Summer time, Viennese Style

When in Rome do as the Romans do, but when in Vienna this summer, think about trying out some summer tips from some Webster students.

Not only does Vienna have a rich history, famous musicians, and great architecture to offer, summer time here is filled with many exciting outdoor concerts and activities that cater everyone. Best of all, nearly all of them are free.

Enjoy a summer splash by the Danube, relax at open-air bars and restaurants along the canal, chill at a big beer garden inside Prater, or enjoy a glass of local wine at a Heuriger in the suburbs.
Entertainment is plentiful, with outdoor film festivals – yes, there are more than one – and concerts that offer a variety to satisfy all tastes.

International Relations sophomore, Alexandra Fomenko recommends starting off by checking the vienna-event web page, to find the latest happenings. But for insider tips on the best places to whet a whistle, most Webster students who have been here over the summer say they like to stick close to the Danube canal, known here by its German name, the Donau.

It’s all about being outdoors

“Always to the Donau!” senior Media major, Gretchen Gatzke, recommended in a survey. “You can swim, bring friends, (play) cards, a picnic and beer, and get a lot of sun.”

That sentiment is echoed by most. Along the canal, or the nearby Danube Island, people can barbeque, rollerblade, water ski, go wave-boarding or just chill out with friends.

This year Donaukanaltreiben, a three-day festival for music, art and culture that runs along the canal from Spittelau in the north to Franzensbrücke at nearly the end of the city starts June 7. This year’s musical lineup includes Sofa Surfers Soundsystem featuring Saedi, the Vienna-Berlin quartet Luise Pop, the alternative rock band Mauracher as well as the newcomer Indie Pop band The Boys You Know.

U-Bahn-Station 'Alte Donau' and the bridge ©Österreich Werbung / Diejun

The Alte Donau is the dead-end of an old part of the river that acts more like the city’s lake. It’s easy to reach (only a block or two away from the Webster campus) or via the U1 Alte Donau station. The water is warm enough to swim in, but Molly Ochs, an IR senior, also likes to rent boats – sail boats, electric boats or even pedalos.

“This is a great way to enjoy a sunny day.” Ochs said, “It’s always cool on the water and is a great opportunity to swim and get out of the city while still being in the city.”

An electric boat rental starts at € 16 per hour, some companies even offer party boots that can accommodate 12 people, but choose a good captain because you will be dodging swimmers, rowing sculls and other paddlers on the water during busy days. 

You might want to steer a course away from the crowded beach, nude beach, and under water plants that will stop your motor. 

Or, you can try you your hand at the new Stand up Paddling (€ 14/ per hour).

Videos of Stand up paddling 

Another good open space to relax is MQ (Museumsquartier) with its young atmosphere and the low prices. There are also great restaurants and bars in the nearby area.

Drew Fuhrman, an American MBA graduate student, said he usually goes MQ to study, because it has a lot of nice cafes and free wifi.

“Just (a) really nice atmosphere. Lots of students would just hang out there as well,” he said. “It’s a place to go, like, a nice afternoon.”

New this summer at MQ is Aquadrome, a miniature boat racing game. People are encouraged to bring their own remote-controlled boats to compete, but you can also rent a boat for €5 for ten minutes. The competition takes places every Saturday, Sunday and holiday and runs until August 31.

Keeping cool even at night:

                                                                                         Bars and Restaurants

A view at Summer Stage ©echo-citythai

IR and Media major Aleksandra Andjelkovic, who is spending her fifth summer in Vienna this year, said one of her favorite places to go is Summer Stage, located in the 9th district on the Donau canal, close to the Station Roßauer Lände U4 stop.

Summer Stage is a great place for people to hang out, watch football games and enjoy the free concerts as well as the scenery along the canal. People can find a variety of culinary adventures ranging from Indian, Mexican, or Caribbean food, and you can even have your meal prepared by former Buckingham Palace chef Robert Morton and his team. Finding an empty table to sit isn’t easy over weekends.

Schützenhaus© Österreichische Post

Downstream, on the other side of the canal, is Schützenhaus, a beautiful blue and white Art Nouveau building designed by the architect Otto Wagner at the beginning of 1900 century. Recently converted into a restaurant, it now offers small quiet shady gardens, which allows the guests to enjoy the Danube and fine Viennese cuisine at the same time.

Not too far from the Schützenhaus, on the other side of the subway exit,
Tel Aviv Beach lounge bar is a decidedly younger, more relaxed venue. For a sunny, laid back afternoon, submerge yourself in a white deck chair under the shade of an umbrella, while sipping homemade ice tea with fresh mint. Extend the exotic feel by ordering authentic Israeli cuisine.Tel Aviv Beach is also part of Neni family restaurants, which allows the guests to enjoy the exotic authentic Israeli cuisine that is created by the famous Austrian chef, Haya Molcho. (This link would lead you to a local newspaper story about her.Warning: It is in German, suggest to read it with Google Chrome's aid.)

A view of Tel Aviv Beach at day©Claudio Farkasch

During the day, it’s a wonderful spot, it has sand, and so it gives you a real feeling of a real beach in the middle of the city,” Andjelkovic said. Before night proceeds, Tel Aviv Beach turns into the place to enjoy the pastel-colored sunset.

At night, it frequently invites DJs to perform. You can find out upcoming events by following their Facebook page. In addition, Tel Aviv beach will also host some after-parties from Flex, Vienna’s most popular club, which, by the way, is just on other side of the canal.

If you are up for some Austrian food, MBA graduate Fuhrman recommended Schweizerhaus in the Prater – Vienna’s famous amusement park – for its beer garden and atmosphere. Another Webster student, Ochs, recommends its famous Viennese deep fried pork knuckle, Stelzen, and brew Budweiser beer (the Czech kind) which is unique in Vienna.  As with just about every good restaurant, you should probably reserve first to ensure you can get a table.

Weingut Entrance©Mayer am Pfarrplatz

Another  IR/Media major, Austrian Lisa Walzel suggested people should go to a Heuriger in the evening to try out the local wine and authentic food.

Heurigers are traditional local taverns that usually serve up the newly made wine from last year’s harvest and a selection of cold food or warm buffet.

Although there are heurigers in town, to get the real feel, visit the heurigers located on idyllic side streets in the Vienna districts of Grinzing, Heiligenstadt and Nussdorf.  All are reachable by trams. For more information, you can visit here.

A midsummer night’s dream

Nighttime outdoor events, nearly all of them free, keep the Viennese busy throughout the entire summer.

Sommerkino am Rathausplatz, from June 30 to September 2, screens movies where you don’t need any knowledge of German to enjoy. Last year’s celluloid ranged from a Rolling Stones concert film to Mozart’s “Magic flute.” While watching from a giant screen, you can munch on the cuisine from all over the world from the huge food court connected to it. Come early, though: Seating is first come first served.

For those who prefer a quiet night, Kino unter Sternen (Cinema under the Stars) at Karlsplatz, maybe a better choice, recent Business and Media graduate, Mina Nacheva suggested.

“It's in downtown Vienna, but it doesn't feel like it,” Mina wrote in a survey. In addition, it usually has a great selection of movies that includes classics and independent films from all over the world. Sometimes they include talks by film directors. This year, Kino unter Sternen is inviting audiences to submit their votes of the film they wish to watch. You can participate here.

The Sommerkozert at Schönbrunn, Thursday, May 30 at 9:00 p.m., is another summer highlight. The Vienna Philharmonic has performed a free open-air concert on the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace annually since 2004. This year’s theme is devoted to the 200th birthday of Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner.

“It’s beeeaauutiful, so romantic,” said Andjelkovic, who had been there previous years. If one can go with their partner, “that’s a place to go, definitely.”

Try to be there at least an hour early to secure a good spot.  Beware of the crowd. If you plan to go there with a group of friends, try to meet up first before going in Schönbrunn Palace. With the vast audience – thousands attend -- it can be tricky to search for your friends among the crowd.

Sitting on the hill provides a nice view from the top, but you are less likely to hear it very well. Bring a picnic blanket to sit on; after all, you are in for a two-hour long concert.

Sommernachtskonzert Vienna 2010, "Star Wars"                       Usually at the end of concert encores, the "unofficial anthem of
                                                                                                   Vienna", Johann Strauss' waltz “Wiener Blut” (Vienna Blood) will be played.

Extended: Watch the time-lapse of how the stage Sommernachtskonzert Vienna 2012 was build

Last but not least...

If it is raining…feel like taking a break from the summer heat and other outdoor activities? Check out ‘Dialogue in the Dark, located at the historic vaults of the Schottenstift. Tours are led by blind or visually impaired guides in pitch-dark rooms, allowing visitors to experience what it feel like to rely on other non-visual senses. You can also stay for dinner. Reservations are recommended.

What are your favorite places to go in Vienna during summertime?

Impressions of Vienna. Time-lapse shot of famous and historic places in Vienna. By Georg Riha

Share with us in the response section or post your ideas and photos of a fun way to spend your summer in Vienna! 

Meine ereste Reise nach Bled, Slowenien!

Meine Letzte Reise, habe ich mit meinem Freund mit dem Zug nach Slowenien gemacht. Mit dem Zug, dauert es fünf Stunden Bled zu erreichen. Das was das ereste mal, dass ich Slowenien besucht habe. Wenn wir dort sind, ist das Wetter sehr Kalt, aber schön! :) Wir sind in Bled, und am See Spazieren gegangen und habe die Burg von Bled, und die Marienkirche auf einer Kleine Insel besucht. Die Burg von Bled ist die älteste Burg in Slowenien. Wir haben auch viele Fotos gemacht. Bled ist sehr schön und ruhig, ich wollte beinahe dort bleiben. In sommer, oder wenn das Wetter wärmer ist, muss ich wieder nach Bled fahren. For more pictures check here

Reveling in the real Taiwan

Reveling in the real Taiwan

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/reveling-in-the-real-taiwain/2011/03/25/AFqOAD2C_story_1.html

I was very happy to find out another good article about the place where I came from. Proud of Taiwan.

Washington Post, By Erin Meister, Friday, April , 12:20 PM

At Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport, a customs agent takes my passport and eyes it suspiciously. He looks up at me, one eyebrow raised. “Why have you come to Taiwan?” he demands.

“I heard it was a beautiful place,” I reply nervously, and the official’s gaze suddenly softens. He clutches his hands to his heart and grins widely.

“We are so happy to have you here,” he says. “I hope you find it beautiful, and tell everyone where you are from how friendly we are.”

Then he stamps my documents and waves me in, beaming long after I pass through the airport doors.

Although it has something of an international reputation as “China lite,” Taiwan possesses a vibrant national identity and pride of its own. Despite (or perhaps because of) lingering Chinese, Japanese and Dutch colonial influences, the sweet-potato-shaped island has fought to express its cultural, economic and political independence, and a strong youth culture combined with the marks of more than a dozen aboriginal tribes lend it today a dynamic air of self-rediscovery.

My delight in exploring the country’s capital city, Taipei, comes after I shed any lingering dreams of pagodas and rolling rice paddies; instead, I quickly learn to love slipping through dark, dusty doorways into shops, restaurants and seemingly secret cubbyholes where cool urban natives and hip travelers go to find the real Taiwan.

That’s what I’m after on this trip: Local color in every shape and form.

Thanks to the country’s rekindled pride, “Made in Taiwan” no longer implies the cheap production of plastic novelty items. Instead, it signifies a newfound emphasis on the local designer, the unmistakably Taiwanese artisan.

Finding them, however, can be difficult. Some of Taipei’s most adventuresome and innovative producers are tucked into the city’s claustrophobic back alleys. You have to brave the many mopeds whizzing recklessly by to reach them. But the peril’s worth it.

I discover an undeniable diamond in the rough in Figure 21, a don’t-blink sliver of a leather-goods boutique hidden in one of the East District’s many unassuming corridors. Each piece here — deliberately cockeyed change purses and meticulously hand-stitched saddlebags — has a personality of its own. The buttery-warm smell of leather hangs in the air of the studio-like boutique, where rough-and-ready briefcases rest casually alongside oddball knickknacks and vintage books, as though absent-mindedly left behind on a living-room shelf.

Venturing northeast, near the Zhongshan MRT Station, I pop into another pair of local-focused shops for a quick look around — and end up losing much of an afternoon. At the quirky, minimalist Booday, I score an armload of unique, hipstery goodies, giddily browsing through stacks of chopsticks in hand-sewn pouches, off-kilter canvas bags and playfully rough-hewn jewelry. Founded by a group of friends as a design label in 2003, Booday not only produces its own line of screen-printed notebooks that sell for about $6-$10, carry-alls ($50-$76) and T-shirts ($15-$30), it also stocks and promotes local art and artists and publishes its own quarterly magazine. In the homey upstairs cafe, I can’t decide whether to munch a house-made sandwich or get lost among the stacks of CDs by Taiwanese musicians. So naturally I find time for both.

Next door to Booday is Lovely Taiwan, a not-for-profit shop focusing on aboriginal handicrafts and art from outlying villages — from intricately detailed animal statuettes (about $26) to hand-woven fabrics adorned with native patterns (about $40). At first drawn to more banal goodies such as soaps peppered with dried local herbs, I soon find myself puzzling over a set of beautiful bottles of honey- and plum-infused drinking vinegar for about $12. A sweet-and-sour favorite throughout East Asia, sipping vinegar is often served in small cups between meal courses, purportedly to aid digestion and balance your pH. Dozens of mass-produced varieties are sold in the island’s labyrinthine grocery stores, but I was pleased to find small-batch flasks to use as an unusual cocktail mixer back home.

From mid-May, when the humidity skyrockets, sunbrella-toting locals forgo the charm of the shopping alleys to duck from one mammoth air-conditioned department store to the next. While Western designers are well represented here, most of the better malls feature local producers as well; I happily skip past racks of Calvin Klein jeans for hometown hoodies by T-shirt designer ’0416.

At the Xinyi District’s not-just-books flagship Eslite Bookstore, you can meander through seven floors stocked with gorgeous tea sets, funky pillows, hi-tech gadgets and unique stationery from Taipei-based craftspeople. Of course, the books are notable, too: The stunning photographs in such regional tour books as “Taiwan Tribes Travel” by the local publisher Guide make them great souvenirs even if you don’t read Mandarin.

Department store food courts, meanwhile, offer some of Taipei’s most delicious and inexpensive bites: crave-worthy shaved ice topped with fresh fruit (tsua bing), sizzling bibimbap (rice with vegetables), made-to-order sushi, fried rice, barbecue and even the odd twist on Western food (cone-shaped pizza, submarine sandwiches stuffed with sliced fruit). Staking out a table can be stressful, but no one seems to mind my hungry hovering as I wait to pounce on a seat.

Some malls boast fantastic sit-down eateries as well. The famous xiao long bao (steamed soup dumplings) at venerable Shanghai-style chow house Din Tai Fung are worth the long wait for a table on the basement level of the Fuxing District’s Pacific SOGO department store. Huge glass windows separate hungry patrons from the dumplingistas in the kitchen, so you can watch them hand-rolling each perfect little pouch.

Classic pork dumplings arrive screaming hot, and waiting for the morsels to cool enough before sucking out the broth is a challenge. Despite the warnings on every table about proper soup-dumpling technique, my tongue wags painfully after the first bite. Once they’re cool enough, though, the soft, salty snacks disappear quickly.

Probably no comestible is as quintessentially Taiwanese as the xiaochi, or “little eats,” found at Taipei City’s night markets. Some of these nocturnal haunts are meandering collections of stalls and food carts on streets lined with clothing and record shops (such as the Times Square-like Ximending marketplace). Others are more formal structures. The oldest of these is the covered food court at Shilin, where diners have sampled the wares of more than 500 peddlers since 1910. Year-round, a crush of students, midnight noshers and hipsters fills the pleasingly run-down enclosure lined with stalls hawking deep-fried milk, oyster omelets and da chang bao xiao chang (literally “big sausage wraps small sausage” — the little sausage is pork, stuffed inside a casing made from compressed glutinous rice).

I brace myself for another culinary rite of passage: trying chou doufu (“stinky tofu”), fermented blocks of spongy bean curd often served deep-fried and topped with pickled vegetables and a gooey, bittersweet sauce. The snack’s stench varies from vendor to vendor, but its bark can mercifully be worse than the first bite. Pleasantly chewy, it has a slightly sour flavor with a pungent, mustardlike kick.

In daylight, Taipei has a run-down quality that no one would blame you for describing as dingy. Summer’s extreme humidity leaves tracks of mold on many facades. The modern, glass-fronted buildings surrounding the massive skyscraper Taipei 101 in the Xinyi District suggest a shift toward cleaner, starker development, but a trip to older parts of the city reveals hidden corners untouched by modernity.

The oldest section, Wanhua, with its winding corridors and quiet decay, offers a glimpse of the city’s bygone days. At its bustling heart is the busy Longshan Temple. I bump past a flurry of tourists, worshipers and monks selling prayer beads outside the gates to reach the controlled chaos within, where hundreds of faithful light incense and present offerings at myriad shrines to Buddha and other deities.

Students in starched uniforms are a common sight here, coming to plead for high marks on exams and good news at the end of the school term. Other visitors leave gifts of remembrance or tokens meant to assist the unlucky in love.

In the temple’s shadow is the claustrophobic artery known as Herb Alley, a hub for Chinese-medicine vendors. Pushing past loosely bundled dried roots and dried shark fins dangling from hooks, I peruse open bags of exotic dried mushrooms, fragrant rose petals and pungent tangles of ginger and ginseng.

A short walk from Herb Alley is the city’s wholesale fabric district. At its nucleus stands a crumbling two-story building crammed with textile merchants advertising silks, satins and variations on the most popular local pattern: a vibrantly colored background splayed with peonies or other bright flowers, often referred to simply as “floral cloth.” After bargaining with a vendor selling the stuff sewn into pillowcases, I snatch it up elsewhere by the yard to use as eye-catching gift wrap.

Interested in more time travel, I take a leisurely day trip to the lush tea-growing region of Maokong, which involves a breathtaking if vertigo-inducing sky-gondola ride. The mountain’s former fame as an oolong-producing region has faded, but the gondola’s slow, 25-minute climb gives you an incredible bird’s-eye view of tiny backyard vegetable gardens and temples snuggled in the dense foliage below.

Once in hilly Maokong, I have some serious hiking to do before reaching the strip of Zhinan, the main road flanked by teahouses. I settle on a teahouse high atop a ledge for the fabled tea ceremony: a way of systematically brewing and re-brewing the leaves to draw out their flavor.

There’s often a little wistful local mysticism offered while the oolong unfurls in its clay pot. “I grew up here, and moved to the city as a young man,” the tea merchant says quietly as he pours bitter green liquid into my cup. “It gets so dark here at night, some people are afraid. But I missed this place, and I came back. I’m not afraid of the mountain. It is my home; I am from here.”

Just like the steaming cup of tea before me, he is very proudly made in Taiwan.

Meister is a New York-based writer, coffee professional and author of the blog the Nervous Cook (www.thenervouscook.com).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2004/03/14/AR2005040206181.html

Hearst Castle

剛跟室友們在網路上訂了票
決定了下星期要一訪傳說中的赫茲古堡(Hearst Castle)

心中滿滿小期待!! 應該會漂亮吧~~~

臭男生都走開吧!! 機車 吃鱉去 (哈)

The tour I will be taking
http://www.hearstcastle.com/tours/tour_1.asp

覺得寫得很好的介紹 ;)
http://www.ylib.com/travel/notes/oneview030414.htm

Other people's feedback and comments of the Castle.
http://blog.shadowku.idv.tw/blog/index.php?load=read&id=251
http://www.wretch.cc/blog/BonnieChi&article_id=7118482
More history about the Castle.
http://www.chinesetravelers.com/California/hearstcastle.htm

Recommendation for the planning and dining.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=395971

[Forward]Yemen

Article originally posted from Taipei times.

Globe trotting ─ Yemen 世界走透透：葉門

Saturday, Mar 10, 2007,Page 14

Left: The walled mud-brick city of Shibam in Yemen's southeastern Hadramout Valley. 葉門東南方哈卓毛谷的泥磚古城希巴姆。 PHOTO: AFP

Yemenis wearing traditional costumes dance in front of a gate of the Old Sana'a City, July 16, 2006. 二ＯＯ六年七月十六日，身穿傳統服飾的葉門民眾在沙納舊城門前跳舞。 PHOTO: EPA

Referred to by the Romans as Arabia Felix, or Happy Arabia, Yemen is a diver's paradise and home to fascinating tribes, lush fields and well preserved ancient architecture. Yemen is attracting ever increasing numbers of visitors. Read on to discover more about this Arabian wonderland.

曾被羅馬人稱為「肥沃的阿拉比亞」和「阿拉伯樂土」的葉門，是潛水者的天堂，有迷人的部落、青蔥的土地和保存良好的古代建築，吸引愈來愈多的遊客前往。往下讀，深入了解這塊阿拉伯仙境。

A closer look 說古論今

Visitors to Yemen have increased by over 100 percent from 2003 to 2006. They are drawn by the unspoilt coral, a host of small islands and still evident tribal traditions.

There are three UNESCO world heritage sites listed in Yemen; the capital Sana'a, Zabid and Shibam. Shibam's five to seven story mud-brick buildings dating back to the sixteenth century have earned it the nickname of the Manhattan of the desert. The mud "skyscrapers" are contained by a fortified wall and number 500 buildings in less than half a square kilometer.

Zabid is home to the Al-Azhar University where the mathematical discipline Al Jabar — the basis for modern day Algebra — was formed. Although not listed by UNESCO, Marib, located to the east of Sana'a, was the capital of ancient Sheba, and draws visitors both for its outstanding architecture and for being the reputed home of the Queen of Sheba. Tarim, an ancient town in Eastern Yemen, has 365 mosques — one for each day of the year.

Yemen's landscape is a mixture of mostly desert landscape, breathtaking mountains, mud villages and stone houses, and vast green fields of Khat. Khat is a stimulant and local favorite. Its green leaves are chewed by local men in the afternoon giving the chewer a mild euphoric feeling.

A typical meal in Yemen is salta, a broth made of meat and vegetables served in a stone bowl with flat bread. Grilled fresh fish, hummus and ful (a blend of beans, uncooked vegetables and oil) are also very popular. (catherine Thomas, staff writer)

葉門的觀光客自二○○三年到二○○六年成長超過一倍，不受污染的珊瑚礁、許多小型島嶼和至今仍盛行的部落傳統吸引他們的主因。

葉門有三個聯合國教科文組織所認定的世界遺產地︰首都沙那、宰比德和希巴姆。希巴姆市內五至七層樓高的十六世紀土磚建築為她贏得「沙漠曼哈頓」的美名。這 些土磚建造的「摩天大樓」外有垛牆，而且在不到零點五平方公里的土地上就有五百棟建物。

宰比德市內的愛資哈爾大學是數學「Al Jabar」的搖籃（「Al Jabar」是現代代數學基礎）。位於沙那東方的馬里卜雖未被聯合國教科文組織列為世界遺產地

，但是這個希巴古國的首都建築奇特，傳說是希巴女王的故鄉，因此吸引不少遊客。位於葉門東部的古城塔里木有三百六十五間清真寺，一年三百六十五天，每天一間。

葉門的地貌多半是沙漠，雜夾著令人屏息的山脈、泥土建築的村莊、石屋和大片的阿拉伯茶園。阿拉伯茶是一種深受當地人喜愛的興奮劑，當地人會在午後藉著嚼它的綠葉得到一種淡淡的幸福感。

「Salta」是葉門傳統料理，是一種以肉類和蔬菜熬

製而成的清湯，盛裝於石碗中，搭配煎餅食用。烤鮮魚、豆泥醬和「Ful」（一種以豆類、生菜和油混和而成的食物）也很受歡迎。 （翻譯：鄭湘儀）

Who Knew?

Socotra Island is situated 500km off the coast of the Yemen mainland in the Indian Ocean. Its isolation has created separate flora and fauna from the mainland, including the Dragon Blood Tree, so named because it leaks a bright red sap, said to be the blood of dragons.

The island is 3,600km2 and the population speaks Soqotri, which is entirely separate from and not generally understood by the mainland Yemenis. The island has pristine reefs, and so far 800 different species of coral have been identified off the coast.

Yemen has named the area as a national park and is promoting eco-tourism. In recent years the island has become more accessible with the advent of flights to Socotra. Visitors enjoy activities such as camping on beaches, tracking up dry river beds and hiking in the Haghier mountains, as well as snorkeling and diving.

索科特拉島位於印度洋上，離葉門本土五百公里處，它孤立隔絕的地理位置孕育出有別於大陸的動植物，包括會流出鮮紅樹汁的龍血樹，這種樹汁據稱是龍血。

索科特拉島面積三千六百平方公里，島上區民說的是和葉門本土民眾截然不同的索科崔語，且葉門本土民眾多半不懂索科崔語。島上有原始的珊瑚礁，截至目前為 止，外海已確認的珊瑚礁品種更有八百種。

葉門已將此區定為國家公園，並推廣生態旅遊業。近年來隨著航班的增設，索科特拉島的交通也愈來愈方便。遊客享受在海灘露營、溯行乾枯河床、在海希爾山脈健行，以及浮潛和跳水的樂趣。

What time is it there?

Yemen is five hours behind Taiwan, so when it is 9pm in Taiwan it is 4pm in Yemen.

葉門比台灣晚五小時，台灣若是晚上九點，葉門就是下午四點。

Flag

Adopted in 1990 when the north and south of Yemen unified. The red stripe represents the bloodshed during the struggle for independence, the black stripe an end to the dark past, and the white hope for the future.

北葉門和南葉門於一九九○年統一時採用這面旗。紅色帶象徵為獨立奮鬥時所留的鮮血；黑色表示黑暗過往的結束，而白色表示對未來的希望。

About Yemen

Size: 527,970km2, about 15 times the size of Taiwan

Location: Middle East

Border countries: Oman, Saudi Arabia

Capital: Sana'a

Population: About 21.5 million

Languages: Arabic

Government: Republic

Currency: Yemeni rial (YER). NT$1 is worth about 6 YER.

面積：五十二萬七千九百七十平方公里，約為台灣十五倍大

位置：中東

鄰國：阿曼、沙烏地阿拉伯

首都：沙那

人口：約兩千一百五十萬人

語言：阿拉伯語

政府：共和政體

貨幣：葉門里雅，新台幣一元約等於六葉門里雅