Taiwan - checking out Taipei city of scooters and noodles

The first thing you notice about Taipei in the middle of summer is the heat. When you step out of the subway and the little screen tells you it's 34 degrees outside you know you're going to be a sweaty monster in seconds.

The second is the scooters - they are everywhere, clogging up footpaths, roads and alleyways, it definitely seems to be the main form of transport and everyone's got one. From young people texting on the back seat as their driver weaves through traffic or the dapper gentleman with suit and tie it's the most prevalent way to get around.

Once you become accustomed with these two facets of the city, which you do quickly due to the overwhelming aspects of both, you see Taipei a thoroughly diverse city which appears relaxed, although constantly moving and friendly.
One of my favourite things about Taipei was the mix-up of people and cultures everywhere we went. At the Chiang Kai-shek area there was these huge white arches that were obviously designed and built by someone for whatever inspiration and they are absolutely magnificent. While gazing upon these structures in awe and contemplating what motivations people have and what great lives people must lead to have things like this built in their honour - there was a bunch of ladies next me feeding a swarm of pigeons. Both these sights were as interesting to me because one is a monument which will stand for centuries and the other a fleeting moment, but both represented humanity at its finest and most interesting, which is kind of what this city was all about.

In the nearly a week I stayed there with two friends we found plenty of amazing little pockets within the sprawling mass and staying several different areas we found Taipei to be different and changeable wherever you are.

Around Taipei main station and Datong
Arriving in the city from the airport and looking super-lost as we studied maps and cellphones in our quest to find the accommodation we had booked. It was not long before a woman came up to us and in perfect English let us know the right direction to head. As we toddled off thanking her profusely she finished the conversation with a chirpy "welcome to Taiwan". It was only the first of many with a number of people helping us along the way, often without being approached and made the experience feel really friendly and welcoming. I even had one short lady stop me mid-stride on the last day just to welcome me.
Being based in Korea this really got us talking about the differences between the two countries. In Korea I had been approached a few times when lost also and people had been very helpful at times as well. Taiwan, though, at least the city, seemed to have more English speakers but I do not think this was an education thing, I think Koreans are just more shy about using their English.
After checking in we explored the Museum of Contemporary Art which is in a stately building not far from the station. A trendy little gallery the artsy among you will feel right at home and a the cute accompanying coffee shop offers a nice breather.
The area North of the station where we stayed seems a bit like your average Taiwan with lots of pokey little shops and apartments intertwined with noodle shops while south offers shopping malls and sky-high department stores catering for every need.

A short walk away is the Ning-Xiao night market. Taiwan is famous for its markets which are pretty much everywhere. Ning-Xiao is a smaller one but offers heaps of food and drink. We tried all sorts of things like octopus and pork noodle rolls, papaya smoothies and sausages of unknown origin and make. One of the most remarkable things about Taipei is the range of food, catering to every taste. The entire time we were there we ate out in noodle huts, the markets, corner dumpling stores and even a couple of restaurants. All of which offering flavours from very part of Asia and beyond.
In the coming days, we explored the National Museum which was currently holding an amazing amber exhibit featuring preserved tree-sap capturing animals, insects and plants from millions of years ago - most recognizable from Jurrasic Park as where the dino-DNA is taken from. Unfortunately this was pseudo-science, but looking upon a perfectly preserved lizard or mosquito from a time before our species even existed was very striking and ultimately humbling.

Not far from here on the West side of the station is the San Yan Set Memorial House and park. This incredible building is absolutely huge and features and three-story high statue of the Chinese leader, who, politics aside, is revered on both sides of the Taiwanese Strait. We arrived there to a packed hall for the changing of the guard's ceremony. We did not even know it was on, just happened to be there. With a lot of rifle-twirling and boot stomping the well-dressed guards exchanged places, but the ceremony was hilarious because the actual security in suits protecting the guards provided the real protection. But, it was interesting all the same.

Daan and Xinyi
The financial capital areas of Taipei, these two areas feature incredible high-rises, upmarket shopping, fancy hotels, trendy bars and, nestled in between fantastic markets and great finds. The most notable piece of Xinyi, especially is the famous Taipei 101 tower.

It sprouts out of the city like the bamboo shoot it was designed to look like and is a great reference point when navigating as it is huge. At the base of the tower it touts it is "the greatest engineering achievement in the world" which, I guess is open to interpretation. If your a shopper this area is for you and a variety of late-night dance clubs will keep you going to the early hours if you want to party after.

Being frugal travellers we were able to marvel as we had a poke into one of the high-rise bars and the biggest freaking bookstore I have ever seen, but were always warmly welcomed in what appeared to be the typical Taipei fashion.
We stayed in a hostel in Daan, maybe 15 minutes walk from the tower and this area is less up-market but once again had amazing night-markets. This is where you want to eat in Taipei as we were able to find treats from all over the world. I often have a large disdain for "foodies" and people who identify themselves as such - but it is impossible to deny that eating in Taiwan is a great adventure as well as being cheap, delicious and fun. One of my favourite treats in Asia is being able to buy a whole coconut and drink it from a straw which is easily found in every market we visited.

Zhongzheng
Zhongzheng is a popular tourist spot as it  features a number of architectual marvels from the Presidential palace to the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall area featuring a number of towering monuments and buildings. We had a whole day wandering through this area and it's well worth it.

Just about every building here is epic and if you like looking at big and old things its a great spot to be.
It's also home to the Government buildings including the Presidential palace:

There's so much to see and do in Taipei it's impossible to capture it all in one go, so a few days was well worth our time.

Cheers to Taipei!

"I'm sorry, we can't do stitches here." - fun fun Korean hospital trip

Her voice came wavering over the phone "I've cut myself really bad and need to go to hospital," in the - we're raised tough in Indiana but things have turned South - kind of way.
Moving to a new country like Korea and not speaking the language can be a frustration at times but when there's a genuine emergency and you've been in-country just two weeks, things can get pretty scary as it did for my friend two nights ago.
It was out the door and ran straight into neighbor from Washington on her way out the door to give assistance as well.
"I don't even know where she lives," she tells me.
When you're in a town of 50,000 with just a dozen or so expats, you see each other on weekends and have a few laughs, but when it comes to the crunch they can be the only help you have some days and it's an interesting note how little we know of each other at times.
We found Indiana in the parking section of her building sounding very meek and clutching a bloody paper towel to her hand. It was straight in a taxi as noone has a car and up to the nearest hospital which, due to a public holiday was meagerly staffed.
A short wait and our patient was able to see the doctor who quickly stated, "I'm sorry, we can't do stitches here."
Bewildered, we were told the nearest place to get a sliced finger repaired was the next city, Daejeon which meant after they bandaged the hanging piece of flesh attempting to escape the ring finger, we would be on a 40 minute train out of town, then a ten minute taxi, just to get there.
A frantic search for the emergency room resulted in a wonderful, if tiny, lady escorting us down to the basement level where there was paperwork and many questions before we could get in to see a professional.
The first noticeable thing about a Korean emergency room was the lack of curtains, they're present but all nicely tucked away so you share the space with the other patients quite intimately.
The nurses were very efficient and practical and a fantastic young Doctor came to her aid, announcing it would only be 30 minutes before he could stitch her up.
We were led to a small surgery room and Washington was straight out the door again due to the fact a young man was having a side wound treated in full view as right in the doorway. Myself and Indiana were left there in the corner, able to observe someone else having minor surgery for a while - neat but not for the faint stomached and certainly did not ease the patient's mind.
The Doctor was a stunning craftsman and six stitches into a smallish flap of skin to essentially reattach it was done even with a phone call and one or two text messages in between - although he did change gloves between each checked message.
It was then time for the post-op which for some reason involved an allergy test before four injections of anti-biotics which had our patient reaching for the puke bag.

Fun in Seoul

There is plenty to do in Seoul and recently I spent a weekend hopping around the downtown area to check out the sights on a rainy but entertaining day - proving it is an all-weather city.
Awakening to grey skies, I enjoyed a sweet pastry breakfast and coffee, then headed the bus from Cheongju to Seoul with a friend and her nephew. Arriving at the Seoul bus terminal we hitched a subway to Itaewon and the Namsan area and a then a bus to the base of N Tower.

Despite the rain there were still plenty of people making the hike up the hill to the tower and upon arrival stumbled into a boy-band show, complete with screaming fans in see-through ponchos. Before entering the elevator up the tower, we and the other visitors were treated to a psychedelic light show and then herded onto the lift in droves.
The ceiling of the elevator includes a cinematic show giving the feeling of floating through space. Once at the top it became evident how high we actually were, not from the spectacular view but from the fact we were up in the clouds. This did make the views of the city a little disappointing as we could only see half way as what is normal. But we could still see the expanse of the traditional village and Itaewon through the business district and Hongdae.
In a way being up in the clouds was a special magic of its own and there was plenty of fun playing with the binoculars and sending a postcard from Seoul's highest post office. What is also fun about the tower is the windows have locations from around the world printed on them with the distance they are from where you are standing - 9,500 kms from home it tells me.

Back on the bus and a cab into Itaewon - the foreigner district - for lunch. We picked Johnny Dumpling, one of the more famous mandu places in Seoul. It was a typically small place but the food was amazing. We had two orders of soup and half fried, half steamed, pork and seafood dumplings. It was fantastic with the flavours of both steam and the fry pan being something I had not tried before but quickly became my new favourite thing.

Back out into the rain and another cab for the trip through downtown and to one of Seoul's most popular and well-known attractions the National Folk Museum. First stop was the cafe for a cup of coffee before catching the afternoon performance. These are put on each Saturday and change each week so there is always something different when visitors attend.
The one we caught was put on and choreographed by Ahn Gwiho who is the leader of the Chum Yi-Eum Dance Troupe. This performance gave asampling of different style of Korean dance from wonderfully colourful fan dances to classic forms and the humorous scholar's dance. The whole performance was deeply mesmerizing and was designed to give a sampling of the different styles of dance from around Korea. From classical and more contemporary works I think you would be hard pressed to find a better cross-section of traditional dance. Twirling hanbok to beautiful peonies all combined to really make this show something special.
The museum itself offers insight into the many directions Korea has taken over the centuries and can easily chew through a couple of hours of walking time. But what is most fascinating is the grounds around the museum. The building itself has a six-story temple stacked on top of it, recreated in the 1960s to resemble parts of existing buildings from around the country.

As with many things in Korea some of these no longer exist or have been rebuilt during its tumultuous history. The grounds also feature art and buildings brought in from around the country relevant to its history. A wander around here offers insight into current architecture based on the old-style homes present throughout.
Next was off to Chungcheongno for a showing of Nanta. Now Nanta is without a doubt Korea's most successful stage show, having showed in 43 countries more than 25,000 times since it opened in 1997 and currently plays three full-time locations around Seoul. So it's a must-see when in Korea and a point of pride.
Nanta, also appeared globally under the English name Cookin', is difficult describe but it is certainly one of the most entrtaining things I have ever seen in my life. Using every kitchen utensil imaginable and real food, the crew bang through an hour and a half of music, comedy and fun in this hilarious stage show. It follows a basic plot about a kitchen staff having just one hour to prepare an entire wedding feast. Everything from skillets to the bulgogi itself becomes musical and audience interaction is encouraged. There's plenty of laughs and heaps of fun with this show and I have definitely recommended it to many of my friends. After the show it was dinner time at the restaurant down stairs and we enjoyed a huge pot of extra spicy beef rib - straight off the bone. It was one of the best dishes I have eaten in Korea and also one of the hottest.
Saying goodbye to my campanions I headed on the subway to Itaewon once again to Bar Americano - a hot spot for foreigners which often features live music and reasonably priced drinks. I caught a performance from a number of acoustic musicians and a friend of mine Skizzo - a native Hawaiian who raps in Korean and beat boxes - check him out here; http://www.youtube.com/qklilx

Borderlands - into the Korean border DMZ

"You can see how we're surrounded on three points by North Korea," the American Army guide points  out. Our group is standing at a UN outpost on the North/South Korean border deep into the four -fortified, four kilometre line known as the DMZ.
It stands for De-militarized Zone, an area which runs along the 38 degrees North parallel which has separated the two parts of the Korean peninsula since 1953 when a bloody and brutal war for the peninsula ceased major hostilities.

Looking into North Korea with a plaque commemorating UN Forces

Map of DMZ at UN briefing

Myself and two friends joined a USO tour of the area viewing the complicated and intruging facets which make up the border area including once-clandestine tunnels dug by the north, an area which joins the two nations for meetings and observations outposts.
We were able to stand in a "thumb" containing a UN outpost which overlooks forest area, a minefield, North Korean outposts and the famous propaghanda village. So while the border seperates the two countries by some distance there are parts where you can grab a glimpse of one of the world's most isolated and introverted States.
Our tour began with a trip down tunnel 3, one of four made by the North in a suspected attempt to invade and discovered between the 1970s and 1994.

It's a long way under the earth at 80 metres and intriguing to see the walls carved by soldiers through the harsh volcanic rock. We were told about 30,000 troops could make their way through the tunnel in an hour, which I would believe judging by the two single-file lines of fellow tourists ploughing in and out of there. Would not recommend this if you are even the slightest bit claustrophobic as even I had trouble with the number of people and not being able to stand.
The next stop was Dorasan station which until recent political frictions was used every day to carry tourists and workers between the two states. It was quite eery when we were there as the station is abandoned so you are able to walk around and through onto the tracks, but we were surrounded by fog in the morning and the railway seemed to disappear into nowhere.

The eerily empty station

The tracks dissappear into the mist

After lunch we popped up to the tourist observation post which looks out over North Korea and the lush vegetation which has sprung up due to lack of human interference. We were also given a briefing on what we should have been able to see, but the fog kept the view reasonably short. What is hilarious about this area though is that there is a photo line about 10 metres back from the edge where you can't actually see anything so taking the camera here is a bit redundant.

The fog over the introverted North was quite metaphorical

The most exciting and interesting part of the tour though is being taken inside the zone itself where you can actually come face-to-face with the North Korean armed forces. After a briefing by US soldiers we are placed on buses with an Army guide and given strict instructions about where we are going and what can and especially, what can not be photographed.
As the bus heads through we pass minefields, tanks traps, road blocks and a whole number of intimidating sites including areas where fighting and ambushes have taken place in the past, then onto our first stop at the Joint Security Area. The JSA is a special area right in the middle of the border which has a number of huts which allow leaders from both sides of the peninsula to meet and is run by the UN and US forces.

The UN-controlled huts of the JSA

A North Korean guard can be seen standing on duty across the border

Stepping out into the courtyard, North Korean soldiers are clearly visible on guard posts and several South Korean guards are posted for our safety. We are allowed to enter the huts and for a brief couple of minutes step inside the boundary of North Korea.

Stepping into the North for a moment

The border runs down the centre of the table

From there we are taken to the outpost which sees us surrounded by the North and then down to the borderline and the poignant "Bridge of No Return". The bridge was the last point of exchange of North and South Korean prisoners of war after the end of major hostilities in 1953. Prisoners were released and told they could stay on either side or leave - but whatever decision they made could not be reversed. They could not return once the crossing had been made.

Bridge of no return - this was the last place many saw the other side of the border

An outpost on the DMZ surrounded by lush forest land

Following that was the gift shop, museum and then back to Seoul. It is quite a surreal experience stepping into and observing one of the most feared parts of the world but the hope of unification still exists in these areas.

The now non-functioning border gate

Folk village

Korea is a country defined not only by its rapid pace, work-hard lifestyle and bustling streets, but by its rich and well-recorded history.
It is a sad fact when I first planned on travelling to Korea I explained to a friend I liked history and “old things” to which he replied it was hard to find here because so much was destroyed in the war in the early 1950s.
One way the people have shown themselves not only recovered but prospered during the last six decades is a way of honouring the past through folk villages, where their past is recreated in a touristy, but humble and classy way.

One of the most famous of these is the aptly-named Korean Folk Village in the Seoul satellite city of Yongin.
Built in the early 1970s, and based on the Chosun Dynasty which ran the place for 500 years until 1897, as a way of tourist promotion and history keeping the village has recreations of everything from traditional pottery kilns, houses, musical instruments and temples.

I visited in winter and the snow on the eves and trees surrounding the area made it look fantastic, even though the weather did cut out some performances and activities.

Korean architecture is given added beauty in the snow.

While it is a created atmosphere, the approach to history recreation is quite proud and charming and the staff manning the houses show real enthusiasm for keeping the old ways alive.

The old ways represented as best they can.

Work still to be done in the hanbok - Korean traditional dress

I would recommend leaving plenty of time as the site of 260 traditional houses is absolutely huge and growing, the museum on site is enough to keep you occupied for a while.

Spoiler points for the jarring children’s theme park which seems to pop up out of nowhere when strolling across one of the many bridges criss-crossing the passing stream and a few tacky souvenir stands.
This is a good first stop for those wanting to escape the city and find out a little bit about the country’s history.

Jindo Parting of the Seas Festival

What do tigers, the parting of the sea and giant orange gum boots have in common; the Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival, of course.
The festival over the weekend of April 25 to 28 on Jindo Island is celebrated every year when the sea parts to allow thousands to walk across the ocean, if it sounds unique you’re absolutely right.

Thousands walk across this narrow stretch of mudflat, reliving a tale from deep in Korea's past.

I had not heard much about the festival but received an urgent message from a friend on the Friday to get to Gwangju as the sea was going to part and it was not to be missed.
About four trains later I was in Gwangju and keen to learn more so it was off to Kino Bar, a trendy little spot which has just about any song you could want to request in almost any format.
Over a few beers friends told me the sea forms a walk-able path between the villages of Hoedongri and Modori on different islands, just long enough to allow people to cross a natural 40 metre-wide bridge.
I knew I had made the right choice in coming and this was clearly not to be missed.
After a trip through the popular dance club Bubble and a few hours sleep we were on the first bus to Jindo Island, which is very accessible by bridge and public transport, then a local bus to the village of Modo which in all took about three hours - phew.

Long bus rides with my buddy Adam have become frequent but fun occasions.

The first trip back to the sea after a couple of months was welcome relief.

On first entering the festival, which was actually huge, we purchased giant, thigh-high orange plastic boots which everyone seemed to be wearing and a cup of fried chicken on top of a soda.

Orange thigh-highs be sex-ay

The place was huge and teeming with people and every where you looked seemed to have some kind of performance or attraction, great fun but it appears it pays to check out Korean festivals thoroughly beforehand to see the best sites.

Flavour and fun are trademarks of any good Korean festival.

Come late afternoon people began to drift down to the water and we followed suit as thousands upon thousands stretched out across the 2.8 kilometres between the villages.
The event is significant as it involves a folk story of a lady named Grandma Mulberry who braved tigers to live on the island by herself while others escaped and one night prayed to end her loneliness.
Lo and behold the next day the sea parted and the village came back to visit her, then she died. That’s the story, but it now brings a pilgrimage of crowds every year to celebrate the phenomenon.
I have to say the parting of the sea was interesting but the people really made the day.

Watching young couples collecting seaweed and grandparents teaching the kiddies to dig for clams and the perpetual smiles on the faces of those enjoying a drink or eat in one of the hundreds of stands really made the day.

When we donned our bright boots the locals were forthcoming in approaching and giving their approval and a few laughs which was great too.
The festival side of things was not too different from other events in Korea but seeing the mass stretched out across the sea in some sort of aquatic pilgrimage was really incredible.

Where have you been?

Nearly five months of living in Korea have given me a wealth of stories, of which I have posted none! Well done.

Flying the flag on a ferry ride out to Docho-do on Korea's South-West coast.

But I have found a bit of time so I will be throwing a few things up in time to come, they will be a bit out of order and a bit hurried but it's good to get this thing going again.

Cheers,

Andy

Cheerio New Zealand

On Saturday morning I'm off to South Korea for about six months and there is a lot I'll miss about New Zealand, but this photo about sums it up.
Taken in Opotiki in the Eastern Bay of Plenty this is one of my favourites I've taken during my time working for newspapers and unfortunately it never made it to print anywhere.

Dog time in Brown’s Bay

Everyone owns a dog in Brown’s Bay. Freaking every one. A pop down to the beach before 10.30am or a walk around any neighbourhood in the Auckland North Shore suburb and they are there.

Being walked, being swam (with owners), being watered and fed (every café has a water bowl and I once saw one being fed steak chunks prepared by the chef at one of the restaurants) and as the topic of discussion.

You see, when you have a dog you are not just adopting (purchasing) a companion but a club, the dog walker club – and the shore is full of members.

I would know, I recently spent an extended weekend as part of the chosen few who call this affluent, international and my God, pretty area home.

I between views of the Hauraki Gulf, it’s big island and the chalky cliffs it is sandwiched in between, all a short passage from the city, especially in the boats every also seems to own there, it’s quite stunning.

But that’s obvious, wealthy people live in pretty places and they walk their dogs at any given time, regardless of what their errands are in the areas small but convenient shopping area, the dog comes too.

My trusty companion during my dog-sitting weekend was Axle – a huntaway-something-a-rather, which I spouted more times than I can count, because those in the club, want to know what its members are up to.

“What’s his name?” “How old?” “What breed?” “What do you feed him?”

These dog people are a unique breed (heh), because even when you answer them, they feel they need to make up their own as if they did not hear you or answer one which was not asked.

“I think he’s Doberman.” “His colour is a bit rottie” – did you ask the question just to tell me I was wrong?

I had one lady in her 60’s explain that her daughter “about your age” got a huntaway too, because she lived in South Africa and liked the security, and her old dog died before she moved and she missed him.

What is the prescribed response to that? – I came out with “Okay, have a good afternoon.”

There is the eclipsing visage of the cat person being the shut-in who shuns their fellow humans for feline company, but dog people are the opposite – you have to be social.

Even when I’m bowled up by two yapping miniatures not four-inches toe to ear who tangled up Axle’s lead, I have to be a good member, even just a casual one.

You can’t just extract the dog from the post and your legs, and his legs and the bush and move on, you have to have the talk.

“How old?” “What is he?” – then the unrequited reply – “This one’s four, he won’t get any bigger, they rule the roost here” – all from a middle-aged guy who looked like your local mechanic, even as he cooed over his two tiny monsters.

“Oh well, must be moving on,” I say.

Getting home and in the January eat it’s scorching and Axle is panting before he slurps a drink as we walk in the door and he passes out on the carpet.

Not a bad idea and I do the same.

An hour later and we both awake needing to pee so outside we go to do the business.

Yep, dog time in Brown’s Bay has it’s rewards.

There’s a satisfaction in that every moment is an adventure for the dog, so even doing bugger-all means you feel like you achieved something because your buddy has had a good time.

Doing nothing was never so much fun.