Travel in Taiwan (No.37, 2010 1/2)

12 /

No. 37, 2010

Places to Stay

FIVE-STAR HOTELS Touched by Taiwan

LEARN A LANGUAGE LEARN A PEOPLE

THE GRACE OF NO RICE Country Life in Southern Taiwan FIELDS OF FLOWERS Visiting Taichung County

THE SOUND AND THE FURY

Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival ish 4 gl 6 9 En n : 7 l y w a te 7 th ai s5i 1 8 on e T e4 b7 tDw h W5 NtT. :1 m Bi f t u3. 0 0n0e N S ial e o ea9 n2. r0 I S f ic zin u0 wa f 2 O a :B ai e ag mN /t M uGriPs p:/ t To ht

Th

Providence University Academic Information: • Five Colleges: 1.) Foreign Languages and Literature, 2.) Humanities and Social Sciences, 3.) Sciences, 4.) Management, 5.) Computing and Informatics.

• Five Centers: 1.) Chinese Language Education, 2.) Teacher Education, 3.) Humanities Education, 4.) Service Learning, and 5.) Foreign Language.

• More than 11,000 students and 630 fulltime faculty members • 581 International students

Special Features: • Full tuition scholarship for international students • MBA & MS programs fully taught in English • Complimentary Chinese language courses • A variety of extra-curricula activities • Exciting and new academic programs designed to meet the needs of a diverse student body

Providence University in Taichung is a Catholic co-educational institution that was founded by the American congregation of the Sisters of St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, USA. The university’s roots can be traced back to 1920 in Mainland China. It is currently sponsored by the Catholic Diocese of Taichung. Throughout its history of rapid growth, it has relied on God’s providence, valued other cultures, and welcomed students and professors from all over the world, while preserving its own Taiwanese heritage.

Contact Information

• Recognized publicly for outstanding library resources, Taiwanese Literature Department, Teacher Education Center, Service Learning Program and cross-strait relations • Abundant industry-academy cooperation and employment resources to help students develop multidimensional career capabilities and pursue a new future for life.

Providence University Office of International Affairs E-mail: pu11600@pu.edu.tw Tel: (04) 2632-8001 ext.11820~11826 Fax: (04) 2652-6602 Address: 200 Chung Chi Rd., Shalu,

Taichung County 43301, Taiwan

For more information about tuition scholarship and FREE Chinese language courses, please log on to http://www.oia. pu.edu.tw/english/index.html/.

The application deadline is April 30 annually.

Publisher's Note ­

Welcome to Taiwan!

Dear Traveler,

LOCAL CULTURE FIELDS OF FLOWERS Hot Springs Delicious Noodles

The f irst decade of the new millennium ended on a high note for Taiwan’s tourism industry. Last year, for the first time in the history of this island, the number of visitors for one year exceeded four million. With the worldwide economy slowly recovering from the global financial crisis, and with exchanges between Taiwan and mainland China steadily increasing, hopes are high that tourism development will continue on its successful path of recent years. In its new tourism campaign for the years 2010 and 2011, the Tourism Bureau will focus on promoting those facets of Taiwan that touch or move visitors from overseas the most. The following ten travel themes will receive special attention: bicycling, contemporary culture, local culture, innovative tours, eco-tours, religion, hiking, hot springs & f ine cuisine, indigenous culture, and celebrity tours focused on local pop-culture. In this and coming issues of Travel in Taiwan you will find many articles featuring the above topics, presenting you with useful information and ideas for tours in Taiwan that will give you more than just the usual look at the main sights, getting you an up-close look into the heart and soul of our country.

Taiwan’s unique combination of climate and topography is the reason for the astonishing variety of wild and cultivated vegetation found on the island.

One example of the amazing plant variety is the large number of f lowers and blossoms that can be seen in many different locations and at different times throughout the year. Cherry blossoms, azaleas, and calla lilies on Yangmingshan, tung tree blossoms in northern and western Taiwan, cherry blossoms at Alishan, lotus flowers at Baihe, chrysanthemums on the Penghu Archipelago, daylilies at Mt. Liushidan, and much more. Taiwanese people love flowers, and there are numerous local festivals that revolve around the flower seasons. The Sea of Flowers in Shinshe in central Taiwan is one such festival (see our Feature article). On top of the many existing flower-themed events in Taiwan, there is now an even bigger treat for flower lovers coming up. Starting this November the Taipei Int’l Flora Expo will be a large-scale event, staged at four different park areas that will include 14 exhibition halls.

The Expo will showcase the latest achievements in horticulture, science, and environmental-protection technology and give visitors new ideas on how to live in harmony with nature.

This year’s Chinese (Lunar) New Year will fall on February 14. Not unlike Christmas in the West, this is a special time for the people of Taiwan, a relaxed time away from work spent in celebrations with family, relatives, and friends. For visitors from abroad, this is a great opportunity to witness the exuberant joy and hospitality of the Taiwanese people, especially when invited to a traditional Chinese New Year’s dinner at someone’s home.

On behalf of the Tourism Bureau, I wish you a prosperous year 2010 and a pleasant stay in Taiwan!

Janice Seh-Jen Lai Director General Tourism Bureau, MOTC, R.O.C.

Travel in Taiwan January • February 2010

1

Publisher Janice Seh-Jen Lai Editing Consultants David W. J. Hsieh, Chao-Yen Wu Publishing Organization Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications Address 9F, 290 Zhongxiao E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei, 104, Taiwan Tel: 886-2-2717-3737 Fax: 886-2-2771-7036 E-mail: tbroc@tbroc.gov.tw Website: http://taiwan.net.tw Producer , Vision Int l Publ. Co., Ltd. Address Rm. 5, 10F, 2 Fuxing N. Rd., Taipei, 104 Taiwan Tel: 886-2-2711-5403 Fax: 886-2-2721-2790 E-mail: vision@tit.com.tw

Gener al Manager Deputy Gener al Manager CHIEF SUPERVISOR English Editors ADVISER TO THE Editors Editor in Chief Editors Assistant Planner&Editor Contributors

Administr ative Dept.

Designers Advertising Dept.

Advertising Hotline Printer

Legal Advisor

Wendy L. C. Yen Frank K. Yen Eve Tu Richard Saunders, Rick Charette Ming-Jing Yin Johannes Twellmann Stella Huang, Aysel Then, Joe Lee Percy Kung Rick Charette, Steven Crook, Bryan Beaudoin, Jay Acton, Eric Lambert, Francesca Chang, Matthew Davidoff, Kurt Weidner, Chris Lockwood,Stuart Dawson Hui-chun Tsai, Nai-jen Liu, Xiou Mieng Jiang Ting Ting Wang, Wen-Jen Fan, Ellen Yeh, Daemon Lee Pamela Leu, Stacy Cai, Mamie Yang + 886-2-2721-5412 Sinew Color Printing & Reproduction Co., Ltd. TEL: + 886-2-2225-2513 FAX: + 886-2-2225-2519 Chen Lung, Chen & Associates – Attorneys at Law

Where you can pick up a copy of Travel in Taiwan Abroad Offices of the Tourism Bureau in Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Frankfurt; Taiwan Representative Offices; Overseas Offices of the Ministry of Economy; Overseas Offices of the Central News Agency; onboard China Airlines, EVA Air and other selected international airways; selected travel agencies in Asia, North America, and Europe; and other organizations

In Taiwan Tourism Bureau Visitor Center; Tourism Bureau; Taiwan Visitors Association; foreign representative offices in Taiwan, Tourism Bureau service counters at Taiwan Taoyuan Int’l Airport and Kaoshiung Int’l Airport, major tourist hotels; Taipei World Trade Center; VIP lounges of international airlines; major tourist spots in Taipei; visitor centers of cities and counties around Taiwan; offices of national scenic area administrations; public libraries

台 灣 觀 光 雙 月 刊 Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly January/ February Issue, 2010 http://www.tit.com.tw/vision/index.htm Copyright c 2010 Tourism Bureau.

All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

ISSN:18177964

GPN:2009305475

200 NTD

CONTENTS COVER STORY "No Rice Happiness" Even when the rice harvest is bad, Taiwan’s farmers find ways to enjoy living a simple lifestyle in the countryside.

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2010 1 Publisher�s Note

HEALTH

4 Culture & Art

46 Feeling Just Great — Foot Massage and Other Invigorating Treatments

6 Calendar of Events 8 What�s Happening in Taiwan

FEATURE

PLACES TO STAY

10 The Grace of No Rice — The Wisdom of Rural Life

48 When in Taipei, Go Five-Star — Local International Tourist Hotels Offer Oriental Hospitality

16 Fields of Flowers

— Visiting Xinshe: A Town of Impressive Manmade and Natural Growth

22 The Sound and the Fury — A Survivor’s Tale of the Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival

28

52 The “Taiwan” Brand — Sparkling Ever Brighter in Jewelry and Porcelain Design

14 10

FESTIVAL

SHOPPING

FOOD

28 Satisfying Every Taste Bud — Options for Delicious Noodle Dishes Abound in Taipei and around Taiwan

HOTEL INFORMATION 54 Hotels of Taiwan

TOUCHED BY TAIWAN 32

To Learn a Language, Learn a People — Learning Mandarin in Taiwan

48

MY LOCAL FRIENDS

42

37 Following the Call of the Barking Deer — A Foreigner Organizing Guided Tours to Taiwan’s Mountains

NEW PERSPECTIVES

42 Water, Mountains, and…

Boredom???

— A Revealing Trip to the Remote Hot-Spring Village of Zhiben

Travel in Taiwan January • February 2010

3

CULTURE & ART

CULTURE & ART Taiwan has a very diverse cultural scene, with art venues ranging from international-caliber concert halls and theaters, where internationally-acclaimed stars regularly perform, to make-shift stages on temple plazas where you can witness Taiwanese opera. Among Taiwan’s museums are the world-famous National Palace Museum as well as many museums specializing in different art forms and aspects of Taiwanese culture. Here is a brief selection of upcoming happenings. For more infomation, please visit the websites of the listed venues.

National Palace Museum

Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Water and Ink Flowing with Feeling: The Painting and Calligraphy of Chen Chun 水墨漫興 陳淳書畫展 Jan 13 ~ Mar 25 This exhibition highlights masterpieces of watercolor painting and calligraphy by Ming dynasty artist Chen Chun (1483-1544).

Chen was born into a literati family and immersed in formal learning from childhood, becoming quite talented in studies of the Classics, ancient poetry and prose, and calligraphy. An artist of the Wu school of Chinese painting, Chen ranks only after Shen Zhou and Wen Zhengming in this school of literati art. His achievements in painting were outstanding; he inaugurated innovations in the “sketching ideas” style of bird-and-flower painting in the Ming Dynasty. He created his own unique style of free and natural brushwork in the sketching-ideas tradition that is both lofty and untrammeled. Chen Chun was also gifted at landscape painting, and he adapted the watery ink style of flowers for use in his landscape paintings.

2009 Taipei Arts Awards Exhibition 2009臺北美術獎展覽

Dec 26 ~ Mar 7

Want to know what is cooking on Taiwan’s arts scene these days? The Taipei Arts Awards presents a great opportunity for art lovers to learn more about the latest trends and about up-and-coming local artists.

The Taipei Fine Arts Museum and the Taipei City Government jointly honor the best works of highly talented, passionate, and energetic artists eager to display their talent and imagination. There are no restrictions for the participants in terms of the type of media used or the size of submitted works, giving the artists greater freedom for expression and more room for creativity. The finalists enjoy the chance to display their works at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum.

National Theater/Experimental Theater

Taiwan International Festival Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts

Speaking with Hands: The Buhl Collection 手的表情：美國布爾基金會世紀經典收藏展 Until Mar 28 “Hands” are the topic of the photographs and other artworks on show at this exhibition. Renowned photographer, art collector, philanthropist, and community activist Henry Buhl from Detroit, Michigan has collected photographs and sculptures focused on the subject “the human hands.” In addition to 117 photographic images, the exhibition also brings together 32 works of sculpture crafted by artists such as August Rodin, Pablo Picasso, and Louise Bourgeois.

4 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

台灣國際藝術節 Feb 19 ~ Mar 28 The Taiwan International Festival is a highlight of the local events calendar in 2010, featuring a diverse program of avant-garde stage performances. Robert Wilson’s 1433-The Grand Voyages will be among the biggest attentiongrabbers, as will be a new version of the music of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by world-famous composer Tan Dun, orchestrated for a symphony orchestra with both Oriental and Occidental instruments. Theater troupes, dance ensembles, and orchestras from Europe, South America, and Taiwan will present the best of modern theatre, dance, and music. Make sure to catch the latest work of Taiwan’s leading dance troupe, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, entitled, “Listening to the River,” and the joint musical performance by Taiwan’s National Symphony Orchestra and Austrian percussionist Martin Grubinger.

Venues

National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts

Viewpoints & Viewing Points - 2009 Asian Art Biennial 觀點與「觀」點—2009亞洲藝術雙年展

Taipei International Convention Center（台北國際會議中心） Add: 1 Xinyi Rd., Sec. 5, Taipei City ( 台北市信義 路五段一 號 )

Tel: (02) 2725-5200 ext. 3000. 3151~52 www.ticc.com.tw Nearest MRT Station: Taipei City Hall

Taipei Until Feb 28

This year's Viewpoints & Viewing Points – 2009 Asian Art Biennial will focus on dialogue and interaction stimulated by different viewpoints and viewing points. Serving as an important platform for artistic exchange between Taiwan and the international arts community, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts is keen to facilitate intercultural dialogue through art. A total of 56 artists, filmmakers, and production teams from 20 Asia-Pacific countries are presenting a total of 144 works, including paintings, installation art, sculptures, digital-art works, animation, and documentaries.

Taipei Zhongshan Hall Plaza

Taipei Fine Arts Museum

（ 台北中山堂廣場 ）

Add: 98, Yanping S. Rd., Taipei City

（ 台北市立美術館 ）

( 台北市延平南 路 9 8 號 )

Add: 181 Zhongshan N. Rd., Sec. 3, Taipei City

Nearest MRT Station: Ximen

( 台北市中山北 路 3 段 181 號 )

Taipei International Convention Center

Tel: (02) 2595-7656 www.tfam.museum Nearest MRT Station: Yuanshan

（ 台北國際會議中心 ）

Add: 1, Xinyi Rd., Sec.5, Taipei City

Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei（ 台北當代藝術館 ）

( 台北市信義 路五段 1 號 )

Tel: (02) 2725-5200, ext. 3517, 3518 www.ticc.com.tw/ Nearest MRT Station: Taipei City Hall

Add: 39 Chang-an W. Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市長 安 西 路 3 9 號 )

Tel: (02) 2552-3720 www.mocataipei.org.tw Nearest MRT Station: Zhongshan

National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall（ 國立中正紀念堂 ） Add: 21 Zhongshan S. Rd., Taipei City

Lin Liu-hsin Puppet Theatre Museum（ 林柳新紀念偶戲博物館 ）

( 台北市中山南 路 21 號 )

Tel: (02) 2343-1100~3 www.cksmh.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: CKS Memorial Hall

Add: 79 Xining N. Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市 西寧 北 路 7 9 號 )

Tel: (02) 2556-8909 www.taipeipuppet.com Nearest MRT Station: Shuanglian

National Concert Hall（國家音樂聽）; National Theater （國家戲劇院 ） Add: 21-1 Zhongshan S. Rd., Taipei City

Taipei Arena

( 台北市中山南 路 21-1 號 )

Taichung

Tel: (02) 3393-9888 www.ntch.edu.tw Nearest MRT Station: CKS Memorial Hall

Super Band, Super Junior, Backstreet Boys Jan 29, Feb 20, Feb 25

Taichung Zhongshan Hall（ 台中中山堂） Add: 98 Xueshi Rd., Taichung City

National Museum of History

( 台中市學士路 9 8 號 )

（ 國立歷史博物館 ）

Taipei Arena is the preferred venue for many leading entertainers in town to stage live concerts. In January and February there will be three separate concerts by groups that couldn’t be more different. First to hit the stage will be “Super Backstreet Boys Band,” an ensemble of four veteran musicians well known around East Asia. Lo Ta-yu, Jonathan Lee, Wakin Chau, and Chang Chen-yue, who combined can boast of a staggering 70 albums, 600 main compositions, and more than 350 individual concerts in their careers, formed the band in 2008 and decided to perform together until the end of January this year before resuming with their own individual projects. Super Junior is a highly successful boy-band project from Korea started in 2005. Local teens are eager to see them sing their number one hit “Sorry Sorry” and perform their signature sychronized dances. Finally, there is no need to introduce the American vocal group Backstreet Boys, but for those who have lost track of them in recent years, they released a new album, “This Is Us,” in October last year and are currently on a concert tour of the same name, with the Feb 25 gig their only appearance in Taiwan.

Tel: (04) 2230-3100 www.tccgc.gov.tw

Add: 49 Nanhai Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市 南 海路 4 9 號 )

National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts（ 國立台灣美術館 ）

Tel: (02) 2361-0270 www.nmh.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: CKS Memorial Hall

Add: 2 Wuquan W. Rd., Sec. 1, Taichung City ( 台中市五權 西 路 一段 2 號 )

National Palace Museum

Tel: (04) 2372-3552 www.tmoa.gov.tw

（ 國立故宮博物院 ）

Add: 221 Zhishan Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei City

Tainan

( 台北市至 善路 2 段 2 21 號 )

Tel: (02) 2881-2021 www.npm.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: Shilin

Tainan City Cultural Center （ 台南市立文化中心 ）

National Taiwan Museum

Add: 332 Zhonghua E. Rd., Sec. 3, Tainan City ( 台南 市中華東 路 3 段 332 號 )

（ 國立臺灣博物館 ）

Tel: (06) 269-2864 www.tmcc.gov.tw

Add: 2 Xiangyang Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市 襄 陽 路二號 )

Tel: (02) 2382-2566 www.ntm.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: NTU Hospital

Kaohsiung

Novel Hall（ 新舞臺 ）

Kaohsiung City Chungcheng Cultural Center（ 高雄市立中正文化中心）

Add: 3 Songshou Rd., Taipei City

Add: 67 Wufu 1st Rd., Kaohsiung City

( 台北市松 壽路 3 號 )

( 高 雄 市五福 一路 67 號 )

Tel: (02) 2722-4302 www.novelhall.org.tw Nearest MRT Station: Taipei City Hall

Tel: (07) 222-5136 ext. 8908, 8909, 8910 www.khcc.gov.tw (Chinese only) Nearest KMRT Station: Cultural Center

National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts（ 高雄市立美術館 ）

（ 國立國父紀念館 ）

Add: 80 Meishuguan Rd., Kaohsiung City

Add: 505 Ren-ai Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City

( 高 雄 市美 術館 路 8 0 號 )

( 台北市仁 愛 路 四 段 5 0 5 號 )

Tel: (07) 555-0331 www.kmfa.gov.tw Nearest KMRT Station: Aozihdi Station

Tel: (02) 2758-8008 www.yatsen.gov.tw/english Nearest MRT Station: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Kaohsiung Museum of History （ 高雄市立歷史博物館 ）

Taipei Arena（ 台北小巨蛋 ） Add: 2 Nanjing E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City

Add: 272 Zhongzheng 4th Rd., Kaohsiung City

( 台北市 南 京 東 路 4 段 2 號 )

( 高 雄 市中正四 路 27 2 號 )

Tel: (02) 2577-3500 www.taipeiarena.com.tw Nearest MRT Station: Nanjing E. Rd.

Tel: (07) 531-2560 http://w5.kcg.gov.tw/khm/index.asp Nearest KMRT Station: City Council

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010

5

2010

CALENDAR OF EVENTS until

Taipei Int’l Flower Exhibition (臺北國際花卉展)

JAN 17

The Taipei Int’l Flower Exhibition, taking place at the large Daan Park as well as many minor parks around Taipei, serves as a teaser event for the upcoming 2010 Taipei International Flora Expo. Flower art is presented under the theme “Taipei Int’l Flora Expo Impressions ~ Visions of 2010.” The exhibition is centered on creative design and is an invitation to the public to get a preview of what is to come at the Flora Expo, which will commence this November. Incorporated in the current event will be concerts at Taipei Water Park.

Location: Daan Park (大安森林公園), Taipei Water Park (自來水園區),

and 12 smaller parks in Taipei City Website: pkl.taipei.gov.tw Tel: (02) 2303-2451

JAN 27 ~ FEB 1

Taipei Int’l Book Exhibition (臺北國際書展)

The Taipei Int’l Book Exhibition each year attracts thousands of avid readers, who come to check out the latest publications from Taiwan and overseas.

Publishers from around the world attend the exhibition, engaging in lively international exchange and further deepening the love for reading among visitors. Highlighted during this year’s exhibition will be books from France.

Location: Exhibition Halls 1, 2, 3 of Taipei World Trade Center (台北世 界貿易中心展覽一館 展覽二館展覽三館) Website: www.tibe.org.tw/tibe/2010 Tel: (02) 2767-1268

FEB 28 ~ MAR 7

Taiwan Lantern Festival (臺灣燈會)

This is the biggest of all the lantern festivals held each year around Taiwan. The official Taiwan Lantern Festival is staged in a different location each year, organized by a selected local government. This year it’s Chiayi City’s turn to put on a great show with huge theme lanterns and thousands of smaller lanterns created by professional and amateur lantern-makers. There will be a variety of lantern-displaying areas, including sites for auspicious lanterns, traditional lanterns, innovative and funny lanterns, lanterns which have been entered in a lantern contest, religious lanterns, and much more.

Location: Around Fuxing New Village, Jianguo Second Village, Bainian Park, and Baseball Stadium in Chiayi City (嘉義市復興新村 建國二村 百年公 園及棒球場周圍) Website: www.chiayi.gov.tw Tel: (02) 2495-1510

MAR 11 ~ JUN 6

Taipei Traditional Arts Festival (臺北市傳統藝術季)

The Taipei Traditional Arts Festival is one of the most important annual traditional-arts events in Taipei. The program is always outstanding, featuring famous musicians and performing groups invited from overseas to show off their skills and engage in exchanges with the Taipei Chinese Orchestra and performing groups from Taiwan.

Location: Zhongshan Hall (中山堂) in Taipei Website: www.tco.taipei.gov.tw Tel: (02) 2383-2170

FEB 26 ~ MAR 7

Taipei Lantern Festival (臺北燈節)

The Lantern Festival each year marks the end of the traditional Lunar New Year Festival season. It is celebrated in numerous locations around Taiwan with paper-lantern exhibitions, entertainment programs, and food bazaars.

One of the biggest lantern-festival events, drawing visitors in many thousands, is the Taipei Lantern Festival staged around Taipei City Hall and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. Be sure to catch a glimpse of the festival’s main theme lantern, this year in the shape of a tiger, the zodiac animal for the coming lunar year, which will be illuminated with an elaborate laser and sound show.

Location: Areas around Taipei City Hall and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (台北市政府周邊 國父紀念館) Website: www.taipei.gov.tw Tel: (02) 2720-8889 ext. 8384

MAR 27 ~ MAY 9

Yilan Green Expo (宜蘭綠色博覽會)

The Yilan Green Expo of Yilan County is an annual show that promotes sustainable ecology, environmental protection education, a green lifestyle, and local customs.

Last year’s Yilan Green Expo had the theme “Open Your Heart, Love the World,” and encouraged people to show more affection for Mother Nature. This year’s edition has as its theme “A Beautiful New World,” with the focus on how people can find new ways to enjoy life while taking care of the environment.

Location: Wulaokeng Scenic Area, Suao Township, Yilan County (宜蘭縣蘇澳鎮武荖坑風景區) Website: igreen.e-land.gov.tw Tel: (03) 925-1000

JanuaryFebruaryMarch

until

Chinese Character Festival ( 漢字文化節)

Even those who don’t know a single Chinese character can JAN 31 appreciate the aesthetic beauty of Chinese calligraphy. This festival is a celebration of traditional culture and art related to the Chinese script. It also shows how Chinese characters can be used in modern and creative ways. Students are given the chance to show off their achievements in Chinese literature, while seminars that are open to all surely will enhance the public’s awareness of the wonders of Chinese characters. There will also be plenty of opportunities for buying unique souvenirs featuring Chinese characters, at a special art market.

Locations: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (中正紀念堂), Taipei Confucius Temple (臺北孔廟), and surrounding areas Website: www.cca.gov.tw Tel: (02) 2720-8889 ext. 3541

JAN 29 ~ FEB 12

Taipei Lunar New Year Shopping Festival (臺北年貨大街)

until

Sichong River Hot Spring Festival (四重溪溫泉美食嘉年華)

JAN 31

The Sichong River Hot Springs in southern Taiwan is one of the main hot-spring destinations in Taiwan. The clear alkaline water of the springs here is rich in minerals and is suitable for both bathing and drinking. This festival combines the pleasures of hot-spring bathing with indulgence in delicious local specialties.

Locations: Sichong River Hot Spring Area (四重溪溫泉區), Kaohsiung County/City (高雄縣市), Pingtung County (屏東縣) Website: www.tbnsa.gov.tw Tel: (08) 833-8100 ext.165

Mid-FEB ~ End of MAR

Yangmingshan Flower Season (陽明山花季)

Each year before the Chinese New Year, people in Taiwan busy themselves with preparations for this, the most important festival of the year. One important task to be completed before the festive days begin is stocking up on all sorts of traditional snacks, which will be consumed during the festive days. In Taipei the most famous New Year’s snack-food bazaar is on Dihua Street. Visit this market to soak up the pre-festival excitement and try the snacks on sale.

The residents of Taipei are blessed to have a large national park right at their doorstep. Yangminghan is a popular day-trip destination throughout the year, offering many hiking trails and wide expanses amid green-slope mountains. During early spring, the area becomes especially scenic, despite the often cool and wet weather conditions, as a result of the profusion of cherry and azalea flowers in bloom.

Locations: Dihua Shopping Area (迪化商圈), Yongle Market (永樂市場), Huayin Street (華陰街), shopping area at the rear of Taipei Main Station (臺北後車站商圈), Ningxia Night Market (寧夏夜市), Taipei City Mall (臺北地下街商圈) Website: www.tcooc.taipei.gov.tw Tel: (02) 2720-8889 ext. 6478

Location: Yangmingshan National Park (陽明山國家公園) Website:www.ymsnp.gov.tw Tel: (02) 2861-3601

Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival (平溪天燈節) The town of Pingxi in Taipei County is usually a sleepy place, which only sees some activity during weekends and holidays when tourists come in via the local scenic railway branch line. During the annual Sky Lantern Festival, however, the town is densely packed with revelers who come to witness the sending of thousands of large paper lanterns into the night sky. This is a serene scene you should definitely not miss if visiting Taipei at the end of February. If you come at another time of the year you can still enjoy the pleasant Pingxi scenery and even make your own paper lantern to release to the sky, without the crowds.

FEB 28

Location: Pingxi Township, Taipei County (台北縣平溪鄉) Website: www.pingsi.tpc.gov.tw Tel: (02) 2495-1510

End of MAR ~ End of APR

Zhuzihu Calla-Lily Festival (竹子湖海芋季)

Each year from March to May the snow-white calla lilies are in bloom in Zhuzihu, located on Taipei’s north side, high up on Yangmingshan. The cold and wet local climate and the plentiful supply of mountain-spring water in the area offer ideal conditions for growing these lilies and other exotic flora.

Many visitors come to Zhuzihu at this time to pick the flowers, pose for photos, and enjoy the many related activities that are staged.

Location: Zhuzihu Rd., Yangmingshan, Beitou District, Taipei City (臺北市北投區陽明山竹子湖) Website: www.taipei.gov.tw Tel: (02) 2725-6584

TRAVEL NEWS

WHAT’S HAPPENING in

TAIWAN

New Landmark in Guanziling — Sky Ladder and Air Corridor The hot-spring town of Guanziling in Tainan County has a new attraction. A wooden structure consisting of a towerlike staircase called “Sky Ladder” and a six-story-high bridge named “Air Corridor” now passes over County Road 175. It is not just an eye-catching new sight for visitors to the town but also an important link that allows people to cross the busy main road safely and reach all major spots, including the hot-spring facilities and hiking trails, conveniently. During the cooler months of winter the hot springs of Guanziling are a popular destination attracting large numbers of hot-spring lovers. When the chill of winter descends upon the island, time spent at the hot springs of Guanziling is time well spent; the experience now is even more enjoyable with the Sky Ladder and Air Corridor.

8 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

A new cable-car line near Sun Moon Lake, one of Taiwan’s top tourist attractions, is now in operation.

The 1.8-kilometer-long “Sun Moon Lake Ropeway” connects the Sun Moon Lake Youth Activity Center, located close to the lakeshore, with the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, a popular theme park celebrating the cultures of local indigenous peoples.

Visitors can now make the trip from the lake to the park in just 10 minutes (instead of 25 minutes by car), taking in grand views of the breathtaking lake and mountain scenery during the short ride. The unobstructed vistas are especially stunning when traveling the 786-meter stretch between support towers No. 7 and No. 8 at an elevation of 150 meters above the surface of the lake. The cable car is another reason, added to the many others, to pay the scenic lake area a visit.

In Taipei the Maokong Gondola, another cable car system, is scheduled to run again starting February 14 (the first day of the Lunar New Year Festival). It was suspended from service since Oct. 1, 2008, after mudslides eroded the ground beneath a support pillar.

The gondola provides a popular ride from Taipei Zoo to the tea-plantation area of Maokong, where you can drink tea at teahouses with splendid views of Taipei or go for a hike using a well-maintained system of trails through verdant hills and lush forest.

Photos / Vision Int'l; Taiwan Tourism Bureau;Kaohsiung City Bus Service Administration

Cable Car Rides at Sun Moon Lake and Maokong

“Slow Bicycle Touring on the Highway – Seaside Joy along the South Coast”

Free Bus Rides on Major Festival Days in Kaohsiung this Year

The Tainan County Government staged the “Slow Bicycle Touring on the Highway – Seaside Joy along the South Coast” activity for the first time last year, and it was a big hit. Almost 8,000 people joined in. A wave of passion for bike-riding has surged over Taiwan in recent years, and by popular demand the county’s slow-tour mass bike outing is back for 2010, to happen January 24. There will be a competitive route and a family route to choose from. At the main site of the event there will also be other attractions, including prize draws and memento giveaways, making this a rewarding day in many different ways. For details on signing up and on the various activities, visit the event website at http:// blog.roodo.com/soulanghcp/ (Chinese); you can also get more info by phone, at (06) 6320347 or 633-5275.

More than 4 Million Visitors to Taiwan in 2009 Through 2008 and 2009 the Taiwan Tourism Bureau staged a popular “Millionth Visitors” promotion, presenting special gifts to the 1, 2, 3 and 4 millionth visitor in both years. On December 5, the number of visitors for 2009 hit the magic four million mark. This number set a new record for number of travelers to Taiwan for a single year. Lucky visitor number 4 million was Goto Suzuyo, a retired 62-year-old woman from Japan, who traveled to Taiwan on Eva Air flight BR-2131 from Kansai Airport in Japan’s Osaka Prefecture. She was traveling with two friends on a 6-day, 5-night healthtour excursion to Sun Moon Lake, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taitung, Hualien, and Taipei. Greeted upon arrival by representatives from the Tourism Bureau, she was presented with a certificate of commemoration by Deputy Director General David W.J. Hsieh, attractive Taiwan-brand gifts, and NT$400,000 in credit-card use.

This and other campaigns to promote Taiwan tourism have been a great success, and use of this concept will continue. A new campaign for the years 2010 and 2011 has already been started with a series of activities and promotions that amply demonstrate how Taiwan is a place that deeply touches all those who get to know it.

The mayor of the city of Kaohsiung, Chen Chu, recently announced that on 41 major festival days in 2010, including both the New Year and the Lunar New Year, everyone can use the city’s public bus system for free. It is estimated that over these 41 days there will be a total of more than two million individual trips taken. There will also be a special bonus for those renting public-use bikes on these days: the first 30 minutes are to be free for non-members of the system, the first 60 minutes will be free for members.

The days in question include the three-day New Year holiday period, the six-day Lunar New Year holiday period, the three days surrounding the Qing Ming Festival/Tomb Sweeping Day, one day each for the Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, the nine days of the Zuoying Wannian Folklore Festival, and one day for Double Tenth Day. The Kaohsiung City Transportation Bureau has also announced a two-month trial period for the city’s new amphibious “duck” boats, the first such service in Taiwan and the fourth in Asia. It is anticipated that full operations will be formally launched on March 2.

Full tickets will be NT$300 per person, and preferential tickets will be NT$150. This kind of service, popular elsewhere around the world, will be a boon to tourism in Kaohsiung, and it is reported that the cities of Taipei, Keelung, and Taichung are already planning similar services.

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010

9

FEATURE

Photos / Steve Chang;Wen-Jen Fan;Vision Int'l

Enjoying the fruit of hard work Rice farmer during the harvest season in southern Taiwan

10 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

The Grace of No Rice:

THE WISDOM OF RURAL LIFE

By Br yan Beaudoin

Featured in a recent low-budget documentary, a small rural community in southern Taiwan has suddenly come to the attention of the world. Audiences around Taiwan and abroad have been touched by the stories of old farmers and craftsmen sharing their love for a simple but fulfilling lifestyle. If you want to experience the essence of rural life in Taiwan, heading to Houbi Township in Tainan County is a good start.

The Town of Let It Be

Photos / Jen-Guo Chen, Joe Lee

I

n the late November twilight I huddled just outside old Uncle Kun-bin’s family shrine and watched him light a bundle of incense sticks to begin his prayers. It felt somewhat cramped, with five of us in the toolshed-sized structure, so I stepped back to take in our surroundings. We were at the edge of the rural township of Houbi in Tainan County, and acres of rice stretched before me. The tops of the thigh-high plants hung heavy with grain, and in just a few weeks’ time the crop would be ready for harvest.

There was a breeze, and I found myself wishing that I had worn another layer of clothing, but this was not the only reason for my goose bumps. I could not make out most of what the farmer was saying in Taiwanese, but the cadence of the language’s eight tones, his wizened voice, and the rubescent glow of altar lamps were mesmerizing.

I tried to communicate the power of the moment to our photographer, wondering if he felt the same. “Are you kidding?” he replied. “If only you could understand what he’s saying!” Later, back in Taipei, I translated Uncle Kunbin’s prayer and again felt goose bumps rising on my arms: Jade Emperor, august Lord of the Heavens, I pray to thee: Grant unto our many progeny peace and happiness, Successful undertakings, and an abundant harvest of the five grains.

May the nation prosper with her people at peace.

May the winds be mild and the rains come steady.

Peace be throughout the land.

It is well nigh impossible to separate agriculture from popular religion in the rhythm of daily life in rural Taiwan.

Uncle Kun-bin has been offering his prayer morning, noon, and night

for decades, and it is a privilege to witness him worship. On our way into town after the prayer ritual I notice stone graves dotting the landscape, an indication that some choose to lay their loved ones to rest among the same fields that they toiled over in life.

Huang Kun-bin is in many ways like any other old farmer in Houbi – or any rural Taiwan area for that matter.

When he’s not in the fields he might be found tending his seed shop or chatting with neighbors. But in one way Uncle Kun-bin is quite exceptional: In 2005 he, his wife, and two other farmers from Houbi became celebrities of sorts with the unexpected success of the Taiwan documentary Let It Be (Wu Mi Le in Chinese). Directors Yan Lan-quan and Zhuang Yi-zeng had spent 15 months recording the daily life of these oldtimers, in part to highlight the impact of Taiwan’s admission to the WTO on the lives of local farmers. Despite having such a seemingly dry topic, the film

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010 11

FEATURE

was surprisingly successful; in addition to winning numerous awards, Let It Be earned around NT$2 million and plenty of media attention.

What to Do and See Fertile land makes for delicious produce, starting with the rice. A few years after Uncle Kun-bin became a star, his rice was nominated to represent Tainan County in an island-wide contest, and won. His Wu Mi Le rice is available in a vacuum-packed brick packaged in a rustic hand-woven straw bag, which won a separate prize for its design. It is said that Houbi’s rice, a mix of Taiwanese and Japanese strains, has a faintly sweet aroma reminiscent of taro.

I had a bowl steamed to perfection when I was there, and found it exceptionally moist and chewy.

Several local farmers, including Uncle Kun-bin, have gone organic.

If your timing is right you might catch sight of a gaggle of pest-eating geese waddling through a paddy.

There was a DIY rice harvest in early 12 January • February 2010

December 2008, and other touristoriented agricultural activities take place throughout the year.

In addition to agritourism, there are many cultural attractions in Houbi. The historical street in the village of Jingliao is the best place to start. Visitors who have seen Let It Be are sure not to miss Uncle Huang-ming’s duvet factory and store, Long Tai. In the documentary he fluffs cotton for his own comforters the old-fashioned way, by running the wire of a bow-like tool through the cotton while continuously plucking at it.

Nowadays he uses a machine to process the cotton, but the finishing touches are still done by hand. His workshop includes an exhibit of the various production methods he has used over the last half-century.

Before plastic shopping bags became widely available, hand-woven reed bags made by rural women were not only ubiquitous throughout Taiwan but popular in Japan as well. They were also an important supplement to agricultural income for local families. An old brick villa in Jingliao has been converted into

Travel in Taiwan

a shop for local women to display their creations, featuring innovative designs with vibrant traditional-style floral prints and also incorporating more durable plastic weaving materials. When we visited, the proprietor was preparing reeds for weaving. She placed them lengthwise along a track, and stood atop a large stone roller used to flatten the reed, which she then rolled back and forth with her feet. I gave it a try and found the hard part to be getting the rock to stop rolling. Caution is advised!

The Liang Mei Barber Shop has been operating for over 70 years, and has some antique barbering tools on display. The handmade Japanese-style ear picks are especially popular among tourists. One end is a tiny scoop, the other a goose-feather swab. They are washable and last up to 10 years. I can vouch for their effectiveness.

There are a few other spots of architectural and historical interest that would be worth visiting with a guide. Jingliao’s Holy Cross Catholic Church, built in 1960, was designed by the renowned German architect

Photos / Jen-Guo Chen, Joe Lee

Uncle Kun-Bin and a water buffalo, two icons of traditional life in rural Taiwan.

and Pritzker Prize Laureate Gottfried Böhm. From the outside the structure, which juts out from the surrounding rice fields, seems in stark contrast to the town’s sleepy feel, but its interior and furnishings integrate local design sentiments.

Just down the road from the church you will find Jingliao’s elementary school. The campus is notable for its wooden administrative building and auditorium. The blue-and-white buildings date from the fifties, a decade after Taiwan was returned to Chinese rule, but recall Japanese colonial architecture. The only notable remnant of the colonial era (1895-1945) is a large stone pedestal that once anchored a flagpole. According to local lore, the pole itself was scrapped to make artillery shells during World War II. Behind the school stands a mahogany grove of some 500 trees planted by students and teachers a half-century ago.

The old Huang Family Residence is perhaps the most mysterious building in Houbi Township. Constructed in 1928, the brick-and-stucco baroque mansion is a testament to the prosperity of the local community at the time. The hodgepodge of Chinese characters, Roman numerals, and Romanized renditions of Fujianese wording that covers the pediment and friezes honor the Huang family’s progenitor and its ancestral origins in mainland China’s Fujian Province.

The Jin De Xing Apothecary is worth a visit for its magnificent architecture and history. The Ruan family established this business during the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong, and dispensed traditional Chinese medicine for over 200 years before the current owner closed up shop and turned the property into a county historic monument. The inner walls are still lined with cabinets for various herbal extracts. The woodwork is elaborate, and painted in bright reds and blues.

From top: The locals traditionally use shoulder poles to carry goods; Uncle Huang-ming in his duvet store; reed for making hand-woven bags is flattened with a heavy stone roller; knocking on an old farmhouse door

Let It Be has been a boon for local tourism. Signs mark sites prominently featured in the film, and a recently

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010 13

FEATURE

Above: Visiting rice fields is part of the experience touring rural southern Taiwan.

Photos / Steve Chang;Wen-Jen Fan;Vision Int'l

Below: Uncle Kun-bin offers his prayers three times a day at a local temple.

14 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

established visitor center offers tourist maps, showcases local crafts, and can arrange for a tour guide. There is a surprising variety of books, which offer information about Tainan County’s geography, history, culture, and ruins.

Twelve locals have trained to serve as tour guides, but I didn’t get the feeling that crowds would be threatening the town’s sleepy atmosphere anytime soon.

Photos / Jen-Guo Chen, Joe Lee

A Tranquil Night A quarter of Houbi’s population is over eighty-five, and by eight p.m. most people have put their lights out and gone to bed. Away from the center of Jingliao village the streets were silent except for the breeze in the treetops and the occasional insect call, the only sign of habitation the faint red glow emanating from upper stories where family shrines are kept.

After nightfall we set out by bicycle to explore, unaided by a guide. At one point we rounded a corner, and I found myself filled with an almost indescribable eerie, fantastic feeling: an abandoned brick house stood before us, its doorway gaping in the darkness like a speechless mouth. Nothing about the scene placed it in the twenty-first century, and I wondered if this was what the town looked like a hundred years ago. In a moment we had ridden on to the next street, but the specter of the abandoned farmhouse haunted me throughout the night.

Most of the township’s older buildings are one-story three/four-sided brick villas, and many are in various states of disrepair, or even crumbling.

There is something beautiful about these buildings even in their ivy-covered demise, but it’s tragic nonetheless.

Tourism has provided a reason to save some of them.

The house to which we were invited to stay for the night (there are no hostels or hotels in town) had been renovated with a sensitivity for period design and simple rural taste. The walls were painted white with sky-blue trim. We slept on pristine white futons in a silence

few city-dwellers know, with the sweet scent of new tatami about us.

I soon realized that we were not the only visitors that night. I asked a man what had brought him to the area. “I’m a fan of Uncle Kun-bin,” he replied. A company manager from the Taipei area, he went on to explain that in contrast to doing business in the city, the simple life here was refreshingly open and honest.

“Uncle Kun-bin isn’t rich, but when he won that money prize (for his rice) he gave it away to the community.”

The Grace of No Rice He tills the earth at the height of noon, And with drips of sweat rice plants enter the ground.

Who doesn’t know that each delicious bowl Is filled with grains of the farmer’s long suffering?

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Li Shen’s Tang Dynasty poem reminds one of the significance of rice in East Asian culture, and to be grateful for the rice farmer’s travail. What can the farmer do in the face of drought, flood, and unstable commodity prices?

Let It Be’s Chinese title, Wu Mi Le, is

a phrase Uncle Kun-bin’s father used to use. The characters literally mean “no rice happiness,” and describe the attitude of remaining lighthearted in the face of a bad harvest. After visiting Houbi myself I finally understood that part of the success of Let It Be lies in conveying the vicissitudes of farm life through jokes, songs, and even the Huang family’s comical bickering.

Houbi was once quite a prosperous place. Before Taiwan’s rapid industrialization and high-tech transformation, agriculture was king. In fact, for a time during this period the island’s inhabitants were among the best nourished in Asia, even outstripping many parts of Japan. Back then places like this had full-fledged local economies offering anything you needed for daily life. Houbi even had a nightlife.

That Taiwan is no more, and although the times keep changing, old farmers like Uncle Kun-bin keep on working the land as their parents did before them – whether for the income, out of a sense of filial piety, or just because it is what they have always done. It seems, then, that Wu Mi Le has another meaning: people here know full well that the old way of life will not outlast their generation. But when wandering the streets of Jingliao and the roads of Houbi you may find that the prosperity of days long past is still here, in the smiles and laughter of its elderly residents.

Holy Cross Catholic Church Houbi Township Huang Family Residence Jin De Xing Apothecary Jingliao Liang Mei Barber Shop Li Shen Long Tai Ruan family Tainan

聖十字架教堂

Wu Mi Le

無米樂

Uncle Huang-ming Huang Kun-bin Yan Lan-quan Zhuang Yi-zeng

煌明伯

Travel in Taiwan

後壁鄉 黃家古厝 金德興藥舖 菁寮 兩美理髮店 李紳 隆泰 阮家 台南

黃崑濱 顏蘭權 莊益增

January • February 2010 15

FEATURE

During the Sea of Flowers in Shinshe festival, visitors enjoy acres of colorful flowers

Fields of Flowers Visiting Xinshe: A Town of Impressive Manmade and Natural Growth

By Eric Lambert

The western plains of Taiwan are known for their fertile land and rich harvests. For centuries, these lands have been cultivated with a wide array of fruits and vegetables, but it is only more recently that farms have opened up to the public for recreational and leisure activities.

16 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

Photos / Wen-Jen Fan; Yao-Dar Chiou; Vision Int'l

Photos / Steve Chang;Wen-Jen Fan;Vision Int'l

X

inshe, often referred to as Taichung’s back garden (spelled “Shinshe” by local authorities), lies about 20km northeast of Taichung City. Though not far from the densely populated cities of central Taiwan, this bucolic farming community is a world apart, nestled in a stretch of low-lying mountains. With mild winters and plenty of sunshine year round, Xinshe’s most successful industry is agriculture. A plethora of produce is cultivated here, most notably flowers, fruits, and mushrooms.

On a recent Saturday, I took the opportunity to explore what’s growing at Xinshe. Escaping a wet and gloomy Taipei weekend, I arrived in the town of Dongshi, Xinshe’s neighbor, by

bus (2 hours, 30 minutes from Taipei; NT$280 one way) and was greeted by blue skies and gentle warm breezes.

There is a bus service to Dongshi from both Taipei and Taichung, and once in Dongshi you can hire a taxi to get around (negotiate the fare in advance).

You can also rent a scooter or car in Taichung if you prefer driving on your own. I was met at the bus stop by Mr. Du Wen-hao, director of the Shinshe Township Recreation and Agriculture Development Association, who had kindly offered to show me some of the attractions that Xinshe offers, beginning with the annual flower festival.

Now in its fourth year, the Sea of Flowers in Shinshe festival is a popular attraction, especially for

families and cyclists. It runs about four weeks during November and December, on land that is generally used for agricultural research by the government. Research is stopped for a season each year and the land given over for festival use; visitors are treated to the colorful sight of acres of flowers, referred to as “seas of flowers.”

Walking through endless fields of dynamic colors, we encountered a delightful mix of varieties, including the flowers of the scarlet sage, wax begonias, ramtilla flowers, and sunflowers. All around, people were snapping photos with friends and loved ones, and it was evident that flower power really brightens the day for everyone.

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010 17

FEATURE

During the Sea of Flowers in Shinshe festival, visitors enjoy acres of colorful flowers

Fields of Flowers Visiting Xinshe: A Town of Impressive Manmade and Natural Growth

By Eric Lambert

The western plains of Taiwan are known for their fertile land and rich harvests. For centuries, these lands have been cultivated with a wide array of fruits and vegetables, but it is only more recently that farms have opened up to the public for recreational and leisure activities.

16 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

Photos / Wen-Jen Fan; Yao-Dar Chiou; Vision Int'l

Photos / Steve Chang;Wen-Jen Fan;Vision Int'l

X

inshe, often referred to as Taichung’s back garden (spelled “Shinshe” by local authorities), lies about 20km northeast of Taichung City. Though not far from the densely populated cities of central Taiwan, this bucolic farming community is a world apart, nestled in a stretch of low-lying mountains. With mild winters and plenty of sunshine year round, Xinshe’s most successful industry is agriculture. A plethora of produce is cultivated here, most notably flowers, fruits, and mushrooms.

On a recent Saturday, I took the opportunity to explore what’s growing at Xinshe. Escaping a wet and gloomy Taipei weekend, I arrived in the town of Dongshi, Xinshe’s neighbor, by

bus (2 hours, 30 minutes from Taipei; NT$280 one way) and was greeted by blue skies and gentle warm breezes.

There is a bus service to Dongshi from both Taipei and Taichung, and once in Dongshi you can hire a taxi to get around (negotiate the fare in advance).

You can also rent a scooter or car in Taichung if you prefer driving on your own. I was met at the bus stop by Mr. Du Wen-hao, director of the Shinshe Township Recreation and Agriculture Development Association, who had kindly offered to show me some of the attractions that Xinshe offers, beginning with the annual flower festival.

Now in its fourth year, the Sea of Flowers in Shinshe festival is a popular attraction, especially for

families and cyclists. It runs about four weeks during November and December, on land that is generally used for agricultural research by the government. Research is stopped for a season each year and the land given over for festival use; visitors are treated to the colorful sight of acres of flowers, referred to as “seas of flowers.”

Walking through endless fields of dynamic colors, we encountered a delightful mix of varieties, including the flowers of the scarlet sage, wax begonias, ramtilla flowers, and sunflowers. All around, people were snapping photos with friends and loved ones, and it was evident that flower power really brightens the day for everyone.

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010 17

FEATURE

After our relaxing stroll we headed over to a small farmers’ market where local treats such as eggs steamed in tea twigs, popsicles made with cacti, a range of local produce, and passion-fruit cheesecake were sold. Following a quick snack it was on to our next stop, CH Garden. pened in 2001, CH Garden was created in a combined effort by a father and his son. Mr. Zhang You-chong, a well-respected garden designer trained in France, devised the sophisticated grounds, while his son runs the café and restaurant.

An impressive variety of ornamental trees, shrubs, and flowers thoughtfully placed throughout the garden ensure that each season offers a unique scene, and the winding footpath guarantees up-close access to the featured plants. As we wandered round the property with soothing jazz playing in the background, Mr. Zhang explained his desire to coalesce exquisite dining with the peace and tranquility of nature.

The European influence becomes obvious when browsing the restaurant's menu, which includes many classics such as pork knuckle with sauerkraut

O

18 January • February 2010

and homemade mustard, and panfried fillet steak with cognac garlic sauce. Many plants and trees thrive inside the restaurant itself, and the large windows provide great exposure of the surrounding flora and fauna. ith my stomach growling from the sights and smells of the CH Garden restaurant and my weary legs in need of a rest, Mr. Du knew just the place to take me – his own gourmet hideaway. The restaurant, named You Jian Yi Chui Yan (lit. “Seeing Again the Smoke of a Cooking Fire”), offered magnificent views and top-notch cuisine and proved to be a well-timed highlight of this trip.

Somewhat tucked away as though a secret oasis, You Jian Yi Chui Yan is located high on a ridge overlooking an expansive valley. Landscaped with a Zen approach, the restaurant's main area features a reflecting pool enclosed by a spacious viewing deck. Throughout the restaurant intriguing tree remains have been transformed into sinks, beautiful rocks have been used to create accent walls, and Japanese antiques have been strategically placed to give the place a unique character. The shoeless-dining

W

Travel in Taiwan

policy further adds to the already peaceful and relaxing ambiance.

The set meals come with a choice of king crab, beef, pork, chicken, or lamb and consist of eight courses that vary based on seasonal harvests. Mr. Du maintains a close relationship with the local farmers, and judging by the quality of the produce it surely pays off. Many of the dishes feature delectable Japanesespecialty foods, such as Mount Fuji tofu made from soybeans grown in the runoff water at the base of the famed mountain in Japan, and Hokkaido pumpkin that is so prized it must be ordered a year in advance. The meals are served with a cup of loose tea leaves and a choice of after-dinner beverage. For the former I chose a special type of green Taiwan tea called Oriental Beauty which has leaves that have been partly eaten by insects whose saliva contains a special enzyme said to enhance the tea’s flavor. eeling refreshed and revitalized, we hit the road again and headed for a local mushroom farm. Mushroom farming is big business in Xinshe.

Its moderate elevation and humid subtropical climate are well suited for growing a variety of Asian mushrooms

F

Photos / Wen-Jen Fan; Yao-Dar Chiou; Vision Int'l

People visit the flower fields to snap photos of friends and loved ones

for both medicinal and culinary purposes. Throughout the countryside visitors will see countless structures covered with black shade cloth to create the perfect growing environment. Along one stretch of road numerous farms are open to the public for direct sale of mushroom products, and here we found Ah Liang's Mushroom Garden.

Dark and a little musty, a mushroom farm doesn't possess the same aesthetic appeal that fruit and vegetable farms do; but if taste is the test, it easily ranks among the best. Mr. Hou Wen-liang (“Ah Liang”) operates the garden, and enthusiastically took some time out of his busy day to give us the scoop on exactly how these magical organisms are cultivated.

First, bits of wood are boiled in order to kill any unwanted resident organisms.

When mostly dried, the medium is put into bags, and spores of the desired mushroom spawn on this host. The bags are left slightly open, and as the spores grow the wood medium becomes increasingly white. Within about two months the medium is completely white and the mushrooms are ready to sprout.

Interestingly, the mushrooms develop into their recognizable form in just a couple of days after sprouting, and are ready to be plucked.

Ah Liang grows a number of delicious strains, such as shitake, enokitake (the stringy white mushrooms), oyster mushrooms, and my personal favorite, meaty king oyster mushrooms. Oyster and shitake mushrooms, aside from being tasty, also have such medicinal benefits as lowering cholesterol. Another medicinal mushroom grown at Ah Liang's Mushroom Garden is reishi, or lingzhi in Chinese (lit. “herb of spiritual potency”).

Used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years, this bitter mushroom can be made into tea and is said to have many health benefits. Before leaving the mushroom farm for my next destination I tried a bag of health-enhancing oyster mushrooms, deep fried and delightful.

Walking through endless fields of flowers we encountered a delightful mix of varieties

From top: King oyster mushrooms at Ah Liang's Mushroom Garden; checking the plants at CH Garden

Info SHINSHE TOWNSHIP RECREATION AND AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION 新社鄉休閒農業導覽發展協會

www.shinshe.org.tw

SEA OF FLOWERS IN SHINSHE 新社花海

www.flower-sea.tw

CH GARDEN 千樺花園

ADD: 61 Xiexing St., Xiecheng Village, Xinshe Township, Taichung County 台中縣新社鄉協成村協興街61號 TEL: (0 4) 2582-1141

(Zhang You - cho ng / 張 祐 崇 ) w w w.chgarden .co m .t w(Chines e) YOU JIAN YI CHUI YAN 又見一炊煙

ADD: 363-35 Zhongxing Ling, Zhongxing Village, Xinshe Township, Taichung County 台中縣新社鄉中興村中興嶺363-35號 TEL: (0 4) 2582-356 8

(Du Wen - hao/ 杜 文 浩 ) tw.myblog.yahoo.com/foodinghome (Chinese) AH LIANG'S MUSHROOM GARDEN 阿亮香菇園

ADD: 131 Xiezhong St., Xiecheng Village, Xinshe Township, Tai chung County 台中縣新社鄉協成村協中街131號 TEL: (0 4) 2581- 0 893

(H o u Wen - liang / 侯 文 亮 ) 0425810893.emmm.tw

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010 19

FEATURE

After our relaxing stroll we headed over to a small farmers’ market where local treats such as eggs steamed in tea twigs, popsicles made with cacti, a range of local produce, and passion-fruit cheesecake were sold. Following a quick snack it was on to our next stop, CH Garden. pened in 2001, CH Garden was created in a combined effort by a father and his son. Mr. Zhang You-chong, a well-respected garden designer trained in France, devised the sophisticated grounds, while his son runs the café and restaurant.

An impressive variety of ornamental trees, shrubs, and flowers thoughtfully placed throughout the garden ensure that each season offers a unique scene, and the winding footpath guarantees up-close access to the featured plants. As we wandered round the property with soothing jazz playing in the background, Mr. Zhang explained his desire to coalesce exquisite dining with the peace and tranquility of nature.

The European influence becomes obvious when browsing the restaurant's menu, which includes many classics such as pork knuckle with sauerkraut

O

18 January • February 2010

and homemade mustard, and panfried fillet steak with cognac garlic sauce. Many plants and trees thrive inside the restaurant itself, and the large windows provide great exposure of the surrounding flora and fauna. ith my stomach growling from the sights and smells of the CH Garden restaurant and my weary legs in need of a rest, Mr. Du knew just the place to take me – his own gourmet hideaway. The restaurant, named You Jian Yi Chui Yan (lit. “Seeing Again the Smoke of a Cooking Fire”), offered magnificent views and top-notch cuisine and proved to be a well-timed highlight of this trip.

Somewhat tucked away as though a secret oasis, You Jian Yi Chui Yan is located high on a ridge overlooking an expansive valley. Landscaped with a Zen approach, the restaurant's main area features a reflecting pool enclosed by a spacious viewing deck. Throughout the restaurant intriguing tree remains have been transformed into sinks, beautiful rocks have been used to create accent walls, and Japanese antiques have been strategically placed to give the place a unique character. The shoeless-dining

W

Travel in Taiwan

policy further adds to the already peaceful and relaxing ambiance.

The set meals come with a choice of king crab, beef, pork, chicken, or lamb and consist of eight courses that vary based on seasonal harvests. Mr. Du maintains a close relationship with the local farmers, and judging by the quality of the produce it surely pays off. Many of the dishes feature delectable Japanesespecialty foods, such as Mount Fuji tofu made from soybeans grown in the runoff water at the base of the famed mountain in Japan, and Hokkaido pumpkin that is so prized it must be ordered a year in advance. The meals are served with a cup of loose tea leaves and a choice of after-dinner beverage. For the former I chose a special type of green Taiwan tea called Oriental Beauty which has leaves that have been partly eaten by insects whose saliva contains a special enzyme said to enhance the tea’s flavor. eeling refreshed and revitalized, we hit the road again and headed for a local mushroom farm. Mushroom farming is big business in Xinshe.

Its moderate elevation and humid subtropical climate are well suited for growing a variety of Asian mushrooms

F

Photos / Wen-Jen Fan; Yao-Dar Chiou; Vision Int'l

People visit the flower fields to snap photos of friends and loved ones

for both medicinal and culinary purposes. Throughout the countryside visitors will see countless structures covered with black shade cloth to create the perfect growing environment. Along one stretch of road numerous farms are open to the public for direct sale of mushroom products, and here we found Ah Liang's Mushroom Garden.

Dark and a little musty, a mushroom farm doesn't possess the same aesthetic appeal that fruit and vegetable farms do; but if taste is the test, it easily ranks among the best. Mr. Hou Wen-liang (“Ah Liang”) operates the garden, and enthusiastically took some time out of his busy day to give us the scoop on exactly how these magical organisms are cultivated.

First, bits of wood are boiled in order to kill any unwanted resident organisms.

When mostly dried, the medium is put into bags, and spores of the desired mushroom spawn on this host. The bags are left slightly open, and as the spores grow the wood medium becomes increasingly white. Within about two months the medium is completely white and the mushrooms are ready to sprout.

Interestingly, the mushrooms develop into their recognizable form in just a couple of days after sprouting, and are ready to be plucked.

Ah Liang grows a number of delicious strains, such as shitake, enokitake (the stringy white mushrooms), oyster mushrooms, and my personal favorite, meaty king oyster mushrooms. Oyster and shitake mushrooms, aside from being tasty, also have such medicinal benefits as lowering cholesterol. Another medicinal mushroom grown at Ah Liang's Mushroom Garden is reishi, or lingzhi in Chinese (lit. “herb of spiritual potency”).

Used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years, this bitter mushroom can be made into tea and is said to have many health benefits. Before leaving the mushroom farm for my next destination I tried a bag of health-enhancing oyster mushrooms, deep fried and delightful.

Walking through endless fields of flowers we encountered a delightful mix of varieties

From top: King oyster mushrooms at Ah Liang's Mushroom Garden; checking the plants at CH Garden

Info SHINSHE TOWNSHIP RECREATION AND AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION 新社鄉休閒農業導覽發展協會

www.shinshe.org.tw

SEA OF FLOWERS IN SHINSHE 新社花海

www.flower-sea.tw

CH GARDEN 千樺花園

ADD: 61 Xiexing St., Xiecheng Village, Xinshe Township, Taichung County 台中縣新社鄉協成村協興街61號 TEL: (0 4) 2582-1141

(Zhang You - cho ng / 張 祐 崇 ) w w w.chgarden .co m .t w(Chines e) YOU JIAN YI CHUI YAN 又見一炊煙

ADD: 363-35 Zhongxing Ling, Zhongxing Village, Xinshe Township, Taichung County 台中縣新社鄉中興村中興嶺363-35號 TEL: (0 4) 2582-356 8

(Du Wen - hao/ 杜 文 浩 ) tw.myblog.yahoo.com/foodinghome (Chinese) AH LIANG'S MUSHROOM GARDEN 阿亮香菇園

ADD: 131 Xiezhong St., Xiecheng Village, Xinshe Township, Tai chung County 台中縣新社鄉協成村協中街131號 TEL: (0 4) 2581- 0 893

(H o u Wen - liang / 侯 文 亮 ) 0425810893.emmm.tw

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010 19

FEATURE

Above: Landscaped with a Zen approach in mind, the You Jian Yi Chui Yan restaurant's main side contains a reflection pool enclosed by a spacious viewing deck.

Photos / Steve Chang;Wen-Jen Fan;Vision Int'l

Below: CH Garden has an impressive variety of flowers and other plants cultivated both inside the greenhouse and outside at the spacious garden area.

20 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

Photos / Wen-Jen Fan; Yao-Dar Chiou; Vision Int'l

F

or our next stop we chose the recently opened Yuan Qing Mi Yi Recreational Farm, to see what December's harvest offered. When we arrived we checked in at the farm shop at the entrance and were greeted with a full plate of samples – sweet cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and exotic persimmons. Mr. Liu Chun-kuan, the farm's owner, introduced himself moments later and offered to give us a quick look around as the cool autumn night approached.

Barefooted, Mr. Liu took us back to a small patch of corn behind the shop.

He encouraged me to take an ear of corn and try it raw. Ordinarily I'd be apprehensive about eating corn raw in Taiwan, as common varieties are usually not as sweet and tender as those back home; but this corn, with its white juicy kernels popping off in my mouth, reminded me of the summer dinners of my childhood. We also peeked into the greenhouses, where rows and rows of orange and red cherry tomatoes hung from trays suspended about two meters high.

Most people who visit the farm come to pick the seasonal fruits and vegetables, which are grown naturally without the use of chemicals. Each season brings different crops, with the spring and summer offering the greatest variety.

Some foods such as corn and tomatoes are grown year round, while others, such as persimmons, passion fruit, and grapes, may be available only at certain times of the year. It’s a good place to go for tourists and families who don't have much farm experience, as the fruits and vegetables are very accessible, without much walking required. ith the air cooling and the sky filling with stars, on we went to our final destination, the Herb Garden, for dinner. In the back of a homey restaurant surrounded by an elaborate herb garden we found Mr. Liu Heng-zheng (“Jimmy”), the spirited owner, making tea-tree essential oil in a distiller. Jimmy is the kind of person who you know at once is passionate

W

the other so much of Xinshe was left unexplored. Fortunately the area has been undergoing many improvements in the accommodation sector as well, so there are many options for you should you decide on an overnight or extended stay in this beautiful countryside.

about his work, excited and eager to share his volumes of herbal knowledge with guests. He joined us for dinner and we shared stories about life in the countryside, healthful food and, of course, herbs.

Our simple meal consisted of a refreshingly different leafy herb salad, a creamy soup, and baked rosemary chicken with fresh vegetables. After dinner Jimmy got up from the table and went outside, returning with a handful of the homeopathic herb ruta, for our tea. Educated in horticulture at

Info YUAN QING MI YI RECREATIONAL 園情蜜意 FARM

ADD: 13-3 Shangping, Qingxi Vil-

lage, Xinshe Township, Taichung County 台中縣新社鄉慶西村上坪13-3號 TEL: (0 4) 2582-20 6 6

(Mr. Liu Chang -Xin / 劉 昌 鑫 ) HERB GARDEN

香草藝術花園

ADD: 26, Lane 33, Zhonghe St.,

Sec. 5, Xinshe Township, Taichung County 台中縣新社鄉中和街5段33巷26號 TEL: (0 4) 2581- 8 0 4 6 (Mr. Liu

H eng -zheng / 劉 衡正 ) w w w. hggarden .co m .t w HOLLAND GUESTHOUSE 荷蘭風情民宿

ADD: 59 Huafeng St., Xiecheng Vil-

a Japanese university and having spent years teaching in New York, Jimmy was able to answer all questions put to him about the herbs in his garden as we strolled around after dinner.

Besides maintaining an herb garden and running a restaurant, Jimmy and his wife also hold a number of regular DIY

This corn, with its white juicy kernels popping off in my mouth, reminded me of the summer dinners of my childhood workshops, ranging from potpourrimaking to his most popular class, colored sand art.

As we departed on our jaunt back to Taipei, I reflected on how much I'd learned about Taiwanese culture, farming, and food during this single activity-filled day. On the one hand it was a lot to see in just one day, but on

lage, Xinshe Township, Taichung County 台中縣新社鄉協成村華豐街59 號 TEL: (0 4) 2582-5852 hol-land.emmm.tw (Chinese) XIN FONG FARM

新峰農場採果樂

ADD: 265 Zhonghe St., Sec. 2,

Danan Village, Xinshe Township, Taichung County 台中縣新社鄉大南村中和街二段265號 TEL: (0 4) 2582- 4243 0425824243.travel-web.com.tw (Chinese)

ENGLISH & CHINESE Dongshi

東勢

lingzhi

靈芝

"seas of flowers" Taichung CH Garden Xinshe Sea of Flowers in Shinshe Festival

花海

Travel in Taiwan

台中 千樺花園 新社 新社花海節

January • February 2010 21

FESTIVAL

The Sound and The Fury

A Survivor’s Tale of the Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival

22 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

From top: Only full-face motorcycle helmets and thick clothing protect those getting close to the rockets; the sedan chairs with religious icons carried through the inferno remind one that this is a religious festival; more than 50,000 revelers crowd the tiny town of Yanshui

Once a year, a small town in southern Taiwan “explodes.” Or so it might seem to those fearless onlookers who subject themselves to the attack of thousands of mini rockets fired at random into the skies and into the crowds from beehive-like structures. Those who have “done” Yanshui and left the festival unscathed enjoy bragging rights for life, and should not miss any opportunity to tell their grandchildren all about it.

By Steven Crook

Photos / Tainan County Government; Tainan County Yanshui Wu Temple; Ting-ting Wang

I

t had been exhilarating, unlike anything I’d ever experienced.

First, the sounds. The eerie creaking of the sedan chair as temple volunteers – like me covered head to toe in protective gear – swung and rocked the icon over a pile of burning spirit money. That was followed by the stewards’ whistles as they tried to push the crowd back.

Then the strange silence. When the sedan chair was in position, a few meters in front of a paper-covered frame as big as a truck, the thousands-strong crowd fell silent. Once the technicians had torn off the squares of red paper we could see what lay inside: row upon row of bottle rockets pointing not at the sky, but at the sedan chair and us in the crowd.

When the fuses were lit, people didn’t have to be told to move back. Some tried to take cover behind streetlights; the short cowered behind the tall. The

opening shots, however, were into the sky. There were, as you’d expect at a fireworks display, lots of pretty explosions high above the rooftops.

Then rockets came blasting out horizontally. At first they fizzed like tracer bullets over the heads of the audience, but within a second or two the angle of fire was much lower.

The opening shots were into the sky, then rockets came blasting out horizontally…

Instinctively I turned away from the frame and felt multiple impacts on my back. The physical feeling, I thought at the time, was somewhat like being chased by a stone-throwing mob – not that I’ve ever actually had that type of

misadventure. But mentally it was utterly different: It was thrilling and compelling.

In addition to tremendous excitement there was fear, to be sure, but none of the sickening dread you might feel when confronted by violent people.

Rockets skidded off the road surface and struck my shins. A few ricocheted off buildings and fell harmlessly on my shoulders. When the bombardment stopped there was a roar of appreciation from the crowd. Some people high-fived their friends; others pumped their fists, giving vent to an adrenalin surge.

I recognized a friend as he rushed up to me and thumped me several times on the shoulders and chest. Because I couldn’t see his face – like me he was wearing a motorcycle helmet with the visor down – I assumed he was congratulating me on having come through unscathed.

Only when I took my helmet off a

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010 23

FESTIVAL

B

minute or two later did I realize what had happened. The old towel I’d wrapped around my neck to stop rockets getting inside my helmet was half-charred and still smoldering. I pulled out my earplugs just in time to hear my friend tell someone my towel had been burning “good and proper.”

Rockets catching in the folds of your clothes and setting them alight are just one of the hazards faced by those who join the annual Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival. Temporary

The festival reenacts a plague-expulsion rite from more than a centuryand-a-quarter ago

ut before we discuss preparations, let’s delve into the history of what’s almost certainly the most extreme and exciting pyrotechnics event in the world.

The Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival – you’ll sometimes see “fireworks” substituted for “rockets” in the title – is held 15 days after Lunar New Year in the small town of Yanshui (population 28,000) in the northern part of Tainan County. It coincides with the Lantern Festival, but isn’t related to that celebration.

Crowds awaiting the show

Neither physicians nor shamans could defeat the epidemic. In desperation the local residents called upon their gods to drive out the evil spirits they blamed for the pestilence.

“Guan Gong”

It’s somewhat fitting if third-degree burns, bruises, and close shaves remind festival participants of their mortality, as the event’s history is thoroughly gruesome. The festival reenacts a plague-expulsion rite. More than a century-and-a-quarter ago, an outbreak of cholera wreaked havoc on Yanshui, then a prosperous harbor town and one of Taiwan’s four main commercial centers. (The others were the ports of Tainan, Wanhua – then known as Manka or Bangkah – and Lugang.)

Townsfolk carried through the streets an effigy of Guan Gong, a deified imperial general also known as Guan Di and Guan Yu. He’s regarded as the Chinese god of brotherhood and righteousness, as well as the God of War. At every turn citizens let off masses of firecrackers. This exorcism seemed to work; the epidemic soon receded. Ever since, there have been annual parades,

Wumiao Rd.

loss of hearing from the thousands of firecrackers is another; hence the earplugs. Your toes will get trampled, as the crowds can be incredibly dense.

And despite whatever you attempt to avoid it, you’ll breathe in vast amounts of acrid smoke.

Each year a few dozen of the 50,000 or more who attend the festival require hospital treatment, though serious injury is rare. If you prepare properly, the odds are very much in favor of your having a fantastically memorable time, and coming out of it with nothing worse than aching legs. You can protect yourself against the fireworks, but there’s no avoiding the hours of walking and standing up.

“Rain of Fire”

Jinhe Rd.

Beimen Rd.

qin

Guan Gong

n Rd

Kan g

Zho

ngs

han

Rd.

Qiaonan Old Street

.

Qi ao na t. nS

Travel in Taiwan

Yimian

le R

me

Zhon gzhe ng R d.

蜂 炮 城

Xi

24 January • February 2010

Yimian

d.

Octagon Tower

Ya

Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival

.

Rd

C

Sanfu Rd.

val esti

Y sF UAR ocket

R eehive R FEB ui B h ns

o ha

sponsored by local businesses and temples. Participation is free; residents cash in by selling snacks, soft drinks, and protective attire.

The festival now includes folk-arts performances and other activities spread over two or more days. The fireworks parade, by far the most popular part of the festival, usually begins around dusk on the 15th day of the first lunar month, and continues until dawn the following day.

There’s no shortage of religious fervor among middle-aged country

festival-goers how to dress. However, the police – who have enough on their hands directing traffic, evacuating casualties, and dealing with those who’ve had their pockets picked – don’t turn away individuals who come unprepared. ’ve “danced with the bees” several times during my nearly two decades in Taiwan, but it’s only been in the last three or four years that I’ve come to recognize just what a charming and history-filled town Yanshui is during

I

Photos / Tainan County Government; Tainan County Yanshui Wu Temple; Ting-ting Wang

Old house in Yanshui

folk in Taiwan. (If you doubt that, visit Nankunshen Daitian Temple, 15km southwest of Yanshui, on any given Sunday.) However, most of those who go to the Beehive Rockets Festival are of college age, and attend for kicks, not for reasons of piety.

If you have any intention of getting close to the front line, wear a full-face motorcycle helmet, thick clothing (avoid nylon garments for obvious reasons), thick gloves, and sturdy footwear. Leave no flesh exposed, even if it means you swelter.

As soon as a beehive is emptied of its rockets, do what experienced festivalgoers do. I call it “the Yanshui shuffle.”

Shake your limbs vigorously and stamp your feet for several seconds, to shake loose any smoldering fireworks that might be trapped in the folds of your clothing before they can set you alight.

Had I known about this the first time I joined the festival, that towel might still be intact....

Your safety is entirely your responsibility. In the hours before the first beehive is set off, small trucks sponsored by the local government drive around Yanshui displaying posters and using audio recordings to instruct

Octagon Tower

normal, non-festival times.

If you prefer living, breathing antiquity and countryside quaintness to warzone pandemonium, visit Yanshui on any of the 360 days per year when the townsfolk aren’t gearing up for, holding, or tidying up after the Beehive Rockets Festival.

During normal, non-festival times, Yanshui is a charming and history-filled town Explore the back streets; visit the temples; wander down Qiaonan Old Street, which is lined with 19th-century abodes; visit the photogenic eight-sided stone-and-wood mansion known as the Octagon Tower; and eat a bowl of yimian, a simple but tasty noodle dish that’s the town’s signature culinary creation.

If you decide the festival isn’t for you – perhaps because you lack the stamina (and recklessness?) to walk and be shoved around in an unfamiliar town for hours on end – but you still want to get a taste of the event, go online. You’ll

find plenty of clips on YouTube.

During the festival, non-residents are barred from bringing vehicles into the downtown area. Finding a parking space on the outskirts isn’t difficult, and reaching the town by public transportation is straightforward. Lots of trains stop at the nearby town of Xinying (the fastest express service takes three-and-a-half hours from Taipei; from Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s secondlargest city, the travel time is sometimes less than an hour), from where you can Yimian

catch a local bus (a bargain at NT$19) or a taxi.

If you leave Yanshui after midnight but before dawn, the best way to return to Taipei or Kaohsiung is to catch a taxi and tell the driver you want to take a freeway bus. And don’t worry about going hungry or thirsty – wherever Taiwanese people gather, there’s plenty to eat and drink!

ENGLISH & CHINESE Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival Nankunshen Daitian Temple Guan Di Guan Gong Guan Yu Lugang Octagon Tower Qiaonan Old Street Tainan Wanhua Xinying Yanshui

鹽水蜂炮

yimian

意麵

Travel in Taiwan

南鯤鯓代天府 關帝 關公 關羽 鹿港 八角樓 橋南老街 台南 萬華 新營 鹽水

January • February 2010 25

t uden t S l 10 tiona a n ll 20 r a e F t r In o ent f m t i u Recr

Learning Experiences Piero Costa/Italy

Graduate Institute of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language/Master’s Program I believe that everybody has a place where he or she is meant to live. Well, that place for me is definitely Taiwan. Since I came to this island, the sun shone on me. NTNU’s teachers, students, courses and activities are great and fulfil my highest expectations. NTNU community made me feel at home, thousands of kilometres far away from home. Studying at NTNU is a wonderful experience that I strongly recommend to anybody who wants to pursue a high-class education.

GAVRILOV ANTON/RUSSIA Department of Fine Arts/ Doctoral Program This is an excellent opportunity for me to study Chinese painting in Taiwan. Watch the original masterpieces in the museum, communicate with artists of Guo Hua and contemporary Chinese ink painters. It is the gift of fate taking lessons from high-class teachers who represent the local culture. Entering into the cozy warm condition in the university, and friendly communication after the classes outside helps to enrich the process of learning and understanding Chinese philosophy, the culture of Taiwan and the Asian region.

Rifat Karlova/TURKEY Department of Education/Doctoral Program After I started to study in NTNU, I became one of the member of NTNU family and I want to keep my relation with all NTNU teachers, workers and friends. I feel here like I am at home. Every day when I go to school I know that day I learn new things about Chinese culture, Taiwan and life. Here the people are like my family members, if I have any problem they always want to help me with their all heart. Teachers taking care of our life and happiness. NTNU always want to make our days more comfortable. Here in NTNU I am the witness of my dream. NTNU gave me a very perfect environment to improve myself. I love here I love my teachers, I love NTNU personal and I am proud of to be a NTNU student.

University Contact National Taiwan Normal University Address: No.162, Sec. 1, Heping E. Rd., Taipei 10610, Taiwan (R.O.C.) Website: http://www.ntnu.edu.tw For Admissions – Office of International Affairs Tel: 886-2-7734-1274 Fax: 886-2-2362-5621 Email: roxane@ntnu.edu.tw Website: http://www.ntnu.edu.tw/oia/

Photographed by Yingchi, Wu http://www.yingchiwu.com/

About the University

Application for Admission

 Established in 1946.  Ten colleges comprised: College of Education, College of Liberal Arts, College of Science, College of Arts, College of Technology, College of Sports & Recreation, College of International Studies and Education for Overseas Chinese, College of Music, College of Management, and College of Social Sciences.  Sixty departments and 16 research and teaching centers held. 

More than 150 universities and colleges partnership-tied in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Austria, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Australia, and other countries.











 



A diversified and international university with more than 3,000 international students (including the Mandarin Training Center enrollments.)

Three campuses situated: The main campus and Gong Guan campus in downtown Taipei, and the branch campus in Linkou, Taipei County.

Forty-eight departments and graduate institutes accept international students for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees. The number increases every year.

The Mandarin Training Center is the oldest and best-known Chinese language institution for international students in Taiwan.

French Learning Center is the largest French learning institution in Taiwan as well as is the recipient of 2009 Taiwan-France Cultural Award.

The average employment rate of NTNU graduates is 96.1%.

Over 50% of junior and senior high school principals and 10% of university presidents in Taiwan are NTNU graduates.

Honored by 10 Academia Sinica Academicians and 11 recipients of the National Arts & Culture Award.

More Info

Scholarships: http://www.ntnu.edu.tw/oia/scholarship.php Multi-Language Website: http://www.ntnu.edu.tw/oia/multi/

Application Deadline

Start of Semester

End of Semester

Fall

March 31

September

January

Spring

October 31

February

June

Semester

 Please refer to the NTNU Admission Prospectus for international students for accurate information regarding application deadlines.  For detailed information on admission procedures, requirements and regulations, please refer to the NTNU Admission Prospectus for international students, which is downloadable at http://www.ntnu.edu.tw/oia/admission_en.php  Online application: http://ap.itc.ntnu.edu.tw/istudent/apply/

Programs Taught in English  Master’s Program: Department of English, Institute of ElectroOptical Science & Technology, Graduate Institute of Exercise & Sports Science, Graduate Institute of International Human Resource Development  Doctoral Program: Department of English, Department of Physics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Earth Sciences, Institute of Electro-Optical Science & Technology

*

Students with basic Chinese ability may consider apply for the Department of Chinese Language and Culture for International Students (Bachelor’s degree, none-fully English-taught, focusing on Chinese listening, speaking, reading and writing.)

Tuition  



Bachelor’s Program: US$760 - 880 per semester Master’s Program: US$730 - 790 per semester Calculated on the basis of 8 academic credits, the minimum number required Doctoral Program: US$580 - 640 per semester Calculated on the basis of 5 academic credits, the minimum number required

FOOD

Left: Danzai noodles of Tu Hsiao Yueh

Far left: Eggs and meatballs cooked with soy sauce

Bottom left: Mutton noodles

Bottom right: Beef noodles

Satisfying Every Taste Bud

By Francesca Chang

Options for Delicious Noodle Dishes Abound in Taipei and around Taiwan Though it is debatable whether the Chinese, the Arabs, or the Italians are responsible for the creation of noodles, there is no question that this 4,000-year-old staple dish still plays an important role in the Taiwanese diet today. The following introduction to three restaurants in Taipei will provide an insider’s look at the many different types of noodles that the island has to offer.

28 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

Photos / Ting-ting Wang; Tu Hsiao Yueh; Xiao Liu La Mian; Lao-Zhang Beef Noodle Restaurant

L

ocated on bustling Yongkang Street, Tu Hsiao Yueh offers a dish that dates back to 1895.

Along with locals, foreigners from all over come to eat this restaurant’s widely acclaimed danzai noodles. Thin, round, moist noodles are served in a delicious soup that has been cooked with sweet shrimp head, mashed garlic, and black vinegar. Minced stewed pork, bean sprouts, cilantro, and a small shrimp finish the dish and serve as a beautiful garnish combo. Though served in small, delicate bowls, each bite is filled with a mix of rich flavors that blend together smoothly. The famous stewed-pork recipe creates a savory sauce for the noodles, while the shrimp-flavored soup washes down the entrée without too much saltiness.

For only NT$50 a bowl, you get tremendous value.

Though the hip, dimly lit décor has a modern atmosphere, the restaurant keeps the history behind the food present and very much alive. With my first step inside, a brick countertop reminiscent of that from the original stand where the noodles were sold caught my attention. A restaurant worker was seated in the partition, serving noodles from a big kettle.

Directly behind the server, a black and white photo showed Hong Yu-tou, the creator of these noodles, with his streetside stand balanced on a wooden shoulder-pole. Apart from Danzai noodles, I would also recommend that when visiting this restaurant you try the other Tainan specialties on the menu, including the kao shimuyu du (milk fish maws), huangjin xia juan (gold shrimp rolls), and the qingzheng xiaren rouyuan

Digging in

Noodles are prepared at the entrance of Tu Hsiao Yueh

A bowl of zha jiang mian

(steamed meatballs with shrimp), each with a distinct, ambrosial taste.

L

ike slack-season danzai noodles, la mian was also invented in mainland China. La means “to pull,” referring to the noodles being made by repeatedly stretching, twisting, and pulling the dough to arm-span length. Master noodle-makers can pull hundreds of these beautiful long, thin noodles at the same time! At Xiao Liu La Mian, customers have the privilege to watch the creation of these noodles through the kitchen’s glass window. At this restaurant, located within walking distance of Tu Hsiao Yueh, the la mian noodles are served in one of Taiwan’s staple dishes: niurou mian or beef noodle soup.

Though this combination of noodles and beef is ubiquitous on the island, Xiao Liu Lanzhou La Mian’s version of this common meal left a lasting impression. The savory soup, including the chunks of beef, is stewed for twentyfour hours. The pulled noodles are added to beef and broth, and served in a deep bowl. This version of niurou mian, which sells for NT$120 a bowl, surprised me with its bold taste, the flavor permeated with spices. After being stewed for 24 hours the meat is incredibly tender, and the noodles are delightfully fresh and chewy. I also tried the yangrou mian, which is made with the same noodles as the niurou mian but with mutton instead of beef (NT$160).

The sweet taste of the mutton and the

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010 29

FOOD

The Story of TU HSIAO YUEH After migrating to the southern

Hong's noodle business thrived and he

Taiwan city of Tainan from mainland

decided to sell the noodles full time

China in 1895, Hong Yu-tou, the

in a little stall along the street. These

founder of Tu Hsiao Yueh restaurant

became even so popular that a Qing

made a living by catching fish.

Dynasty provincial magistrate wrote a

However, during the “slack season” (the meaning of Tu

poem inspired by the noodles’ power

Hsiao Yueh), or the time between the Tomb-Sweeping

to leave a strong desire for more.

Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival, the sea was too

Today, Tu Hsiao Yueh has become a

turbulent for fishermen to venture out into the waters.

flourishing family operation with two restaurants

In order to sustain himself, Hong began selling noodles

in Tainan, and three newer branches in

by carrying two loads and a lantern, all tied to a

Taipei.

bamboo pole to put over his shoulders. The noodles were soon called “da-ah-mi,” which meant “shoulder burden noodles” or “peddler's noodles” in Taiwanese.

perfect amount of spiciness gives the dish a unique flavor. Like the beef of the niurou mian, the mutton is so tender that it practically melts in your mouth.

I was truly impressed by Xiao Liu La Mian’s quality, taste, and ability to transform an everyday meal that people can prepare without much difficulty at home into something of such distinctive character. I also recommend this place for the chance to watch the ancient art of Chinese noodle-making. ao Zhang Beef Noodle Restaurant, located near the MRT Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station, offers its own variation of niurou mian. This restaurant has definitely made a name for itself, with people such as Hong Kong martial artist and movie

L

30 January • February 2010

star Jackie Chan stopping by for a bowl.

Most foreigners who visit this place are particularly fond of the fanqie niurou mian (tomato-flavored beef noodle soup) and the lawei niurou mian (spicy-flavored beef noodle soup). I sampled the shao la (mildly spicy) version of the latter (NT$160). The spices in this dish are so fragrant that I felt I could taste the soup upon smelling it. However, my first sip revealed that the dish’s fragrance was only a teaser. As soon as my lips made contact with the spoon, an array of strong spices flew in volatile directions inside my mouth. Though the soup’s piquant taste was a real kicker, I was pleased that the mild level of spiciness did not leave me feeling that my tongue had been set on fire. In fact, the sharp

Travel in Taiwan

flavor complemented the pieces of prime tendon nicely; these cuts, not unexpectedly, were a bit tougher than those at Xiao Liu La Mian, though still loaded with good taste. And the thin, moist noodles added still another texture to the dish, creating a veritable tasteand-texture symphony.

Though this dish was an exciting and tasty experience, I was especially impressed by the restaurant’s zha jiang mian (NT$100). This northern China dish is traditionally made of thick wheat noodles topped with a mixture of ground pork and salty fermented soybean paste. However, I have seen most restaurants in Taiwan prepare this dish with thin, round noodles instead. In fact, Lao Zhang uses the same noodles

found in its famous niurou mian dishes.

Before my trip to this eatery, most of the zha jiang mian offerings I had experienced were remarkably salty and oily. With my first bite, however, I discovered that the Lao Zhang edition is not oily at all.

Here, the zha jiang mian topping is made with Chinese red pepper, thick broadbean sauce, and sweet soybean paste, resulting in a less greasy, sweeter-tasting meat topping. The dish’s succulent flavor secured it the position of being the best zha jiang mian I have ever tasted. I would highly recommend this special noodle combination, and would be surprised if vegetarians were not satisfied with the restaurant’s meatless version of this dish, too. hough most of the noodle dishes mentioned to this point were brought over from the China mainland, one can easily find a uniquely native variation on the streets of Taiwan. Ohah-mi-sua (Taiwanese name), which means “oyster vermicelli,” can be purchased for NT$40 to NT$60 from roadside vendors and night-market stalls. Though the Mandarin name for this dish is kezai mianxian, the locals most often use the Taiwanese name when referring to this specialty. Oh-ah-misua is a thickened soup that consists of small oysters and vermicelli. Unlike rice vermicelli, the mianxian in this special dish is made from wheat and resembles extra-fine spaghetti. The soup contains a prominent oyster flavor, and the gooey texture is worth trying at least once in order to experience a small piece of Taiwan’s exotic street-food tradition.

Whether you prefer your noodles salty, spicy, vegetarian, or glutinous, Taiwan offers a dish to satisfy every taste bud. My visits to just three Taiwanese restaurants opened my eyes to a food

Photos / Ting-ting Wang; Tu Hsiao Yueh; Xiao Liu Lan Zhou La Mian;Lao-Zhang Beef Noodle Restaurant

T

culture full of fragrances, spices, history, and exacting craftsmanship.

With ancient family recipes, centuryold methods, and a fine talent for food preparation, one is sure to discover the perfect bowl of noodles in Taiwan.

Info TU HSIAO YUEH 度小月

ADD: (Taipei Yongkang Branch)

9-1, Yongkang St., Taipei City 臺北市永康街 9-1號 TEL: (02) 3393 -132 5 www.iddi.com.tw XIAO LIU LA MIAN 小六蘭州拉麵

ADD: 19, Alley 31 Jinshan S. Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei City 臺北市大安區金山南路2段31巷19 號 TEL: (02) 2 39 6 - 8111 LAO ZHANG BEEF NOODLE RESTAURANT 老張牛肉麵

ADD: 50-2, Nanchang Rd., Sec. 1, Taipei City 台北市中正區南昌路一段50之 2號

TEL: (02) 2 39 6 - 8 8 65 www.lao-zhang.com.tw

ENGLISH & CHINESE

danzai noodles fan qie niu rou mian Hong Yu-tou huangjin xia juan kao shimuyu du la mian lawei niurou mian Mid-Autumn Festival niurou mian oh-ah-mi-sua/kezai mianxian qing zheng xiaren rouyuan shao la

擔仔麵

Tainan Tomb-Sweeping Festival

台南

yangrou mian

羊肉麵

Yongkang Street

永康街

zha jiang mian

炸醬麵

番茄牛肉麵 洪芋頭 黃金蝦卷 烤虱目魚肚 拉麵 辣味牛肉麵 中秋節 牛肉麵 蚵仔麵線 清蒸蝦仁肉圓 少辣 掃墓節/清明節

Touched by Taiwan

To Learn a Language Learn a People And Vice Versa – Learning Mandarin in Taiwan

By Matthew Davidoff

Photos / National Taiwan University; National Taiwan Normal University; Matthew Davidoff; YingChi, Wu

A few months ago, a CNN article declared that Beijing residents were chanting “Add Gas!” in preparation for the Summer Olympics. The article painted the phrase and the act of chanting it as comical, perhaps some kind of communist control scheme orchestrated by the political elite. As for me, I knew the phrase well, the phrase I’d heard at local baseball games, the same phrase friendly onlookers had called out as I climbed the steep mountains of Taiwan on my bicycle. Something in that article showed me that I had been attempting to learn a language that was almost completely misunderstood by most of the outside world.

M Our Journey

andarin, which is commonly referred to simply as “Chinese,” is the official language of Taiwan and mainland China and is also spoken by many elsewhere in East Asia. Learning this language has fundamentally changed my living experience in Taiwan and has brought me new, unexpected opportunities. As a result of the experience of learning Chinese and using it in my everyday life, I’ve come to the conclusion that to truly learn a foreign language, one must love the people who speak it, and to love a people, one must speak their language. If this seems like a paradox, you’re dead on, and it’s one of the many conundrums that one faces in talking the talk and walking the walk of a foreign culture.

Years ago, after traveling abroad solely in French- and Spanish-speaking countries, I found myself – much to my surprise – on a plane to Taiwan, a country that previously I couldn’t even locate on a globe. Twenty-three years old and fresh out of university, I had a backpack and a scraggly beard when I got here. I was bewildered and confused by the rush and roar of the traffic, while simultaneously electrified by the foreign sounds and sights. A friend of mine who’d traveled in East Asia described Taiwan as “The farthest the industrialized world has ever strayed from the West,” and this phrase alone brought me across the Pacific to the busy streets of this island on a trip that would end up changing my life.

After one crash course on how to teach English and another on using chopsticks, I was ready to begin my new Taiwanese life. This included learning to communicate. I’d always thought of learning Chinese as impossible, but soon realized that it was just highly improbable.

Within a few months I’d learned to give directions in a taxi, choose my desired cup of tea, and order my noodles without onions. Past that, I relied on the kindness of others; the Taiwanese were incredibly warm and open to me, and the vast majority had some (though quite limited) English skills, so it was possible (especially in the big cities) to get by on a next-to-no-Chinese diet.

For a while, I just responded to anything people said with a few of the Chinese terms and phrases that I’d learned. These included “American,” “twenty-three years old,” “English teacher,” and “I’m not married.” Often, while eating my lunch or resting after a bike ride, a stranger would approach me, say a bunch of Chinese words, and then pause, waiting for me to respond.

I’d wipe the sweat from my forehead, clear my throat, and shoot out “American,” or “teacher,” praying that I’d answered the question correctly. The person would then either smile and nod, or look puzzled and amble slowly away. Today I’ll find myself laughing about these encounters, imagining that this is what may have happened when being approached:

s plet u o ing C Year r p g S New n i t i Wr hinese C for

Stranger: “Excuse me, you’re sitting on my motorcycle.”

Me: “No, I’m not married.”

Travel in Taiwan January • February 2010 33

Touched by Taiwan

Wri ting C hine se

N TU

34 January • February 2010

After some time I made the fateful decision to get serious about getting to know the people around me. What did my next-door neighbor do for a living? Why did the Taiwanese people love firecrackers so much? What was there to eat here besides fried rice and dumplings? I was feeling lonely and alienated being, in effect, deaf and mute.

In a country of almost 23 million I was seriously limiting my chances at making new friends, requiring them to speak fluid English.

There was also the convenience that would come with learning one of the local languages. Playing charades (chicken, cow, pig, etc.) each meal had become tiring, and “twenty-three-year-old English teacher” hadn’t gotten me too far when I was in a doctor’s office for a head cold.

And so began my love/hate (usually love) relationship with Chinese.

I started off by using a local networking site (tealit.com) to find language exchange partners. The principal idea here is that an English speaker and a Chinese speaker hang out and teach one another about their respective cultures and languages. As I had virtually no Chinese skills and my partners had virtually no teaching skills, these liaisons became a good way to meet people but a crummy way to learn anything.

I next went to a private language school called TLI (Taipei Language Institute).

This school has locations in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung, offering classes to meet any budget and any schedule. This enterprise offers highly-qualified teachers who understand exactly what a new student needs. I slowly accumulated Chinese vocabulary and grammar, following their carefully mapped-out curriculum. I am today still friendly with the director of the Taipei outlet, and I often joke with her that she was my Anne Sullivan (Helen Keller’s teacher). In truth, however, this is no joke – she was the one who “gave me my voice.”

After over two years at TLI, I found myself quite fluid in Chinese and able to hold long conversations on an array of topics. I could express my feelings, eavesdrop on conversations, and make friends who knew no English at all. The next step was to look into university classes. There are dozens of universities on the island offering intensive Chinese classes, but the two big names are National Taiwan University (NTU) and National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU). Both of these internationally recognized schools have intensive language-study departments and welcome hundreds of foreign students each year. After just two semesters in NTNU I’ve seen dramatic improvements in my writing, reading, and spoken grammar, and would recommend a university program to anyone who is committed to mastering Chinese.

At this point I am quite comfortable with my level of mastery of the Chinese language, though I’d be lying if I said the road has been smooth along its entire length.

Yes indeed, there have been a few bumps and potholes; here are a few of my less graceful moments.

Travel in Taiwan

One day, while I was practicing yoga on the roof of my fifteen-story apartment building, an autumn breeze came along and slammed the stairway door shut, leaving me trapped. I , to be honest, got a little freaked out and had to discontinue my meditation, but about five minutes later a man came up to hang his laundry. I asked him to hold the door and as he held it for me, he asked how long I’d been up there. Still agitated, forgetting the word for minute, I replied: “Not long, about five days.”

There’s also the time I lost my keys and had to call the landlord for replacements.

Mispronouncing the word for key, I kept repeating, “I want to die! I want to die!” The landlord, not knowing what to do, called my boss, who drove to my house, concerned, asking me if I needed professional help.

While shopping for towels one time, I wanted to know how big a certain packaged towel was. Mixing up the word for swim with the word for sleep, I held up a small face towel and asked the store manager, “Can I sleep with this?” He looked at me, bewildered, before saying, “I guess so.”

These types of stories could go on forever, but I’ll instead finish up by addressing some of the most common questions that people put to me regarding my studies with the following tips on learning Chinese, for I sense you may have been wondering about the same things yourself.

Me moriz ing

S t udying Ge t t in g aroun d

Travel in Taiwan January • February 2010 35

Touched by Taiwan

Some tips on learning Chinese 1. Isn’t it hard?

To this I always reply: “It's one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it’s really not as hard as it sounds.”

Most learners will say that the hardest part is mastering the infamous four tones; the same sound has many completely different meanings based on which tone is used. This can create ambiguities like: My mother loves me vs. My horse loves me or Excuse me vs. Please give me a kiss.

2. Why study Chinese abroad?

To this, the answer is easy: immersion. When you study a language in its “proper environment,” every moment can be a learning experience. Watching ridiculous game shows on TV, listening to people chat in the street, and going out to get a cup of coffee all become part of the language-learning process. A teacher can help with pronunciation and grammar, and a podcast can help with listening skills, but: What does a person utter when you’ve stepped on his foot? How do Chinese speakers mimic a cat’s “purr”? How do you say yuck! in Chinese?

All of this comes from immersion.

3. Why not mainland China?

This question is a little hard to answer, because I haven’t had much experience with people from the mainland.

What I do know is that, in general, the people of Taiwan love foreigners and are really moved when they see others trying to speak their official language. I’ve experienced nothing but patience and enthusiasm from everyone I’ve interacted with here.

A few weeks ago, on a crowded subway car, I was writing my Chinese homework when the woman behind me tapped me on the shoulder. Apparently she’d been looking over my shoulder and noticed a mistake in my work. She pointed out the mistake and wrote the character correctly for me, congratulating me on my hard work. As I said earlier, learning a language is dependent on enjoying the people, and folks in Taiwan are indeed very easy to like.

Another factor in Taiwan’s favor is that here, in contrast to mainland China, traditional Chinese characters are still officially used. Simplified characters have been used on the mainland since the 1950s, erasing much of the history and cultural significance each traditional character possesses. An example is 國 (guo; country). In traditional Chinese, this character is made up of several constituent characters – one for spear or weapon, 戈, another for mouth, 口 (signifying population), and a border, 囗, to enclose them all. With the simplified character 国, however, this meaning is completely lost. For no logical reason the character inside the border is that for jade. Many traditional Chinese characters have “stories” like this to tell, in fact making them easier to remember than the so-called simplified characters, and to understand them is invaluable in understanding the semantics of the language and its unique writing system.

4. Why Chinese?

As an ESL teacher, I constantly tell my students: The beauty of learning a language is that you can meet new people, hear new perspectives, make the world that much smaller. Mandarin has an estimated 1.05 across the world, more than English, Spanish, and Arabic combined! and a lot of new perspectives. Besides this, all economic indicators as the next great superpower; as this unfolds, ability in Mandarin more valued.

For me personally, my experience in Taiwan has been inseparable language, and I can’t imagine having tackled my studies any deep affection for the people here, and that couldn’t have stories and letting them hear mine.

from my ability to speak the other way. I have developed happened without hearing their

We ar ing a fa

C alligraphy

36 January • February 2010

and billion speakers That’s a lot of new friends point to mainland China will become a skill more and

Travel in Taiwan

rme r' sh

at

A Foreigner Living in the South Organizes Guided Tours to Taiwan’s Amazing Mountains

Following the Call of the Barking Deer

Photos/ Wen-jen Fan

By Jay Acton

Richard Foster came to Taiwan from Northern Ireland 20 years ago and was amazed at what the mountains had to offer, a stunning set of ranges with the highest peaks reaching close to 4,000 meters and a large number of trails traversing a wide variety of terrains and natural habitats. Most surprising to Richard was that he found very few people out on these world-class trails. After years of quietly enjoying the mountains on his own, he decided to devote his time to letting other foreigners know about the Taiwan hiking paradise. He started his tour company, Barking Deer, which has become one of the first places to visit for foreign visitors who wish to go on guided tours into the high Taiwan hills.

Travel in Taiwan January • February 2010 37

My Local Friend pass through the town of Dajin, where our guide tells us about a picturesque waterfall we can visit on our way back.

The road then climbs high up into the mountains. We begin to see evidence of the destruction that Typhoon Morakot brought to the area back in August last year, with several bridges and roads washed out. Richard gestures to a debris-laden spot on the riverbank and tells us that there used to be a new multi-story visitor center located there, now gone. We drive along a makeshift road running alongside the riverbed; a wide turn in the road ahead reveals that ship containers have been employed as a base for the new road – a fine example of Taiwanese ingenuity.

Richard explains that although Morakot has taken a huge toll on the communities here, a lot of work has been done to reopen many of the roads and trails that were closed, and the area’s tourism sector is ready to make a comeback. Richard sees the revival of tourism as a crucial factor in any local recovery, and hopes that people return and enjoy the beauty of the scenery and indigenous culture.

After crossing over a gently flowing river, the road climbs up the mountain again and we find ourselves in the

R

ichard greets us at the bus station in Tainan with an extended hand and a warm smile. He’s invited us to go on a tour to a scenic area in Kaohsiung County to do some hiking and explore the local flora and fauna. We jump in his van with some North American traveling companions and drive through part of Tainan, the old capital of Taiwan, glimpsing some of the historical buildings the city is famous for. We leave Tainan and head south toward Kaohsiung County.

We soon arrive at the Fo Guang Shan (“Buddha's Light Mountain”) monastery. This is the headquarters of the biggest Buddhist organization in Taiwan, sitting on a hilltop overlooking the Gaoping River, which separates the 38 January • February 2010

counties of Kaohsiung and Pingtung.

We meander through the expansive monastery grounds, with its countless statues of bodhisattvas, saints, and Buddhas gazing serenely into the middle distance. At the height of the grounds, at the end of a well-manicured lawn, the main temple stands before us. Inside it’s quite stunning. Three giant golden buddhas face us in a hall surrounded by thousands of tiny statuettes that cover very high walls, each one bearing the name of a donor.

A mother and daughter bow down in prayer and we turn to go, hopefully leaving with some of the peaceful energy that clearly emanates from Buddha's Light Mountain.

Back in the van, we head for the Maolin National Scenic Area and

Travel in Taiwan

village of Maolin, home to members of the indigenous Rukai tribe. It’s a moderately busy little town, and we see many of its inhabitants in front of houses made of slate. We stop beside a huge slate mural depicting the Rukai courting tradition of boys swinging girls on a very, very long swing. Snakes form a recurring theme in the artwork of the Rukai, and Richard tells us that according to myth, the tribe’s members

Opposite page: Luomusi Suspension Bridge; Richard is a true nature lover

This page: Catching little creatures in the evening; De En Guesthouse

are descended from the deadly hundred-pace viper, so called because one-hundred steps is said to be as far as one can get after being bitten by the snake.

The sun is getting low in the sky, and Richard wants to show us a special sight before heading to our guesthouse accommodation. We drive a bit further, and come to a gorge spanned by the Luomusi Suspension Bridge.

We clamber out onto the 100-meterhigh, 200-meter-long bridge, and are surprised when a local whizzes by on his scooter sporting a wide grin. According to Richard, they even drive small trucks across this bridge. Surrounded by several peaks bathed in the lateafternoon sunlight, we look down upon the winding river and chat.

Richard tells us about some of the local fauna, especially the deer.

One species, the barking deer, is very common and is often heard barking in the evenings. Richard owes the animals a special debt of gratitude for, years ago, they “saved” him and his friends when they were lost in the forest. Only by following the tracks of the deer did the hikers find their way back to the trail.

This experience led Richard to name his tour company Barking Deer. e pile back into the van and head for our sleeping quarters for the night. Driving down the winding road through the forest, we reach the De En Gorge Guesthouse, owned and operated by Mr. Chen Cheng, a retired local schoolteacher. The grounds are beautiful; on one side of the property stands the main house, with a wide-open well-kept lawn in front looking down onto a river and across to the mountain face beyond it. A few dozen meters behind the main house are the bedroom quarters. Recently constructed out of stone, the bedrooms are spacious, simple

Photos/ Wen-jen Fan

W

and comfortable, and open out onto an old, gently terraced lychee orchard.

After a hearty multi-dish dinner, including some delicious fried fish and fresh jungle ferns, Mr. Chen’s son Nick, nicknamed Big Head, takes us for a night walk and shows us some of the nightlife – spiders, frogs, fireflies, and some poisonous plants. Later, sitting down with the Chen family, we enjoy some herbal tea made from a grass we have brought back from our walk, before Mr. Chen produces a bottle of taro wine. The nectar tastes neat and sweet and has quite a kick. Conversation and songs ensue before Mrs. Chen suggests we try out the new hot-springs discovered just a month ago. We jump onto the back of a truck and Big Head takes us rolling through the night to

the river near the village of Wanshan.

There we bathe in the hot pool and look up at the moon as the river rushes by.

We bathe in the hot pool and look up at the moon as the river rushes by

T

he next morning we wake to find butterflies by the hundreds congregating around the guesthouse gardens, which have been planted especially to attract these beautiful, near-ephemeral creatures. Seeing how much we enjoy cavorting with the butterflies, Richard offers to take us up to the butterfly sanctuary in the village of Maolin, known as Maolin Purple Butterfly Valley. This is a truly amazing

Travel in Taiwan January • February 2010 39

My Local Friend This page: Richard loves to show foreign visitors the great outdoors of Taiwan

Opposite page: At U Ba Ke you can watch how beautiful glazed beads are made by the indigenous Rukai tribe

place; butterflies are so numerous here that you feel as though a butterfly heaven exists. About 80% of these visitors are purple crow butterflies. These mighty little navigators migrate en masse from the northern regions of the country, around the end of the year, to a few select spots in the southern mountains, Maolin one of them. Richard tells us of a special experience he once had when he brought a big, tough U.S. soldier on leave from Iraq to see the butterflies after a number of days camping in the forest. When the butterflies landed on him it literally brought tears to the hardened fighter's eyes, a sight Richard says he will never forget.

After an hour or so with the purple crows, we say goodbye to our fluttering friends and set off to find the waterfall 40 January • February 2010

Richard had earlier told us about, at the end of Maolin Valley, formerly called Luomusi or “Beautiful” Valley in Rukai. Much of the former trail has been wiped out by the last big typhoon, but it’s easy enough to find our way up along the riverbed. Although the two-meter-high walls of silt deposited on the riverbanks, and the occasional gnarly tree trunk strewn about, remind us of the force of the typhoon that swept through here, the valley holds a mysterious, gentle allure; the sunlight on the wet river rocks shimmers like gold and the trees bend in the breeze, seeming to beckon us on.

We find the old trail intact as it moves up and away from the river into the hills through swaying bamboo groves, and soon arrive at Qingren

Travel in Taiwan

(Lovers’) Valley Waterfall, gushing down from a cleft at the top of the rock face maybe 40 meters above.

Unfortunately we can't get up to the pool at the top, as the original path over the fairly steep rock isn't there anymore, but we are happy enough to take a rest and enjoy the view. ichard tells us about life as a hiking guide. His customers are mostly foreigners based in Taiwan or in cities elsewhere in the region, such as Hong Kong or Shanghai, who come to hike.

Birders and butterfly enthusiasts also make up a portion of the Barking Deer clientele, and he occasionally hosts hikers and naturalists from Europe and the US. Many of these people have heard about the quality hiking and/ or nature-watching on offer in Taiwan

R

and need someone who knows how to handle the logistics, such as permits and transport, as well as being familiar with the trails and able to lead a group on hikes that may not be so easily done by the inexperienced.

Richard has led many visitors into the mountains, some of which are birders and butterfly enthusiasts

O

bye to our guide, Richard, for sharing his time and his deep appreciation for the beautiful highlands of Taiwan, promising to be back soon for another Barking Deer sojourn.

ENGLISH & CHINESE Batongguan Historic Trail 八通關越嶺古道 Big Head 大頭 Chen Cheng 陳誠 Dajin 大津 Fo Guang Shan 佛光山 Gaoping River 高屏溪 Kaohsiung 高雄 Luomusi Suspension Bridge 羅木斯吊橋 Luomusi Valley 羅木斯谷 Maolin 茂林 Maolin National Scenic Area 茂林國家風景區 Maolin Purple Butterfly Valley 茂林紫蝶幽谷 Maolin Valley茂林谷 Mt. Xue 雪山 Nenggao Cross-Ridge Historic Trail 能高越嶺古道

Pingtung 屏東 Rukai tribe 魯凱族 Qingren (Lovers’) Valley Waterfall 情人谷瀑布 Tainan 台南 U Ba Ke 烏巴克 Wanshan 萬山 Yushan 玉山 De En Gorge Guesthouse (得恩谷の民宿) Add: 138, Maolin Village, Maolin Township, Kaohsiung County (高雄縣茂林鄉茂林村138號) Tel: (07) 680-1539~40 U Ba Ke (烏巴克) Add: 116, Maolin Village, Maolin Township, Kaohsiung County (高雄縣茂林鄉茂林村138號) Tel: (07) 680-1035

Photos/ Wen-jen Fan

Richard has now led many such groups into the mountains and has developed his own style, which he says is quite different from how Taiwanese guides do things. He considers it very important to assess each hiker on an individual basis in order to meet his or her needs. This starts from the first e-mail or phone call and continues on through to the end of the trip.

He also sees the group dynamic as a major factor in the success of a hike.

A group in which members have some familiarity with each other is more likely to look out for the safety and comfort of all members, which makes Richard’s job a lot easier.

Another factor Richard feels is important on higher-altitude hikes is acclimatization. He will arrange for his group to sleep at the highest possible altitude before beginning the hike the next day. In this way, the altitude sickness that hikers and climbers often feel during a sudden ascent into thinner air is greatly reduced.

Richard is very enthusiastic about

the quality of the hikes available in Taiwan, comparing it to that found in places like Nepal and Switzerland.

The main points that make Taiwan such a great hiking destination, he says, are the number of trails, the diversity of the ecology and geography, the moderate expense, and the lack of crowding on the trails. However, he is a little bewildered at the fact that Taiwan's highest mountain, Yushan (or Jade Mountain), steals all the limelight.

There are many other hikes in Taiwan that Richard feels are even better, such as the Mt. Xue (Snow Mountain) trails, the cross-island Batongguan Historic Trail (temporarily closed because of typhoon impact), and Nenggao CrossRidge Historic Trail. n the road once more, we stop in at U Ba Ke, a Rukai family's art workshop, store, and guesthouse. The setting here is breathtaking; the property features a large grass lawn that leads all the way to the edge of a precipice, with a river far below. Here the owner-artists, Ubake and Savi, make traditional Rukai glass-bead jewelry and pottery, and we are lucky enough to see some of the glass beads being created. The designs on the jewelry carry distinct meanings, such as eternal love and virtuous wisdom. The beads are an important part of the ceremonial dress of the Rukai, passed down through generations as family heirlooms.

Leaving the mountains, we head back to Tainan, sad at not being able to stay longer and explore more of the Maolin National Scenic Area’s pristine environment. We thank and say good-

Travel in Taiwan January • February 2010 41

NEW PERSPECTIVES

79°C

Water, Mountains, and...Boredom???

Zhiben is known throughout Taiwan as a hot-spring-resort town offering a range of facilities and options for spending a relaxing time.

A Revealing Trip to the Remote Hot-Spring Village of Zhiben

By Matthew Davidof f

In the southeastern corner of Taiwan, almost as far (geographically and metaphorically) as one can get from Taipei without leaving the island, sits Zhiben, a small hot-spring community in Taitung County.

This is a place, often overlooked by travelers, offering a variety of options for relaxation and enjoying the wonders of nature.

S

everal years back en route to Green Island, a friend and I had the opportunity to make a quick stop in Taitung. The manager of our hotel invited us out, to show us some local clubs and the famed hot springs of Zhiben. We were ready to go to bed, excited about our trip to the offshore island, but accepted a tour, merely out of politeness.

We had a wonderful night and the highlight was the lavish hot-spring resort she took us to. I’d expected a lukewarm, mountainside pond, but this place was incredible! Children were running and playing, elderly folks were relaxing under pressurized showerheads and young couples were finding romantic little nooks to enjoy the star-filled night sky.

My friend and I loved Zhiben and Taitung and regretted that we’d be catching a six-o’clock ferry the next morning. Since then, I’ve been trying to get to Taitung and Zhiben again, but hadn’t had the chance until this past November. Taipei’s weather started cooling off and city life was starting to get the best of me, so I accepted the invitation to join a two-day guided trip into the “wild east” of Taiwan. Early Saturday morning, I and my fellow travelers got on a train to Taitung (a five-hour-ride from Taipei), giddy with thoughts of warmer weather, walks along the Pacific and relaxing nights in the hot springs.

U

pon arriving, we were greeted

by Mr. Zhao Xin-long, manager

of Toong Mao Resorts & Hotels in Zhiben, who had agreed to show us around. He explained that we had a lot to do that day and as we drove through the sleepy streets of Taitung he couldn’t stop talking about all the beauty and wonder in this area. He seemed to know something about everything – history, local fauna, indigenous tribes, weather patterns, etc. – and he excitedly spouted off facts as if he were talking about his own family.

the shop, I was offered a surgical mask and protective eyewear, “for the dust,” chuckled my tour guide.

We took a windy, dirt trail through rice fields and meadows, climbing over little dunes and splashing through puddles of mud. After about thirty minutes on the trail, we went over a bluff and a picturesque beach unfolded in front of us. Racing up and down the coast, skidding through rocks and sand and breathing the crisp ocean air (with a hint of motor oil), was one of the highlights of my trip; I could have gone on forever, but soon, my butt was sore and our time was up. When we got back to the shop, I took off my goggles and mask and realized that my eyes and mouth were the only parts of my body

Our first stop was an ATV rental shop, the Taitung Corps ATV Club.

The owner, Mr. Lin Wen Bing, offered us hot tea, while introducing us to our new vehicles. I got acquainted with my four-wheeler in the parking lot, and soon we were off ! Before leaving

that weren’t covered in mud or dust.

I thanked Mr. Lin and promised I’d be back soon, joking that I wanted protective gear for my clothes next time.

Mr. Lin cocked his head and gave me a very puzzled look; apparently something had been lost in translation. After a few moments, he replied: “Zhiben is good, Taiwan is good, tell your friends, everything is good here!”

O

ur next stop was the Journey to the East Coast Vacation Resort where we visited a butterfly sanctuary. Located at the foot of Taiwan’s southernmost mountain range, this is the sight of one of the world’s great butterfly migrations.

Thousands of purple crow butterflies migrate from northern to southern and southeastern Taiwan each fall. Except

for the monarchs that migrate from Canada to Mexico each year this is the only species known to travel such distances. The real mystery is how the butterflies can travel such long distances.

To be surrounded by these beautiful butterflies is truly magical, though, regardless how they got there!

Next, we made a stop at Field Herdsman, also located within the vacation resort, which sells art of the Amis (a Taiwanese indigenous tribe).

Here, local artists have been using tree bark to create incredible works of art. In the past, this unique, tan-anddark-brown threaded bark was used by the Amis to make clothing. These days, it’s being used to decorate lamps, flowerpots, and an array of other

Photos / Xie-cheng Hou

We took a windy, dirt trail through rice fields and meadows, climbing over little dunes and splashing through puddles of mud.

42 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

Riding an all-terrain vehicle is a fun and safe way to explore Taitung’s coastal area.

Travel in Taiwan January • February 2010 43

79°C Zhiben is known throughout Taiwan as a hot-spring-resort town offering a range of facilities and options for spending a relaxing time.

the shop, I was offered a surgical mask and protective eyewear, “for the dust,” chuckled my tour guide.

We took a windy, dirt trail through rice fields and meadows, climbing over little dunes and splashing through puddles of mud. After about thirty minutes on the trail, we went over a bluff and a picturesque beach unfolded in front of us. Racing up and down the coast, skidding through rocks and sand and breathing the crisp ocean air (with a hint of motor oil), was one of the highlights of my trip; I could have gone on forever, but soon, my butt was sore and our time was up. When we got back to the shop, I took off my goggles and mask and realized that my eyes and mouth were the only parts of my body

that weren’t covered in mud or dust.

I thanked Mr. Lin and promised I’d be back soon, joking that I wanted protective gear for my clothes next time.

Mr. Lin cocked his head and gave me a very puzzled look; apparently something had been lost in translation. After a few moments, he replied: “Zhiben is good, Taiwan is good, tell your friends, everything is good here!”

O

ur next stop was the Journey to the East Coast Vacation Resort where we visited a butterfly sanctuary. Located at the foot of Taiwan’s southernmost mountain range, this is the sight of one of the world’s great butterfly migrations.

Thousands of purple crow butterflies migrate from northern to southern and southeastern Taiwan each fall. Except

for the monarchs that migrate from Canada to Mexico each year this is the only species known to travel such distances. The real mystery is how the butterflies can travel such long distances.

To be surrounded by these beautiful butterflies is truly magical, though, regardless how they got there!

Next, we made a stop at Field Herdsman, also located within the vacation resort, which sells art of the Amis (a Taiwanese indigenous tribe).

Here, local artists have been using tree bark to create incredible works of art. In the past, this unique, tan-anddark-brown threaded bark was used by the Amis to make clothing. These days, it’s being used to decorate lamps, flowerpots, and an array of other

We took a windy, dirt trail through rice fields and meadows, climbing over little dunes and splashing through puddles of mud.

Riding an all-terrain vehicle is a fun and safe way to explore Taitung’s coastal area.

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010 43

NEW PERSPECTIVES

From left: Tree bark art made by

members of the indigenous Amis tribe; Taitung has its share of scenic mountains and waterfalls; there are more uses for hot springs than just bathing, cooking eggs for example; typical scene of Taitung, a pristine area off the beaten track

household items, giving everything an aboriginal-Ikea fusion look. This store is definitely worth checking out!

Next, we went to our hotel, the Chih-pen Toong Mao Hot Spring Hotel, where we had a grand meal – one of the best I’ve ever had in Taiwan – and a round of karaoke before soaking in Zhiben’s acclaimed hot springs. ost of the large hotels and resorts in Zhiben have their own hot springs – actually man-made swimming pools fed by hot-spring water – and each one is more grandiose than the last. There is a selection of hot, warm, and cold pools; a cool night breeze, stars above, and relaxing music made this a very serene experience.

M

Overall, I loved my hot-spring experience. The water here is unique and well known for its odorless (no sulphur smell) purity. The Japanese, who used Zhiben as a recreation area almost 100 years ago, called it “beauty bath” because of its supposed skinbeautifying effects.

The hot springs of Zhiben are great for relaxation and bring in a lot of tourists; but to the locals, they are much more than that. Everywhere I went, people boasted about the hot springs; local delicacies include fish and eggs boiled in hot-spring water.

We even met a local entrepreneur who was growing coffee beans using only hot-spring water.

After my dip in the springs, we

took a stroll around town and Mr. Zhao introduced us to local shop owners and artisans. The quaint, little town had a few bars and restaurants serving seafood and local specialties. Everyone I met was open and warm, excited to meet a foreign tourist and thrilled to share the splendor that is Zhiben. After saying goodbye to my new friends, it was finally time for bed.

W

e woke up early the next day, and after a quick breakfast, Mr.

Zhao took us hiking in the mountains.

The surrounding area has many trails, with waterfalls, huge “ancient trees,” and old buildings left over from the Japanese occupation era.

As we finished our hike, I realized

Photos / Xie-cheng Hou

Thousands of purple crow butterflies each year migrate from northern Taiwan to Maolin in Kaohsiung County and Zhiben in Taitung County to stay the winter in warmer climates.

Zhiben is a great gem, unique in its culture and pristine in its natural beauty 44 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

NEW PERSPECTIVES

ENGLISH & CHINESE

"beauty bath"

美人湯

Green Island Lin Wen-bing Taitung Zhiben Zhao Xin-long

綠島 林文彬 台東 知本 趙新龍

From left: Tree bark art made by members of the indigenous Amis tribe; Taitung has its share of scenic mountains and waterfalls; there are more uses for hot springs than just bathing, cooking eggs for example; typical scene of Taitung, a pristine area off the beaten track

household items, giving everything an aboriginal-Ikea fusion look. This store is definitely worth checking out!

Next, we went to our hotel, the Chih-pen Toong Mao Hot Spring Hotel, where we had a grand meal – one of the best I’ve ever had in Taiwan – and a round of karaoke before soaking in Zhiben’s acclaimed hot springs. ost of the large hotels and resorts in Zhiben have their own hot springs – actually man-made swimming pools fed by hot-spring water – and each one is more grandiose than the last. There is a selection of hot, warm, and cold pools; a cool night breeze, stars above, and relaxing music made this a very serene experience.

M

Overall, I loved my hot-spring experience. The water here is unique and well known for its odorless (no sulphur smell) purity. The Japanese, who used Zhiben as a recreation area almost 100 years ago, called it “beauty bath” because of its supposed skinbeautifying effects.

The hot springs of Zhiben are great for relaxation and bring in a lot of tourists; but to the locals, they are much more than that. Everywhere I went, people boasted about the hot springs; local delicacies include fish and eggs boiled in hot-spring water.

We even met a local entrepreneur who was growing coffee beans using only hot-spring water.

After my dip in the springs, we

took a stroll around town and Mr. Zhao introduced us to local shop owners and artisans. The quaint, little town had a few bars and restaurants serving seafood and local specialties. Everyone I met was open and warm, excited to meet a foreign tourist and thrilled to share the splendor that is Zhiben. After saying goodbye to my new friends, it was finally time for bed.

W

my trip was about over; Mr. Zhao had taught us about trees and butterfly migrations, Japanese colonial history, and plate tectonics, and it was sad to say goodbye to him.

Belittled by the scenic world wonder of Taroko Gorge to the north and the tropical playground of Kenting National Park to the south, Taitung and Zhiben are often ignored, or seen as mere stops on the way to Green Island. This is a true shame; any traveler will tell you the road less traveled is often the most rewarding, and this is definitely true in Zhiben. For centuries, this area has been especially isolated from development and the outside influences of Taiwan’s bigger cities; this has left a great gem,

e woke up early the next day, and after a quick breakfast, Mr.

Zhao took us hiking in the mountains.

The surrounding area has many trails, with waterfalls, huge “ancient trees,” and old buildings left over from the Japanese occupation era.

As we finished our hike, I realized Thousands of purple crow butterflies each year migrate from northern Taiwan to Maolin in Kaohsiung County and Zhiben in Taitung County to stay the winter in warmer climates.

44 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

asked him one final question: If you could tell the world one thing about Zhiben, what would it be? He smiled and confidently replied: “Zhiben… Lovely Mountains, Lovely Water, Terribly Boring!” The first two were easy to figure out, but… boring? I had another five-hour train ride to sit on that one. The people I encountered in Zhiben knew all about Taipei and the other big cities; they had chances to leave, but prided themselves on a slower life; a life where one could enjoy nature and quiet, a life where one could even enjoy…boredom.

To quote an expert: “Zhiben is good, Taiwan is good; tell your friends, everything is good here!”

Info

Photos / Xie-cheng Hou

Zhiben is a great gem, unique in its culture and pristine in its natural beauty

unique in its culture and pristine in its natural beauty.

If I’d had more time, I definitely would have checked out the more of the beaches, which stretch up and down the infinite coastline, glistening in the tropical sun. Zhiben also boasts mountain biking trails, trails for length treks, and an array of other options for outdoor activities. This village would definitely be worth a few more days of exploration, and though its worthy of a trip in itself, it would also make a great trip combined with any other destinations in eastern or southern Taiwan.

Before getting on our train, we thanked Mr. Zhao for everything and

CHIH-PEN TOONG MAO HOT SPRING HOTEL

JOURNEY TO THE EAST COAST VACATION RESORT

FIELD HERDSMAN

TAITUNG CORPS ATV CLUB

山野牧人

沙城兵團

知本統茂溫泉旅館

東遊季溫泉渡假村

ADD: 61, Longquan Rd., Beinan Township, Taitung County 台東縣卑南鄉龍泉路 61號 TEL: (0 89) 514 - 89 9 www.toongmao.com.tw

ADD: 18, Lane 376, Wenquan Rd.,

ADD: 6, Lane 376, Wenquan Rd.,

ADD: 663-1, Sec. 4, Qinghai Rd., Taitung City 台東市青海路 663之1號 TEL: 0 89 -511-120 089511120.travel-web.com.tw (Chinese)

Wenquan Village, Beinan Township, Taitung County 台東縣卑南鄉溫泉村溫泉路

376 巷18號 TEL: (0 89) 516 -111 www.toyogi.com.tw (Chinese)

Wenquan Village, Beinan Township, Taitung County 台東縣卑南鄉溫泉村溫泉路376 巷 6號 TEL: 0 98 6 -301-9 6 0 herdsman.pixnet.net/blog (Chinese)

Travel in Taiwan January • February 2010 45

HEALTH

Feeling Just Great Foot Massage and Other Invigorating Treatments

Even tourists preferring to be chauffeured around in plush limousines or cozy coaches can’t avoid using their feet when visiting tourist destinations. After walking to scenic spots, shopping at large malls, or browsing the alleys of a traditional night market, at the end of the day your feet will most likely be in need of some well-deserved recuperation. A foot-massage parlor a

C

onsidering the large number of foot-massage centers that can be found in Taipei and other major cities around Taiwan, it’s likely that there is one of them close to your hotel. Many of these establishments cater to tourists and are therefore often located in areas frequented by visitors from abroad. An increasing number of tour operators even include a stop at a foot-massage center in their tour itineraries, especially if those tours are designed for visitors from Japan and other regional countries. In Taipei alone there are countless foot-massage parlors and health centers offering foot massage and a range of other health-related services. There are, in fact, so many qualified foot-massage practitioners on this island that it wasn’t a problem at all

46 January • February 2010

to find 1,000 of them to take part in a mass foot-massage event organized last year at Taipei Arena, which set a record for the most people having their feet massaged simultaneously.

The growing popularity of foot massage and other forms of massage treatment in recent years has encouraged many entrepreneurs to invest in full-fledged multi-story health centers that cater to the many different needs of weary visitors. Kin Raku on Taipei’s Bade Road is one of the modern health oases that have brought the foot-massage experience to a whole new level.

The concept of Kin Raku is to create a wholesome new-style experience, a place where you can relax and leave all worries behind for an hour or two. The

Travel in Taiwan

By Kurt Weidner

first things you notice when entering the center are the pleasant scent wafting through the complex and the soothing background music. You are greeted by friendly staff, not unlike in an exclusive hotel or a fine restaurant. The design of the facility is basic, with a modern feel.

There is no need to worry about embarrassing moments when your feet – persistent smell, nagging skin problems, and all – are revealed to the foot kneader. A relaxing (and cleansing) medicinal foot bath starts off the experience. You might have seen pictures or footage of people grimacing with pain while being massaged, but you can rest assured that the professional, well-trained masseurs here will ask you how much pressure you want them to apply. After all, having your

Photos / Kin Raku Foot Massage Center; Wellspring Spa; Aysel Then; Vision Int'l

few blocks down the street from your hotel could be the perfect solution.

Info WELLSPRING SPA

KIN RAKU FOOT MASSAGE CENTER 金樂草本養生會館 ADD: 324 Bade Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei City (台北市八德路二段324號) TEL: (02) 2771-1928 HOURS: 10AM~2AM www.kinraku.com.tw

ENGLISH & CHINESE

沐蘭 SPA

baguan guasha qi

ADD: 20F (Formosa Regent Taipei), 41 Zhongshan N. Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei City (台北市中山北路二段41號20 樓) (晶華酒店) TEL: (02) 2523-8000

(拔罐) (刮痧) (氣)

Taipei Arena

(小巨蛋)

tuina

(推拿)

Wellness Spa

feet massaged should bring pleasant sensations, don’t you think?

When done by a qualified masseur, foot massage is much more than a relaxing therapy for weary feet. At most foot-massage centers you will find colorful “maps” of the feet. The colored spots represent the reflex zones on the soles of your feet. According to traditional Chinese-medicine concepts, applying pressure to these reflex zones stimulates the energy (qi) flow inside the body. On the maps you can easily identify which of your body organs is connected to which part of your soles. The theory is that the more pain one feels when a certain reflex zone is subjected to pressure, the more severe the energy flow through the connected organ is being blocked. A targeted foot massage can thus reveal internal problems and, for some, bring aid in restoring a healthy energy flow.

At Kin Raku there are large openconcept foot-massage rooms on the first and second floors. For more privacy and other types of massage, such as a fullbody oil massage or other traditional treatments including scraping circulation

(guasha) and vacuum-glass suction (baguan), the center provides private rooms on the third and fourth floors.

A 40-min foot massage is available at NT$600, a 60-min full-body oil massage at NT$1,200, and a 100-min foot and body massage set at NT$1,500.

Wellspring Spa One of the best massage centers in Taipei is the Wellspring Spa in the Grand Formosa Regent hotel. There is a wide range of treatments to choose from, including massages, body wraps, skin polishing, facials, and combination treatments.

If you have just arrived after a long intercontinental flight, the “Traveler’s Perk” Jetlag Recovering Massage (1 hr, 45 min / NT$3,800) might be just what you need, enabling you to enjoy your full stay in Taiwan fully refreshed. A session includes various massage techniques, combining styles from Indonesia, Hawaii, and Taiwan for an optimized treatment that reduces both mental and physical fatigue. Fragrant essential oil that you yourself choose before the treatment will enhance this stimulating experience.

The Tuina Massage service is another must-try if you want to experience the pleasures of being massaged local-style.The term tuina can be translated as “push and grasp,” describing how the hands of the masseur go to work. By pressing, tapping, and kneading, the practitioner seeks to stimulate the flow of energy and blood by unblocking the meridians of the body. The principles of this massage are similar to those of acupuncture, moxibustion, and acupressure. At Wellspring Spa, you can opt for a refreshing “Rejuvenator” Chinese Tuina Massage (1 hr, 45 min / NT$3,800) to relieve your tension and fatigue.

If you are in the mood for a bit of a change and want to treat your body to something extravagant, how about trying the “Trinity” Triple Massage (1 hr, 45 min / NT$9,000)? Three masseuses will be working on your body applying a range of methods, including palm pushing, finger pressing, and neuro-lymphatic massage, to help your body regain its balance. You will feel just great.

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010 47

Taipei, a modern and welldeveloped city, has no shortage of places for visitors to stay. For something different, there is everything from chic boutique hotels to small and inexpensive B&Bs. And for the traveler looking for plush, grandiose comfort and convenience, there are dozens of top-class international tourist hotels that cater to those traveling on business and pleasure alike. Whatever your needs, you’ll find your home away from home.

PLACES TO STAY

Hotel Royal Sheraton Taipei

Sheraton Taipei

When in Taipei,

Go Five-Star

By Stuart Dawson

Local International Tourist Hotels Offer Oriental Hospitality

48 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

Photos / Sheraton Taipei; Hotel Royal Taipe; Crowne Plaza Kaohsiung E-DA World; Wen-Jen Fan

Hotel Royal

The Sheraton is one of the top 5-star hotels in Taipei known for its attention to detail and its personal assistance.

Hotel Royal

T

aiwan’s largest hotels are scattered throughout Taipei in almost every ma jor district.

There are several options not f ar f rom the main railway station, including the Hotel Royal Taipei, with its French-style red-brick f acade, the Grand Formosa Regent, and the recently renovated Sheraton Taipei.

Towards the east and not f ar f rom the world’s second-tallest building, Taipei 101, are the three Taipei Fullerton hotels and, within a stone’s throw, the Grand Hyatt Taipei, providing excellent locations for business travelers due to their proximity to the Taipei World Trade Center.

Sheraton Taipei With many hotels to choose f rom, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the abundant information available.

However, a good indicator of the quality of a hotel can be the number of awards it has received. The Sheraton, located on Zhongxiao East

Road, Sec. 1, has been the recipient of top honors at the annual World Travel Awards for three years in a row now.

The hotel was opened some 29 years ago, and when the current owner of the f acility, Mr. Tsai Chen-yang, took control in 2002, the hotel was given a lavish US$77 million makeover. An avid collector of f ine antiques, Mr. Tsai’s inf luence on the interior design of the hotel is immediately apparent – on display in the lobby and elsewhere throughout the hotel are beautif ul pieces of antique f urniture and traditional Chinese paintings. Also incorporated into the interior design are elements of traditional Chinese architecture that give the hotel a distinctive classical character.

From the moment you arrive at the Sheraton, you are struck by just how welcome the staf f make you feel.

Service is the number-one priority for every employee at the hotel, and it is obvious that each staf f member is passionate about his or her work.

At the f ront entrance, the bellhops will open your car door and warmly greet you with a smile before showing you into the impressive 17-storey building. Walking through the huge revolving doors, you enter an expansive lobby that despite its size still feels very warm and cozy.

Directly behind the revolving doors is the check-in desk, and all staf f here are at least bilingual, speaking both Chinese and English and, for some, Japanese and Thai. Their f riendly demeanor and willingness to help really put you at ease and make you feel at home.

For those who opt to stay in one of the rooms on the Executive Floors, there is no need to go to reception.

You can head directly to the 17th f loor and check in at the exclusive Sheraton Club Lounge. Even if your original plan was to stay in a standard room, it is still possible to upgrade for just $2,000 extra per night.

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010 49

PLACES TO STAY Sheraton Hotel

E-DA World

E-DA World

E-DA World

One feature that makes the breathtakingly extravagant PresidenSheraton Taipei stand out f rom other tial Suite for a mere NT$168,000 per international hotels is the team of night! All of the rooms and suites are butlers on the Executive Floors, who are available around the Each restaurant is uniquely clock to deal with any requests designed, exhibiting the spirit of that guests may have. Trained elegance and sophistication that by the UK-based Guild of Professional English Butlers, pervades this hotel they provide a service that is impeccable. It is this kind of spacious and tastef ully decorated, and attention to detail and personalized each features classical Chinese artassistance that makes the Sheraton so work. All of the standard suites have exceptional. everything you would expect of a Staying on the Executive Floors high-end international hotel, including also gives guests access to the stylish a spacious king-sized bed, f lat-screen Club Lounge, where dedicated chef s TV, and f ully stocked minibar. prepare both traditional Chinese The Diplomatic Suites, located on cuisine and Western food buf fet-style. the Executive Floors, are especially Add the complimentary bar and you luxurious. They are divided into two have the perfect place to relax and spaces, a cozy living room that doubles en joy breathtaking views of Taipei up as an of f ice and a sizable bedroom.

City af ter a hard day’s work.

However, the piece de resistance has The Sheraton has over 680 rooms, to be the gorgeous marble bathroom, ranging f rom standard superior with its large window that looks into rooms for NT$11,000 a night to the the bedroom.

50 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

Located very close to Taipei's main railway station, the Sheraton Taipei has many advantages over other hotels in the capital. Directly outside is an entrance to the MRT Shandao Temple Station, making getting around the city extremely convenient.

Also within walking distance is an excellent Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store outlet, and only three MRT stops away, visitors will f ind the bustling Dinghao shopping district near the MRT ZhongxiaoFuxing Station.

The f acilities and services provided by the Sheraton are as wide-ranging as one could ask. On the roof top there is a beautif ul open-air swimming pool, and in the summer this area teems with guests cooling down in the water and sunbathing on the sun loungers at the sides. On the f loor just below the pool, guests can work out in the stateof -the-art g ym or relax in the hotel’s sauna, which of fers Finnish ovens, steam rooms, and massage jets.

Photos / Sheraton Taipei; Hotel Royal Taipei; Crowne Plaza Kaohsiung E-DA World; Wen-Jen Fan

l a z a rl d o ne P Crow E- DA W 店 g 飯 n 日 u hsi 冠假 Kao 大皇

ADD: 12 Zhongxiao E. Rd., Sec. 1, Taipei City 台北市忠孝東路一段12號

高

TEL: (02) 2 321-5511

SHE

R AT

台北

ADD: 100 Yida 8th St., Sanhe Village, Dashu Township, Kaohsiung County

雄義

高雄縣大樹鄉三和村義大八街100號

TEL: (07 ) 656 - 8 0 0 0

ON

喜來

TAIP

登大

飯店

EI

w

k e d as w w.

yl

om ark .c

H OT E L R O YAL TAIPE I

.t w

台北老爺

大酒店

ADD: 37-1 Zhongshan N. Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei City 台 北 市 中 山 北 路 二 段 3 7 之一 號

ww

w.sh e

TEL: (02) 2 5 42-326 6

r ato

n -t a

ip e i

w w w.roya l-taipei.co m. tw

. co m

Altogether, there are a total of nine restaurants and eateries in the Sheraton, serving everything f rom Italian to Sichuanese cuisine. Each restaurant is uniquely designed, exhibiting the spirit of elegance and sophistication that pervades this hotel.

The largest restaurant, Kitchen 12, is open in layout and sits in the hotel’s massive 17-f loor-high atrium. Kitchen 12 is open until 10 pm daily and serves a wide variety of cuisines.

The 202-room Hotel Royal Taipei is a beautif ul building that attractively combines Hotel Royal elements of French and Taipei Oriental design. The redbrick f açade is especially striking, more reminiscent of Parisian hotels than other f acilities in Taipei.

There are four restaurants, of which the most notable is Le Caf é.

With its huge windows that look out onto the street, it is a wonderf ul place to sit, en joy a meal, and watch the world go by.

As the hotel is relatively small, it is able to ensure that guests receive personalized service characterized by the very best in Oriental hospitality.

Located very close to MRT Zhongshan Station, the Hotel Royal Taipei of fers guests the opportunity to indulge in designer shopping in nearby stores as well as easy access to art galleries and the SPOT Taipei arthouse cinema.

As you may well do when visiting the island, let’s leave Taipei for a moment Crowne Plaza for a quick trip down Kaohsiung south. Since the island’s E-DA World High Speed Rail (HSR) system opened a couple of years ago, development around the Zuoying HSR Station in Kaohsiung has continued unabated. The latest addition to this f lourishing area is the magnif icent Crowne Plaza Kaohsiung E-Da World f ive-star hotel (slated for opening this February).

This 650-bedroom hotel complex is

located just 15 minutes away f rom the HSR station and boasts two banquet halls and a large international conference room. Ad jacent to the hotel is a huge outlet shopping mall, complete with movie theaters, theme restaurants, sports f acilities, and one of Taiwan’s largest Ferris wheel.

Another attraction close by is a Greek-style theme park, which has the island’s biggest indoor park and a number of exciting thrill rides. There is also a “ Dream Lake,” featuring an interactive water, light, and f ire special-ef fects show that lights up the night sky.

ENGLISH & CHINESE Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Dinghao Shopping District Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store SPOT Taipei Tsai Chen-yang

Travel in Taiwan

中正紀念堂 頂好商圈 台北當代藝術館 新光三越百貨 光點台北 蔡辰洋

January • February 2010 51

SHOPPING

The

“Taiwan” Brand Sparkling Ever Brighter in Jewelry and Porcelain Design

N

ot so long ago the approach to making jewelry and porcelain pieces in Taiwan was to emphasize mass production and mass-market trends. But whether we are talking about the high-tech industry or the products of fashion, great efforts have been made by local creators over the past decade or so to create a unique branded identity for one’s line of products and to focus on what it takes to conquer the international market. In jewelry and porcelain design, the strategy has been to emulate the European model, which is designer-centric, celebrating an individual creator’s artistic vision. These efforts have brought fame across the globe to a number of Taiwan brands, and made brands of the very names of individual creators.

Debeer and Snowy June – The Chinese Heritage “Preserved” in Jewelry Art The Debeer Jewelry Co. is focused on the aesthetic concepts of designer Huang Yung Hsueh, a Hakka woman from the

52 January • February 2010

Travel in Taiwan

hilly county of Miaoli on Taiwan’s west side. Her Snowy June brand is gaining ever greater attention on the international scene. The Hakka are Han Chinese, but are culturally distinct from the Han majority in many ways. Miaoli has a heavy concentration of Hakka, and Huang brings Hakka perspectives and Han Chinese perspectives to her Snowy June designs. (The “Hsueh” in her name is the word for “snow,” and she was born in the sixth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or “June.”) Inspired by the folk relics and cultural art of her home county, she has created two main themes for her Snowy June pieces – a Folk Stories Jewelry series and a Cultural Art Jewelry series. Huang engages in what she calls “Preserve Art,” preserving the 4,000-year-old artistic/cultural heritage bequeathed to her people, seeking to make each work of art she gives birth to a cultural treasure. Debeer has two elegant “Paris-style” outlets in the Miaoli Hakka area, making a visit there a true cultural exploration, and has outlets elsewhere in Taiwan and overseas as well.

Photos / Debeer Jewelry, Franz Collection, Isaac

By Chris Lockwood

accessories and gifts that are functional while at the same time aesthetically unique. All pieces exhibit a deep love for nature – “delicate butterflies, fragile flowers, whimsical animals” – synthesizing the traditional Chinese character with classic Western Art Nouveau designs.

An Asian Love Affair – RICH JADE and the Museum of Jade Art For a highly unusual aesthetic and educational experience, visit the brand-new Ying Wei Yi Shu Museum of Jade Art in Taipei, opened in August last year. This is the first museum in the world dedicated to jade art. The permanent exhibitions will guide you through the history of Asia’s love affair with this stone, the priceless collection of works truly exquisite in terms of both aesthetic vision and workmanship. The museum’s gift shop offers a range of highquality works pleasing to a range of budgets, starting from a series of jade-art jewelry pieces such as necklaces that feature animals of the Chinese zodiac.

The museum highlights the influential work of jade-art creator Mr. Soofeen Hu, who is also the man behind the creation of the museum. Hu decided to stay in Taiwan after coming from Burma, his homeland, to Taipei in 1995. His family had been in the jadeite mining business for over a century. After seeing the inimitable Jadeite Cabbage with Insects at the National Palace Museum, he decided that making objets d’art in the same naturalistic tradition would be his life’s work, following the age-old concept “Carve according to raw material shape and choose stones according to their color.” His RICH JADE line of artworks range from the practical, fashion accessories that can be worn, to collectors’ items that are meant to grace a space and receive lingering contemplation.

Franz Collection – An East Meets West Porcelain Marriage

Debeer Jewelry Co. (代比爾珠寶有限公司)

Francis Chen is the founder of Franz Collection Inc. and the Franz porcelain brand. He enjoys a solid reputation on the international arts scene both as an artist and as an entrepreneur, and his aim is nothing short of “to revive the Chinese porcelain art” to its position atop the world, reclaiming its crown after the secret of porcelain escaped to the West in the 1800s and Western creators in many ways surpassed those of the motherland fountainhead – until now, says Chen.

The proof is in audience reception. The Franz brand is now sold in 4,000 outlets around the globe, and the Franz team has won numerous international awards. The design center and operational headquarters are in Taiwan, and the firm’s success has created a growing reputation for Taiwan as an influential center for porcelain innovation.

Chen maintains a competitive edge by concentrating his team’s imagination on the creation of fine-porcelain home

Add: 759 Zhongzheng Rd., Miaoli City

(苗栗市中正路759號) Tel: (037) 361-182 Website: eng.snowy-june.com.tw

Franz Collection(法藍瓷) Add: 10C, 5F, 45 Shifu Rd. (Taipei 101 Mall) (台北101；台北市市府路45號5樓10C) Tel: (02) 8101-8389 Website: www.franzcollection.com.tw

Ying Wei Yi Shu Museum of Jade Art (瑩瑋藝術翡翠文物博物館) Add: 1F, 96 Jianguo N. Rd., Sec. 1, Taipei

( 台北市建國北路一段 96 號 1 樓 ) Tel: (02) 2509-8166 Websites: www.museumofjadeart.com

(Note: English tours available)

RICH JADE (富御珠寶) Websites: www.richjade.com

Travel in Taiwan

January • February 2010 53

“

Advertisement

HOTEL INFORMATION

Hotels of Taiwan

V

isitors to Taiwan have a wide range of choice when it comes

to accommodation. From five-star luxury hotels that meet the highest international standards, to affordable

homestays located in the countryside there is a place to stay that satisfies every traveler’s needs. What all hotels of Taiwan – small and big, expensive

No. of Rooms: 487 (Suites: 57) Room Rates:

Single/DBL NT$ 5,700 – 11,000

Suite NT$ 15,000 – 28,000 President: Johnson Chiang Desk Personnel Speak: English, French, Spanish, and Japanese Restaurants: Western, Cantonese, Northern China Style Dumplings, tea house, coffee shop

and affordable – have in common is that serve and hospitality are always of the highest standards.

The room rates in the following list have been checked for each hotel, but

Special Features: Grand Ballroom, conference rooms for 399 people, 10 breakout rooms, business center, fitness center, sauna, Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, billiards

are subject to change without notice.

No. of Rooms: 203 Room Rates:

Deluxe Room

Business Room Executive Deluxe Room

Boss Suite

Premier Suite

Taipei 台 北

General Manager: Linda Chu Desk Personnel Speak: English, Japanese, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Cantonese Restaurants: Rain Forest Café, Garden Terrace, Lounge 81

Restaurants:

General Manager: Te Yao

Single NT$ 11,000 Double NT$ 11,500 Suite NT$ 16,500 ~ 99,000

Desk Personnel Speak:

Cantonese, Shanghainese, Steakhouse & Teppanyaki, Lounge Bar, Fusion Cafe, Cont. Buffet, Penthouse, Chinese, Japanese

Special Features: Most spacious rooms

in Taipei, rooftop swimming pool, sauna, rec. center, full service resort spa, wireless Internet, executive business center, 24-hour room service, ballroom and convention facilities seating 8 to 1000 people, high-fashion shopping arcade & DFS, nonsmoking & ladies’ floor.

41 Chung Shan (Zhongshan) N. Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei City, 104

Desk Personnel Speak: Chinese, English Special Features: Free wireless acess, VIP lounge, private meeting rooms and secretarial services, private office rental services, high-speed ADSL broadband Internet, non-smoking floors, safety deposit box, laundry service, limousine service, airport transportation, basement parking, gym 11F, 495 Guangfu S. Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City 110

104台北市中山北路二段41號

Tel: 02.2523.8000 Fax: 02.2523.2828

Tel: 02.8780.8000 Fax: 02.8780.5000 E-mail: pbc.taipei@msa.hinet.net

www.grand-hotel.org

www.grandformosa.com.tw

www.businesscenter.com.tw

Taipei 台 北

Superior Room Premier Room Deluxe Room Junior Suite Garden Suite

NT$ 7,000 NT$ 8,000 NT$ 9,000 NT$ 10,000 NT$ 16,000

(All rates are subject to 10% service charge)

Desk Personnel Speak:

Japanese, English, Chinese

Restaurants: La Fusion Restaurant,

La Fusion Bakery, Hanazono Japanese Restaurant, La Fusion Bar, La Fusion Deli

Special Features:

Special Features: Business center, luxury executive floor, multifunctional room, Internet service, 32-inch plasma TV, garden terrace, bar, fitness club, outdoor pool, sauna, spa, aromatherapy, car park

Fitness Center, Business Center, Conference & Dining Facilities; (Rooms Facilities) 32” LCD TV/Pay Broadband Internet Access/ Multi Channel Satellite TV with Domestic and Foreign Programming/En-suite Shower and Bath/TOTO Washlet

83 Civic Boulevard, Sec. 3, Taipei City, 104

1, Zhonghua Rd. Sec. 2, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 10065

104台北市市民大道三段8 3號

English, Japanese, Chinese

Room Rates:

Tel: 886.2.2886.8888 Fax: 886.2.2885.2885

台 北 花 園 大 酒 �� 店

太平洋商務中心台北會館 Taipei 台 北

110 台北市信義 區 光復 南路 49 5號 11樓

TAIPEI GARDEN HOTEL

PACIFIC BUSINESS CENTER TAIPEI No. of Rooms: 67 rooms, 28 offices,

4 meeting rooms Room Rates:

Superior Room NT$ 5,200+10% Executive Single NT$ 5,600+10%

Executive Twin NT$ 6,200+10% Excellency Room NT$ 7,200+10%

No. of Rooms: 538

10 4 61台北市中山北 路 四段1號

No. of Rooms: 242 Room Rates: NT$ 6,000 NT$ 7,000 NT$ 8,000 NT$ 12,000 NT$ 17,000

Taipei 台 北

台北晶華酒店

1 Chong shan N. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City, 10461 R.O.C

Room rates at the hotels apply.

美麗信花園酒店

Taipei 台 北

圓山大飯店

beach resort hotels, to privately-run

MIRAMAR GARDEN TAIPEI

GRAND FORMOSA REGENT TAIPEI

THE GRAND HOTEL

business hotels, to hot-spring and

10 0 6 5台北市中正 區中 華路二 段 1號

CAESAR PARK HOTEL TAIPEI 台北凱撒大飯店

Taipei 台 北

No. of Rooms: 406 Room Rates:

Superior Room Deluxe Room Family Room Deluxe Suite Executive Suite Caesar Suite Extra Bed

GLORIA PRINCE HOTEL TAIPEI 華 泰 王 子大 飯 店

Taipei 台 北

No. of Rooms: 220 NT$ 8,200 NT$ 9,000 NT$ 9,000 NT$ 13,000 NT$ 15,000 NT$ 50,000 NT$ 1,000

(All rates are subject to 10% service charge)

Desk Personnel Speak:

Chinese, English, Japanese

Restaurants: Checkers, Dynasty Restaurant, CAESAR Mall Special Features: Banquet/Conference Room, Business Centre, Health Club, CAESAR Spa, Roof Garden, Safe Deposit Box, Valet Parking, Valet Dry Cleaning, Laundry, Room Service, Internet Service

Room Rates: Deluxe / Single / Twin & Double NT$ 7,800~8,500

Suite NT$ 9,500~20,000 Desk Personnel Speak: Chinese, English, Japanese Restaurants: La Fontaine (Western), Chiou Hwa (Chinese) Special Features: Coffee Shop, Fitness Center, Business Center, laundry service, meeting and banquet facilities, non-smoking floor, parking lot, airport transfer service

38 Chunghsiao W. Rd., Sec. 1, Taipei City, 100 100台北市忠孝西路一段3 8號

369 Lin-sen (Linsen) N. Rd., Taipei City, 104 104台 ��� 北 市 林森 ��北 ������ 路 3���� 69� 號

Tel: 02.2581.8111

Tel: 02.8772.8800 Fax: 02.8772.1010 E-mail: info@miramargarden.com.tw

Tel: 886.2.2314.6611 Fa x: 886.2.2314.5511 E-mail: fo@taipeigarden.com.tw

Tel: 02.2311.5151 Fax: 02.2331.9944 E-mail: info_tpe@caesarpark.com.t w

Fax: 02.2581.5811, 2568-2924

www.miramargarden.com.tw

www.taipeigarden.com.tw

taipei.caesarpark.com.tw

www.gloriahotel.com

January• February 2010

2010_01-02_飯店名錄.indd

54

Travel in Taiwan

2010/01/07

下午 03:39:33

Advertisement

HOTEL INFORMATION

COSMOS HOTEL

SUNWORLD DYNASTY HOTEL TAIPEI Taipei 台 北

天成大飯店

Taipei 台 北

王朝大酒店

No. of Rooms: 738 Room Rates: Deluxe Room NT$ 7,700

No. of Rooms: 226 Room Rates:

Superior Single NT$ 3,200 ~ 3,500

Deluxe Single NT$ 4,000 ~ 5,000 Superior Twin NT$ 4,000 Deluxe Triple NT$ 4,500

Deluxe Twin NT$ 4,800 ~ 5,000 Deluxe Suite NT$ 7,000 ~ 10,000 Family Room NT$ 4,300

Desk Personnel Speak: Chinese,

Japanese, English, Cantonese

Restaurants: Shanghainese,

Premier Room Junior Suite Deluxe Suite Executive Suite

NT$ 8,200 NT$ 9,200 NT$ 11,500 NT$ 17,500

EXECUTIVE CLUB FLOOR

Deluxe Room Premier Room Deluxe Suite Executive Suite

NT$ 9,000 NT$ 9,500 NT$ 15,000 NT$ 21,000

Desk Personnel Speak: Chinese, Japanese, English

Restaurants: Le Parc Café, Magnolia Court,

Cantonese, Taiwanese snacks, Jiangzhe cuisine, Gelato Café, coffee shop

Canton Palace

Special Features: Conference rooms,

rooms with high ceilings, incl. 42 suites.

Grand lobby entrance with magnificent atrium.

Outdoor swimming pool heated during winter.

Fully equipped gym, fitness center, sauna, and aerobics room. Fully equipped business center.

Hi-speed broadband Internet access. Safety deposit box. Express laundry service. Limousine service, airport pick-up. State-ofthe-art audiovisual equipment.

flower shop, barber shop, souvenir shop, parking area 43, Chunghsiao (Zhongxiao) W. Rd., Sec. 1, Taipei City, 100 (MRT Taipei Main Station, Exit 3) 100台北市忠孝東路 一段4 3號 (台北捷運總站3號出口)

Special Features: 738 large-size guest

Tel: 02.2361.7856 Fa x: 02.2311.8921 Reser vation Hotline: 02.2311.8901 Reser vation Fa x: 02.2311.8902 E-mail: cosmos@cosmos-hotel.com.tw

100 Dun Hua North Road, Taipei Taiwan R.O.C.

www.cosmos-hotel.com.tw

www.sunworlddynasty.com

SEASONS HOTEL GROUP 皇家四季飯店集團

Taipei 台 北

SEASONS HOTEL CLASSIC

NO. OF ROOMS: 64 ROOM RATES: NT$ 5,000 ~ 8,000

SEASONS HOTEL ROYAL NO. OF ROOMS: 49

ROOM RATES: NT$ 5,500 ~ 9,500

SEASONS HOTEL HOT SPRING/VENUS HOT SPRING HOUSE NO. OF ROOMS: 30/32 ROOM RATES: NT$ 8,000 ~ 11,000/NT$ 3,500 (All rates are subject to 10% service charge)

Desk Personnel Speak:

Chinese, English, Japanese

Special Features: L'OCCITANE Bath &

Shower amenities, Italian Jacuzzi bathtub (Classic & Royal), complimentary in-room Internet access/ all TV channels, complimentary Internet/coffee/ tea/instant noodles service at lounge area, free shuttle bus to MRT Stations

326/330 Nanjing W. Rd., Taipei City 103 (Seasons Hotel Classic/Royal) 台北市南京西路326/330號 (經典館/皇家館) 26, Zhongshan Rd., Beitou, Taipei City 112 (Seasons Hotel Hot Spring) 台北市北投區中山路26號 Reservation Hotline: 886.2. 2558.6488 E-mail: rsvn@taiwanseasonshotel.com

www.taiwanseasonshotel.com

TAIPEI GALA HOTEL No. of Rooms: 160

新莊翰品酒店

Taipei 台北

Single Room NT$ Deluxe Single Room NT$ Deluxe Twin Room NT$ Suite Room NT$

3,800 4,000 4,200 5,600

Desk Personnel Speak:

English, Japanese, Chinese

Restaurants: Golden Ear Restaurant (Western semi buffet); Hong Kong Restaurant (Cantonese food) Special Features: Business Center, meeting rooms, airport transfer service, parking lot, laundry service, free Internet access, LCD TV, DVD player, personal safety box, mini bar, private bathroom with separate shower & bath tub, hair dryer

55

NT$ 3,400 NT$ 3,700 NT$ 4,600 NT$ 5,800 NT$ 4,300 NT$ 6,000 NT$ 7,200 NT$ 9,000 NT$ 10,800

English, Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Taiwanese.

Restaurants: Buffet breakfast, English-style afternoon tea, Western roof garden restaurant Special Features: Business center,

meeting rooms, gym, car park, multifunctional banquet hall, wireless broadband Internet access, limousine service between hotel and airport / high-speed rail station 62 Chongqing N. Rd., Sec. 1, Taipei City, 103

104台北市松江路18 6號

103台北市重 慶北路一段62號

Tel: 02.2541.5511 Fax: 02.2531.3831 Reservation Hotline: 02.2541.6888 E-mail: galahtl@ms18.hinet.net

Tel: 02.2555.1122 Fax: 02.2556.6217 Reservation Hotline: 02.2559.0723 Reservation Fax: 02.2559.0720 E-mail: info@fortunehaiyatthotel.com

www.galahotel.com.tw

www.fortunehaiyatthotel.com

SOUTH GARDEN HOTELS AND RESORTS 南方莊園渡假� 飯 �� 店

Jhongli 中 壢

ONSEN PAPAWAQA Miaoli 苗 栗

泰安觀止

No. of Rooms: 145 Room Rates: Superior Single Room NT$ 5,800

Superior Twin Room NT$ 6,000 Business Single Room NT$ 6,600 Deluxe Single Room NT$ 6,800

Deluxe Twin Room NT$ 7,000 Superior Family Room NT$ 7,200 Deluxe Family Room NT$ 7,600

Executive Suite NT$ 12,000 Chateau de Chine Suite NT$ 20,000 General Manager: Willis Lin Desk Personnel Speak: English,Chinese, Japanese Special Features:Conference/banquet hall accommodating up to 200 people, gym, sauna, recreation, VIP lounge, business center, free Internet access, laundry service, intelligent room control system, limousine rental, and pick up service

No. of Rooms: 111 Room Rates:

Special Features: Hot Spring & Kurhaus

room, open-air hot-spring pool, private hot-spring pools, open-air swimming pool, SPA treatment, multi-functional entertainment room, gym, WII game, car park, hiking trails

82, Jhongzheng Rd., Sinjhuang City, Taipei County 24243, Taiwan 24 24 3 台北 縣 新 莊 市中正 路 8 2 號 Tel: 02.8994.1234 Fax: 02.8994.3000

8 Shuzih Rd., Jhongli City, Taoyuan County320

58 Yuandun, Jinshuei Village, Tai-an Township, Miaoli County 苗栗縣泰安鄉錦水村圓墩58號

Tel: 037.941.777 FA X: 037.941.952 E-mail: ser vice@papawaga.com

www.chateaudechine.com

E-mail: ser vice@southgarden.com.t w

www.southgarden.com.tw

www.papawaqa.com.tw

Superior Room Deluxe Room Superior Family Scenic Room Corner Room Deluxe Family Garden Room Family Suite South Suite

NO. OF ROOMS: 68 ROOM RATES: NT$ 6,800 NT$ 7,200 NT$ 7,800 NT$ 7,800 NT$ 8,800 NT$ 9,000 NT$ 9,200 NT$ 12,000 NT$ 28,000

Guanxing Room Guanyue Room Guanzhi Room Guanyun Room Guanshui Room Guanzhi Suite Guanri Suite Guanshan Suite

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

6,600 7,500 8,500 9,900 13,500 10,000 11,000 13,500

Q U N S H A N V ILLA

Desk Personnel Speak:

Restaurants: The South, The Garden, Cheers Bar, The Avignon Banquet Hall, Nice Conference Center

Special Features: Restaurant, meeting

English, Japanese, Chinese

Center, Recreation Center, Hot Spring & Sauna Center, ecological park, 200 free parking spaces, shuttle service to airport and high-speed rail station, broadband Internet access

320桃園縣中壢市樹籽路8號

Tel: 886.3.420.2122 Fax: 886.3.420.7736

Travel in Taiwan

2010_01-02_飯店名錄.indd

Standard Room Superior Room Superior Triple Room Superior Family Room Deluxe Room Deluxe Triple Room Deluxe Family Room Haiyatt Executive Suite Fortune Executive Suite

Desk Personnel Speak:

186 Songjiang Rd., Taipei City,104

Tel: 02.2719.7199 Fa x: 02.2545.9288 E-mail: bc@sunworlddynasty.com.tw

Taipei 台 北

福君海悅大飯店 No. of Rooms: 200 Room Rates:

Room Rates:

台北市敦化北路100號

SINJHUANG CHATEAU DE CHINE HOTEL

FORTUNE HAIYATT HOTEL

Taipei 台 北

慶泰大飯店

Guanwu Room NT$ 12,000 Guanwu Suite NT$ 15,000 Guanwu Suite NT$ 18,000

January• February 2010

2010/01/07

下午 03:39:54

Advertisement

HOTEL INFORMATION

FLEUR DE CHINE HOTEL 雲品酒店

Sun Moon Lake 日月潭

No. of Rooms: 211 Room Rates: Mountain View King Room NT$ 11,500 ~ 12,500

ountain View Two Queen Room NT$ 11,500 ~ 12,500 M

Zen Mountain View Room NT$ 11,500 ~ 12,500

Lake View King Room NT$ 13,000 ~ 14,000 Lake View Two Queen Room NT$ 13,000 ~ 14,000

Washiki Lake View Room NT$ 13,000 ~ 14,000

Royal Lake View Suite NT$ 16,000 ~ 17,000

Governor Lake View Suite NT$ 18,000

Summit Lake View Suite NT$ 88,000

Penthouse Suite NT$ 120,000

General Manager: Wayne Ho Desk Personnel Speak: English,Chinese, Japanese Special Features:270∘Panorama Lake

View Sky Lounge, Mountain Mist Spring, Zen House, Water World, aromatherapy, pythoncidere walk, children’s playground, outdoor circular concourse, pet room, boutique, gym, business center, banquet/conference hall, wireless broadband internet services, intelligent room control system, balconies with scenic views, individual hot-spring pools in room, pickup from HSR station

ALISHAN HOUSE 阿 里 山 賓 館�

HUALIEN CITY CLASSIC RESORT HOTEL Chiayi 嘉 義

花 蓮 經 典 假 日 飯 店�

No. of Rooms: 35

No. of Rooms: 79

Room Rates:

Room Rates:

(Prices above not including 10% Service Charge)

Scenery Suite NT$ 6,600 Honey Suite NT$ 6,600 Fragrant Suite NT$ 8,600 Superior Suite NT$ 9,500 VIP Suite NT$ 12,000

General Manager: Mr. Jen-Shing Chen Desk Personnel Speak:

Chinese, English, Japanese

Restaurants: Chinese, Café, Courtyard Special Features:

Broadband Internet access in guestrooms, business center, Souvenir Shop, Gazebo, 1950’s dance hall, foot massage

16 Chunlin Village, Alishan Township, Chiayi County, 605

Hualien 花 蓮

Standard Room Superior Twin Superior Triple Superior Double Twin Superior Suite Classic Suite

NT$ 4,000 NT$ 4,200 NT$ 4,800 NT$ 5,600 NT$ 6,000 NT$ 10,000

Desk Personnel Speak:

Chinese, English, Japanese

Restaurants:Chinese, Western, and Inter-

national cuisine, afternoon tea

Special Features:1/2F public area with

unlimited Internet access, broadband Internet access in guestrooms, notebooks available at meeting room, free self-help coffee and tea, free parking, central location (5-min. walk to railway station), pick-up service, projector and screen available at conference room, newspapers and magazines, LCD screen TV-sets

Tel: 049.285.5500 Fax: 049.285.6600

E-mail: office@alishanhouse.com.tw

www.fleurdechinehotel.com

www.alishanhouse.com.tw

www.classichotel.com.tw

5 5 5 4 6 南 投 縣 魚 池 鄉日月潭中正 路2 3 號

2010_01-02_飯店名錄.indd

56

605嘉義縣阿里山鄉香林村16號 ALISHAN Tel: 05.267.9811 Fax: 05.267.9596 TAIPEI Tel: 02.2563.5259 Fax: 02.2536.5563

蘭城晶英酒店

Yilan 宜 蘭

NO. OF ROOMS: 193 ROOM RATES:

139 Guolian 5th Rd., Hualien City, 970 970 花蓮市國聯五路139號 Tel: 03.835.9966 Fax: 03.835.9977 Reservation: 03.833.6066 E-mail: service@classichotel.com.tw

23, Zhongzheng Rd., Sun Moon Lake, Yuchi Township, Nantou County 55546

SILKS PLACE YILAN

Lan Zone Holiday Zone Sky Villa Zone Boutique Zone Corner Zone

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

9,600 13,600~30,000 13,600~40,000 14,000~30,000 22,000~80,000

(Hotel rooms divided into five specialized zones using the concept of “a hotel within a hotel”) (All rates are subject to 10% service charge)

DESK PERSONNEL SPEAK:

English, Japanese, Chinese

RESTAURANTS:

Mix Gourmet Buffet Restaurant, The Lounge, Red Lantern Chinese Restaurant

Special Features: International Ballroom, Multi-functional Meeting Rooms, Conference Service Center, Events Management Service Center, Power Fitness Club, Wellspring Spa, Outdoor Garden, Safe Deposit, Valet Parking, Laundry Service, Free Internet Access

36 Minquan Rd., Sec. 2 Yilan City, 260 260宜蘭市民權路二段36號

Tel: 03.935.1000 Fax: 03.935.4000 E-mail: rsvn@silksplace-yilan.com.tw

www.silksplace-yilan.com.tw

2010/01/07

下午 03:40:04

台灣觀光月刊_英文11-12月- 98.10.pdf

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

2009/10/28

¤U¤È 12:23:26