TAIWAN - Cover from Taipei, Taiwan to Braga, Portugal

Registered First Day Cover of the ‘Bridges of eastern Taiwan’ stamps issue, posted on October, 20 2010.
(A very special thanks to my friend Kia Hsu)

To publicize the beauty of Taiwan’s bridges, Chunghwa Post has previously issued three sets of stamps in its “Bridges of Taiwan” series. These were released on April 12, 2007, May 12, 2008, and March 10, 2010, featuring the bridges of northern, central, and southern Taiwan respectively. Now this Post is following up with a fourth set of four stamps on bridges of eastern Taiwan. Their designs follow:
1. Lizejian Bridge, Yilan (NT$5): Spanning the Dongshan River, it is a single-arch bridge without any piers. Opened to traffic in June of 1992, the bridge has a total length of 148 meters, a width of 22 meters, and a top-of-the-arch height of 26 meters. Like a rainbow arching over green water, the bridge has become a Dongshan River landmark.
2. Taroko Bridge, Hualien (NT$5): The Taroko Bridge has five light-blue steel-arch spans over the Liwu River. The main spans are located in Xiulin Township, Hualien County. Opened to traffic in February of 2002, the bridge is 1,248 meters in length and 20.8 to 29.6 meters in width. The height of its tallest arch is 25 meters. Imbued with local character, the beautiful bridge has become one of Hualien’s most recognizable landmarks.
3. Hongye Bridge, Taitung (NT$12): Spanning the Luye River, Hongye Bridge is located in Hongye Village at 400 meters above sea level. Opened to traffic in March of 2000, the bridge has a total length of 133 meters, a width of 10 meters, and a height of 10 meters. The dark-red steel-arch bridge is beautifully set off against the surrounding mountain greenery and murmuring river.
4. Pudu Bridge, Hualien (NT$15): Spanning the Liwu River, Pudu Bridge, located in the Tianxiang recreation area of the Taroko National Park, is a cable-stayed steel bridge. Completed in October of 2003, the bridge has a total length of 88 meters, a width of 3 meters, and a height of 15 meters. Surrounded by strikingly beautiful green mountains and spanning a spectacular deep gorge, the beauty of Pudu Bridge is heaven sent.