IrishAsia - Local Report

Taipei

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:02:32 -0700

Cost of Living
Shopping
Nightlife
Dining Out
Tourism
Transportation
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Introduction

Neon colored Chinese painting!!

Taipei has the highest population density for any city in Taiwan (3 million people in an area less than half the size of Dublin) and is the economic, cultural and governmental center.

Located in the Northern part of the Island of Taiwan (which is situated of the South East cost of Mainland China), Taipei was originally settled as a trading post (1853) and agricultural center on the flood plains between the Danshui and Keeling rivers. Taipei literally means ‘North Taiwan’.

Hsinchu

Fri, 25 Nov 2005 01:41:25 -0700

Shopping
Health Care
Accomodation
Transport
Recreational Activities
Dining
Nightlife

Shopping

Shopping Centers and Dept stores

Hsinchu boasts a plethora of department stores and reputedly the largest shopping center in Asia by the name of WinDance. If shopping for groceries or general household appliances, Da Ren Fa(RT Mart) is a good place to start. All the Western brand names can be found in Sogo so if you're a dedicated follower of fashion you will not be disappointed.

Ningbo

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 02:29:38 -0700

Living
Shopping
Bars
Transport
Healthcare
Climate
Tourism
Miscellaneous
Links

Introduction

Ningbo City is located in Southeast China, Northeast of the Zhejiang province. Surrounded by sea and mountains and having one of China’s busiest ports, on the Southeast banks of Yangtze River, this city is advanced, developed and even trendy !

Tokyo

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 05:57:16 -0600

Tokyo is located in the Kanto region of Japan, and is the nations capital. Population varies between day and night, with around 12 million residents.
However, by day approximately 20 million people are living and working in the city. Although the population of expats is high in number, 1 million in Japan in total, as a percentage of the total population it is very low.
It is a bustling, fast moving city, with the main stations of Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya handling up to 4m passengers per day.

Osaka

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 05:56:12 -0600

Osaka has served as an international gateway since ancient times, beginning in the 5th century. This background as a meeting point for people, goods, and information has fostered a liberal, forward-looking and enterprising people.

Hiroshima

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 05:51:53 -0600

Hiroshima is located 894km (554 miles) W of Tokyo. It is best known for, along with Nagasaki, having the Atomic Bomb dropped on at the end of World War II. Hiroshima has risen from the ashes of that tragedy, and become a bustling, vibrant city.

Suzhou

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 05:50:32 -0600

Suzhou is a city about 80km west of Shanghai with about 6 million inhabitants. It is most renowned in China for its gardens and canals. Some of the gardens are worth a visit and canal trips can be good if you want to get a feel for the city as it used to be.
Much has changed however, and partly due to the construction of a massive industrial park/export zone the city is now starting to fill with foreign ex-pats, and as a consequence more foreign bars and restaurants. Unfortunately the air and water pollution have spun out of control, also as a result of the industrial park. All in all though, it's not the worst place to live and if you get bored you can escape to Shanghai very easily.

Shenzhen

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 05:49:22 -0600

Shenzhen will probably surprise you. People from the west have usually never heard of it. Hong Kong media tell you it’s the most dangerous place in China and the Taiwanese and Japanese think it’s some poor cousin of Shanghai.
Shenzhen is actually a city of some 10 million people located on the mainland right next door to Hong Kong. It is the wealthiest city in China paying the highest average salaries. It’s a very new city, 25 years old this year, and was the first city in China to be allowed open up it’s economy.

Shanghai

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 05:48:21 -0600

'Whore of the Orient, Paris of the East' was how Shanghai was described in the 1920s and that pretty much sums up the place now following China’s re-opening up to the west and the rapid influx of foreign investment. A city of close to 20milion people, it’s a buzzing metropolis full off east-meets west confusion where just about anything is for sale.

Dalian

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 05:25:05 -0600

Shopping

There are an increasing number of western style shops opening up in Dalian. However, in these shops this means the prices are definitely more expensive. Overall, Dalian's shopping is good but you really need to know where to look if you have something specific in mind. If you are willing to spend the time and energy you can find some great bargains and surprises. You can get pretty much whatever you want when shopping for clothes here. When it comes to female fashion, sometimes the abundance of bows, flowers and sequences on an item of clothing gets a bit too much if you are just looking for the smart but casual European look. However, you just need to learn what fashion is in which department store. The usual like Mango, Jack & Jones and Calvin Kline are at the rescue, even if a little more expensive. In general clothes here are inexpensive,