Second Trip to Taiwan / Stamp Show/ Retirement in Taiwan?

Hello! In October 2016, I spent the better part of 3 weeks in Taiwan on my second, quite enthralling, trip to the island. I almost didn’t arrive on time because my connection in Dallas was 2 hours late departing. I arrived in Taipei

I spent a number of days at the TAIPEX 2016 stamp exhibition at the Taipei 101 building. I met collectors and stamp dealers from all over the world and a number of postal administrations of countries were selling stamps: UAE, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Faroe Islands, Aland (Finland), etc…I attended the monthly meeting of the Taipei Chapter of the China Stamp Society at the Postal Museum (attended by collectors from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and PRC) and a dinner afterwards. I was given a number of Chinese postal history books as a gift.

What else did I do?: A visit to Juifen, including the folk art gallery; Yangmingshan: I climbed Mt Cisingshan on my 59th birthday; a day taking Maocong Gondolas and walking through the tea gardens and exhibits, a dinner in Maocong with a panoramic view of Taipei; A day in Wulai: including the Wulai Atayal Museum, the cable to the resort there; and a home cooked meal from members of the Atayal tribe; a visit to the resting place of Chiang Kai-shek in Cihu, plus a visit to friends in Hsinchu; 2 days in Sun Moon Lake: a walk through Itashao, met members of the dwindling Thao tribe; the Cien Pagoda, Wenwu Temple; 2 days in Tainan: Chikhan Towers, Fort Anping; Confucius Temple, Sigang Night Market; 2 days in Kaohsuing: Shoushan Mountain/Martyr’s Shrine; Museum of History, Lotus Lake, Buddha Mountain (complete with monkeys)

I had an absolute blast, and caught up with some friends from my last visit in 2012, including a number of Americans and other English speakers who are either retired in Taiwan or working there teaching English. I was absolutely enchanted, so I am planning a third trip in 2018! (Mazu, Keelung; Tsaoling Trail/Northern trails, Taroko, Kenting, Alishan, Sun Moon Lake (again!). Wish me luck.

I continue to be intrigued at the possibility of retiring there!

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