And Then Some News

Thursday's Essay Preview

This is the ninth of 17 essays that cover our Southeast Asia cruise (March, 2010).  The first paragraph of the ninth essay reads as follows:  "“Undiscovered jewel” is how our tour guide, Jan de Vries, described “his” island.  Married to an extroverted, lovely, Taiwanese woman, Jan, with his Dutch ancestry, is an assistant Professor and Lecturer in Aviation, Travel, and Tourism, and he loves his island.  Even with its earthquakes, cyclones, tornadoes, tsunamis, and storms (driven to the island from mainland China), and potential volcanic eruptions, it is truly “his” jewel.  Having been connected with the airline industry and traveling extensively (especially with the airline, KLM), he tried to promote “his” island wherever and whenever he could."

Thursday's Essay Excerpt - from the last two paragraphs of the essay

The expansive esplanade separates the white gates at one end from the large memorial building — sitting like a modern block-house on a pedestal, topped by another royal-blue, tiled roof with a red doorknob-like structure on top.  See a picture of it at the Sinotour.com website, and read the essay there entitled, “Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall.”
   
As I wrote this essay I was unaware of its length; thus, I continue it in my Taiwan Essay 2.  In the second part of the essay I discuss my seven reasons why Taiwan is a jewel — an undiscovered jewel.


And Then Some News