6 ms·

The main problem, when I was there, as with many places throughout Asia, is the poor air quality. You’ll definitely notice it, my eyes were burning to get throu

The main problem, when I was there, as with many places throughout Asia, is the poor air quality. You’ll definitely notice it, my eyes were burning to get through the adjustment period.

komali2 6y ago
Really? I found air quality even within Taipei to be comparable to San Francisco or even better, at least according to my nose, sinuses, and tear ducts.
- hellofunk 6y ago
  Perhaps you were there during a weather pattern that minimized the effects. Unless you are saying you had a long-term low pollution experience there, which I think is impossible.
  - komali2 6y ago
    > Unless you are saying you had a long-term low pollution experience there, which I think is impossible. Over a year of anecdotal data using my own senses, which I consider extremely sensitive to allergens. Maybe some pollution data will indicate otherwise? It's certainly no rural Kansas, and I bet industrial hot spots in Taiwan suffer (like near TPE), but yea I felt great in Taipei. Far better than most Asian cities, perhaps comparable to Tokyo.
    - hellofunk 6y ago
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution_in_Taiwan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution_in_Taiwan > based on reports by the World Health Organization, that the air quality in Taiwan is generally the worst of all of the Four Asian Tigers, in particularly drawing attention to the annual mean PM10 level of Taiwan (54 micrograms per cubic meter). The annual mean PM10 level of the country's capital Taipei (47.1 micrograms per cubic meter) made the city rank only 1,089 among 1,600 included cities around the world. Based on 2004 data by Taiwan's Department of Environmental Protection, the annual mean PM10 level for Taiwan had, for the last decade, been worse than the European Union limit value (40 micrograms per cubic meter) every year.
  - monting 6y ago
    Taipei is actually pretty OK. Other cities in Taiwan, not so much.
tasogare 6y ago
Happened to me in the throat in Kaohsiung. Otherwise I approve the qualities listed by the the grand parent post. I didn’t know about the Gold Card but I’ll definitely look into it. I always enjoy taking a break from Japan and going there. People are more spontaneous, food is more varied, it’s refreshing.
andrewflnr 6y ago
Yikes. That's a hard no from me.
- komali2 6y ago
  Well, you can always ride a bicycle for 10 minutes and find yourself in a thick jungle on top of a mountain, far removed from any hint of smog.
  - andrewflnr 6y ago
    Can I just live in the jungle instead?
    - komali2 6y ago
      Absolutely! Apartments (luxury and otherwise) line the roads up into the mountains.

The main problem, when I was there, as with many places throughout Asia, is the poor air quality. You’ll definitely notice it, my eyes were burning to get through the adjustment period.

komali2 6y ago

Really? I found air quality even within Taipei to be comparable to San Francisco or even better, at least according to my nose, sinuses, and tear ducts.

hellofunk 6y ago
Perhaps you were there during a weather pattern that minimized the effects. Unless you are saying you had a long-term low pollution experience there, which I think is impossible.
- komali2 6y ago
  > Unless you are saying you had a long-term low pollution experience there, which I think is impossible. Over a year of anecdotal data using my own senses, which I consider extremely sensitive to allergens. Maybe some pollution data will indicate otherwise? It's certainly no rural Kansas, and I bet industrial hot spots in Taiwan suffer (like near TPE), but yea I felt great in Taipei. Far better than most Asian cities, perhaps comparable to Tokyo.
  - hellofunk 6y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution_in_Taiwan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution_in_Taiwan > based on reports by the World Health Organization, that the air quality in Taiwan is generally the worst of all of the Four Asian Tigers, in particularly drawing attention to the annual mean PM10 level of Taiwan (54 micrograms per cubic meter). The annual mean PM10 level of the country's capital Taipei (47.1 micrograms per cubic meter) made the city rank only 1,089 among 1,600 included cities around the world. Based on 2004 data by Taiwan's Department of Environmental Protection, the annual mean PM10 level for Taiwan had, for the last decade, been worse than the European Union limit value (40 micrograms per cubic meter) every year.
- monting 6y ago
  Taipei is actually pretty OK. Other cities in Taiwan, not so much.

tasogare 6y ago

Happened to me in the throat in Kaohsiung. Otherwise I approve the qualities listed by the the grand parent post. I didn’t know about the Gold Card but I’ll definitely look into it. I always enjoy taking a break from Japan and going there. People are more spontaneous, food is more varied, it’s refreshing.

andrewflnr 6y ago

Yikes. That's a hard no from me.

komali2 6y ago
Well, you can always ride a bicycle for 10 minutes and find yourself in a thick jungle on top of a mountain, far removed from any hint of smog.
- andrewflnr 6y ago
  Can I just live in the jungle instead?
  - komali2 6y ago
    Absolutely! Apartments (luxury and otherwise) line the roads up into the mountains.