Is it possible to visit the Legislative Yuan, you know, sit up in a public gallery?
There are tours of the Executuve Yuan, Presidential Office, and Legislative Yuan every Friday. Lemme ask tomorrow if you can sit in when they are discussing specific laws -which I am pretty sure it’s open to the public. 
Are there any English-language tours, or are they all in Mandarin? Also, where does one register for these tours?
Thanks, Foreign Athlete. I haven’t studied Mandarin yet; it would be like, years, before I could understand an actual debate. But I would very much like to watch 'em in action for a little while if it’s possible.
You underestimate yourself, and overestimate them. Understanding that when someone throws a shoe they are expressing disagreement will mean you get at least half the sessions. 
Not to mention lunch time is the most entertaining… just remember to DUCK! 
More info at: http://www.ly.gov.tw/ly/en/01_introduce/01_introduce_05.jsp?ItemNO=EN050000
Maoman:
I am looking for the link -somewhere in their webpage- but basically, yes, if so requested, as representatives of an international media as Forumosa, I am sure it can be arranged. 
Note: tours are conducted by volunteers. Mostly a-mas.
ly.gov.tw/ly/en/sitemap_en.j … O=EN180000
but will they try to sell us anything at the end of the tour? Or in the middle? Will we have to stop in half a dozen shops and restaurants?
Actually, it is a pity the KMT moved away from the area, as their restaurant in the basement was really good.
The people from the LY usually eat outside… if you catch my drift. Ours sucks too. The police have the best meals so far, it usually runs out at 11:30. The ones at the tax office are not bad, either.
The Prez place is good for haircuts. We got the best “mini mart” of all.
There are some nice souvenirs for sale, of couse, but foreign visitors get a nice bag of “informative materials” we spend a lot of time preparing, as a gift.
At the Prez place, can you get also hair dye? And you don’t need to be, lets say, the Premier or so?
[quote=“Icon”]Note: tours are conducted by volunteers. Mostly a-mas.
ly.gov.tw/ly/en/sitemap_en.j … O=EN180000[/quote]
The website must have been made by a volunteer, too:
[quote]English Name: e-Ly
Gender: female
Place of Birth: Taw[color=#FF0000]ia[/color]n
Personality: Active and Sweet[/quote]
In Taiwan, it is active and sweat…
Yep, full kit and kaboole.
Nope, now we all know where he gets his hair done.
Maybe the hair salon there was closed due to the fact that the hairdresses were having a daddy’s day out…
Ehem, let me rephrase that…
Well, AFAIK, anyone can visit the Prez’ hair stylists. Hair dye, too, cheaper if you bring yours. Better if someone meets you at the door, guards a bit fuzzy these days.
No, you do not have to be the Premier to vist the premises, but the Premier himself goes to other salons -reference to the bad time the press gave him over going to the barbershop while still on typhoon alert. Anyway, the premier works at the Executive Yuan, and only meets the Boss once a week, when they have the big meeting. And the hair stylists from there moved to a nearby four star hotel, they were good.
Only four star hotel… they don’t seem to be that good then…
but then, five star hotels in Taiwan are not that good anyway…