Taiwan’s Highest Road Race: The Wuling Challenge

cycling taiwan mountains wuling challenge 2016

September 11, 2016September 11, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment cycling, Wuling Challenge

Three thousand cyclists joined the 11th annual Wuling Challenge in Nantou County today, September 11, 2016. The race began in Puli Village, at an altitude of 555 meters above sea level, and finished at an altitude of 3275 meters at Wuling. The race was won by 31 year-old Li Qi-hong, who completed the 55 kilometer route in 2 hours, 46 minutes, 57 seconds. Local competitors were joined by 63 international competitors from 9 countries including Britain, China, the United States,

Environment

September 11, 2016September 11, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Formosan cypress, Nantou County

Three people were injured, one seriously, when a 2,800 year-old tree toppled over in a forest recreation area in Nantou County, Sunday, September 11. At around 1:00pm, witnesses heard a large cracking sound as the tree fell into the car park at the Xitou recreation area. A 55 year-old man, a 68 year-old man, and a 49 year-old woman were hit by the tree. The woman’s condition was described as seriously injured but conscious. The tree was a 2,800 year-old

Weather

September 11, 2016September 11, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment mid-autumn festival, typhoon, typhoon meranti

The 14th typhoon to form in the north-west Pacific in 2016 is on track to hit Taiwan on the first day of the Mid-autumn Festival long weekend, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau. Forecast charts published Saturday, September 10, predict the tropical storm will pass over Taiwan in the morning hours of Thursday, September 15, which happens to be the first day of a four-day holiday. Typhoon Meranti is currently around 2000km from Taiwan, and moving at a speed of

Kaison Green Electric Technology Co. (KGET) K9 electric bus in Hualien, Taiwan

Business and Economy

September 10, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment electric bus, electric vehicles, hualien

Seven electric buses have been put into service in Hualien on the National Dong Hwa University and Taroko Gorge National Park routes. Three more units are expected to be added to the fleet before the end of the year. The buses were put to the test by being driven from the west coast to Hualien. The buses left a factory in Miaoli County, and were driven via the National Highway and the notorious Suhua Highway. The Suhua Highway offers spectacular

Man Drives off Wharf: Rescued Twice

Stupid Stuff

September 5, 2016September 11, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Ilan

A man deliberately drove his car into a harbor in Ilan County this afternoon, September 5, but escaped the sinking vehicle through a broken window. At around 3PM, the crew of whale-watching vessel docked at the wharf saw a flash of white, followed by a big splash as a Toyota Yaris flew off the edge of the wharf and into the water in front of the Wushih Harbor Visitors Center. Crew members jumped into the water and rescued the man.

children learn road safety at a school in Taiwan

Traffic Accidents

September 5, 2016September 25, 2016 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment education, road safety, traffic safety

Transport Minister Ho Chen-tan (賀陳旦) is urging the Department of Education to dedicate 6 hours per semester to road safety in elementary and high-schools, and 2 course credits at tertiary level. The education minister, however, has said that the curriculum is already full. Education Minister Pan Wen-zhong (潘文忠) said we shouldn’t add to students’ existing study load. The transport minister countered that it is important to inculcate a safety consciousness in people at an early age. He pointed out that

Student protesters holding a banner saying Taiwan is Taiwan: Taiwan is not Chinese Taipei outside the Taichung District Prosecutors office September 1, 2016

Protest Sport

September 2, 2016September 2, 2016 Phillip Charlier 1 Comment chinese-taipei, Taiwan

Taiwanese students holding banners protesting the use of the name “Chinese Taipei” for the Taiwanese team were kicked out of Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium yesterday, August 31, after a confrontation with an angry spectator and officials. During the confrontation, a banner was torn by an official, leading the protesters to raise a lawsuit against the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association later the same day. The protesters held up banners reading “Taiwan is Taiwan” in Chinese, and “Taiwan is not Chinese Taipei”

a Formosan Macaque found dead after being poisoned on Monkey Mountain in Kaohsiung

Animals

August 31, 2016August 31, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment formosan macaque, Kaohsiung

A Toxicology report released today shows that rat poison was cause of death for 15 Formosan rock macaques that were found in Kaohsiung between August 18 and 24. The macaques were found on Shoushan, a mountain north of the Kaohsiung Harbor entrance, commonly called Monkey Mountain in English. In the 17th century Dutch sailors named the mountain ‘Ape Hill’ because of the prolific number of macaques. The toxicology tests were performed by the Bureau of Agriculture who are conducting a

Traffic Accidents

August 26, 2016August 26, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment extradition, zain dean

A British man wanted in Taiwan after being convicted and sentenced for a fatal drunk driving accident remains in custody in Scotland after a high court judge deferred a decision August 25, 2016. Zain Dean was accused of hitting and killing a newspaper delivery man in Taipei City in the early hours of March 27, 2010, and fleeing from the scene of the accident. After long and protracted legal proceedings, Mr Dean was convicted and sentenced to a four year

Odd News

August 21, 2016August 21, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment Pokemon-go

Residents complained after being unable to drive to or from their homes due to a crowd of thousands of Pokemon GO players that gathered in the Beitou District of Taipei City today. Several cars were seen in the middle of the street, unable to move in the shoulder to shoulder crowd, and one driver complained that he had been stuck in his car for 30 minutes. He said that the car was constantly shaking as people bumped into it on

Weather

August 20, 2016August 21, 2016 Phillip Charlier 0 Comment lionrock, mindulle, typhoon Kompasu

Three typhoons have formed in the northwestern Pacific Ocean and are all located near Japan. Two of the tropical storms have north to north-western trajectories and are expected to make landfall on Honshu, the largest of the Japanese islands. A third cyclone is tracking south-west on a path parallel to the coast.

Taiwan’s Highest Road Race: The Wuling Challenge

Ancient Tree Falls in Nantou: 3 Injured

Typhoon Meranti Threatens Holiday Long Weekend

Electric Buses Brought into Service in Hualien

Man Drives off Wharf: Rescued Twice

Transport Ministry Urges Education Department to Add Road Safety to Curriculum

Taiwan is not Chinese Taipei: Protesters Kicked out of Stadium

Formosan Macaques Poisoned on Monkey Mountain

Scotsman Wanted in Taiwan Remains in Custody After Bail Request

Pokemon GO Players Jam Streets in Taipei City: Residents Complain

Three Typhoons At Once: Watch Out Japan