contrast, the most firms of mainland have got CGC SOLAR approval, so they put emphasis on brand construction to satisfy the demand of domestic market. The differences between two sides can come down to strategies, market location and price.

Currently, solar inverter industry market is still dominated by Europe, but with the emerging of newcomers, the shipments of Asia have jumped sharply in 2011. The future of solar inverter market can be predicted as full of opportunities for Asia.

Looking farther forward to 2011, Taiwan may take less and less OEM orders. In the long run, however, the price will keep lowering, and when gross interest rate becomes no more attracting, lots of international companies will resort to seeking OEM to reduce the costs for benefits, and these companies will concentrate more on after-sales and marketing promotion. The related integrated circuit is PIC16F882.

Amy S is the freelance writer for e-commerce website in the integrated circuit. SeekIc.com offers the buyers around the world to find quality supplier of electrical components globally. We try our best to aggregate leads in the integrated circuit business world, and let these leads benefit the entire business person.

What Are Taiwan's Main Tourist Attractions and Activities?

Taipei

The capital is congested place, with three million people in the city itself and another three million in the surrounding countryside. That said, it has plenty of attractions to detain you for a couple of days, including atmospheric temples, museums, historic monuments and teeming night markets. If you do nothing else here, visit the National Palace Museum, featuring the world's finest array of Chinese artifacts, moved here in 1948 by the Kuomintang; it's such a huge collection that only a tiny fraction is displayed at any one time. Chian Kuo is one of the largest jade markets in the world, with more than nine hundred sellers. Also a must-see is Snake Alley, where fortune-tellers, tattoo parlours, fruit sellers and restaurants nestle alongside stalls where you can try a drink of snake blood and bile (and optional venom), removed from a specimens freshly killed and skinned in front of you. The mind-boggling concoction is said to strengthen the eyes, spine and sexual vitality

Taroko Gorge

On the east coast, the island's main tourist attraction features a thundering river, towering cliffs and plenty of excellent opportunities for camping and trekking. The most picturesque route to the gorge is via the 200-kilometre-long Cross-Island Highway from Tungshih, with fabulous scenery - tropical valleys, mountain panoramas and lakes - all along the way

KentingNational Park

In the sunny, fertile lowlands of the far south of the island, this park, near the town of Kenting, has white beaches, forests, an attractive coastlines, waterfalls, hot springs and plenty more to explore. On the beaches, there are plenty of water-sports to try by day and pubs and discos and karaoke bars to choose from at night

Alishan

At 2190m, the best of the island's mountain resorts merely offer an escape from the lowland heat; it's gorgeous spot, surrounded by cedar and pine forests, with the blossoming of the cherry trees a special feature in the spring. Among the numerous treks here, the obligatory excursion is the one to the peak of 2489-metre Chu Shan (Celebration Mountain), where several thousand people jostle every morning for views of the sunrise. Some Westerners are disappointed by the frequently misty weather, but local people are just as happy whatever the conditions, believing that mountain mists contain a high density of qi, the "life force". The narrow-gauge stream train from Chiayi to Alishan is an especially picturesque route there, taking three and a half hours to climb up through the rolling hills, negotiating 50 tunnels and 77 bridges en route

Tainan

Temples are the main reason to visit this city, said to contain around two hundred of them. The most famous is the Temple of the Jade Emperor, the oldest Daoist temple in the city, where a constant stream of visitors comes to pray in a highly atmospheric setting; every wall, ceiling and door is adorned with detailed carvings and frescoes, and spirit mediums here are often involved in rituals in which they attempt to contact the dead on behalf of the living

Taking the east coast highway from Suao to Taitung

In places, the road is carved out of cliffs which drop a sheer 1000m into the crashing surf below. The most dramatic past is between Suao and Hualien, which includes a section called Chingshui Cliff where the drops beside the road are especially vertiginous. About halfway between Hualien and Tiatung, the Hsiukuluan River is Taiwan's most popular white-water rafting area.

Lukang

A major harbour from the twentieth centuries, this small west coast town retains its tiny alleyways and historic atmosphere. In the centre of town, the Lungshan temple, dating from the eighteenth century, has fantastically carved ceilings; it was dedicated to Kuanyin, the goddess of mercy, by Chinese settlers in thanks for their safe crossing from the mainland. The craftsman here still produce furniture, fans, lanterns and incense using traditional techniques, and the Lukang Folk Art Museum is a good place to view fine, historic examples of their art

Fokuang Shan

This modern temple/monastery complex in the rolling hills northeast of the city of Kaohsiung is the centre of Taiwanese Buddhist scholarship. There are four main temples, all magnificent and spacious, with the largest dedicated to Buddha; its walls are lined with 14,800 niches, each containing a tiny golden Buddha statue. At the other end of the scale, a 32-metre Buddha - the largest on the island - lies in the grounds, surrounded by life-sized statues of 480 Buddhist disciples.

Scaling Yushan

At 3997m this is the highest peak on the island, higher even than Mount Fuji. To reach the summit you'll need to spend two nights on the mountain, watching sunrise from the top.

Sun Moon Lake

Set 750m up in the hills, this popular spot was created by damming the valley here for a hydroelectric scheme. The surrounding forests and bamboo groves contain many excellent treks.

Lanyu or Orchid Island

Just 45 square kilometers in size, this is home to over hundred Yami people, the island's indigenous inhabitants, who still lead a seafaring lifestyle. Reached by ferry from Taitung, Lanyu has excellent coastal scenery and volcanic countryside, and is a great place to explore.

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Taiwan Sports Recreation Show

The Taiwan Sports Recreation Show is one of the newest exhibition shows for the recreation and leisure market. It is so new in fact that the exhibition in July 2008 will only be the second annual event.

Held in the Taipei World Trade Centre Nangang Exhibition Hall, the Taiwan Sports Recreation Show is a great way of manufacturers to show off their services and products to the recreation and leisure market. The 2007 show saw one hundred and sixty Taiwanese and foreign manufacturers invited to show off their wares through five hundred and thirty booths. The four day event saw twenty thousand customers and members of the public looking through the hall at all there was on offer. The event also saw some one hundred overseas buyers, looking for products to purchase for their business enterprises.

The 2008 Taiwan Sports Recreation Show promises to be even bigger. Organised by the External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), a semi-official organisation, has invited more manufacturers, and hopes to build on the successes of the previous year. The event is scheduled to be bigger and there is much more advertising of the event this year. More manufacturers and more customers will mean that it will be one of the biggest recreation and leisure exhibitions anywhere in the world.

The Taiwan Sports Recreation Show is primarily aimed at the trade market, although members of the public are invited to purchase direct from manufacturers as well. The show is split into five main themes aimed at showing off the best that Taiwan has to offer, these themes are; Fitness and Leisure Centre, Home Entertainment, Recreation Vehicle, Sporting Equipment and Sportswear. This means that there is truly wide range of products on offer from Swiss Army Knives to Home Theatre systems. Some of the biggest exhibits include All Terrain Vehicles (ATV), whilst some of the smallest are based around sporting balls and other accessories, things like pool balls. Many theme parks, leisure and fitness centres will also be found exhibiting at the Taiwan Sports Recreation Show.

For members of the public the Taiwan Sports Recreation Show is a great way to spend a day, the variety means that you can be kept entertained for hours. The Taiwan Sports Recreation Show though is aimed primarily at the trade market, it may not be so much fun for representatives but it is a great way to find out what manufacturers are currently offering.

Robert Grazian is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about Taiwan sports recreation show [http://bestrecreationprograms.info/taiwan-sports-recreation-show] visit Best Recreation Programs [http://bestrecreationprograms.info] for current articles and discussions.

Free and Easy Travel Guide - Taiwan

Day 1 - Wufenpu

Not many people would want to start their shopping tour of Taiwan at Wufenpu. However, this has to be one of the must-go-to places if you are looking for some serious bargains because this is mainly a wholesaler's hub. Better yet if you are going visiting with a bunch of gal pals because it is definitely cheaper if you want to buy in bulk. From accessories to clothes in the latest fashion, you will definitely get more than you bargain for at Wufenpu!

Location: To walk around Wufenpu in one day could take up a lot of your strength! This is because it consists of five neighbourhoods in the foothill of Sisoushan. To get there, alight at Songshan Railway station. Wufenpu is only a few minutes' walk away.

Day 2 - Guang Hua Digital Plaza

From clothes, we now move on to the digital age. There is no better place in Taiwan to buy the latest technological gadgets and offerings than at Guang Hua Digital Plaza. All six-storeys of it is dedicated to giving consumers the best deals in digital goods. If you are lucky enough, you will get to see launchings of new products by powerhouses like Microsoft and Intel who regularly unveil their latest offerings at this mall.

Location: Guang Hua Digital Plaza is located at the intersection of the Zhongzheng and Daan districts. To get there, just get off at the Zhongxiao Xinsheng MRT station. The Plaza is within walking distance.

Day 3 - Miramar Entertainment Park

Nowadays, a shopping mall isn't just a place for buying things. Miramar Entertainment Park brings the shopping experience to the next level. A day and night over here is definitely not enough! You can spend the whole day browsing through the many items on offer in the department store or be fascinated by the movies on offer at the IMAX store. At night, enjoy the sights and sounds at the outdoor entertainment park. You really shouldn't give the 70-meter ferris wheel a miss!

Location: You can easily get to the department store and consequently the entertainment park via Taipei Rapid Transit System. Just hop onto the Neihu Line and get off at the Jiannan Road Station. The Miramar Entertainment Park is right next door to the Jiannan Road Station.

Day 4 - Taipei Underground market

On your fourth day at Taiwan, we go back to the Zongzheng and Daan district whereby we will be visiting an underground market. Previously opened in order to house the vendors of the demolished Chunghwa market, the Taipei Underground Market now proudly boasts of 187 shops. If you are worried that you might get lost, do not worry because this market is very easy to navigate as it is divided into three sections. Whether you are interested in shopping for clothes, electronics or even food, this place is a must visit!

Location: The Taipei Underground Market is easily accessible via the Taipei Main Station via three train stops - Taipei Metro, Taipei Station and Shin Kong Life Tower. It is up to you where you want to get off to start your exploration of this wondrous underground market.

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Introducing Taiwan Tea Varietals

The environment of Taiwan is ideal for growing tea. Many of varietals grown in Taiwan came from China just like ancestors of most Taiwan residents have. Some varietals adjust well and turn out to be popular and others gradually disappear. In the following article, I will briefly describe some of usual tea varietals in Taiwan.

Qingxin Oolong

Qingxin Oolong is the most wide spreading and oldest varietal in the tea history of Taiwan. Depending on locations of tea plantations, Qingxin Oolong grow differently. In the low altitude plantations, the leaves are thinner. In contrast, the tea leaves are thicker when planted in higher altitudes.

Qingxin Oolong tea trees are relatively weak and less productive. The varietal is mostly hand picked instead of machines due to potential damaging effects from machines. Teas made of Qingxin Oolong come with unique varietal fragrance enjoyed by numerous drinkers. Popularity makes the teas more expensive than other varietals.

Jinxuan Varietal (Milk Oolong)

Jinxuan is also known as Taiwan Tea # 12 among Taiwan local tea lovers. It is a new varietal developed by researchers in Taiwan around 1985. It is mostly grown at plantations located below 1600 meters above sea level.

Jinxuan tea trees are productive and solid. Most of the jinxuan trees planted at high altitude mountain areas are hand-picked to produce first grade milk oolong. It is also perfect to be harvested by machines without being damaged. It can be used to produce a variety of teas including Pouching tea, Baihao Oolong, Tikuanyin and Jinxuan oolong.

Cuiyu Varietal (Jade Oolong)

Similar to Jinxuan tea, Cuiyu is a new varietal developed by researchers in Taiwan. Both varietals were announced around 1985. It is also known as Taiwan Tea # 13. Cuiyu is mostly found at low altitude plantations.

Cuiyu is similar to Jinxuan in terms of productivity and solidness. They both are perfect for machine harvesting. Jade oolong tea is oolong tea made with Cuiyu varietal. The tea gives off a jasmine fragrance with rich flavor.

Sijichun Varietal (Four Season Oolong)

Sijichun is a new varietal that appeared in the Taiwan tea market around 1990. Unlike Jinxuan and Cuiyu, the varietal was accidentally found on a plantation by local farmers in Muzha. Sijichun in Chinese means evergreen, which reflects the characteristic of the varietal solid, fast growing and productive. Mingjian tea region in Taiwan is currently the largest region that grows this type of tea leaves.

Tikuanyin Varietal

Tikuanyin varietal adjusts poorly to new environments and grows slowly. Muzha and Shimen are two major regions that grow tikuanyin varietals in Taiwan.

The process of making tikuanyin is much more complicated and takes longer than making others. Tikuanyin tea can be made with varientals like jinxuan and tikuanyins. However, only the tea that is made with tikuanyins varietal entitles zhengcong tikuanyin.

Baimaohou Varietal

Baimaohou literally means "white fur monkey" in Chinese. The Oriental Beauty oolong tea made from this varietal has a dense amount of white buds on it; hence the meaning white fur monkey. Baimaohou varietal is extremely limited in quantity causing tea from the varietal to be very rare and expensive.

Damanzhong Varietal

Damanzhong literally means "extremely slow" in Chinese. It is not difficult to guess that the varietal actually grows incredibly slow as its Chinese name reflects. Similar to baimaohou, Oriental Beauty oolong tea made from the varietal also carries a great amount of white buds. This varietal is mainly dedicated to producing first grade Oriental Beauty oolong.

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The Island Nation

Taiwan is an island located in East Asia and also the general name used by the government of the Republic of China. Along with the main island, it also encompasses Diaoyu Island, Paracel Islands, Itu Aba Island, Orchid Island and Green Island. It also shares claim with the People's Republic of China on three other areas: the Penghu Islands, Kinmen and the Matsu Islands.

After World War II, the Republic of China was able to seize control of Taiwan from the Japanese military. However, four years later, it lost control of mainland China during the Chinese Civil War. The war was fought between Chinese Nationalists and the Chinese Communist Party and came to a head in 1949. The Kuomintang government of the Nationalists fled to the island and established its new capital in Taipei. Today, the government essentially has two levels: national and local.

The entire nation of Taiwan is claimed as part of the People's Republic of China, despite the fact that it has never made an attempt at exerting its control. The nation was historically part of China for most of known history. It was invaded and conquered by the Japanese in 1895 during the first part of the Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese ruled with an iron fist but was returned to China proper following the surrender of Japan to the Allies.

The government is known as a flawed democracy by the Economist Intelligence Unit Index of Democracy. It has recurring issues with various facets of its processes. National elections are free and fair and offer strong security for voters. However, Taiwan's electoral process has been found to be heavily influenced by foreign powers in both its policies and capabilities through various civil servants within the government.

Taiwan's main island is also known as Formosa which is Portuguese for "beautiful island." It is situated off the coast of China and southwest of Japan. It also sits northwest of the Philippines. To the east sits the Pacific Ocean, while the South China Sea is located to the south. The Taiwan Straight is located to the west and the East China Sea is located to the north.

The island itself is 394 kilometers long and 144 kilometers wide. The majority of the island is covered by tropical and subtropical vegetation which dots its steep mountainous regions. Its highest point is the mountain of Yu Shan, located at 3,952 meters above sea level.

The economy of Taiwan is one of the largest in the region and widely considered one of the Four Asian Tigers along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore. The rise of this economy has widely become known as the Taiwan Economic Miracle due to its rapid economic rise during the latter half of the 20th century. The International Monetary Fund recognizes the nation as one of the most advanced and largest economies in the world. The key component to the economy is its technology sector, which plays a large role in the entire global economy. The nation is responsible for a very large portion of consumer electronics throughout the world. This comes with a strong connection to factories located in mainland China.

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