Sunday, March 8, 2009

Boy Wins Taiwan Island

No, not the entire island of Taiwan...

In a recent lottery draw, four year-old Yeh Chien-wei (葉千維) won the rights to visit an uninhabited islet on Taiwan's outlying Penghu (澎湖) island five times for three-day visits from May to September, 2009. According to various news repots, Sianjiaoyu (險礁島), an uninhabited Penghu island, has running water, electricity and apparently a cabin, enabling the boy and up to seven family members to enjoy the island's pristine blue sea and white sandy beaches.

Many municipalities used lottery drawings to entice citizens to use their NT $3,600 vouchers recently distributed by the Republic of China (ROC) government. The family has since decided to auction off their winning vacation prize.

The story was reported here and here.

Taipei In A Day is available here, Amazon.com and at Barnes andNoble.com. In Taipei the book is available at Cherry Valley Bookstore, Tienmu East Road, Lane 8, #99,Tienmu, Taipei (behind TAS)(台北市士林區天母東路8巷99號) (02) 2876-9293. Thank you again for making Taipei In A Day the highest-rated Taiwan travel book on amazon.com!

I look forward to meeting some of you at the Taipei American School (TAS) Spring Fair on Saturday, March 21! --Scott