Back to watching Taiwanese Election 2020/Carlos Pueblo

Back to watching Taiwanese Election 2020/Carlos Pueblo

After returning home from the cruise, I have been glued to the You Tube

Channels of Taiwanese political discussion of the National Election 2020.

Like most of the male population in Taiwan, I have been very fond of

politics for most of my life. I have inherited from my dad and also passed

it to my children.

First issue of this year is the National Status of Taiwan for all the candidates

who have the desire to run for the highest office. One China and Taiwan is part

of China is no longer the pre-condition. Even Beijing Communist regime keeps

silent for Terry Gou’s two China’s statement, under Chinese Race the Republic

and the People’s Republic are permissible and can be co-existed. Xi is quiet and

I don’t see any angry in Beijing. The old tune of 92 Consensus has been replaced

by Xi’s One Nation and two Systems which is challenged by two millions protest

in Hong Kong and a follow up by Nancy Pelosi and her colleague in the Congress.

A law has been passed to demand election in Hong Kong to elect the leader by

popular vote in 2020 or facing a change of most favorable trading status. If there

is no two systems existed, Hong Kong and China should be the same one to face

Trump’s tariff.  

Is Taiwan a Nation? The answer is yes yet not a regular Nation due to lack of

other nations to recognize it as a nation. It is because of the one China doctrine

and pressure from China. However, most of the population is against Taiwan

be annexed by China under the Communist’s rule. Therefore, the Nationalist

Party and the current incumbent Democratic Progressive Party have both adopted

a national title as the Republic of China in Taiwan. It was in Chinese Mainland before

1949 when the PRC replaced it and expelled KMT to Taiwan. My logic is that Taiwan

Is still a colony of the ROC even though DPP is a local identity.

As an expert observer of the Taiwanese Politics, I must have my first conclusion here

to hope the choice of Taiwanese next President is the Mayor of Taipei, Professor Wen

Jer Ko, M.D. due to his excellent of resume, educational background and achievement,

30 years practice of medicine, and hardworking habits. He is the best of all among the

politicians among the world. He keeps a very clean and efficient city government which

is very much different from a traditional Chinese Government of any kinds.

台灣之總統選舉2020/莊峻華

台灣之總統選舉2020/莊峻華

阿拉斯加旅行回家，我就一直觀看台灣之政論節目，這是我一生

之嗜好，關心政治，從小受先父之影響，其實我認識之台灣男性

，多數對政治有興趣，我先介紹台灣之總統選舉，再來介紹美國

，同樣有趣。

台灣政治首題，已經是國家定位，台灣是甚麼樣之國？台灣人已

經拒決中國之併吞，連國民黨都需要面對此題，中國之台灣政策

，也在逐步改變，騙人之九二共識，連習進平都放棄，許可鴻海

之郭台明聲稱兩個中國，中華人民共合國和中華民國，所以世界

只有一個中國，已經是崩潰之謬論。習之所謂一國兩制，也被香

港人民所挑戰，中國國防部警告美國，不得干涉中國內政，因此

美國國會要取消對香港之貿易優惠，真正實現中國香港之一國一

制真相，如此港幣等洗錢工具，行將崩潰，中國連自己國內之專

權制度，行將接受考驗。

台灣國內，已有共識，就是絕不接受中國之統治，中國曰統一，

我說是併吞，連國民黨都不再振振有詞，有人主張中華民國派，

這是蔣幫之餘摰，和不知所措之蔡英文派民進黨之辭，其實台灣

仍是中華民國之殖民地也，憲法並非台灣國民所制定，中華民國

奉聯軍來台接收日本殖民地，又被蔣介石之敗軍所強佔，殖民到

現在，國家定位，永遠說不清楚，一夜聆聽台大陳翠蓮教授，描

述當年陳儀接收台灣之官銜，台灣行政長官，始恍然大悟，台灣

仍舊是一亡國於中國大陸之國所強佔，李登輝國民黨之憲法修正

，並無法改變台灣之殖民地地位。

我同意台灣目前，無法有重大地位之改變，紙短情長，我直接將

我的看法指出，選台北市長柯文哲為下任台灣總統，最為智慧，

柯是中國歷史上，最優秀之政治家，學歷高，台大醫科出身，有

懸壺濟世之經驗，有結實之中國古典文學和哲學所薰陶，有深厚

之哲學背景，世界政界鮮有，工作努力，平易近人，我主張台灣

獨立一生，我看不出他有絲毫出賣台灣之痕跡，台灣需要有如此

人才，來改變腐敗之中國政風。

Re-visiting Marsden, England/Carlos Pueblo

Re-visiting Marsden, England/Carlos Pueblo

During my 6 days stay in Manchester, England, I have visited three

beautiful townships outside of the city limit. Marsden is one of two

cities which I have visited twice, the other one is Marple. There is a

spring festival at town called Cuckoo Festival which drives me back.

I met a lady at a church who recommended come back on the next

morning for the festival and I didn’t mind to re-visit the unit and lovely

town. It was a raining day, cold and miserable. I went to the church to

attend the early activities, art shows of three painters, singing and

dancing groups, etc. They were all the local performers. After finishing

their performance at the church, they moved outside to several places

at the city center. There was a dog right by a creek and playing with

fishes and made some noise and I wondered if the owner was absent

because that was almost freezing.

Inside the city library, there was a group of instruments players line up

Seated to ply some popular songs to entertain full auditorium crowds

and selling foods to the audients. It was raining and miserable outside.

I also visited another church closed to the abandoned factory, a mountain

rescue team showed the equipment and also another children performers

presented a show inside the church. I decided to go back to the canal and

walked back toward the canal museum and the tunnel.

I missed my lost leather gloves at my last cruise. I forgot to check drawers

in the stateroom and left there. The wool pairs didn’t make me feel warm

enough. I walked back to the train station and further on another direction.

Even though that was in rain, I still felt very fortunate to visit the lovely

town twice. It always reminds me a classical piece of Chinese literature about

a paradise of a peach glove somewhere deep outside of the civilization and

the local residents keep their old tradition cloths and life style, etc. generation

after generation. I am amazed that Close is used as a street after the name of.

Hiking at the Kinder Scout, Edale, England/Carlos Pueblo

Hiking at the Kinder Scout, Edale, England/Carlos Pueblo

The Kinder Scout is a high peak of the Peak District at Edale, east of

Manchester. Dave of the Canal & River Trust volunteer on the bank

of Marple Peak Forest Canal lock #8 recommended me pay a visit and

I did on one of my stay in Manchester. It was a lovely spring morning

I got off Edale Station and prepare to march on to the peak, about

2000 feet on elevation. There were tourists gathering near the station

for biking or hiking. An English gentleman was asking me where I like

to visit and I responded with some kinds of hiking along any canals

available. He smiled to tell me that there were no canals and I showed

him Dave’s note and he saw the Kinder Scout. He went back to the

coffee shop and brought a map to show me. I find that map today

and his scratch map and circle of Edale is still visible.

I followed some tourists toward the village center, a village of 312

mostly for vacation house or sheep farmers. Many fruits trees were

blooming including date and cherry which I could tell the difference.

The village is small yet there is a lovely church with a beautiful yard.

Trees are tall and the Grinds Brook enters the River Noe. He draws me

a map outside of the printed one and instructs me to follow the brook,

a small spring smaller than a creek from the Kinder Scout on the peak.

I was attracted by a big cherry blossom tree in front of a Café on the road

side. It is Kwansan, means the original is from Kwan Mountain, Japan even

though I haven’t discovered where Kwan Mountain is in Japan. It’s very

often to see Kwansan Cherry Blossom in the British Isles, London and Dublin.

Kwansan cherry is different from the popular Somei Yashino which I can

distinguish from each other. Out of 4000 Japanese Cherry trees at Tidal

Basin, Washington D.C. here are 400 of Kwansan, usually blooms one or two

weeks after the Yashino; however, in Japan there is no difference. Once I

come closer, I see additional 7 behind the Café at a camp ground. They were

so beautiful and in few days would be all gone. I went inside the Café to chat

with a waitress about the cherry blossom, she told me that came out on the

Easter day due to the worm weather and after rain. She noticed my appreciation

of such blossom and regret to inform me that the café owner once like to cut the

tree due to the fallen flowers afterward. I told her my experience at the Hyde Park

, the Kensington Park and the Green Park in Dublin, Ireland, etc. how people paid

so much attention to this flower.

I entered a gate and across a wooden bridge over a creek toward a huge grass

field on a hill. It is the Peak District with sheep spread all over the field. The hiking

path is very smooth and I can see far away. Some were coming back from the top

and some were hiking forward. I estimated my strength and supplies, water and

sweet dessert in case of low sugar. I did make to a pile of rocks of the original

formation and I knew that I was closed to the Kinder Scout and I didn’t dare to

go forward. It was easier to come down to the hill and there were still some

hikers coming up. I know that I shall return as long as there is a direct flight

from Houston to Manchester, England. I shall miss Marple, Marsden, and Eadle.

Sitting on a bench on the railroad platform, I watched a shepherd dog to herd

hundreds sheep back. His voice with authority reminds and makes all sheep

back to cages.

英國伊戴爾小鎮行/莊峻華

英國伊戴爾小鎮行/莊峻華

伊戴爾小鎮是在曼徹斯特市北郊，也是戴夫所推薦，一下車，就見

一些健行者裝備，和鐵馬行者，我尚誤會又將踩小運河，結果一位

鐵馬騎士曰，此鎮馳名者為坎德爾史考特峰，這是頂峰區之最高，

僅兩千呎，步行可及，我被包有水和甜餅，立即成行。

有一山泉，從遠處而來，走過小鎮中心，在一小門折入過小橋，然

後就是漫長之健行，我需要介紹從車站到小鎮中心這一段。小鎮人

口僅三百五十一人，有一美麗之教堂，沿路住宅都有花園，高樹聳

立，也有幾座旅店，應時商店，我在一咖啡廳門口，看到一株關山

櫻，這在倫敦皇家公園，和都柏林綠園等均同類，華府汐盆地國家

櫻園四千株中，有四百株，它花開稍晚於染井吉野，花朵複瓣而艷

麗，我在日本旅行多次，花見季，似乎同時，我需要再研究，看到

櫻花，精神為之一振，我入餐廳詢問店小姐，彼曰復活節雨後天晴

暖和，櫻花苞開，我到時不及一週，正好怒放，關山紅粉色，十分

美麗，店後有一露營場地，也有七大株關山櫻花，一片櫻紅海，她

說主人嫌棄落紛繽飛，當然店東不解陶淵明之逸境，幸好小姐等勸

阻砍櫻，留給有情者。

我猜居民多數是別墅主人，房屋花園，顯然幽雅異俗，我經一居民

指點迷津，找到山路口，過橋邁向山頂，其實不過是一山崗。原野

草原一大片，英國農業開發日久，這是綿羊畜牧，一群群綿羊，坐

立草食於大草原中，有人漫步於山崗平坦路面。我沿平路上山，前

有遊客，後有來者，愛犬長徒拔涉，已是喘息不已，我在登頂峰前

亂石中，停滯進食，然後折回，如此美麗仙人境，我會再來，星航

有特價，休市直飛曼徹斯特。

車站候車，觀看一牧羊犬，如何呼換整草原羊群歸宿，羊群中先有

識者遠處自行走回，然後就是吠叫，一群群綿羊，結集奔回，只見

愛犬奔走其間，我估計有幾十畝草原，上百餘綿羊，是我之福氣，

老年目睹仙境。

英國馬斯登小鎮行/莊峻華

英國馬斯登小鎮行/莊峻華

馬斯登小鎮，也在曼徹斯特市南郊，這是第一次散步瑪頗小鎮運河，

一位英人所推薦兩小鎮之一，和瑪頗一樣，都有許多貨運小運河，這

是工業大革命留下來之古蹟，運河仍甚漂亮，已是郊外散步公園，此

鎮特色是，有一最長運河隧道，有小船携帶遊客，穿梭其間，可得一

些運河小渡船經驗，因為天雨，而且我也不願花錢等候，所以兩次造

訪，都是徒步來回車站和隧道之間。

火車有三線，所以有三月台，有一座天橋，鐵軌沿著運河平行，就在

第三軌道旁，小鎮中心就在月台小崗下，我望遠鏡搜索附近景色，典

型英國農村，碧綠如茵，可見遠處綿羊白點，後來我習得此鎮別號布

榖鳥，或杜鵑，當日就是年度杜鵑節，活動則在翌日，而且是風雨無

阻。沿小坡入鎮，庭院中有幾株染井吉野櫻，花開約一週餘，大教堂

墓園中，則有一大株關山櫻，全面怒放，我拍下許多相片。

我進入大教堂，有兩位男士，正在練習鋼琴和吉他合奏，一位畫家正

在佈置畫廊，我走出教堂，遇見一位溜狗女士，她介紹小鎮，過去她

在關閉之毛織品廠工作，全盛期有一千六百位員工，幾樓高之工廠，

仍舊孤立在鎮邊，窗戶內傢具設備，零亂一地，機器械顯然也未曾遷

移到他國，小鎮仍然生存，像是郊區住宅，居民通車到曼市工作。

翌日週末開始，也是寒雨日，我因喜愛此四千人小鎮，一早搭車回小

鎮，在教堂和這位老水彩畫家聊天，他是當地人，曾經到過中國和泰

國，他專長於風景寫生，許多都是取材於當地，我僅能稱讚是清秀艷

麗，令人喜愛，其他有兩位稍年輕女畫家，她們是油畫，人物而非寫

真，是印象派。教堂節目開始，有幾家當地附近者，組團表演，這些

歌舞團，也週遊小鎮各處表演，我打傘到處逛，小溪中有一愛犬，正

與水中游魚玩耍，吸引幾位觀眾，鎮中另一教堂，有山中急救隊展覽

設備，教堂內也有表演，表演處包括鎮立圖書館，大旅舍，甚至街道

酒屋內外等。

我鞋已淋濕，不甚舒服，因此我走回運河隧道方向，因天雨仍舊不甚

吸引人，我走向車站反方向，小運河綿綿不絕，我是下定決心，參觀

如此英國古運河矣。

Passing by Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica/Carlos Pueblo

Passing by Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica/Carlos Pueblo

On the seven day, we stopped at Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica, a

container port of this nation on the Pacific Coast. The Cruise arranged

shuttle buses to transfer passengers to a city 28 kilometers away, Puntarenas,

on the other side of the Gulf of Nicoya. I didn’t take any of the land excursions

offered by the ship; therefore, I didn’t have any of the beautiful scenery view

of this beautiful nation. On the mountain roads, I didn’t see any agriculture

produce at all and I wondered if fishing was the main job opportunities for

the residents.

I walked along the city beach in adjacent to the downtown. It was early in the

morning and we were the only ship at the port. The city was not busy at all.

I saw young people jogging on the beach obviously were tourists passing by.

There are many hotels and motels on the beach front streets and I believe

that are for the car driving tourists. Costa Rica is in the Center America and I

believe is the pass way to the South America or vice versa. The residential area

and the business area are mixed and I see some tall mango trees bearing green

fruits which reminds me my childhood time at Huwei, Taiwan. We did have a lot

of mango trees at that time before the population boom of 70’s.

I followed many passengers to take the shuttle bus to return to the ship early.

It’s because that I don’t do shopping any longer. Once I am getting in age, my

need is diminished. Other than regular living expanse, cruise is my main expenditure.

I don’t buy jewelry, sweat shirts, and gifts at all.

Ship programs at the port day are less than at the sea day, yet there is still some

activities on board, i.e. visiting restaurants and sitting at the atrium to see people.  

Usually, I would chat with some of my adopted daughters at the restaurants

especially one ice cream store called CoCo, a paid restaurant one inside and one

outside. This is the first time for me to take the Bliss and I am still learning the location

of the facility.

The ship took off in the early evening and night programs resumed. The entire ship

became alive again. Imagine that it is a small U.S. township people stay in a huge

vessel with more than 30 restaurants, bars, and a full function casino.

船停哥斯大黎加卡爾德拉港/莊峻華

船停哥斯大黎加卡爾德拉港/莊峻華

船出巴拿馬運河，沿太平洋海岸北上，船行一日海上，極樂號是艘新

豪華巨大郵輪，船上節目豐富，我提到新學橋牌課，日本圍棋，還有

拜訪船上愛女們，十分緊湊，倒是船停哥斯大黎加卡爾德拉港一日，

顯得寂寞清靜，德港離市區尚有一段，所以郵輪安排巴士接駁，市中

心在海港海灣之另一端，哥國介於大西洋和太平洋間，以風景和治安

馳名，郵輪安排路地遊，我僅按習慣逛逛市街，美麗海灘，並非吸引

我者。

因為是清晨，市區尚未繁忙，海灘就在市中心，僅少許人散步，也有

晨跑者，這是中美洲大陸，通往南北美洲，有些旅行者，穿梭其間，

街道上客棧林立，也有在海灘上，架設營帳者，我來回徘徊海灘，順

便觀賞市區建築，這是商業住宅共存小鎮，引我注目者為庭院中之巨

大芒果樹，再過一兩週，已可採食，和虎尾故鄉一類之土芒果，帶來

多少美憶。我已幾十年不購物，因此對商店，非常陌生，這些觀光區

，到處都是商店和珠寶店，顯然有生意，否則如何歷久而不衰？

當地人見我特別，與我西語交談，不過是簡單幾句，我都可以應付，

也覺得親切，幾週初級班西語，溫習有效，因為開始天熱，我就搭上

巴士回船，船上就像一繁忙小鎮，設備飲食，均是一流，而且許多有

趣節目。

我非農業專門，甚難想像德港附近居民之謀生事業？我不見農牧，也

不知是否為捕魚？或是依賴觀光旅遊，許多哥國人移民美國，蓋美國

繁榮，許多就業機會。

Coming back from Alaska fjords 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Coming back from Alaska fjords 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Early Tuesday morning, I came back from a two weeks cruise from Alaska

with joy and happiness. It’s my 5^th time of this route along the inner Alaska

Coastal line from Vancouver, Canada to Seward, Alaska and back and repeated

visits of several ports such Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Seward, and the Icy

Straight Point. The Jewel sails through Glacial Bay National Park with several

ancient glaciers on view.

It’s a back to back program that makes the two weeks very compact in time.

It reminds me some of my fond memory of my childhood time in the central

mountain area of Taiwan. In a small township where my father worked at a

small sugar factory during the summer time, a Chinese refugee artist came to

stay at the factory’s visitors’ house to paint the Snow Mountain not far away.

I have adored such talent in my life time even though I am not good at it and

now like him to stay away from the summer heat of somewhere, I took many

photos on two cameras on my way through the most beautiful scenery of

Alaska fjords with snow cap mountains and glaciers in the summer.

I’ll write about my routine while passing by those familiar ports of Alaska, I

hike upstream on Ketchikan Creek to the fish hatchery and the small park

where the colorful Rhododendrons blooming. I took city bus to visit the

Mandenhall Glacier at Juneau and the Last Chance Gold Mine museum

outside the city, etc. At Skagway, I hike on both Lower and Upper Dewey

Lake. I counted bald eagles between the port and town center of the Icy

Straight Point. I watched King salmon dishing at Seward water front beach.

It has been very enjoyable trip with nice weather.

The Jewel is my first 4 cruises ship which has covered New England/Canada

from NYC, Alaska from Seattle, two Western Caribbean from New Orleans

and Houston while I still have had a very fond memory. I chatted with an

old timer about the Star Piano Bar on Deck 13 before today’s Moderno’s

Restaurant, she knows what I am talking about and she even describes the

old Swedish Captain’s retirement and where about. I have four dinners with

my adopted daughters on board transferred from the Dawn and had good

time. I also ran into several frequent cruise passengers whom I met on the

other ships.

     

   

阿拉斯加郵輪旅行歸來2019/莊峻華

阿拉斯加郵輪旅行歸來2019/莊峻華

昨日凌晨，從阿拉斯加郵輪輪旅行回家，這次兩週旅行，搭船從

加拿大溫哥華港出發，沿阿州海岸抵蘇握港，再從蘇握港沿原途

南下，回溫哥華，經過幾處阿州海港和冰洲，此航程我原有多次

經驗，風景依舊美麗迷人，其中在溫哥華市，兩次參觀美麗之伊

莉莎白女皇玫瑰花園，排攝千餘相片留念。

我曾在溫哥華上船過，因此從機場到碼頭，幾稱熟練，稍問路即

可，炎夏離開休士頓，到阿州旅行，像是避署，船行阿州內海峭

壁，眺望山頂積雪，令憶得童年，埔里糖廠招待所，有中國難民

畫家，在曬木薯渣場前，寫生雪山情景，未料我之晚年，搭巨輪

遊覽阿州冰天雪地，甚覺幸福矣。

經過幾海港，我都下船逛街和爬山，像凱其坎鎮，我就溯凱溪上

抵漁殖場小公園，石楠花正怒放，美不勝收。在珠諾市，我幾次

拜望俄羅斯屋之老女店東，一次搭車到郊外，參觀曼甸活冰洲，

一次徒山路到最後廢金礦。在史凱衛鎮，兩次登山，一次到上杜

威湖，一次到下杜威湖，每次都是精疲力竭，在蘇握港參觀釣鮭

魚，在胡娜小鎮數凸鷹，非常有趣。船長帶我們參觀四日古巨大

冰洲，非常狀觀，首日，有國家公園職員整站，上船講解，回程

則由節目部經理代勞，我將一一稍後詳述。

這次，有黎明號餐廳部熟識，調來珠寶號服務，也有些舊識前來

招呼，非常親切，我約是認四十位愛女，因為是一週航程，我購

買來回船票，我的鉑金加級，有許多節目，非常忙碌緊湊，一轉

眼，派對迅速結束，留下許多美憶，如今，我之遊記，已經落後

三次旅行，巴拿馬運河行，英國行，和此行阿拉斯加，我回加後

，將逐一記述。

上午，我將前後院草坪整理一下，然後觀看台灣政治節目，兩週

不見，香港有巨變，台灣政壇忙於明年，總統初選，美國也開幕

，我看股市無甚變化，我又恢復平靜之老年生活。

The Phenomena of the cruise passes the Canal/Carlos Pueblo

The Phenomena of the cruise passes the Canal/Carlos Pueblo

There are two basic theorem applied to the phenomena of the huge

cruise passes the Canal, the density and the tunnel effect. European

engineers have successfully practiced such physical principle into good

uses, ship building and the old canal transportation technique. Density

is the weight divided by the volume and water is 1 means 1 mg/ml

while the cruise density is less than 1; therefore, the 162,000 tons can

be afloat. There are 6 locks on the Panama Canals to adjust the water

levels of the waterway from one lock to another 26 feet high is the

requirement. The entering and disposing of water to the man made lake

adjacent to the waterway is also based on another theorem, the gravity;

therefore, the water change involves no power at all.

Once the ship enters the first lock, everybody is anxious to watch. The Bliss

is a new ship designed for the scenery route of Alaska and is on the way to

that destination via the passage of the Canal. The ship is sit on the chamber,

the pond in between two locks, and the water is filled in to raise the water

level to 26 feet, on the measurement label. After the water level on both

chambers are in the same levels, the 2^nd lock is opened automatically and the

huge ship is guided and towed by a powerful tug boat to pass the chamber and

the lock. On the U.K. 2000 miles canals and rivers system, the barge operators

are required to take turn to open the lock manually. It takes 10 hours to pass

6 locks on the Panama Canal while about 45 minutes to an hour to pass a

single lock in England. It is good to mention that the newly crown Japanese

Emperor has some experience of such phenomena when studying the English

water transportation for two years.

There is an original canal for ships with a little bit less weight side by side with

this newly addition of 48 miles. I walked around the observation lounge on

Deck 15 with sparkly windows around, a design for the glacier viewing in Alaska.

We started at 7 a.m. from the Caribbean Sea and reached to the Pacific side around

the sunset. We saw two or three huge containers mooring on the strait preparing

to enter the Canal. I could identify some of their names, Yang Ming and Evergreen,

famous Taiwanese cargo ships.

After the Canal passage, I went to have my 4 weeks land trip to the U.K. where the

weather was still very chilly and dam. A lady at the information center heard my

experience of the Panama Canal recommended me to visit local canals and I did

many times in England with additional taste of the unique waterway passage.