New Year's Day Walk

On January 1st of 2012, there was a government sponsored walk/hike to get us all exercising in the New Year. Because Taiwan has a Universal Health Care program with single payer(The National Government), the Government knows it is cost effective to promote exercise. One event isn't going to make us all healthy but it does show that maybe we need more exercise and we do have places for an exercising walk.

This event was a walk from the end of a Taipei subway line up to the Taiwan University of the Arts and around the campus and back to the subway station. The University is located on one of the hills/mountains surrounding Taipei, so it was a strenuous walk.

It better to do the walk with a bunch of friends or relatives.

And of course there were politicians along the way.

This guy was the third party candidate for vice president in the upcoming election on January 14th. He was surrounded by bodyguards.

At the end of the walk there was a raffle for prizes and everyone got some swag(like a cool hat). To qualify for the raffle prizes you had to get your ticket stamped along the trail.

We might have won a computer or a TV or some cash but no such luck. It was a fun walk and we we're lucky that even though it was overcast, it didn't rain. And we got to see Taipei from up in the surrounding hills.