Last Day in Taiwan

What a break!  Our indefatigable friend and leader, Prof. Mei-Hsin Wang, gave us until 8:45 Saturday morning to meet for breakfast.  Into downtown Taipei on the MRT's Danshui line and then onto another line to take us to the Maokong Gondola where we rode up the mountain to visit the Chih Nan Temple complex.

Amazing detail and lacquer work in service to multiple deities (although the main god is still ticked off at his girlfriend for dumping him when his spirit took over the body of an ugly lame beggar).  Not equal to the carvings in the Dilwara Jain Temple in Mount Abu but quite extraordinary nonetheless.

Then down the mountain and a one-hour ride visit the Wulai Village, an aboriginal community that traces its origins to Polynesia.  The Han people have largely displaced Taiwan’s aborigines over the last several hundred years and today they number only several hundred thousand of Taiwan’s total population of 23 million.

Some Wulai folk put on a high-energy stage show three times a day--a bit cheesy IMHO.  But a several hundred foot waterfall, hot springs (no time for a dip, sadly), and the all-around mountain ambiance make this a worthwhile tourist trap.

Day 4 -- Another University and Even More Excellent Food

After a great trip to Taichung on Taiwan’s high speed line, we met with the president and other senior officials of Chinese Overseas University to sign a university-level MOU.

Later, over an extraordinary dinner at the now familiar Mr. Goose, the respective deans signed a MOU between our law schools.  First time for eel or goose feet for me.  One was great, one wasn’t.  Guess.  Live shrimp cooked in liquor was a new one, too.  A reasonable way to go if you’re gonna’ go, I guess.

Dean Brauch and I gave our now usual lectures to a class ordinarily taught by our good friend Dr. Mei-Hsin Wang.

A special treat for the students were the remarks of the Dean’s wife, Becky, who spoke about what it’s like to be a part of the Regent University community.

A quiet supper and then back to Taipei for some packing and then to bed before my last day in Taiwan.