Taiwan 1975-1979 Part Two

4.A round Taiwan round Island tours start from Taipei city and outer area Yeliu beach and Yangminshan before going down south. Taichung the next stop travelling using the old north south old roads similar to Malaysia in the 1970 it was just 2 lane with on coming cars, lorries, buses etc and it was very dangerous with daily accidents.
it took more than 5 hours to arrive and Taichung nothing much to see except one make Laughing Buddha the height 3 stories. The next day we  travel to Sun Moon Lake the long journey on mountain winding, narrow roads was same like our Bentong Hill roads to the East coast those days. The journey take more than 7 hours with stop over at small town like our Tapah, Bidor, Segamat etc for toilets stop and drinks etc or shopping for local products mostly handycrafts, fruits and food stuffs. Sun Moon lake quite cooling and hotels are at main street town or facing the lake normally have 50-100 rooms.
Sightseeing including local tribe performance and cruise to a small Island name "KwangWah" and a newly built temple facing the lake. It was another long journey on the road after 2 nights at SML to Tainan town where our famous Admiral Cheng Ho who come to visit ancient Malacca to protect the Sultan from the Siamese army.Admiral Cheng Ho fleet of navy was station in Tainan to defend the attack from Japanese pirates etc.
Here it is famous for tan tan noddles and oyster however you can taste this two dishes in Dragon I restaurant at Mid Valley mall other outlets.
The last stop is Kaoshiung town with it famous Cheng Cheng lake with nine crocked bridge and the famous Tiger and Dragon Pagodas. You must enter the Tiger Pagodas from the tail and exit from the Tiger mouth to prevent bad luck and chase all the bad luck from your body. Next enter the Dragon mouth and exit from the dragon tail bring will bring you good luck. As I was born in the year of PIG 1947 therefore I did not enter the Tiger pagoda or take any photos. I only enter the Dragon mouth and took photos at Dragon pagoda.
For the whole Taiwan you can only get coconut water here but it is very expensive therefore drink sugar water  plenty here and cheap.
The return journey to Taipei  will be by train and it was a whole day journey  but it was  better than bu coach on the narrow trunk roads..I must give my compliments to the Taiwan train services it was comfortable when compare to Malaysia train in 1970. It was fully air con with clean toilet and wide seats,with restaurant service hot meals etc.If  compare to our train services now in 1997 when I took night train and return by day express train to K.L. I still consider Taiwan train in 1970 was still better.

5.Taiwan Hotels in 1970.
The hotels in Taipei we stay mostly 3 stars and the rest in Taichung, SML, Tainan and Kaoshiung are 2-3 star standard. it was difficult to get a job those days in every floor of the hotel thee was a staff to attend to the need of the guests 24 hrs per day. However when revisited in 1999 I was staying in the same hotel call Paradise Hotel in Xinmending the shopping streets. There was no more a floor staff to attend to guest any more. There are plenty of jobs and Taiwan need to import foreign workers since late 1990 onwards. However every alternate floor there a room for guests to get hot, cold drinking water and other can drinks hto and cold plenty of choice inlcuding coffe and tea plus Taiwan Oolong Tea. In fact most of the Taiwan small medium factories was now in China where there cheaper labour force.
There are few international 5 star htoels in Taipei but Malaysia tourists only stay at 3 star hotels due to the budget.
6. Tour Coach use for Malaysia tourists was all re con coach from Japan. Some time during the peak and super peak season there shortage of coaches. Therefore unlucky your coach will break down or no air con times being wasted for repair etc. My re-visit to Taipei to take part in the Taiwan Internationa Wood Ball 97 was quite shocking to me due to fast and more advance in the coach and meals etc provided to tourists. The coaches are 5 star standard same as those in Europe, USA,NZ, Australia.
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However for every coach beside the driver there is lady attendant as well. She will be responsible for selling some drinks for customers and give cold tower etc. She also sing a few songs to entertain the passengers and asssit older passengers to get or in of the coach etc.I was given to understand she and the driver sleep in the coach for the nights.I even permit them to come to my room to take bath etc at night other wise they have do it at the htoel toilet. At the end of the tour passengers will collect tipsand hand over to her and driver.
Beside the tour guide there is a photgrapher accompany the tour group and take group photo and also for individaul and sell to the tourists.
6. Taiwan Country side provide me the opportunity to understand how thrifty and hard working the Taiwanese people in the 1960- late 1980 where Taiwan become properous. Every where I could notice all land are fully use for agriculture beside the houses and shops not wasted like what you see in Malaysia.
The Kuonimtang (KTM) that rule Taiwan was have a tight control on economic etc. There was currency control like what was implemented by our Prime Minsiter during the 1997 econpmic turnmoil. Malaysia only allow certain amount ot be taken out of country and must declare. My tours ioperator told me they are only allow USD 500 when going overseas for business. However normally we will settle any outstanding amount when they arrive to Malaysia.The currency exchange rate was 30-35 rmb to 1 rgt and black market up to 40 rmb however now it is less than 20 rmb to 1 rgt. My next posting will be on the sex trade in Taiwan those days where it was a place for men from Maalysia, Singapore and Japan.