One of Taipei’s more curiously odd museums is the Customs Museum. It sits in the highly secure Customs Building, so like we did here at WoWasis, you’ll need to call for an appointment. You’ll be given a tour of the museum by a uniformed customs official, and ours clearly enjoyed leaving the desk and pointing […]
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WoWasis book review: ‘A New History of Taiwan’ by Hung Chien-Chau
Noted Taiwan newspaperman Hung Chien-Chau (also known by his English name, Joe Hung) has admirably faced up to the daunting task of writing a history of his country in A New History of Taiwan (2011, ISBN 978-986-86637-3-2), an updated edition of his 368 page book of 2000. Hung is a veteran journalist who serves as […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis explores Taiwan’s rich indigenous aboriginal culture
Taiwan’s presence in the high technology world has given it an aura of modernity that somewhat masks the fact that it has an extraordinary richness and diversity of aboriginal peoples. These diverse tribes are all part of the Austronesian language group, which spans an incredible distance, from Madagascar to Easter Island, and Taiwan to New […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits Taipei’s Baoan and Confucius Temples
Two of Taipei’s finest temples are adjacent to each other, and offer a nice contrast in architectural styles and bearing. Both the Baoan and Confucius temples are located a short cab ride from the Yuanshan MRT station. The Baoan temple is the more ornate of the two, dedicated to Baosheng Dadi, the god of medicine. […]
Read the rest of this entry »Apartment Asian Massage Parlors (AAMP) in North America: how masseuses create a home in a motel
In earlier posts, WoWasis described the nuances of the AAMP (Apartment Asian Massage Parlor) scene in North America, and defined a list of commonly used AAMP acronyms. Although a number of these women live and work out of their own apartments, many do not. So how do they instantly create a homey environment in a […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis drives Taiwan’s East Coast National Scenic Area
We here at WoWasis feel this is one of the most remarkable drives in Taiwan. Beginning just 24 km south of Taroko Gorge National Park is the city of Hualien, the northern terminus of the 170 km long East Coast National Scenic Area, which reaches its southernmost point near the city of Taitung. Like the […]
Read the rest of this entry »Taiwan’s Green Island Ferry from Fugang Harbor
Located 33 km off Taiwan’s southeastern coast, along the East Coast National Scenic Area, Green Island makes for a nice one or two-day stay. The beaches and sea views are worth noting, snorkelers can view colorful corals, and there’s a seawater-fed hot springs. The Green Island Human Rights Memorial Park, a former prison, has a […]
Read the rest of this entry »Why WoWasis considers visiting Australia
Here at WoWasis, we’ve met tons of friendly Aussies the world over. We love their cynical sense of humor, and this questionnaire ended up in our mailbox, and we don’t know the source. So take a look at the map, read the questions and answers, and book your flight! Q: Does it ever get windy in […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits Taiwan’s Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines in Taipei
The Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines is located one block away from Taipei’s National Palace Museum, and is a must for visitors wishing to learn more about Taiwan’s indigenous aboriginal peoples, which include the Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Sakizaya, Sediq, Thao, Truku (Taroko), Tsou, and Yami (Tao) tribes. It was […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis book review: ‘Taiwan’s Aboriginal Peoples’ photo book
Visitors to Taiwan are often surprised by the richness of her aboriginal culture, but finding books in English describing the richness and variety of these cultures can be daunting. Taiwan’s Aboriginal Peoples (2002, ISBN 957-01-2744-9), with photographs and text by Wang Wei-chang, and English translation by Phillip Newell, is a lavishly photographed, bi-lingual, large-format book […]
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