Baseball in Taiwan--Pt. 5

 Watching the World Baseball Championship over the years, I noted that the fans at the Asian venues (Tokyo Dome + Korea) were extra exuberant, cheer leaders, horns, percussion, etc.  So I wanted to check out a game in Taiwan to see what the fan experience is like.  Well...  

First, the stadium.  The Taipei Dome was just finished (sort of) but the home team was on the road.  So Nisa got us all tickets and we drove down to Taitung for the game.  I thought the stadiums would be on the level of US AAA teams, but they are bigger than that...  and nicely designed.

I got an early preview of fan loyalty right in front of me.  The elephant is the mascot of the Taichung Brothers (formerly the Elephants).

As the game progressed, insanity ruled.  The cheerleaders came out between innings (as some MLB teams do), got the fans up singing, dancing, waving...  but never sitting down!  We were up for the full half inning doing the cheering thing, which, since the home team scored a couple, was about a half hour...  in 85 degree heat and 80% humidity...  as least we were in the shade, but the poor (and constantly energetic) cheerleaders were not).

When the visiting team came up to bat, suddenly several hundred fans in the bleachers stood up with their band, banners, signs, cheers, etc.  for the entire at bat.  Then back to the home team.

And all the while (inning), the band plays, with some guy encouraging via the PA.

After a few innings, the cheerleads pooped out, so a bunch of kids were recruited for a few innings. Ages 14-2 (so cute).

In the bottom of the 5th, the home team got a 2 run homer to take the lead (and eventually win).  Needless to say, the insanity ramped up beyond belief.  High fives all around, more and more band, cheerleaders, cheering, waving chanting, etc.  We had to get involved.

After 6 innings of extreme interval training (up half an inning, down half an inning) in the high heat and humidity, we bailed to get to the night market.  Exhausting, but so much fun.  No more sedate game watching for me...  

Taiwan Pt. 4--Scooter Madness

The first thing one notices when arriving in the large cities, Taipei and Taichung for example, is the sheer number of scooters zipping around cars and pedestrians, using up all the parking, in terraces as well as streets.  Take all the bicycles in Amsterdam and convert them to scooters and you have some idea of the numbers.  I guess scooter madness is typical of Asian and Southeast Asian countries, but this was the first we experienced it.  

First is a video I made from the car one evening.  In the background are comments about relaxing the next day at the ballgame.  How wrong I was as I'll post later. 

Below is a YouTube link to a Taipei television report.  Apparently this madness occurs every morning at rush hour.

https://youtu.be/TESofgEefHY?feature=shared

At intersections there are pedestrian lanes and scooter rectangles in front of the auto traffic.  On one freeway, I noted three car lanes and two protected scooter lanes.  The whole scooter thing is well integrated into Taiwanese traffic culture.  Quite mindblowing if you've never experienced it before.

Taiwan Pt. 3

More sightseeing.  We visited the historic site Fort Sant Domingo.  The fort itself is but a shell; however the site has seen many transformations.

The Spanish, the Dutch, the Chinese, the Brits and others, and finally the Taiwanese have occupied the grounds.  Here is the lineage:

The British consul house is preserved as a museum.

Next door is the University where Nisa studied.  This church, buildings and grounds are the best part of the school, the more modern part "sucks" so we went no further.

We were in Tamsui, a small city along the wide river where it flows into the China Sea.  We spent some time on the boardwalk and peeking up side streets.  Vendors were out in force since it was a Saturday.

The Turkish ice cream vendor was a real treat.  A magician serving the cones.  Enjoy the video.

Taiwan Pt. 2

 Our first full day in Taiwan took us to the National Palace Museum.  The museum held a fantastic collection of historic, and some current, art reflecting the aesthetic of the country.

I saw more jade than I ever need to see again in my life!  And then there were Buddhas, of course. And a beautiful panel.

For lunch, we drove into the mountains to the "lily ranch", where we had another zillion courses of wonderful asian food.  The best tofu I've ever had (usually I can't stand the stuff).

Since it wasn't far, we also stopped at a National Park featuring an active volcano.

Thankfully it stays at a slow simmer rather than a big eruption.  Too close to Taipei for comfort.

The Big Trip--Taiwan Pt. 1

 

We can't believe we did it!  After years in the planning (COVID interferred), our son and daughter-in-law finally got us to Taiwan to visit her family and see the country.  And it was all fabulous!

I don't know where to start, we were in a constant state of amazement.  Taipei is a great city, quite big (I was told a population of 2 mil, but it seemed bigger).  Several "districts", each with their own tall buildings and great architecture.  Our first day, shedding off jet lag, we went to Taipei 101, at one time the tallest building in the world.  

After a lunch consisting of a zillion courses (every meal seemed to have a zillion courses!), we zipped (ear popping elevators!) up to the observation deck for a 360 degree view of the city.  It was hazy (pollution from mainland China?  Humidity (it was high)), so the pics aren't super sharp, but still give a good idea of the city.

First, the atrium of Taipei 101:

From the observation deck:

The new Taipei Dome for baseball (I would find out that baseball is VERY popular in Taiwan).

Here are some other interesting buildings found in the city.  Some are office buildings, others are apartment buildings:

Pretty wild!  And I appreciate more mundane structures like this freeway overpass and this port entrance that add great design to the construction rather than the more simple design we usually find the US.

The pics give a brief overview of all the neat building we saw.  Of course there was much of the traditional also along side the modern.  Stay tuned, more pics of our trip to come.