Gaoxiong from the sky (English)

Part of every visit to Gaoxiong has to be the 85 Tower and its 74th floor. There is a viewing deck and you can see almost in 360 degrees from some 300 metres down to Gaoxiong. Especially the harbour looks very nice from that perspective. But other parts of the city are also worthwhile being seen.
It was a great day when I was up there, so I had the chance to make some nice pictures.

3-day trip to Gaoxiong (English)

I spent the past three days in Gaoxiong (高雄) the 2nd largest city of Taiwan. It the metropolis of the Southern part of the island. And was previously known for its large industrial harbour as well as polluting industry. Since the 1990ies the city government has made quite some effort to increase live quality in the city.
There are some interesting sights, like the romantic Love-River (愛河), the modern harbour and the island Qijin (旗津), with a tourist area and a beach with black sand. Other highlights within the city are the Lotus-lake (蓮池潭) and the modern city centre around the Tuntex Skytower (東帝士58國際廣場). The city can be reached by air plane, bus, car, train and the newly build High-speed Railway (HSR). The trip from Taipei by bus takes about 5hours, for 500 NT, the same by HSR takes only 2.30h but costs 1450 NT.

Tuntex Skytower (東帝士58國際廣場) seen from the taxi driving by

The scooter is the most favourite way of transport in Taiwan, families, furniture anything can be fitted on the 2wheeler.
Ikea in down town Gaoxiong. Part of the modern city centre, where also the 遠東 Far Eastern (?) shopping wall (one of the largest in the world) can be found.

The harbour in Gaoxiong, besides old fashioned ferries, there can be nice yachts and huge cargo ships found.
A nice breeze in the afternoon, relaxing, cooling and very beautiful in combination with palm trees at the beach.
Not swimming, but playing the water is very famous among students in Taiwan.

Always ready for a nice picture. Taiwanese love taking pictures as much as I do...


Another example of the great flexibility of Taiwanese how to use a scooter to get around.

Taiwanese people love cars, and German cars. Some people can afford German cars, some people can only afford German licence plates and but them behind their Taiwanese licence plate.

Playing Mahjong in the harbour of Gaoxiong.

"Don`t stare at the foreigner", foregneiers should not ask that of the people in Taiwan. We love to look around and they do so as well. Yet sometimes the reactions of the local children are quite exaggerated: A girl called us Ghost (鬼), while walking up the stairs to a temple. Still quite cute compared to a boy who called us lecher (色狼)...well we keep smiling and look around.

Who is doing the wrong thing here? Taking a picture of someone peeing in the harbour, or the peeing itself???

The ferry from the harbour to Qijin island. 10 minutes, 10 NT and a great experience.

The largest Confucius temple of Taiwan is in? Right, Gaoxiong. A very beautiful recently (in 1976) re-built centre of concentration and calmness.

Another example of love to Germany. We'll sometimes people here love German history in a way that a properly educated and clearly thinking German would never do...

High-tech with bamboo! A characteristic of Taiwan?

The former British consulate, close to the Sun-Yatsen University.

Picture: Cute sticker-face!



If you don't like chewing betle nuts you still have to love the result of locals spitting on the floor after having chewed for the whole day! I admit, I am a fan. And you can find these spots of worship through out the island. They are even more numerous that all kinds of temples...

The lover river at night!

The Lotus lake during the day.

A great special edition for increased driving comfort. A model from Piaggio with two separated seats.

So, 8.4.: Die Taroko Schlucht

Fabian auf Achse: Taroko Schlucht
am Sonntag, den 8. April 2007 in Taiwan Heute
mit Fabian Roday und Florian Göbel

Fabian an einer atemberaubenden Brücke Nachdem Florian und Fabian in der letzten Woche bereits bis ans Ende der Tarokoschlucht auf ein Bergchateau auf 2300 Meter Höhe vorgedrungen waren, drohte am Folgetag noch die 220 km lange Rückfahrt nach Taipei. Vom GPS im Stich gelassen schlugen sich die beiden, nur mit einer extra Tankration im Helmfach, bis zu den Vorbezirken von Taipei durch. Dabei gestaltete sich die Fahrt fast genauso schön wie die Durchquerung der berühmten Tarokoschlucht, denn auch Taiwans touristisch vielleicht etwas weniger bekannten Regionen haben einiges zu bieten. Fabian und Florian sausten erst von den Bergen hinab an Pfirsichplantagen ins Tal und dann wieder hinauf auf die Bergspitzen, vorbei an taiwanischen Urwäldern und an beeindruckenden Bauwerken, wie dem Ronghua-Staudamm. Nach 10 Stunden Fahrzeit war Taipei erreicht. Ein Erlebnisbericht nun von Fabian und Florian.
Florian auf einer befahrbaren Hängebrücke	Fabian und Florian auf den Bergen
Der Beweis: der Höhenmesser zeigt 2350 Meter an
Fabian und Florian über den Wolken	Auf knapp 2000 Metern über den im Tal liegenden Wolken
Florian und Fabian halten über Handy Kontakt mit dem RTI Hauptquartier	Am Straßenrand bei einer Verschnaufpause
Der Ronghua Staudamm	Nach der Fahrt werden die Roller generalüberholt

Fotos: Fabian Roday

So, 1.4.: Die Taroko Schlucht

Fabian auf Achse: Taroko Schlucht
am 1. April 2007 in Taiwan Heute
mit Fabian Roday und Florian Göbel

Eingang zur Schlucht mit wolkenverhangenen Bergen Fabian Roday und Florian Göbel sind mit dem Roller von Taipei aus an die Ostküste gefahren. Eine lange Fahrt bis zur malerischen Taroko Schlucht sollte es werden. Orte wie Yilan und Hualian wurden links liegen gelassen, gut motorisiert mit zwei Rollern der Marken SYM und KYMCO (taiwanische Fabrikate mit 125cc) ging es von der Pazifikküste vorbei an heißen Quellen und schönen Pagoden, bis zu einer luftigen Höhe von 2350 Metern neben den Gipfeln des taiwanischen Zentralgebirges. Fabian und Florian berichten von ihren Erlebnissen am Sonntag, den 1. April 2007 in "Taiwan Heute".
Ende der Tarokoschlucht am Pazifik	Vergoldete Holzbuddhastatue
Tempel in Tianxiang	Florian im Aufgang der Pagode
Tarokoschlucht bei Wenshan	Florian auf einer der unzähligen Hängebrücken in der Tarokoschlucht

Fotos: Fabian Roday