Beware of a Toy Poodle

Toy Poodle Attack

24 Apr 2015 | From Willie of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

They may be small and charming - but beware! Don't let yourself b caught by their adorable cuteness. These tiny puppies are sure to melt and steal your heart :) The Toy Poodle is the diminutive version of the Standard Poodle. Retaining the Poodle's elegant appearance and personality, the Toy Poodle proves the old adage: Great things do come in small packages. Many breed standards list the Toy Poodle as 10 inches (or under) at the highest point of the dog's shoulders. This square-proportioned dog also has an elegant appearance and a proud carriage. It moves with effortless, springy, and light strides; its coat is dense, curly, and sometimes harsh.

This breed is very dedicated to its family. Some dogs can be shy in front of strangers and some may bark too much. As the energetic and sprightly Toy Poodle is among the brightest of breeds, it is a pleasure to train -- eager to please, responsive, alert, sensitive, playful, and lively.

The Cosmos

The Galaxy

10 Apr 2015 | From Susan of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

A galaxy is a gravitationally bound system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas and dust, and dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias, literally "milky". Does it remind them of a milk shake? Galaxies are such a huge, infinite space. The majority of galaxies are gravitationally organized into associations known as galaxy groups, clusters, and superclusters. At the largest scale, these associations are generally arranged into sheets and filaments that are surrounded by immense voids. 

Have you ever wondered what is out there - on the vast beyond? The realization that we live in a galaxy, and that ours is one among many, parallels major discoveries that were made about the Milky Way and other nebulae in the night sky. These vast and unexplored realms of space have triggered human interest and curiosity from then until now. Studies, observations, and modern research are still carried out up to this date and the future to come. 

Taiwan's most famous vacation spot

Kenting National Park

10 Mar 2015 | From Tina of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

Kenting National Park is in at the extreme southern tip of Taiwan. It is famous for its beautiful beaches and lush vegetation, and plenty of different corals. It is Taiwan's oldest and southernmost national park, covering the southernmost area of the Taiwan island along Bashi Channel. This national park is well known for its tropical climate and sunshine, scenic mountain and beach, the Spring Scream rock-band festival held in every March, and has long been one of the most favorite resort places in Taiwan.

Jiufen, Taipei

Jiufen Old Street

20 Jan 2015 | From Po-yu Chen of Taiwan 

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

This is my third postcard which features the old streets of Jiufen. Until the 1950's, Jiufen was a prosperous gold mining town. The town went into sharp decline when mining was discontinued. The quaint streets, tea houses and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean saved it from becoming yet another anonymous mining ghost town. Jiufen is now a popular tourist destination for Taipeites eager to relive scenes from the past. It has provided the setting for several period movies. For example, Hou Hsiao-hsien's film A City of Sadness(which won the Golden Lion award at the 1989 Venice Film Festival) and Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away.

Source: WikiTravel

Discover Taiwan

Geography of Taiwan

16 Dec 2014 | From Victoria of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

This is my second postcard showing an illustrated map of Taiwan. The postcard may be a part of the 'Share Taiwan with the world' postcard series.

Taiwan, historically called Formosa, is an island in East Asia located some 180 kilometres (112 miles) off the southeastern coast of China across the Taiwan Strait.  It is shaped like a leaf that is narrow at both ends. Taiwan proper makes up 99% of the territory of the Republic of China (ROC), after the ROC lost its mainland China territory in the Chinese Civil War and fled to the island in 1949, and the country itself is commonly referred to as simply "Taiwan".

Taiwan is a tilted fault block, characterized by the contrast between the eastern two-thirds, consisting mostly of five rugged mountain ranges parallel to the east coast, and the flat to gently rolling plains of the western third, where most of Taiwan's population reside.

Taiwan lies on the western edge of the Pacific "rim of fire," and continuous tectonic movements have created majestic peaks, rolling hills and plains, basins, coastlines, and other natural landscapes. Taiwan's tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate climates provide clear differentiation between the different seasons. There are rare or endangered species of wildlife on the island. Among these are the land-locked salmon, Taiwan serow, Formosan rock monkey, Formosan black bear, blue magpie, Mikado pheasant, and Hsuehshan grass lizard.

The Marble Gorge

Taroko National Park

24 Nov 2014 | From Ming-Chuan of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

Taroko National Park is one of the nine national parks in Taiwan and was named after the Taroko Gorge, the landmark gorge of the park. The park spans Taichung Municipality, Nantou County, and Hualien County. Taroko is famous for its spectacular mountains and marble canyons. Cliffs and canyons stretch along Liwu River. The waterfalls characterized Taroko National Park and the most famous ones are Baiyang Waterfall, Yindai Waterfall, Changchun Waterfall, and Lushui Waterfall. Swallow Grotto (Yanzikou) and Tunnel of Nine Turns (Jiuqudong) are the most impressive natural scenes in Taroko and the canyons here are the narrowest. 

The name, Taroko, means "magnificent and beautiful" in the Truku language of the Truku indigenous tribe. Long ago a Truku tribesman saw the beauty of the azure Pacific when he walked out of the gorge. On seeing the magnificent scene, he cried "Taroko!". And so it became the name of the place, in a fashion not dissimilar to how the island, Formosa, got its name.

A taste of Taiwan

Taiwan pastries

7 Nov 2014 | From Au of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

The postcard is hand-drawn by Au - she fondly calls herself Redcicada Au. It is amazing how the postcard reached me in such a good condition after it traveled 986 km from Taiwan to my mailbox here in the Philippines. The paper she used is thinner than a regular oslo paper. Yet it survived the travel.

Au also matched the handmade card with stamps showing traditional Taiwanese pastries. It is said that Taiwanese and pastries are closely tied together. Taiwan pastries fill a wide range of roles in food, rituals, and festive and social functions far beyond just being popular food items. They are used in religious ceremonies and festival celebrations and come in all shapes, colors and sizes.

The Taiwanese Educational System

National Chunan Senior High School

7 Nov 2014 | From YangTing-Fang of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

YangTing-Fang is a graduate of this high school. She wrote that she bought this postcard among others during her high school graduation in 2008.

The educational system in Taiwan is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education of Republic of China. The school year consists of two semesters. The fall semester begins in early September and runs till late January or early February. Winter vacation typically runs from two to three weeks around the Lunar New Year. Spring semester begins following the Lantern Festival in mid February and ends in early June. From middle school on, many schools hold "optional supplementary classes" during winter and summer vacation as well as after normal school hours.

Junior high school spans grades 7 through 9 and is the last half of compulsory education. Senior high school spans grades 10 through 12, again the main goal of students is to score highly on the national university entrance exams at the end of their third year. The pace is just as, if not more intense than junior high school.

Source: Wikipedia

A Nicko Huang illustration

Bonjour, Paris

22 Oct 2014 | From Fisher of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

Paris, the French capital, is known for its fashion designers, exquisite cuisine, high-end boutiques, the twice-yearly Paris Fashion Week, and the iconic Eifell Tower. The tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world. 

Paris is also the inspiration behind this cute illustraion from Nicko Huang. Nicko Huang is a  freelance illustrator from Taiwan. His arts are defined by colourful and lively images, a little heavy strokes, and 'milkish' and dreamy colours.

The Penghu Islands

 
The Beauty of Penghu
26 Sept 2014 | From Jialin of Taiwan
OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

An ancient house and an old cow, though they have past ages, the persistence and blessing still remains.

The Penghu or Pescadores Islands are an archipelago of 64 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait between mainland China and Taiwan Island. The sea around Penghu is a saturated turquoise and the sand coral. It is famous for its beautiful beaches, glorious temples and a plethora of traditional Chinese-style homes which are surrounded by walls made from coral. 

Penghu's main islands are accessible by boat or plane from Taiwan and also by plane from an island just off the coast from Xiamen called Jinmen. Penghu’s main islands included the administrative divisions of Magong City (馬公市), Huxi (湖西), Baisha (白沙), and Xiyu (西嶼). Penghu's only city is Magong.

Love River in Downtown Kaohsiung

Love River - A night scene

10 Sept 2014 | From Wendy of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

The Love River or Ai River is a river (canal) in Kaohsiung City which is in the southern Taiwan. Love River is the spine of Kaohsiung, playing a similar role to the River Thames of London. It is of great cultural significance to the people of Kaohsiung and plays an important role in its economy and tourism.

The Love River was once heavily polluted, when raw sewage and industrial waste water flowed untreated into the river. Now, a number of riverside parks, night markets, outdoor cafés, bicycle ways, and green scenery were developed to boost tourism. The scenery is enhanced by attractive city structures near the river, such as the Holy Rosary Cathedral, Kaohsiung Bridge, and the Kaohsiung District Court. Cultural events such as concerts and the Lantern Festival are often held by the river.

Where the sky and sea merge

Kaohsiung Sitzuwan

26 Aug 2014 | From Wood Fong of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

Kaohsiung Sitzuwan is a famous tourist attraction in Southern Taiwan. There the sky and the sea merge into one, and the poetic scenery is like a picture.

Southern Taiwan is a land of timeless rituals, strong folk culture and unforgettable festivals. Kaohsiung is one of the five special municipalities in Taiwan. Kaohsiung, a city of glamour, not only has unique features of mountain, sea, river, and port, but also possesses a rich culture and beautiful cityscape.

Chinese garden architectural designs

Lin Ben-Yuan Family Abode and Garden

12 Aug 2014 | From Hsiang-Ling of Taiwan

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

The Chinese garden is a landscape garden style which has evolved over three thousand years. There are various architectural types in the garden such as the Ting, Tai, Lou, Ke, Tang, Wu, Xuen, Xie, and so on. A typical Chinese garden is enclosed by walls and includes one or more ponds, rock works, trees and flowers, and an assortment of halls and pavilions within the garden, connected by winding paths and zig-zag galleries. They create an idealized miniature landscape, which is meant to express the harmony that should exist between man and nature.

The Lin Ben Yuan, also known as the Banqiao Lin Family, are a Taiwanese family of businesspeople, politicians, and scholars. The Lin Family Mansion and Garden, the house of family, is a typical Chinese garden which was appointed as a national monument in Taiwan.

Hsiang-Ling now resides in China to look for a job after completing her university degree.

The Qixi Festival

The Chinese Valentine's Day

12 Aug 2014 | From Hsiang-Ling of Taiwan

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

The Qixi Festival, also known as the Qiqiao Festival, is a Chinese festival that celebrates the annual meeting of the cowherd and weaver girl in Chinese mythology. It falls on the seventh day of the 7th month on the Chinese calendar. 2014 Chinese Valentine's Day is on August 2, 2104. It is sometimes called the Double Seventh Festival, the Chinese Valentine's Day, or the Magpie Festival. This is an important festival, especially for young girls.

The story began from the good-looking poor orphaned boy living with his elder brother and sister-in-law. After his parents past away, his brother inherited the house and the land. The boy owned an old ox. He needed to work on the farm's field with the ox everyday. So he was called a cowherd. His daily life was just like in a Cinderella story.

The 7th daughter of Emperor is good at handcrafting, especially weaving clothing. So she was called a Weaving Maid. The Emperor likes her skill to weave clouds and rainbows to beautify the world.

It is a love story about the 7th daughter of Emperor of Heaven and an orphaned cowherd. The Emperor separated them. The 7th daughter was forced to move to the star Vega and the cowherd moved to the star Altair. They are allowed to meet only once a year on the day of 7th day of 7th lunar month.

Hsiang-Ling now resides in China to look for a job after completing her university degree.

Source: Chinese Fortune Calendar

Taiwan Experience Festival 2009

Body-Mind-Spirit Experience Festival

6 Aug, 2014 | From Jung of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

This postcard was from the Body-Mind-Spirit Experience Festival 2009 in Taiwan. The festival may pertain to the harmony of Body, Mind and Spirit.

In the Orient, all philosophy, art and science are traditionally based on the fundamental realization that all things and all processes are interconnected. Oriental wise men and women long ago recognized the interconnectedness of the various parts of the body. The human body, mind and spirit are experienced as one complete whole, within themselves, with the environment and with the universe.

Source: Confucius Institute

Cat in a pouch

Cat inside a red pouch

3 Jun, 2014 | From Chieh Ning of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

Here's another cat postcard for my unintentionally grow cat-theme postcard collection :p Although I have never listed cats in my postcard wishlist, I am still receiving a number of cat inspired postcards even from some penfriends I met outside Postcrossing. But I'm not complaining. I love cats. Especially the black ones :) Hmm... maybe I should make a separate label link for my cat postcards :D

Farm scenery in Taiwan

Chieng Jieng Farming

15 Apr, 2014 | From Akubi of Hong Kong

POSTCROSSING FRIEND | POSTCARD SENT FROM HONG KONG

You may be wondering how this postcard was sent from Hong Kong when the stamps used are from Taiwan. Actually this postcard was inside the box that Akubi sent me for my birthday. I suppose he also happens to have some Taiwanese stamps.

Mountain activities in Taiwan

Alishan

14 Mar, 2014 | From Pei-yu Lin of Taiwan

FACEBOOK SWAP

Pei-yu shared that 90 percent of Taiwan is mountainous, and that this mountain tourist spot, Alishan, is one of the most famous in Taiwan. You can see a beautiful view of the sunrise here, tall trees, and fast trains. You can enjoy the beauty of nature and enjoy Taiwanese aboriginal food :)

Flying Lanterns

Taiwan Lantern Festival

14 Mar, 2014 | From Pei-yu Lin of Taiwan

FACEBOOK SWAP

The sky lantern is not only a traditional Taiwanese custom but also an important part of their culture. Sky Lantern Festival, which is held annually, is one of the must see events in Taiwan and rated as one of the best festivals in the world. Sky Lanterns were released originally to let others know that the town was safe. These lanterns are decorated with wishes and images relating to the owner.

Lights and colours over Taipei 101

Fireworks display in Taipei 101

19 Feb, 2014 | From Wan-Yu of Taiwan

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

This was the first world's tallest building completed in the 21st century. Taipei 101 holds the world record in three of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's height categories: tallest to the structural top, tallest to the roof, and highest occupied floor.

Spectacular fireworks display, light, and music are always laid out in Taipei 101 during festivals, New Year celebration, or the annual Taipei 101 fireworks show.