CINBI VILLAGE(芹壁村), THE MOST POPULAR SITE OF BEIGAN ISLAND

(the landmark of Cinbi Village)
(Cinbi Village)
(Cinbi Village, Turtle Island and Gaodeng Island)
(the typical houses of Cinbi)
(the Cinbi Hostel)

Cinbi Village (芹壁村) may be the most popular and famous site at Beigan Island. Because this village is a eastern Fujianese style fishing village at its own style which you will never find at other places in Taiwan area.

In early years, people in this village made their living by shrimping. Most houses are made of granite and their shapes look like "Chinese chop". These houses are built on terraces that step up the hillside. Visitors can take a walk around this village to enjoy the beauty of these unique old houses. Also, because Matsu was a military zone, so you will see a lot "slogans" in the village.

There are 2 hostels in this village, visitors can experience living in these unique houses and enjoy the peaceful life. Also, they provide scooter rental service, you can rent a scooter for an easy way to look around the beautiful island.

I stayed at a stronghold just beside Cinbi Village, but I had never stepped into Cinbi at that time. This time I could really enjoy it, and not only thought about going home.

Selected photos from this trip

Mt. DAAO(大澳山), MY MOST MEMORY AT BEIGAN ISLAND

(at Mt. Daoo in 1989, with my Type 57 rifle

which a Taiwan made M-14)
(where the observation post No.113 was, now there is nothing)
(the company commanding post)
(one of our strongholds, the stronghold No.06)
(stronghold No. 08, now is a weaponry park)

During my 2 year military life, I spent more than one year at observation post No.113 at Mt. Daao (大沃山). My job was to watch the sea, and gave commend to strongholds to fire .50 machine guns at any boats which were closed to our guarding areas, no matter during day time and night time.

After checking at the hostel, I went to Mt. Daao directly to find the place where I lived before. Surprisingly, the whole Mt. Daao now became The Peace Memorial Park. Army only keeps few strongholds, then abandoned others; stronghold No.08 now is a weapon park, stronghold No. 06 and No.12 are fully opened to tourists. And for the observation post No. 113, it is totally no longer there.

Time did changed almost everything! Once young people left home and took a long journey to this island, defended it with their life and blood. But now all we have done seems a joke...

Anyway, that is life! that is the way how people grow up.

BACK TO 1988 - 1990...

(the map of Beigan, by Matsu National Scenic Area Administration)

(Beigan Island, view from Mt. Bi)
(a big slogan board at Tangchi Village)
(barbed-wire at stronghold No.6)

I felt tears in my eyes when airplane was approaching Matsu Beigan Airport. It was not because of the first visit to this small island but a re-visit after 17 years. From 1988 to 1990, I served in army as a citizen's duty at Beigan Island of Matsu for almost 2 years. After discharged from army, I have never been to this small island again, due to not opened to tourists until 1994.

Within 2 days, I re-visited all the places I had visited and other places I had never done. I tried to re-discover its beauty which I missed long time ago....

FUN EXERCISE WITH Wii Fit

(home gym with Wii Fit)
(can track your weight and BMI)
(you can choose a female or a male instructor)
(my favorite step exercise)

Nintendo just launched a new game set, the Wii Fit on December 1, 2007. It includes a pedal and a game. I brought it from Japan and it cost me around JPY8,000, not expensive but heavy (4.3Kg for a full package)

I think this game is really a killer application from Nintendo. This game set provides the function of measuring and tracking your weight and BMI (quite accurate!), also provides varieties of exercises; including some basic physical trainings, yoga and fun games. After playing for few days (30 minutes each time), I have lost 0.3Kg.

Wii Fit is really good for us who do not like and have no time to go to gym, but really need some exercise everyday. I will recommend all Wii owners to purchase this Wii Fit game set for healthy and fun purposes.

THE 10TH TRIP TO JAPAN

(The entrance of Antonio Inoki Sakaba)
(Wii Fit)

This is my 1oth visit to Japan since Oct., 2005; 8 times to Tokyo and all for business. The purpose of this trip is for budget meeting. And luckily I got a chance to join the year-end party of Tokyo office. We had a dinner at Antonio Inoki Sakaba (アントニオ猪木酒場 池袋店) which owned by a very famous Japanese wrestling star. The decoration is pretty cool, like an American sports bar but for Japanese pro wrestling. The food they serve is very American style, but with some Japanese taste. Because most people in the party spoke Japanese, I did not really know what game they were playing. But I did enjoy my first time ever year-end party at this company.

Also, I got an important stuff for my wife as a Christmas gift - the Wii Fit. It is huge and heavy, but I am sure we will have a lot fun with it. Please wait for my fun report!

MY NEW GLASSES

I knew it would happen sooner or later. It is something I don't want but can not resist! I had a pair of new glasses; a pair of multi-focus glasses.

2007 ART FORUM IN TAIPEI - TAKASHI MURAKAMI

(the ticket for this event, with Mr. Murakami's famous design)
(Location:Taipei Arena; photo taken before speech started)
(Mercedes-Benz with Mr. Murakami's famous flowers)

Mr. Takashi Murakami, a famous Japanese art designer visited Taiwan recently for the purpose of his new book published in Taiwan. He also shared his experience of his designer career and some of his art works with people in Taipei at Taipei Arena on Nov. 30, 2007.

In fact, I am not an art people, so I am not familiar with Mr. Murakami until he had the project with Louis Vuitton . For his speech, it was interesting to find out he was not shy to talk about how to make money from art design, thought some artists criticized him on this.

For me, the thing I learned from his speech was his experience from working with Louis Vuitton. "what is the meaning of a brand? A brand is something about TRUST and something customers can RELY ON." Although it is a very simple idea, how many companies can really make it?

WILLIAMS FW29 SHOW CAR IN TAIPEI

(Williams FW29 show car)
(FW29 and lenovo show girl)
(Williams team logo and the logo for remembering Senna)

Infomonth Show is the biggest computer show for consumers every year in Taiwan; you may get the best deal during the 9 days. This year "lenovo" brought a AT&T Williams F1 show car for promoting their laptop computers.

Once lenovo was the laptop dept. of IBM, but sold to a Chinese company few years ago. After becoming a Chinese brand, consumers changed the perception on their products. So lenovo works hard to build up brand image. Being a major sponsor of Williams F1 team and bringing this brand worldwide is one of their major marketing events. But during the computer show, I saw visitors paid more attention on show girls than on this F1 show car and their products.

Since I am a fan of Formula one racing, you may ask me if I will buy lenovo laptop computer? Well, I don't think so. If I am going to buy a laptop PC related to Formula one, I will buy the Acer Ferrari laptop PC; Ferrari beats Williams on the tracks!!!

More photos of Williams FW29

JIUFEN(九份), A SPECIAL PLACE TO MY FAMILY

(Jiufen, a small village)
(Jiufen in the rain)
(Shuchi Road of Jiufen)
(grandpa's old home over 40 years ago )

Jiufen, a small village located in northeast of Taiwan and a very popular spot for tourists. Once Jiufen was famous of gold mining, but later it faded because of decrease of gold production. It became popular again because it was the main shooting location of a famous movie "Sad City".

After being a hot spot, Jiufen became alive again. Many original residents and immigrants started to run souvenir store, restaurants and hotels there. Though it brought prosperity to Jiufen, it also added too much artificial flavor to Jiufen.

Jiufen is not only a tourist site to me. It is also a place where my mom grown up and where my mom met dad.

For more photos of this trip

A JOURNEY OF THE NOSTALGIC TRAIL (草嶺古道)

(the entrance of Caoling Historic Trail)
(mountain full of silver grass)
(Caoling Historic Trail)
(souvenir of this trip)

Caoling Historic Trail (草嶺古道) is the only major surviving pre-Ching Dynasty trail in Taiwan; it connects Taipei and I-Lan. Now this historic trail becomes a popular hiking trail in Northeast coast of Taiwan, and it is a great place to enjoy the view of silver grass in autumn.

During Nov. 1 to Nov. 30, 2007 is the 6th Silver Grass Season of Caoling Historic Trail. We also spent a day for a hiking trip. The total distance of this trail is about 8.5 km and it took us about 4 hours (including lunch) to complete the whole hiking trip.

Because Northeast Coast National Scenic Area Administration was having a special event for Silver Grass Season, so we collected 3 stamps at the entrance, middle and the end of the trail to get a great souvenir for this trip - a pair of wood chopsticks.

for more photos of this trip

SANSIA(三峽) DAY TRIP

(Sansia Horn Bridge)
(Sansia Qingshui Zushi Temple)
(Sansia Qingshui Zushi Temple)
(Sansia Old Street)
(Sansia Old Steet)

Once father was the deputy chief of Sansia Police Dept., but I have never taken a good look at this town. Today I spent a day for a Sansia trip to feel this town which father spent several years of his life with.

The three major historic sites in Sansia are:

Sansia Horn Bridge: this 93 meter long bridge was built in 1933, and was the main traffic line for this town. Now they have another bigger bridge to handle the heavy traffic, but it is still a popular spot to look at this town.

Sansia Qingshui Zushi Temple: This temple was built in 1769 and has been renovated for three times. The first time was in response to damage from a massive earthquake, the second time was because of fire set by Japanese Army during WWII. Then the third time was after the war, the people elected professor Li Mei-Shu as architect for a rebuilding of the temple. Professor Li did what he could and dedicated himself to building a temple that combined Eastern and Western art. This temple is also called "Art Palace of the East."

Sansia Old Street: Near the mountains and by the rivers, Sansia Old Street is one of the longest old streets in northern Taiwan. It is a complete traditional street with historical value. This old street and is about 200 meters long, and those buildings have stood since early 20th century. Today you can see a lot of interesting souvenir stores there; the most popular souvenir is the blue-dyeing clothes.

for more information about Sansia: please visit Sansia

for more photos of this trip

HOTEL OCEAN VISTA & SPA

(hotel and its porch)
(View from hotel, the Green Bay)
(part of main bed room)
(huge bathroom)
(unfinished birthday cake)

Family gathering is always exciting to me! Cousins and I spent a weekend in a hotel for one cousin's birthday. The hotel we stayed was Hotel Ocean Vista & Spa, a hotel located near the Green Bay in Taiwan's north coast. This hotel is famous of its nice view and BIG room. The room we had was for 4 persons with 2 bed room and one HUGE bathroom with shower, jacuzzi, and a steam room.

You will be surprised by their huge rooms and luxurious decoration at the first sight. But after looking into detail, you will find they are just like a county girl with heavy cosmetic. Anyway, we did have fun there and enjoyed their hospitality.

THE OLD TRAINS GO NO WHERE

(the passenger train)
(the train for transporting logs)
(the old rail)
(the remodeled old resident houses)

During the I-Lan trip, we visited the Luodong Forestry District Office. There are some old trains used to carry passengers and logs in forest. Now they are retired from daily service, so just displayed as a part of history in Taiwan.