Our last stop was the Melaka Fort.  There really isn't much to see, except perhaps the river behind it.  Anyway, the you can find the Melaka Tourist Information Office in there.

Caption says:

"Parameswara looking at how one of his hunting dogs thrown into river after being vivaciously [it really says 'vivaciously'!]kicked by a white mouse deer. Later on, he named his empire "Lelaka" after the tree Pokok Melaka in which he was sitting under."

Transit or transfer passengers with 7-24 hours before their next connecting flight, and who have a valid R.O.C. visa or come from countries eligible for visa-exempt entry can participate.
Countries eligible for visa-exempt entry: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,the Vatican,the U.K., and the U.S.A..

Also eligible are citizens from India, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia who hold a valid visa — or permanent residency — to the U.S., Canada, Japan, the U.K., any Schengen Convention country, Australia or New Zealand. Citizens of the five Asian countries meeting the above qualifications and having never been employed in Taiwan as blue-collar migrant workers are eligible for the tours, but must first apply for visa-exempt entry by registering on the National Immigration Agency’s website: http://www.immigration.gov.tw/. Registrants must also print out a confirmation, which they must present at check-in before boarding their flight for Taiwan.

	Terminal 1	Terminal 2	Return to Airport（Depending on traffic）
Departure Time	08:15	08:00	Before 13:00
Departure Time	13:45	13:30	Before 18:30

Note:
1. Each tour is limited to 18 passengers on a first come, first served basis.
2. As there is no room for luggage on the bus, please store all luggage at the airport baggage service counter (fee required) before boarding the bus.

Tourist Service Center, Airport Arrival Lobby
TEL: 03-398-2194, 03-398-3341 Or dial 2194 or 3341 from the airport’s courtesy telephone
Service Hours: 07:00~23:30

A: Passport valid for at least six months
B: Completed Immigration Embarkation/Disembarkation Card available at Immigration counter

*The Tourism Bureau reserves the right to cancel tours in case of inclement weather.

A short trip to the lush countryside southwest of Taipei brings you to Yingge, where hand-painted replicas of elegant Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) vases, along with other types of artistic and functional ceramics, are produced. The small town is Taiwan’s pottery center and its narrow streets are lined with shops selling everything from earthenware tea sets to delicate statues.

(when museum is open)
The Yingge Ceramics Museum, the first pottery museum in Taiwan, is a modern, glass-walled structure that imparts sense of limitless space and the beauty of simplicity. It presents 200 years of ceramic evolution and folk culture in Taiwan. It is a symbol of history and cultural as well as a place to find peace of mind.

Sanxia, about 22 km southwest to Taipei, is a bustling town with narrow, winding streets and brick buildings, many over a century old. The main attraction is Zushi Temple, built in honor of Song Dynasty (960–1279) loyalist Chen Chao-ying. Chen was a famous general knighted as “Protector of the Country” for his achievements and valour. This temple was in ruins at the end of World War II, and a meticulous restoration project has been underway for some forty years. The temple is known for its intricately carved stone and bronze columns and statues, especially the temple’s unique bird art. There are also carved stone lions, camphor wood carvings, and exquisite bronze bas-reliefs.

Taipei 101 stands 508 meters high with 101 stories on a site area of 30,278 square meters. The development comprises an office tower, a shopping mall and an observatory. It was certified to be the world’s tallest building and when it was opened to the public on December 31, 2004.

Taipei is home to many temples. Of these, Longshan Temple is the oldest and most famous. It is also one of Taiwan’s finest examples of temple architecture.

The building which houses the Office of the President of the Republic of China was inaugurated in March 1919, about seven years after construction began. Its architectural design features an elegant and majestic symmetry. Inside the building there are tall pillars, refined ornaments, long corridors and exquisite arches, all Baroque characteristics which prevail in the Renaissance period. Since the central government was relocated to Taipei in 1949, this building has been used as the Office of the President.

The Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is an impressive monument built in commemoration of the late President Chiang. The majestic hall towers over 25 hectares of landscaped gardens, graceful pavilions, and ponds. A statue of the late President Chiang looks out over the city from the main building.
The elegant Ming Dynasty-style arch at the main entrance is flanked by two classical buildings–the National Theater and the National Concert Hall. The square between the two buildings is a popular gathering place during festive occasions.

This is an excellent example of classical Ming dynasty architecture, dedicated to the fallen heroes of China’s wars. There is an hourly changing of the guard ceremony at the entrance, which many people find interesting.      

• Thais don't normally shake hands when they greet another, but instead press the palms together in a prayer-like gesture called wai. Generally, a younger person wais an older, who returns it. Watch how the Thais do it, and you'll soon catch on.

POINT YOUR FINGERS :

• It's considered rude to point your foot at a person, so try to avoid doing so when sitting opposite anyone, and following the conception that foot is a low limb, so don't point your foot to show anything to anyone, but use fingers instead.

HOLDING HANDS :

• Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon. You may see some very westernized young Thai couples holding hands, but that's as far as it goes in the polite society.

CONTROL YOUR TEMPER :

• Losing your temper, especially in public, will more than likely get you nowhere. The Thais think such displays denote poor manners, and you are more apt to get what you want by keeping a cool head and concealing your emotions.

HEAD :

• Thais regard the head as the highest part of the body. As a result, they don't approve of patting anyone there, even in a friendly gesture. Similarly, if you watch Thais at a social gathering, you'll notice that young people go to considerable lengths to keep thier heads lower than those of older ones, to avoid giving the impression of "looking down" on them This isn't always possible, of course, but it's the effort that counts.
  

Tips before buying air tickets:

1. You should be flexible, and start to search for fares from nearby airports. Consider alternative days of travel. Avoid a Saturday night if possible. These just three tips may reduce the cost of your air ticket undoubtedly.

2. Go to an online booking engine or contact a travel agent and provide your dates of travel and airports you want to fly from and to. Also, search for two separate tickets to see if you can save even more money.

Note : In some cases you will have to manually pick up your luggage and check in to the second flight. Make sure you leave yourself enough time in your layover to complete this process if needed.

3. Buy tickets from another country. If you plan to travel from one international location to another international location. For example, if you are an American and you want to fly from Thailand to other countries. It would be better to search the best ticket prices in Thailand, not the US. In this case, booking air tickets in USA typically give a higher price.

4. Compare air ticket prices with many airlines, travel agents and online booking engines. Also, consider consolidators. Consolidators buy bulk tickets in advance to select routes with certain carriers. Understand that buying through a consolidator may make it difficult or impossible for you to change plans once you have booked your ticket.