Taiwan. Part I January-February, 2011

In the past Taiwan was a beautiful tropical Formosa island full of butterflies.

Now — urbanization, industrialization — a highly developed industrial country.

All cities in Taiwan are quite similar. Streets may look like this.

Or like this.

Or like this, if the district is more oriental.

Balconies and windows are closed with metal bars.

Various vehicles on the roads.

Lot's of mopeds.

Taxi cabs are always yellow with gray bumpers usually.

In every taxi some general information about the driver available.

To secure road works a special man-looking puppet work.

Street sign.

Barber's pole — a heritage from West.

Postbox in couple.

Joined postbox.

Pedestrian traffic lights are with an animated funny character. It walks, then starts to run when few seconds left, and turns red in the end.

Taiwanese like to put an European car plate under a local one. Interesting, that a local plate is simple and doesn't serve any territorical identification.

Island has it's own National Standard time (Formosan time) with 1911 less years difference to Gregorian calendar. The counter started when the present country was established. Time on a receipt, for example, is 100/02/07 what's same with February 7, 2011.

By the way, receipts. Every receipt has a unique number and plays national lottery. Usually, close to a cash desk a box for receipts placed. Those who aren't interested to play lottery drop receipts there and it forwarded later to people who need money.

Taipei

Surprisingly, in former times the highest building of the world Taipei 101 is the only skyscraper there. Looks lonely.

The rest of the city around the skyscraper is just normal high.

Night version.

View on the city from another point.

Subway.

In rush hour people stay organized in lines waiting. That looks unbelievable after subway in Moscow where's a chaos in the same situation.

Payment for subway is according to how many stations passenger travel. Card is checked on enter and exit. Make payment is possible before, or on the station. There are many ATM, and schemes that show the price.

Subway in Taipei is joined with other public transport in one network. Passenger can have one transport card, and flexible payment. The discount for a trip can be if a bus taken right after the metro, for example.

Trains are automatic without a driver, like in Paris.