Rainageddon Hits Taiwan

And it was quite some weekend…. 644 mm of rain fell on Sanzhi on Friday from about 2:00 – 11:00 am. That was the start of it all.  This was the scene on the coastal road on Friday morning from inside my bus…. Fridays’s report about the situation from the Taipei Times is here…. The local river at Sanzhi on Friday afternoon …. The rains spread south over the weekend.  Tons and tons of rain.  2 dead, several missing, homes and businesses washed away or flooded. Terrible damage to infrastructure, agriculture and businesses.  This is today’s Taipei Times report here Yesterday I … Continue reading Rainageddon Hits Taiwan

Taichung Train Station ~ The Old and the New!

Yes, there’s a brand new Taichung Train Station, built right behind the old one, at high level rather than ground level ~ and opened last month by President Tsai Ing-Wen. The original one was built in the Japanese Colonial era, about 1905…. And we now walk through the old station to get to the new one at the back.  The new station complex is not yet finished, and there’s tons of construction going on all around, but so far so good! Today it was absolutely packed out, Sunday is a huge traveling day, and the weather was wonderful.  This is … Continue reading Taichung Train Station ~ The Old and the New!

Penghu says ‘no casino’ for second time – Taipei Times

At last some good news in the world of referendums and elections ~ check out this article…. Penghu residents yesterday voted against the development of a local gambling industry in the second casino referendum held in the outlying county. Source: Penghu says ‘no casino’ for second time – Taipei Times Continue reading Penghu says ‘no casino’ for second time – Taipei Times

Super Typhoon Meranti targets Taiwan, mainland China – CNN.com

Praying for southern Taiwan ~ and it’s gale-force winds and torrential rains up here too…. Hundreds of people have been evacuated in southern Taiwan as the island braces for the impact of the strongest storm of the year. Check out this CNN report… Source: Super Typhoon Meranti targets Taiwan, mainland China – CNN.com Continue reading Super Typhoon Meranti targets Taiwan, mainland China – CNN.com

Taiwan, Holy See have an ‘alliance of love’: vice president – Taipei Times

Taiwan’s relationship with the Vatican…. Check out this article by Peter Chen 陳正義 president of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs: Chen should urge Holy See for dual recognition And this one….. Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) on Sunday said that the government would continue to strengthen its rapport with the Holy See, describing the relationship between the two nations as “an alliance of love and core values.” Source: Taiwan, Holy See have an ‘alliance of love’: vice president – Taipei Times Continue reading Taiwan, Holy See have an ‘alliance of love’: vice president – Taipei Times

Garbage trucks disrupt classical concert – Taipei Times

!!!!!!!!! Garbage trucks on Saturday inadvertently disrupted a performance by the New Japan Philharmonic World Dream Orchestra in the National Taiwan University Sports Center when they started loudly playing prerecorded tunes that signal waste collection, sparking outrage from classical music fans attending the event. Source: Garbage trucks disrupt classical concert – Taipei Times Continue reading Garbage trucks disrupt classical concert – Taipei Times

Taipei at 38.5 degrees!

Yep, yesterday was pretty hot, in fact every day is pretty hot round here! Temperatures in Taipei soared to 38.5 degrees Celsius shortly after 1 p.m. on Wednesday, the second highest ever recorded in the city in the month of July, the Central Weather Bureau said.  The highest temperature ever recorded in Taipei in July was 38.6 degrees in 2010. The highest temperature recorded in Taipei this year was 38.7 degrees, set on June 1. Although I was out and about in Taipei at 1:00 pm yesterday, this was taken a few hours earlier, just as the day’s heat was setting … Continue reading Taipei at 38.5 degrees!