April 2008: Kaohsiung to Taipei, Taiwan

Two acronyms have been added to the transport lingo in Taiwan recently: KRTC and HSR. That's Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation and High Speed Rail.

In Zuoying on the outskirt of Kaohsiung, the KRTC line and HSR line crosses the Taiwan Railway. As you step out of the KRTC ticketing gate, you will meet with sign to get to the HSR and Taiwan Railway Zuoying Stations.

From Zuoying in the south, it takes about 1hr40min on the white-orange HSR to reach Taipei in the north. There in the north, the Taiwan rail, and the HSR cross path with the Taipei underground under the hugh Taipei Station complex.
No more than a year in operation, the HSR is fast and clean. If not for the houses outside the window that looks nothing like those in Japan, you may be forgiven that you are on the Shinkasen. The sound-proofing needs some improving, though, if you use the Shinkasen as the standard. In case the sound-proofing don't bother you, here's another reminder that you are not in Asahi or Kirin bi-ru land:


















追加(春天吶喊):To 墾丁to catch 楊乃文

Kenting, now made famous by the Taiwanese movie Cape No. 7 heats up in April when the beaches in the area hold various concerts. The main reason for the crowd must be the lineup of the artistes that turns up alongside many of the independent rock/pop/whatever groups. The only name that matters to me in the Spring of 2008, however, was Faith Yang 楊乃文. Took a long distance bus from Kaohsiung to Kenting. And the main street in Kenting was jampacked with tourists, mostly young dudes and dudettes.
But the concert was further away from the madding crowds, in the Erluanbi Lighthouse Area. Once I reached there, handed in the concert fee to get a Spring Scream stamp on my wrist. The ticket seller there actually reminded me that the day's event is actually coming to an end, so I might like to come back the next day. In my mind I was thinking, hell, Faith Yang is up next, so it is still early, MY night has just began.
Faith Yang came on slightly later than advertised. I was a little bit worried about missing the last free shuttle bus back to town. But once she start doing her thang, I just couldn't care less about the bus. The first couple of song was a bit of a disappointment, but as she warms up, it was the clean strong vocal that I have expected. And it was obvious who were there specially for Faith. Those who listen attentively when her ballad came on, and then rocking hard when her signature rock anthem came on. I had a tall girl right behind me who rocked so hard her chin almost cracked my scull. Standing at 166cm, my head was just below her chin.
By the time the concert was over, it was the morning of 5th April. All the places in Kenting was booked, so I just spend the night on the beach. Listening to the crashing wave, pretend to be sleeping as I observe how the Taiwanese dudes romance their dudette under the stars. And I did found out Sex-on-the-Beach isn't just the name of a cocktail drink. The whole night, the partying crowd was shotting firework into the sky until the crack of dawn.
When the sun was up, I walk out onto the deserted street of Kenting, searching for a breakfast shop. A great trip, I will say.