Travel in Taiwan (No.52, 2012 7/8)

No. 52, 2012

78 /

Where Mountains Meet the Sea

Taiwan’s East Coast

THE BEST BIKE ROUTES

From Bitan to Tamsui

NATURAL TREASURES

Giant Ancient Trees at Lalashan

FOOD JOURNEY

Donggang’s Bluefin Tuna

Fashion Brand Free East Soy Sauce Factory in Xiluo Indulgence with Spectacular Views Ghost Festival at Keelung

The Official Bimonthly English Magazine of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau.

Advertisement Website: ht tp: //t aiwan. net .t w

Welcome to Taiwan!

Dear Traveler, In this issue of Travel in Taiwan we explore Taiwan’s pristine East Coast, which will remind you of the palm-treed South Pacif ic. A key theme is how you can explore the region on different kinds of wheels: train, car, bicycle, bus. This is also a good way to describe this full issue, for we’re zooming all around Taiwan on warm mid-summer trips of discovery, taking you to points north, south, east, and west. We add another point, “up,” in our article on Taipei bars/restaurants with the best views.

The East Coast’s tremendous natural beauty is its main attraction, with high green mountains and pretty blue Pacif ic almost always in view. In our Feature articles we tell you how to explore it by rented car, bike, and other means, and give you suggestions on what souvenirs to buy, where to eat, and where to stay. There are high-quality indigenous craf ts, great seafood, and many quality homestays.

Speaking of indigenous culture, Taiwan’s East Coast is home to a high concentration of members from Taiwan’s indigenous tribes, and we have a special article introducing these tribes in general and the Amis, the largest tribe on the East Coast and in Taiwan, in particular. Speaking of great natural beauty, we also introduce the locations of some of Taiwan most magnif icent coastal rock formations. In our Natural Treasures segment we then tour the majestic ancient trees of Lalashan, in the island’s northern mountains, and in our Food Journe y we head to Donggang port town in the far southwest, famous for its bluef in tuna and the annual Donggang Bluef in Tuna Cultural Festival celebrating the summer catch. And speaking of bicycling, in Best Bike Routes we take a two-wheeled jaunt from southern Taipei to the coast on the city’s breezy, easy-grade riverside bike-path system.

We stay on the north coast to enjoy the wonderful color and pageantry of the annual Keelung Mid-Summer Ghost Festival, happening in late August, and tell you about the intriguing Ghost Month traditions that surround it. Then we come back to Taipei to enjoy colorf ul attire of a different use and purpose – high-fashion clothing with distinctive Taiwan cultural themes – created by Henr y Lai, who’s been making a splash on the international fashion scene.

I hope we’ve wheeled out enough adventure suggestions to keep you both very busy and very happy. Enjoy.

David W. J. Hsieh Director General Tourism Bureau, MOTC, R.O.C.

CONTENTS

July ~ August 2012

8

28 ,

PUBLISHER David W. J. Hsieh Editing Consultant

Producer Vision Int l Publ. Co., Ltd. Address Rm. 5, 10F, 2 Fuxing N. Rd., Taipei, 104 Taiwan

Wayne Hsi-Lin Liu

TEL: 886-2-2711-5403 Fax: 886-2-2721-2790 E-MAIL: editor@v-media.com.tw endy L. C. Yen General Manager W rank K. Yen Deputy General Manager F Editor in Chief Johannes Twellmann English Editors Rick Charette, Richard Saunders DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & EDITING DEPT Joe Lee MANAGING EDITOR Sunny Su EDITORS Ming-Jing Yin, Vivian Liu, Gemma Cheng, April Su CONTRIBUTORS R ick Charette, Owain Mckimm, Mark Caltonhill, Joe Henley, Richard Saunders, Tobias Tilsiter, Kurt Weidner PHOTOGRAPHERS Sunny Su, Maggie Song, Ivy Chen ART DIRECTOR Sting Chen DESIGNERS Ivy Chen, Maggie Song, Eve Chiang, Kirk Cheng ui-chun Tsai, Nai-jen Liu, Xiou Mieng Jiang Administrative Dept H 86-2-2721-5412 Advertising Hotline 8

Publishing Organization

Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications CONTACT

International Division, Taiwan Tourism Bureau Add: 9F, 290 Zhongxiao E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei, 10694, 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 July/August, 2012 Tourism Bureau, MOTC First published in Jan./Feb., 2004 ISSN: 18177964 GPN: 2009305475 Price: NT$200 www.tit.com.tw/vision/index.htm Copyright © 2012 Tourism Bureau. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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In Taiwan

Sunrise at Sanxiantai, one of the most scenic spots on Taiwan's East Coast (Photo by Twelli)

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

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44 FEATURE

FESTIVALS 36

8 East Coast

— Main Eastward Ho! – The Magnificent East Coast, on Wheels: Train, Car, Bike — Stay Big Sea Views and Cool Sea Breezes – Accommodation Options on the East Coast — Eat The Blue Pacific, in Culinary Form — Buy East Coast Specialties – Indigenous Arts and Crafts / Tasty Snack Treats

16 Scenery — The Strange and the Beautiful – Taiwan’s Amazing Coastal Rock Formations 18 Indigenous Culture — Taiwan’s Indigenous Peoples – A Look at the Amis and their

— The Harbor City Gets Ready to Host Some Unusual Guests

FASHION 41

Free

— Forging a Taiwanese Fashion Revolution

East

Many Fellow Tribes

1 Publisher’s Note 33 Who Is This?

4 News & Events around Taiwan 40 Festivals and Events 6 Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings

ENJOYMENT

20

Dining

— Taipei Bars and Restaurants with a View

Way Up There

FOOD JOURNEY 24

Tables Set for Keelung Festival

The Rolls Royce of Fish Meat — I ndulging in Bluefin Tuna at Donggang Harbor

BEST BIKe ROUTES 28 Bitan to Tamsui

NATURAL TREASURES 44

— The Ancient Trees of Lalashan

MY PHOTO TOUR 48

34

Enjoying a Free Ride — A n Austrian Couple Visits Taiwan after Winning a Tour on a Radio Show

Posing with Posters — Incorporating Big Streetside Ads in Your Photos

— C ycling Taipei South to North, Into the Country's Past

TOURISM

Among Giants

TOURIST FACTORIES 50

The Smell of Home Brewing — A Visit to Wuan Chuang Soy Sauce Tourist Factory

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Travel in Taiwan

Cuisine

State Banquet Cuisine at Taipei Circle

From the early 20th century to the late 1990s, the traffic circle at Nanjing W. and Chongqing N. roads was home to a bustling food-stall night market. After fires in 1993 and 1999 destroyed the market, the city decided to tear it down and build a modern circular structure housing more upscale eateries. Business wasn’t as good as expected, and the building’s operations were closed down twice in recent years. In a third attempt to revive what is now called the Taipei Circle, a restaurant of a special kind was opened earlier this year. Named Yuanhuan Guoyan (圓環

E WS & EVEN TS A ROU N D TA I WA N

國宴; “Circle State Banquet”), it serves banquet-style cuisine prepared by local celebrity chef Huang Te-chung, who in the past has prepared state banquets hosted by ROC presidents. For NT$6,000 a table, diners have the chance to indulge in Taiwanese delicacies worthy of a state guest.

Add: 2F, 284-1 Nanjing W. Rd., Taipei City (台北市南京西路284之1號2F) Tel: (02) 2558-0960

Tourism Airlines

Former Director-General of Tourism Bureau Honored

On May 2nd the former director-general of the Tourism Bureau, Janice Lai Seh-jen was awarded the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Cravat by President Ma Ying-jeou for her contributions to the development of Taiwan’s tourism industry and improvement of the nation’s overall economic efficiency. Former Director-General Lai is only the second civil servant in the history of the Republic of China, and the first female, to receive this honor. She is also the first recipient to be honored for her contributions to tourism. Ms Lai stated that with the nation’s highest-ranking official attaching such importance to the industry she feels confident about the future development of Taiwan tourism. She also expressed the hope that everyone involved in the industry, overseas as well as in Taiwan, should have confidence in the Taiwan tourism sector’s ability to develop a positive travel environment.

Accommodation

“Taiwan Host” Homestays

Taiwan’s “homestays” (B&Bs), small guesthouses often run by friendly, idealistic owners and located in scenic areas, have become a popular accommodation option for travelers in Taiwan in recent years. This popularity, however, has also spurred an explosion of new openings of many self-declared “homestays” that do not meet the quality standards set by the government.

In an effort to make it easier for travelers to find those that offer a friendly, clean, and safe environment, the Tourism Bureau has now started to reward homestays meeting the highest standards (so far more than 300 have been selected) with a “Taiwan Host” certificate. If you see the “Taiwan Host” logo at a homestay, rest assured that you have made a good choice.

Tourist Bus

4

Theme Parks

Taiwan Tourist Shuttle North Coast Route

Summer Time, Theme Park Time!

A new bus route was recently added to the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle service (www.taiwantrip.com.tw ), offering greater convenience for independent travelers visiting the scenic north coast. The North Coast Route, with start/end points at Tamsui and Keelung, has a total of 12 stops, including Baishawan, Shimen, Jinshan, Yeliu, and Feicuiwan. Buses depart every half hour on weekends (9 am to 4 pm) and every hour on weekdays (9 am to 5 pm).

Tickets (NT$100) are valid for one day and you can get on and off buses multiple times along the route. For more information about the route, visit www.crownnsa.com.tw (Chinese).

The hot summer months are the ideal time to have fun in a theme park, especially if cooling water is part of the action! To find out about all the major parks around Taipei, visit www.themeparks.net.tw . You’ll

Travel in Taiwan

find detailed info on 23 theme parks offering fun ranging from thrill rides and water slides, to sea-world shows and safari tours, to indigenous culture and nature experiences.

Sightseeing

Taipei 101 Observatory Visited by 10 Million People

Culture

Visitors to Taipei can’t miss it, and most won’t want to miss it.

Towering high above the city and sometimes above the clouds, Taipei 101 has become Taipei’s foremost landmark. It looks impressive from the ground, but wait until you arrive at the tower’s 89th-floor observatory – the views are simply breathtaking. On April 27 this year, a Japanese tourist surnamed Kimura became the 10-millionth observatory visitor since it was opened in 2004. She was greeted by government and Taipei 101 officials and presented with various valuable gifts, including free entrance to the observatory for a full year.

Transportation

Hongmaogang Cultural Park

A new cultural park has just been opened in the southern harbor city of Kaohsiung. Hongmaogang (lit.

“Harbor of the Red Hairs”) Cultural Park is located at the entrance to Kaohsiung’s Second Harbor, opposite the southern tip of long and narrow Qijin Island. The park introduces visitors to the history of the city’s harbor and has great vantage points to take in the harbor, including a revolving restaurant and a long sky bridge. There is also an exhibition hall and an open-air display area featuring old restored houses from Hongmaogang, which was once a small fishing village.

A planned boat-cruise service will connect the new park with the Pier-2 Art Center near the mouth of Love River, close to downtown Kaohsiung. For more info, visit http://english.khcc.gov.tw .

Direct Flights between Taipei Songshan Airport and Seoul Gimpo Airport

There’s good news for travelers planning trips between Taipei and Seoul. Direct flights from Taipei Songshan Airport to Seoul Gimpo Airport and vice versa are now available, a more convenient Taiwan-South Korea air link since both countries’ main international airports can be avoided. A total of 14 flights per week serve this route, with seven flights operated by Taiwanese airline carriers, including China Airlines and EVA Air, and seven flights by South Korean airline carriers, including T’way Air and Eastar Jet. The new connection is another initiative in the Taiwan central government’s Northeast Asia Golden Flight Circuit policy; by connecting Taipei to major city airports in Northeast Asia, the government aims to improve convenience for travelers and enhance trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges between Taipei and other cities in the region.

WHO IS THIS? You might see him at religious events, such as the annual Mazu Pilgrimage.

He’s dressed like a clown, and looks funny. Do you know who he is and why he is dressed like this? Find the answer on page 33.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK! We, the producers of Travel in Taiwan , wish to improve our magazine with each issue and give you the best possible help when planning – or carrying out – your next trip to Taiwan. Tell us what you think by filling out our short online questionnaire at www. tit.com.tw/survey/travelintaiwan.html . Senders of the first 10 completed questionnaires for each issue will receive three free issues of Travel in Taiwan . Thank you in advance for your feedback.

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Travel in Taiwan

Taipei Arts Festival 台北藝術節 August 3 ~ 5

www.taipeifestival.org

Metropolitan Hall

Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne: Les Chaises 洛桑劇院 椅子

oncerts, s, n o i t i b i h x E a nd s g n i n e p p a H Taiwan has a diverse cultural scene, with art venues ranging from international-caliber 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.

August 24 ~ September 8 National Concert Hall

2012 Summer Jazz Party 2012 夏日爵士派對 This year marks the 10 th anniversary of Summer Jazz , one of the most exciting and anticipated music events in Taipei. Each year, celebrated jazz masters from abroad present jazz fans with outstanding live performances. Among the international musicians performing this year at the National Concert Hall will be saxophone maestro Joe Lovano, the all-star ensemble Mingus Big Band, celebrated vocalist Patti Austin, and a special jazz project featuring Michael Philip Mossman, Antonio Hart, Tootie Heath, and top musicians from Taiwan.

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Travel in Taiwan

Les Chaises (The Chairs) is a play by Eugene Ionesco, the French dramatist who became one of the foremost playwrights of the Theater of the Absurd. Swiss director Luc Bondy’s interpretation of the play has been a huge success since its premiere in 2010. The story features an old man and an old woman who prepare for one last party before they commit suicide. Imaginary guests come on the stage, decorated like a ballroom and filled with chairs, to listen to the old couple’s ramblings about their lives.

August 10 ~ 12

Wellspring Theatre

Shang-Chi Sun Company: Breakfast 崎動力舞蹈劇場 早餐時刻 This dance performance, choreographed by Shang-Chi Sun, a rising young choreographer from Taiwan, deals with “breakfast,” the time between night and day, when everyone leaves the dreams of the night behind and prepares for the day to come. Together with author Gordon Florenkowsky and filmmaker Krzysztof Honowski, Shang-Chi Sun creates a live dance film. He guides the audience along undefined paths between reality and fiction, truth and lies, emotions and comedy.

July 25 ~ 30

National Theater

Opera Australia: Madame Butterfly 澳洲歌劇團 蝴蝶夫人 Madame Butterfly, one of the most frequently performed operas in the world, tells the story of an unfortunate relationship between a U.S. naval officer and a Japanese girl in the Japanese harbor city of Nagasaki at the beginning of the 20th century. Cultural differences between the East and the West and the contrast between old traditions and modern culture are some of the elements that have made the opera a huge success worldwide. Australian opera director Moffatt Oxenbould spent three years on this production, which features delicate Japanese-theme staging featuring tatami mats, a zen pond, Japanese sliding doors, cherry-blossom petals, and flower arrangements.

National Palace Museum

June 9 ~ September 9

Royal Style: Qing Dynasty and Western Court Jewelry 皇家風尚 清代宮廷與西方貴族珠寶 This exhibition shows 470 pieces of fine works from the collection of the National Palace Museum and special loans from the Cartier Collection and Shenyang Palace Museum, together presenting jewelry’s colorful and fascinating culture.

The exhibition offers a fascinating comparison between the jewelry of the Chinese Qing court and that of Western nobility. It also explores how East and West have encountered one another at different points and places in time, and how elements from one culture have been incorporated in the jewelry of the other. During periods of interaction the possibilities for materials, techniques, and designs have expanded, leading to more diverse jewelry styles and imbuing pieces with deeper cultural meaning.

August 16 TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall

The Cardigans Taipei Concert 羊毛衫2012台北演唱會

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 )

Tel: (02) 2381-3137 www.csh.taipei.gov.tw 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

National Taiwan Science Education Center

Decoding the Secret of the First Emperor’s Mausoleum and Silent Warriors of Ancient China 千古一帝秦始皇─地宮與兵馬俑大揭秘 The secrets of the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang (the first emperor of China) are revealed in this exhibition, with the help of modern digital technology. The famous silent terracotta warriors and their horses, discovered by farmers in Shaanxi Province in 1974, are brought back to life with vivid animations. The exhibition shows excavated items, such as antique weapons, coins, and two large bronze chariots, and introduces visitors to the different types of buried terracotta warriors, shows the layout of the mausoleum, and presents other interesting facts about this fascinating and historic archeological find.

( 台北市中山北 路 3 段 181 號 )

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

Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei（台北當代藝術館） Add: 39 Chang-an W. Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市長 安 西 路 3 9 號 )

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

National Taiwan Science Education Center（台灣科學教育館） Add: 189 Shishang Rd., Taipei City

Add: 21 Zhongshan S. Rd., Taipei City

Tel: (02) 6610-1234 www.ntsec.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: Shilin

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

( 台北市士商路 189 號 )

TWTC Nangang Exhibiton Hall （台北世貿中心南港展覽館）

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

Add: 1, Jingmao 2nd Rd., Taipei City

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

Tel: (02) 2725-5200 Nearest MRT Station: Nangang Exhibition Hall

( 台北市中山南 路 21-1 號 )

( 台北市經貿二路 1 號 )

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

Metropolitan Hall（城市舞台）

National Museum of History

Tel: (02) 2577-5931 www.tmseh.taipei.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: Nanjing E. Rd.

（國立歷史博物館）

Add: 49 Nanhai Rd., Taipei City

National Concert Hall June 30 ~ October 7

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

National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall（國立中正紀念堂） ( 台北市中山南 路 21 號 )

The Cardigans, a Swedish pop band formed in 1992, achieved worldwide success in the late 1990s. Over the past two decades the band has mixed busy periods of recording and touring with long breaks, and has transformed its style from sugary pop to tunes influenced

by American country music. After a 2007-2011 break the band has announced a reunion this year and is scheduled to go on tour in Scandinavia, Russia, and Asia, the Asian leg including concerts in Indonesia, Japan, and Taiwan.

Taipei Fine Arts Museum （台北市立美術館）

( 台北市 南 海路 4 9 號 )

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

National Palace Museum

Add: 25, Sec. 3, Bade Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市八德路 3 段 25 號 )

Wellspring Theatre（水源劇場） Add: 10F, 92, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市羅斯福路四段 92 號 10 樓 )

Tel: (02) 2362-5221 Nearest MRT Station: Gongguan

（國立故宮博物院）

Add: 221 Zhishan Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei City ( 台北市至 善路 2 段 2 21 號 )

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

National Taiwan Museum （國立臺灣博物館）

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

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

Taichung 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）

Novel Hall（新舞臺）

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

Add: 3 Songshou Rd., Taipei City

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

( 台北市松 壽路 3 號 )

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

( 台南 市中華東 路 3 段 332 號 )

Kaohsiung 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

( 台北市 南 京 東 路 4 段 2 號 )

( 高 雄 市中正四 路 27 2 號 )

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

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

7

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE Hualien

R a ng e

Baqi Lookout

Shitiping

ta i n

Changhong Bridge

Xiuguluan R iver

Mou n

Baxian Caves

Coa s t al

Pacif ic Ocean Sanxiantai

Amis Folk Center

Dulan Xiaoyeliu

Taitung

8

Fugang Fishing Harbor

Travel in Taiwan

Eastward

Ho!

The Magnificent East Coast, on Wheels: Train, Car, Bike

My four indispensable ingredients for the perfect travel experience? Road trip, trails, bicycling, nature’s beauty. The East Coast? Perfect. By Rick Charette

EAST COAST

We

had a two-day window, Thursday and Friday. We decided on the East Coast. Lots of places to cover, but I was heading out with two old f riends who also loved spur-of-the-moment jaunts, preferably during the week to beat the crowds.

More

Let me explain about the “East Coast.” To Taiwan folk this means the region f rom, roughly, the small cities of Hualien to Taitung. It isn’t all “coast,” however. Taiwan is about two-thirds mountain and high hill, and the rugged north-south central mountains pretty much plunge into the Pacif ic north of Hualien and south of Taitung. The East Coast is, again roughly, the area f ramed within. Part of this area is another and lower range, the coastal mountains, which runs f rom just south of Hualien to just north of Taitung. On the western side of this mountain range is the long, narrow East Rif t Valley, and on the coast side is a long ribbon of, in many places, f lat land.

Photo/ Twelli

You might say, then, that our destination was the “east coast of the East Coast,” the long Pacif ic-side ribbon. Almost the entire length of this ribbon falls within the East Coast National Scenic Area (www.eastcoast-nsa.gov.tw).

Beach b efore Baxian Caves

9

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

Fugang Fishing Harbor Xiaoyeliu

Dulan

Amis Folk Center

Baxian Caves

Sanxiantai

Taitung

Day One

Train

trip! Our train lef t Taipei Railway Station at 8 a.m. We’d be in Taitung at 12:40 p.m. We were on a Ziqiang-class train, meaning fastest and most comfortable. Taiwan train travel is wonderf ully convenient and inexpensive; my one-way ticket to Taitung City was just NT$785. This was midweek, so there were empty seats – this doesn’t happen on weekends/holidays.

Strange rock s at Xiaoyeliu

Af ter Hualien City, East Coast trains traverse the East Rif t Valley, not the coast. This is prime farming area, Asian style, f illed with eons of mineral-rich silt f rom the mountains on either side, f illed with small, neatly tended farms, f illed with pastel-colored crops.

Each time I pass through I think how Van Gogh and Monet would have enjoyed time here.

Road

tr ip! Our road to f un was Prov incial Highway No. 11, pleasantly sleepy on weekdays, which rolls along the coast between Taitung and Hual ien cities, pretty blue Pacif ic almost always immediately on your r ight, pretty green coastal mountains immediately on your lef t. Almost all the sights we v isited were r ight by the highway; our longest of f-road dr ive was but a few hundred meters.

ide the al ca r right ou ts cked up ou r rent pi we Toyota / ng s itu nt re Ta In rp., wh ich Hota i Leas ing Co bu ild ing t las e th st at ion. We used to e sta tion and go th it Ex s. st cle co hi Lexu s ve iel d. Ou r Ca mr y that it’s open f r te af ; ien ht al rig Hu e e on th d it of f at th y, and we droppe d abou t NT$3,600 per da da y. If concer ne xt ne ou tlet the or f irs t ) .tw om Ra ilw ay St at ion t.c en vi sit (w ww.ea s yr ite bs we a na tiona l th st ar t wi ot her repu ta ble Engl ish abili ty, f ice. Note that of ion at St ay Ra ilw ts. vi sit the Ta ipe i lien st at ion ou tle ve Ta itu ng/Hua ha so al s cie en ag

Buckle up tight – time and word count is very limited, and we’ve places aplenty to cover.

Before hitting our f irst off icial stop, Xiaoyeliu, we dropped in at Fugang Fishing Harbor, just north of seaside Taitung City. The attractions here are the eclectic, brightly painted f ishing boats, appropriately beaten up a bit by Pacif ic wind, wave, and salt, and the even more ebulliently colored ferries to Green and Orchid islands, big, sleek, modern, and obviously built for speed.

Don’t know what a mushroom rock is?

Honeycomb rock? Cuesta? Tofu rock? You will after visiting Xiaoyeliu

Swimming under palm trees

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Travel in Taiwan

Sculpture b eside the highway

Xiaoyeliu is your f irst stop inside the East Coast National Scenic Area. I strongly urge you to visit the visitor center before hitting the palm-lined paths to

Photos/ Sunny Su, Twelli

Ca r Rent al

EAST COAST

Changhong Bridge

Shitiping

Baqi Lookout

Hualien

Xiuguluan River

Day Two explore the impressive shoreline rock formations. The center has good exhibits, and good English, on Xiaoyeliu and east coast geology. Don’t know what a mushroom rock is? Honeycomb rock? Cuesta? Tof u rock? You will af ter this.

The sprawling, big-shouldered old Dulan Sugar Factory, in Dulan town, makes sugar no more. The heritage complex, now protected, has been taken over by local artists f rom this indigenous town. There’s an art workshop, café, drif twood stage, homestay, and retail shop (see our accompanying “Buy” article). There’s also live music on Saturday nights.

Donghe Baozi is another iconic Taiwan must-try food experience. A baozi is a traditional meat-f illed steamed bun. The attractive Donghe Baozi shop is right on the highway in Donghe town, and the food treat is indeed well worth the stop. The pork was very tender, and quite noticeable was that a liberal dose of pepper and extra-big squared chunks of bamboo shoot had been added, both great decisions with me.

The East Coast has a heav y concentration of indigenous peoples. The relative isolation of the region has resulted in a degree of cultural protection. The Amis Folk Center, by the headquarters of the national scenic area administration (which has a good visitor center), has replicas of traditional indigenous architecture, a cultural exhibition area, craf ts, specialty products for sale, and traditional song-anddance performances (weekends).

We

had stayed in a cabin at a very inviting “spa villa” south of Chenggong town on the night of Day One (see our “Stay” article). Much against my will, my over-energized travel partners insisted I get up much before dawn on Day Two to catch the justly acclaimed sunrise at Sanxiantai, on Chenggong’s north. I obliged, am now happy I obliged – no earlybird I, but I’m also always pleased af ter the fact, and a bit more sleep.

Sanxiantai is a small volcanic island said to resemble three Daoist deities, in petrif ied form, who visited here on an immortal cross-ocean f light journey long ago. You reach it via a long, dragonshaped arch bridge. The island, today an eco-preserve, is the East Coast’s most famous landmark and most popular tourist site. Be sure to take the island-looping trail, a 90-minute walk, bridge included.

Sanxiantai, today an eco-preserve, is the East Coast’s most famous landmark and most popular tourist site Af ter our Sanxiantai outing I had a snooze back at our villa and then went on an invigorating bike ride on an old section of the coastal highway. It was then back in the car and on to the Baxian Caves. These are the “Caves of the Eight Immortals,” a key Taiwan archeological site. Numerous large caves, carved out by wave action and now pushed high above sea level by tectonic activity, are linked by paths and stairs. Visit the small visitor center f irst for a basic explanation in English. Once home to some of Taiwan’s earliest settlers, today a number of caves also house Buddhist/Daoist shrines.

Sunrise at Sanxiantai

Bicycle Outings

y 11 de or so, Highwa In the pa st deca ly. Sout h of the nd rie f le yc ver y bic d bi ke la nes/ ha s been made an sy ea r, gr ades are Xi ugul ua n Ri ve Th . ere are more and well-ma rked ins shou lder s wide n, where mounta ua ul ug Xi h of the road e th a, chal lenges nort se in es wn to dip to . at times come do there are tu nnels re wi nd ing, and mo is . d ul an lpf he ws y na rro is ver en ic area we bs ite The na tiona l sc

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Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE Taitung

Fugang

Xiaoyeliu

Sanxiantai

Baxian Caves

Shitiping

Hualien

Further north, the Baqi Lookout is at one of the highest points on the highway, a place of cooling breezes and tremendous views. Far below and beyond the highway snakes around promontories, and f ishing boats slowly make their way in and out to sea.

Small fishing harb or

While here, also be sure to cross the highway to the lovely f ronting bay, where the offshore waters are dynamically divided into bright pastels. Locals informed us that the ships on the horizon heading north were riding the powerf ul Kuroshio Current for extra speed and f uel-savings.

Those heading south were f urther out to avoid the current, and of course looked smaller.

Everyone stops at the soaring Tropic of Cancer Marker to take a quick photo – and so did we. Stand spread-eagled before the obelisk and half of you is in the tropics, half in the subtropics. The marker is about two kilometers north of the Hualien-Taitung county border.

We did not visit the wildly popular Hualien Farglory Ocean Park because it deserves a f ull day and because it did not f it the “trip ingredients” I gave you in my opening. Rest assured, however, it’s a heck of a lot of f un, with rides galore, a fairytale castle, lagoon, underwater world, marine-animal shows, and more. Something important: management policy is to use show animals saved f rom unpleasant prospects, not snatched f rom the wild.

Tiring but contented, at 8 p.m. we pulled up at the rental agency’s off ice right in f ront of Hualien Railway Station, dropped off the car, picked up food and drink for the ride home, and headed home on a Ziqiang-class train at 9:10 (ticket NT$440). We pulled into Taipei at 12:05 and I was in bed at 1 a.m., lulled to sleep by the soothing sound of Pacif ic breakers still in my ears.

Shitiping is a wild place of dramatic terraced volcanic rock, surging tide pools, and teeming marine li fe

Shitiping

means “stone steps.” The great erosive powers of the sea are in dramatic evidence here in this wild place of dramatic terraced volcanic rock, surging tide pools, and teeming marine life. Again, take advantage of the good explanatory info at the bright, attractive visitor center.

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Travel in Taiwan

Shitiping ENGLISH & CHINESE

Amis Folk Center 阿美族民俗中心 芭崎瞭望台 Baqi Lookout 八仙洞 Baxian Caves Dulan Sugar Factory 都蘭新東糖廠 東河包子 Donghe Baozi 花東縱谷 East Rift Valley Fugang Fishing Harbor 富岡漁港

和運租車 Hotai Leasing Corp. 三仙台 Sanxiantai 石梯坪 Shitiping Tropic of Cancer Marker 北回歸線碑 小野柳 Xiaoyeliu 秀姑巒溪 Xiuguluan River 自強號 Ziqiang

Photos/ Sunny Su, Twelli

Tak ing the Bus If you don’t feel like doing your own drivi ng, here’s two ideas. The inexpensiv e Taiw an Touri st Shut tle service (www.taiwantrip .com.tw) opera tes coach shutt les betw een Taitu ng City and Sanx ianta i. Hop on and of f at the stops along the way, paying by section. The Taiw an Tour Bus service (www.taiwantour bus.c om.tw ) of fers great-value, f ullpackage bus tours in Engli sh.

STAY

Big Sea Views and Cool Sea Breezes Accommodation Options on the East Coast

By Rick Charette

Almost

all of the dozens of newly-built coastal minsu, or homestays, add pleasant visuals to the landscape, and many of these might be more accurately described as inns, though without the f ull range of services. From personal experience I can specially recommend two spots. Pakelang (8 rooms), south of the Xiuguluan River, is Amis-owned. On the ocean down a winding lane passing paddy, cornf ield, and f iref lies, stay in a ship-shaped building or thatch hut-style cabin room, enjoying the native art and occasional shows. There's also camping.

Adagio (20 rooms), which overlooks the Shitiping scenic area, is a chic and modern facility with a wood-and-stone theme, alf resco breakfast/dinner dining with Amis-tribe dishes including f lying f ish, and seashore/f ishing harbor tours (Chinese).

Pakelang

Fu Jhang V illa

My f irst

exploration of the coast between the cities of Taitung and Hualien happened way back in 1988, in “Rick’s Taiwan Life Year One.” Our youngest readers may think dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land back then, but I declare this a myth. What is true is that little was available in terms of accommodations between the cities. Yesterday and today is like the Dark Ages and glorious modernity – today you f ind a huge 5-star hotel above Hualien Farglory Ocean Park (www.f arglor y-hotel.com.tw), there’s been an explosion of homestays in the past decade, and small, quiet, cozy resorts dot the route.

In the last category is Fu Jhang Villa (20 rooms). I cannot say enough about this place, south of Chenggong town, perhaps my favorite accommodation choice in Taiwan. Perhaps it’s because I’m Canadian, and the main building and ad joining cabins are in the Canadian Rockies style, the wood imported f rom Canada and the building technique studied by the owner there. The owner has labelled this a “spa villa”; it’s right over the Pacif ic, and on the upper slope behind the main building is a cool-water pool with spiritually invigorating sea views, Bali-style cabins, and a Bali-style coffee bar with outdoor seating. There’s food and drink on the breezy, open-faced main-building covered terrace, and oceanside barbecuing. Take advantage of the f ree bikes; the villa is on an old highway section (new section up-slope behind), and you have miles of quiet seaside exploring with just water buffalo, inshore anglers, and farmers for company.

FU JHANG VILLA ( 福樟 VILLA)

Add : 27 - 5 Fengtian Rd., Xinyi Borough, Chenggong Township, Taitung County ( 台東縣成功鎮信義里豐田路 27 - 5 號 ) Tel : ( 089 ) 841 - 639 Website : www.lodge.com.tw (Chinese) PAKELANG ( 巴歌浪船屋民宿 )

Add : 15 , Dafengfeng, Zhangyuan Village, Changbin Township, Taitung County ( 台東縣長濱鄉樟原村大峰峰 15 號 ) Tel : 0920 - 196 - 504 / 0939 - 113 - 053 Website : pakelang.e089.com.tw (Chinese) ADAGIO (緩慢 )

Add : 123 Shiti Bay, Fengbin Township, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣豐濱鄉石梯灣 123 號 ) Tel : ( 04 ) 2251 - 2000 Website : www.theadagio.com.tw (Chinese)

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Travel in Taiwan

EAT

The Blue Pacific, in Culinary Form On an East Coast seaside road trip, the bright blue Pacific is almost always in grand view, small fishing harbors regularly roll by, and the freshest marine catch is highlighted on menus. By Rick Charette I especiall y en joyed the “Ol ympic crab,” so named by the Amis because it runs so fast

Amis fusion cuisine Olympic crab

You can eat well for NT$500~1000 per person. The hotpot is more than f illing enough for three people, as my group discovered during our recent road-trip visit.

The star attraction is the different types of raw f ish slices provided, notably the sailf ish. Not knowing how f illing this would be, we also ordered sashimi and other treats. Yes, the sof t, delectable sailf ish was the sashimi star. The staff reported that “99.99%” of the restaurant’s seafood is f rom Chenggong’s harbor, and since in the past most of the sailf ish was exported to Japan, the sailf ish cuisine here remains an unusual Taiwan culinary experience. We f inished with a deliciously ref reshing dessert-type creation presented like a martini, with chunks of ocean sunf ish (mambo f ish) skin in crushed ice with a helping of lime. The transparent chunks were very gelatinous, with no hint of f ishiness.

Rustic,

laid-back Atomo Arifowang Canglah restaurant is at the highway’s 72.5-km mark, not far south of the Xiuguluan River.

Overlooking the ocean, it is in the style of a large thatch hut, features Amis art and decorative trappings such as f ish nets, and is open on the east side to the sea breezes.

The cuisine is Amis f usion, and the chef is highly inventive. She uses only what’s in season, and there’s no menu; tell her your budget and see what she

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Travel in Taiwan

brings. We ate well for NT$800 per person. I especially enjoyed the “Olympic crab,” so named by the Amis because it runs so fast, the Amis-style wood-grilled pork rib, and the Amisstyle salt-encrusted BBQ f ish.

Sailfish sashimi

MAKAIRA COFFEE (佳濱成功旗魚專賣店 )

Add : 65 - 1 Datong Rd., Chenggong Township, Taitung County ( 台東縣成功鎮大同路 65 - 1 號 ) Tel : ( 089 ) 854 - 899 / 0932 - 396089 Website : www.makaira.com.tw (Chinese) ATOMO ARIFOWANG CANGLAH ( 陶甕百合春天 )

Add : 15 , Dafengfeng, Zhangyuan Village, Changbin Township, Taitung County ( 台東縣長濱鄉樟原村大峰峰 15 號 ) Tel : ( 03 ) 878 - 1479 / 0921 - 633 - 406

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Chenggong Olympic crab Sunfish Xiuguluan River

成功 奧運螃蟹 曼波魚 秀姑巒溪

Photos/ Sunny Su, Twelli

Not

far north of Taitung City is Chenggong, a harbor town, and in this town is Makaira Coffee, right on the main drag (Provincial Highway No. 11).

The f irst f loor surprises – it is f illed with f reezers. Catch f rom the local harbor is sold here. On the second f loor is an upscale restaurant. The specialty here is sailf ish, the “makaira” in the business name.

BUY

You’ll

East Coast Specialties Indigenous Arts and Crafts / Tasty Snack Treats It should come as no surprise that indigenous arts and crafts are front and center when it comes to deciding on which East Coast souvenir items to take home. By Rick Charette

Tree bark hat and woven bags

find arts and crafts on sale at numerous locations along the coast, but I strongly recommend you hold off buying anything until you’ve visited the Dulan Sugar Factory heritage complex, where the Good-Buy shop is housed in a small building that originally served as an administration office. Despite its limited size there is a wide-ranging selection: works from over 80 indigenous artists and craftsmen are displayed, 70% of them created locally.

Attractive indigenous-theme bags and other practical items are handmade by 87-year-old Mama Chen, f rom Taimali south of Taitung City. She is a member of the Paiwan tribe, which excels at embroidery and glass-bead decoration, and classic totems such as the revered hundred-pace pit viper f igure prominently in her work.

While remaining true to tradition, however, she also incorporates modern elements to satisf y today’s consumers.

In days past the Amis tribe made such items as hats and sheaths f rom bark. Af ter it was lost for 60 years, Dulan chief Ba Nai revived the art af ter f inding an ancestor’s bark jacket in a hunting cabin.

Off icially declared a national treasure for his work, Ba Nai makes startlingly alluring hats and other apparel in old and new styles that have a surprisingly sof t texture. His range even extends to f ull wedding dresses.

Outside

the Baxian Caves (see main Feature article) is a neat line of shaded, well-stocked souvenir shops. The items here are quantity-produced yet of solid quality, and are sold at reasonable prices. Items I f ind especially attractive, and which I or family members have bought over the years, include Amis-theme clothing, indigenous-totem handbags, carved walking canes, beautif ul area-sourced polished stones, wooden prayer beads, and traditional woven farmers’ hats.

Outside Hualien Railway Station, facing the wide, inviting square f ronting it, are many mingchan or “famous products” outlets. All these feature wellknown Hualien-area processed snacks. On this trip I bought delicious Amis mochi; Japanese mochi features glutinous rice, but the Amis have introduced millet. Flavors range f rom sesame and green tea to kid-exciting strawberry and pineapple much appreciated by my nephew and two nieces.

GOOD-BUY ( 好的擺 )

Add : 61 - 1 Dulan Village, Donghe Township, Taitung County( 台東縣東河鄉都蘭村 61 - 1 號 ) Tel : ( 089 ) 531 - 702 Website : zh-tw.facebook.com/goodbuy 959 (Chinese) ENGLISH & CHINESE

Ba Nai Mama Chen mingchan Taimali

巴奈 陳媽媽 名產 太麻里

Back pack with indigenous embroider y

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Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

The Strange and the Beautiful Taiwan’s Amazing Coastal Rock Formations

Taiwan, sitting on the Rim of Fire, is very young and immature in geological terms. It is being hurled up from the sea at a rapid rate as two tectonic plates, the Eurasian Plate and Philippine Sea Plate, jostle for position. The result is many bizarre, wonderful, everevolving coastal landscape formations, with additional sculpting added by Mother Nature wielding her wind, wave, and other artist tools.

By Rick Charette

Here’s

my selection for f ive of the best coastal rock formations found on Taiwan and its offshore islands.

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Travel in Taiwan

Yeliu

Nanya and Longdong

On the north coast not far f rom Taipei is the f ishing port of Yeliu, with Yeliu Geopark adjoining (entry fee). The town and port are at the tip of a cape, and the park is at the edge of the town, on a headland sliver that resembles an upside-down crooked f inger. Bizarre sandstone and coral formations on the rocky promontory have been carved by Mother Nature. The gallery of works includes a bust of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti, Cinderella’s lost slipper, burning candles (to my mind, by far the most beautif ul), and eggs lef t to hatch by ancient sea monsters. The works are fast-transforming, for the sandstone is sof t and Mother Nature’s tools persistent and eff icient.

Located on the northeast coast, Nanya features gnarled and twisted sandstone and exposed-iron rock formations shaped by patient wind/ water erosion. Oxidization has turned the iron brilliant shades of red, striping the many artistic sculptures. The most famous work here is a giant striated pile resembling a huge block of twotone ice-cream in the process of melting.

The artworks are all in the f irst section nearest the mainland, accessed by wide, comfortable boardwalks.

If time allows, af ter enjoying the formations walk the footpath that takes you to the promontory’s tip. The views f rom the lighthouse here are stunning, the sea wrapping around you almost 360 degrees.

Longdong is also on the northeast coast. The stark cliffs here rise up almost directly f rom the surf, hundreds of meters high in places. Massive boulders lie at the bottom, and you can sometimes make out their original locations on the cliffs. For good reason, this spot is one of the most popular rock-climbing locations in north Taiwan. “Longdong” means “dragon hole,” and the Longdongwan Cape Trail gives you viewing access of the massive cliff-bottom cave, today well above the sculpting surf, where dragons may well have once lived.

Photos/ Vision Int'l

Yeliu’s famous Queen’s Head Rock

SCENERY Penghu

Lit tle Liuqiu

Nanya Jialeshui

Little Liuqiu / Vase Rock

Penghu / Tongpan Island

Jialeshui

Little Liuqiu, a small island off Taiwan’s southwest coast, is composed of coral. There are fantastic rock formations all around the island, with Vase Rock perhaps the most popular. The area abounds in colorf ul underwater marine life, which you can enjoy in a semi-submersible or glass-bottom boat.

Other key nature-sculpted attractions are Beauty Cave, Black Dwarf Cave, and Wild Boar Ditch.

Much of this Penghu archipelago of 64 small islands in the Taiwan Strait, which locals proudly describe as “pearls sprinkled in the turquoise sea,” was formed long ago by volcanic activity that has long since ceased. Basaltcolumn cliffs rising f rom the sea are a common sight – formed as lava shot up f rom the sea f loor, was quick-cooled by seawater and then air, and almost instantly contracted and cracked.

Located near the south tip of Taiwan, on the east-coast side, this stretch of comparatively isolated coastline (stretching about 2.5 km; entry fee) is one of Taiwan’s premier geological classrooms. It has been said that the landscape here looks more like that of another planet than that of spaceship Earth. Three different geological layers are clearly discerned, the carved outcroppings of the exposedsandstone stratum resembling such familiar f igures as the hare, f rog, seahorse, beehive, and chessboard. A long signposted trail guides you through the area.

The best viewing destination is Tongpan Island, which features a basalt mesa platform and is almost entirely ringed with neatly stacked cliff columns. There is a trail atop the mesa. This island is a regularstop on boat tours f rom the main Penghu islands; you’ll feel you are visiting a whimsical work created by giants.

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Beauty Cave Black Dwarf Cave Jialeshui Little Liuqiu Longdong Longdongwan Cape Trail Nanya Penghu Tongpan Island Vase Rock Wild Boar Ditch Yeliu Yeliu Geopark

美人洞 烏鬼洞 佳樂水 小琉球 龍洞 龍洞灣岬步道 南雅 澎湖 桶盤嶼 花瓶石 山豬溝 野柳 野柳地質公園

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Travel in Taiwan

INDIGENOUS CULTURE

Taiwan’s Indigenous Peoples

Yesterday

More than 14 indigenous peoples have inhabited the island, but the fate of these others has been to fade into the mists of history. In modern times many of the plainsdwelling peoples have been absorbed into the much larger body of Han Chinese, who began arriving in Taiwan en masse in the 1600s.

A Look at the Amis and Their Many Fellow Tribes

No one knows if the ancestors targeted Taiwan or if the forces of fate merely placed the island in their way. It is agreed that this is the northernmost bastion of the great Austronesian diaspora, which stretches from Madagascar in the west to Hawaii and Easter Island in the east and to New Zealand in the south. It is not agreed if Taiwan was merely one destination of these peoples on the move or if it was in fact a diaspora launch pad.

Today They landed on Taiwan’s shores long, long ago, crossing the open and often hostile sea on small craft the people of today might not consider “oceangoing.” These hardy and intrepid folk were the ancestors of today’s 14 officially recognized indigenous peoples. Let’s have a closer look at yesterday and today, with a special look at one group, the Amis. By Rick Charette

The indigenous population today is just over 500,000. In Chinese the term yuanzhumin is used, literally “original inhabitants,” with “aborigine” self-selected as an acceptable translation. “Tribe” is most commonly used for each ethnic group. Though all are Austronesian, the tribal languages are mutually unintelligible, and the traditional cultures have featured surprisingly little crosspollination. In the past, intertribal hostility was the norm.

Starting in the 1990s, the tribes have been more assertive, the government has focused more resources in support, and the general public has developed an interest in all things indigenous. Today, interested travelers have a wide selection of museums, theme parks, and tourist-friendly festival celebrations and village visits to choose from.

The three largest tribes are the Amis, Atayal, and Paiwan. Since we visit the Amis home area in our Feature article this issue, the east coast, we have a special introduction of the tribe below. The Atayal number just over 81,000, and inhabit north Taiwan’s central mountainous region. The tribe is known for sophisticated weaving skills featuring intricate designs and patterns; in days past these loomed large in defining a woman’s social status. The traditional area of the Paiwan tribe, which numbers just over 90,000, is the south part of the Central Mountain Range. The tribe is renowned for its attractive glazed-bead ornamentation and skill in carving wood and stone. Its best-known aesthetic motif, and most powerful totem, is a stylized version of the hundred-pace pit viper; traditional belief is that the tribe is descended from this snake.

Skilled woodcarving is in fact found among all Taiwan tribes.

When traveling on the east coast, watch for woodcarvers moving along the shore in the hunt for driftwood, especially after storms. This is their main source of raw material.

Memb ers of the Amis in Hualien Count y

Photos/ Jen Guo-chen, Cheryl Robbins, Vision Int'l

Here are the 14 tribes: Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Kavalan (or Kamalan), Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Sakizaya, Sediq, Thao, Truku (or Taroko), Tsou, and Yami (or Tao).

AMIS Learning More Here are some recommended places to go f or a strong general introduction to the various tribes.

The Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines (www.museum.org.tw), in Taipei, has permanent and special exhibits along w ith animated f ilms on tribal legends. The Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village (www.nine.com.tw) is a large theme park close to Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County with scores of f ull-scale mock-ups of traditional tribal architecture, handicraf ts and other demonstrations, colorf ul song-and-dance shows, and traditional foods. In the same vein is the Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Culture Park (www.tacp.gov.tw), in Pingtung County.

In the city of Taitung is the Beinan Cultural Park and the National Museum of Prehistory (www.nmp.gov. tw). The park is an outdoor museum created around an active excavation site dating f rom the Neolithic Age. The museum displays the f indings f rom this site, its exhibitions introducing Taiwan’s histor y f rom the time of the f irst human inhabitants to today ’s indigenous peoples.

Also highly recommended are visits to indigenous villages and to tribal festivals. Your best next-step source for guidance on these is the Taiwan Tourism Bureau website (www.taiwan.net.tw).

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Amis Atayal Beinan Cultural Park Bunun Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village Kavalan (or Kamalan) National Museum of Prehistory Paiwan Puyuma Rukai Saisiyat Sakizaya Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines Thao Truku (or Taroko) Tsou Yami (or Tao) yuanzhumin

阿美族 泰雅族 卑南文化公園 布農族 九族文化村 噶瑪蘭族 國立台灣史前 文化博物館 排灣族 卑南族 魯凱族 賽夏族 奇萊族 順益台灣原住 民博物館 邵族 太魯閣族 鄒族 雅美族 ( 達悟族 ) 原住民

Amis b elle

Dancing at the annual har vest festival

The Amis The Amis people live on the rugged, still isolated east coast, on the narrow plains and in the valleys. Most live on the f latlands; no settlements are above 500 meters. They form Taiwan’s largest tribal grouping, today numbering above 190,000. Amis villages tend to be larger than those of other groups, with 200 and 1,000 inhabitants. Fishing today remains an important source of wealth; hunting is now primarily for ritual or recreational purposes.

The tribe was the first to begin cultivating paddy fields using oxen. Millet was grown in quantity, most used for the millet wine consumed in rituals and celebrations.

In addition to woven bamboo and rattan utensils and practical items such as f ishing nets, the Amis were the only tribal people on Taiwan proper to have preserved the art of pottery-making (the Yami, on Orchid Island, also make pottery). Only women were engaged in the craft, creating food vessels or containers such as rice pots, steamers, and ewers.

Sacrificial vessels, the private property of individuals, were also crafted; these were buried with the owners.

In the past the tribe had a matrilineal clan structure and system of inheritance.

Decisions regarding such family matters as property holdings and finance were the responsibility of the female head of household. Public matters, such as those pertaining to religion, consensual community laws, and tribal politics, were the responsibility of a male leadership group encompassing members of different age groups. This social system has seen much change as a result of Han Chinese inf luence, but still plays a role in members’ lives.

The Amis Harvest Festival, which evolved from warrior training, is perhaps the most elaborate in Taiwan. Each village stages its own celebrations, which generally go on about three days, usually around the middle of July for Taitung settlements and in August in Hualien. These events include rituals for celebrating the transformation of boys into men, and are well known for the vibrant singing and dancing of participants. Tribal members, dressed in bright and colorful traditional ceremonial attire, form a circle and dance to the chants of an elder. In the early stages only certain segments of the group will dance – females, young braves, etc.

The formal dates are set about two months in advance by tribal elders. Villages will also come together for collective harvest festivals. A number of villages invite tourists to come watch, and some even invite visitors to join the dance circles. Check in advance with the Tourism Bureau, or with the East Coast National Scenic Area Administration (www.eastcoast-nsa.gov.tw). Note that the Paiwan, Puyuma, and Rukai also hold their harvest festivals in the summer.

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Travel in Taiwan

ENJOYMENT

Henley

One

of the soaring twin towers of the Taipei Metro complex on Dunhua South Road houses the Shangri-La Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, home to one of Taipei’s top bars with a stunning view, the Marco Polo Lounge. Located on the 38th f loor of what is one of the city’s most luxurious places to stay while on a vacation or business trip, the Marco Polo Lounge is everything you’d expect from such a world-class establishment.

The crescent-shaped lounge, formed to one of the rounded sections of the hotel’s tower, features a 180-degree view of the city’s southeastern portion from the window-side tables and tables set slightly farther back. The spotless glass windows seem like a portal into the city’s soul. There is a grand view of Taipei 101, not far away, making the Marco Polo Lounge the perfect viewing spot for the famed New Year’s Eve fireworks extravaganza. But any night of the year is a great night to stop by for a drink, and to take in the bright nighttime lights of Taipei City from this glamorous vantage point.

If “glamour” has a signature drink it must be the martini, of which the Marco Polo Lounge has recently rolled

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Travel in Taiwan

out 101 different varieties.

Browse the extensive new martini menu and you’re sure to f ind several that f it your personal taste. Many of the martinis found at the Marco Polo Lounge are signature drinks concocted by the lounge’s team of expert bartenders, meaning you won’t f ind them anywhere else.

Another delight found only at the Marco Polo Lounge is its specialty tiramisu, a rich, chocolaty layered dessert served in a martini glass that is garnished with edible ribbons of chocolate on top, craf ted by hand in the hotel’s central kitchen by world-renowned chefs brought in by the hotel from around the globe. The current head chef hails from northern Italy.

Af ter a drink or two in the lounge your party may well fancy a bite to eat, and just next door is the Marco Polo Restaurant.

Larger parties of eight or more can reserve private dining rooms in advance, and in fact calling ahead to reserve a table is always advised. Many a romantic soul has used the restaurant’s dimly lit, stylish ambience as the backdrop for a proposal, with window-side lucky table number seven, called the “proposal table,” known as the ideal place to pop the question. Should you wish to do the same, the staff is willing and able to help you out with any special arrangements you might wish to make.

Photos/ Marco Polo Lounge & Restaurant, Yen

If there are two things Taipei knows how to do, it’s keeping your stomach and your glass full.

Truly, there is no shortage of places to wet your whistle or grab a great meal or even just a snack. There are a few special places, however, that will literally take your fine dining and drinking experience to new heights, and we’ve got the best of the best for you.

Come along as we take to the top of the Taipei food and drink chain. By Joe

DINING

Yen

Marco Polo Lounge & Restaurant

With a menu featuring sumptuous pasta dishes combining Eastern and Western cooking styles and techniques, there are several elegant set meals available that, while offering the very best in presentation and taste, won’t stretch your budget to the on the 31st f loor of the W breaking point.

Taipei, right in the heart of the The dress code ultra-fashionable Xinyi District, is is smart Yen, a chic and stylish yet cozy lounge casual. bar that’s both upscale and upbeat. When a lounge is in a hotel that has re-branded its Food and Beverage Department as “Beverage and Food,” you know the drinks menu is going to be topnotch and one of a kind, and that’s exactly what you get at Yen. Some of the cocktails, such as the specialty mojito, are infused with green tea – a unique combination that makes for very vibrant and refreshing f lavors that really provide the perfect pick-me-up during an evening out. Or try the Oolong Fizz, a Yen creation made with Oolong tea, gin, lemon, and sugarcane. There’s also an extensive selection of top-shelf whiskeys and wines.

Located

Special V.I.P. rooms with excellent views of the cityscape and surrounding mountains, including a closeup look at the famous Taipei 101 tower nearby, can be

reserved for a minimum charge. The f riendly, knowledgeable staff is able to expertly guide you through the menu in English, f rom cocktails to appetizers to Asian tapas and back again. The dress code is smart casual to f it with the modern, sexy, and comfortable atmosphere of this new and cutting-edge establishment, which combines the best in fashion and interior design with a professional, highly sophisticated emphasis on warm hospitality.

Yen is a great spot to chill out, but for something a bit livelier, head down to Woobar on the 10 th f loor of the hotel. This is a lounge that turns into a club, featuring Taipei’s and the world’s best DJs, in the later hours. Ladies can enjoy a signature Wonderf ul Cosmopolitan, with citrus vodka, orange liqueur, lime, and cranberry juice topped with cotton candy – one of many drinks unique to Yen and Woobar. Sink into one of Woobar’s invitingly sof t red sofas, or, if you happen to be visiting on a f ine summer day, step out onto the outdoor pool deck with a beverage in hand to enjoy yet another spectacular bird’s-eye view of what is Taipei’s most vibrant business and fashion center. Special events such as fashion shows, parties featuring international DJs, and more pop up all the time, so check the W Taipei website for updates while in Taipei.

The dress code here is also smart casual, so be sure to dress the part.

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Travel in Taiwan

ENJOYMENT

We’ve

saved the highest for last, located high up in a local attraction mentioned more than once when describing the views afforded by the previous two hotels we’ve visited on our Taipei gastronomic journey: Taipei 101. Ding Xian 101, perched on the 85th f loor of what was once the tallest building in the world, just below the tower’s observation deck, offers the most stunning vista of the city of any restaurant in the surrounding area.

Take the world’s fastest elevator up to the restaurant, and enter a dining venue that is, on some days, situated well above the clouds drif ting wistf ully by.

Ding Xian 101, which also has a smart casual dress code, features several private dining rooms, 11 in total, for parties of up to 30 guests. Each is named af ter a Taiwan county or city, with the largest and most stately being the Taipei and Kaohsiung rooms. All feature exquisite Wedgwood porcelain dinnerware imported from England – the same brand favored by the British royal family – along with handcraf ted wooden f urniture and tables. Decorations include large crystal chandeliers with energy-saving, eco-friendly LED lights, part of the restaurant’s environmentally conscious vision, and peacock color schemes that add another regal touch of elegance, including wallpaper featuring actual peacock feathers.

Photos/ Maggie Song

The menu is focused on seafood, caught around the island and shipped in f resh daily. Though seafood is the focus at myriad restaurants in Taipei and around the island, one thing you’re not likely to f ind of ten outside Ding Xian 101 is giant grouper, a specialty that requires giant tanks

V iew from Ding Xian 101’s banquet hall

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Travel in Taiwan

and specialized care given the f ish’s incredibly large size. Try some meltin-your-mouth steamed grouper to start, have a shrimp roll wrapped in lettuce, then lobster topped with roe, and eventually make your way to some famous Tainan danzai noodles, a simple yet classic Taiwanese dish consisting of noodles, f ried minced pork, and soy sauce, along with many other delicious ingredients, in a recipe that is many generations old. This particular style of danzai noodles has been served over the last 50 years by a uniquely styled Taiwanese seafood restaurant, named “Tainan Danzai Noodles,” located on Huaxi Street near Taipei’s famous Longshan Temple. Operated by the same owners, Ding Xian 101 is in fact a more upscale and luxurious version of that restaurant; and, preserving tradition, the new restaurant has set aside a small traditional-style open kitchen where danzai noodles are prepared.

Smaller parties can also drop in at the main dining area just beyond the entrance, though calling at least one or two days in advance to reserve a table is advised, to eat and enjoy the views of the city and the Yangmingshan peaks in the distance. On clear days, patrons can also trace the progress of the Tamsui River as it makes its way toward the sea on the north coast, tens of kilometers f rom Taipei 101.

The main dining area is open for lunch and dinner, and there are plans to offer af ternoon tea in f uture. A banquet hall for weddings and corporate events for parties of up to 300 is also available, and this hall, along with the private dining rooms, is equipped with multimedia gear for video/photo presentations on large projector screens.

DINING

One thing the main dining area and all the rooms here feature, in common with the other venues we’ve covered, is a view you’ll get nowhere else in Taipei, and nowhere else in the world for that matter. Come for the amazing food, and stay for the unforgettable sights.

YEN AND WOOBAR (W TAIPEI)

Ding Xian 101

Add: 10 Zhongxiao E. Rd., Sec. 5 , Taipei City ( 台北市忠孝東路 5 段 10 號 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 7703 - 8888 Website: www.wtaipei.com.tw MARCO POLO RESTAURANT (FAR EASTERN PLAZA HOTEL TAIPEI) (馬可波羅餐廳 / 台北遠東國際大飯店 ) Add: 201 Dunhua S. Rd., Sec. 2 , Taipei City ( 台北市敦化南路 2 段 201 號 )

Tel: ( 02 ) 2376 - 3156 Website: www.feph.com.tw

DING XIAN 101 (TAIPEI 101) ( 頂鮮 101 / 台北 101)

Add: 7 Xinyi Rd., Sec. 5 , Taipei City ( 台北市信義路 5 段 7 號 ) Tel: ( 02 ) 8101 - 8687 Website: www.dingxian 101 .com ENGLISH & CHINESE

danzai noodles Dunhua South Road Huaxi Street Longshan Temple

擔仔麵 敦化南路 華西街 龍山寺

Tamsui River Xinyi District Yangmingshan

淡水河 信義區 陽明山

Ding Xian 101

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Travel in Taiwan

FOOD JOURNEY

Catch of the day

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Travel in Taiwan

BLUEFIN TUNA

Indulging in Bluefin Tuna at Donggang Harbor If you love your fish raw and fresh from the ocean, head to Donggang in southwestern Taiwan. In early summer everything in this harbor town revolves around the annual bluefin tuna catch, and you’ll have the chance to sample the best-tasting – and possibly most expensive – tuna sashimi you’ll ever find. By Owain Mckimm

At Donggang Fish Market

The

For visitors to Donggang, the most astonishing thing about the f ish, apart from the taste, is probably the price. Hong Dewen, one of the f ish sellers who set up permanent stalls at the market, tells my friends and I that a good cut from the upper belly, the most expensive part of the f ish, can easily sell for around NT$12,000 per kilogram. He says that the price of tuna has gone up a lot this year because the amount of f ish caught has decreased enormously. The most bluef in tuna ever caught in one season by Donggang f ishermen was over 11,000, but that was around ten years ago. Last year only 779 of the f ish From earl y May to Jul y, Donggang – southern Taiwan’s biggest fishing harbor – were caught.

Photos/ Ivy Chen

f ish is lif ted f rom the boat with a crane. Hanging by its tail with its head almost touching the ground, it’s taller than many of the f ishermen who crowd around trying to lower it onto a trolley. The excitement in Donggang Fish Market is palpable. It’s the f irst catch of the day, and as the f ish is wheeled away to be weighed and sold, an avid crowd of onlookers follow it like a gaggle of teenage fans desperate to catch a glimpse of a Korean boy band. It’s mid-May in Donggang, Pingtung County, and tuna fever has descended upon the town.

From early May to early July, Donggang – southern Taiwan’s biggest is obsessed with the f ishing harbor – is obsessed with the Pacif ic bluef in tuna. The gigantic f ish, which can weigh up to 500 kg, is known to sashimi af icionados as “the Rolls Royce of f ish meat.” The underbelly, called “toro” in Japan, is source of one of the most expensive sashimi cuts due to the fatty meat’s beautif ul snow y-pink color. In fact, Japan buys 80% of Donggang’s tuna catch; but since the Donggang Bluef in Tuna Cultural Festival was held for the f irst time back in 2001, more and more Taiwanese have gained a taste for the succulent, melt-in-your-mouth meat. Practically every part of the f ish can be used in cooking. The skin, the spine, the eyes, the lower jaw – all are used in dishes ranging f rom medicinal soups to teppanyaki.

Paci fic blue fin tuna

The f irst tuna of the season was sold on May 2nd for NT$1.36 million to a Japanese supermarket in Taichung in central Taiwan. Hong says that both the color and fat content of the meat is integral in deciding how high the price will be. He takes us to the back of his stall and shows us a large slab from a tuna’s underbelly. The part of the underbelly nearest the jaw is the fattiest, he says, and thus the most expensive. The middle section is a little less so, and the part nearest the tail, which has the least fat, is the cheapest.

The meat from the upper belly looks a little like oily ham, and Hong says another reason it is the most expensive is because there are no tough tendons or sinews in this area. The meat is described as having the texture of ice-cream.

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Travel in Taiwan

FOOD JOURNEY Hong then points to a smaller cut f rom the tuna’s back. The color ranges f rom the deep burgundy of a rich Italian red wine to the gentle pink of cherry blossoms. He says that for this kind of cut, the redder the meat the better, and it is commonly used in sushi or l ightly f r ied and doused w ith pepper – doing an excellent impression of Japan’s famously high-quality Matsusaka beef.

Chen

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Travel in Taiwan

In April and June, bluef in tuna gather near Luzon Island in the Philippines to spawn, Wang says. They then circle the Pacif ic following the Kuroshio, a current of warm water originating off the east coast of Taiwan and f lowing past Japan before turning eastward and merging into the North Pacif ic Current. Wang says that Taiwanese f ishermen are becoming more and more reluctant to venture f urther south than the 21st parallel because of fears that they will be detained by the Philippine government for breaching declared f ishing boundaries. This accounts in some measure for the dramatic drop in the number of bluef in tuna caught over the last ten years, but Wang says another concern is that the bluef in population is being overf ished. He says that around 70% of the tuna caught this year have been older f ish, weighing between 300 and 360 kg. While this may be good news for the f ishermen, who bring in more money with each bigger f ish, Wang sees the steady decline in the number of young tuna as a warning that the population may be heading for a crash. He encourages visitors to buy and eat responsibly, and to try to educate themselves about the conservation of the species in addition to the gastronomy.

Photos/ Ivy Chen

The meat of the middle belly is firmer and much less fatty than that of the upper belly, and resists ever so slightly before collapsing like crushed ice between your teeth

Wen-ming, the skipper of the ship that caught the tuna we saw being lif ted onto a trolley earlier, says that during the bluef in tuna festival, boats f rom Taiwan usually f ish in an area of ocean near Taiwan’s Orchid and Green islands. For this kind of big f ish, he explains, a f ishing Donggang Harbor technique called longline f ishing is used. A line is strung out far behind Bluefin tuna sashimi the ship, kept af loat with buoys.

Around 800 hooks baited with squid hang down f rom this line at regular intervals. When a bluef in tuna is landed, the crew immediately bleeds and guts the f ish, stuffs the internal cavity with ice, and puts it into storage. When enough tuna is caught, the boat makes the journey back to Donggang to sell the f ish. Af ter selling, it’s straight back out to sea again. Chen says the most bluef in tuna he’s ever caught on one trip is nine. The 252 kg f ish that Chen has brought back and sold this morning went for just over NT$400,000. Wang Chih-min of the Donggang Fishermen's Association estimates that the buyer, who is now busy carving up the f ish at his stall, will be able to make a prof it of around NT$200,000 on the f ish by selling the meat to restaurants which may charge up to NT$500 per slice.

BLUEFIN TUNA

To

try some of Donggang’s tuna cuisine, we go to Zhang Jia Shi Tang, a local restaurant specializing in dishes made using the Pacif ic bluef in. Proprietor Zhang Tai-fang prepares a selection of the celebrated bluef in sashimi for us to try. First we sample a sliver of the coveted upper belly section closest to the lower jaw of the f ish, snow y with fat and NT$500 a slice.

This prime cut is only available during the bluef in tuna season and is not on the restaurant’s menu, but can be requested.

It lives up to its reputation as melt-in-your-mouth; it’s so sebaceous that the meat must almost be sucked f rom between the reams of fat, making the overall experience a little like eating a barbecue rib. More to our taste is the slice of middle belly. At NT$200 a slice it’s f irmer and much less fatty than the meat f rom the upper belly, and resists ever so slightly before collapsing like crushed ice between your teeth. A very slight hint of fat lingers af ter swallowing, but it complements rather than overpowers. This slice, all in my group agree, is certainly worthy of the bluef in tuna’s lauded status as king of sashimi. The restaurant also offers such other dishes as bluef in matsusaka, grilled bluef in chin, and bluef in sausage, for between NT$80 and NT$400 per serving.

For those wanting to spend a little less, buying a small selection of tuna meat from the market is surprisingly easy. Simply give the seller a f igure and let him prepare a selection of cuts for you. For a reasonable NT$300 we receive a range of eleven slices, packed in ice and ready for transportation. Whether you’re a sashimi connoisseur or simply sashimi-curious, tasting Donggang’s Rolls Royce of fish meat is not something you can afford to miss.

Getting there and around: From directly opposite Kaohsiung Railway Station, take a Chung-Nan Bus Company bus directly to Donggang (in Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area). Buses depart approximately ever y 30 minutes, and the journey takes one hour.

Donggang itself is relatively small, and can be explored comfortably by bicycle. Most of the small hotels will allow you to rent or borrow bicycles during your stay.

Elders at a local temple who give blessings to fishermen ZHANG JIA SHI TANG ( 張家食堂)

Add: 65-1, Sec. 2. Guangfu Rd., Donggang Township, Pingtung County ( 屏東縣東港鎮光復路二段 65 - 1 號 ) Tel : ( 08 ) 833 - 7251 Website : www.toropro.com.tw Hours : Mon ~ Sun 11 : 30 am ~ 2 : 30 pm, 5 pm ~ 9 : 30 pm DONGGANG FISH MARKET ( 東港魚市場 )

Add : 175 Xinsheng 3 rd Road, Donggang Township, Pingtung County ( 屏東縣東港鎮新生三路 175 號 ) Hours : 9 . 30 am ~ noon (closed on Fridays; some vendors start selling their fish earlier and stay open until the late afternoon)

More information about Donggang and the Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area can be found at www.dbnsa.gov.tw.

ENGLISH & CHINESE

bluefin tuna Chen Wen-ming Chung-Nan Bus Company Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area Donggang Donggang Bluefin Tuna Cultural Festival Donggang Fish Market Green Island Hong De-wen Lanyu (Orchid Island) Wang Chih-min Zhang Tai-fang

黑鮪魚 陳文明 中南客運 大鵬灣國家風景區 東港 東港黑鮪魚文化觀光季 東港魚市場 綠島 洪德文 蘭嶼 王志民 張泰芳

BEST BIKE ROUTES

Bitan to

Tamsui

Cycling Taipei South to North, Into the Country’s Past By Tobias T ilsiter

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Travel in Taiwan

TAIPEI

For

most of human history, waterways have been highways. For most of Taiwan’s history, the quickest way f rom Tainan in the south to Taipei in the north was by boat along the coast, and the quickest way f rom what is now Taipei’s southern suburb of Xindian to the north-coast port of Tamsui was by boat along the Xindian and Tamsui rivers.

Boats are commemorated in the name of the city’s oldest district, Wanhua. The place name “Wanhua” is derived f rom the Japanese (Manga) and Hoklo/Taiwanese (Bangka) transliterations of the Ketagalan aboriginal word for the canoes (banka) used to transport charcoal and sweet potatoes downriver to sell to the earliest Han Chinese immigrants.

The Keelung River, which enters the Taipei Basin f rom the east, was subsequently used to move coal and ore f rom hill mines around Jiufen and Ruifang. The Dahan River, f rom the southwest, was used to bring tea, camphor, and indigo dye f rom Sanxia and Daxi.

Following the invention of steam trains and gasoline-powered cars and trucks, rivers became obstructions. Grand bridges were built to span them, and levees were constructed to protect citizens f rom f looding. The waterways were soon all but forgotten.

Today

the rivers are f lourishing again. Private tourist yachts, public ferries, f ishing boats, and at least one large imitation Mississippi-style steamer work their way up and down the main channels. The real renaissance is on the riverbanks, however, where tens of thousands of cyclists ride the latest racing models or rent low-cost bikes f rom government-tendered kiosks. Weekends are busiest, with student groups organizing social events and parents introducing children to the pleasures of recreational cycling, but the bike paths are also increasingly used on cool summer evenings by workers commuting to suburbs in all directions.

The several hundreds of kilometers set up in Taipei and New Taipei cities follow all the main – and even some minor – watercourses, allowing cyclists to retrace the routes taken by their forebears in earlier centuries. Bike-only paths now connect westward f rom Taipei to Sanxia and Daxi, as well as to the tourist pottery town of Yingge and the Hakka township of Longtan, with its lake-surrounded temple. To the east is the Taipei suburb of Neihu, the Xizhi and Wudu exurbs, and eventually the port of Keelung, where cyclists can connect with the north and northeast coast routes.

Bikeway along Tamsui River nor th of Dadaocheng

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Photo/ Steve Chang

The main attraction driving this phenomenon is the f reedom f rom the noise – and danger – when sharing one’s journey with cars, trucks, and motorbikes. A decade ago, if asked why they did not cycle, most people cited danger as their main concern. At that time, bicycles were predominantly ridden by schoolchildren, grandmothers, and Southeast Asian laborers. The government – central and local – determined to remake Taiwan into a country of cyclists, has built thousands of kilometers of paths, improving every county.

BEST BIKE ROUTES bag at any t ime. At all stat ions, water bottles can be f illed f rom a founta in in the forecour t. The X indian R iver is to the west, and although called a lake, Bitan is in f act a deep, slow-mov ing sect ion of r iver sided by steep forested cl if f s. These prov ide a ma jest ic backdrop to the New Ta ipei Cit y dragon-boat races held here each summer. Pedal-powered swan-shaped vessels can be hired year-round, and musicians play at r iverside eater ies; but today the focus is bikes, which can be rented f rom a ca bin a bout 300 meters to the nor th of the pedestr ian suspension br idge.

The bikeway sets of f north among sculptured f lowerbeds.

Before long, the Jingmei River branch forks of f to the right, of fering a detour to Muzha and the Taipei Zoo. Pressing on straight ahead soon brings cyclists to the Gongguan area.

At Bitan

Although called a lake, Bitan is in fact a deep, slow-moving section of river sided by steep forested cliffs This makes the 45-kilometer north-south corridor a convenient half-day adventure – longer with breaks or side excursions. Bike rental is NT$25 per hour (NT$15 weekdays), NT$150 for 4 hours, and NT$250 per day if return is to a different outlet. (Note: Rental fees at Taipei City stations may vary slightly f rom those in New Taipei City.)

Bitan,

Bali, and Tamsui all have their charms, so choosing start and end points can be tricky.

A variety of paths connects them. The following course is recommended for its special combination of sights, romance, and culinary delights.

Take the MRT X ind ian L ine to X ind ian Stat ion – bikes can be carr ied on this l ine on weekends, or in a

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Travel in Taiwan

For those w ith ch i ldren who star t to ask why they cannot sw im in the appeal ing X ind ian R iver waters, Gongguan’s Taipei Water Park, w ith its var ious amusements, w il l prov ide a welcome brea k. Others m ight l i ke to stop for a bite to eat, as the presence of the ma in Taiwan Nat ional Universit y campus near by ensures a w ide range of inexpensive restaurants and street snacks.

Anyone f ind ing their cloth ing inappropr iate for the long r ide may, in sim ilar f ash ion, ma ke use of the many inexpensive spor ts outlets.

From Gongguan the path makes a leisurely loop around Taipei’s histor ic Wanhua Distr ict before arriv ing at Dadaocheng Wharf, a gathering point for many cycl ist groups. Cof fee, snacks, and bike equipment are on sale. Those w ith time for explor ing might l ike to v isit nearby Dihua Street, famed for its shops sell ing Lunar New Year prov isions and its many histor ic houses, some dating f rom the 19th centur y when international trading f irms f illed the area.

Three k ilometers nor th of here is a tur n to the lef t that prov ides a pleasant 7-k ilometer detour around Shezi Island, actual ly a duck-head-shaped pen insula.

If you sk ip the detour, both before and af ter the nex t large br idge there are r ight tur ns for routes east along the Keelung R iver to d istr icts of nor th Ta ipei and on to Keelung itsel f.

Photos/ Twelli, Wen-zhen Fan

The main Taipei Basin cycle route, what you might call the super-highway of bike paths, runs south-to-north between Bitan (“Emerald Lake”), beside the MRT Xindian Station, and just beyond the MRT Tamsui Station in the north-coast port town of Tamsui. Land and water connections also allow you to reach the town of Bali, Tamsui’s companion town on the “Lef t Bank.” All three points are in New Taipei City, whose government has recently asked for tenders on a citywide bike-rental scheme with a special provision: that bikes may be borrowed f rom and returned to any of the dozen or so outlets. (Note: Similar bike-rental stations are currently operated within Taipei City limits, but it’s not possible to rent a bike in New Taipei City and return it at a Taipei City station, or vice-versa. Roughly, all areas west of the Tamsui and Xindian rivers, south of Jingmei Stream, and north of Guandu are in New Taipei City; in between is Taipei City.)

TAIPEI

Mississippi-st yle steamer at Guandu

Pedal-p owered b oat s at Bitan

On weekends, bikeways can get crowded

Near Taip ei’s Zhongxiao Bridge

Taip ei’s bikeways are eas y to follow

The government, determined to remake Taiwan into a country of cyclists, has built thousands of kilometers of paths, improving every county

Leisure riders

Ambitious rider

Distance marker

BEST BIKE ROUTES starting this August, returning bikes will also be possible at a new rental station in Tamsui, saving you the trip across the river.)

Sheltering on the shore below Mt. Guanyin (so named because the mountain is said to look like the Bodhisattva Guanyin’s recumbent face and body in prof ile), Bali is a historic f ishing port at the mouth of the lef t bank of the Tamsui River that actually predates its now larger neighbor opposite. Now primarily a tourist destination, it is renowned for its seafood, especially its mussel and clam dishes. Af ter returning your bike (if hired), take a ferry back to Tamsui and catch the MRT to downtown Taipei.

Having

resisted these temptations, continue northwest, with the f ine views of Yangmingshan’s peaks to the right. The path winds its way along mangrove swamps, and coffee cabins offer drinks and snacks and a longer rest than those taken for photos and to read the informative signs about the ecology created by these brackish-water-loving plants.

Further sustenance is available in Guandu, and f urther insights into local fauna and f lora, migratory birds in particular, are available at the Guandu Nature Park nearby.

Those visitors with more human cultural interests can visit the ma jor temple here, dedicated to Mazu, the seafarers’ deity. The above-mentioned Mississippi-style steamer is of ten to be seen moored nearby.

Fisherman’s Wharf Tamsui Old Street MRT Tamsui Station Bali MRT Hongshulin Station Tamsui R iver MRT Zhuwei Station Guandu Keelung R iver

Shezi Island

New Taipei Cit y

Taipei Cit y Dadaocheng Dihua Street

Dahan R iver

Tamsui and its famous sunset views is reached by continuing along the river’s right-hand side, past the even more magnif icent mangrove swamps near the MRT Hongshulin Station.

Gongguan

Xindian R iver

Tamsui’s

unique delicacies include “iron” eggs,” a-gei (tofu stuffed with bean-sprout noodles), and shrimp rolls. Its historic attractions include temples, the former British Consulate at Fort San Domingo, George Mackay’s Oxford College – as well as his grave (Mackay is a key 19th-century historical figure) – Tamsui Old Street, and Huwei Fort, built to repel the French in 1884. Many visitors are content just to wander the waterfront enjoying the views – and that famous sunset, of course.

The final leg of the cycling trip is by regular road up to Fisherman’s Wharf, for scenic views and freshly caught fish cooked on site or taken home. From here, visitors can jump on a ferry across to Bali on the opposite side of the estuary. Bikes can be transported for an extra NT$20. (Note: At Bali you can return your bike, if rented from a New Taipei City bike-rental station;

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N

Jingmei

Bitan, Xindian ENGLISH & CHINESE

a-gei Bali Bangka Bitan Dadaocheng Wharf Dahan River Dihua Street Fisherman's Wharf Fort San Domingo Oxford College Gongguan Guandu Huwei Fort "iron"eggs Jingmei River

阿給 八里 艋舺 碧潭 大稻埕碼頭 大漢溪 迪化街 漁人碼頭 紅毛城 牛津理學堂 公館 關渡 滬尾砲台 鐵蛋 景美溪

基隆河 Keelung River 左 岸 "Left Bank" 媽 祖 Mazu 觀音山 Mt. Guanyin 社子島 Shezi Island 台北市立動物園 Taipei Zoo Taipei Water Park 台北自來水園區 淡 水 Tamsui 淡水老街 Tamsui Old Street 萬華區 Wanhua District 新 店 Xindian 新店溪 Xindian River 陽明山 Yangmingshan 竹 圍 Zhuwei

Photo/ Twelli

Tak ing in the sunset at Tamsui

For those wishing to complete their journey in style, the Blue Highway tour service has boats running to Zhuwei, Guandu, and Dadaocheng. Tickets are NT$200~340, and bikes may be taken on board for no extra charge. Cruising back to downtown Taipei in the fading evening light, it is easy to reconnect with the city’s past, when the fastest mode of travel was by rivercraf t.

WHO IS THIS?

Bobe-a

here you have it, the answer for the question on page 5. Bobe-a (Taiwanese pronunciation) is the goddess Mazu's advance courier, beating his gong in the vanguard of Mazu processions, notif ying temples, villages, and towns to light incense and prepare to receive the goddess. An amusing character in affecting costume, his accouterments are steeped in symbolism. He wears only one sandal – the other foot is bare – symbolizing the ecstasy and absent-mindedness one naturally feels at the approach of the heavenly presence. He also wears a conical, helmet-shaped hat, and sports bifocals and a long moustache. Among the items the bobe-a carries is a pig trotter. The idea is that if a tiger attacks the procession it will go for the trotter and leave the marchers alone; by extension, the trotter symbolizes long life.

Photo/ Maggie Song

And

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Travel in Taiwan

TOURISM

En joying a Free Ride An Austrian Couple Visits Taiwan after Winning a Tour on a Radio Show It’s not often that you get to travel in a foreign land for free. But it does happen to a lucky few, and sometimes it does help to be smart and persistent. Just ask Franz and Ka t h a r i n a We r n e r f ro m V i e n n a , Austria, who won a free trip to Taiwan after answering questions correctly on a radio call-in show.

A t Su n M oo n L ak e

By Kurt Weidner

check, Franz and Katharina answered “200.” They weren’t (lit. “Let’s really sure of themselves, because they hadn’t expected Get Up and such a small island to have so many high mountains – even Go Away”) is a radio show produced by Radio Wien, which has more than their home country. In the third round they had been around for 13 years. Every Sunday morning f rom 10 to to decide whether the super-fast elevators of the Taipei 101 12 listeners have the chance to call in and be chosen to take skyscraper are faster going up or down. Vaguely remembering part in a 5-round travel-related Q&A session. In each round having heard something about wind resistance in tunnels, two callers compete against each other, with the one coming Franz quickly answered “slower down.” He up with the correct answer moving on to was right. the next round and the loser replaced by Taroko Gorge made such a deep another lucky caller. The caller who gives impression on the two that In the next round, the host asked the correct answer in the last round what is the equivalent word for wins a trip to the country or destination they decided to stay a few days “hurricane” used in Taiwan, and again featured on that show. longer and explore the gorge Franz and Katharina were quicker than on bike and foot the other caller, replying “typhoon.” In Franz and Katharina, who are regular the show ’s climax, with nervous tension listeners, had tried calling in numerous high, it was time to f ind out who would be going on the f ree times previously, and were f inally able to get through on Taiwan tour. The host had visited Taiwan not long before October 9th last year. They entered the quiz in the second the show, and now asked what souvenir he had brought round, replacing the caller who had failed to answer the f irst back home, which regular listeners would know. Our young question, asking how narrow Taiwan’s famous Taroko Gorge is Austrian couple said Taiwan Oolung tea, the answer was at its narrowest point (10 meters, by the way). In the second declared correct, and the two immediately leapt out of their round the callers had to tell the host how many of Taiwan’s seats in celebration. mountains are higher than 3,000 meters. Af ter a quick online

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Travel in Taiwan

Photos/ Franz & Katharina Werner

“Auf und Davon”

REPORT

Tak ing a hot-spring bath in a natural set ting

Half

a year later, they landed in Taiwan for their all-arranged, all-expensespaid trip around the island. Meeting with Travel in Taiwan on the last day of their stay here, they had nothing but praise for the experience, in its entirety. They had been part of a group of tourists of different nationality and age, who had had a lot of f un together. Among the places visited on the tour, organized by local tour operator Edison Travel, were many of Taiwan’s top tourist attractions, including Sun Moon Lake, Tainan, which is the old capital of Taiwan, Kaohsiung, south Taiwan’s ma jor harbor city, the tropical beaches of Kending at the island’s southernmost tip, and Taroko Gorge, a magnif icent world-class scenic wonder. The gorge made such a deep impression on the two that they decided to split f rom the rest of the group and stay a few days longer at their own expense. They explored the gorge on bike and foot, and even took a dip in a natural hot-spring pool.

Upon their return to Taipei, the two Austrians were treated by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau to two more short tours, to the north and northeast coast, and to a city tour of Taipei. Af ter seeing so many great sights, meeting so many f riendly people, and experiencing the delicious local cuisine – they had especially enjoyed the f resh seafood served at a f ishing-harbor restaurant and the dumplings of the famous restaurant Din Tai Fung – they wished they had time to stay on past the end of their f ree Taiwan adventure.

They did promise to come back, however, to see more of Taiwan, especially offshore islands such as Penghu and Green Island, where the two avid divers knew amazing underwater worlds were waiting to be explored.

Kathi and Franz share their Taiwan-trip experiences in their online blog at kathi- franz.blogs pot.com.

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Green Island Kending Penghu Sun Moon Lake Tainan Taroko Gorge

綠島 墾丁 澎湖 日月潭 台南 太魯閣峽谷

A t Ye liu

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Travel in Taiwan

FESTIVAL

Tables Set for

Keelung Festival The Harbor City Gets Ready to Host Some Unusual Guests

By Mark Caltonhill

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Travel in Taiwan

KEELUNG

In

a break with a tradition dating back 157 years, tables of Western food will be laid out this year alongside the more usual Chinese fare at the Keelung Mid-Summer Ghost Festival (August 30~31), for the feeding of hungry ghosts. Also for the f irst time, a priest will perform Christian rituals beside Buddhist and Daoist counterparts. This strange turn of events derives f rom a unique combination of religious belief and historical circumstance.

The 7th lunar month (Aug. 17 ~ Sep. 15 this year) is also known as Ghost Month, since according to popular belief the Gates of Hell are open the f ull month and spirits of the deceased are f ree to wander the earth. Given the Han Chinese people’s complex help-andbe-helped relationship with their ancestors, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Except, that is, in the case of “hungry ghosts” (more commonly called “good brethren”), who do not have descendents making regular offerings and who might therefore cause trouble rather than offer help f rom the af terlife. Elaborate ceremonies and fabulous feasts are prepared to placate them.

These celebrations are held all over Taiwan, but the largest and one of the most colorf ul takes place in Keelung. It culminates at the small f ishing port of Badouzi, where f loating lanterns are launched onto the sea. Curiously, these lanterns are all decorated with a single Chinese character, such as 謝 (xie; “gratitude”), 林 (lin; “wood”), and 江 ( jiang; “river”).

Elaborate ceremonies and fabulous f easts are prepared to placate “hungr y ghosts” who do not have descendents making regular o fferings The answer lies in the Keelung festival’s origins. During its long period of colonization

by Han Chinese, f rom the early 1600s well into the 1800s, Taiwan was a f rontier territory in which following the rule of law was not always easy or desired, and armed clashes were not uncommon. These were not limited to conf licts with indigenous people, or between Hakka and Hoklo-speaking immigrants, but even occurred between members of the last group, almost all of whom hailed f rom either the Quanzhou or Zhangzhou regions of Fu jian Province in mainland China. One particularly nasty clash in Keelung in 1851 led to around 100 deaths.

To heal social wounds and prevent future clashes, an annual ceremony honoring the dead was mutually devised and initiated in 1855. Rather than being based on hometown aff iliations as was normal, it was organized according to clan names, since these were shared by families of both groups. This is the origin of the character on each lantern: Each is a family name that also has other meaning. It is believed that the farther a lantern f loats out to sea, the better the luck to be enjoyed by that clan in the year to come.

This

history also explains the system used for organizing the event, which once every dozen years is the duty of a particular clan association. This year it is the turn of the Chen Hu-Yao Association, which represents three of the less numerous clans.

O f ferings to the ghosts are made at Zhupu Altar

Chen Hong-shi, deputy director of this year’s organizing committee, says that it is increasingly diff icult to raise this kind of money. There are about 100,000 members of the three clans in Keelung, but only about 10 percent will participate in the event, and only about 1 percent is really active nowadays. Young people have other distractions, he says.

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Travel in Taiwan

Photo/ Maggie Song

The association, in coordination with public and other private cultural organizations, arranges a month’s worth of religious, culinary, and artistic activities. It will provide about two-thirds of the NT$20 million to be spent on the festival, with the other one-third coming from local and central government cultural departments.

FESTIVAL

O f ferings

The highlight of the month’s events is the full parade of decorated floats bearing clan lanterns on the evening of the full moon

Parade par ticipant

T he clan lanterns burning on the sea

Dragon dance troup e

Visitors

to Keelung on any day of Ghost Month can catch sight of different clans taking turns to parade their lanterns through the streets, and there are international and domestic artistic and cultural events on the main plaza at the harborf ront and in theaters, halls, government buildings, hotels, and on street-side stages throughout Keelung. These include dancing, Taiwanese opera, puppetry, drumming, martial arts, children’s shows, traditional and modern music, circus-style tricks, painting, photographic and art competitions, folk singing, quizzes, and calligraphy.

Without doubt, however, the highlight of the month’s events is the f ull parade of decorated f loats bearing the lanterns on the evening of the f ull moon, August 30. These are constructed in the shape of miniature mansions, and are taken through the streets of downtown Keelung, then out past the docks toward Badouzi a few kilometers away.

Here they are again worshiped before being carried into the sea at midnight, where they f loat away silently until the paper walls catch f ire, and the burnt-out shells sink. Around

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Travel in Taiwan

midnight everyone sets off home, or back to downtown Keelung where the Miaokou (Temple Entrance) Night Market, the city’s famous year-round tourist attraction, does good business until well into the small hours.

At

6 p.m. on August 31, the day af ter the f loatinglantern event, the hungry ghosts will be fed a choice of vegetarian and meat dishes at Zhupu Altar – with, as mentioned, Western dishes included this year. Around 11 p.m., once they have f inished eating, they will be encouraged to return to the underworld by the dancing of Zhongkui the “ghost catcher.” Living participants at the ceremony may then eat the ghosts’ lef tovers.

Keelung’s other tourist attractions include fortifications dating back to the 19th century, such as Ershawan Fort, Baimiweng Fort, and Dawulun Fort to the west of town, and Gangziliao Fort to the east. Boat tours take visitors around the harbor and out around Keelung Island.

On the city’s east by the main harbor’s mouth is Heping Island. It has a newly opened park (NT$60) with curiously shaped rocks and an enclosed sea-swimming pool. Nearby, Sheliao East Fort dates from the early years of Japanese rule, and walking there you’ll pass a mountain-like community of Amis-tribe members who migrated from further down the east coast in recent years. The Keelung City Indigenous Cultural Hall (75, Lane 116, Zhengbin Rd.), across from Heping Island, introduces the cultures of all of Taiwan’s indigenous groups, with displays of material artifacts.

The Keelung Story House (181 Xinyi Rd., next door to the city hall, has introductions to the area’s history, ecology, people, and coal mining, as well as to Steve McQueen, who visited in 1966 for the filming of the Oscarnominated “The Sand Pebbles.”

Photos/ Maggie Song

The festival starts on August 30 with ritual ceremonies at the city’s four main temples: City God Temple, Qing’an Temple, Dianji Temple, and Juexiu Temple. This is followed by the off icial Gates of Hell opening ceremony at midnight the next night at Laodagong Temple (37, Lane 76, Le 1st Rd.) – said to contain the bones of some of those who died in 1851 – which is broadcast live on national television. It ends with the off icial closing ceremony.

KEELUNG The main reason for a foreign element in this event is visible as the parade makes its way to Badouzi, when shortly af ter leaving the dock area it passes what is called the French Cemetery. This contains the remains of almost 600 soldiers and sailors who died when Keelung was occupied for a time during the Sino-French War of 1884~85.

The cemetery is of interest to visitors year-round, and is hard to miss with its dynamic mural depicting the military engagements. Few soldiers died during the armed skirmishes; the occupation was a sideshow to the main battles between Chinese and French forces in what is now northern Vietnam.

The vast ma jority died f rom malaria, cholera, dysentery, and other diseases. Two of the most prominent graves, those of Lieutenant Louis Jehenne and Sous Commissaire de la Marine Marie Joseph Louis Dert, were moved to Keelung many years af ter they died in another sideshow that took place in the Pescadores archipelago (today’s Penghu Islands), west of Taiwan proper.

These French spirits are not the only foreign ones requiring placation, however, as the Spanish and then the Dutch had trading posts in Keelung in the 17th century, and the Japanese also landed near here in 1895 when they arrived to begin their 50-year colonial occupation of Taiwan.

Getting to Keelung: Frequent trains run from Taipei (30-min trip; NT$43), and buses run to and from most places in nor thern Taiwan.

For fur ther tourism, accommodation, and transpor tation information, visit Keelung Cit y’s website at www. klcg.gov.tw.

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Badouzi Baimiweng Fort Chen Hong-shi Chen Hu-Yao City God Temple Dawulun Fort Dianji Temple Ershawan Fort Gangziliao Fort Ghost Month good brethren Heping Island hungry ghosts Juexiu Temple Keelung City Indigenous Cultural Hall Keelung Island Keelung Mid-Summer Ghost Festival Laodagong Temple Miaokou Night Market Qing ’ an Temple Sheliao East Fort Zhongkui Zhupu Altar

八斗子 白米甕砲台 陳鋐謚 陳胡姚 城隍廟 大武崙砲臺 奠濟宮 二沙灣砲臺 槓仔寮砲台 鬼月 好兄弟 和平島 惡鬼 覺修宮 原住民文化會館 基隆嶼 雞籠中元祭 老大公廟 廟口夜市 慶安宮 社寮東砲台 鐘馗 主普壇

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Travel in Taiwan

UPCOMING Festivals and Events from July to August JUN 5 ~ AUG 15

JUL 2~ AUG 5

台灣溫泉美食嘉年華 Location: Around Taiwan Tel: (02) 2331-2688 ext. 101 Website: www1.tvbs.com.tw/project/ad/spa (Chinese)

台北兒童藝術節 Locations: Expo Hall, Taipei Expo Park ( 臺北花博公 園舞蝶館 ), Taipei Zhongshan Hall ( 台北市中山堂 ), Taipei Cultural Center ( 社會教育館 ) and others Tel: (02) 2528-9580 ext. 194 Website: www.taipeicaf.org

Taiwan Hot Spring Fine-Cuisine Carnival

JUN 16 ~ JUL 31

Baihe Lotus Flower Festival 白河蓮花季 Location: Baihe District, Tainan City ( 台南市白河區 ) Tel: (06) 685-5102 Website: http://baihe.mw.com.tw

Taipei Children’s Arts Festival

JUL 7 ~ AUG 19

Yilan International Children’s Folklore & Folkgame Festival

宜蘭國際童玩藝術節 Location: Dongshan River Water Park, Yilan County ( 宜蘭縣冬山河親公園 ) Tel: (03) 9322-440 ext. 316 Website: www.yicfff.tw/2012

JUN 16 ~ AUG 12

AUG 16 ~ 18

台北霞海城隍文化祭 Location: Taipei Chenghuang Temple, Yongle Plaza ( 台北霞海城隍廟、 永樂廣場 ) Tel: (02) 2558-0346 Website: www.tpecitygod.org (Chinese)

花蓮馬太鞍部落豐年祭 Location: Fata’an Settlement, Guangfu Township, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣光復鄉馬太鞍部落 ) Tel: (03) 870-2206

JUN 29 ~ JUL 21

Taiwan Culinary Exhibition

Taipei Chenghuang Temple Cultural Festival

Taipei Film Festival 台北電影節

Locations: Taipei Zhongshan Hall ( 台北市中山堂 ), Shin Kong Cineplex ( 新光影城 ), Wonderful Theatre ( 真善美劇院 ) Tel: (02) 2528-9580 ext. 162 Website: www.taipeiff.tw

Amis Tribe Harvest Festival in Fata’an, Hualien

AUG 17 ~ 20

台灣美食展 Location: Taipei World Trade Center, Section A ( 世貿 一館 A 區 ); 5, Sec. 5., Xinyi Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市信義 路5段5號) Tel: (02) 2568-4726 Website: www.tcff.com.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

FREE EAST

Free Ea s t

Forging a Taiwanese Fashion Revolution There was a time when the words “Made in Taiwan” brought to mind cheaply-made products of rather dubious quality, some of them knockoffs of famous brands. However, that stigma is quickly becoming a thing of the distant past thanks to the nation’s new breed of technological innovators, designers, artists, and artisans that is setting out to break the mold rather than merely attempt to fit in with or copy what has worked before. By Joe Henley

One

man at the foref ront of this movement is Henry Lai, founder of Free East, a fashion brand that seeks to merge the worlds of f ine art and fashion in a way no other Taiwan designer has done before.

Six

years ago, Lai began to make his vision a reality in earnest. Using materials that he sourced himself, such as cashmere from the highlands of Mongolia, he set about the task of f inding a way to incorporate the works of great Taiwan watercolor painters into his company’s f ine garments.

But f irst, he needed to f ind the right artists to work with.

Free East store on Taip ei’s Zhongshan Nor th Road

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Travel in Taiwan

Photos/ Sting Chen, Free East

Lai started in the garment industry 35 years ago, making active wear for men and women for export to Japan. Over time, he With the same care he took in The silk dresses’ svelte designs dabble in developed a personal philosophy f inding the best, most luxurious both Eastern and Western aesthetics, and that only natural materials should materials, Lai pored through the both traditional and modern values be used for his products – cotton, portfolios of Taiwan’s top painters, cashmere, and silk – and he and was especially taken with the diversif ied his company’s offerings to include accessories, works of Lin Yu-shan (1907~2004), a master known for his scarves, jewelry, and captivating evening dresses. He also skillf ul and emotive depictions of the proud and powerf ul introduced environmentally conscious production modes in tiger. Before speaking with Lin’s family, Lai attempted to his facilities. Lai wished to bring out the essence of his make a paper mock-up of a dress that included one of Lin’s homeland in his products, and sought a way to combine tiger prints, stitched sleekly down its side to accentuate the his love of his country, Taiwan’s natural beauty, and the grace of the female form. When one of Lin’s sons was shown charming, glamorous, and detail-oriented aspects of the the mock-up, he agreed to let f ull-scale production proceed, fashion industry’s glory days. and even helped make some usef ul alterations to its design.

FASHION

Buying a Free East dress is indeed like buying a work of art

Henr y Lai, founder of Free East

The challenge was far f rom over, however, as Lai now needed to f ind a way to reproduce the intricate patterns of artistic prints on his products without compromising the quality of the images he wanted to use. Using a computer program to guide a sewing machine, he took two weeks to complete the f irst dress. What’s more, the complex tiger patterns didn’t transfer well to the dress, and Lai’s high standards were not met. The problem was caused by the need to f requently change the color of the thread. Once again Lai was lef t to his own devices, which is something the man clearly revels in. When all known solutions are exhausted, the great minds must forge their own path, and that’s precisely what Lai and Free East did.

Where the computer program failed, Lai succeeded; Free East was able to design its own program, which relied partly on technology and partly on the human touch, to put together a new line of dresses. So unique was the program that it gained Lai an international patent, and what was more it cut down the production time from two weeks for a single dress to a third of that. Most importantly, it allowed Lai to perfectly capture the images of Taiwan's f lora and fauna as depicted in great works of art – birds, insects, plants, and animals, all with deep associations with Taiwan and its culture – on his clothes in the way he had always pictured.

Chinese

Lai has also made Free East a family affair, bringing the Taiwanese tradition of putting family f irst into his business. His two daughters, his son, and his wife are all involved in various capacities in running the company, helping to keep Free East competitive in a domestic market that has seen more and more Taiwan designers rise in recent years to achieve both local and international recognition. Never failing to keep up, the company’s line of clothes has been featured in many fashion shows in Taiwan, and its designs have garnered praise abroad as well – including selection for display in a fashion show in designer mecca, New York City.

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Travel in Taiwan

T he tiger is a recurring theme in Free East produc ts

Photos/ Sting Chen, Free East

calligraphy f rom classic poems also features prominently in Lai’s works, as he delves into history for inspirational passages to bring to his creations. His silk dresses’ svelte designs dabble in both Eastern and Western aesthetics, and both traditional and modern values. One such dress on display in his f lagship shop on Zhongshan North Road in Taipei, for example, features a Western cut that is essentially a modern take on the traditional red silk qipao. His classic knee- and f loor-length creations have a timeless quality, meaning they wouldn’t look out of place in a photograph f rom Hollywood’s Golden Age, nor would they fail to garner positive attention if worn in Taipei’s fashionable Zhongxiao East Road or Xinyi shopping districts today.

Lai’s

goal is to bring Taiwanese culture to the world, with an emphasis on quality over quantity. Only three or four copies are made of each dress created by the company, meaning buyers are unlikely to see another person wearing it.

Buying a Free East dress is indeed like buying a work of art, and couldn’t be f urther f rom the experience of purchasing a quantity-produced ready-to-wear number off the rack. Lai hopes to not only see his brand grow, but also to see other designers in Taiwan follow his lead, producing original designs rather than simply looking to designers in France or Italy for inspiration.

In fact, Free East has an all-encompassing mantra that emphasizes positive growth for both the brand and everything it touches. With his new LOHAS line, natural materials, and environmentally-friendly production methods, Lai is doing his part to ensure Taiwan’s natural wealth, which has inspired so many of his products, will have a bright f uture.

Free East is also f inding new ways to give back to the community that has helped it grow, such as providing jobs for the deaf in its factory in Xindian District, New Taipei City.

Of course, Free East is not the be-all-and-end-all of Taiwan fashion. Fashion lovers have a myriad of options available when visiting Taipei, including districts presenting ever ything f rom high-end fashions to basic ever yday wear. The aforementioned Zhongxiao East Road and Xinyi districts are places shoppers can go to f ind the top international brands as well as both aspiring and well-established Taiwanese designers looking to stake their claim on the international scene. Zhongshan North Road is also home to clusters of designer shops for those looking for one-of-akind and custom-tailored clothing. For something more basic and af fordable, there is the youth-oriented Ximending commercial area, w ith its maze of shops and stands selling familiar name brands and new, original designs f rom talented creators who may one day become Taiwan’s next ENGLISH & CHINESE Henr y Lai. FREE EAST

Add (Zhongshan Branch): 37 - 1 , Sec. 2 , Zhongshan N. Rd., Taipei 106 , Taiwan ( 台北市中山北路二段 37 - 1 號 ) Tel : ( 02 ) 2581 - 6896 Website : www.free-east.com.tw

Henry Lai Lin Yu-shan qipao Ximending Xindian District Xinyi Zhongshan N. Rd. Zhongxiao E. Rd.

3 Day

NT$2400 (US$86)

TAIWAN HIGH SPEED RAIL

3 DAY PASS

For foreign passport holders

賴鴻儀 林玉山 旗袍 西門町 新店區 信義 中山北路 忠孝東路

4-day around-the-Island Tour Day 1 Wed Taipei-Taichung - Sun Moon Lake Day 2 Thu Sun Moon Lake - Tainan-Kaohsiung Day 3 Fri Kaohsiung - Kenting - Taitung Day 4 Sat Taitung - Hwalien – Taipei

Tour Price: pancy) USD$548 for one adult (double occu n perso per 157 Single supplement: USD$

美國運通 American Express (02) 2717-8726 金龍旅遊 Dragon Tours (02)2714-8907 格利安 Gullivers Travel (02)2507-3410 易遊網 EZ Travel (02)2501-0888 宏祥 Edison Travel (02)2563-5313

Formosa Holidays Director Email:

stephen_wu@zion.com.tw

NATURAL TREASURES

Among Giants

The Ancient Trees of Lalashan Natural treasures are often f ound in the least accessible locations. This is certainly true f or the Taiwan red cypress, a tree that can grow very tall and very old. Most of these trees are in the deep f orests of remote mountain areas. One of the best spots to get up close to these giants is Lalashan in Taoyuan County.

Photos/ Sunny Su

By Richard Saunders

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Travel in Taiwan

ANCIENT TREES

The

Chinese have a rather nice idiom, ren jian xian jing (“a fairyland on earth”), to describe nature’s most enchanting scenes. And enchanting is a word that immediately springs to mind when describing the ma jestic mountain fastness of Taiwan’s wild interior. Scattered across the great forests, ancient giants tower above the surrounding trees, their limbs stretching high above their competitors in search of the sun. These aren’t monsters from some fairytale, but works of natural art that grow to a prodigious age and vast dimensions in the cool, moist, and undisturbed remoteness of the island’s interior.

The lower temperatures and prevailing mistiness of these medium-high altitudes are perfect conditions for the cloud forest that clothes much of Taiwan’s mountain area, but to f ind the awesome giant specimens hiding within, you have to look in the right places: usually, on sheltered slopes above mountain streams at altitudes of between about 900 and 2,600 meters. Here, in a wide arc stretching from the New Taipei City/Taoyuan County border all the way south to the slopes of Mt. Dawu in southern Pingtung County, Taiwan red cypress (Chamaec y paris f ormosensis) trees grow, usually far away from human eyes, to mind-boggling ages of two and three thousand years of age.

Tragically, havoc was wreaked on large stands of these natural wonders during the last century, when many of the trees were cut down and carted off to make furniture. In some of the more accessible spots such as Taipingshan in Yilan County, the only remaining ancient cypress trees are one or two fascinatingly deformed specimens considered to be of a quality too poor to hack down.

Thankfully,

Taiwan’s mountainous interior is an extremely inaccessible place, and away f rom areas such as Taipingshan and Alishan, which were opened up for commercial logging during Japanese colonial times (1895~1945), many giant trees two or more millennia in age continue to thrive, safe f rom the attentions of hardwood hunters.

Taiwan’s giant red cypress trees are congregated in “pockets” of groves dotted across the central mountains; the biggest area corresponds to the borders of southern Taoyuan, northern Hsinchu, and western Yilan counties, an area protected by law in the Chatianshan Nature Reserve. This area is moist and cool year-round, enjoying the wet northeast monsoon during fall and winter, while the southwest monsoon keeps things cool during the summer months. These conditions are perfect for the red cypress, which f lourishes in the stony soil and the steeply sloping ravines found here. It rains an average of 140 days a year at Lalashan (incidentally, “lala” means “beautif ul” in the language of the region’s Atayal indigenous people), and dense fog descends on the reserve most af ternoons.

One of Taiwan’s most famous and most accessible groves of ancient trees is the twenty-odd stunning specimens at Lalashan Forest Reserve

A number of these groves of ma jestic ancient creatures are now accessible to hikers, but many can only be reached af ter long drives down rutted, unsurfaced tracks and then a long hike. What is one of Taiwan’s most famous and most accessible groves of ancient trees, however, the twenty-odd stunning specimens at Lalashan Forest Reserve, is accessible to most, and for those with their own transport this remarkable reserve can be explored during a day-trip f rom Taipei.

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Travel in Taiwan

NATURAL TREASURES

The

Lalashan Forest Reserve lies at an altitude of about 1,300 to 2,600 meters in the northern reaches of the Central Mountain Range, and is easily accessible via a road branching off the beautif ul Provincial Highway No. 7 (better known as the Northern Cross-Island Highway). The three-hour journey f rom Taipei is an attraction in its own right, passing through the historic old towns of Sanxia (about 20 kilometers southwest of Taipei) and Daxi, which has interesting Chiang Kai-shek connections, and the beautif ul Fuxing Township area.

Beyond Fuxing, the road is cut high into the side of the spectacular gorge of the Dahan River, offering magnif icent views over some of northern Taiwan’s most impressive mountain scenery, before climbing high up along a northside offshoot canyon to the twin settlements of Baling. The name “Baling” comes f rom an aboriginal word meaning “giant trees,” and the surviving long-lived beauties are just a few kilometers past the uppermost settlement, clinging to the side of a steep little valley carved by picturesque mountain streams, hidden deep in a forest of mostly pine and broad-leaved trees.

The road ends at a car park in the forest, by a visitor center which is the ideal place to start an exploration of the forest reserve. Extending out over a steep gully, the center boasts large picture windows which give a f ine panorama over the wooded expanse laid out below, the emerald-green canopy pierced at intervals by the twisting, sun-bleached branches of huge red cypress trees. The visitor center also provides an introduction to the ecology of the reserve. Lalashan is one of the top birding spots in northern Taiwan (May to early July is peak time), with at least 60 species recorded here; the forest is also home to several endemic mammal species, including the Formosan black bear, Formosan macaque, and Formosan white-faced f lying squirrel. Among the many plants that also call the reserve home, rhododendrons make a lovely show in April and early May; the beautif ul Taiwan pleione orchid can also be found.

Beyond the visitor center the track leading into the forest is for pedestrian traff ic only, and within a couple of hundred meters the forest is already alive with birdsong. Much of the route around the grove is raised f rom the ground on wooden boardwalks and steps, partly to prevent erosion, but also to keep visitors f rom approaching the trees. Also massive, the roots of the red cypress lie close to the surface, and constant tramping and compacting of the peaty soil around their base can damage them.

Af ter a walk of 15~20 minutes the f irst of the 22 ancient trees on the loop path around the central part of the reserve looms ahead. Taiwan’s red cypress trees are related to the giant cypress trees found elsewhere in the world only in Japan and on the Pacif ic coast of North America; the Taiwanese species, however, provides the best-quality wood, which is why these natural wonders have taken such a beating over the last century or so. The Chatianshan Nature Reserve was established in 1992 to protect the local trees f rom f urther poaching, and today Taiwan’s giant red cypress trees are protected, lying within nature reserves or the national parks of Yushan, Taroko, and Shei-pa.

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Travel in Taiwan

ANCIENT TREES

A

number of trees along the route have grown in arrestingly odd ways – especially striking are the trees that grow on the steepest inclines, which have anchored themselves by growing wildly distorted trunks up to ten meters wide, but only a meter or two thick.

The trail divides just af ter tree no. 4, with raised wooden steps climbing the hillside on the right to the huge tree no. 5, one of the oldest in the reserve at 2,800 years (which means it would have pushed through the earth a couple of centuries before Conf ucius was born).

This tree was rated Taiwan’s tenth-largest tree in a nationwide survey carried out by the Forestry Bureau in 1994.

A little f urther along the trail is tree no. 9, the only Japanese or hinoki cypress (Chamaec y paris obtuse var. f ormosana) specimen on the route, another species of cypress endemic to Taiwan but with a much more limited distribution. This species is easily distinguished f rom the more common, many-branched red cypress by its tall, straight trunk.

Further along the trail, just before tree no. 13, the trail divides again. The lef t fork soon returns to the outward path back to the car park, completing a small loop that take you about 2 leisurely hours around the central part of the reserve. Alternatively, turn Especially striking are the right and more wooden steps climb the hillside at trees that grow on the the beginning of a second loop around the remaining steepest inclines, which nine trees (which adds about an hour to your walk). have anchored themselves Many visitors forego this part of the reserve, which by growing wildly distorted is therefore the quietest part of the walk. Several covered shelters here provide a chance to sit for a few trunks minutes and ponder the beauty of this fairytale place, the enormous age of these stately creatures, and the privilege of being in their mighty company, before returning to the humdrum realities of the real world.

Alishan Central Mountain Range Chatianshan Nature Reserve Baling Dahan River Fuxing Lalashan Lalashan Forest Reserve Mt. Dawu Northern Cross-Island Highway renjian xianjing Sanxia Shei-pa Taipingshan Taiwan red cypress Taroko Yushan

阿里山 中央山脈 插天山自然保留區 巴陵 大漢溪 復興 拉拉山 拉拉山國有林自然保護區 大武山 北部橫貫公路 人間仙境 三峽 雪霸 太平山 紅檜 太魯閣 玉山

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Photos/ Sunny Su, Yannick Cariot

ENGLISH & CHINESE

MY PHOTO TOUR

h t i w g n i s Po s r e Post tside Ads e e r t S ig B g Incorporatin r Photos in You ng aggie So

Photos by M

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g Ta ipei, you are br ant and pu lsa tin es. the st reet s of vi al l shapes and siz vert isement s of ad by d de un rro op su and at s, on shopf ront s, on bu ses and ta xi s, ow nd wi d those an op s sh er for consum You’ ll see them in and ma rket pl ace gr a l, al r t in te en af in y is, ci al ly prom bu ild ings. The cit vert isi ng is espe ad r oo td ters, Ou t. en e tert ai nm ion of movi thea search ing for en dense concentr at its r fo r la pu po y di st ric t Xi mend ing, a cit d bout iq ues. , rest au ra nt s, an es or st nt me rt pa de t your photos. Reac rd poster s pa rt of oa llb bi e ke th ma th to wi ace em. Pl ay Th is is a grea t pl interact wi th th or s nt me ise lot e rt ol ve in the ad . It ’s a wh wa y the ac tors do to fa mous f igures me sa e th se po . poster s or ju st fa m ily back home themes of movie h to f riend s and ug la a g in br ly su re of f un and wi ll

Wa l k i ng

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Travel in Taiwan

TOURIST FACTORIES

The Smell of Home Brewing A Visit to Wuan Chuang Soy Sauce Tourist Factory

Whether it’s being used as a dip for your dumplings or simmering in a pot for your classic “three cups chicken,” the salty zing of soy sauce provides a familiar, pervasive undertone for much of Taiwanese cooking.

If you want to learn more about the production of soy sauce, a good place to start is Xiluo, in southern Taiwan’s Yunlin County. By Owain Mckimm

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Ear thenware p ots for storing soy sauce; Chuang Ying- chih, Wuan Chuang’s general manager

SOY SAUCE

The unfiltered sauce straight from the earthenware pot has everything that is comforting about home-cooking, while at the same time retaining that bold saline kick

It

is not hard to f ind soy sauce in Taiwan, though highquality sauce made in the traditional way is perhaps more of a rarity. The Wuan Chuang Soy Sauce Tourist Factory is one of the few places that not only preserves these centuries-old methods, but also allows visitors to make their own soy sauce. Located on Yanping Road in the town of Xiluo, Yunlin County, the factory’s wood-paneled shop f ront has the semblance of a homey village apothecary. Bottles of dark liquid line the walls, and the strong smell of fermentation waf ts f rom large earthenware pots in the back. General Manager Chuang Ying-chih, whose grandfather started the company over a century ago in 1909, says he’s gotten so used to the smell of fermenting beans that he doesn’t notice it anymore. But for any visitor walking through the door, it’s a smell immediately evocative of small-scale home-brewing.

Xiluo f inds itself uniquely and fortuitously positioned as a place for preserving the traditional methods for producing soy sauce. The temperature and humidity levels are ideal for cultivating the f ungus which ferments the black beans used in Taiwan’s particular brand of soy sauce, while the mineralrich water f rom the area’s Zhuoshui River complements the smell and f lavor of the f inished product.

Photos/ Ivy Chen

Soy

sauce is one of the more ancient condiments.

Its predecessor, rou jiang (“meat sauce”), was f irst produced during the Zhou Dynasty around 3,000 years ago by fermenting a mixture of meat, salt, and alcohol for a period of one 100 days. Over the centuries, beans gradually replaced meat as the primary ingredient. The traditional methods used for producing this bean-based sauce were brought to Taiwan f rom mainland China during the 17th century by immigrants f rom Fu jian.

“Black bean soy sauce, or Taiwanese-style soy sauce, has been made in Taiwan for hundreds of years,” says Chuang.

During the early part of the Japanese occupation of Taiwan (1895~1945), black bean soy sauce was primarily made at home by small family operations. “After 1941, when the war in the Pacif ic began to escalate, the Japanese began to integrate and industrialize small businesses in order to increase food production. At this point they also introduced their preferred yellow bean soy sauce, in which the beans are mixed with wheat and which is now more commonly used in Taiwanese cooking.”

Wang Chuang’s naturally fermented black bean soy sauce is known for its mellow f lavor and dark mahogany color. In typical Taiwanese fashion, Chuang compares the f lavors of black bean and yellow bean sauce using a tea analogy. “Black bean soy sauce is like oolong tea, and yellow bean sauce is like jasmine tea. The f lavor of black bean sauce is deeper, and lingers in your mouth for a long time. Yellow bean sauce is more f ragrant, because the beans are mixed with wheat, but the f lavor is f leeting.”

Chuang says that the company makes all its traditionally produced black bean sauce in the tourist factory and its adjacent buildings. The yellow bean sauce is mass-produced in the company’s other factory in neighboring Erlun, where the already fermented black bean sauce f rom the tourist factory is also f iltered and bottled. According to Chuang, the company produces around twice as much yellow bean soy sauce as it does black bean sauce, but the revenue f rom the two is roughly equal. Black bean soy sauce, made using timehonored methods and rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and amino acids, is considered of higher quality and is thus more expensive.

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Travel in Taiwan

A tour

of the tourist facility includes a historical video and many informative information boards on the history of both types of sauce and the production methods used – though unfortunately neither have English versions.

During our tour, Chuang explains how the famous Taiwanese-style black bean soy sauce is produced. The beans are f irst washed, soaked, and then boiled until they become sof t. Af ter they have cooled they are spread onto circular racks arranged in vertical layers, and a species of f ungus is introduced and allowed to develop on the beans. The ideal conditions for culturing the f ungus are a temperature between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius and moderate humidity. Xiluo’s geographical position, near the Tropic of Cancer, provides just such conditions.

Chuang says that the company uses traditional earthenware pots because they naturally regulate the temperature of the fermenting soup within, keeping the mixture comfortably below 40 degrees. Any higher and the mixture would spoil. Af ter six months under the sun, the viscous broth of beans, amino acids, and salt is pressed until every last drop of raw soy sauce is f ree. According to Chuang, one pot can yield up to 80 bottles of rich, sun-baked soy sauce. He lets us taste the unf iltered sauce straight f rom the earthenware pot. It’s opulently savory, raw, salty, and rounded, with a pure, elemental aroma. It has everything that is comforting about home cooking, while at the same time retaining that bold saline kick.

Simple Steps for Making Own Soy Sauce red Bl ac k beans cove s gu un f wi th

Ri nse

Wa sh

Fil l in jar Soak

Wa it ten mi nu tes

Wa it fou r hour s

Store for a week

Add sa lt

Fill in jar

Mix

Add salt

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Travel in Taiwan

Photos/ Ivy Chen, Wuan Chuang

The f ungus is lef t to grow on the beans for seven days. At this point, it will have penetrated the skin and permeated the bean. The outer layer of crusted f ungus is then washed off, and the beans are put in large earthenware pots. Salt is mixed in thoroughly, and a thick layer is also spread on top to seal out any contaminants. The pots are placed outside in the sun for six months, to assist the fermentation. The f ungus breaks down the proteins in the black beans, releasing the amino acids that give soy sauce its distinctive umami f lavor. Some companies replace this long, natural fermentation process with a chemical fermentation process in which hydrochloric acid is used to break down the beans, and which takes a mere three days to complete. The effects of this corner-cutting on the sauce’s f lavor and nutritional value are predictably detrimental.

SOY SAUCE

Itching

beans now need a four-hour respite period in order for the to make our own sauce, we are f ungus to begin the preliminar y fermentation. As af ternoon introduced to You Mei-ling, a guide visitors may not want to stay too late in Xiluo waiting, the at the factory. The factory offers a DIY session in soy-sauce next part of the process can be done at home. Af ter four making for NT$200 per person, and there is no need to book hours, mix two-thirds of the salt w ith the beans and then in advance. The whole process takes six months, of course, pour them into the ceramic pot. The remaining third of the but the DIY class at the factory takes you through the salt goes on top as a sealant. The lid then goes on, and the preliminaries and leaves the six months of fermenting up to pot should be placed outside in the sun for one week. Af ter you. Ms. You has prepared 300g of black beans, already covered seven days, open the pot and add with a week’s worth of f ungus, The flavor of black bean sauce is deeper, and 160ml of water to the mixture 150g of salt, an attractive ceramic pot, and some essential lingers in your mouth for a long time. Yellow bean by inserting a f unnel through basins and sieves. sauce is more f ragrant, but the f lavor is fleeting the salt seal. Re-cover the hole, put the lid back on, and af ter six months in the sun the pot should yield a batch of raw, She instructs us to f irst wash the f ungus off the skin of the aromatic soy sauce. Ms. You suggests that brewers dilute black beans, being caref ul not to strip the skin off with the this raw sauce using a ratio of one part sauce to three parts layer of f ungus. Af ter rinsing, we soak the beans in water for water, then boil it. Af ter boiling it w ill at last be ready for ten minutes. This is to allow the beans to suck in the water, use as a dip or for splashing in a wok to spice up that tasty raising their moisture content in preparation for the long, sixstir f r y. month fermentation. Our guide tells us that the

Other Places of Interest in the Area For those who want to stick around in Xiluo while their beans undergo the four-hour preliminary fermentation, the buildings on Yanping Old Street (Yanping Rd.) are of unique architectural interest.

Unlike many of Taiwan’s “Old Streets,” which grab one’s attention with bold baroque facades and undulating colonnades, Yanping Old Street bustles with a more early-modern edge. The street’s original buildings were largely destroyed in an earthquake in 1935, but were rebuilt in the newly fashionable style of ’20s and ’30s Europe.

The fusion of innovative Western ideas with native architecture has resulted in the island’s first art deco Old Street.

The area’s engineering triumph is Xiluo Bridge, inaugurated in 1953. This red, serpentine structure, which stretches out of town, over the Zhuoshui River, and far into the distance, was once the longest bridge in East Asia.

An interesting lunch can be taken at Qin Lian Wan Guo Cheng. Recommended by the locals, this small eatery specializes in bowl rice cakes called wa gui in Taiwanese. These dome-shaped puddings can be eaten savory or sweet, and are made with four-year-old rice flour. The age of the rice means that the flour will absorb more water during cooking, resulting in a chewy pudding that is cooled with an electric fan to preserve its springy texture.

Getting There The easiest way to get to Xiluo is by bus. You can catch a Kuo-Kuang Bus Co. bus at Taipei West Bus Station (Terminal B) that travels directly to Xiluo. The journey takes approximately 3.5 hours. Buses headed to Taipei can be caught in Xiluo, as can buses headed to southern cities such as Kaohsiung or Tainan if you plan to make Xiluo a stopover on your way f urther south.

WUAN CHUANG SOY SAUCE TOURIST FACTORY( 丸莊醬油觀光工廠 )

Add : 25 Yanping Rd., Xiluo Township, Yunlin County (雲林縣西螺鎮延平路25號) Tel: (05) 586-3666 Website: wuanchuang.com.tw (Chinese) QIN LIAN WAN GUO CHENG ( 琴連碗 粿城 )

Add : 76 Yanping Rd., Xiluo Township, Yunlin County (雲林縣西螺鎮延平路76號) Tel: (05) 586-5466

ENGLISH & CHINESE

black bean soy sauce Chuang Ying-chih Erlun Kuo-Kuang Bus Co. rou jiang Taipei West Bus Station wa gui Xiluo Yanping Old Street Yanping Road yellow bean soy sauce You Mei-ling Zhuoshui River

Xiluo Bridge 黑豆醬油 / 黑豆蔭油 莊英志 二崙 國光客運 肉醬 台北西站 碗粿 西螺 延平老街 延平路 黃豆醬油 游美玲 濁水溪

Bo wl ric e ca ke

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Travel in Taiwan

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Tel: 02.2523.8000 Fax: 02.2523.2828

106 6 5台北市復興南路 一段317號

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

Tel: 886.2.5579.3888 Fa x: 886.8.5579.3889

E-mail: service@alishanhouse.com.tw

www.grand-hotel.org

www.grandformosa.com.tw

www.parktaipei.com

www.alishanhouse.com.tw

PALAIS DE CHINE HOTEL 君品酒店

Taipei 台 北

雲品酒店

Sun Moon Lake 日 月 潭

No. of Rooms: 211 Room Rates:

No. of Rooms: 286 Room Rates: Superior Room Deluxe Room Family Twin Room Executive Superior Room Executive Deluxe Room Junior Suite Executive Suite La Rose Suite Charles V Suite

FLEUR DE CHINE HOTEL

NT$ 11,000 NT$ 12,500 NT$ 14,500 NT$ 15,000 NT$ 16,500 NT$ 18,000 NT$ 21,000 NT$ 100,000 NT$ 150,000

(All rates are subject to 10% service charge)

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English,Chinese, Japanese RestauRaNts: La Rotisserie, Le Palais, Le Thé, Le Bar sPecial featuRes:Gym, business center, ballroom and function rooms, VIP salon, wireless internet, gift shop, room service, E-butler service, airport transportation service, located in an area of the city with heritage sites and tourist attractions.

Mountain View King Room NT$ 13,000~14,000 Mountain View Two Queen Room NT$ 13,000~14,000 Zen Mountain View Room NT$ 13,000~14,000 Lake View King Room NT$ 15,000~16,000 Lake View Two Queen Room NT$ 15,000~16,000 Washiki Lake View Room NT$ 15,000~16,000 Governor Lake View Suite NT$ 20,000~21,000 Royal Lake View Suite NT$ 25,000 Summit Lake View Suite NT$ 120,000 Penthouse Suite NT$ 150,000 (All rates are subject to 10% service charge)

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: Chinese, English, Japanese RestauRaNts: Chinese food, buffet, teppanyaki, afternoon tea, lobby lounge, rooftop restaurant

sPecial featuRes: Banquet and conference facil-

ity, VIP lounge, boutique, wireless internet, e-butler, laundry service, room service, parking, SPA, hotspring, play ground, swimming pool, gym, HSR transportation service, out circular concourse, trail hiking, etc.

No.3, Sec. 1, Chengde Rd., Taipei City 10351

No.23, Zhongzheng Rd., Sun Moon Lake, Yuchi Township, Nantou County 55546

10 3 51台北市承德 路 一段 三號

5 5 5 4 6 南 投 縣 魚 池 鄉日月潭中正 路2 3 號

Tel: 02.2181.9999 Fax: 02.2181.9988

Tel: 049.285.6788 Fax: 049.285.6600

www.palaisdechinehotel.com

www.fleurdechinehotel.com

CHATEAU DE CHINE HOTEL KAOHSIUNG

CHATEAU DE CHINE HOTEL HUALIEN

翰品酒店高雄

翰品酒店花蓮

Kaohsiung 高 雄

No. of Rooms: 152 Room Rates: Standard Single Room Standard Double Room Standard Triple Room Standard Family Room Standard Suite Executive Single Room Deluxe Single Room Deluxe Double Room Deluxe Family Room Deluxe Suite Chateau de Chine Suite

Hualien 花 蓮

No. of Rooms: 211 Room Rates: NT$ 6,000 NT$ 6,700 NT$ 7,500 NT$ 8,000 NT$ 9,000 NT$ 8,000 NT$ 7,000 NT$ 7,200 NT$ 9,000 NT$ 14,000 NT$ 50,000

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak:

Superior Single Room Superior Twin (1 double bed) Superior Twin (2 single beds) Superior Triple Superior Family (2 double beds) Superior Family (4 single beds) Chateau Deluxe Twin Chateau Deluxe Family Chateau Deluxe Suite Chateau Executive Suite

NT$ 4,800 NT$ 5,800 NT$ 6,000 NT$ 6,800 NT$ 7,600 NT$ 7,600 NT$ 7,000 NT$ 8,600 NT$ 10,800 NT$ 20,000

(All rates are subject to 10% service charge)

English, Chinese, Japanese

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak:

RestauRaNts: Japanese, Chinese, Cantonese

English, Taiwanese, Chinese, Japanese

sPecial featuRes:

RestauRaNts: Western buffet-style, Chinese sPecial featuRes:

Multi-functional meeting room, banquet hall, business center, wedding planning center, gym, free use of wired/wireless Internet, silent refrigerator, electronic safe, personal bathrobe/slippers, free cable TV, free use of laundry room, all-new TV-sets

Multifunctional banquet and meeting facilities, business center, male and female saunas, rental facilities for cars and bicycles, lounge bar, children’s games room, fitness center, chess room, outdoor swimming pool, green eco-pond, free transport to railway station and airport.

43 Daren Rd., Yancheng District, Kaohsiung City

No.2, Yongxing Rd., Hualien City, Hualien County 97060

Dim Sum, Lounge Bar

8 03高雄市鹽埕區大仁路4 3號

97060花蓮市永興路2號

Tel: 07.521.7388 Fax: 07.521.7068

Tel: 03.823.5388 Fax: 03.822.1185

kaohsiung.chateaudechine.com

hualien.chateaudechine.com

55

Travel in Taiwan

Advertisement HOTEL INFORMATION H RESORT H會 館

Pingtung 屏東

No. of Rooms: 126 Room Rates: Royal Suite NT$ 48,800 Family Deluxe Suite Family Suite Deluxe Double Double Honey Moon Room Deluxe Twin Deluxe Single Standard Twin

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

24,800 18,800 15,800 11,800 10,800 9,800 9,800

※Changes of room rates will not be specially announced

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak: English, Japanese, Mandarin, Taiwanese

RestauRaNts:Original Café, Ocean Teppanyaki, H Restaurant, U.F.O Lounge sPecial featuRes:Infinity pool, KTV, boutique, local produce center, conference room, banquet hall, High-Speed Rail shuttle service, broadband Internet, online room reservation, wedding garden, guestroom mini bar, guestrooms with ocean view NO.60, Jhukeng Ln., Shihzih Township, Pingtung County 94352, Taiwan(R.O.C.)

KING’S TOWN HOTEL 京城大飯店

No. of Rooms: 153 Room Rates:

Business Single Room Deluxe Single Room Business Twin Room Family Twin Room

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

2,640 3,080 3,080 4,400

( Prices above including 10% Service Charge )

花蓮 經 典假日飯 店

Hualien 花 蓮

No. of Rooms: 79 NT$ 3,800 NT$ 4,600 NT$ 6,800 NT$ 6,800 NT$ 12,000

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak:

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

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

Chinese, English, Japanese

RestauRaNts:Taiwanese/Hakka cuisine,

Chinese, English, Japanese

sPecial featuRes:Guestrooms with floor-

RestauRaNts:Chinese, Western, and International cuisine, afternoon tea

RestauRaNts:Chinese and Western style food, delicious buffet, cold dishes, fruit, and salad bar sPecial featuRes:Business center, non-

smoking floors, wireless Internet access, 32” LCD TVs, newspaper, free parking, tourist map, currency exchange

Edison Travel Service specializes in Taiwan tours and offers cheaper hotel room rates and car rental services with drivers .

Edison welcomes contact with other travel services around the world.

Travel in Taiwan

Superior Room Classic Room Deluxe Room Theme Room Azure Suite

HUALIEN CITY CLASSIC RESORT HOTEL

Chinese, English, Japanese

www.kingstown-hotel.com.tw

Tel: 08.877.1888 Fax: 08.877.1919

Hualien 花 蓮

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak:

www.h-resort.com

(屏東縣農民教育休閒活動中心)

花蓮藍天麗池飯店

Room Rates:

E-mail: ksthotel@ms33.hinet.net

94352屏東縣獅子鄉竹坑村竹坑巷60號

AZURE HOTEL

No. of Rooms: 150

362 Jiuru (Chiu Ju) 2nd Rd., Sanmin District, Kaohsiung City, 80745 (Faces the exit of rear railway station) 8 0 74 5 高 雄 市 三 民 區 九 如 二 路 3 6 2 號 Tel: 07.311.9906 Fax: 07.311.9591 E-mail: ksthotel@ms33.hinet.net

(Pingtung County Farmers’ Educational and Recreational Activity Center)

56

Kaohsiung 高雄

brunch, Western cuisine

to-ceiling windows, views of Pacific Ocean or Central Mountain Range, multifunctional public space, Azure Club, gym, pet hotel, KTV, board game and computer game room, located in Hualien City center, close to snack food and shopping streets

Desk PeRsoNNel sPeak:

sPecial featuRes:1/2F public area with unlimited Internet access, broadband Internet access in guestrooms, notebooks available at meeting room, free self-help coffee and tea, free parking, central location (5-min. walk to railway station), pick-up service, projector and screen available at conference room, newspapers and magazines, LCD screen TV-sets

590 Zhongzheng Rd., Hualien City, 970 970 花蓮市中正路590號 Tel: 03.833.6686 Fax: 03.3.832.3569

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

www.azurehotel.com.tw

www.classichotel.com.tw

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At the beach before Baxian Caves

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At Shitiping

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At Xiaoyeliu

Lazy cat of Fu Jhang Villa

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Coastal road near Chenggong Outdoor pool of Fu Jhang Villa

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At Baxian Caves

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Early morning at Sanxiantai