Promotions and Gratitude: Friends of the Blog

An interesting thing has happened.  This blog is running between 3,00 and 4,000 hits a month.  Since it has become somewhat popular, (It's still a small blog compared to others), I have received numerous requests to advertise things for people.  A lot of people want me to write posts on their particular website, product or link to their page.  While I’m flattered to be asked I have to say, I’m probably not going to write or post posts that are unrelated to Taiwan, especially if you are trying to make a profit.  

I don’t want to be harsh, but this blog isn’t written to make a profit.  It isn’t written to advertise products.  It certainly doesn’t exist to benefit anyone.  It is written to promote the culture, beauty and people of Taiwan.  There have been times when I have written a post that promotes a local restaurant or something, but those are written in the spirit of helping someone with making a successful living for their family.  Generally, these are people that I care about for one reason or another.  I have never asked for or received any compensation for any posts promoting some place.

So the policy of this blog is that we will not promote other websites or organizations, except the following:

Christian Fellowship Ministries – This is the organization under which I am here in Taiwan.  I feel a great sense of gratitude to The Door Christian Fellowship in Tucson, Pastor Harold Warner, and The Door Christian Fellowship in Colton, Pastor Eric Strutz, because of the investment they have made in the people of Taiwan, through this ministry.

We Blog the World – This blog has carried and promoted the Taiwan Adventure for a couple of years.  Renee Blodgett has kindly allowed us to be a part of We Blog the World, even though, my posts are probably not up to the quality of the others who are professional writers, or at least have a basic understanding of English Grammar. 

The Expat Blog – This blog is designed to help expats to find services, jobs, housing and other needs while living in a foreign country.  There is no charge for their service.  They carry The Taiwan Adventure as a blog about life in Taiwan. Use the link to find out all you need to know to live in Taiwan or other places.

Go Overseas.com – Similar to the expat blog, but is aligned toward teaching and educational opportunities in many different nations.  They carry the Taiwan Adventure in their Top Taiwan Blogs section.

Radio Taiwan International – International radio “The Voice of Asia.”  The Taiwan Adventure was promoted by them on their radio show, “Taiwan Today.”

Taiwan Gongfu Tea – Is a website that I own and use to sell Taiwanese Tea on the internet.

The Bard and the Bears – This is one of the groups that has written to me to write a guest post.  I agreed because they will be competing in the Mongol Rally to benefit Children’s Hospital in Orange County California.  As an infant, Children’s Hospital helped me through a surgery that saved my life.  I’m happy to provide this small bit of support back to benefit them.

There are others bloggers whom I support.  They are small blogs or blogs that promote Taiwan from perhaps a different perspective.  I’ve never personally met any of them but they’re the blogs that I enjoy reading.  They are:

Taiwanderful.net – They provide lots of useful information on life in Taiwan for expats, as well as carrying a number of English language blogs. 

Shuflies – An excellent blog written by Catherine Shu.  She is an American Born Taiwanese woman, who writes for the Taipei Times. 

Vagabond in Taiwan – This blog is a photo/written blog by another American Born Taiwanese woman who blogs from her perspective; 16 year old teenager.

Taiwanna Eat A Lot – Kind of cool photoblog about food. 

Taiwan Duck.com – How to cook Taiwanese food.  I love Taiwanese food.  A couple in the UK does this recipes and videos.  She is the star of the videos, her personality is delightful and food is delicious and authentic.

So there it is.  These are the things I promote on this blog.  Please feel free to write me with things you might want to promote, but bear in mind the criteria that I mentioned.  If it doesn’t promote the culture, beauty and people of Taiwan it probably won’t be selected for a post. 

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude and appreciation to the following individuals. These are  people that have helped and supported me either personally or through promoting the blog or being a faithful reader and sometimes critic.

Ps. Harold Warner            Ps. Wayne Pelren

Ps. Eric Strutz                   Henry Wang

Renee Blodgett                 Natalie Tso

Jennifer Kalmbach            Mordeth 13

David Reid                        Yvette Pelren

Valerie Gomez                  Julien (expatblog.com)

Taiwan Travelogue: Lala Shan 拉拉山

Lala Shan is located in Taoyuan County about halfway out the #7 Cross-Island Highway toward Yilan.  One word of warning this is not a drive to take if you’re in a hurry.  The drive is difficult with a lot of one lane sections, a speed of about 30 km/hr (20 mph), the good part is that it is through some of Northern Taiwan’s most beautiful scenery.  There are steep cliffs, many waterfalls, bamboo forests and beautiful river overlooks. 

At one point the highway crosses over the river on a red bridge.  Next to that bridge is a walking bridge, which is home to a three-legged monkey, who spends his time bumming food from tourists.  He’s pretty aggressive and will climb onto and try to get into your car. 

Turn off Highway 7 onto the Shang Baling road, follow it up to Baling and then follow the signs to Lala Shan Nature Protection Zone, or do what we did and head up the little road to You German Garden 侑德國 Bed and Breakfast.

The Big Cabin sleeps up to 10 people

This is a beautiful bed and breakfast that's made up of cabins that sleep four people.  They rent for about  $3,000NTD ($100USD) a night.  There is also a large cabin that will accommodate up to ten people that rents for $6,000NTD ($200USD) for eight people or less and $8,000NTD ($267USD) for nine or more.  Please note that these are off-season rates and who knows, they may change. 

If you are a disabled person the place is a bit difficult.  Doorways are narrow and if you’re in a wheelchair you will definitely need to remove the bathroom door to get in.  The beds are mattresses on the floor, so they are difficult to get up into your wheelchair.  Finally, the walkways from the path to the cabin door are made of loose stepping-stones and there are large steps into the building. 

The view here is magnificent, many times you’re over looking clouds in the valley, or watching clouds rim the higher peaks.  The cabins are rustic but modern.  The big cabin even has karaoke, if you like that sort of thing.  My family can sing, I can manage to croak out a verse or two and start the dogs howling and the bullfrogs singing along.

The four person cabin 

In the morning you can have a breakfast of Congee.  Congee is a type of rice gruel.  The rice is cooked in a lot of water until it’s very soft.  Congee is served plain as a side dish to real food or with flavorings, to stand on its own.  Personally, I don’t really like to eat Congee.  I think it bland and tasteless.  But that’s just me.  I’m one who uses liberal amounts of hot sauce when I eat.  I’m partial to Mexican hot sauces, like Chipotle and Habanero, but Chinese "Rooster" sauce is good, too. In the morning we just grilled up some pancakes on the gas grill provided on our picnic table. 

The B&B also provided a charcoal grill for cooking but they are shallow and wholly inadequate for barbecuing.  I would recommend that you bring your own grill.  It took so long to cook shish kabob that we finally carried it over to the gas grill to put some fire to it.  I’m just glad we didn’t try to do steaks.

This beautiful area is also the home of the Lala Shan Nature Protection Zone.  There are beautiful, towering Red Cypress trees there.  Some of them are between 500 and 2,800 years old.  In addition, you'll see yellow Cypress and color changing (deciduous) trees like green maple and Beech.  It must be really spectacular in the fall when the reds and yellows are mixed in with the greens of the conifers. I may have to make a return trip.

The trails here are well developed and easy to walk.  They have stairs that go up most of the steepest inclines.  (Once again difficult for disabled people.)  The trails pass by many ancient trees and the scenery is gorgeous.

 The Lala Shan Nature Protection Zone

Well developed trails

Signs are in Chinese and English

This tree is 1,400 years old

Stairs help you do the steep parts

Caterpillar Trains

The #7 Cross Island Highway

A tea shop along the road

Other posts you may be interested in:

Taiwan Travelogue:  The Cross-Island Highway

Photo Credits:

You German Garden photos: http://blog.yam.com/nicochan0412/article/24325445

All other photos:  Chris, Brenda, Elizabeth, and Emily Banducci

Eating My Way Through Taiwan: Yakiniku

Stone Yakiniku's distinctive building

Why is there so much Japanese food in Taiwan, you may well ask.  To find an answer to that question one only needs to understand a bit of Taiwanese history.  In 1895, the Qing dynasty surrendered to the Japanese ending the first Sino-Japanese war.  The Qing dynasty had failed at its attempt to modernize army of China.  For the last half-century the power and influence of the Qing emperor and his army had been in decline.  This defeat was the harbinger of doom for the dynasty, and the very early beginnings of the rise to power of the Republic of China. In just sixteen years, the Wuchang uprising would usher in the Xinhai Revolution and after a few months of war the dynasty would fall.

Barbecuing right at the table

China had changed as a result of this important defeat and one of the spoils of victory for the Japanese was the island of Taiwan.  Taiwan, until the end of the Second World War, would be operated as a Japanese colony, so it is no surprise that Japanese food is so popular here.  There are many restaurants that serve Japanese food, but one of the most interesting in my mind is the Japanese barbecue, or Yakiniku. 

Bade City has a number of Yakiniku restaurants, but my favorite is a brand new one called Stone Yakiniku.  It’s located on the corner of Jie Shou Lu and Jinhe Lu, across from the tennis courts.

The start of the Hot Pot

The way it works is that you choose a level of the menu that you want.  There are three price structures.  The highest price is $639 NTD.  The food served is all you can eat.  The waitresses will bring you a starter of Beef, Pork and Chicken and you barbecue it yourself in a charcoal pit built right into the table.   Shrimp and seafood are also available for those who ask, and the menu also includes Hot Pot at no extra charge, which is also heated right there at the table. Most places have a hood over the pit to pull the smoke, but they're noisy, in your face and real hindrance to conversation.  This restaurant has fans built right into the table, they're silent and extremely effective.

Throughout your meal, whenever you need more meat, or seafood to barbecue, you press the buzzer and the waitress comes to see what else you would like.  Soft drinks are, "All You Can Drink," and included with your meal.  Haagen Daz ice cream is also included with your meal.  That’s pretty special, but what really makes Stone Yakiniku the premiere yakiniku restaurant in the Bade-Taoyuan area s that you can also get sashimi and sushi, made to order and it is also included in the price. 

The atmosphere is noisy and fun.  I like those restaurants where you hear all the commotion and people enjoying themselves.  The wait staff are young and lively and make an enjoyable experience.  The service they provide is excellent. If you don’t speak Chinese you can make it work because there are a few who will enjoy practicing their English on you. 

Other posts you may be interested in:

Eating My Way Through Taiwan: A Traditional Restaurant

Taiwanese History:  Double Tenth Day

Local Color: The Color is Green

Recently we drove up the 7乙, above Sanxia in the mountains of Taoyuan County.  We drove along the river to the very end of the road.  Hidden up there among the trees is a fish hatchery.  Welcome to the Taiwanese countryside.

The sign says, "Ecological Secret Hideout - Return Journey for the Fish."

This is to what the sign referred.

This temple was all alone out there.

A Western-style Farmhouse and Tea Field.

Other posts you may be interested in:


Traveling with M13:  Finding Toad Valley
Traveling with M13:  The Sequel:  Return to Toad Valley
Local Color:  The Colors of Yingge
Local Color:  The Temples of Taoyuan City

All Photos by Brenda and Emily Banducci

The Taiwan Adventure on the Voice of Asia

Radio Taiwan International was started in 1928 by the government of the Republic of China to be the Central Broadcasting System (CBS) in Nanjing, Mainland China When the Japanese invaded in 1937, CBS moved to Hankou, then to Chongqing following the ROC government.  At the end of World War 2 the radio station went back Nanjing and four years later Radio Taiwan International moved to Taipei, Taiwan along with the ROC government.

Today RTI broadcasts in 13 languages to 122 countries, it is one of the oldest radio stations operating, broadcasting news and other programs. RTI provides opportunities for listeners around the world to become acquainted with Taiwan.  RTI is also called the Voice of Asia.

Natalie Tso

Recently, Natalie Tso, the host of Taiwan Today, interviewed me on the Taiwan Adventure Blog’s recent Taiwan’s Best Blog Award for 2011.   I appreciate Natalie for allowing me an opportunity to bore her listeners. 

Natalie is also from California, an American born Chinese, was educated at Columbia University and began her radio broadcasting career in 1993.  She is also a published author.  Her books include Free to be you:  A Woman’s Guide to Dreams, Love and Self Discovery and Free to Love.  She is also a contributor to TIME magazine. Writing articles on Taiwan.  

The following is the audio from our interview.  Thank you, Natalie for this opportunity.

Other posts you may be interested in:


Taiwan Travelogue:  Driving to Hawaii
Living in Taiwan:  Coping with Disability
Day Tripping:  Jiufen

Natalie Tso Photo:  http://english.rti.org.tw/hostinfo.aspx?tid=E9F45554960FB097

Day Tripping: Jiufen

The view from Jiufen

Now that the weather has turned nice again, we are back on our schedule of Monday day trips.  Yesterday, we drove about an hour northeast of Taoyuan to a place called Jiufen 九份.  Jiufen is a historic mining town built in the mountains overlooking the northeastern coast of Taiwan.

If you’re driving from Taoyuan City, take National Highway 1 through Taipei, exit at the Badu interchange to Highway 62.  Follow Highway 62 to the Coastal Highway (Prov. Highway 2D) then exit to Highway 102.  Follow that into the mountains and you will find Jiufen. 

There are a number of things worth seeing there.  Jiufen has a beautiful view of the Northeastern Coast:  Beautiful bays, huge rocks and the Pacific Ocean.  There are a number of tea shops that overlook the the ocean and you can sit and drink tea and enjoy the view.  But the biggest attraction is the Jiufen Old Street area.

The entrance to Jiufen Old Streets

It’s similar to many of Taiwan’s historic "Old Street" areas.  But Jiufen is built right into the side of the hill.  Tourists from all over the world come to Jiufen when visiting Taiwan.  My daughter and I sat in one spot for a while and guessed where people were from.  We saw Norwegians, Germans, Americans and many people from Mainland China.  If you’re a homesick foreigner, like my children, this is a good place to come to find your countrymen.

If you visit Yingge, the old street area centers around ceramics.  There there are a lot of stores that’s sell only ceramics, but Jiufen is different, here the vendors are much more eclectic.  We saw a number of shoe shops, food vendors, teashops, traditional clothing stores, and of course souveneir shops.  (What tourist spot doesn’t sell souvenirs to tourists?) Just about everything was for sale here.

Grilled Sea Snails

I, of course was interested in food.  I’m always interested in food.  We found a number of vendors selling the local snacks.  Things like Squid on a Stick, some kind of sea snail, and sausages.  I will eat just about anything, but for the less adventurous, they had other Taiwanese snacks that were a little more common.

We took the wheelchair and found it pretty tough going.  The area is steep and paved with old rough-hewn stones.  We parked at the top of the area near the park and had to go down the hill, which was a bit scary.  If the wheelchair got away it would have been disastrous.  Going up the hill on the way back was very difficult for the one pushing.  So if you’re disabled it may take a bit of planning.  But it was a fun and interesting trip.  We have already discussed a return trip when family comes to visit in the fall. 

Temple rooftops in Jiufen.

Jiufen is built right into the side of the mountain.

Squid on a Stick

Lots of tourists visit Jiufen

Tombs built into the Hillside

Other posts you may be interested in:

Taiwan Travelogue:  Ceramics Old Street

Traveling with M13: The Sequel:  Return to Toad Valley

Taiwan Travelogue:  The North Coast