Travel in Taiwan (No.49, 2012 1/2)

No. 49, 2012

Shopping

in Taipei’s Fashionable

East District

Diabolo Dance Theatre Sanxia Soap Factory Spa Enjoyment Lantern Festival

12 /

NATURAL TREASURES

Ferns and Fish in Pinglin

THE BEST BIKE ROUTES

Northeast Coast Loop

FOOD JOURNEY

Pretty Persimmons in Hsinchu

The Official Bimonthly English Magazine of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau.

I S B N :1817 7 9 6 4 Website: ht tp: //t aiwan. net .t w

Welcome to Taiwan!

Dear Traveler, Welcome to Taiwan! In this issue of Travel in Taiwan we’ll show you two very different ways to enjoy your time here: shopping and indulging in the big and modern city on the one side, and exploring pristine nature and the great outdoors on the other. How’s that for a great contrast, and a demonstration of the great breadth of travel options we offer?

In our Feature article, we’ll take you to the best shopping venues in Taipei’s swank and ultra-modern East District, including the area surrounding the towering Taipei 101 skyscraper. This is a shopper’s paradise, home to numerous department stores, shopping malls, hundreds of boutiques and eateries, and even a large 24-hour bookstore. For a somewhat less polished yet equally fascinating shopping environment, leave the glitzy world of the East District’s new high-rises behind and head to the Wufenpu wholesale garment market, where you will f ind original clothing and accessories galore, at low prices yet with high quality.

Tired af ter a full-day shopping spree? Leave your shopping bags at the hotel and head to one of Taipei’s f irst-rate spa establishments. Enter a world of relaxation and unwind while being pampered by professional masseuses and therapists applying the latest in Oriental and Western treatments. Feeling rejuvenated and reenergized af terwards, you’ll be ready to head out once again, full steam ahead, on your Taiwan adventuring.

Enjoying the thrills of our big cities is just one part of the Taiwan experience, for this land has a great deal more in store for you! Taiwan is indeed a shopper’s paradise, but is equally a paradise for nature lovers. While birds and butterf lies, beautiful f lowers, and ancient trees most likely come to mind f irst when thinking of the island’s natural beauty, note that Taiwan is also a “kingdom of ferns,” w ith more than 700 species recorded.

Perhaps the best location to get an idea of the sheer variety of ferns that exist on Taiwan is the Jingualiao Stream area in Pinglin, just an hour by bus from downtown Taipei.

Like eco-tours, bicycle tr ips have become ver y popular in recent years. Taiwan’s network of dedicated bikeways is being continually expanded, making bike outings ever more convenient and pleasurable. One of the best bike routes on the island is located on the northeast coast. Conveniently reached by railway from Taipei, bike rentals are readily available. Go on a leisure ride that takes you through an old railway tunnel, along the magnif icent coast, to a picturesque lighthouse, across a scenic suspension bridge, and to many other attractions.

Back in Taipei, don’t forget that there is a vibrant local culture waiting to be explored as well. Highly recommended is a performance by the Diabolo Dance Theatre at the EXPO Hall, with shows scheduled until the end of March.

I wish you a wonderfully rewarding time in Taiwan!

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

CONTENTS

34

Jan ~ Feb 2012

28 46

42

FEATURE 16

— Main Taipei’s East District – Where the Art of Shopping Is Serious Business — Eat Dining in Taiwan – The Taiwan Character, in Culinary Form, on Taipei’s East Side — Stay The Lap of Luxury – Taipei East District Accommodation

24

,

David W. J. Hsieh, Wayne Hsi-Lin Liu

Tel: 886-2-2711-5403 Fax: 886-2-2721-2790 E-mail: vision@tit.com.tw General Manager Wendy L. C. Yen Deputy General Manager Frank K. Yen Editor in Chief Johannes Twellmann English Editors Rick Charette, Richard Saunders DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & EDITING DEPT Joe Lee MANAGING EDITOR Sunny Su EDITORS Aysel Then, Ming-Jing Yin, Vivian Liu, Gemma Cheng CONTRIBUTORS R ick Charette, Steven Crook, Mark Caltonhill, Owain Mckimm, Ryan Campbell, Amanda Hsiao, Kurt Weidner PHOTOGRAPHERS Sunny Su, Maggie Song, Ivy Chen, Jen Guo-Chen ART DIRECTOR Sting Chen DESIGNERS Ivy Chen, Maggie Song, Karen Pan, Chang, Hsin-Yin Administrative Dept Hui-chun Tsai, Nai-jen Liu, Xiou Mieng Jiang 886-2-2721-5412 Advertising Hotline +

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

台 灣 觀 光 雙 月 刊 Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly January / February, 2012 www.tit.com.tw/vision/index.htm Copyright © 2012 Tourism Bureau. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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 Economic Affairs; 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 Kaohsiung 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

Taiwan Tourism

ONLINE

Read the online version of Travel in Taiwan at www.zinio.com . Log in and search for "Travel in Taiwan". Or visit www.tit.com.tw/ vision/index.htm Taipei City's East District is a shopper's paradise with many modern department stores and fashionable boutiques. (Photo: Jen Guo-Chen) This magazine is printed on FSC certified paper. Any product with the FSC logo on it comes from a forest that has been responsibly maintained and harvested in a sustainable manner.

4 It’s Time for Taiwan 2012-2013

MY PHOTO TOUR 6

— Finding Consumer Nirvana – Five of the Island’s Most Popular Shopping Areas

1 Publisher’s Note 8 News & Events around Taiwan 9 Festivals and Events Producer Vision Int l Publ. Co., Ltd. Address Rm. 5, 10F, 2 Fuxing N. Rd., Taipei, 104 Taiwan

— A Visit to Sanxia’s Cha-Shan-Fang Soap Tourism Factory

Shopping

Publisher Janice Seh-Jen Lai Editing Consultants

34 Floating Soap

Taipei’s East District

16

TOURISM FACTORIES

Smiles around Taiwan — T he People of Taiwan Greet You with a Smile

FESTIVAL 10

Lanterns

—G rand Lantern Festival Being Staged in Central Taiwan

in Lugang!

12

38

HOT TOPIC

14 Buddha Memorial Center

— A New Place of Pilgrimage in Southern Taiwan

The Persimmons of Xinpu — D elicious Fruits Enjoyed Fresh or as “Cakes”

Concerts,

33

Exhibitions, and Happenings What's Going On?

FOOD JOURNEY

NATURAL TREASURES 42

Fern Kingdom — E xploring Pinglin’s Pristine Jingualiao Stream Area

ON STAGE/OFF STAGE 46 Diabolo Dance Theatre

THE BEST BIke ROUTES 28

Out of the Dark and Into the Light — C ycling through the Old Caoling Railway Tunnel and around Taiwan’s Easternmost Tip

— A mazing Dance and Acrobatics on the Big Stage

enjoyment 50 Spas in Taipei

— Places for Pampering and Unwinding

3

Travel in Taiwan

TOURISM

TIME FOR TAIWAN representative places featuring unique aspects of local culture that offer facilities and services meeting international standards.

Great bike routes

Sp ec tacular mountains

Visiting any of Taiwan’s 13 national scenic areas, which are directly administered by the Tourism Bureau, is also highly recommended, since all area administrations offer suggestions for the best routes and organize attractive seasonal festivals and events.

With so much focus and effort being placed on developing Taiwan into a premier travel destination in the heart of Asia these days, it is now truly the time for Taiwan!

For more info about the latest tourismrelated developments in Taiwan, visit the official website of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau at htt p:// taiwan.net.tw.

Beautiful flowers

Activities by National Scenic Areas in 2012

2012~2013

Scenic coast

Traditional culture

Modern cities

Fine cuisine

This Taiwan

is a beautif ul island, a land of diverse scenery with towering mountains and dramatic coastlines. Apart f rom its wondrous natural assets, Taiwan is also characterized by a fascinating mix of traditional and modern culture and the coexistence of different ethnic groups. Its central location in East Asia and its mild climate are also advantages for visitors. The surprise, then, is why in the past Taiwan was not seen as a premier 6 tourist destination by international travelers.

is good news for travelers who plan to visit, both first-timers as well as those who have visited before. First-timers will be surprised by the diverse travel environment, with myriad options for recreation, relaxation, excitement, indulgence, and learning. Repeat visitors will realize with each new visit that there is always still more to discover and experience, and that traveling around each time becomes even more convenient and pleasurable.

here. Promotional initiatives to improve the overall travel environment are ongoing, with the government hoping to increase the number of visitors per year to 10 million by 2016.

During 2012~2013, the Tourism Bureau is covering all bases by presenting visitors the best possible and most touching Taiwan experiences. Tourists are invited to join specially designed tours that bring exposure to all facets of local life, including religious practices, traditional and modern culture, the lives of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples, hot-spring bathing, hiking in the mountains and exploring the wide variety of ecological environments, “chasing” local celebrities, and going on two-wheel adventures following dedicated bikeways.

Four international annual festivals are being specially promoted: the Taiwan Lantern Festival, Taiwan Hot Spring and Fine-Cuisine Carnival, Taiwan Culinary Exhibition, and Taiwan Cycling Festival.

Visitor Arrivals in Taiwan (in Mill.)

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4

Travel in Taiwan

4 3 2 1 2001

2002

2003 2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Photos/ Vision lnt'l

Over the last decade this perspective has begun to change, and in dramatic fashion. Thanks to successf ul promotional efforts by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, the island has moved f rom being a seasoned traveler’s insider tip to a top travel destination in Asia, attracting more than 6 million visitors in 2011, a steep rise f rom the 2.83 million visitors in 2001.

While this growth in inbound tourism has been remarkable, the ambitious plans of the Tourism Bureau don’t stop

A total of 100 routes are currently suggested, covering all areas of Taiwan, all promising to offer a “touching” experience. Visitors are also encouraged to visit “International Spotlight” areas that have been selected by the Tourism Bureau as

Throughout the year, the administrations of all 13 national scenic areas (NSA) in Taiwan will organize activities highlighting the attractions of their areas, thus allowing visitors to gain a better understanding and have fun at the same time. This year was kicked off with the following activities/events: Dec. 31 – Guguan New Year’s Eve Party (TriMountain NSA) Dec. 31 – Last Sunset of the Year over the Salt Fields (Southwest Coast NSA) Dec. 31/Jan. 1 – Alishan Sunrise Impression Concert (Alishan NSA) Dec. 31 ~ Jan. 15 – Sun Moon Lake New Year Evening Activities (Sun Moon Lake NSA) Jan. 1 – Greeting the First Sunrise of the Year Concert (Northeast & Yilan Coast NSA) Jan. 1 – Greeting the First Sunrise of the Year at Sanxiantai (East Coast NSA)

Splendid scenery

5

Travel in Taiwan

MY PHOTO TOUR

Alishan

SMILES

Alishan

East Rift Valley Hualien

Nantou

Northeast Coast

Penghu Pingxi

Taoyuan

Smiles around Taiwan

Taipei

Yeliu Yilan

Shilin Wulai

Kinmen

Yilan Yunlin

Taichung

Asian

You Know You Are Welcome when Greeted with a Smile Luzhou

Taipei

Miaoli

Taipei

hospitality is legendary, and Taiwan, “the Heart of Asia,” is certainly one of the best places to experience this f riendliness towards foreign visitors. Many a Western tourist returns home f ull of praise about the way he or she was welcomed in Taiwan, how helpf ul the locals were, and how so many people showed genuine interest in a visitor f rom a faraway land. Where language barriers exist and communication is limited, a f riendly smile of ten says more than a thousand words could. The warm feeling of being genuinely and enthusiastically welcomed is an experience you cherish for a lifetime.

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Travel in Taiwan

Photos/ Vision Int'l

To make sure you don’t forget the f riendly people you meet, get your camera ready and take snapshots of the new f riends you make on your Taiwan journeys, as Travel in Taiwan has done over the years. Here are just a few examples of the f riendly folks we’ve met in all parts of Taiwan.

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Travel in Taiwan

UPCOMING

NEWS & EVENTS AROUND TAIWAN Culture

Festivals and Events from January to March

25 Years of National Theater & National Concert Hall (NTCH) FEB 17 ~ MAR 18

Opened in 1987, the National Theater and National Concert Hall are iconic landmarks of Taipei and are the finest venues for performing arts in Taiwan. Built in Chinese palace style, they appear traditional outside; inside, however, they feature state-of-the-art facilities accommodating the needs of the world-class artists who perform here – a list that has included Pina Bausch, Jiri Kilian, Robert Wilson, Tadashi Suzuki, Ariane Mnouchkine, Seiji Ozawa, Jose Carreras, and Yo-Yo Ma. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2012, the NTCH is presenting a star-studded program throughout the year, with many not-to-be missed shows. For more info, visit www.ntch.edu.tw.

Yangmingshan Flower Festival 陽明山花季 Location: Yangming Park ( 陽明公園 ); 26, Sec. 2, Hushan Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市湖山路 2 段 26 號 ) Tel: (02) 2861-6533, 2861-3388 Website: www.ymsnp.gov.tw

FEB 2 ~ 12

Taipei Lantern Festival 臺北燈節

Tourism

New Record for Visitor Arrivals in 2011

Location: Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall ( 國父紀念 館 ), Sec. 4 of Ren'ai Rd. ( 仁愛路 4 段周邊 ), and Civic Plaza in front of Taipei City Hall ( 臺北市政府前市民廣 場) Tel: (02) 2720-8889 ext. 6237 Website: www.taipei.gov.tw

MAR 23 ~ APR 29

Zhuzihu Calla-Lily Festival 竹子湖海芋季

Location: Zhuzihu, Yangmingshan ( 陽明山竹子湖 ) Tel: (02) 2720-8889 ext. 6586 Website: www.ymsnp.gov.tw

Until JAN 15

Taiwan Hot Spring and Fine Cuisine Carnival 台灣溫泉美食嘉年華

Location: Hot-spring areas around Taiwan Tel: (04) 2331-2688 ext. 110 Website: www.taiwanhotspring.net

Just before the end of 2011, a new milestone was reached for tourism in Taiwan. On December 28th, Ms Kim Hee Kyung, a housewife from Seoul, South Korea, became the 6-millionth visitor of the year when she arrived at Terminal 1 of Taiwan Taoyuan Int’l Airport together with members of her family. This is the first time ever the number of visitors has reached the 6-million mark. To celebrate the occasion, representatives of the Tourism Bureau greeted Ms Kim and presented her with a bouquet of flowers and a variety of Taiwan specialty goods as gifts.

MRT

New MRT Line in Taipei

A new commuter line will be put into service early this year in Taipei. The MRT Xinzhuang Line (Orange Line) will connect central Taipei City with the districts of Xinzhuang and Sanchong in New Taipei City. The new line will share, in part, the same route as the Luzhou Line, and will connect and merge with the Zhonghe Line at Guting Station. From Nanshijiao, the terminal station of the Zhonghe Line, travelers will be able to take the MRT directly all the way to either Xinzhuang or Luzhou – instead of Beitou, the original terminus of trains departing from Nanshijiao.

News Ticker ． N ew Lakeshore Hotel opens in Hualien. This is the second Lakeshore Hotel in Taiwan, the other being located in Hsinchu. For more info, visit: www.lakeshore.com.tw ． G ood news for gourmets and lovers of Taiwanese cuisine. The

What Is Going On? An elderly lady playing with fire? What is she holding in her hands?

Can you guess what is

Government Information Office has recently opened a new website

happening? A few hints:

featuring a comprehensive introduction to Taiwan’s cuisine. Find out

It occurs each year in

why Taiwan is a diner’s paradise at taiwan.foodculture.net.

January or February. Many

． B efore visiting Taiwan, it is highly recommended to check out places of interest with the help of Google Maps. According to Google, Taiwan is currently the country with the highest concentration of highlighted places of interest in its Street View service. Check it out at maps.google.com.

people gather to do it together, creating a truly beautiful sight.Find the answer on page 33.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!

． A Taiwan Medical Travel application designed by the Taiwan External

8

Trade Development Council (TAITRA) that provides information

We, the producers of Travel in Taiwan, wish to improve our magazine

on dozens of medical and healthcare facilities is now available for

with each issue and give you the best possible help when planning –

download. Travelers interested in making use of the first-rate medical

or carrying out – your next trip to Taiwan. Tell us what you think by

facilities in Taiwan can download the app from Apple’s App Store

filling out our short online questionnaire at www.tit.com.tw/survey/

to their iPhones or iPads (there are English and Chinese versions).

travelintaiwan.html. Senders of the first ten completed questionnaires

Support for other operating systems, including Android, will be

each issue will receive three free issues of Travel in Taiwan. Thank you in

offered in early 2012.

advance for your feedback.

Travel in Taiwan

FEB 26

Confucius Spring Ceremony 孔廟春季祭孔大典 Locations: Taipei Confucius Temple (275, Dalong St., Taipei City/ 臺北市大龍街 275 號 ) Tel: (02) 2592-3934 ext. 13 Website: www.ct.taipei.gov.tw

MAR 7 ~ JUN 20

Baosheng Cultural Festival 大龍峒保生文化祭 Location: Bao'an Temple (61, Hami St., Taipei City/ 臺北市哈密街 61 號 ) Tel: (02) 2595-1676 Website: www.baoan.org.tw

JAN 26 ~ FEB 6

Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival 平溪天燈節 Location: Shifen Sky Lantern Plaza, Pingxi District, New Taipei City ( 新北市平溪區十分天燈廣場 ) Tel: (02) 2960-3456 ext. 6320

FEB 5 ~ 6

Tainan Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival 鹽水烽炮 Location: Wu Temple Plaza, Yanshui District, Tainan City ( 台南市鹽水區武廟廣場 ); 87 Wumiao Rd., Yanshui District, Tainan City ( 台南市鹽水區武廟路 87 號 ) Tel: (06) 652-1038 Web: www.wumiao.idv.tw

For more information on upcoming festivals and events, visit the website of the Tourism Bureau at http://eng.taiwan.net.tw and click on “Festivals” or call the 24-hour toll-free Travel Information Hotline at 0800-011765.

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Travel in Taiwan

FESTIVAL

LUGANG

The

main theme lantern will be ceremonially lighted at 7 pm on February 6, and every half hour thereaf ter a light and laser show will burst forth. The main lantern is, of course, just one of the thousands of large and small lanterns presented during the festival.

In the Lantern Contest Area alone there will be more than 1,800 lanterns on display. In reference to Lugang’s history as a sea harbor, ships are the theme of the contest, and participants have been busy creating sailing-vessel lanterns in all imaginable forms.

Lanterns in Lugang!

Other lantern-display areas include a Joyf ul Lantern Area, where a Taiwan New Paradise theme park is to be created with the help of lanterns; lantern-makers f rom mainland China will present their works in the Exchange Lantern Area; and children will be looking forward to examining the lanterns of the Innovative Lantern Area, which will be in the shape of aliens and robots. The rich cultural program, featuring entertaining stage performances and a food market – always an important part of big festival events in Taiwan – will introduce visitors to local performing arts and local culinary specialties.

Grand Lantern Festival Being Staged in Central Taiwan

Every year, the Lantern (or “Yuanxiao”) Festival marks the end of the Lunar New Year (Spring Festival) festivities. The official Taiwan Lantern Festival is staged in a different location each time, organized by a selected county or city government. This year, the town of Lugang in Changhua County will be the host of this large-scale event. By Christine Harris

Lugang

center of attention at what has come to be off icially called the Taiwan Lantern Festival (Taipei has continued with its own off icial city festival), and there will be no exception in 2012. It has become a tradition that the main theme lantern is built in the shape of the Chinese zodiac animal of the year, and as 2012 will bring in the lunar calendar’s Year of the Dragon, Lugang will showcase a giant structure in the shape of…you guessed it. The dragon, in the past the symbol of the emperor of China, today remains one of the most auspicious of symbols, associated with power, strength, and good luck. According to the Hosting such a big event as the Taiwan Lantern Festival is organizers, this year’s dragon-shaped theme not just a huge honor for the members of This year’s dragon-shaped theme lantern will stand 21 meters high and the organizing committee, but also a great lantern will stand 21 meters will appear as though f loating on moving opportunity to present their city/county. clouds. An impressive sight in daytime, this To make sure that visitors to this year’s high and will appear as though giant will burst into even more brilliant festival will have the chance to see more floating on moving clouds life in the evening with the help of a than just the festival venue, the Changhua sophisticated lighting system inside its body and laser beams County Government has set up two instead of just one festival pointing at it on the outside. The organizers emphasize that grounds, one on the north and the other on the south of the use of state-of-the-art LED lighting will Lugang, linked by the town’s main thoroughfare, Zhongshan not only increase the Road, which will be decorated with countless lanterns. Historic brightness threefold sites along the way will be specially highlighted so that but also decrease visitors moving from one festival ground to the other won’t the energy used to miss Lugang’s other key attractions. one-tenth of that used for the theme Ever since the f irst government-organized large-scale lanterns in previous Lantern Festival celebration was staged by the Taipei City festivals.

Government back in 1990, the main theme lantern has been the

Getting there: During the festival, a tourist shuttle-bus service will be available.

Buses will run ever y half hour between 9 am and 6 pm, making stops (in order) at HSR Taichung Station, Changhua Railway Station, Cultural Center, Changhua County Government, and Lugang Northern Area Visitor Center. Tickets f rom the HSR station to the venue are priced NT$76 (concession tickets are NT$38).

Time: Februar y 6 ~ 19, 2012 Venues: Lugang Sports Park (north festival ground) and Wenwu Temple (south festival ground), Lugang Township, Changhua County (彰化縣鹿港鎮鹿港鎮立體育 場&文武廟) Websites: www.taiwan.net.tw /2012TaiwanLantern/1/index.as px (Taiwan Lantern Festival); www.lukang.gov.tw (Lugang Township); www.chc g.gov.tw (Changhua County) ENGLISH & CHINESE

Cultural Center Exchange Lantern Area Joyful Lantern Area Innovative Lantern Area Lantern Contest Area Lugang Lugang Northern Area Visitor Center Taiwan New Paradise Taiwan Lantern Festival Yuanxiao Festival Zhongshan Road

文化中心 交流燈區 歡樂燈區 創意燈區 競賽燈區 鹿港 鹿港北區遊客中心 台灣新樂園 台灣燈會 元宵節 中山路

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Travel in Taiwan

Photos/ Vision lnt'l

is a small town located southwest of the city of Taichung in central Taiwan.

It is one of the oldest towns on the island, and a popular destination for tourists in search of history and nostalgia.

Many historic sites, old temples, traditional handicraf t shops, and eateries serving up hearty local cuisine are located in close proximity to each other, making discovery tours on foot very convenient.

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Travel in Taiwan

Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings Feb. 16 ~ April 1

Taiwan has a diverse cultural scene, with art venues ranging from internationalcaliber concert halls and theaters to makeshift stages on temple plazas. Among Taiwan’s museums is the world-famous National Palace Museum as well as many smaller museums dedicated to different art forms and aspects of Taiwanese culture. Here is a brief selection of upcoming happenings. For more information, please visit the websites of the listed venues.

Taiwan International Festival of Arts (台灣國際藝術節) Website: http://tif.ntch.edu.tw

Staged since 2009, the Taiwan International Festival of Arts (TIFA) each year invites world-class performing troupes to Taiwan, and encourages Taiwanese artists to launch new creations. Here are three highlights of this year’s festival:

Mar. 16 ~ 18

Feb. 16 ~ 19

National Theater

Hofesh Shechter Company: Political Mother (侯非胥謝克特現代舞團： 政治媽媽)

Nov. 26 ~ Mar. 4 Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts

The Spectrum of Contemporary Korean Art 虹光‧掠影‧當代韓國 This exhibition, jointly organized by the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts and Korea’s Gyeongnam Art Museum, presents a total of 65 works by more than 30 Korean contemporary artists. The works, including paintings, installations, sculptures, and multimedia creations, are a representative selection of Korea’s modern art scene.

Experimental Theater

Shadows of Love (Taipei Taiyuan Puppet Theatre Company, Istanbul Cengiz Ozek Shadow Company, Beijing Shadow Theatre Troupe) 人間影（台北台原偶戲團、伊斯坦堡皮影戲團及北京皮影劇團） Two years in the making, this cooperative effort between puppet and shadow theater troupes from Taipei, Beijing, and Istanbul takes the audience on a journey into the past, following the Silk Road all the way from China to Turkey. The fascinating show combines shadow and puppet theatre, acrobatics, music, and film.

Hofesh Shechter, from Israel, has in recent years become one of the brightest lights of the modern dance scene in the UK, and Political Mother is among his most exciting productions. The dancers and musicians on stage create an intense visual and sensual experience in an atmosphere much like that of a rock concert.

Dec. 03, 2011 ~ Feb. 26, 2012 Taipei Fine Arts Museum

The Public Spirit．Beauty in the Making─ShuiLong Yen 走進公眾．美化台灣 ─ 顏水龍 Shui-Long Yen (1903-1997) was one of Taiwan’s most important painters and sculptors of the 20th century.

He studied art in France and Japan, and became famous for his Western-style oil paintings, many of which depict Taiwan’s landscapes and indigenous peoples.

Venues Taipei Taipei Zhongshan Hall （台北中山堂）

Add: 98, Yanping S. Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市延平南 路 9 8 號 )

Nearest MRT Station: Ximen

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 1 號 )

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

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

Add: 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei City ( 臺 北市羅斯福路四段一號 ) Tel: (02) 3366-5959 Website: ntusportscenter.ntu.edu.tw

( 台北市中山南 路 21-1 號 )

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

National Museum of History （國立歷史博物館）

Add: 49 Nanhai Rd., Taipei City

National Taiwan University Sports Center

The Cranberries 2012 Taipei Concert 小紅莓合唱團 2012台北演唱會

One of the most successful rock bands of the 1990s, the Cranberries disappeared from the music scene in 2003, with their members pursuing solo careers. After reuniting in 2009, they toured the U.S. and Europe, and in 2011 the group recorded the album Roses, which is scheduled for release this February. After concerts in New Zealand and Australia in March, the band will perform in Taipei this April.

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Travel in Taiwan

Taichung Zhongshan Hall（台中中山堂） Add: 98 Xueshi Rd., Taichung City ( 台中市學士路 9 8 號 )

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

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

National Palace Museum

National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts（國立台灣美術館） Add: 2 Wuquan W. Rd., Sec. 1, Taichung City ( 台中市五權 西 路 一段 2 號 )

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

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

Add: 2 Xiangyang Rd., Taipei City

Add: 332 Zhonghua E. Rd., Sec. 3, Tainan City

( 台北市 襄陽 路二號 )

( 台南 市中華東 路 3 段 332 號 )

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

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

( 台北市松 壽路 3 號 )

Flowers and birds were the favorite subjects of Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) court painter Lü Ji, who came to prominence in the latter half of the 15th century.

He was highly admired by the Hongzhi Emperor (1488-1505), and his works became models for study, influencing the bird-and-flower painting of the late Ming and Qing dynasties.

Taichung

( 台北市 南海路 4 9 號 )

Add: 3 Songshou Rd., Taipei City

Jan. 10 ~ Mar. 25

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

Add: 21-1 Zhongshan S. Rd., Taipei City

Novel Hall（新舞臺）

Marvelous Attainments of Creation: The Paintings of Lü Ji 妙奪化機－呂紀繪畫展

( 台北市長 安 西 路 3 9 號 )

National Taiwan University Sports Center（台大綜合體育館）

National Taiwan Museum

National Palace Museum

Add: 39 Chang-an W. Rd., Taipei City

National Concert Hall（國家音樂聽） National Theater（國家戲劇院）

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

Jan. 10 ~ Mar. 25

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

Add: 189 Shishang Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市 士商路 189 號 ) Tel: (02) 6610-1234 www.ntsec.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: Shilin

( 台北市中山南 路 21 號 )

（國立臺灣博物館）

In Delusion, versatile American artist Laurie Anderson plays the violin amidst audiovisual installations. She tells mysterious short stories about desire, identity, memories, and the questions deep in everyone’s heart. Her creative combining of music and multimedia in her performances result in eye-opening experiences.

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

Add: 21 Zhongshan S. Rd., Taipei City

( 台北市至 善路 2 段 2 21 號 )

Laurie Anderson: Delusion 蘿瑞安德森：妄想

( 台北市中山北 路 3 段 181 號 )

National Taiwan Science Education Center（台灣科學教育館）

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

National Concert Hall

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

National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall（國立中正紀念堂）

（國立故宮博物院）

Mar. 3

Taipei Fine Arts Museum （台北市立美術館）

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

National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall （國立國父紀念館）

Add: 505 Ren-ai Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City ( 台北市仁愛 路 四 段 5 0 5 號 )

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

Taipei Arena（台北小巨蛋） Add: 2 Nanjing E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City ( 台北市 南 京 東 路 4 段 2 號 )

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

Kaohsiung Kaohsiung City Chungcheng Cultural Center（高雄市立中正文化中心） Add: 67 Wufu 1st Rd., Kaohsiung City ( 高 雄 市五福 一路 67 號 )

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

Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts（高雄市立美術館） Add: 80 Meishuguan Rd., Kaohsiung City ( 高 雄 市美 術館 路 8 0 號 )

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

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

Add: 272 Zhongzheng 4th Rd., Kaohsiung City ( 高 雄 市中正四 路 27 2 號 )

Tel: (07) 531-2560 http://163.32.121.205/ Nearest KMRT Station: City Council

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Travel in Taiwan

HOT TOPIC

FOGUANGSHAN

Buddha Memorial Center

Housing what is believed to be a tooth of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, the recently opened Buddha Memorial Center in Kaohsiung is a new destination for Buddhist pilgrims and a major draw for local and international tourists.

A New Place of Pilgrimage in Southern Taiwan

By Steven Crook

Shrine and Seated Buddha of Buddha Memorial Center

One

of Taiwan's ma jor Buddhist monastic orders, Foguangshan f lourished since its founding in 1967. It has branch temples throughout Taiwan and on f ive continents. It also runs Buddhist colleges and publishing houses as well as regular schools, and does a range of charity work.

Occupying a valley less than 1km northwest of the Foguangshan monastery, this massive 34-hectare complex was built to house a tiny relic. A shrine at the very top of the ziggurat-like main building contains what is believed to be one of the Buddha’s teeth.

The pagodas represent the Noble Eightfold Path, one of the Buddha’s most important teachings. The outer wall of the complex is decorated with reliefs showing scenes f rom the Buddha’s life, plus examples of Hsing Yun’s calligraphy.

The main building has a stupa on each corner. These symbolize Buddhism’s Four Noble Truths, which hold that suffering ceases when people give up their attachment to desires. While the pagodas are distinctly Chinese in style, the stupa has its origin in India. The pagoda/stupa combination signif ies the transmission of Buddhism f rom India to China beginning in the second century CE.

According to legend, four teeth were retrieved after the Buddha was cremated in 543 BCE. One was later “carried to Heaven.” Of the three remaining, one is now venerated at a temple in Sri Lanka, while another is in Beijing. In a ceremony in Thailand on April 8, 1998, the third remaining tooth was bestowed on Master Hsing Yun by the Tibetan lama who Buddha Memorial Center had cared for it since fleeing from Tibet to India a new architectural and in 1959.

Venerable Master Hsing Yun, Foguangshan's founder, was born in mainland China in 1927. A monk from the age of 12, he arrived in Taiwan in 1949, and has been spreading his version of Humanistic Buddhism ever since. Foguangshan now runs its own TV station, publishes a daily newspaper, and has an informative bilingual website (www.fgs.org.tw).

Long an excellent place to learn about Buddhism as it's practiced in Taiwan, Foguangshan now gives tourists another reason to visit. The Buddha Memorial Center, which formally opened on December 25 last year, is a new architectural and religious landmark.

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Travel in Taiwan

Twenty-six stone statues stand just before the main building, and all are labeled in English as well as Chinese.

The eight facing the pagodas depict the founders of the Eight Schools of Chinese Buddhism. The 18 that line the approach (nine on each side) are Arhats, individuals thought to have attained an exceptional level of enlightenment.

landmark

According to Buddhist belief, making an offering to a relic of the Buddha earns merit, so right after returning to Taiwan Hsing Yun began planning a permanent home for the tooth. He conceived the basic layout himself, basing it on the Buddha’s life and doctrines, and construction began in 2003.

While

the shrine itself is a main draw for Buddhists, other visitors will f ind themselves immediately impressed by the eight pagodas – four on each side of the plaza leading up to the main building – and the 105m-high bronze seated Buddha at the back of the complex.

Photo/ Foguangshan

Foguangshan's base in Kaohsiung City's is Dashu Distr ict is w ithin sight of the religious Gaoping R iver and the Central Mountain Range. Over the years it has grown into a large complex of shr ines, dormitor ies and museums, and currently more than 100 monks and around 200 nuns are in residence. Large numbers of lay followers stay for short retreats and courses.

There are exhibition rooms inside the building, as well as the 2,200-seat Patriarchs Hall. Gif ts received by Hsing Yun over the past half-century – among them mundane items such as wristwatches – have been placed in 48 time capsules beneath the building. The plan is to open one capsule each century, so f uture generations can see 20th-century objects.

The

Buddha Memorial Center is open 9am to 5pm, seven days a week. To arrange a f ree English-language tour of the center or the monastery, call (07) 656-1921, ext.

6205 a few days in advance.

Getting to Foguangshan and the Buddha Memorial Center isn't diff icult, even if you don't have a car. Frequent direct buses leave f rom Kaohsiung's high-speed railway station in Zuoying and also f rom Kaohsiung Main Railway Station. Some of these services continue on to the city’s rural districts of Qishan and Meinong.

Those driving themselves can take either of the national north-south f reeways, then head inland on National Highway No. 10, another f reeway, as far as Lingkou Interchange. From there it's a 10-minute drive southward on Provincial Highway No. 21.

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Buddha Memorial Center Dashu District Eight Schools of Chinese Buddhism Eighteen Arhats Foguangshan Gaoping River Meinong Noble Eightfold Path Qishan Venerable Master Hsing Yun

佛陀紀念館 大樹區 八宗兼弘 十八羅漢 佛光山 高屏溪 美濃 八正道 旗山 星雲大師

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Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

SHOPPING

Taipei’s East District Where the Art of Shopping Is Serious Business

Shopping in Taipei’s East District is a lot of fun

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Travel in Taiwan

17

Travel in Taiwan

Photo/ Jen Bobby Guo-Chen Wu

“Shopping Central” in the city of Taipei is the East District. While the Ximending district on the far west side is youth-shopper mecca, the posh and sprawling East District caters to the dedicated shoppers of the white-collar legion who have plenty of disposable income and who consider a shopping outing a great treat rather than a burdensome chore. By Rick Charette

FEATURE

SHOPPING Dunhua South Road f rom eslite. NewChi specializes in modernistic “white China,” a traditional Chinese porcelain type favored by the royal households of the Tang and Qing dynasties. The works, which seem to glow, are exquisitely delicate, and many of the smaller pieces, notably the tea utensils, have both artistic and practical f unction. All works are steeped in the classical symbolism of the Chinese culture.

Choosing a Taiwan-flavor souvenir

to Taiwan over 20 years ago, just shy of my 27th birthday, making me instantly “over-qualif ied” for Ximending. I thus can offer you only limited expertise as a Ximending shopping guide. However, my expertise on Taipei east-side shopping, despite the fact I am a sports-loving male, is impressive and of great value to you.

This situation has arisen because of four of the most important ladies in my life – wife, mom-in-law, and wife’s two sisters – whom I call the “four musketeers” of local shopping and who are among Taiwan’s f inest citizens. To them, there is no time better spent than that spent on group shopping forays, and the best times of all are spent in the East District. I am of ten volunteered to come along, as driver and as muscle as the purchases add up, my payment a f ree meal in one of the area’s countless attractive eateries. Over the years my database of east-end shopping knowledge has been steadily and relentlessly built up, and I here volunteer to serve as your East District shopping guide over the next few pages.

It

all started with the Pacific SOGO Department Store, just east of the Fuxing/Zhongxiao road intersection.

Fuxing North/South Road is, roughly, the western boundary of the East District. Opened in 1987, the gleaming-white building was Taiwan’s f irst international department store, a Taiwanese-Japanese joint venture introducing benchmark bright and sparkling-clean interiors, international brands,

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Travel in Taiwan

and pleasant “customer-is-always-right” service. At that time pleasure-shopping excursions were mostly to the Taipei Railway Station area, but Pacif ic SOGO launched an eastward migration, which was followed by a grand bloom of upscale retail outlets. Today, Pacif ic SOGO remains a favorite leisuretime rendezvous point, and the base of the shopping district on Zhongxiao East Road Sec. 4.

Just south of the Zhongxiao/Dunhua intersection is the former f lagship outlet of eslite bookstore, a home-grown enterprise that is Taiwan’s leading bookstore chain. Open 24 hours a day, and housing a chic café, this is an iconic book-lovers’ haunt. When the store opened in 1989 (the original outlet was next door and soon moved here in search of greater space), there was an immediate redef inition of Taiwan’s bookstore world, and of its retail world in general.

From that time forth large retailers catering to an ever more sophisticated public had to have the fashionable visual appeal of a boutique. Go to the Taiwan Studies and Taiwan Travel sections, where you can hunt happily for Englishlanguage gems sometimes diff icult or impossible to f ind on shelves overseas.

Artist and entrepreneur Heinrich Wang is a renowned Taiwan f igure, a successf ul f ilm director who suddenly lef t the business to pursue glass art and whose work is now displayed in the National Palace Museum. One of the boutique galleries of his newest venture, NewChi, is across

The fun of wanderings along the lanes and alleys either side of Zhongxiao East Road, Sec. 4 comes from the serendipity.

The East District brims with chic shops and boutiques, today competing with eslite bookstore

Listening to the latest tunes

aesthetically pleasing facades v ying for your attention. I especially like Lane 205, Alley 29, known informally as “Handicraf ts Alley” because of the numerous places creating handiworks found nowhere else.

Figure 21

is suff used with the nostalgia-inducing aroma of f inely worked leather. You’ll see the owner-designer team hard at work at their stations, the display area brimming with handmade leather items themselves brimming with creative individuality. Close by, McVing is the name of both a shop and a brand, both the inspiration of a local who studied design in London; the product here is handcraf ted bags that are both unique fashion statements and statements of green-living commitment. Next, AtWill is the dreammade-reality of two young designers who give life to jewelry artworks that f use rock-and-roll, retro, and f ree-wheeling ornate exuberance. They craf t personalized jewelry here, a service much appreciated and of t utilized by my Taiwan-family shopping pros.

Many of the island’s pop stars come to Wufenpu in the hunt for a unique look Wufenpu

Photos/ Jen Guo-Chen, Maggie Song

I came

On Zhongxiao just east of the Zhongxiao/Dunhua intersection is the venerable Ming Yao Department Store. Though I use “venerable” here, a thorough 7-month remodelling starting in spring 2011 has given it a brandnew cosmopolitan face and personality.

The fortunes of this local enterprise are soaring with the setting up of the UNIQLO Global Flagship Store on the f irst four f loors. Taiwan youth are in love with this Japanese brand, which has a global footprint, and this has become its most prof itable outlet. UNIQLO in fact caters to all, f rom kids to adults, offering quality casual wear; think The Gap and Benetton.

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Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

SHOPPING Gongfang outlets. Both offer exquisite glass art heav y in local cultural themes. Tittot – surprise – is the child of Heinrich Wang, who we just met at NewChi, and Liuli Gongfang the child of Loretta Yang, a former actress. In fact, Wang was part of the original group of ex-f ilm industry colleagues who started Liuli Gongfang, leaving in 1993.

This is in fact a wholesaler district, handling items sourced f rom all around the region, but everyone is set up to handle individual-item walk-in sales. My favorite shop, which the owner-couple tells me always grabs the attention of other foreigners passing by, is “Yang Jia Hand-Dyed Classic Workshop.” They sell one-of-a-kind clothing featuring the traditional designs of China’s various ethnic groups, adding practical modern twists (such as making traditionally baggy, airy apparel more formf itting). Over the years I’ve bought many items for family members back home in Canada, and my sister, an artist, has f itted out her three children in Yang Jia items when tots and has f ramed favorite selections to create a display wall in her workroom.

My favorite tittot line is Wang’s emulation of the extraordinarily bright color combinations that def ines Taiwan’s beautif ul traditional koji pottery. I am, yes, a proud owner of a piece, a specially requested Christmas present f rom my wife. Loretta Yang’s fascination with dragons is on display at the Liuli Gongfang boutique, and I currently have my eye on a whimsical line of small cartoon-like dragons named “Little Singing Dragon,” “Little Ambitious Dragon,” and “Little Enlightened Dragon” (the last a reference to Conf ucius), that my Mom will love.

Further

east along Zhongxiao, 10-15 minutes on foot, you reach the new core of “Shopping Central,” in the Xinyi District.

With the soaring Taipei 101 tower as its clarion beacon, it is f ramed by Zhongxiao East, Songren, Xinyi, and Keelung roads. Just 20-plus years ago this area was almost all open land; today it is a giant architects’ playbox, f illed with big, brash, bold architectural statements, boldest of all the sky-reaching Taipei 101, not long ago the world’s tallest building.

Travel in Taiwan

OK shoppers, grab your credit cards and let’s get at it. There’s work to be done!

The Eslite Xinyi bookstore is another good option. This is the new f lagship store, much larger than the Dunhua facility, and the Taiwan Studies and Taiwan Travel sections have markedly more English titles. Also, near the in-house café is a boutique displaying branded Taiwan specialty goods such as native dried mushrooms, wasabicoated black beans, sof t plum candies, dried papaya and mango, and burdock chips. You’ve maybe never heard of “burdock” before, but trust me, these chips are tasty. Finally, I strongly recommend a visit to the OTOP Taiwan outlet in Taipei 101 Mall. “OTOP” stands for “One Town, One Product,” and on display here are the best of the best specialty products f rom 96 localities, ranging f rom arts and craf ts to teas and foods and on to dyed and woven clothes and items f rom Taiwan’s indigenous peoples.

Window shopping PACIFIC SOGO DEPT. STORE ( 太平洋百貨 ) Add: 45 , Sec. 4 , Zhongxiao E. Rd. ( 忠孝東路四段 45 號 )

Tel: ( 02 ) 2776 - 5555

Website: www.sogo.com.tw (Chinese)

ESLITE BOOKSTORE ( 誠品書店 ) DUNNAN BRANCH

Add: 2 F, 245 , Sec. 1 , Dunhua S. Rd. ( 敦化南路一段 245 號 2 F) Tel: ( 02 ) 2775 - 5977 XINYI BRANCH

Add: 11 , Songgao. Rd. ( 松高路 11 號 ) Website: www.eslite.com (Chinese)

Tel: ( 02 ) 8789 - 3388

NEWCHI ( 八方新氣 )

Add: 1 F, 5 , Lane 252 , Sec. 1 , Dunhua S. Rd. ( 敦化南路一段 252 巷 5 號 1 樓 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 8773 - 8369 MING YAO DEPARTMENT STORE/UNIQLO GLOBAL FLAGSHIP STORE ( 明曜百貨 /UNIQLO 全球旗艦店 )

Add: 200 , Sec. 4 , Zhongxiao E. Rd. ( 忠孝東路四段 200 號 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 2777 - 1266 (Ming Yao), ( 02 ) 2778 - 3308 (UNIQLO) Website: www.mingyao.com.tw (Chinese), www.uniqlo.com/tw (Chinese) FIGURE 21 (手工包房)

Add: 1 - 6 , Alley 29 , Lane 205 , Sec. 4 , Zhongxiao E. Rd. ( 忠孝東路 4 段 205 巷 29 弄 1 - 6 號 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 8771 - 4498

Next,

we take a short subway ride f urther east along Zhongxiao. Wufenpu is an amazing self-contained warren of hundreds of small open-f ront shops selling good/highquality apparel and a wide range of fashion The many giant malls accouterments, at prices so low that The East District brims with chic and department stores here dedicated local shoppers salivate. Located include Taipei 101 Mall, Unishops and boutiques, competing with just a few minutes north on foot from MRT Hankyu, Bellavita, ATT 4 FUN, Houshanpi Station, along the exceedingly aesthetically pleasing facades vying and four separate Shin Kong narrow lanes and alleys of this bustling for your attention Mitsukoshi buildings that night-market-style labyrinth you can buy look, to me, much like a f leet attractive in-fashion shirts and blouses, for of aircraf t carriers lined up and headed to sea. All are example, starting at just a few hundred NT$. Proof of the quality, international and decidedly chic and upscale. In your Taipei folk will tell you, is that many of the island’s pop stars search for a piece of Taiwan in consumer-purchase form, come here in the hunt for a unique look – star-spotting has thus I recommend Shin Kong Mitsukoshi’s tittot and Liuli become a bonus attraction.

20

It’s been a long and happy day of exploration, and you are no doubt in need of a good meal and a good rest. Time, then, to move on to our Eat and Stay f iles.

MCVING

Add: 5 , Alley 29 , Lane 205 , Sec. 4 , Zhongxiao E. Rd. ( 忠孝東路 4 段 205 巷 29 弄 5 號 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 2559 - 6402 ATWILL

Add: 7 - 6 , Alley 29 , Lane 205 , Sec. 4 , Zhongxiao E. Rd. ( 忠孝東路 4 段 205 巷 29 弄 7 - 6 號 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 2711 - 4609

Photos/ Jen Guo-Chen

Happy shoppers

Taking a break

TITTOT ( 琉園 )

LIULI GONGFANG ( 琉璃工房)

Website: www.tittot.com

Website: http.liuli.com.tw (Chinese)

YANG JIA HAND-DYED CLASSIC WORKSHOP (楊佳手染古典坊 ) Add: 17 - 1 , Alley 11 , Lane 443 , Yongji Rd. ( 永吉路 443 巷 11 弄 17 之 1 號 )

Tel: ( 02 ) 2765 - 5038 ENGLISH & CHINESE

Modern shopping environment

Handicrafts Alley Heinrich Wang Koji pottery

手工巷 王俠軍 交趾陶

Loretta Yang Xinyi District

楊惠珊 信義區

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EAT

STAY

Dining in Taiwan The Taiwan Character, in Culinary Form, on Taipei’s East Side

By Rick Charette

Du Xiao Yue

The Lap of Luxury Taipei East District Accommodation

Grand Hyatt Taipei

Taipei is Taiwan’s commercial and retail capital, and the East District is the city’s commercial and retail heart. It’s no surprise, then, that it sports a concentration of first-rate high-end places to stay that make your choice, though difficult, inevitably the right one. By Rick Charette Feature theme this issue is “consuming in Taiwan,” and here we will be consuming via plate and palate. The East District abounds in culinary adventures, f rom roadside stalls to simple eateries to chic upscale restaurants. You’ll f ind treats f rom all the world’s kitchens.

In Taiwan the well-known name “Du Xiao Yue” captures the quintessence of this land and its people, and Taiwanese cuisine’s emphasis on hearty and f illing fare invented during pioneering days that is built around tasty homeproduced items f reshly harvested f rom land and sea. The East District’s edition of the famed Du Xiao Yue restaurant is in the restaurant-fecund maze of alleys just south of Sec. 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., behind Ming Yao Department Store. “Du Xiao Yue” literally means “passing the lean months.” The signature dish, “danzai” (carrying pole) noodles, was invented by a southern f ishing family in the 1890s for street sale to help make ends meet during the “lean” typhoon months when seas were too dangerous. The mother restaurant is in Tainan City; this branch was opened by a fourth-generation member. The danzai noodles are made at a quaint mock-up of the original family stand, just inside the entrance. Other classic Tainanstyle treasures served are shrimp rolls, f ried oysters, lobster egg in vermicelli rolls, baked mullet roe, and roasted milk f ish tripe.

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Travel in Taiwan

“Du Xiao Yue” captures the quintessence of this land and its people, and Taiwanese cuisine’s emphasis on hearty and f illing fare

The

cluster of f ive-star names is impressive, among them the Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Sherwood Taipei, Grand Hyatt Taipei, and Agora Garden. The newest face on the international block is the W Taipei, high up in a shiny new tower standing almost directly over MRT Taipei City Hall Station.

Shinyeh is another among the elite group of Taiwanese restaurants. There’s a number of East District branches, but most thrilling is Shinyeh 101, on the 85th f loor of Taipei 101.

The chain offers both classic and modern Taiwanese dishes, with many seasonal variations.

Lane 216 off Sec. 4 of Zhongxiao E. Rd., and the alleys that branch off it, are home to a dense cluster of eating spots that has made this a favorite gathering point with Taipei folk. The many attractive facades have made predecision “window-browsing” popular. Two food-serving joints especially popular with local expatriates are Q Bar and On Tap, the latter one of Taipei’s most popular sports bars.

DU XIAO YUE ( 度小月 )

Add: 12 , Alley 8 , Lane 216 , Sec. 4 , Zhongxiao E. Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市忠孝東路四段 216 巷 8 弄 12 號 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 2773 - 1244 ENGLISH & CHINESE

danzai noodles Ming Yao Deptartment Store Shinyeh

擔仔麵 明曜百貨公司 欣葉

Photos/ Jen Guo-Chen, Taipei Grand Hyatt

Our

For my money, when choosing a place, Taipei’s best location is the Xinyi District around Taipei 101, because of the impressive new architecture here, the easy access to the MRT system, the area’s comfortable open spaces, and the fact there always seems to be some interesting public event going on, of ten outdoors. The f irst big international hotel in this area was the Grand Hyatt Taipei, and this remains my favorite.

Space is at a premium in Taipei, including immediately outside and within its hotels, but the Grand Hyatt is on an expansive lot and was able to stretch out as well as up. There’s room to breathe here, and though other tall, big-shouldered buildings have gone up around it you still get great views of the mountains to north and south from points above the f irst few f loors – including public spots like the outdoor pool and f itness center, for example. There’s a great range of dining and entertainment venues; the Pool Bar is especially comf y at night under the stars, the Shanghai Court overlooks a Japanese Zen

park area with wood walkways forming a f lower blossom, and the Bel Air Bar-Grill has French windows brushed by treetops – a rare downtown-Taipei hotel experience.

The lobby is unusually expansive and welcoming for Taipei, and when you look up you might feel, as I always do, that it’s like an old Italian village with people looking down into the central plaza from balconies. Diners look down at you while at af ternoon tea. The outdoor pool area, on the roof top over the lobby block, has so much room they’ve installed what feels like a small forest.

Many of the rooms and restaurants are showcases for the artistic visions of acclaimed international designers. The ample common-area spaces also allow wide-space art and decorative f lourishes by contracted professional talent. My favorite individual piece is an oversized globe-like sphere cleverly made of rounded-off logs of Russian pine, located in the lobby near the east entrance.

GRAND HYATT TAIPEI (台北君悅大飯店 )

Add: 2 Songshou Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City (台北市信義區松壽路2號) Tel: ( 02 ) 2720 - 1234 Website: www.grandhyatttaipei.com.tw

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FEATURE

SHOPPING Located in Taipei’s Neihu District, Miramar Entertainment Park is a modern multi-level shopping and entertainment complex designed to give visitors all options needed for f ull-day outings. Opened in 2004, the park’s most striking and famous feature is the giant roof top ferris wheel; there is also a carousel, which is another popular romantic rendezvous point. Among the park’s many entertainment attractions is Asia’s largest IMAX screen for commercial f ilms.

Complementing the upscale consumer items sold within, the park’s establishment has also resulted in a grand sprouting of scores of shops and boutiques in the immediate area. Getting there: Take the M RT Wenhu ( Brown) Line to Jiannan Road Station.

The city of Taichung’s bustling Yizhong Street, and surrounding streets and alleys, is a place where people go to see and be seen. Lined with small shops and boutiques that have prettied themselves up to lure the streams of passersby, the street is dominated by clothing and accessories outlets targeting younger consumers, but there are also myriad small restaurants, drink and snack stands, 24H bookshops, and both shops and vendor stands hawking most every consumer bauble imaginable, f rom colorf ul glasses to jewelry and even backpacker equipment. It’s been compared to Tokyo’s Shibuya district, and rightly so. Getting there: Take a bus f rom Taichung Railways Station to National Taichung Institute o f Technolog y.

Ximending

Finding Consumer Nirvana Five of the Island’s Most Popular Shopping Areas

By Rick Charette

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Miramar Entertainment Park gives visitors all options needed for full-day outings

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Dream Mall Miramar Entertainment Park Renzhi Street Wufu 2 nd Rd. Ximending Xin Jue Jiang Yizhong Street

夢時代購物中心 美麗華百樂園 仁智街 五福二路 西門町 新崛江 一中街

Dream Mall

At Xin Jue Jiang

Photos/ Vision Int'l

Taipei’s Ximending commercial district was built up as a shopping and entertainment oasis by the Japanese when they ruled Taiwan from 1895 to 1945, and it continues in this f unction today, dedicated to the youth consumer. From the latest clothing fashions to Hello Kitty kitsch, and f rom unique local-designer jewelry to the hottest digital games to designer mobile-phone covers, it’s all found here in the dense cluster of shops. Specially recommended are the creative-design boutiques and weekend cultural-creative bazaars at The Red House, an attractive heritage complex, Japanese-built in 1908 as Taiwan’s f irst modern public market. Getting there: Take the M RT Bannan ( Blue) Line to Ximen Station.

The Xin Jue Jiang commercial district, also rendered in English as Shinkuchan, is another ma jor Kaohsiung tourist attraction. Focused on young and young-at-heart consumers, this retail/entertainment area is situated on Wuf u 2nd Rd. and Renzhi Street. There are scores of fashion and accessories boutiques, jewelry purveyors, cosmetics sellers, and streetstand businesses dedicated to helping you def ine your personal style. This area has become the largest in south Taiwan for imported goods, and you’ll f ind the best of youth fashion f rom Tokyo, Paris, Milan, and Hong Kong. Getting there: Take the K M RT to Central Park Station.

Kaohsiung’s massive Dream Mall is Taiwan’s biggest shopping complex, and Asia’s sixth largest. The collection of international brands (LV, Gucci, Marks & Spencer, etc.), local and regional brands, and eating options seems endless, but

Fif ty-

some years ago, the people of Taiwan were poor, of ten f illing up on sweet potatoes because the rice they grew was too expensive and destined for export. The government asked them to save what money they had and to limit consumption so the nation could concentrate on exports that would build up the capital base. Today the people of Taiwan are rich, with signif icant disposable income jingling in their pockets and a thirst for consumer delights, and there’s seemingly no limit to the number and range of businesses popping up to meet their ever-expanding world of needs. Adding to our East District feature article, we here introduce f ive more of the island’s best and most popular destinations for happy shopping sprees.

the big draw here – literally drawing everyone’s attention f rom miles away – is the slow-turning giant ferris wheel in the roof top amusement park, so high you see past the harbor and out to sea as well as over much surrounding countryside when taking a ride. Getting there: Take a Red 12 bus f rom K M RT Kais yuan Station, or walk 15 minutes.

Miramar Entertainment Park

Dream Mall

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Travel in Taiwan

THE BEST BIKE ROUTES

NORTHEAST COAST

Anyone

who has cycled through hilly countryside has, at some time or other, prayed to the bicycle gods: “Let there be a tunnel around the next corner, and preferably one without cars.”

Out of the Dark

It was, perhaps, with this in mind that Taiwan’s cycling gods (OK, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications; MOTC) designated a 2.16-kilometer section of disused railway tunnel for development as part of the Old Caoling Tunnel Bikeway.

and Into the Light

Offered the novelty of being able to cycle through a tunnel without sharing the road with countless gravel trucks – or maybe because the air is noticeably cooler inside – many Taiwanese tourists take a tour bus or train to the town of Fulong, near the tunnel’s northern entrance, cycle 15 minutes to the other end, drink a cup of coffee or eat ice-cream, then cycle back.

Cycling through the Old Caoling Railway Tunnel and around Taiwan’s Easternmost Tip

By Mark Caltonhill

The Northeast Coast is one of the best areas for leisure bicycle tours in Taiwan. Access is convenient by railway, bike rental is easy, and the well-marked dedicated bikeways lead you through a diverse landscape with sandy beaches, dramatic rock formations, bucolic countryside, and a 2km-long old railway tunnel.

The MOTC recently extended the bikeway f urther along the coastal highway north f rom the tunnel’s southern entrance by constructing a barrier to ensure separation of the above-mentioned trucks with the sof t f lesh of cyclists. This route allows bikers now to safely cycle back to Fulong the long way af ter exiting the tunnel.

On the way, its gentle slopes and curves take cyclo-tourists past a plethora of historical, cultural, and culinary places of interest.

For

most bikers, the starting point is Fulong Railway Station.

And while the journey by bus f rom Taipei offers its share of pretty and interesting sights, the rail journey introduces visitors to some spectacular valleys f illed with natural beauty and vestiges of the mining industry on which the area’s prosperity was built. If you come f rom the city of Hualien to the south you’ll pass even more stunning scenery, by means of track laid using extraordinary feats of engineering.

Af ter arriving in Fulong, the next port of call is a bike-rental store, of which there are several in f ront of the station. Prices here are a f lat NT$100 per person per day, though slight savings might be found by those willing to walk to one of the shops a little f urther away f rom the station.

Bikeway along the Northeast Coast

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Travel in Taiwan

Fulong’s main beach is accessed by a footbridge near the center.

Access to the beach itself is f ree, but the bridge is private and costs NT$70/40 (summer/winter) to cross. In early summer, this beach is the venue for the Fulong Sand Sculpture Festival and, thoughtf ully not at the same time, for the three-day-long Ho-Hai-Yan Gongliao Rock Festival.

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Travel in Taiwan

Photo/ Twelli

Next stop might be the Fulong Visitor Center three minutes by bike f rom the railway station, for information, maps, toilet use, and water-bottle ref ills. The center’s Drif twood’s Rebirth Gallery contains works by 22 artists f rom Taiwan’s woodcarving capital of Sanyi in Miaoli County, who were invited to make art out of drif twood washed ashore here following the devastating typhoons of 2001.

THE BEST BIKE ROUTES

NORTHEAST COAST

Old Caoling Tunnel

The bikeway is clearly marked and easy to follow

Some cyclists chat as they ride two abreast, and many stop to take pictures, but most just silently enjoy the novelty of the situation.

Longmen Suspension Bridge

Fulong Beach

Longmen Campsite

2 Fulong Coastal Park Dongxin Temple

Lingjiu Mountain Mao’ao Village

Fulong Railway Station

Sandiaojiao Lighthouse Old Caoling Tunnel

Shicheng Scenic Area

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Travel in Taiwan

Lailai Marine Terrace

Longmen Suspension Bridge

While the hour-trippers head back, committed cyclists make a lef t turn and begin the journey along the coastal bikeway which, as mentioned earlier, has recently been separated f rom the main road (Provincial Highway No. 2) with a low barrier. Another couple of kilometers (about 10 minutes) brings one to the Shicheng Scenic Area, which has the same great view of Turtle Island but also has an elegant coffee shop with indoor/outdoor seating f rom which to enjoy it. The name Shicheng (“stone city”) is said to refer to an old Dutch or Spanish fort built here when those countries attempted to colonize Taiwan; whether true or not, this is the f irst clue encountered by riders in regard to the area’s international history over recent centuries.

The next comes shortly af ter, where af ter passing the geologically interesting and visually spectacular Lailai Marine Terrace – usually inhabited by dozens of local anglers – the bikeway rounds a headland, heads north, and then heads back west toward Fulong.

This is Cape San Diego – sinicized as Sandiaojiao – so named by Spanish forces which alighted nearby to begin their colonial adventure in 1626 af ter sailing f rom the Philippines, before quickly moving up the coast to Keelung and establishing their permanent base there.

Sculptures made of railway parts

Interesting rock formations

Old Caoling Tunnel is 2km long Fishing village cats

Sandiaojiao Lighthouse

Photo/ Twelli

The tunnel is not only dimly lit, cool, and mystical, but also musical, since about two-thirds of the way in the New Taipei City-Yilan County border is celebrated in light and sound. The tunnel is otherwise peacef ul, especially in comparison to the coastal highway, and its gentle downhill slope certainly preferable to huff ing and puff ing over the mountain overhead.

Emerging at the southern end, visitors are greeted by the magnif icent sight of Turtle Island, around 10 kilometers offshore. Many make a prolonged stop here for a dozen or two photographs: of the island, themselves coming out of the tunnel, the old houses, or the modern tourism-related structures. Snacks are available.

Photos/ Twelli

The

bike route to the old railway tunnel is so well signed that maps are barely necessary. It starts right at the railway station, heading up a slight incline with the railway line on one side and a stream on the other.

Af ter about 2 kilometers you arrive at the north-end tunnel entrance, where there are toilets, drinks, and snacks, as well as sculptures made out of disused railway materials.

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Travel in Taiwan

THE BEST BIKE ROUTES The cape is now home to the Sandiaojiao Lighthouse, built not by the Spanish but by another temporar y colonial power, Japan, in 1935 following the wrecking of two of its ships in local waters. The lighthouse is open to the public, and the climb f rom kilometer marker 108 up the small access road is well worth it if you have enough puf f lef t in your lungs.

Succor

is at hand just two kilometers f urther on at Mao’ao Village, both physical and spiritual. Physical in terms of ref reshments; spiritual in terms of f ine views and cute buildings, with many f ishermen’s stone cottages still standing over a century af ter being built. The Mao’ao Little Stop (no English sign) combines both. Built in an old stone house, albeit reconstructed, on the main bay, it sells coffee, other drinks, and meals. Upstairs are two rooms for rent (NT$1,800 for the larger room with the sea view, NT$1,600 for the other), and proprietor Wang Shu-mei is a font of information about the area’s heritage of international, Hoklo Taiwanese, and indigenous Ketagalantribe inf luences.

If time (and energy) permits, a 5-kilometer extension heading further northwest is well worth considering. Leave the highwayside bikeway by turning right and entering the Longmen Campsite (www.lonmen.tw). This leads to a pine-f illed park, with free access to the sands, and a tranquil ride through f ishing communities toward the village of Yanliao, where a memorial commemorates local people who resisted Japanese forces landing here to begin their f ive-decade occupation of Taiwan in 1895.

This route also crosses photogenic Longmen Suspension Bridge, which like the Old Caoling Railway Tunnel is another man-made highlight of a cycling tour along the northeast coast.

Fulong Beach

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Revitalized and back in the saddle, cyclists next pass weird-shaped geological constructions on the right (sea) side, and Ling jiu Mountain on the lef t (inland) side. The mountain is topped by the Wusheng Monastery, a sprawling collection of temples, meditation halls, statues, stupas, and other structures representative of the eclectic mix of chan (Zen) Buddhism, esoteric Tibetan Buddhism, and even the Chinese popular religion practiced here. Visitors are welcomed (there are dormitories), but should check f irst (www.093.org. tw) in case the monks and nuns are in retreat. Be warned, however, that the climb here is a lot tougher than the last up to Sandiaojiao Lighthouse.

For a more standard Daoist temple experience, cyclists should stop at Dongxing Temple, located down a side road through an archway on the right just as they re-enter Fulong from the east. Restaurants nearby sell fresh seafood, while the South African-run Fu Bar caters to foreign tastes for meat, sausage, and international beers.

The railway station, bike-rental stores, and famous “Fulong lunchbox” restaurants are just half a kilometer further up the road.

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Travel in Taiwan

禪 東興宮 原木再生緣木雕展示館 福吧 福隆 福隆便當 福隆國際沙雕藝術季 福隆遊客服務中心 貢寮國際海洋音樂祭 萊萊海蝕平台 靈鷲山 龍門露營區 龍門吊橋 卯澳小站 卯澳村 舊草嶺自行車隧道 三貂角 三義 石城 石城觀景區 龜山島 王淑美 無生道場 鹽寮

Cycling Cycling Tips: Tips: Before setting out, make sure tires are pumped up and brakes are f unctioning and ad just the saddle to the correct height (most day-trippers set it too low). If renting, ask for a bicycle lock if none is provided, and write down the renter’s telephone number in case of puncture or technical failure. Along the way, drink plenty of water, and remember that the rules of the road apply along bikeways too.

Photos/ Twelli, Mark Caltonhill

Peculiar rocks

chan (Zen) Dongxing Temple Driftwood's Rebirth Gallery Fu Bar Fulong Fulong lunchbox Fulong Sand Sculpture Festival Fulong Visitor Center Ho-Hai-Yan Gongliao Rock Festival Lailai Marine Terrace Lingjiu Mountain Longmen Campsite Longmen Suspension Bridge Mao'ao Little Stop Mao'ao Village Old Caoling Tunnel Bikeway Sandiaojiao Sanyi Shicheng Shicheng Scenic Area Turtle Island Wang Shu-mei Wusheng Monastery Yanliao

WHAT’S GOING ON?

Sky Lantern Festival

And here is the answer to the question on page 8. Did you guess right? The elderly lady in the picture is one of the thousands of revelers that participate in the annual Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival (Jan. 26 ~ Feb. 6 this year). She is about to release one of the large balloon-like paper lanterns the town of Pingxi has become famous for. While releasing these lanterns is now possible throughout the year, it is only during the sky lantern festival that you can see hundreds ascend into the night sky at the same time, creating a truly marvelous scenic tableau.

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Travel in Taiwan

SOAP

TOURISM FACTORIES

A Visit to Sanxia’s Cha-Shan-Fang Soap Tourism Factory

By Kurt Weidner

This

Cha-Shan-Fang Soap Factory

may well be the perfect example of what a tour ism f actor y should be l ike. A small three-generation f amily operation, producing a product anyone can relate to. A product that is hand-made, conta ins only natural ingredients, is benef icial to customers, and is not harmf ul to the env ironment. A f actor y that is spotless clean, w ith f ragrant scents waf ting through the a ir. And a place that allows v isitors to easily understand the production process by tour ing the f acil ities and taking par t in f un DI Y activ ities.

production process is expla ined to you in deta il while you stand on the second-f loor walkway looking down over the production area and w itnessing how the f actor y workers carr y out their tasks. This is the ma in – and most interesting – par t of the tour.

Cha-Shan-Fang uses a 10-step production process that takes 8 to 10 days to complete. Since the f actor y is rather small, w ith only a few workers employed, the steps are not carr ied out simultaneously; instead, a l imited number are handled each day. The steps include: Cooking the soap base (2-3 days); extracting the soda (3 days); gr inding natural ingredients into powder and mixing w ith water, adding ingredients to soap base and stirr ing, pour ing the mix into wooden boxes, and evening out the surf ace (1 day); letting the soap cool down (the octogenar ian f actor y founder of ten himself arranges the boxes conta ining the soap in neat order) (2 days); cutting of the soap w ith metal w ire, placing it on racks, dr y ing it in a dr y ing room, and packaging it (1~2 days).

Another pleasant surpr ise is the location. ChaShan-Fang Soap Tourism Factor y is located not in a gray and dust y industr ial zone but rather along a lovely countr y road south of Sanxia in New Ta ipei Cit y, surrounded by verdant hills.

DIY soap creation

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Travel in Taiwan

Dur ing the guided tour you learn about soap making in general, the histor y (see box) of the f actor y, and the herbs and ingredients used in its soap production. At one point you’ ll be asked to l ick (!) a tiny piece of soap (the f actor y founder ’s preferred method for testing the qual it y). The

Photos/ Sunny Su, Cha-Shan-Fang Soap Tourism Factory

Herbs used in soap-making

Perhaps the only drawback is the lack of foreign-language information ava ilable on the premises, though the production process is expla ined in Engl ish and Japanese on wooden boards in the f actor y ’s ma in work hall. Three options are of fered to v isitors: (A) a guided tour, (B) a guided tour + soap-shaping DI Y, and (C) a guided tour + creative soap-making and soap impr inting.

Af ter the f actor y tour, you’ ll have the chance to sit down for some DI Y f un w ith soap if you have selected option B or C. Travel in Taiwan gave it a tr y dur ing a recent v isit (see next page).

Lin Yi-cai, founder of the soap factory, can still be seen making soap

The founder of this soap business, Lin Yi-cai, started of f peddling soap behind Taipei Railway Station in the late 1940s. He later learned the craf t of making soap and founded the factor y “Meishengtang” in Sanxia. When the constant exposure to lye gave him eczema on his hands he developed a pH-neutral soap by f inding a way to remove as much alkali as possible during the manufacturing process. The new product was f riendly to the skin and so light that it would f loat on water – the birth of the f irm’s “Float” soap.

From the 1970s to the 1990s this soap was ver y popular in Taiwan, and business boomed. Then, with consumers increasingly turning to liquid body washes instead of the traditional soap bars, the factor y fell on hard times and was almost shut down in 2001. Thanks to the founder’s visionar y grandson, Lin You-an, the business received a new lease on life a few years later when he started the production of all-natural and environment-f riendly handmade soap targeting the health- and eco-conscious consumers of today. Production has been consistently strong ever since, and last year the factor y, now named “Cha-Shan-Fang,” was opened to tourists to allow ever yone to see the production process f irst-hand and learn about the factor y ’s interesting histor y.

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Travel in Taiwan

TOURISM FACTORIES

SOAP

diy activities

R O T HE S E C A L P ST T ERE OF I N E A RE A IN TH

1. C ut out a f unny shape f rom a thin piece of tea-leaf-scented soap.

2. Imprint some letters.

3. Take home your "soap elephant."

The town of Sanxia has two main attractions, Sanxia Qingshui Zushi Temple and Sanxia Old Street, located close to each other. Sanxia Qingshui Zushi Temple is one of the finest examples of temple architecture in all of Taiwan. The temple was first built in 1769 , and has been rebuilt three times. It is the main center of worship in Sanxia.

When entering the temple, make sure to look up to admire the amazingly beautiful plafond. Other highlights of ou ts tanding craftsmanship are the s tone columns, the most remarkable of which depict one hundred birds in different poses.

Sanxia Old Street (Minquan St.) is just a short walk from the

temple. After a thorough makeover in recent years, the street is now one of the most complete and best-preserved old streets in Taiwan. Both sides of the street are lined with one- and twostory red-brick buildings, many spor ting facades with ornaments in Baroque style. Eateries along the street serve oldflavor foods and shops (including Cha-Shan-Fang s soap shop)

1. Cut pieces of black and white soap into thin slices.

2. Use cookie cutters to create stars and hearts.

3. Create “soap sandwiches” by gluing the different slices of soap together.

4. Use needle and thread to put soap on a string.

sell traditional toys and other unique souvenirs.

If you travel fur ther east along Baiji Rd. from the tourism soap fac tor y you come to Xingxiu Temple . The temple, surrounded by verdant hills and embraced in a peaceful aura, has immaculately clean courtyards and meticulously kept gardens.

Behind the temple is a popular tree-shaded trail, great for leisure walks through lush forest.

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Baiji Float soap Lin Yi-cai Lin You-an Meishengtang Sanxia Sanxia Qingshui Zushi Temple Xingxiu Temple

白雞 浮樂脫藥皂 林義財 林祐安 美盛堂 三峽 三峽清水祖師廟 行修宮

CHA-SHAN-FANG SOAP TOURISM FACTORY ( 茶山房肥皂文化體驗館 )

HOW TO GET THERE:

Add: 64 - 10 Baiji Rd., Sanxia District, New Taipei City ( 新北市三峽區白雞路 64 之 10 號 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 8671 - 8822 Hours: 9 am ~ 5 pm Website: www.teasoap.com.tw (Chinese) Fe e s : G u id e d t o u r NT $ 100 / p er s . , gu id e d t o u r + s o a p s h a p ing D I Y NT $ 150 ; gu id e d t o u r + c r e a t iv e s o a p m a k ing a n d s o a p im p rin t ing NT$ 200 ; all fees include NT$ 50 which can be deducted from a purchase at the factory shop on the first floor. Reservations 3 days in advance necessary.

Self-drive: Freeway No. 3 (Second Nor thern Freeway) to Sanying Interchange → Fuxing Rd. ( 復興路 ) to Sanxia → Sanxia Bridge ( 三峽大橋 ) → Jieshou Rd. ( 介壽路 ) → Zhongzheng Rd. ( 中正路 ) → Zhengyi St. ( 正義街 ) → Baiji Rd. ( 白雞 路)

CHA-SHAN-FANG ' S SOAP SHOP IN SANXIA' S OLD STREET

Add: 79 Minquan St., Sanxia District, New Taipei City ( 新北市三峽區民權街 79 號 )

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Travel in Taiwan

Public Transport: (From Taipei) MRT Zhonghe Line (Orange Line) to Jingan Station → bus No. 907 to Sanxia Elementary School ( 三峽國小 ) bus stop → bus No. 1078 (one service every 40 min. to 1 hr.) to Quanjiafu Villa ( 全家福別墅 ) bus stop.

To reach Sanxia, you can also take a train to Yingge Railway Station and take Taoyuan bus No. 5005 to Sanxia terminal bus stop, then take bus No. 1078 from there.

Photos/ Sunny Su, Vision Int'l

1. Grind dried leaves of lemon verbena (tea leaves can be used as well) into a powder.

2. Add essential oil (lavender, camellia, or lemon grass).

3. Add the heated soap base and stir quickly.

4. Put soap in mold and let it cool for 20 minutes.

5. Take soap out of mold.

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Travel in Taiwan

FOOD JOURNEY

PERSIMMONS

The Persimmons of Xinpu Delicious Fruits Enjoyed Fresh or as “Cakes”

Racks of bright-orange persimmons rest on top of an arbor, drying in the sun. Their hardening skins reflect the sunlight, and the effect is like staring directly into a field of electric light bulbs. From the months of September through January each year, the town of Xinpu in Hsinchu County is famous for dazzling visitors with scenes like this one.

By Owain Mckimm

Whereas

other towns use indoor ovens to dry their persimmons, Xinpu retains the traditional method of letting the fruit bask in the sunshine.

The autumn winds here are dry, strong, and frequent, and because of the nearly impenetrable soil, excess water is easily drained away, so that the air remains fairly dry even af ter a rainfall – perfect conditions for making persimmon cakes.

Driving through the streets of Xinpu, we pass an elementary school featuring a wall covered with an enormous mosaic of a persimmon tree with fruits ripening, yellow to red, on its branches. Persimmon cakes have been made here for over 170 years, and are an intrinsic part of the local Hakka culture.

Don’t let the “cake” fool you. There’s no f lour or icing involved in making persimmon cakes. They are referred to as “persimmon cakes” (shi bing) in Taiwan because the Chinese word bing means both a f lat-topped cake and something shaped like one. Before being packaged, the dried persimmons are molded into a nest-like form which, to those who decided the name long, long ago, resembles a true cake.

Persimmon cakes have been made here for over 170 years, and are an intrinsic part of the local Hakka culture

that takes off most of the skin (the cause of the clanging we had just heard outside), af ter which the top and bottom are cleaned by hand.

“The workers here are all locals from farming families,” says Liu. “Many of them have their own farms and produce but depending on the season, if they have time, they come here to work.”

I’m curious about the different kinds of persimmon used – the crates we saw on our way in held persimmons of different lengths, sizes, and shapes – so I ask Liu to explain the various types and their qualities.

I learn there are three main types of persimmon grown in Taiwan. “This type is called ‘Bull Heart’ persimmon,” he says, holding up a large round fruit. The Bull Heart persimmon is juicy but not quite as sweet as other persimmons. “One of the reasons why Xinpu has been successful at making persimmon cakes with the Bull Heart variety is the area’s favorably dry conditions. The natural drying of these persimmons, which easily rot, is much easier here than in other, more humid, areas.”

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Travel in Taiwan

Photos/ Maggie Song, Sunny Su

Xinpu offers perfect conditions for drying persimmons in the sun

Photo/ Bobby Wu

We

arrive at Jinhan Dried Persimmon Education Farm in the early af ternoon. The entrance is f illed with crates of persimmons, and we hear the clang and grind of machinery from the building to our right. The farm is owned by Liu Xing-wu, a former salesman, who now runs the persimmon factory here. Making persimmon cakes has been his family’s business for three generations.

He takes us into the small factory, where a group of workers is busy peeling persimmons. The fruits are put into a machine

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Travel in Taiwan

FOOD JOURNEY

PERSIMMONS the persimmons are simply laid out on the arbor for three days until they become suff iciently dry, then on the fourth day they are pinched so that the center (which has not become dry yet), gets pushed towards the outer surface, where it can be better exposed to the drying sun. This process is repeated, and af ter about 12 days in the sun and three pinches, the persimmons are ready to be packaged. Most producers of persimmon cakes in Xinpu also move the persimmons into oven dryers during the night, which usually cuts the drying time by half.

Each

year Xinpu holds a persimmon-cake festival in the second week of October. This celebration of all things persimmon attracts gourmands f rom all over the island; visitors can taste all kinds of persimmon-related food, f rom persimmon mochi to persimmon ice lollies – which the casual visitor can also buy at the local farmers’ association building. The 15 local farms which cooperate with the farmers’ association in staging the festival also hold dyeing workshops during which boiled persimmon peel is used to color bags and cloth. Visitors are also invited to help out with some stages of persimmon-cake production.

The fruit is pinched to facilitate the drying process

When we visit another local farmer, Liu Li-jian of Wei Wei Jia Persimmon Cake Tourist Farm, he aff irms our suspicions that with so many varieties and uses, the persimmon is best exploited by the adventurous, even in the face of tradition.

Drying persimmon at Jinhan Farm

Originally, Pen persimmons were not dried, Liu’s wife Zeng Gui-mei tells us, but eaten f resh. Belonging to the nonastringent group of persimmons, they are naturally sweeter, and can be enjoyed when red and ripe “It’s only in the last three years or so that we discovered that you can make persimmon cakes f rom this kind of persimmon as well. The Pen persimmon is more gelatinous, and when you cut it open its insides look oily and shiny,” she says. When dried they are incredibly sweet and juicy, but they generally take longer to dry than other varieties.

Finally, Liu takes us over to his arbor, where the third variety of persimmon is being exposed to the af ternoon sun.

“This type of persimmon is the reason we make persimmon cakes in Xinpu,” he says, reaching up and removing a small f ruit about the size of a Mandarin orange. “It’s called the ‘Stone’ persimmon, and is perfect for drying due to its low water content and high sugar levels. With Xinpu’s autumn winds, all you need to do is put it out in the sun and it will become delicious.”

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Travel in Taiwan

Zeng describes the Stone persimmon as tender, f ragrant, and chew y. “Until recently, people in the city preferred to buy the Bull Heart persimmon, because they thought bigger is more beautif ul. But over the last few years the local Stone persimmon has made a comeback because of its better quality,” she says.

Liu says that he is constantly discovering new ways to treat different varieties. He has experimented with drying non-astringent persimmons, comparing their f lavors with the commonly used astringent type, with soaking various persimmons instead of drying, and with organic cultivation. As a result he is able to apply the most suitable technique to whatever variety comes his way.

“To make high-qualit y persimmon cakes you need Hsinchu’s Stone persimmon, the area’s dr y autumn winds, and the Hakka people”

It’s rare to f ind such an experimental attitude in an area where traditions run so deeply. In Xinpu, however, where persimmons are concerned, the spirit of discovery is today enjoying its place in the sun.

Farmer

Liu is also keen to tell us about the Hakka people’s relationship with drying persimmons. “To make high-quality persimmon cakes you need three things. The f irst is Hsinchu’s Stone persimmon, the second is the area’s dry autumn winds, and the third is the Hakka people.” He explains that the Hakka have the habit of preserving food by drying because they have what Liu jokingly calls “ref ugee genes.” “Anything that is not consumed f reshly, we dry,” he says. “For example, beans and turnips – and persimmons are no exception.”

Eager to try our hands at making some of these traditional cakes ourselves, we ask Liu if he can talk us through the process. It turns out that due to Xinpu’s naturally dry climate (the winds bring the humidity down to around 30 percent), drying persimmons is a fairly straightforward task. Af ter picking, washing, and peeling,

GETTING TO XINPU:

(Self-drive ) From Taipei, take National Freeway No. 1 south.

Exit at Yangmei Interchange ( 楊梅交流道 ), take Prov. Hwy 1 to the town of Yangmei, and transfer onto County Road No. 115 to Xinpu. In Xinpu, follow Zhongzheng Rd., Minsheng St., and Hankeng Rd. to the farms.

(By train/bus ) Take a train to Hsinchu Railway Station and take a bus from Hsinchu's main bus station to Xinpu. From Xinpu, take a taxi to the farms. During the annual persimmon festival, a shuttle-bus service takes visitors to farms in the area.

JINHAN DRIED PERSIMMON EDUCATION FARM (金漢柿餅教育園區 )

Add: 501 , Sec. 1 , Hankeng Rd., Xinpu Township, Hsinchu County ( 新竹縣新埔鎮旱坑路 1 段 501 號 ) Tel: ( 03 ) 589 - 2680 WEI WEI JIA PERSIMMON CAKE TOURIST FARM ( 味衛佳柿餅觀光農場 )

Add: 53 , Alley 283 , Sec. 1 , Hankeng Road, Xinpu Township, Hsinchu County ( 新竹縣新埔鎮旱坑路 1 段 283 巷 53 號 ) Tel: ( 03 ) 589 - 2352

Visitors are free to visit the farms when open, and photo opportunities are abundant. For DIY workshops, book at least a week in advance.

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Photos/ Maggie Song

He leads us over to another crate. “This variety is called the ‘Pen’ persimmon.” The f ruit in his hand is long and shaped like a stubby carrot. “This kind of persimmon is more suitable for growing in colder climates, like Japan or Korea, but it’s now adapted to the hot plains of Taiwan as well.” The variety now grown in Taiwan has in fact been nicknamed the ‘Honey’ persimmon, because of its sweetness.

Farmer Liu Li-jian

Fresh fruit and persimmon cakes

Bull Heart persimmon Liu Li-jian Liu Xing-wu Pen/Honey persimmon Persimmon cake / shi bing Stone persimmon Xinpu Yangmei Zeng Gui-mei

牛心柿 劉理鑑 劉興武 筆 / 蜜柿 柿餅 石柿 新埔 楊梅 曾桂美

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NATURAL TREASURES

FERNS

As

we drive to the trailhead, our guide, Mr. Zhong Wen-yuan, who holds down a regular job as a tea-grower, points enthusiastically at the waterway to our lef t.

“This is the Beishi Stream,” he says. “It has the cleanest water in all of Taiwan.” The Jingualiao Stream, which we are on our way to visit, is a tributary of this waterway. Further downstream, Beishi Stream f lows into the enormous Feicui Reservoir, which provides water to the residents of Taipei and New Taipei cities. “This area has been protected since the reservoir’s construction in 1979,” says Zhong. “No factories, no livestock, no hotels – to protect the water quality.” He points to a series of rock formations on the banks, which look like stacks of books slipping under the water. “The banks here are f illed with layers of shale, which f ilter and neutralize rainwater as it drips down into the river. This provides ideal conditions for moss to grow, which then attracts many kinds of f ish. There are about 26 species of f ish in this stream, the most of any stream in Taiwan.”

Af ter stopping at several roadside spots to examine ferns, including one short stretch of wall which features 10 different species, we arrive at the trail entrance. There are two sections of trail along the Jingualiao Stream, both just over a kilometer long. We f irst walk the southern section, which follows the river closely as it twists and turns and breaks over clusters of rock. As soon as we descend onto the path we are in the belly of the green beast, surrounded on each side by the unbroken verdure of innumerable ferns which seem to creep, sway, slink, or recline over every inch of slope and surface variation. The fern is one of the earth’s oldest plants, and the fossil record shows them as existing as early as 400 million years ago. If ever there was a place resembling a Paleozoic jungle, this would be it.

ng the F ollow i on g tra il a l liao J in g ua in t o a m St re a rad ise f e rn p a

Fern Kingdom

As we ramble along, our guide gets us crouching, examining and photographing in a botany saturnalia which lasts about two hours, during which we scrutinize 20 or so species. It would take a f ull tome to introduce them all, so I here present a selection of my favorites:

Pin g l in, k n o wn a s a t e ag r o w in g a r e a, b o a s t s p r i s t in e n a t u r a l h a b i t a t s a n d p r o t e c t e d r e s e rv e s

E x p lo r in g Pin g l in’s Pr i s t in e J in g u a l i a o St r e a m A r e a

My

By Ow a i n M c k i m m

notebook is f ull of Latin names, quickly scribbled diagrams, and notes on spores, pinnately compound leaves, and optimum growing conditions. Could it be that I’ve become a fern enthusiast? Af ter spending half a day fernobserving on the Jingualiao Stream Fern and Fish Obser vation Trail, and being bombarded with more factoids than anyone would expect on a trail just over 2km long, I am now truly fascinated with the fecund fern kingdom of Pinglin.

F e rn

s lik e

h um

id a re a

s

And just as the ferns exceed expectations, so does Pinglin, a rural district within the sprawling New Taipei City. Known primarily as a tea-growing area, famous for its f ragrant Baozhong tea, it also quietly boasts pristine natural habitats and protected reserves that exist in large part due to its importance in providing drinking water to the Taipei area.

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Un f

old

Photo/ Bobby Wu

Now, considering that along the 2km of trail you can walk following the crystalline Jingualiao Stream, there are over 108 species of fern to be found, and that there’s an estimated island-wide total of 735 species and sub-species, 11% of which are endemic to the island, you have a number that far surpasses the f indings and expectations of the botanists of yesteryear.

Photos/Ivy Chen, Sunny Su

In 1896, the botanist Augustine Henry made the following rash statement about Formosan f lora: “…we meet with no exceptional types of vegetation. Indeed there is not a single genus peculiar to the island.” Yet in the same text he goes on to list a total survey of 131 ferns and 15 fern allies on the island, though he guesses that only half the island’s plants had been discovered by that time.

in g

to s pot s a re e a sy L a r g e f e rn

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Travel in Taiwan

NATURAL TREASURES

FERNS Though Pinglin is only about 300m above sea level, many ferns that normally grow at higher altitudes can also be found here. This is because, come September, the northeastern seasonal winds cause the temperature to drop, creating a climate suitable for many mid-elevation ferns.

Taiwan sago fern (Cyathea s pinulosa) & f lying spider-monkey tree fern (Cyathea le pi f era) These two kinds of tree fern pepper the steeper slopes along the Jingualiao Stream trail.

They look similar, but there are distinct differences between the two species. The f lying spider-monkey tree fern is a little taller, of ten growing more than six meters tall, and its dark trunk is covered in pale spots. Taiwanese folk think this spotted trunk looks like a hand-made pen pot, so call it the “pen pot tree.” The Taiwan sago fern is a little shorter than its cousin, but has an ingenious defense mechanism against any potentially suffocating vines. When its f ronds die, they hang down f rom the tree like a Hawaiian skirt. Any vines which grow too high on the tree become entangled in the skirt, and the additional weight causes the dead f rond to drop out, dragging the vine with it to the ground.

Knapp lists several rare species found in the area, some of which can only be found in Taiwan, including a shorter, more delicate relative of the turnip fern, Angiopteris somai. Apart f rom Pinglin, he also recommends Yangmingshan and the rural Wulai District in New Taipei City as prime fern-exploration areas in northern Taiwan.

Our guide’s favorite fern, this wav y winged specimen is in fact quite poisonous. The shallow lobes on its leaf lets make a shape that’s like a bat’s wing, hence the name, and it can grow in incredibly acidic soil where other plants would not be able to thrive, or even survive. As a result, it can also be found in f ire-ravaged areas, and in the sulf urous valleys of the Yangmingshan massif, on Taipei City’s north side. Generally however, it prefers open sites like forest edges and trailsides.

Oriental hard fern (Blechnum orientale) The f irst fern we came across on our trip was this kiss-curled beauty. Its f ronds are over a meter long, and burst up f rom the forest f loor like broadswords. Its leaf lets are the usual green, but seep into a darker brown at the tips, which twist into tight ringlets. It’s of ten seen in more mountainous areas of Taiwan, and prefers forest edges and roadsides.

Though

“Pinglin is moist, and has constant rainfall through the year. Moreover, it has a varied topography, including ridges and valleys, creating many different habitats which allow ferns to retain moisture,” says Ralf Knapp, a German fern expert and longtime resident of Taiwan, who recently published the detailed f ield guide Ferns and Fern Allies o f Taiwan (http:// fernsand f ernallieso f taiwan.blogs pot.com; for an overview of Taiwan’s ferns, also see http://tinyurl. com/Taiwanf erns).

Photos/ Ivy Chen, Sunny Su

a relatively small area of land, Taiwan is so rich in fern species because of its wide diversity of landscapes. There are sub-tropical forests, high mountains, gorges, and temperate zones in Taiwan and Pinglin is itself a kind of microcosm of the island.

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Angiopteris somai Baozhong tea Batwing fern Beishi Stream Doederlein's spikemoss Feicui Reservoir Flying spider-monkey tree fern Formosan kooye minnow Formosan gem-faced civet Guanyin Jingualiao Stream Jingualiao Stream Fern and Fish Observation Trail Orange Bus Oriental hard fern Pinglin Pinglin Visitor Information Center Sweetfish Taiwan sago fern Turnip fern Wulai District Yangmingshan Zhong Wen-yuan

臺灣原始觀音座蓮 包種茶 栗蕨 北勢溪 生根卷柏 翡翠水庫 筆筒樹 竹葉魚 白鼻心 觀音 金瓜寮溪 金瓜寮溪觀魚蕨類步道 亞通巴士 烏毛蕨 坪林 坪林旅遊服務中心 香魚 臺灣桫欏 觀音座蓮 烏來區 陽明山 鐘文元

Photos/ Twelli, Mark Caltonhill

“People f rom Taipei come here on the weekends to get away f rom the city,” says Zhong. “They come here because it’s a completely natural environment. You just need to look at the water and you can see f ish.” He throws a stone into the stream and f ish swarm to it, mistaking it for food. “This river is one of the best places in Taiwan to see the sweetf ish,” he adds. This migratory f ish only has a one-year lifespan. It breeds in Feicui Reservoir and its young swim upstream into the Beishi and Jingualiao streams, returning again in September to breed and die.

The native Formosan kooye minnow, called “f iref lies in the water,” can also be seen swif tly f lashing their silver bodies amongst the rocks. Come in the evening and you might see the Formosan gem-faced civet – a lithe little mammal with badger-like markings on its face – or troupes of wild monkeys crossing the stream on a downed tree called Monkey Bridge. For cyclists, there is also a 23.4-kilometer-long bicycle route that includes a scenic stretch along the Jingualiao Stream. If you’re looking for unspoilt nature and the chance to see rare native species less than an hour f rom Taipei, you can’t do much better than Pinglin.

Batwing fern (Histiopteris incisa)

Gettin g there: Tak e the M R T to Xindian Stat ion at the end o f th e green line, then trans fer to a No . 923 bu s on the le f t as yo u exit the barr ier s. Bu ses r un ever y ho ur on week da ys, and ev er y 30 min utes on week ends. The tr ip to Pin glin tak es 40 min utes, and yo u should get of f at the Pin glin Vi sit or In format ion Ce nter stop, which is right outside th e cen ter. From th ere, a free sh ut tle bu s, called the “Ora n ge Bu s” (ever y ho ur on week da ys, an d ever y 20 min ut es on week ends) will tak e yo u to the area’s trailheads . The las t bu s to the trailheads is at 3pm on week da ys, 5p m on week ends

o m e t o f i s h a n d f e rn J i n g u a l i a o St r e a m, h

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Travel in Taiwan

ON STAGE/OFF STAGE

DIABOLO DANCE THEATRE

In

the past, I had always thought of a diabolo as a simple toy for children. When I recently met up with the creative director of Diabolo Dance Theatre, however, I came to realize that its role can be transformed into something much larger. The troupe has taken a centuries-old pastime and given it a new lease on life.

The Chinese have been playing with the diabolo since the 12th century, when its initial use was as a merchant method to attract customers. The diabolo soon caught the attention of the general public, and children as well as adults started to use it as a recreational toy. In Europe, the diabolo became popular in the 18th century when merchants returning f rom the Far East brought the toy home as a present for their children. In England and France it was known as “el Diablo,” or “the devil on two sticks.” Like any fad, however, the diabolo soon lost its allure in Europe, though interest never completely died off. It has been used ever since, notably in circus shows and street performances.

Diabolo Dance Theatre Diabolo

Dizzying, daring, and dazzling, Diabolo Dance Theatre combines the Chinese art of diabolo with dance, acrobatics, and stunning visuals in a spellbinding synthesis of the old and the new. The troupe is now taking to the stage with its latest and most ambitious creation to date. By Ryan Campbell

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Travel in Taiwan

Photos/ Diabolo Dance Theatre

Amazing Dance and Acrobatics on the Big Stage

For

Liu Le-chun, the creative director and founder of Diabolo Dance Theatre, the pursuit of the diabolo has been an ongoing love affair. He was f irst exposed to the toy in elementary school, like the ma jority of Taiwan’s students. He continued to practice and perfect his moves through high school and beyond, and when he launched himself into a teaching career he introduced his love for the diabolo to his elementary-school students. Eventually, however, he began to feel the creative itch, and saw that diabolo “play” could be taken to a whole new level. In 1986, he founded Diabolo Dance Theatre to pursue his dreams.

In its early days, Diabolo Dance Theatre faced a series of challenges, the biggest of which was how to break with the traditional approach to diabolo performances. Before the troupe’s inception diabolo performances were mostly seen as mere skill demonstrations, but Liu was looking for something new and bold. He wanted to combine the diabolo with storytelling and dance, and have his performers do more than just juggling or tossing it back and forth.

In Taiwan, the diabolo didn’t become widely known until af ter 1946. The mass inf lux of immigrants f rom mainland Liu and his troupe have come a long way since then. His China in the late 1940s brought a elaborate stage shows are caref ully host of cultural imports, the diabolo planned and skilf ully executed. Driven Mastering the diabolo is a serious one of them. Today it is considered commitment that takes equal portions to be different and to take on new an essential part of Taiwan’s cultural challenges, the troupe has garnered of patience and practice and historical heritage, and diabolo much attention and great admiration, technique is of ten taught in elementary school. performing around Taiwan and abroad, including South Korea, Japan, and the U.S., the mesmerizing shows riveting For those unfamiliar with how a diabolo is handled, think audiences. of it as one part yo-yo technique, one part juggling, and one part balancing act. The toy consists of a spool that is spun In his 25-year run as director, Liu has done his best to on a string that is wound around it; the string has a short push the envelope while increasing the troupe’s popularity. stick attached at each end. You make the spool move back Working together with his team of creative minds, he starts and forth across the string like a yo-yo by moving the two each new production by brainstorming and visualizing his sticks. Once you’ve mastered this balancing act, there is a ideas. Af ter the initial concepts and sketches are complete, considerable arsenal of tricks you can try, such as tossing, technical experts f rom various f ields are brought in. During spinning, and juggling. Experienced diaboloists can make a lengthy process, new dance moves and challenging diabolo diff icult and complex maneuvers with a diabolo and while stunts are tried out, testing the limits of the dancers. the pros make it seem effortless, this is not something you Innovative stage designs are formulated, incorporating the become skilled at overnight. Mastering the diabolo is a latest stage technology and visual effects. New diabolos are serious commitment that takes equal portions of patience and created, some as big as truck wheels, some with integrated practice. special-effects LED lights. Colorf ul and of ten f unny costumes are designed that instantly add a sense of joy to the stage performance. A production usually takes a minimum of two years to put together f rom start to f inish, with ideas constantly being re-evaluated and tweaked.

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Travel in Taiwan

ON STAGE/OFF STAGE

DIABOLO DANCE THEATRE Some critics say that diabolo performances should be focused on Asian stories and inf luences, but Liu feels this would be holding his team of artists back. He prefers a more challenging approach, using modern technology and ideas, seeing this as the best way to make the diabolo relevant and interesting to modern audiences. This drive in turn helps to inspire his performers, encouraging them to push their creative limits.

One Liu prefers a more challenging approach, using modern technology and ideas, seeing this as the best way to make the diabolo relevant and interesting to modern audiences

of the troupe’s most acclaimed productions, Entrance, is an excellent example of what started as a simple idea and turned into a presentation of breath-taking fantasy, taking the diabolo and launching it to new heights. Here, Liu drew his inspiration f rom his daughter’s toys. The story features a young girl who notices that one of her toys has disappeared f rom her room. She follows the toy through a portal into to a strange and magical world, all the while playing with a diabolo.

There, she meets a many-eyed creature that is sad because its “heart” (a diabolo) is missing, while other fantastical creatures around it are playing happily with their hearts. The young girl helps the creature to retrieve its heart and rediscover happiness. For Entrance, huge moving stage pieces and LED diabolos were specially created.

Even though busy and fully focused on their current show, Liu and the Diabolo Dance Theatre players are already thinking about their next challenge. A new concept called Transform has taken shape, and is scheduled to premiere as a full-blown production within the next two years. Without doubt this newest showcase will again establish new heights and new milestones in the performing arts, challenging the performers on all physical and emotional levels, and presenting audiences with a spectacle they’ll still marvel at long afterwards.

In another production, Ocean Heart, common sea animals and elements f ind in the ocean, including crabs, sharks, and bubbles, come to life with the help of the diabolo, with the troupe’s dancers decked out in colorf ul costumes.

The performers of Diabolo Dance Theatre are all impressively talented.

While mastering the diabolo is challenging enough, the troupe’s members are also astonishingly well trained in dance, acrobatics, gymnastics, acting, and even singing (which will be a new element in f uture productions). It’s no surprise, then, that training starts at an early age. Children will join the troupe at 6~8 years old, and it will of ten take up to 10 years of hard training before they are ready to perform on the big stage. Time is therefore usually the deciding factor when determining who is going to succeed.

According to Liu, it’s generally not a matter of physical ability but rather one of determination and passion for performing with the diabolo.

Diabolo

Dance Theatre’s current stage production, Entrance I I, is its most ambitious project to date. Performances started in December, and will continue into March at the EXPO Hall inside Taipei Expo Park. This is the f irst time a show of this scope and scale will premiere and have such a long run in Taiwan and it is the second time the troupe is performing at this venue, as it took part in the impressive opening ceremonies for the Taipei International Flora Expo at the end of 2010.

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Add: 1 F, 6 , Alley 3 , Lane 10 , Xinyi Rd., Sec. 2 , Taipei City ( 台北市信義 路二段 10 巷 3 弄 6 號 1 樓 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 2341 - 6066 Website: www.diabolo.com.tw (Chinese)

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Liu Le-chun EXPO Hall Taipei Expo Park

劉樂群 舞蝶館 花博公園

Photos/ Diabolo Photos/ DanceIvy Theatre Chen, Sunny Su

Since much of the training is conducted by older members of the troupe, the performers grow up together and are like members of a closely knit family. To join the troupe, interested children are not required to have received formal training in any of the usual areas of performance art – one of the reasons it is so appealing to so many. Everyone is welcome to apply, learn, grow, and earn the chance to perform, as long as they have the passion to go on. This concept of acceptance not only makes for an eclectic mix of artistic styles, but also an interesting mix of performers of all shapes and sizes.

DIABOLO DANCE THEATRE ( 舞鈴劇場 )

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ENJOYMENT

CITY LIFE

Spas in Taipei

BEING spa If you happen to be staying at the Miramar Garden Taipei hotel, located on Taipei’s busy Civic Blvd., and looking for a place to relax, look no f urther than the second f loor of the hotel for the spa next to the f itness center. If you are not staying at the hotel you can of course visit the spa as well, but hotel guests enjoy a discount.

Places f or Pampering and Unwinding

Taipei is a city known for its hustle and bustle and a fast pace of life. And while this may be true, there are also places within the city which move to a much slower beat, allowing you to stop, smell the roses, and just relax. Spas in Taipei are the perfect getaways to take a break and focus on health and wellness with an oriental twist. By Amanda Hsiao

Situated close to Taipei 101 and only a 10-minute walk from MRT Taipei City Hall Station, Natural Beauty is easy to spot with its large windows filled with an array of Natural Beauty products.

Guests are more than welcome to browse on the first floor, and friendly sales clerks are happy to answer questions or help direct you to the next floor, where your spa treatment begins.

Stepping into the wood-paneled elevator might well be declared the first step of the service, as immediate quiet embraces and delivers you from the noise of the traffic outside. The doors then open into a Bali-style area with wooden floors, large rocks used as stepping stones, and the sounds of running water, frogs, and crickets.

No matter which massage or treatment you choose, each starts with a skin and health diagnosis, one of this spa’s unique features. Conducted with some of the latest technology, an attendant will explain the diagnosis and which products would be most suitable during your treatment. After this, you shower, slip on a soft robe, and head off down an all-white hallway lined with floor lights, a pure area where guests leave the stresses of daily life behind. You choose a massage room, each with its own theme based on type of treatment, and it’s time for your massage or beauty course.

Treatments are broken up into two categories: facial care and body care. As the company was started by a woman who was sensitive to other beauty products and decided to start her own line, the facial-care treatments focus on taking care of sensitive skin and on anti-aging. Two of the most popular treatments are Diminishing Lines and Wrinkles Care and Recover y Over-Sensitive Care, each lasting about 90 minutes and costing NT$2,400 and NT$2,700, respectively.

If a full-body massage is what you desire, the Chinese Five Elements of Li f e Cultivation Meridian body massage is highly recommended. This is the longest massage, lasting about two hours, during which the masseuse works on your body in segments according to the five elements – metal, wood, wind, water, and earth – as well as two additions, sun and moon. If two hours seems a bit long, guests can also choose individual segments, the most popular being “sun,” which is focused on the neck and shoulders.

Each individual segment lasts about 20 minutes and costs NT$1,400 while the full body massage is priced NT$5,500.

There are also more services beyond the massage and skin treatments: body scrubs, hand and foot care, hair care, as well as waxing. Many of these treatments are perfect for busier guests, who may not have as much time. They are also cheaper, running from NT$800 to NT$1,600.

NATURAL BEAUTY (自然美 )

Add: 9 , Songqin St., Xinyi District, Taipei City ( 台北市信義區松勤街 9 號 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 8786 - 3399 Website: www.nblife.com (Chinese)

Skin diagnosis

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Travel in Taiwan

Af ter the massage, customers are invited to rest in relaxation lounges, with separate facilities for men and women, enjoy light snacks and a hot cup of tea, and browse through brochures that introduce the spa’s line of skin- and body-care products, before heading back out into the rush of the day.

BEING spa has a wide variety of massages to please the customer. These services can be broken down into f ive basic groups: skin care, body contour and slimming work, body scrubs and wraps, spa sessions for female and male customers, and body massages. While the f irst four groups are great for cosmetic and slimming use, it is the body massages that are the most popular.

Body Contour & Slimming Work

Photos/ Natural Beauty, BEING spa, Ivy Chen, Maggie Song

Natural Beaut y

Inside the BEING spa reception area, you take a seat and f ill out forms in order to build a personal prof ile and f ind out which massage or treatment would most suit your needs.

An attendant will also ask you to randomly choose a scent f rom a box of bottles with your non-dominant hand, the scent supposedly helping to also reveal what you need.

might be the best choice. This is a 70-minute massage that uses aboriginal symbols as guide for the therapist’s rhythmic hand strokes. It is meant to restore harmony in the body and invigorate you with the energy needed for your travels ahead.

Two unique and very different styles are used for the massages. The f irst is called T he Legend o f Stones f rom India, preferred by those who suffer f rom poor circulation or constantly feel cold. Specially chosen dark stones that have been soaked in aromatherapy oils are warmed and then used, with gentle strokes, to massage the body. A f ull-body massage lasts about 70 minutes and costs NT$4,350; massages focusing on a specif ic area of the body can be chosen as well, each lasting 30 minutes and costing less than NT$3,000.

The second unique type of body massage is S pa Care f rom the Australian Dreamtime, with options like Mala Mayi Mud Wrap, which lasts 70 minutes and costs NT$6,250, and Yanko Pink Desert Salt E x f oliation, which is a 20-minute treatment for NT$1,750. These massages are good choices if you desire a younger and f resher look. For those who want to focus on relaxation, however, the Kodo Bod y Massage option (NT$4,250)

BEING SPA

Add: 2 F, 83 , Sec. 3 , Civic Blvd., Taipei City ( 台北市市民大道三段 83 號 2 樓 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 8772 - 6645 Website: www.beingspa.com.tw

Relaxing in a whirlpool at Miramar Garden Taipei

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ENJOYMENT

Orient Retreat The Orient Retreat is special, one of the f irst spas introduced to the local market blending Chinese health concepts with the Western spa tradition, creating a new spa experience.

Customers will not only f ind this a place to relax and get pampered, but will also be offered delicious and healthy foods and snacks based on the Chinese idea of the 24 solar terms.

These solar terms are 2-week periods ref lecting the changes that go on in nature, and also serve as a guideline for what is healthy to eat at any particular time.

Af ter you have enjoyed a relaxing massage or one of the many other treatments, you can spend some time resting back in the lounge before heading over to the café and browsing a menu that not only lists the food and drinks for the current solar term but also describes the benef its of these items, including drinks to f ight headaches and colds and soups to improve circulation. Enjoying one of these caref ully prepared meals is a great way to end your day at the spa and provide health and wellness inside as well as outside.

Orient Retreat has a café, The Sense, with a menu that strictly follows the 24 terms, and offers an abundance of service options that range from providing you with a relaxing getaway to taking care of your health needs.

It is important to schedule an appointment and plan a lot of time for the treatment, for in the words of Shenyn Wang, CEO of Orient Retreat, “a spa should be a ‘heart-to-heart experience’ and not something to be done in a rush.” This sentiment is ref lected in the careful choosing and training of the therapists working at Orient Retreat.

Orient Retreat has many locations throughout Taiwan. Its largest outlet is in Taipei, just a 5-minute walk f rom MRT Nanjing East Road Station, across the street f rom the Taipei Arena. In order to better understand the various treatments available at Orient Retreat, potential customers can visit the North American section of their website, which explains some of the services provided in English: www.en joys pa.com/ canadaandusa.

Beyond the starter’s choices is an incredible number of services that cover the body from head to foot and treat a wide variety of ailments. Whether a customer is suffering from a bit of jetlag or has slightly more serious trouble with, say, a sore back, Orient Retreat has a service to help alleviate the problem.

Enjoying a “heart-to-heart experience”

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ORIENT RETREAT (登琪爾 )

Add: 5 F, 337 , Sec. 3 , Nanjing E. Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市南京東路三段 337 號 5 樓 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 2713 - 1565 Website: www.enjoyspa.com

Photos/ Orient Retreat

For those new to the spa, there is a list of starter’s choices introducing the most popular options from the many styles of treatments offered. All of the starter’s choices last about 30 minutes, and are all priced under NT$2,000. These range from an Anti-Stress Back Massage focusing on relaxation of the body, to a Bod y Scrub with salt or yogurt for energy and healthy skin, to a Bus y Bee Facial for those wanting to focus on facial care.