But times have changed. Two years ago, work began on the Ilan-Taipei highway, which will make the cities just 40 minutes apart and turn Ilan into Taipei's backyard. In anticipation of the coming hordes, Ilan's real estate market boomed and rice paddies have been turned into construction sites.
兩年前，傳聞台北到宜蘭只要四十分鐘的北宜快速道路一動工，宜蘭眼看要成為台北的後花園，據說人潮會洶湧而至，土地遂開始發飆，農地也紛紛變成建地。