Author archive
2 April 2019
Tainan is historic because it was the first place to be settled by Han Chinese from the mainland, eventually overtaking the native Austronesian population. It is also historic because nearby Anping was where Duth set up their base and fortification. It seems significant enough for me to check out Anping. While it was only about […]
1 April 2019
I have two full days to spend in Tainan. That’s one day more than what I think is necessary but I allowed a spare day in case I was disrupted coming in from Kinmen due to the airport being closed during fog season. This means that I can do “half-days” instead of the full-day explorations […]
31 March 2019
I had been worried about fog closing Kinmen airport as it is the fog season. But I woke to strong and gusty winds. Worried that the propeller aircraft may not make it in, I checked the forecast and noted that the wind was coming from the north-east. That’s the same direction as the runway orientation, […]
30 March 2019
Cycling around Little Kinmen The weather had been forecasted to be better than yesterday’s. That’s why I had reserved Little Kinmen, off the main island of Kinmen, for today. I walked from my homestay to the ferry terminal about 20 minutes away. The terminal for the boat to Little Kinmen was hard to find, overshadowed […]
29 March 2019
Half-Day Bus Tour The day was cool and was forecast to remain that way with chance of rain. What a change from yesterday’s scorcher. I put on longs and had breakfast of congee, doughsticks and some pastries. I weighed up the idea of renting a bicycle vs taking the sightseeing bus, taking into consideration the […]
28 March 2019
Flying to Kinmen I woke early again at 0500, continued to lay down a bit before tidying up and having breakfast at 0730. I was out the door at 0750 for the metro to Songshan Airport. I’m bound for Kinmen where one of my great-grandfathers originated from. Before planning this trip, I thought Taiwan consisted […]
27 March 2019
With the time difference, I woke early at 0600. Breakfast wasn’t available till 0730 so I had some time to kill. My plan for today was just to do the one thing I didn’t managed to do over a year ago on my previous visit. That was the National Palace Museum. I set off at […]
26 March 2019
Even though my flight was 1035, I decided it was best to wake early at 0600 so we could head to the airport to avoid the traffic. Leaving home at 0620, the traffic had built up in lead up to the motorway but it was smooth running all the way to the airport thereafter. At […]
5 March 2019
I'm so lucky to live in an Auckland suburb where good food is cheap and plentiful. I hardly have to cook. The cuisines… Posted by Alex Chan on Thursday, April 4, 2013
5 March 2019
Possibly the world's most celebrated cuisine with good reason! I savour it first-hand in Thailand. Some cuisines are… Posted by Alex Chan on Wednesday, July 13, 2011