Arcs of Red

The bright red Guandu Bridge straddles the Dan­shui River, its steel arches beautifully complementing Mt. Guan­yin. Travelers taking the MRT line that runs along the river bank get a great angle from which to appreciate this lovely scene.......

Weaving urban legends —the Taipei MeTro

Unlike the high-speed rail or regular trains, which enable travel throughout Taiwan, mass rapid transit (MRT) systems are most useful for journeys within dense metropolitan areas. It doesn’t take long to get from historic Fort San Domingo in Tam­sui to Tai­pei 101 on the bustling east side of ......

Reimagining the Automobile

Royce Hong’s Made-in-Taiwan Electric Supercar

Many people love cars, but few are able to indulge that love to its fullest. Royce Hong, chairman of Panasonic Taiwan and CEO of ­IPEVO, is one of those few. His passion for automobiles has manifested in a number of ways, including a car collection that includes antiques as well as the first T......

A "Living" Museum of Trains

The Transformation of an Industrial Relic

Following the traffic circle around Tai­pei’s historic North Gate, one catches sight of the old Taiwan Railways Administration building to the roundabout’s northwest. With brick and half-timbered walls and protruding towers to the right and left of the entrance, the two-story building with a d......

Learning Huayu in Taiwan

—A Journey of Boundless Possibilities

Lukas Engström is a Swedish national based in Taiwan. Shortly after he started to learn Mandarin Chinese here, he visited a soft drinks bar to buy a cup of pearl milk tea. While in the queue, he kept repeating to himself the Chinese phrases he had to say to the staff. When at last he gave the ......

Soothing Taiwan’s Sweet Tooth

Stories of Local Pastries

Rivaling Willy Wonka’s legendary chocolate bars, and laden with even more stories than Marcel Proust’s madeleine cakes, Taiwanese pastries continue to satisfy our sweet tooth. With their origins in traditional Chinese confectionery, they are made with local ingredients rich in cultural meaning......

Tradition and Innovation:

The Protean Power of Instant Noodles

Who invented instant noodles? In Taiwan, we come across the forerunner of instant noodles, the world’s first instant noodles with sauce packets containing sumptuous chunks of meat, as well as those featuring distinctively local recipes that make use of Chinese medicinal herbs and huadiao, a cl......

A New Trend in Medical Tourism

—Healthcare and Health Maintenance in Taiwan

Hospitals in Taiwan possess high-end medical technology and equipment, and Taiwan is a world leader in certain specialties, including liver transplantation and reproductive medicine. Institutions here provide very cost-effective healthcare services and have a competitive advantage against the ......