Travel in Taiwan (No.54, 2012 11/12)

11 12 /

No. 54, 2012

THE BEST BIKE ROUTES

Around the Island

NATURAL TREASURES

Turtle Island in Yilan

FOOD JOURNEY

The Pomelos of Madou

Siraya/Chiayi

Less Traveled Areas in the Southwest Theme Restaurants Yilan Cookie Factory Taiwan Cycling Festival

The Official Bimonthly English Magazine of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau.

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

Welcome to Taiwan!

Dear Traveler, You’re going to get quite a workout in this issue, because we are taking you on a round-island bicycle tour. Twice! Over the past decade, the people of Taiwan have developed a love for cycling, and there has been an explosion of international-caliber bike-route networks, related facilities, and organized events. In Best Bike Routes, we take you on a grand round-island tour, a must-have accomplishment for passionate local riders. Of course, taking any of the individual segments is a great alternative if tackling the full circuit does not meet your needs.

In an article on the annual Taiwan Cycling Festival, overseen by the Tourism Bureau, we highlight two events. The Taiwan KOM Challenge is a competitive race from the sea to the high mountains through famed Taroko Gorge, followed by fun rides for all comers at picturesque Sun Moon Lake, and the Formosa 900 is a friendly round-island tour by many cycling groups, open to everyone, launching f rom different cities and taking in ma jor tourist attractions.

In the rest of the issue, we round the island again, telling you about some of the things you can see and experience in different regions – even if you don’t get there by bike. In our Feature, the destination is Siraya National Scenic Area, Taiwan’s youngest NSA, and the small, history-rich city of Chiayi nearby. Accompanying this is a special prof ile of the region’s Siraya indigenous people. A little further south is Taiwan’s prime region for cultivation of the tasty pomelo, a fruit with a key place in the Taiwan cultural mosaic. In the southern port city of Kaohsiung – and elsewhere around Taiwan – you can view the highly public and highly eclectic work of 3D artist Tu Long.

In our Natural Treasures segment we’re off on a boat tour to ruggedly picturesque, iconically photogenic Turtle Island, off the northeast coast in Yilan County, and we tour the I-Lan Cake Tourist Factory, birthplace of Yilan’s ox-tongue cookies, a favorite souvenir.

We also take in the lovely sunset and strange rock formations at Yeliu Geopark, on the north coast, and invite you to dinner at three iconoclastic Taipei restaurants with “fashion, art, and Zen” styling, respectively.

Taiwan – explore the endless possibilities.

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

CONTENTS

November ~ December 2012

52

8 ,

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, Gemma Cheng, Jayne Chang, Catherine Chang, Chloe Chu CONTRIBUTORS R ick Charette, Owain Mckimm, Richard Saunders, Joe Henley, Mark Caltonhill PHOTOGRAPHERS Jen Guo-Chen, 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 November/December, 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.

MAGAZINE IS SOLD AT:

1. Wu-Nan Culture Plaza, 6, Zhongshan Rd., Central Dist., Taichung City 40043 886-4-2226-0330 http://www.wunanbooks.com.tw/ 2. N ational Bookstore, 1F., No.209, Songjiang Rd., Zhongshan Dist., Taipei City 10485 886-2-2518-0207 http://www.govbooks.com.tw/

Where you can pick up a copy of Travel in Taiwan Abroad

Offices of the Tourism Bureau in Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Frankfurt; Taiwan Representative Offices; Overseas Offices of the Ministry of Economic Affairs; Overseas Offices of the Central News Agency; onboard China Airlines, EVA Air and other selected international airways; selected travel agencies in Asia, North America, and Europe; and other organizations

ONLINE

Read the online version of Travel in Taiwan at www.zinio.com . Log in and search for "Travel in Taiwan." Or visit www.tit.com.tw/ vision/index.htm

Hot-spring fun at Guanziling in southern Taiwan.

(Photo by Jen Guo-Chen)

In Taiwan

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

This magazine is printed on FSC certified paper. Any product with the FSC logo on it comes from a forest that has been responsibly maintained and harvested in a sustainable manner.

32 34 48 FEATURE

MY PHOTO TOUR 32

8 Chiayi/Siraya

— Main A Fine Pair – The Siraya National Scenic Area and Chiayi City — Stay A Night (or Two) at the Hot Springs – The Obligatory Siraya NSA Hot-Spring

Hotel Experience — Eat/Buy Prime Food, Great Views – Collecting Culinary Experiences and Souvenirs in Siraya/Chiayi

18 Scenery

— Friends of Siraya – Other National Scenic Areas in Southern and Central Taiwan

1 Publisher’s Note 27 Festivals and Events 4 News & Events around Taiwan 46 Where Is This?

6 Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings

INDIGENOUS CULTURE 20

The Siraya People — Enjoying

a Cultural Renaissance

FESTIVAL 24

The Taiwan Cycling Festival — L eisurely Excursions, Competitive Races, Inspiring Scenic Backdrops

TOURISt FACTORIES

art

21

28

Thin and Crispy Ox-Tongue Cookies — Visiting the I-lan Cake Tourist Factory

All in 3D! — E xploring the Amazing 3D Artwork by Local Artist Tu Long

Silhouettes — Marvelous Sunset Scenes on the North Coast

ENJOYMENT 34

Fashion,

— Taipei Restaurants with Style

Art, Zen

BEST BIKE ROUTES 40

Cycling around Taiwan — How to Complete One Third of Taiwan’s Unique “Triathlon”

FOOD JOURNEY 48 Madou’s Pomelos

— Juicy and Sweet Citrus Fruits Cultivated in Southern Taiwan

NATURAL TREASURES 52

A

— Beautiful Turtle Island

Mysterious Eden

3

Travel in Taiwan

East Coast

The eastern part of Taiwan, including the East Coast National Scenic Area and the East Rift Valley National Scenic Area, both located between the cities of Hualien and Taitung, is among the most scenic areas on the island, and offers tourist myriad things to do and see. To help you get your bearings before or during a trip to Taiwan’s beautiful east, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau has set up a helpful website in Chinese and English where you can find information about the Culture, Food, Shopping, Romance, LOHAS, and Ecology of the area. The website, named “101 Huatung Pearls” (www.101pearls. com.tw), also tells you about activities staged throughout the year, suggests travel routes, and provides a wide range of other helpful information.

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

Old Street

Taiwan Tour Bus Service

Shenkeng Old Street

Wishing to explore Taiwan, but don’t want to handle everything all by yourself? Check out the services offered by Taiwan Tour Bus. Organized small-group tours with friendly English-speaking guides are available to all major places of interest in Taiwan.

For detailed information about the trips on offer, look under “Schedule” in the English section of www.taiwantourbus.com.tw.

Shenkeng is a small town southeast of downtown Taipei City, situated on the highway between Muzha and Pingxi. The town’s main claim to fame is tofu, which is sold in shops and eateries along Shenkeng Street (commonly known as “Old Street”). Over the past two years, the old red-brick houses lining this street have received a major facelift, and the street is now attractively clean and tidy. While sampling Shenkeng’s famous beancurd dishes, visitors can now also examine the meticulously restored old houses and get a feel for old-time Taiwan. Shenkeng is yet another example of how many “old streets” in towns and cities around Taiwan have been successfully made more attractive in recent years by restoring old architecture and reviving old traditions.

Getting there: Take bus no. 666 from either MRT Jingmei Station or MRT Muzha Station.

City Guide International Spotlight, Northern Region Visitors who want to spend time in Taiwan’s capital and are interested in exploring the nooks and crannies of Taipei should check out this website: http://eng.tteacafe.tw. Part of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s International Spotlight program, the site presents you with a great way to learn about what’s in store down quiet alleys and in small cultural venues around town. Selected small shops, cafés, museums, temples, and other attractions are introduced in detail and with the help of beautiful illustrations. Three Taipei areas are now covered: Dadaocheng, an old district close to the Tamsui River; Da’an, centered on Yongkang Street and Shida Road; and Beitou, known for hot springs and the mountains of Yangmingshan. While the website is helpful, the International Spotlight published material is even better. Pick up copies of the guidebooks, which will open a new treasure trove of exploration options in the city to you, at South Village (10, Lane 80, Shida Rd., Taipei City).

4

101 Pearls of the East Coast

Travel in Taiwan

Taipei Metro

Airport

Dongmen Station Opened

There is good news for travelers who want to visit Yongkang Street in Taipei, famous for boutiques, cafés, and restaurants, among them the well-known steamed-dumpling restaurant Din Tai Fung and mango-ice parlor Smoothie House. MRT Dongmen Station, with an exit/entrance situated right at the entrance of the street, has just recently been opened, giving convenient access to the area. The station is on the Fu Jen University/Luzhou – Nanshijiao Line, also called the Orange Line, which connects a number of Taipei’s suburbs with the city’s eastern district.

Youth Travel

Working Holiday Agreement with Ireland

Working holidays are increasing popular with young travelers around the world, who want to experience countries by working side by side with locals.

Taiwan has recently agreed on a Taiwan-Ireland Working Holiday Program, which will start on January 1, 2013. The government of Ireland is the eighth to sign this type of agreement with Taiwan; agreements have already been signed with New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Canada, Germany, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. The two countries will provide each other with an annual quota of 400 visas for young people between the ages of 18 and 30. This will enable them to visit the partner country for tourism, work, or privately funded studies; broaden their international horizons by learning the local languages; and gain an in-depth understanding of the culture, society and lifestyle of the host country.

Bicycling

Taiwan’s Biggest Airport Ranked as Traveler-Friendly In a recently released report by leading travel-booking technology outfit Amadeus IT Group SA, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the main gateway for visitors to Taiwan, was ranked one of the world’s top traveler-friendly airports.

The facility was especially praised for its Hello Kitty-themed gate area and for its children’s play area and shops. Amadeus found the airport to be modern and offering amenities that make layovers more pleasant. The airport is currently undergoing extensive renovations, and is being expanded as part of the government’s Taoyuan Aerotropolis project, an ambitious infrastructure program that includes the upgraded airport, a free-trade zone, and an international medical center. The aim of the project is to transform the airport and its environs into a world-class transportation and logistics hub.

YouBike Taipei

The number of people riding bicycles in Taipei has been increasing steadily in recent years, as has the number of dedicated bikeways, making cycling safer and more convenient. For those who want to explore the city on two wheels but don’t have their own bike, bike-rental shops have been set up along the main riverside bikeways. Another convenient service is YouBike Taipei, a network of bike-rental stations in the city’s core, from which you can rent a bike with your EasyCard (available at all MRT stations) and register the card using your cellphone. For registered members, the first half hour of use is free; all users pay NT$10 each half hour after this. Bikes can be returned at any YouBike station, of which there are currently around 40. For more information, visit www.youbike.com.tw.

WHERE IS THIS? Someone is climbing a wall. Is he trying to escape from some place? Is he trying to get in? Is he an artist doing a performance? Where is this?

Hint: The location is in a southern Taiwan city that we focus on in this issue of Travel in Taiwan. (Find the answer on page 46.)

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.

5

Travel in Taiwan

September 29 ~ January 13

oncerts, s, n o i t i b i h x E a nd s g n i n e p p a H

Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Taipei Biennial Modern Monsters: Death and Life of Fiction 現代怪獸: 想像的死而復生 Held since 1998, the Taipei Biennial is a major event of international cultural exchange. This year, the show draws upon a recent study entitled The Monster that is History by Taiwanese literature historian David Der Wei Wang, its theme the aesthetics of monstrosity, presenting a look at the aesthetics of monstrosity and its role in modern history. Featured are a large number of artists and artist collectives, from Taiwan and abroad. Exhibits can be seen at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and also at an external venue, the Shilin Paper Mill.

November 30 ~ December 2

National Theater

Wielding Sword along Chilly Wujiang 舞劇 : 揮劍烏江冷 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.

This work is a co-production by Taiwanese composer Ma Shui-long, the Neo-Classic Dance Company, and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Wielding Sword along Chilly Wujiang tells the story of historic events from the Qin Dynasty (221 ~ 206 BC), presenting the darkness of power struggles, the cruelty of the battlefield, and the flaws of humanity, via dramatic music and dance. In the final chilling scene, Xiang Yu, a famous military commander who was defeated by Liu Bang, stands by the river Wu (Wujiang). Too ashamed to cross the river and return home to face the families of the men he lost in battle, he commits suicide by slitting his throat.

National Museum of History

October 6 ~ January 8

Petit Louvre 小小羅浮宮展 : 種田陽平的美術世界 October 19 ~ February 19 National Palace Museum

King Wu Ding and Lady Hao: Art and Culture of the Late Shang Dynasty 商王武丁與后婦好 : 殷商盛世 文化藝術特展 This exhibition takes one far back in Chinese history, to the late Shang Dynasty (ca. 13th ~ 11th c. BCE). It features items excavated in the early 20th century at the ruins of the ancient capital Yin (near modern Anyang), telling the story of King Wu Ding and Lady Hao. The king ruled for 59 years, demonstrating concern for the people and recruiting virtuous and capable men for his administration, paving the way for the heyday of the Shang Dynasty. Lady Hao, a favored consort, rose to positions of power, even serving as a general and high priestess. This exhibition presents cultural objects excavated from the ruins of Yin by the Institute of History and Philology at Academia Sinica and the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, along with treasured bronzes from the Henan Museum. More info at www.npm.gov.tw.

6

Travel in Taiwan

The Louvre is one of the world’s great museums. For this exhibition, Japanese movie director Taneda Yohei has created a miniature version of the museum, featuring many of its world-famous paintings in scaled-down format.

The Petit Louvre was on display at Kaohsiung’s Pier-2 Art Center this summer, where visitors were amazed by its exquisite, delicate design. The exhibition is a good idea for a family outing, giving children a close look at world-class art in kid-friendly sizes.

December 4 ~ 16

National Theater

Théâtre de Soleil : Les Naufragés du Fol Espoir 法國陽光劇團 : 未竟之業 Created by Ariane Mnouchkine, founder and director of the French Théâtre du Soleil, Les Naufragés du Fol Espoir (“The Castaways of the Fol Espoir”) takes its inspiration from a posthumous novel by Jules Verne. Set in the year 1914, it tells the story of a socialist filmmaker who is creating a movie version of Verne’s novel about a group of shipwreck survivors and a utopian vision. The ensemble stages the making of the movie, at times using the brilliantly ingenious techniques of early cinema and the exaggerated physical performances common in silent movies.

Venues

December 2 National Taiwan University Sports Center

Air Supply 2012 Taipei Concert 空中補給2012台北演唱會 Considering that they have been performing together since the late 1970s, it is quite surprising that the two stars that make up Air Supply still go on tour these days, performing more than 150 concerts a year. English guitarist/vocalist Graham Russell and lead vocalist Russell Hitchcock, from Australia, have been hugely successful with their soft-rock ballads, especially in the 1980s. Songs like All Out of Love, Lost in Love, and the The One that You Love stormed the pop charts 1979 through 1981, and today are still widely recognized around the world. Fans of high-pitched love songs in Taiwan are in for a treat this December, when Air Supply will be in Taipei for the final leg of an Asian tour.

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

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）

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

( 台北市中山南 路 21 號 )

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.

( 台北市 南 海路 4 9 號 )

Germany meets Cuba. In 2000, when the German music trio Klazz Brothers (the name combines “classic,” which is spelled with a “k” in German, and “jazz”) performed in Cuba. There they met the Cuban percussionists Alexis Herrera Estevez and Elio Rodriguez Luis, and decided to work together. This has turned out to be an exceptionally well-received combination, and the quintet has become known around the world, playing in great music halls and receiving a number of prestigious awards. Combining classical European music with elements of swing, Latin jazz, and the almost infinite variety of Cuban rhythms, the musicians have created an intriguing new sound.

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

Add: 21 Zhongshan S. Rd., Taipei City

Add: 49 Nanhai Rd., Taipei City

Christmas meets Cuba: Klazz Brothers and Cuba Percussion 當耶誕遇上古巴 : 克拉茲兄弟與古 巴打擊樂團2012台灣巡迴

( 台北市中山北 路 3 段 181 號 )

Add: 189 Shishang Rd., Taipei City

（國立歷史博物館）

National Concert Hall

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

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

( 台北市中山南 路 21-1 號 )

December 18

Taipei Fine Arts Museum （台北市立美術館）

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 )

Taipei Show Hall 2（台北展演二館） Add: 3, Songlian Road, Taipei City, ( 台北市松廉路三號 )

Tel: (02) 2362-5221 Nearest MRT Station: Taipei City Hall

（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

A Fine Pair The Siraya National Scenic Area and Chiayi City

Enjoying a cup of cof fee at an outdoor cafe on the Dongshan Cof fee Highway

8

Travel in Taiwan

SIRAYA/CHIAYI

A few days spent exploring Siraya National Scenic Area, one of Taiwan’s newest NSA creations, matched with a day in the quiet, history-rich city of Chiayi, is time wisely spent. By Rick Charette

9

Travel in Taiwan

Photo/ Jen Guo-Chen

More

FEATURE

Are

there certain sounds that set off a wave of happiness in you? When I was a boy, two of my favorites were the jingles of the “chip man” and “ice-cream man” as they drove truck and bike, respectively, up the street where I lived. One of my favorite Taiwan sounds is the recorded chime you hear on High Speed Rail trains before stops are announced. To me this is the sound of adventure, and an HSR ride is a bit of a miracle: You hop on a train in a big, busy city (Taipei for me), and have just closed your eyes for a nap when the chime sounds, announcing arrival in a new land of adventure with a wholly different character.

The Siraya NSA is best known for Siraya-tribe culture, farms and agricultural produce, hot springs, and large reservoirs and related recreation

10

Travel in Taiwan

Siraya National Scenic Area The Siraya NSA is best known for Siraya-tribe culture, farms and agricultural produce, hot springs, and large reservoirs and related recreation. It was named af ter the Siraya indigenous ethnic group, originally an exclusively plains-dwelling tribe closer to the coast, and among the f irst to come in contact with the Dutch when the latter controlled Taiwan (1624 ~ 1662). With the inf lux of Han Chinese over the next two centuries, the Siraya were pushed to the east side of the Jianan Plain and into the central-mountain foothills.

Photos/ Maggie Song, Jen Guo-Chen

One f ine recent morning the chime was followed by an announcement letting me know Chiayi City and the Siraya NSA were close. We pulled in, I hopped off, hopped on a f ree shuttle bus, and in 20 minutes was at Chiayi Rear Station (i.e., the rear section of Chiayi Railway Station). The rest of my travel gang was waiting, having come in f rom elsewhere; we rented scooters at one of the tourist-f riendly shops by the station, and off we went. I of ten self-drive when visiting areas with destinations spread a fair distance apart, and where bus/taxi service is not an optimal option, but the weather was so f ine we wanted to ride the breezes. (Crucially important: sunblock)

WATER AND FIRE SPRING

SIRAYA/CHIAYI

The NSA takes up much of this second homeland, covering 12 rural districts on Tainan City’s east side and Dapu Township in Chiayi County. This is Taiwan’s youngest NSA, established in late 2005 (there are 13 in total). It has an elongated shape and north-south orientation.

The Siraya village of Jibeishua, which has about 360 households, is just outside the NSA’s north-end boundary. The residents’ ancestors were moved here en masse in 1779 by the Qing Dynasty government. The crystal-clear waters of the important Jianan Plain irrigation system (see Wushantou Reservoir entry), in which squatting local women wash their clothes, run beside the town. You’ll see family altars in shrines outside homes, dedicated to Alimu, the Great Ancestor, who is in charge of all life on Earth. The Siraya NSA Administration has close contact with the village, and will arrange tours.

BIYUN TEMPLE

The town of Guanziling is in the NSA’s north, near Chiayi City, high up along a narrow valley that opens to the plains. Mention Guanziling to any Taiwan adult and the automatic response is “hot springs.” Taiwan’s only mud springs are here; at the bottom of the town you can visit the two sources, emerging directly f rom the mountainside. The mineral-rich mud is highly prized, thought to be therapeutic, and limited in quantity. Hotels apply annually for their allotment.

This is one of Taiwan’s ma jor hot-spring resorts, opened up by the soak-loving Japanese when they controlled Taiwan (1895 ~ 1945). It was f rom the Japanese that Taiwan’s people acquired their own love of the hot-spring culture. High, green-foliage slopes surround the town, and on a promontory above is the pretty, Japanese-designed Red Leaf Park. It is f illed with old-growth trees, and purple-crow and other butterf lies f lit about in large numbers, feasting on the colorf ul f lowers and blooming shrubs. A moderate-grade road takes you f rom town to park, the 25-minute walk done by many visitors, especially the elderly, with hiking staffs in hand.

DONGSHAN COFFEE HIGHWAY

Chickens are a common sight in the countryside

Irrigation channel at Jib eishua

G oing for a walk at Nan Yuan Resor t Farm

11

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE A short drive f rom Guanziling is the Water and Fire Spring. Methane and boiling-hot mineral water – and mud – pour forth f rom a cliff-face f issure here, and the methane has been ignited. Water and f lame seem to magically mix together, in a paradoxical phenomenon locals long ago dubbed “f ire in water and water in f ire.” The f lames, today about a meter high, once shot out about three meters, and have licked the grotto black.

Ornate Biyun Temple, the “Temple of Azure Clouds,” is close by. The temple is by the roadside, and the temple complex climbs up a soaring, steep mountainside. The Jianan Plain is spread out far lef t to far right before you, as though you’re sitting in a theater watching a widescreen movie. You’ll see many monks onsite, and unusual practices such as exorcisms are common. In the temple’s rear is a dragon sculpture on a cliff-side wall f rom which sacred, drinkable mineral water trickles and is eagerly bottled by local tourists.

NAN YUAN RESORT FARM

WUSHANTOU RESERVOIR

Still near Guanziling, County Road No. 175 in Tainan’s Dongshan (East Mountain) District is called the Dongshan Coffee Highway. There are about 20 plantations with dedicated cafés on one section, almost all on high slopeland, all with great views. Kuo Ya-cong, owner of Hoes vs. Flowers, started it all in 1998. He knew the Japanese had tried coffee cultivation here, but there was no local market then; he brought in Arabica beans to start things back up, and he and Dongshan have enjoyed great success. Dongshan Coffee is a boutique brand, available only locally, which makes it tastes all the better as you gaze out over mountain and plain.

Further south, nearing the NSA’s middle, is Nan Yuan Resort Farm, a family/group-oriented oasis of lush plant life and artif icial lakes, waterfalls, and tiny islands. The islands are inhabited by macaques, rabbits, and other animals – including, incongruously, one very big yellow cow. The surrounding water prevents waywardness. There’s also an aviary with wonderf ully costumed, healthy-looking birds, and a Formosan sika deer feeding area. You can stay in lakeside wooden chalets, and comf y Cafés also overlook the waters.

Photos/ Maggie Song, Jen Guo-Chen

Just south of this is the large, scenic Wushantou Reser voir. Its intricate, zigzagging shoreline inspired the old name “Coral Lake.” Near the dam is the Yoichi Hatta Memorial Park. A Japanese civil engineer, Hatta designed and built the reservoir and Jianan Plain irrigation system f rom 1920 through 1930. In the park is his residence, other restored wooden Japanese buildings, and a museum. His gravesite overlooks the reservoir; Hatta was killed at sea in 1942 in an Allied attack, his body later found and brought here.

At a café on the cof fee highway

There are about 20 plantations with dedicated cafes along the Dongshan Coffee Highway, almost all on Grave of Yoichi Hat ta

Sik a deer at Nan Yuan Resor t Farm

high slopeland, all with great views

12

Travel in Taiwan

SIRAYA/CHIAYI

to Chiay i City Chiayi HSR Station

Siraya National Scenic Area ENGLISH & CHINESE

Baihe District Guanziling Biyun Water and Temple Fire Spring 175

Jibeishua Dongshan Cof fee Highway Nan Yuan Resort Farm 174

Zengwen Reser voir

Wushantou Reser voir

阿里山森林鐵路 Alishan Forest Railway 北門驛站 Beimen Station 碧雲寺 Biyun Temple 嘉義舊監獄 Chiayi Old Prison 嘉義公園 Chiayi Park 嘉義火車站 Chiayi Railway Station 大埔鄉 Dapu Township 東山 Dongshan 東山咖啡大道 Dongshan Coffee Highway 關子嶺 Guanziling 史蹟資料館 Historic Archives Building 嘉南平原 Jianan Plain 吉貝耍 Jibeishua 郭雅聰 Kuo Ya-cong 南元休閒農場 Nan Yuan Resort Farm 紅葉公園 Red Leaf Park Siraya National Scenic Area 西拉雅國家風景區 射日塔 Sun Shooting Tower 水火同源 Water and Fire Spring 烏山頭水庫 Wushantou Reservoir Yoichi Hatta Memorial Park 八田與一紀念園區

For more info, visit: www.siraya-nsa.gov.tw

Chiayi City The fortunes of old Chiayi City f lourished when the Japanese built the island’s west-side railway and Alishan Forest Railway in the early 1900s, connecting them here, and the Jianan Plain irrigation system, which engendered an explosion in regional agricultural production. Many facilities f rom this period have now been restored and opened to tourists.

Wooden, Japanese-style Beimen Station was built as the forest railway’s launch-point. In the immediate area are numerous large wooden Japanesestyle dormitories for Japanese workers; a lovely clubhouse for Japanese forestry off icials; a railway yard, now a park, with well-maintained antique U.S., English, German, and Japanese locomotives on display; and a building built to house power-generation equipment for moving giant logs on-site, now housing large-scale wood sculptures by Taiwan artists.

Beimen Station Historic buildings are one of the attractions of Chiayi City

Large, pleasant Chiayi Park, built by the Japanese in tiers on a hillside, has many original architectural elements still in place, and many tall, original trees. The 62-meter-high Sun Shooting Tower stands where a Shinto shrine once stood. Its shape symbolizes Alishan’s giant trees, its name an aboriginal myth. The elegant wood-built Historic Archives Building originally housed the shrine’s off ices and fasting rooms.

The Chiayi Old Prison is about half-way between Beimen Station and Chiayi Park. It is the only one remaining of f ive prisons built by the Japanese; the last inmates were moved out in 1998.

Getting Around A f ree shuttle bus runs between HSR Chiayi Station and the downtown Chiayi Railway Station. Inexpensive scooter rentals are available at shops in f ront and in back of the latter. A taxi ride f rom HSR station to Guanziling is NT$800, f rom Chiayi Railway Station NT$750; agree in advance. The ChiayiGuanziling bus, which departs f rom in f ront of the railway station, is NT$80.

13

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

Main building of The King’s Garden Villa

A Night (or Two) at the Hot Springs

Hot-spring pool area of The King’s Garden Villa

There are many other fine accommodation options in Siraya National Scenic Area, but if you haven’t overnighted in Guanziling, you haven’t fully qualified for your Siraya “Been There, Done That” badge. By Rick Charette

14

Travel in Taiwan

Photos/ Jen Guo-Chen

The Obligatory Siraya NSA Hot-Spring Hotel Experience

STAY

The King's Garden Villa complex has the look and ambience of a small, densely-knit European mountain village Toong Mao Spa Resort

This

mountain town has many hot-spring hotels, in different budget ranges, on and just off the main road. Said road also has a cluster of restaurants, and things get busy on weekends/holidays, everyone out for a good time and in a good mood. From Sunday night through Thursday night the ambience is much more subdued (except during the summer vacation period and the Chinese New Year holidays), with few parents with kids in evidence.

My wife is Taiwanese, f rom a tight-knit family that loves spa outings, and I’ve been on many a 3-generation clanvacation excursion in my years here. I’ve been to the pretty Guanziling area on many an occasion, and I here recommend one high-end and one mid-range place for you to stay.

My

f irst choice is The King’s Garden Villa. It is a complex, not a stand-alone hotel building – a conf iguration of wood cottages and two-f loor wood-façade buildings. In the latter you walk directly into your room f rom outside, and the second-f loor units are set up like walkup apartments. The complex has the look and ambience of a small, densely-knit European mountain village, everything is painted bright white, and the facades and cozy parklike walkways between buildings are spic and span. The management shows obvious pride in every detail, which guests in turn obviously notice and appreciate.

Each unit has hot-spring tubs in a room partially exposed to the outside, though designed to ensure privacy. The resort is at the top of Guanziling, with only forest, ridge, and peaks behind, though not all units have views in this direction.

There is also a large and airy spa facility, with an attractive outdoor pool that offers a partial mountain view, sauna facilities, mineral pools of various temperatures, and other amenities. Guanziling’s famous health-enhancing mineral mud is available here. Note that there are public facilities as well as separate men’s/women’s facilities.

Though there is also much else to recommend at The King’s Garden Villa, if I must choose just one more to highlight, it is the covered, open-side verandah dining area of the main (reception) building’s restaurant. You dine along a railing at

Guanziling’s famous mud

just under forest-treetop level, branches seeming to reach out at you in the breeze. The breakfast buffet is splendid, with both standard and creative local and international selections. ( Rooms start at N T$5,000)

Whereas

The King’s Garden Villa has a subdued, somewhat secluded, private air, Guan-Zih-Ling Toong Mao Spa Resort is a much more public place. It’s right on the main thoroughfare, and guests are constantly walking in and out, heading off to or coming back f rom a round of town shopping and/or eating.

The hotel is built on a slight slope, and the basement area opens up to the large outdoor swimming pool, hidden f rom street view. People lounge around on the wide ceramic-tile deck area, reading and relaxing. The pool is in f ull view of a roomy basement café where guests lounge about in bathrobes, reading and chatting. People, in pairs and small groups, head past café and swimming pool to the hot-spring pools beyond, which have a tree-shaded, partial mountain view.

On one side of the basement café is the indoor spa complex, which has private rooms, and on the other side is the well-equipped – and well-soundproofed – games arcade.

Up on the ground-f loor level are large VIP rooms f rom which boisterous karaoke singing will emanate at night. The hotel’s f ront half has numerous large meeting rooms, which many companies/organizations make use of.

All guestrooms are in the back section of the hotel, ensuring overnight guests’ quiet and mountain views. Not all these rooms have hot-spring tubs; the tubs are on the balcony in those that do, providing soothing green-covered mountain views. ( Rooms start at N T$2,640 weekdays, N T$3,200 weekends /holidays.)

THE KING ' S GARDEN VILLA (景大渡假莊園 )

Add : 56 , Guanziling, Baihe District, Tainan City ( 台南市白河區關子嶺 56 號 ) Tel : ( 06 ) 682 - 2500 Website : www.myspa.com.tw GUAN-ZIH-LING TOONG MAO SPA RESORT ( 關子嶺統茂溫泉會館 )

Add : 28 , Guanziling, Baihe District, Tainan City ( 台南市白河區關子嶺 56 號 ) Tel : ( 06 ) 682 - 3456 Website : www.toongmao.com.tw

15

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE Ho e vs. Flowers café

Prime Food, Great Views

Collecting Culinary Experiences and Souvenirs in Siraya/Chiayi

The

small mountain town of Guanziling is choc-abloc with hot-spring resorts, and its main street is lined with attractive, brightly lit eateries featuring moderate prices, many with timber themes, that serve hearty Chinese/Taiwanese fare. Above the town on the main road is the rustic Rock Top Restaurant, run by ebullient Jian Baba, or Daddy Jian. You dine outside in covered wood pavilions, amidst gardens busy with purple-crow butterf lies that Jian tends himself, with orchards on slopes below that Jian also tends himself, in a complex of simple, homey buildings and structures that the eco-conscious Jian has built himself using recycled materials.

16

Travel in Taiwan

The Taiwanese dishes here are healthy and f illing, well matched with big views over Guanziling to the plains beyond.

Following the Rock Top theme, most key ingredients are grown/ raised by Jian himself, a busy yet obviously happy man. The big seller is the delicious whole roast chicken, roasted in a sealed container to keep in the juices, the juices also preserved using a thick soy-sauce paste as the sole f lavor enhancer, which creates a crispy, delectable skin. I also much admire the sausage cooked in a coffee-based sauce, with coffee powder sprinkled atop, and the medicinal chicken soup pot, prepared with espresso and containing wolf berry and other Chinese medicinal ingredients. Jian has his own coffee orchard.

Photos/ Jen Guo-Chen

When you’re happily meandering about the large, spread-out Siraya National Scenic Area, you’re in sparsely populated country, but you’re in tourist-focused country, and your dining options are many. All quality spots emphasize the freshest local produce, and your souvenirbuy options are also heavily oriented toward local produce. By Rick Charette Rock Top Restaurant

EAT/BUY

We

toured the large, shady Nan Yuan Resort Farm in our main Feature article. Here we visit its large Chinese/Taiwanese restaurant, which has 80 round tables that seat 8~10 each. Everything here is locally sourced, some items f rom the farm itself. Smaller groups can order individual dishes, a 5-course set for just NT$1,000, or a 7-course set for NT$1,500. I especially like the Taiwan cinnamon soup with pork, f iddleheads with tiny f reshwater f ish, pork slices with lemongrass, half-shell orange f illed with abalone, orange, and cucumber, shrimp with tender sugarcane-stalk tops and red pepper, and chew y black range chicken with f ried mingri leaf, literally “tomorrow” leaf, an Asian medicinal herb formally called Angelica keiskei Koidzmi.

The Taiwanese dishes at Rock Top are healthy and filling, well matched with big views over Guanziling to the plains beyond

Across f rom the restaurant, overlooking a lake, is a chalet-style café where you can buy packets of Dongshan Coffee, one of this area’s most famous products.

Another

location I have an especial fondness for is Hoe vs. Flowers, on the Coffee Highway, which we have also already visited in our main Feature article. So I won’t dally. This treehouse-style café, perched on high slopeland, offers light, simple meals, notably hotpot. You can also buy the coffee bean produced on the surrounding orchard – Dongshan’s original coffee orchard – sold here and nowhere else. Also packaged and sold nowhere else is the delicious longan f loral tea, made f rom the tiny, dried f lowers of the orchard’s longan trees, roasted with brown cane sugar. This is a treasure I’ve never seen elsewhere.

In Chiayi, the best-known souvenir product is the cubic pastry, also called a square cookie and other names – crispy, layered baked-wheat cookies cut into small squares. The best-known local seller is T.K. Yang, which offers a wide range of f lavors, from original to almond, green tea, brown sugar, and even wasabi and pepper (the last two my favorites).

There’s a T.K. Yang outlet diagonally across from the Chiayi Railway Station, and one in Chiayi Rear Station. Shops in HSR Chiayi Station have displays of Chiayi’s best-known processed-food products.

Delicious chicken (Rock Top)

Passion fruit juice (Rock Top)

Abalone with orange (Nan Yuan)

ENGLISH & CHINESE

cubic pastry Jian Baba mingri leaf T.K. Yang

方塊酥 簡爸爸 明日葉 老楊食品

NAN YUAN RESORT FARM ( 南元休閒農場 )

Add : 25 , Nanhu Borough, Liuying District, Tainan City ( 台南市柳營區果毅里南湖 25 號 ) Tel : ( 06 ) 699 - 0726 Website : www.nanyuanfarm.com.tw ROCK TOP RESTAURANT ( 岩頂自然休閒坊 )

Add : 65 - 28 , Guanling Borough, Baihe District, Tainan City ( 台南市白河區關嶺里 65 - 28 號 ) Tel : ( 06 ) 682 - 3339 Website : www.rocktop.com.tw (English on menu shown) HOE VS. FLOWERS (大鋤花間 )

Add : 109 - 17 , Gaoyuan, Gaoyuan Borough, Dongshan District, Tainan City ( 台南市東山區高原里高原 109 之 17 號 ) Tel : 0939 - 723 - 117

17

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

Friends of Siraya Other National Scenic Areas in Southern and Central Taiwan

Alishan is famed for its tall c ypress forest, deep valleys that fill with a “sea of clouds,” and its heart-thumping sunrises

The

Al ishan and Maol in national scenic areas, in the central mounta ins, are just beyond Siraya NSA. Look at the NSA map on the Ta iwan Tour ism Bureau website (w w w.taiwan.net.t w → English → Attractions → N ational Scenic Areas) and you’ ll see that Siraya, Al ishan, and Maol in come close to touching. Another combo-option suggestion, Tr i-Mounta in National Scenic Area, is less than an hour nor th of Chiay i at its closest point. This NSA is cut up into three sections, each of distinctive character.

Alishan National Scenic Area has the older Al ishan Forest Recreation Area at its core, f amed for its tall, oldgrow th cypress forest, ancient “sacred trees,” deep valleys that f ill w ith thick, churning cloud, which are v iewed by tour ists f rom above, and are aptly named a “sea of clouds.”

The area is also known for its hear t-thumping sunr ises, bursting to l ife each morn over the l ine of soar ing peaks to the east, one of them Yushan (Mt. Jade), nor theast Asia’s highest mounta in.

18

Travel in Taiwan

Alishan

The lyrically scenic narrow-gauge Alishan Forest Railway runs across the plains from Chiayi and then zigzags and corkscrews through the NSA to the forest recreation area. It was built by the Japanese in the early 1900s for service in their exploitation of Alishan’s magnif icent, untapped timber stands.

(The line, undergoing repair, is currently partially open.)

The NSA is home to the northern Tsou indigenous people, numbering about 7,000. A key tribal-culture showcase is YuYuPas (w w w.yuyupas.com), a theme park on a broad valley slope with tremendous mountain vistas. Enjoy tribal songand-dance performances, traditional foods (the grilled boar is superb), arts-and-craf ts demos, and the well-laid-out museum.

The NSA administration has been systematically developing Alishan’s trail system, which brings you through towering timber stands, past pretty waterfalls and huge boulder falls, through tea f ields, and to many other pleasant photo-opp spots.

Photos/ Jen Guo-Chen, Tourism Bureau, Vision Int'l

In our Feature article this issue we have introduced the Siraya National Scenic Area and the nearby jumpingoff city of Chiayi, on Taiwan’s west side. Tourists commonly vary this combination, for other fine national scenic areas are also close to Chiayi. We introduce three here. By Rick Charette

SCENERY

In

the Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area, the closest of the three sections to Chiayi is Mt. Bagua Scenic Area, which touches the city of Changhua at its northern tip. This area offers very good rural-area bicycling. Its biggest scenic attraction is the Great Buddha, a giant statue atop a hill overlooking Changhua; you can climb to the top. Another recommended destination is Taiwan Folk Village (more info at www.themeparks.net.tw), which has many f ull-size mock-ups of Taiwan’s traditional forms of architecture, as well as demonstrations of traditional incense-making, candy sculptures, camphor-oil production – even weddings.

Southwest Coast Maolin

The main attraction at Lion’s Head Mountain Scenic Area is the scores of temples running up and down its sides, some located in caves, some with caves in them. The Lishan Scenic Area, high up along the Central Cross-Island Highway, is a quiet alpine getaway featuring highlands, steep cliffs, deep canyons, crystalclear rivers, pristine forest, hot-springs, alpine f ruit/vegetable farms, recreational farms, and Atayal indigenous culture.

Note that in issues past we have f iled many longer reports on all the above-named places, and on two other worthy areas within easy reach of Chiayi, the Southwest Coast NSA and Sun Moon Lake NSA. For more information about Taiwan’s national scenic areas, visit the Tourism Bureau website (see above).

The

prime attractions in the Maolin National Scenic Area are the indigenous villages, hotsprings soaking, and butterf ly watching. Oh, and the magnif icent mountain scenery. I’ll stop there.

Members of the Rukai and Paiwan tribes, which share many cultural elements, live in the south, members of the southern Tsou and Bunun in the north. In Duona, a cluster of 30 traditional Rukai slate houses is being preserved, the largest concentration in Taiwan. In Sandimen, a Paiwan settlement, are tourist-f riendly studios where glass-bead ornaments are made; the beads are imbued with deep cultural symbolism.

The NSA is blessed with many hot-spring sources.

There are numerous commercially operated hotspring facilities, and the area has the most extensive distribution of natural stream springs in Taiwan.

The Purple Crow Butterf ly, an intrepid traveler that like the Monarch Butterf ly accomplishes impossibly challenging annual migrations, winters in tremendous number in Maolin. In the Purple Butterf ly Valley you may well see hundreds of thousands f litting about.

Another prime viewing spot for this and other species is Maolin Ecological Park.

Lion’s Head Mountain ENGLISH & CHINESE

Alishan Forest Railway Alishan National Forest Recreation Area Atayal tribe Bunun tribe Duona Great Buddha Lishan Scenic Area Lion's Head Mountain Scenic Area Maolin Ecological Park Mt. Bagua Scenic Area Paiwan tribe Purple Butterfly Valley Rukai tribe Sandimen Taiwan Folk Village Tsou tribe Yushan YuYuPas

阿里山森林鐵路 阿里山國家森林遊樂區 泰雅族 布農族 多納 大佛 梨山風景區 獅頭山風景區 茂林生態公園 八卦山風景區 排灣族 紫蝶幽谷 魯凱族 三地門 台灣民俗村 鄒族 玉山 阿里山鄒族文化部落

19

Travel in Taiwan

INDIGENOUS CULTURE

Certain ceremonies and religious customs of the Siraya have survived, and today a cultural revival is underway

Enjoying a Cultural Renaissance

By Rick Charette

When

Photos/ Tourism Bureau

the Dutch arr ived in presentday Tainan in 1624, beginning a per iod of colonial rule over Taiwan that would last until 1662, one of the f irst and most important indigenous groups they encountered was the Siraya. The Siraya was a matr iarchal ping pu zu or f latlands-dwell ing tr ibe, most of its members l iv ing in the Tainan coastalplains area, its lands stretching f rom Tainan all the way down to the Hengchun Peninsula.

The word “Taiwan” is generally bel ieved to have come f rom the Sirayan place name for the spot at which the Dutch decided to build their port and, later, the grand Fort Zeelandia, the ruins of which are today a tour ist draw.

The tr ibe led a simple agr icultural existence, supplemented by coastal f ishing and hunting. The then teeming deer of the southwest plains were the main source of meat. Han Chinese immigrants streamed into the plains f rom the 1600s through early 1800s, pushing the Siraya to the east side and into the central-mountain foothills. Like other pingpu peoples they were largely assimilated, and their language went dormant when the last known Sirayan speaker of earl ier times died in 1908.

However,

certain ceremonies and rel igious customs sur v ived, and many people retained consciousness of their Sirayan ancestr y. Today a cultural rev ival is under way, and the language is being rev ived through study of such sources as Roman-alphabet bible translations by Dutch missionar ies (the Siraya had no wr itten language). Language classes are being set up, and annual ceremonies at a number of Sirayan v illages become more elaborate each year, draw ing more and more tour ists.

The most popular is the Night Sacr if ice at Jibeishua (see Feature article) on the 6th day of the 9th lunar month). This features a giant sacr if icial pig, which is of fered to Al imu, the Great Ancestor, and other ancestral deities. There is a formal inv itation to the gods, r ice-w ine toasting, chanting, and a “call ing of the sea” celebration commemorating the safe arr ival of the tr ibe’s ancestors in Taiwan long ago – the Siraya are part of the great Austronesian diaspora. Jibeishua elders also say this is Al imu’s birthday.

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Fort Zeelandia Hengchun Peninsula pingpu zu

20

Travel in Taiwan

熱蘭遮城 恆春半島 平埔族

Elder at Jibeishua village

COOKIES Only a millimeter thick and more brittle than an eggshell, the I-lan Cake Company’s extra-thin oxtongue cookies are a modern twist on a traditional local recipe which dates back more than a century, to Taiwan’s Japanese colonial era. By Owain Mckimm

Thin and Crispy Ox-Tongue Cookies Visiting the I-lan Cake Tourist Factory

Children love Yilan’s ox tongue cook ies

Photos/ Ivy Chen

Developed

The company has seven branches, dotted around the northeast of Taiwan, but the I-lan Cake Tourist Factory in the port town of Su’ao is the place to go to try your hand at making your own. Even with an area of over 5,000 square meters and two f loors open to the public, on the Saturday we visit, the factory is still incredibly crowded with visitors. The f irst f loor consists of a shop, café, and exhibition area, while the area upstairs is the venue for a 20-minute DIY session and a factory tour.

Modelled after an ancient Chinese marketplace, the shop is an idyll of tiled eaves, hanging lanterns, wooden beams, and tilted carts

by I-lan Cake’s founder Liu Deng-hui in 2001, the cookies have become one of Yilan County’s most celebrated delicacies, ensuring that anyone who visits the area is almost bound by law to bring back a box of the crisp, tongue-shaped cookies as a gif t.

Modelled af ter an ancient Chinese marketplace, the shop is an idyll of tiled eaves, hanging lanterns, wooden beams, and tilted carts – though the charm can sometimes be dampened somewhat by the crescendos of clamor and chatter f rom f rantic cookie-hunting guests.

I-lan Cake’s extra-thin ox-tongue cookies are nothing if not consumer-f riendly. They come in nine different f lavors – milk, cheese, maple syrup, spring onion, bamboo charcoal and sesame, seaweed, Chinese toon, coconut, and coffee – are light, f ragile, and f ragrant, and break with a satisf ying snap. A commonly used expression at the company is that the cookies are so delicate that anyone f rom a newborn baby to a 99-year-old can eat them, regardless of their lack of teeth or preference for sweet or savory.

The exhibition area to the lef t of the entrance tells the story of the company and its founder, as well as the history of the ox-tongue cookie itself. While thoroughly informative the exhibition boards do not have English translations, but English-speaking guides are available if the factory is notif ied in advance. For those who drop in unannounced, the exhibit still has some appeal in its collection of old photos, and also in its collection of traditional cake molds; these include some early examples made f rom wood and clay, with handcarved designs that range f rom simple geometric patterns to intricate turtle-shell motifs.

21

Travel in Taiwan

TOURIST FACTORIES

Entrance lobby E xhibition hall

Cook ie produc tion

At one time, this kind of cookie would be hung around the necks of four-monthold babies, which was thought to bestow the child with intelligence

The

“To make the ox-tongue gui, rice was soaked in water, mixed with certain plants and herbs such as wild mulberry leaf, cudweed, or lemongrass, and then ground into a paste,” Chen says. “This mixture was then boiled until it became viscous, and then cooked in a steamer until it was f irm enough to be molded into the desired shape.” For ease of eating, the gelatinous snack was of ten molded into a long, thin slab, resembling an ox’s tongue.

“Af ter the Second World War, there was a severe shortage of resources in Taiwan,” Chen continues. “The American military, which was stationed here af ter the war, introduced f lour to the local farmers. Rice began to be replaced with f lour when making the ox-tongue gui, and was baked instead of steamed; it thus became the ox-tongue ‘cookie.’ ” At one time, this kind of cookie would be hung around the necks of four-month-old babies as a ritual practice. The parents would

22

Travel in Taiwan

invite their f riends and relatives to use the tongue-shaped cookie to wipe away the baby’s saliva, an action that symbolized a blessing and was thought to bestow the child with intelligence.

While similar to I-lan Cake’s extra-thin ox-tongue cookie, this original version of the cookie, which is still made, is thicker and not nearly as popular as the wafer-thin creation of Liu Deng-hui. By the time he developed his famous cookie, Liu already had over three decades of experience in the baking industry. Coming f rom a poor family which had no money to pay for a formal education, Liu started his career young, at 16, working in bakeries as an apprentice. He quickly made a name for himself as a talented young man who specialized in Western pastries and cakes.

During Liu’s time in the air force, doing Taiwan’s compulsory military service, Chiang Ching-kuo, then President of the ROC, would personally request Liu’s cakes whenever he visited Liu’s base for inspection. Liu opened a series of bakeries af ter he lef t the military, but fell on hard times when he attempted to develop vegan-f riendly cakes without using eggs. Not one to be put off by failure, Liu was determined to develop a product that could speak for and represent the area where he grew up. Manager Chen tells us that Liu developed the extra-thin ox-tongue cookie because, due to her poor teeth, his elderly mother found it diff icult to eat the thicker version. Af ter experimenting for two or three months, Liu f inally put his new cookie on the market, and the rest is confectionery history.

Photos/ Ivy Chen

factory’s activities manager, Chen Yanche, guides us through the plant. He f irst tells us a little about the history of Yilan’s ox-tongue cookie. The original ox-tongue cookie came f rom the Japanese colonial era (1895~1945), he says. The name of this rustic snack was oxCook ies on sale tongue gui – gui is a Taiwanese word meaning a snack made of rice. Chen says that the rice farmers at the time were very poor and of ten could not afford to pay good wages to the extra hands used during the rice harvest. So they would ask their wives to make these snacks for the workers as a kind of compensation.

COOKIES

Chen

takes us to the second f loor of the factory, where we join a large group he now leads in a DIY session. Two lumps of ingredients are placed in f ront of us – the one on the lef t is dough, which will become the crust of the cookie (a mixture of f lour, warm water, and cream), and the one on the right is the f lavoring (containing f lour, powdered milk, butter, and sweetener).

First, we roll both parts separately into 15cm-long cylinders. Then we cut each one into six small parts.

Chen tells us to take one of these f rom the crust section and f latten it into a circle. Then we take a piece f rom the f lavoring section, put it in the middle of the circle, and wrap it up like a Chinese dumpling.

Af ter repeating this for each one, we take the balls of combined dough and f latten them again into small circles. We take a rolling pin, give DIY classroom them a few short preliminary rolls to make them even, and then start rolling them out into long, thin, ox-tongueshaped strips. When suff iciently sheer, they are placed onto grease paper, where we cut a thin line down the middle of each one. This is to make sure that the dough is suff iciently ventilated when it’s in the oven; it also gives the cookie a certain lingual authenticity.

The cookies are baked for 12 minutes at 180°C (though when done professionally they take only 10 minutes), and are returned to us a short while later packaged in a lovely pink ziplock bag. To train a worker to make the company’s signature 1mm-thin cookies can take up to a month, and some workers can produce up to 400 cookies per hour. Even though ours may not be up to the factory’s exacting standards, they are nonetheless delicious.

L arge cook ie mold I-LAN CAKE TOURIST FACTORY ( 宜蘭餅發明館 )

Add: 369 Haishan W. Road, Aiding Borough, Su'ao Town, Yilan County ( 宜蘭縣蘇澳鎮隘丁里海山西路 369 號 ) Tel: ( 03 ) 990 - 5999 Hours: Mon~Thurs 8 : 00 ~ 18 : 00 , Fri~Sun 8 : 00 ~ 20 : 00 Website: www.diy-icake.com.tw (Chinese only) GETTING THERE:

From Taipei, take a train to Suaoxin Station ( 蘇澳新站 ). The I-lan Cake Tourist Factory is about 1 . 3 km from the station. To walk, leave the station at the back exit; to catch a taxi (around NT$ 150 ), leave by the front.

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Chen Yen-che gui Liu Deng-hui ox-tongue cookie Su ’ ao

陳彥哲 粿 劉鐙徽 牛舌餅 蘇澳

The extra-thin ox-tongue cookie DIY session costs NT$120 per person, and can be followed comfortably with no Chinese ability. The factory usually hosts the DIY class only for larger groups; but if you call ahead (3 days is best), management will do its best to accommodate you in a pre-arranged session.

In addition to the extra-thin ox-tongue cookie, I-lan Cake also produces the traditional thicker ox-tongue cookie, as well as a sof t, f laky version akin to a puff pastry. A bag containing nine packets of the extra-thin ox-tongue cookies (one for each f lavor, each containing four cookies) costs a mere NT$285. The company also sells delectable mochi-stuffed pastries, f luff y cream cake rolls, and a host of other hand-made snacks and desserts.

Also in the Area Af ter baking away your morning, pay a visit to Su’ao’s famous cold springs.

These natural wonders emit highly carbonated mineral water, which is most commonly used for bathing but also to make jelly cake and, once upon a time, to make soda. The odorless spring water emerges from the ground at around 22°C, so you’ll feel a chill as you get in. But af ter a few minutes soaking, you’ll be nice and comf y. Cold-spring facilities can be found along Zhongyuan and Lengquan roads, adjacent to each other.

23

Travel in Taiwan

FESTIVAL

Leisurely Excursions, Competitive Races, Inspiring Scenic Backdrops

The Taiwan

Cycling Festival

Racing through Taroko Gorge

Ten years ago, the words “Taiwan,” “cycling,” and “international tourist” would not appear in the same sentence. This combination is now common. As demonstration, let’s see what Lonely Planet and CNNGo, two of the most prestigious names in international travel reporting, have had to say on the subject of cycling experiences here. Then we’ll tell you all about this year’s Taiwan Cycling Festival, which is happening in November. By Rick Charette

Lonely

Planet recommended Taiwan as one of the top 10 countries for travel in 2012. This is

f rom its website:

“Taiwan has always had a jaw-dropping landscape – oversized sea cli f f s and densel y f orested mountains barel y start to describe its ma jest y. And then there’s the museums, which are simpl y bursting with treasures (including the best o f imperial China, spirited across the strait a f ter WW I I ), plus a thriving f olk culture that includes some wild displays o f Taoist and Buddhist worship. In terms o f cuisine, Taiwan is a f usion- and slow- f ood showcase. So why is 2012 the time to visit? Because Taiwan is best seen on two wheels and in

24

Travel in Taiwan

recent years the authorities have embraced the biking market with sur prising enthusiasm, vision, and (most importantl y) f unding. T his year sees the linking o f thousands o f kilometers o f paths, including two round-the-island routes, and a host o f other c ycling f riendl y inf rastructure pro jects”.

CNNGo has declared Sun Moon Lake, one of Taiwan’s most famous scenic destinations and the centerpiece of the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area, one of the world’s 10 best bike routes: “Some o f the best c ycling routes in the world pass through its most beauti f ul scener y…. Located in the heart o f Taiwan,

CYCLING Sun Moon Lake has long been charming curious f oreigners and local visitors alike. Its calm, turquoise water has also ins pired many ancient Chinese poets and painters. T he route around the largest lake in Taiwan is a three-hour ride, where visitors can en joy lake scener y, ex perience T hao aboriginal culture and learn about the local ecolog y in Nantou Count y. I f you arrive in earl y spring, you can even catch the cherr y blossoms near this mirror-like lake.”

The

goal behind the annual Taiwan Cycling Festival is to introduce the full panoply of the Taiwan cycling experience to all the people of Taiwan and to people overseas looking for new, healthy, and inviting travel destinations: the range of natural scenery that is so impressively varied for an island of this size, the alluring man-created scenic sights, the island’s full and still growing network (over 3,800 km) of interlinked regional and local bike-route webs, the ever more comprehensive infrastructure of rental and repair facilities, the quality accommodations that span the full budget range wherever you bike, Taiwan’s superb, pleasingly affordable food, and the warmhearted friendliness and hospitality of the local people.

The festival is the creation of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, and is built around two main events, the Formosa 900 and the Taiwan KOM Challenge, complemented by a number of events smaller in scale.

Taking part in the Formosa 900 requires a team ef fort

The Formosa 900 is a round-island tour by 10 teams that will each launch f rom a di f f erent location along the round-island route

Photos/ Taiwan Cyclist Federation, Cycling Lifestyle Foundation

Formosa 900 The Formosa 900 will take place November 10 to 18. It is a round-island tour by 10 teams that will each launch f rom a different location along the round-island route. Each team does a leg a day, covering 900 kilometers in 9 days, and ends up at its starting point. This is not a race – a leisurely pace will be maintained, and sightseeing is the primary goal. Team members will be introduced to the main tourist attractions along the way, and entertained at lunch and dinner each day with iconic foods. A sample of meal themes includes “temple snacks,” “Tainan snacks,” “Taitung-Hualien seafood,” “Chishang lunchbox,” “home-style cooking,” and “turkey rice.” A grand evening feast and party will be held af ter the event, in Taipei, with all bikers invited.

Each team has a limit of 30 members, and each biker pays NT$30,000 to participate. This includes insurance, all accommodations, all meals, bike repair/maintenance support, etc. If riders don’t have their own bikes, the organizer will help out. Teams have themes: there’s an indigenous-tribe team from Taitung, a ladies’ team from Taichung, a team of physically challenged bikers from Hsinchu, a husband/wife team from Yilan, and international teams from Pingtung and Hualien. This is the inaugural event for the Formosa 900. All are welcome, and the intent is for the team composition to change each year.

If you want to learn more about this year’s event or sign up a team or individually for next year, contact the event organizer, the Taiwan Bicycle Exporters’ Association, or the assistant organizer, the Cycling Lifestyle Foundation (contact info below).

East Rif t Valley During this year’s Formosa 900 the East Rif t Valley National Scenic Area is being specially spotlighted. Running north-south through pristine Hualien and Taitung counties, it is f ramed by the ma jestic Central Mountain Range and the Coastal Mountain Range. The rolling valley-bottom landscape is a carpet of neatly cut, caref ully tended farm plots that are of ten bursting with pastel colors – this has of t been called a “land of milk and honey.” Wide, light-traff ic Provincial Highway No. 9, spanning the valley’s length, has a dedicated bike lane very popular with cyclists. The easy-grade side roads are also inviting, as are bike paths through and around local farming towns. Formosa 900 riders are to be specially introduced to the Ruisui Hot Springs and white-water raf ting, Japanese-built heritage architecture such as the old Guanshan Railway Station and Guangf u Sugar Factory, Chishang Dapo Pond bikeway, and the particularly lovely scenery along County Route No. 193.

25

Travel in Taiwan

FESTIVAL Taiwan KOM Challenge

who won the 2012 Giro d’Italia KOM; Anthony Charteau, f rom France’s Team Europcar, winner of the 2010 Tour de France The Taiwan KOM Challenge (“KOM” stands for “King of KOM; and Jeremy Roy, f rom France’s FDJ-BigMat team, 2011 the Mountains”) is being run on November 10, racers setting Tour de France stage KOM and Combative rider. Among the off at 6 a.m., the f inish line closed at 1:30 p.m., the winner many competing teams are the CCN Cycling Team, based in expected to f inish at about 11 a.m. This is an international Malta; the KTM Cycling Team, based in Germany; and the race for serious riders – above 16 years of age and capable Specialized US cycling team. There will be trophies and cash of f inishing the route in 7 hours or less. This starts in the prizes in each category: an Elite, Men’s in numerous age scenic Qixingtan area in the small east coast city of Hualien, brackets, and a Women’s. and takes riders through magnif icent Taroko National Park.

It was mentioned earlier that CNNGo has specially recommended Sun Sun Moon Lake Taiwan KOM Challenge starts in the east Moon Lake; it has also given special There will be an awards ceremony coast cit y of Hualien, takes riders through coverage to Taroko National Park, and f ireworks show at Sun Moon magni ficent Taroko Gorge, and ends far, Lake’s Xiangshan Visitor Center at 6 stating that: far uphill at Wuling /Hehuanshan p.m. on November 10. The next day “Taiwan is a place that should be is being called Sun Moon Lake Come! on ever y tourist’s travel plans… . W hat should reall y persuade Bikeday: there will be a f un 30-km ride around the lake with potential tourists to visit are Taiwan’s natural attractions, with some of the pro racers, and a 9-km family run along the lake.

Taroko National Park getting top billing.”

Both launch f rom the Xiangshan center at 7 a.m. There will also be an autograph session. For more information, contact At the park’s base just inland from the coast is Taroko the event organizer.

Gorge, Taiwan’s greatest natural wonder, where sheer marblelaced cliffs a thousand meters high almost kiss in places. The As Lonely Planet has noted, Taiwan is now energetically race ends far, far uphill along the Central Cross-Island Highway promoting green tourism through the vigorous marketing of at Wuling/Hehuanshan, Taiwan’s highest road point at 3,275 cycling tours. The Taiwan Tourism Bureau has introduced meters. Riders, starting at sea level, cover 100 km, with the numerous incentive packages and other promotional activities route featuring many winding and challengingly steep sections. for international tourists. For more information, visit the British pro rider Lee Rodgers said of his 2011 experience: bureau’s website (www.taiwan.net.tw).

“It was, in the end, breathtakingl y beauti f ul and yet incredibl y tough… . However, ever yone who f inished that day is a hero. Plain and simple. T his is a race that more people should know about, because it is absolutel y unique… . To those thinking o f taking a trip to Hualien and the Taroko Gorge: this area is astonishingl y beauti f ul and I thoroughl y recommend a trip here. Breathtaking, in ever y sense!”

Among the celebrated riders competing this year are Matteo Rabottini, f rom Italy’s Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli team,

Chishang Dapo Pond Chishang lunchbox East Rift Valley Formosa 900 Guangfu Sugar Factory Guanshan Railway Station Qixingtan Ruisui Hot Springs Sun Moon Lake Sun Moon Lake Come! Bikeday Taiwan Cycling Festival Taiwan KOM Challenge Taroko Gorge Xiangshan Visitor Center

26

Travel in Taiwan

池上大坡池 池上便當 花東縱谷 騎遇福爾摩沙 900 光復糖廠 關山火車站 七星潭 瑞穗溫泉 日月潭 日月潭 Come! Bikeday 臺灣自行車節 太魯閣登山賽 - 台灣登山王 太魯閣峽谷 向山遊客中心

TAIWAN BICYCLE EXPORTERS’ASSOCIATION (臺灣區自行車輸出業同業公會) Contact: Wei Shyi-Ling (魏錫鈴) / Secretary General Add: 5F, 189, Sec. 2, Keelung Rd., Taipei City (臺北市基隆路二段189號5樓)

E-mail: shyiling@yahoo.com.tw Website: www.tbea.org

CYCLING LIFESTYLE FOUNDATION ( 財團法人自行車新文化基金會 ) Contact: Sheron Wang (王玫文) Add: 17F-2, 51, Sec. 2, Keelung Rd., Taipei City (臺北市基隆路二段51號17F-2)

Tel: (02) 8978-5060 E-mail: sheron@cycling-lifestyle.org.tw Website: www.cycling-lifestyle.org.tw

TAIWAN CYCLIST FEDERATION (自行車騎士協會 ) Contact: Zoe Lee (李照圓)

Tel: (04) 2381-3936/ 0920-522-171 E-mail: shoew0401@gmail.com Website: www.cyclist.org.tw

Photo/ Taiwan Cyclist Federation

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Riding to the top of the mountains

UPCOMING Festivals and Events from November to December NOV 6

2012 Taroko Gorge Marathon 2012 太魯閣峽谷馬拉松

Location: Taroko Gorge National Park, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣太魯閣國家公園 ) Tel: (03) 862-1100 Website: www.taroko.gov.tw

NOV 1 ~ 11

Caoling Historic Trail: The Season of Silver Grass 2012 草嶺古道芒花季

Location: Caoling Historic Trail, Gongliao District, New Taipei City ( 新北市貢寮區草嶺古道 ) Tel: (02) 2499-1115 Website: www.necoast-nsa.gov.tw

UNTIL DEC 30

2012 Guandu Int'l Outdoor Sculpture Festival 2012 關渡國際自然裝置藝術季

Location: Guandu Nature Park, Taipei City ( 台北市關渡自然公園 ) Tel: (02) 2858-7417 ext. 232 Website: www.guandu.org.tw

UNTIL JUN 1

2012 Taipei Flower Exhibition 2012 臺北花卉展

Location: EXPO Dome, Taipei Expo Park ( 花博公園爭艷館 ) Tel: (02) 2182-8886 ext. 6041 Website: www.taipei-expopark.tw

Photo by Li Wen-ren

DEC 1 ~ 2

2012 Taipei International Beef Noodles Festival 2012 台北國際牛肉麵節

Location: Taipei Expo Food Court, Yuanshan Park ( 圓山公園花博美食商城 ) Tel: (02) 2720-8889 ext. 6506 Website: www.tcooc.taipei.gov.tw

UNTIL DEC 2

2012 Taipei Shopping Festival 2012 台北購物饗宴

Location: EXPO Dome, Taipei Expo Park ( 花博公園爭艷館 ) Tel: (02) 2720-8889 ext. 6494 Website: www.taipeishopping.com.tw

DEC 31

2013 Taipei New Year's Eve Countdown Party 2013 臺北跨年晚會

Location: Citizen Square in front of Taipei City Hall ( 臺北市政府前市民廣場 ) Tel: (02) 2720-8889 ext. 2031 Website: www.taipei.gov.tw

DEC ~ FEB

2012/2013 Maolin Purple Butterfly Season 2012/2013 茂林紫蝶季

Location: Maolin National Scenic Area ( 茂林國家風景區 ) Tel: (08) 799-2221 Website: www.maolin-nsa.gov.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.

27

Travel in Taiwan

ART

Exploring the Amazing 3D Artwork by Local Artist Tu Long 3D paintings on the ground or on a wall can play tricks with your mind, and at times it can be difficult to discern where reality ends and the painting begins.

An artist who has mastered this type of art is Tu Long. By Joe Henley

28

Travel in Taiwan

3D PAINTINGS

Taitung Art Museum

Kaohsiung MRT Formosa Boulevard Station

Tu Long

Tu Long's 3D paintings are experienced with tactile en joyment, and marveled at in disbelie f

On

Photos/ Peter's Arts Co., Ltd

a warm September night, a crowd has gathered alongside a red carpet outside a theater complex in Taipei's glitzy Xinyi District. In the shadow of the landmark Taipei 101 skyscraper, they await the stars of a new movie, Tai Chi 0, a martial-arts action f ilm directed

by Stephen Fung. With cameras at the ready, fans hold up placards greeting the movie's actors and actresses, among them Tony Leung, Eddie Peng, and Shu Qi, but one man stands off to the side. Dressed in a thin turtleneck sweater, fashionable scarf wrapped loosely about his neck, and dark sunglasses, his arms are folded neatly in f ront of him, and he has a sly and somewhat shy smile on his face. With his hair tucked neatly behind his ears, he looks every bit the artist. His eyes rarely stray f rom the 3D, L-shaped work of art at the head of the red carpet that leads to a stage where the director and celebrities in attendance will later address the crowd. His name is Tu Long, he is Taiwan's f irst 3D painter, and this is his moment – the moment he gets to watch with unfettered pleasure as complete strangers become a joyf ul part of his creative process as they interact and have their picture taken with one of his eye-popping works of art.

One of Tu Long's 3D paintings isn't to be taken in passively, as one would with a regular work of art in a gallery or a museum. It is to be experienced with tactile enjoyment, and marveled at in disbelief, as you walk to its center and then have your picture taken in its midst, striking a playf ul pose. Such is Tu Long's skill that his paintings, though of ten fantastical in theme, blend right into the surrounding cityscape, taking the participants along with them. At times, it's diff icult to tell what is real and what Tu Long has created. His spray-paint and brushwork masterpieces swallow up the people who venture into them, transporting them into worlds of the artist's own imagination.

He showed a keen interest in art at a young age, and his passion was nurtured by his parents, who enrolled him in a private painting school in his hometown, the southern port city of Kaohsiung. Upon his graduation f rom college 25 years ago, he began painting f ull-time, though for a time he had to take on other work to support his artistic ambitions. His f irst move towards 3D painting began roughly f ive years af ter his postsecondary education came to a close. He was commissioned by a government organization to create a giant statue of the god Guangong for the Tainan Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival, a riotous annual event in which revelers in protective gear brave roaring blasts of rocket f ireworks in a practice dating back to the late 19th century, when local citizens believed doing so would help the god in his efforts to drive away the evil otherworldly types that had caused an epidemic. It took Tu Long three months to complete the massive f iberglass work, and he worried privately that it might burn during the festivities. Luckily his concern was, for the most part, the consternation of a young artist hoping to impress, which he did in spades. The skills he picked up in this huge undertaking would later be transferred to the 3D paintings that have gained him fame around Taiwan.

Tu Long's career as a 3D painter began in earnest at Kaohsiung's Fengshan Junior High School, which in 2009 asked him to come up with a piece for its art classroom that ref lected the theme of caring for Mother Nature. Outside the classroom he created a work in which it looks as though the f loor has given way to reveal a crystal-blue pond beneath, its sides walled by pristine white-andcobalt glaciers. A few of the f loor tiles have been incorporated into the piece as pillars that extend downward into the pool, allowing viewers to stand upon them and reach down to favor penguins, a bear, and an orca whale breaking the water's surface with a playf ul pat. The painting was such a hit with the students and faculty that he was asked back to teach a series of classes at the school. His schedule has since become so f ull that he no longer has time for teaching.

29

Travel in Taiwan

ART

Kaohsiung Pier- 2 Art Center

These

days, the artist never knows where his next commission might come from. It seems that everyone from government off icials to movie and singing stars are looking to monopolize at least part of his busy schedule so that he might bring a section of wall or a piece of sidewalk to life with some masterf ul work of the brush and spray can. With each work taking two months to complete on average, his dance card f ills up quickly. Pop sensation turned movie star Jay Chou snatched him up for one of his music videos, for which Tu Long created the crumbling ruins of an ancient civilization presided over by fearsome stone gargoyles at Taipei's Huashan 1914 Creative Park. Two of the pillars featured in the painting were in fact real – part of the building utilized in the shoot – and one was painted. Looking at the painting, however, it was nearly impossible to discern which is which. One of Jay Chou's personal cars, very much resembling the Tim Burton-era Batmobile, also featured in the video, and was parked over a turquoise body of water painted onto the ground. Tu Long has always maintained that the two most diff icult things to paint in a 3D painting are water and sky, with the challenge lying in showing the layers of each to List them seem as genuine as the real thing. make

30

Travel in Taiwan

Speaking of the real thing, a stroll along Kaohsiung's Pier-2 Art Center, a complex of old harbor-side warehouses transformed into a center for art exhibits and performances, w ill take you past the closest approximation of actual trains you'll ever see. This is where you'll f ind Tu Long's largest work to date, a 4-stor y-high, 27-meter-w ide 3D painting depicting Taiwan's past and present on the railroad tracks. This painting features an old diesel locomotive tow ing several orange and black cars, and the sleek, aerodynamic form of a more modern train. Surpr isingly, this piece took just one month to complete. Even more surpr ising is that Tu Long had no set plan for the piece.

He simply cl imbed the scaf folding set up alongside the building that ser ved as his canvas, painted for a time while strapped into a safety harness, cl imbed down to v iew the work in progress, and repeated this process until it was done. And yet, despite the lack of planning, ever y thing is in perfect proportion, and ever y form and structure is true to l ife. When asked why he didn't simply use a projection of a pre-made image to speed his work along and make things easier on himself, the artist deadpans, “I l ike a challenge.”

Photos/ Peter's Arts Co., Ltd, Ivy Chen

Tu Long's largest work to date is a 4-stor y-high 3D painting depicting Taiwan's past and present on the railroad tracks

3D PAINTINGS

A

journey to Taiwan's east coast and the city of Taitung will bring you to the site of another of Tu Long's many career milestones. He is the creator of the world's largest ceramic painting. Measuring 5.5 meters in height and 2.7 meters in length, the work was f irst painted onto a sheet, and then transferred onto the ceramic in a painstaking process. The work, exhibited at the Taitung Art Museum, includes themes that are dear to Tu Long's heart, and are tied to his native land. Whenever possible, he hopes to conjure some aspect of his homeland in his work, and this is a prime example, featuring traditional Taiwanese redbrick architecture, an ancient tree up on Alishan, and a tranquil lotus pond so inviting visitors can't help but try to dip a toe in it. Though he has had many invitations to paint overseas, he wants to do more for Taiwan f irst, before venturing abroad.

Perhaps the last place visitors to Taiwan might see one of Tu Long's works of art is Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, where he has recreated a night-market scene in one of the departure waiting halls of Terminal 1. His f lowing tableau is complete with red hanging lanterns, food stalls, and various night-market snacks that Taiwan visitors will no doubt enjoy during their stay. No matter where you take in Tu Long's artworks, found all around the island, be sure to take a look around you as you delve into his 3D world. You just might see the artist himself, smiling as his artwork is enjoyed just as he meant it to be.

Xinyi Distric t ENGLISH & CHINESE

Eddie Peng Fengshan Junior High School Jay Chou Guangong Huashan 1914 Creative Park Pier- 2 Art Center Shu Qi Stephen Fung Tai Chi 0 Tony Leung Tu Long Xinyi District Tainan Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival

彭于晏 鳳山國中 周杰倫 關公 華山 1914 文創園區 駁二藝術特區 舒淇 馮德倫 太極 0 梁家輝 圖龍 信義區 台南鹽水蜂炮

31

Travel in Taiwan

MY PHOTO TOUR

Marvelous Sunset Scenes on the North Coast Photos by Iv y Chen

32

Travel in Taiwan

YELIU

One

of the most popular scenic areas in nor thern Ta iwan is Yel iu Geopark, nor thwest of the port city of Keelung, best known for its beautif ul rock formations. In all seasons, weekends and weekdays, large groups of tourists f lock to the rocks and enjoy walking around and taking pictures – loads and loads of pictures. Groups f rom mainland China, where the park and its formations have acquired iconic status, are especially noticeable.

It’s unlikely you’ll have this truly magnif icent place all to yourself, except perhaps on the coldest and most blustery days of winter and getting pictures of the most attractive rocks without a stranger or two in the background can be tricky. But why f ret about it? During a recent visit on a gorgeous af ternoon we went with the f low and intentionally incorporated other tourists in our images. With the sun low on the horizon, the silhouettes of people on the rocks created unforgettable scenes.

We stayed until closing (usually 5 p.m., May~Sept 6 p.m.), and kept shooting in the waning light. At this time, with all tourist groups back in their coaches, we had the place almost to ourselves, the line-up to take pictures of what most consider Yeliu’s most photogenic attraction, the famous Queen’s Head rock, having magically disappeared.

33

Travel in Taiwan

ENJOYMENT

Fashion Art Zen Taipei Restaurants with Style Sweet taro desser t

There are countless places in Taiwan that can serve up a memorable meal that will leave you raving for months after the final bite. But there are only a select few where the décor and design are just as memorable as the dishes themselves. Let’s take a look at three such restaurants found in and around Taipei City. By Joe Henley

34

Shi-Yang Culture Restaurant

Travel in Taiwan

the address for Shi-Yang Culture Restaurant says “Xizhi District, New Taipei City,” you'd be hard-pressed to f ind anything that even remotely reminds you of the fast-paced city during a visit to this getaway, located in an idyllic mountain valley 30 minutes by taxi f rom the MRT Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Station. Proprietor Lin Hwai-min, who is also the founder and director of the famed Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, opened his f irst restaurant in Xindian District, New Taipei City, over a decade ago, and since then has gradually found himself moving deeper and deeper into natural surroundings, changing locations f irst to Yangmingshan, and then to Xizhi in 2009. He couldn't have picked a more picturesque setting. Shi-Yang Culture Restaurant sits in a lush valley complete with a crystal-clear creek f lowing through its central path of least resistance. The many colonial-era structures that make up the restaurant and teahouse are former farm buildings, some dating back a century, that have been renovated and ref urbished to create an atmosphere that is nothing less than absolute Zen calm. Guests can follow a path, part of a mountain road dating back to an era before modern vehicles and highways, f rom between the buildings to take in the bucolic surroundings and breathe the f resh mountain air.

Photos/ IMaggie Song

Zen

Though

RESTAURANTS Lin is a meditation enthusiast who started Shi-Yang Culture Restaurant because he wanted to give people a place where they can slow down and gain peace of mind in today's hectic world. Tea classes, taught by champion tea-pouring masters and experts in the of t-forgotten tranquil art of the tea ceremony, are offered to guests and Lin's employees alike, as he attempts to revive what he views as one of Taiwan's most vital forms of art.

1

3

2

4

SHI -YANG CULTURE RESTAURANT ( 食養文化山房 )

1. Corn soup & tofu Add: 7, Lane 350, Sec. 3, Xiwan Rd., Xizhi District, 2. Prawns & mochi New Taipei City (新北市汐止區汐萬路三段350巷7號) 3. Seafood plat ter Tel: (02) 2646-2266 4. Lotus f lower soup Website: www.shi-yang.com

Shi-Yang Culture Restaurant also brings peace if you're the type who stresses out over what to order.

Each season brings a different set menu, leaving guests' hardest choice simply whether to order the regular set or the vegetarian. As an example, the fall set, priced at a very affordable NT$1,210, with the vegetarian option being slightly cheaper, includes corn soup with sea salt and peanut tof u, salmon spring rolls topped with roe and served with broccoli, eggplant, and a steamed egg, a sushi set complete with clams and sea urchin with ginger, prawns served over mochi stuffed with dried f ish along with a pumpkin/pineapple/passion-f ruit palate cleanser, chicken soup with lotus f lower, and taro with peanut powder for dessert. Enjoy an amazing meal while marveling at just how far away you can get f rom city life in just 30 minutes.

Ambassador Classic Pineapple Cake In Taiwanese the words for “pineapple” sound like the words for “prosperous future.” Pineapples are therefore often used as auspicious symbols. Resembling little gold bars, pineapple cakes make for a delicious gift with symbolic meaning to friends you want to wish well. The Ambassador Hotel Classic Pineapple Cakes, the finest quality, are made with soft & light outer shell and delicious sweet & sour pineapple paste as filling. By sharing these flavorful cakes with you, we hope to wish you and the people close to you good fortune and prosperous times ahead!

NT$270 Pack of 6 NT$450 Pack of 10 NT$880 Pack of 20

Ambassador Hotel Taipei Add：No. 63 Chungshan North Road, Section 2, Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C. TEL：+886 (2) 2551-1111 FAX：+886 (2) 2531-5215 Ambassador Hotel Hsinchu Add：No.188, Sec. 2, Zhonghua Rd., Hsinchu City, Taiwan R.O.C. TEL：+886 (3) 515-1111 FAX：+886 (3) 515-1112 Ambassador Hotel Kaohsiung Add：No.202, Mingsheng 2nd Road, Kaohsiung City,Taiwan R.O.C. TEL：+886 (7) 211-5211 FAX：+886 (7) 201-0348

ENJOYMENT

Fashion

FiFi Tea House Lounge Restaurant

FiFi

is a place where haute cuisine meets high fashion. Founded by Isabelle Wen, a well-known Taiwan designer with over 30 years in the fashion industry, the establishment on Ren’ai Road in Taipei is part boutique, part café, part restaurant, and part lounge bar. The café, known as Khaki due to the color motif, is an exhibition of pure vintage styling in everything from the chandeliers to the delightfully retro furniture.

Throughout the multi-floor establishment, candles of all kinds adorn the many antique furniture pieces, making for an intimate atmosphere as the daylight hours draw to a close and the wicks are lit up like old-time street lamps. The café provides the perfect place to kill time for those who might not share their partner's enthusiasm for shopping, with an outside garden suitable for lounging during the warmer months of the year. Next door to Khaki on the ground floor is Wen's boutique, featuring her own designs, inspired by simple, understated elegance and the youthful exuberance of rock ‘n’ roll culture.

Candles of all kinds adorn the many antique furniture pieces, making f or an intimate atmosphere as the daylight hours draw to a close

On the second f loor is the FiFi restaurant, divided straight down the middle, with the two sides done in Chinese and Western styling, respectively, items drawn mostly f rom the 1940s. Open for lunch f rom 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and then again for dinner from 6 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. during the week and until 12:30 a.m. on weekends, the restaurant is a magnet for both local and international celebrities, with TaiwaneseAmerican TV presenter Janet Hsieh of Fun Taiwan travel-show fame and international action-f ilm superstar Jackie Chan just two among many notable patrons who have popped in. Antiques picked up during Wen's travels abroad catch the eye, and have been transformed f rom mere

curios into vital elements of the building's personality, with an old steel birdcage, ornate decades-old Chinese tea thermoses, and several vases among the many items that take diners back to a bygone era of tastef ul decadence. The menu is a mix of Shanghai and Sichuan dishes, with recommended items including the f ried tof u with garlic sauce, shrimp with pineapple, and crispy ham with plum sauce served with steamed bread. For those who might f ind their Chinese skills lacking, never fear. The f riendly manager, the highly fashionable Carmelo Terranova, a native of Belgium and a f luent speaker of English, is happy to guide you through the menu and assist you with anything you might need in any of FiFi's three establishments.

One f loor up f rom the restaurant is W Bar, a cocktail lounge where DJs spin relaxing house music f rom 7 to 10 p.m. each night before upping the tempo a bit until closing time comes around, which is 2 a.m. during the week and 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Try a signature Carmelo Special, named for the affable manager, a mix of red wine, vodka, lemon, peach liqueur, and a secret ingredient. Or sample FiFi's own brand of wine, similar to a sweet Bordeaux, made right here in Taiwan. Whether you're looking to shop, snack, sip some tea, have a meal, or rub shoulders and perhaps have a drink with some of Taipei's List glitterati, FiFi has you covered.

36

Travel in Taiwan

1. Squid with salted egg 2. Spic y sauce chicken 3. Crispy ham in honey sauce

2 3 1 FIFI TEA HOUSE LOUNGE RESTAURANT (FIFI 茶酒沙龍 ) Add: 15, Sec. 4, Ren’ai Rd.,

Taipei City (台北市仁愛路四段15號) Tel: (02) 2779-1152 Website: www.isabelle-wen. com

RESTAURANTS

Designed

by Xie Li-xiang, a selfdescribed loner, the Five Dime Boathouse looks more like a modern art gallery or an off-the-wall museum than a restaurant. From the outside it looks like a fantastical cave complex, with warped, intertwining stalactites and stalagmites weaving their way upward and inward along the façade towards the seven-story storybook-style structure's conical peaks. The interior is just as fantastical and whimsical. It's like a bizarre yet wonderf ully welcoming hive f rom a children's book of fables, a welcome piece of levity in a sea of shining skyscrapers.

Art

Five Dime Boathouse

From a young age, Xie was encouraged by her parents to pursue her own interests, and had lots of time to daydream. Her thoughts turned to architecture, and though she underwent no formal training, she f irst designed her own house in her hometown of Tainan using found materials such as drif twood and planks, as well as beautif ully imperfect materials such as misshapen bricks. Af ter making this dream a reality, Xie had ideas for many more projects, but was short of cash. The idea then struck her to found a restaurant that would provide f unds for all f uture endeavors, and the Five Dime Boathouse (now a chain) was born. Diners are surrounded by huge tree trunks uprooted by the terrible f ury of Taiwan’s typhoons, ceramic creations such as primal female f igures plucked straight f rom Xie’s own imagination, and tribal-theme sculptures made of steel salvaged f rom decommissioned ships.

The Taipei restaurant’s showpiece is a seven-story statue of a female caught in the midst of performing the “shake hair dance” that is done by the aboriginal women of Taiwan’s outlying Orchid Island (Lanyu). The ground f loor also features a canoe from the island, situated in a clear pond and encircled by a school of pure-white koi f ish. Many of the artistic works found within the restaurant, from large tapestries cut into soundproofing foam using a fruit knife, to the ceramic f igures, to several driftwood sculptures, were created by Xie herself, who devoted six months to creating all the installations for the Taipei venue. The interior of the building, in which up to 1,000 guests can be seated, is mostly empty space in the middle, and those who aren’t afraid of heights can venture up to the fourth f loor for a spectacular view of the full inside layout.

All the food prepared at Five Dime Boathouse is made with local ingredients. Signature dishes include deep-fried oyster mushrooms coated in duck-egg batter, deep-fried shrimp from Chiayi County covered in Oolong tea leaves cultivated in high-mountain Alishan, sakura shrimp from the south of Taiwan served with thousand-year eggs and leeks grown in Changhua County, and pork cheek f lambéed in Kaoliang liquor on a f lat stone heated to 300 degrees Celsius, served with kimchi and sesame sauce. For a dining experience that exuberantly stimulates the visual sense, Five Dime Boathouse is a can’t-miss destination.

The restaurant looks like a f antastical cave complex of warped, intertwining stalactites and stalagmites weaving their way upward and inward

Flambéed p ork

Selec ted dishes

FIVE DIME BOATHOUSE (伍角船板餐廳 )

Add: 8, Lane 32, Sec. 1, Neihu Rd., Taipei City (台北市内湖路一段32巷8號) Tel: (02) 8502-5567, 8501-1472 Website: www.five-dime.com.tw

Photos/ IMaggie Song, Ivy Chen

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre Isabelle Wen Lin Hwai-min Orchid Island (Lanyu) Xie Li-xiang Xindian District Xizhi District Yangmingshan

雲門舞集 溫慶珠 林懷民 蘭嶼 謝麗香 新店區 汐止區 陽明山

37

Travel in Taiwan

BEST BIKE ROUTES

How to Complete One Third of Taiwan’s Unique “Triathlon” Many cyclists in Taiwan dream of circling the island on a bike, and an increasing number of them are completing the feat. The trip takes about 10 days for the average rider, but if you decide to take in more of the scenic sights and make detours along the way you can easily spend two weeks or more in the saddle. By Mark Caltonhill

Near Wuling, on Taiwan’s highest road

40

Travel in Taiwan

AROUND TAIWAN

Taiwan

has a unique “triathlon” undertaken by many local and visiting outdoor enthusiasts. This involves participating in the Sun Moon Lake cross-lake swim held each September, climbing Yushan – at 3,952m, Northeast Asia’s highest peak – and cycling around the island.

Those cyclists with limited time or energy can circumnavigate Taiwan following a route of less than 1,000 kilometers – in about a week to ten days at normal touring speeds, though Internet reports suggest that the record is under 48 hours – by sticking to main roads and avoiding the temptation of diversions.

Those with more time, perhaps three or four weeks, have such a wealth of natural, historical, culinary, cultural, recreational, and sporting seductions to choose from that a journey of 2,000 kilometers is not uncommon. These include a number of National Scenic Areas (NSAs), historical towns such as Beipu, Lugang, and Meinong, and indigenous homelands. If a round-the-island trip is not enough, ambitious riders can also take part in competitive triathlon and bicycle races held in the spring and autumn.

These two seasons are also the best for touring, though hardier cyclists will not f ind the local summer too hot nor the winter too cold. Another decision facing cyclists when heading to new lands is the choice of bike. Unless off-road routes are to be included in your itinerary, a regular road or touring model is well suited to Taiwan’s well-surfaced roads. Most airlines will transport passengers’ bikes as part of their luggage allowance or for an extra fee; alternatively, machines of all standards can be easily and inexpensively hired f rom bike shops following arrival, or purchased, since prices in Taiwan are signif icantly lower than in many other developed countries.

Foreign

visitors launch their huan-dao (“circle-the-island”) trips at a surprisingly varied range of starting points, but the route suggested here begins at most people’s arrival point: Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Like most other routes, it takes you down the west coast, saving the spectacular – and more demanding – east coast for last.

Into the mountains Along the east coast

Cyclists seeking rapid circumnavigation tend to take Highway No. 1 or, more of ten, No. 3, which connect Taipei with the south of the island via the coastal plains or the foothills of the Central Mountain Range, usually 10~50 kilometers inland f rom the sea. But since the Taoyuan and Hsinchu county governments have constructed interconnected bike paths that follow the coast and do not add too many kilometers to the total, the route suggested here will make use of these.

Photos/ Vision Int'l

The climb up to Wuling is a test-of-ability challenge undertaken by innumerable local cyclists To access this route, take Sanmin Road (Highway No. 4) northward f rom the airport to Zhuwei Fishing Port. (Note: If you want to visit the city of Taipei f irst to get acclimatized, stock up on supplies, and rent/buy a bike if needed, you can start your trip f rom Taipei by following the bikeway on the right bank of the Tamsui River north, crossing the river at Guandu, following the lef t bank to the coast, and then following Highway No. 61 to Zhuwei Fishing Port.) Af ter a breakfast at the f ishing port (or a lunch or dinner of f reshly caught and cooked seafood), you can take the bike path southeast beneath Expressway 61, past Guanyin and Yong’an, before joining Highway 15. A convenient overnight stop might be nearby Hsinchu City.

41

Travel in Taiwan

BEST BIKE ROUTES

Taipei

with cyclists. West of Ming jian via No. 139 or No. 150 is the Baguashan area of the Tri-Mountain NSA, and beyond that on the Changhua County coast is Lugang, once Taiwan’s second-largest port. The port is long since silted up, but the town retains its old-world charm.

In

Chiayi County, the No. 3 crosses Highway No. 18, which provides another possible diversion up to the Alishan NSA, about 60 kilometers to the east. Home to the Tsou indigenous people, this area is immensely popular with tourists, who take the pre-dawn former logging railway to watch the sunrise over Yushan. The climb here f rom Chiayi City is another standard challenge among local cyclists, as well as being a favorite route in races put on by various organizations.

The most recent addition to Taiwan’s proud corps of scenic areas is Siraya NSA, named af ter one of the ping pu (“plains aborigines”) ethnic groups that inhabited the island’s western plains prior to and af ter immigration by Han Chinese, today with pockets of members still extant and working toward cultural revival. The area has many lakes expanded into reservoirs, and highways 172, 174, and 175 offer beautif ul alternatives to the main road, perhaps with an overnight break at the Guanziling Hot Springs.

South

of Hsinchu the coastal road is busier, so cutting southwest on Highway No. 122 is a good way to link up with No. 3 at the town of Zhudong. A good brunch stop is the historic Hakka township of Beipu, which has a f ine temple in the main town, good examples of 19th-century architecture, and a cold spring nearby.

A stop in downtown Tainan, the capital of Taiwan under the Dutch and early Han Chinese administrations – still known by many as the cultural capital – is highly recommended. To reach the city, take Highway 20 west at the former town of Yu jing, now off icially Tainan City’s Yu jing District.

This route also offers cyclists the option of a visit to Shitoushan (“Lion’s Head Mountain”) in the Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area, and of a detour via Highway No. 124 through Nanzhuang before rejoining No. 3 in Miaoli County.

The area is highly popular with weekend walkers, who visit the dense cluster of temples, some in caves, and cyclists can mount the hills by an access road.

From Tainan, the suggested route follows Highway No. 17 southward near the coast through mixed farming, f ishing, and former salt-making areas to Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s secondlargest city. Cyclists can either remain on this road or take their bikes on a ferry to Qijin Island, which has views both out to sea and back to the city’s center and port, before reconnecting with the No. 17.

Back on the No. 3, by turning lef t up the No. 8 (and then No. 21) at Dongshi you can reach the town of Puli, at around 500 meters above sea level, f rom where you can attack Wuling, at 3,250 meters the highest point on a public road in Taiwan. This is a test-of-ability challenge undertaken by innumerable local cyclists, either privately or in races held by the Taiwan Cyclist Federation (www.c yclist.org.tw) or Neverstop organization (www.t pe-bike.org.tw).

Just af ter crossing the border into Pingtung County is Dapeng Bay NSA, with lagoons, alluvial land, and mangrove swamps that provide homes to a wide range of birds and other wildlife.

Either f rom Puli, or Ming jian on the No. 3, circumnavigators can make another diversion eastward to Sun Moon Lake, whose round-the-lake road is very popular

42

Travel in Taiwan

Further

south, No. 17 joins the No.1, which takes you to the southern tip of Taiwan. Kenting National Park’s beaches, and an annual spring-time music festival, make this one of the top recreation spots with locals and visitors alike. The town of Kending is also the site of the Ironman 70.3 Taiwan held in early November; the lighthouse at Eluanbi is also a

Photos/ Vision Int'l, Paul Su

Budget accommodation throughout Taiwan can be found near railway stations or at motels near f reeway intersections; in more rural areas, homestays (B&Bs) are bookable through visitor centers or online. Camping – popular with many cyclists because they cannot always accurately predict cycling conditions in unfamiliar countries or might suffer mechanical problems – is recommended as a back-up plan, although there are only a limited number of off icially recognized campsites along the most popular round-island bike routes.

AROUND TAIWAN

Kending

Nor theast coast

Bali

K aohsiung

Changhua Taitung

Yunlin

Nantou

East coast Nor th coast

43

Travel in Taiwan

BEST BIKE ROUTES North Coast

famous cycling landmark, as it is the start of the 500-kilometer shuang-tai (“two lighthouse”) challenge ending at Fugui Cape Lighthouse on Taiwan’s northern tip, which hardcore cyclists attempt to complete in 24 hours, starting off at midnight.

Taiwan Taoyuan Int'l Airport

N

Tamsui

Northeast Coast 2

Keelung

Taipei

15

Pingl in

Hsinchu

At this half way point, cyclists start their way back north, either by retracing Highway 26 or following inland roads 200 & 199 to Highway No. 9. An east-coast equivalent of No. 1 and No. 3, this road runs about 480 kilometers in total, and heads along the east coast all the way up to Taipei.

Yilan Miaol i

9

3

Dongshi Taroko Gorge

Taichung

“Touracers” (cyclists who like to participate in races while touring in foreign countries) should closely check schedules before their visits to the east coast. Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung counties all host triathlons; Taitung has several in spring and autumn – including the island’s only f ull Ironman-length, 226-kilometer event – and there are many biking-only events, including the prestigious Tour of East Taiwan, which follows Highway No. 11 from the city of Hualien to Taitung on a spring Saturday, followed by a return up No. 9 the next day, around 300 kilometers in total.

Round-island cyclists must choose between these two routes, and consequently between the East Coast NSA and East Rif t Valley NSA. Raf ting adventures are available on the Xiuguluan River, which runs through both areas; the former area has cetacean-watching offshore tours and the latter is home to a ma jor rice-growing district, where many townships have constructed bike paths through local f ields and foothill woodlands.

After

Hualien, one highly popular diversion is west into Taroko Gorge and the national park that encompasses it, with only the toughest of athletes going on to challenge the road to the Wuling high point from this steeper eastern side. There is also a race for serious riders over this route in late autumn (see our article on pages 24-26).

The coast north from Hualien is simply spectacular, if somewhat challenging The coast north from Hualien is simply spectacular, if somewhat challenging, and cyclists arriving in the port town of Su’ao at the southern end of Yilan County’s Lanyang Plain of ten celebrate what is the virtual end of their trips, now that the hardest sections are over.

There are still plenty of treats, however. Af ter tracking highway No. 9 or No. 2 across the plain, some riders head from Toucheng directly for Taipei on No. 9 through the tea-growing area around Pinglin. Others continue up No. 2, around the magnif icent coastline at Fulong and Ruifang, enjoying the scenery of the Northeast and Yilan Coast NSA, through the city of Keelung, perhaps best known for its temple-entrance night market, and then through the North Coast and Guanyinshan NSA to Tamsui. Good swim spots for cooling off are found at beaches along the north and northeast coasts.

Tamsui connects to the town of Bali and then Zhuwei Fishing Port and Taoyuan Airport, completing one’s huan-dao. It is hard to imagine, however, that any visitor to Taiwan who has completed the tour will not allocate a (or another) day or two to exploring the pleasures of Taipei, Taiwan’s capital – and to congratulating themselves on a great achievement at one or more of the city’s f ine eateries, of course.

44

Travel in Taiwan

Wul ing

21

Changhua

14

Baguashan Nantou Ming jian

16

Hual ien

Pul i Sun Moon Lake

3

Al ishan Chiay i

East R if t Valley

18

Siraya Guanzil ing

9

11

East Coast

20

Tainan 17

Taitung

Kaohsiung

Dapeng Bay 1

26

Kending

ENGLISH & CHINESE

阿里山 Alishan 八卦山 Baguashan 八里 Bali 北埔 Beipu 大鵬灣 Dapeng Bay 東勢 Dongshi 鵝鑾鼻 Eluanbi 富貴角燈塔 Fugui Cape Lighthouse 福隆 Fulong 觀音 Guanyin 關子嶺 Guanziling 環島 huan-dao 墾丁國家公園 Kenting National Park 蘭陽平原 Lanyang Plain 鹿港 Lugang 名間 Mingjian 南庄 Nanzhuang 坪林 Pinglin 平埔族 pingpu tribes 埔里 Puli 旗津島 Qijin Island 瑞芳 Ruifang 瑞穗 Ruisui 三民路 Sanmin Road 獅頭山 Shitoushan 蘇澳 Su ’ ao 淡水 Tamsui 頭城 Toucheng 全國俱樂部聯賽公路賽 Tour of East Taiwan 鄒族 Tsou tribe 武陵 Wuling 秀姑巒溪 Xiuguluan River 西子灣 Xiziwan 永安 Yong ’ an 玉井區 Yujing District 竹東 Zhudong 竹圍漁港 Zhuwei Fishing Port

WHERE IS THIS?

And

Photo/ Vision lnt'l

here you have it, the answer for the question on page 5. The Chiayi Old Prison, now a museum, is one of the many places worth visiting when touring the city of Chiayi in southern Taiwan. Opened in 1922, the facility is listed as a f irst-grade historic site. When in operation, the facility housed as many as 300 male and 30 female inmates at any given time. It was f inally closed in 1998. The complex has a radial f loor plan, with a command unit at the center f rom which a single guard could watch the entire inmate population. The f ront gate, forecourt, administrative off ice, and central tower are all aligned with the central axis of the complex. Jail cells stretch out f rom the central corridor in three long cell blocks. The prison is surprisingly well-preserved; the doors and windows are made of cypress f rom nearby Alishan, and remain strong and durable even today. The prison is located at 140 Weixin Rd., Chiayi City (嘉義市維新路140號).

(Guided-tour visits onl y, dail y at 10:30, 13:30, and 14:30.)

46

Travel in Taiwan

FOOD JOURNEY

Pomelo Farmer Zhu Yong-fa

48

Travel in Taiwan

POMELOS

Madou’s Pomelos

Juicy and Sweet Citrus Fruits Cultivated in Southern Taiwan

Taiwan is a culinary paradise, and part of the fun of exploring local foods is trying the many types of fruit cultivated here. Among them is the pomelo, a citrus fruit that can grow as big as a soccer ball and is harvested during the fall. One of the best places to find out more about this fruit is the district of Madou in southern Taiwan. By Owain Mckimm

The

Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival is celebrated halfway through the 8th lunar month (September 30 in 2012), and signals the end of summer and the beginning of autumn in Taiwan. Like many other traditional holidays, the festival comes paired with certain foods. For this particular celebration the people enjoy an unusual feast combination of barbecued meat and pomelos. The iconic mooncake is eaten separately.

Though unfamiliar to many Westerners, the pomelo is in fact an ancestor of the modern grapefruit (an 18th-century hybrid of the pomelo and sweet orange). And Madou produces its very own toponymous cultivar – the Madou wendan pomelo – that is second to none. An independent rural town until recently, Madou is now officially a district of the city of Tainan.

We

Photos/ Maggie Song

arrive in Madou on the day of the Wendan Fair, one in a series of events organized by the Madou District Farmers’ Association to promote and sell the town’s signature product. Stalls overf lowing with tear-shaped f ruit the color of a tennis ball line the street, and the local farmers thrust already-peeled slices into our hands, urging us to have a taste. We meet Connie Liang, whose husband is one of Madou’s youngest pomelo farmers. Liang explains the different types of pomelo that are grown in Madou.

By far the most common is the wendan pomelo. This f ruit was introduced to Taiwan f rom mainland China’s Fu jian Province in 1701. Around 1850, a resident of Madou traded 20kg of rice for six pomelo trees f rom an orchard in neighboring Anding – at that time famous for its delicious produce. He planted the trees in his garden, and the resulting f ruit turned out to be even more delicious than that f rom the original area. Madou took over the crown as the wendan

pomelo capital of Taiwan. Cuttings f rom Madou were used to grow trees in orchards in other districts, and the Madou wendan cultivar became a scientif ic name. Wendan pomelos now make up around 70-80 percent of Madou’s pomelo harvest, and over 700 hectares of land are dedicated to growing trees of the wendan variety – the most of any area in Taiwan.

Liang tells us that wendan pomelos from older trees are of a higher quality than those f rom younger trees. “Older trees bear smaller f ruit,” she says. “This means that the f lavor is more concentrated, and also more consistent. In many wendan pomelos f rom younger trees you’ll f ind that one half might be sweet, the other sour. In f ruit f rom older trees, the f lavors are mixed together more evenly.” The oldest tree in Liang’s orchard is 53 years old. Indeed, many of the stalls have signs that advertise the age of the grower’s trees.

Liang holds up two wendan pomelos for us to compare.

One is f rom a ten-year-old tree, the other f rom her oldest.

“The skin on the younger tree’s f ruit is rougher, thicker, and f irmer, see?” She points out that the skin f rom the older tree’s f ruit is thin and smooth, and dents when you press a f inger into it.

Pomelos come in dif ferent shap es and sizes

49

Travel in Taiwan

FOOD JOURNEY

Lee

Red and white wendan

Yu-hsien, the general manager of Madou’s farmers’ association, explains that the dryer the outer skin becomes, the more succulent the inner f lesh will be. “Madou is particularly suited to growing wendan pomelos because of the climate here,” he says. The ideal average temperature for growing pomelos is 28°C, with 180 days of sun exposure per year. In Madou, between the trees’ blooming in March and the beginning of the harvest in September, the average temperature is almost exactly that. “Additionally, in the month before harvest, the temperature usually rises to 30°C, which helps dry out the skin of the f ruit.” The thinner skin of the f ruit f rom older trees expels water more quickly, and as a result the f lesh is more succulent. Lee describes the perfect Madou wendan as being able to make you drool as soon as you put a piece into your mouth. Like the pomelo’s modern descendent, the grapef ruit, Madou’s wendan pomelo has a bold, f resh f lavor. Its f lesh, however, is a modest and unassuming beige, and there is no overpowering sharpness or astringency. The balance of sweet and sour is underpinned with a hint of dry bitterness which, as Lee rightly describes, gets the saliva glands f lowing.

“Do you know why we eat wendan pomelos at the Mid-Autumn Festival?” Liang asks us. “The soy-sauce companies wanted to promote their sauces by encouraging people to eat barbecue during the festival, wendan pomelos are supposed to be good for your digestion, and it just so happens that the wendan harvest is around two weeks before the festival.” Eating wendan pomelos with barbecue has thus become a key Mid-Autumn Festival tradition – encouraged, of course, by the f ruit farmers of Madou.

After

The per f ect Madou wendan is able to make you drool as soon as you put a piece into your mouth

V isiting a p omelo orchard

50

Travel in Taiwan

Although it has been grown in Madou for decades, the red wendan pomelo has only recently been put on the market. In the past it was kept for consumption by the farmers’ famil ies and f r iends. In 2007, a report on new research into the health benef its of the red wendan pomelo was released, claiming that it contained a signif icant amount of antioxidants. Conducted at Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University, the research revealed that the total number of phenols (compounds which slow down oxidative degradation) in the red wendan pomelo was 1.48 times higher than in the regular wendan pomelo, and that its v itamin C content was 47.2 times higher than in sugarcane.

Photos/ Maggie Song

Red wendan

the Mid-Autumn Festival is over, another pomelo harvest begins – the red wendan harvest. Liang points out a much larger f ruit shaped like a gourd. Whereas the best wendan pomelo should be small, and have a wide, f lat base and a rounded head, selective buyers of the red wendan go for the biggest and most perfectly pear-shaped examples they can f ind.

POMELOS These f igures have since made the red wendan pomelo a highly sought-af ter fruit. Having said this, the number of red wendan pomelo trees in Madou is nevertheless still far lower that that for the classic Madou wendan. For example, in the orchard of Zhu Yong-fa, a pomelo farmer for over 50 years, there are 10 red wendan pomelo trees, while Madou wendan pomelo trees number around 160. Even though his red wendan crop is fairly small, Zhu kindly picks one for us to taste. As soon as the skin is hacked off the rich smell of citrus f ills the air. The f lesh of the red wendan pomelo is a sof t, rosy pink, and the f lavor is something quite special. Lusciously juicy, it is more complex than that of the wendan pomelo, and seems to dole out its bittersweet f lavor with relish.

Zhu tells us that in order to allow pomelo trees to grow to their full potential, it’s important to stop younger trees from bearing any fruit. Zhu does this by completely plucking off any f lowers that bloom on a new tree for the f irst two years, letting it bear just f ive or six fruits in the third year, and letting it bear its full load only in the f if th year. It’s also important to drain the soil of any excess moisture as the shallow roots of the pomelo tree can easily rot if exposed to too much water.

Finally,

Connie Liang shows us the bai you pomelo. As big as a soccer ball, this white-f leshed pomelo is harvested af ter the red wendan, and is largely used to make side-line products such as pomelo-pith candy, preserves, and pomelo ginseng. Liang’s husband, Zhang Zhong-xian, tells us that to make pomelopith candy he f irst dries the spongy white pith in the sun, then soaks it in brine for 24 hours to get rid of its bitterness, boils it in syrup for 3-4 hours, and then brushes it with sugar. It’s tough and chew y at f irst, but quickly dissolves in your mouth, leaving behind that quintessential citrusy tang.

Pomelos have a spongy white pith

Pomelo ginseng, on the other hand, may not be to everyone’s taste. A traditional Chinese medicine, it takes the form of pungent brown cubes and is used as a lozenge for sore throats.

The top of a baiyou pomelo is chopped off, and kumquat, citron, purple perilla, licorice root, fritillary bulb, and other traditional ingredients are stuffed in amongst the f lesh. The whole thing is then dried in an oven. It’s bitter enough to make you pull a face.

Madou’s famous pomelos, as well as products in which the fruit is used, including moisturizer and shampoo made from pomelo f lowers, can be bought in the supermarket next to the Madou District Farmers’Association, while shops selling pomelos can be found all around Madou. To be sure that the pomelos you buy come from Madou itself, look for the badge of authentication provided by the farmers’ association.

ENGLISH & CHINESE

baiyou Connie Liang Lee Yu-hsien Madou Mid-Autumn Festival pomelo pomelo ginseng pomelo-pith candy

白柚 red wendan 梁琇斐 Shing-Nan Bus 李育賢 U Bus 麻豆 wendan 中秋節 Wendan Fair 柚子 Zhang Zhong-xian 柚子蔘 Zhu Yong-fa 柚皮糖

紅文旦 興南客運 統聯客運 文旦 文旦節 張仲賢 朱永發

MADOU DISTRICT FARMERS' ASSOCIATION ( 麻豆區農會 )

Add: 56, Xinsheng N. Rd, Madou District, Tainan City (台南市麻豆區新生北路56號) Tel: (06) 572-2016 Website: www.madou.org.tw (Chinese)

Getting There: From Taipei Bus Station, take a U Bus to Madou Station (4.5 hours). Buses leave ever y hour f rom 7:15 to 22:15. If you're driving, take National Freeway No. 1 and get of f at the Madou Interchange. From downtown Tainan you can take a Shing-Nan Bus to Madou. Alternatively, take a train f rom Tainan to Longtian Railway Station (隆田車站), and take a taxi to Madou f rom there.

Pomelo shop in Madou

51

Travel in Taiwan

NATURAL TREASURES

n e d E s u o i r e t s y M A

l u f i t u a Be d n a l s I e Turtl

yo u ty in no rth ea st Ta iw an un Co n la Yi of t as co e th Fro m mo st sp ot s al on g e Isl an d, wh ich th e oc ea n. Th is is Tu rtl in d an isl us rio ste my l, ha bit at , an d ca n se e a sm al un ta in , a ric h na tu ra l mo ic en sc its of e us ca is wo rth a vis it be te ris tic s. By Richard Saunders ac ar ch l ica og ol ge ng in te re sti

le n Tu r t Lake o

Is la n d

Tu r tle Isl an d

52

Travel in Taiwan

YILAN spec ies, a es ti mated 400 an – ts an pl nge of impressi ve ra re in Ta iw an. found el sew he la nd ri si ng is be e t th n’ , ca er at ch w few of w hi ds across the ed ou r boat spee d (nea tl y capp ea ah a g la nd form, se y ra ly-g rela ti vely youn The a . ly ng al di s ou t of the stee id tu rb ac fo rk and cent volcanoe The is la nd is hen tw o ad ja cloud) look s da w r o of ag ou n s io ch ar sh hi ye w cu e t, 7,000 er th w it h a w ea ri ng it s ha crea ted abou t ly er upted. Ov rt le Is la nd is f loor repeated t w et. n ge ea to oc ct e oes pe th m ys teriou s Tu an lc ex m s, the vo e shou ld ri si ng f ro s us mea ns w and as more) er uption g, ps in o ha ll er fa (p d ur gu ide inform he f in is e is la nd – tw cour se of fo s ra in ha s ju st iv e shape of th it, the y’ ct da ng in e li st rc th di ci e y, in il th ns s Luck li ne la nd and begi merged to form “nec k.” St ra ta 0 oaches the is by a low-l yi ng ( ju st under 40 d nd de rbor) la vi the yacht appr is ha di e e s th th nd highla end (nea r h e su m m it of rn ug th te , ro es rs th w ea ’s ks pp nd ea sa n br e is la tions “hat ” di zes, and the su ur mai n er up the cl if fs of th essi ve us) mater ia li ccession of fo pr su im e e th th y te jo ra meter s abov e st ing us to en cl ea rl y il lu clouds, al low nd ing pow dere is la nd. ou rr the th in ni ng su e th d that formed th st. rmat ions, an be fo ul ck rf ro lo d co an r ts it s cl if fs “head,” at thei Is la nd presen f the tu rt le’s s near, Tu rt le p slopes bl ue w ater s of ee st ou r boat dr aw ct, w it h exer ts rbiddi ng aspe ) fo nd t la as to Is le , n st ha do te sof Gu is eepi ng w n (a lso know n as of greenery sw r ridi ng (o py g no in ca iv d k dr Tu rt le Is la nd an ic e -l th for thos for an on covered in a ic tic at tr ac tion fore dock ing bl ne be pu , ag e er m th t ev w os to m s in Ho ea. an al , re veal g Of f-li m it the ha rbor ar nd the is la nd e Yi la n coas t. ou th in ar g ts in on is sp al ur a s to n) g t ta ke The the tr ai perm it-car ry in look, the yach ut h and ea st. ti l opened to at gu ard it s so ou s pl aces. ri th ter te fs ys if m cl t for 23 year s un e he os an’s m ead,” w re af the aw esom arou nd the “h ng one of Ta iw e, the lo is id n w as io w 1.7 ct it se , by e 00 ve th 20 nd to meter s long mos t impressi rt of the is la e abou t 3.3 ki lo m the mai n pa ro er s, and at th f et A lt hough only w m lo 8 39 upw ards once ng pi of es sw oo la nd launch lof ty he ight e a o th to tw k” s e li se ec ri n “n rv ed ic cl if fs. is la nd s mou nt ai gr acef ul ly cu ’s mos t dr amat p slopes of it nd , ee la ld st is co e e ry th ve on in e s, rri ng rupt ly foot of th d a pa ir of sp st ri ki ng pow de more to end ab s of ocea n is a f il led la kes an ha hea is at ar f , e th ngs sh rg o ri la ki an sp a ac lc t , br only vo ater ho A t thei r ba se ted usua l underw nd is Ta iw an’s no un la e is as e w th Th w of lo t. f ce ho en va id one y – a smal l la bl ue color, ev the seabed. corded hi stor ’s volcan ic nd la ugh cr ac ks on Is ro er upted in re le th rt up Tu . ng 85 zi 17 oo nd ou in cord s ar rt il e. It ’s rich in hi stor ic re soil is qu ite fe s it at th an s to re me na tu re ensu insect s, and ho f ly and ot her er tt bu of ost s ie spec Turtle Island exert s an alm

As

As

Photos/ Ivy Chen

those magnetic attraction for st driving along the Yilan coa

Tur tle Island has uniqu e f lora and fauna

53

Travel in Taiwan

NATURAL TREASURES

Isla nd T he sole f lat area on the

High on the slopes grows a beautiful species of palm tree which is native to no other part of Taiwan

Just past the visitor center, a small, colorf ul temple stands on the shore of the larger of the island’s two lakes. The original inhabitants dedicated it to Mazu, the Taoist Goddess of the Sea and protector of f ishermen, but nowadays it serves as a Buddhist shrine. The area around the expanse of water is the only f lat land on Turtle Island, and the only place where fresh water can be found, thanks to the cold spring on its bank. This was the area settled when people began arriving on the island in 1853. In 1967, Turtle Island’s population was 750 and its single village even had a school. However, in 1977 all inhabitants were relocated to mainland Taiwan when the army claimed the island and turned it into a restricted military zone. At the far (eastern) end of the lake is a reminder of this time: a series of tunnels totaling 800 meters is bored into the cliff here, ending at a number of gun emplacements, which offer wonderf ul views over the ocean. The one huge gun still on site here points – a bit disconcertingly – not out to the sea but directly towards mainland Taiwan.

54

Travel in Taiwan

Paths circle the lake, one passing a large, white statue of Guanyin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, sheltering under the steep, overgrown slopes of the interior, and the other passing through the remains of the abandoned village. Several of the buildings now house exhibitions of old photos dating back to when the island was inhabited by civilians.

A walk around the lake provides a great introduction to the island’s ecological richness, and guides can point out some of the more interesting and/or unusual species.

In autumn the leaves of the Rowan trees that grow in abundance on the island turn red, covering the steep hillside above the lake in swathes of russet. The hillsides are covered in screw pine and studded with the sturdy trunks of tree ferns, while high on the slopes grows a beautif ul species of palm tree which is native to no other part of Taiwan; the reason for this isn’t known for sure, but it’s thought that the island’s original palms grew f rom seeds washed up on the shore.

The lakes, dotted with f lowering water lilies, are a resting place for migrating birds in spring and autumn, while year-round avian residents include mallards and

Photos/ Ivy Chen

Af ter circling the island the boat docks at the little harbor, f rom where it’s just a couple of minutes’ walk to the small visitor center close to the turtle’s “tail.” This kilometer-long bar of shingle wags – though just slightly – to lef t or right according to the prevailing current, which changes through the year. The visitor center has cold drinks and snacks, but little else, so bring a picnic lunch.

YILAN pure-white egrets. A variety of f ish live in the waters, f reshwaterloving species congregating on the inland side, near the cold spring, while saltwater-tolerant species can be found on the far side, nearer the seashore.

The surrounding ocean is extremely rich in f ish, which thrive on nutrients swept off the seabed by the Kuroshio (Black Current), which comes up f rom the south. Feeding on these in turn are whales and dolphins; the best time for spotting them is between April and August, when spinner dolphins, bottle-nosed dolphins, small killer whales, and false killer whales may be seen. Flying f ish are also common in these waters during their annual migration north along the eastern shore of Taiwan; they pass this area in June, when they can of ten be seen skimming above the water for improbable distances, of ten in an effort to f lee the boat you are on.

Unless

you’re planning on climbing to the summit, a trip to Turtle Island can be completed as a half-day trip, which leaves plenty of time to enjoy one or two other spots along the mainland’s beautif ul northeast coast. About six kilometers up the coast road f rom Wushi Harbor, the jumping-off point for Turtle Island boats, Beiguan Tidal Park is a particularly scenic place, combining f ine views of distant Turtle Island with some stunning rock-and-water scenery of its own. A short walk f rom the large parking area beside the coast road leads to the park’s impressive rock formations, passing through a small market selling f resh and dried f ish, as well as shihuadong. This local delicacy is a kind of jelly made f rom a variety of sea grass that thrives in these clean, unpolluted seas. The colorless jelly is eaten as a ref reshing dessert, f lavored with f resh lemon and honey and topped with iced water.

T ida l Pa rk roc k s at Be igu an Pa th thr ou gh th e

The short loop path through the park leads to a number of impressive sandstone cuesta formations tilted upwards and inland, and climbs to the top of the highest for a f ine view over the ocean and Turtle Island before looping back through a thin band of woodland hugging the seashore and returning to the car park. Between path and sea, look out for rock pools lef t behind at low tide, in which can be found a variety of tropical f ish in various beautif ul colors.

Turtle Island and Beiguan are easy to reach from Taipei. Take a train or bus to the town of Toucheng, then take a brief taxi ride to Wushi Harbor. Boats leave for Turtle Island between April and the end of November. If intending to land on the island, it’s necessary to apply for a permit f rom the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration a couple of weeks before the trip. Alternatively, the trip can also be arranged through one of several local travel agencies that organize day-trips to the island. Especially energetic visitors can also apply for a second permit allowing them to climb the 1,708 steps to the summit of the island to enjoy the truly magnif icent view at the top. From whichever angle you see it, f rom marveling at the 360-degree panorama from the peak to goggling at the impressive cliffs and deep-blue (and in places powder-blue) waters f rom a boat at sea level, Turtle Island is a place of rare beauty, and certainly one of the f inest day-outing destinations in the Taipei region.

For more information about Turtle Island and the northeast coast, visit the website of the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area at www.necoastnsa.gov.tw.

Tur tle Isla nd see n fro m Bei gu an T ida l Par k

ENGLISH & CHINESE

Beiguan Tidal Park Guanyin Mazu Mt. Datun shihuadong Toucheng Turtle Island Wushi Harbor Yangmingshan

北關海潮公園 觀音 媽祖 大屯山 石花凍 頭城 龜山島 烏石港 陽明山

55

Travel in Taiwan

Nostalgic Port City Art Tours

Yancheng & Gushan

To experience Kaohsiung’s port-town beauty, you must meander the Yancheng and Gushan districts. Near Love River and Kaohsiung Harbor, they possess resplendent seascapes. Using Love River as launch point, ride a bicycle about its lanes and alleys of international flair, appreciating classic old Western-style buildings, traditional Juejiang Shopping District, open-air riverside cafÊs, and the romantic sentiments of local Kaohsiung residents. In Gushan, experience the old-times spirit of Hamasing fishing village, fishing boats, ferries, crossharbor bridge, lovely Sizih Bay sunsets, and sea breezes. From afternoon till night drops, views here are like evocative movie trailers on the big screen, grand panoramas constantly unfolding.

Advertisement by Kaohsiung City Government

Love River

Yancheng District, with the inherent advantages of its harbor-side location, had a key role in Kaohsiung’s early development. In 1960 it was the city’s most prosperous area.

Sinle Street, brimming with jewelry shops, was called “Gold Street.” Nearby Juejiang Shopping District’s f lourishing fortunes were due to the booming port trade, the grand, dense bazaar of shops handling imported goods a favorite place for browsing among city residents.

Later, the port trade declined, the shopping district shif ted east, and Yancheng declined. Recent years have brought a renaissance, however, with Yancheng linked with the Love River banks and Hamasing, much new construction, and a popular new tourist area born. Though no longer a prosperous commercial district, Yancheng is the perfect place for leisurely strolls, rich in nostalgia.

Walk to the seaside f rom Yancheng, to Gushan, where ferries leave for Ci jin Island, old Gushan Fish Market is busy, and the place has the tapestry of a f ishing village. Boats of all description are moored by wharves, and on the other side is the Sun Yat-sen University tunnel mouth, with low Chaishan (“Firewood Mountain”) beside.

The lifetime memories of locals have the pretty sea-andmountain scenery as backdrop, which also attracts many visitors. Cross the Sun Yat-sen University campus to arrive at the beach and Sizih Bay dike, Kaohsiung’s most romantic spot, where at dusk each day sightseers gather in large number for the sunset. In f ront, ships maneuver in and out of port, and behind is the classic red-brick former British Consulate Residence, today a much-loved scenic attraction.

Tourist Information Aihe Visitor Information Center (愛河旅遊服務中心) Tel: (07) 221-0768 Add: 1F beneath the seatortoise sculpture at the junction of Hedong Rd. and Minsheng 2nd Rd. (kitty corner across from the Ambassador Hotel) Hours: 13:00 ~ 22:00 (all year round)

How to Get There Yancheng (鹽埕) Take the KMRT Orange Line to Yanchengpu Station, walk or use Kaohsiung public bicycle rental for immediate arrival at Love River scenic attractions, Yancheng shopping district, etc.

Gushan (鼓山) Take KMRT Orange Line to Sizihwan Station, walk or use Kaohsiung public bicycle rental for immediate arrival at Sun Yat-sen University, Sizih Bay, Takao British Consulate Residence, Hamasing shopping district, etc.

Tak ao British Consulate Residence

Si zi h Ba y

Yancheng Yancheng is an enclave of international character. By the seaport and Love River, it is Kaohsiung’s most exotic district, and renting a bike makes touring easy. First visit the streets of Juejiang Shopping District, once Kaohsiung’s busiest place, today still teeming with shops where you’ll f ind many retro curios. Cycle to nearby Sinle Street, informally called “Jewelry Street,” where jewelry shops line both sides, f illed with treasure. Next visit Pier-2 Art Center, a new culturalcreative complex, where old warehouses now serve as new-style exhibition spaces. Many dynamic large-scale public artworks also grace the complex. In the af ternoon, cycle the Love River bike path, visiting Love Pier, shoot locations for the hit f ilm Black and White, Kaohsiung Film Archive, Kaohsiung Museum of History, and other attractions. When night falls lamps go on and the river’s banks are bathed in a romantic hue, the renowned Love River nightscape a coruscating gem.

Love Pier

Kaohsiung Jewelry Street

Many of Sinle Street’s jewelers specialize in gold jewelry. In early days when shipping and port-related business flourished, this sector had Kaohsiung’s most expensive real estate. Though most commercial activity has now migrated elsewhere, Xinle Street remains filled with jewelers, its fortunes like its gems still sparkling.

Location: Sinle Street (新樂街) in Yancheng District

Pier 2 Art Center

A big hit with young people, this special zone has become Kaohsiung’s most popular cultural attraction. The renovated old Kaohsiung Harbor warehouses here, formerly used to store fish meal and granulated sugar, are now venues for art exhibits and activities. The complex also features many public installation artworks and graffiti murals, a dedicated bike path, and a cultural-creative store. Concerts, of myriad type, are also frequently staged.

Tel: (07) 521-4899 Add: 1 Dayong Rd., Yancheng District, Kaohsiung City (高雄市鹽埕區大勇路1號) Hours: Mon. ~ Thu. 10:00 ~ 18:00, Fri. ~ Sun. 10:00 ~ 20:00

This facility, formally called Kaohsiung No. 12 Pier, was christened “Love Pier” to capture the local romance for tourists. In the shape of a white sail, it is faced by a line of tall buildings across the way. This is the site of the Love River’s loveliest nightscape.

Location: Junction of Gongyuan 2nd Rd. (公園二 路) and Hesi Rd., (河西路), Yancheng District

Advertisement by Kaohsiung City Government

South District Police Department Technology Concept Hall

This building, beside Love Pier, was a key filming location for the Taiwan movie Black and White. It is avant-garde, with a circular shape and extending upper level, done with as-cast-finish molding. The building is now home to the South District Police Department Technology Concept Hall. Enjoy movie-shoot prop displays, interactive games, and movie merchandise in what has become a popular tourist draw.

Tel: (07) 521-7943 Location: Gongyuan 2nd Rd. (公園二路), Yancheng District (part of the Love Pier) Hours: Daily 11:00 ~ 19:00, Holidays: 10:00 ~ 20:00 Closed on Mondays

Kaohsiung Film Archive

Established in 2001, this is a compact space of sophisticated design where ticketed movies are screened daily. Within the archive’s collection are all types of projection equipment, movie-related books, art films, and documentaries. The facility, beside the Love River, attracts many Kaohsiung film aficionados, providing a diversified visual feast.

Tel: (07) 551-1211 Add: 10 Hesi Rd., Yancheng District, Kaohsiung City (高雄市鹽埕區河西路 10號) Hours: Tue ~ Sun, 13:30 ~ 21:30 Closed on Mondays, New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year

ove River Dayscapes & L Nightscapes

The Love River, 12 km long, meanders through the city’s heart, framed by attractive bike paths and pedestrian walkways. This is local citizens’ favorite place to go walking. During the day, enjoy the shimmering waters and luxuriant flower and tree life. At night the lights come on, blending with the building illumination on either side to create a resplendent road of romance.

Location: Between Hedong Rd. (河東路) and Hesi Rd. (西路沿線)

aohsiung Museum of K History

The building housing this museum was built in 1939, during the Japanese colonial era, to serve as Kaohsiung’s second City Hall. Bright and imposing, it is in the Imperial Crown Style. The museum, opened when the government relocated, houses documents and artifacts telling the city’s story. Special exhibits and activities are staged regularly.

Tel: (07) 531-2560 Add: 272, Zhongzheng 4th Rd., Yancheng District, Kaohsiung City (高雄市鹽埕區中正四路272號) Hours: Tue. ~ Sun. 9:00 ~ 17:00 Closed on Mondays

Gushan Gushan is by Kaohsiung Harbor. South Gushan is also called Hamasing, from the old Japanese Hamasen. Most familiar to tourists is the Sizih Bay area. There are numerous Western-style heritage structures here, built when the local port trade was intense and the waters thick with merchant vessels. Tour the Takao Railway Museum, learning about the glory years of Kaohsiung’s f irst train station, then visit Wude Hall and the Former Sanhe Bank, attractive architectural works fusing Chinese, Japanese, and Western elements.

End a tour of heritage sites beside Sizih Bay, at the Takao British Consulate Residence, high on a slope. Relax here with af ternoon tea accompanied by grand harbor and sea views. As dusk approaches head down to the Sizih Bay dike, completing your portfolio of Gushan-tour memories with a splendid sunset tableau.

Takao Railway Museum

This facility, originally Kaohsiung’s port station, was also its first railway station, a key hub in the city’s development of land-sea transportation.

The station was targeted and destroyed by Allied bombing in WW II, rebuilt, and finally entrusted by the city government to an outside enterprise for operation as a museum. There are exhibit rooms, a railway-document archive, and a platform and track area.

Tel: (07) 531-6209 Add: 32 Gushan 1st Rd., Gushan District, Kaohsiung City (高雄市鼓山區鼓山一路32號) Hours: Tue. ~ Sun. 10:00 ~ 18:00 Closed on Mondays

Wude Hall

Completed in 1924, this facility was originally used as a martial-arts training center for police and youth. Made of red brick, the grandiose entrance features Chinese Tang Dynasty stylistic elements, and even more intriguing are wall reliefs symbolizing the traditional Japanese “wude” spirit, emphasizing chivalry and morality. The facility, managed by the Kaohsiung City Kendo Culture Promotion Association, is open to tourists, has kendo-related activities, and rental facilities.

Tel: (07) 531-8845 Add: 36 Dengshan St., Gushan District, Kaohsiung City (高雄市鼓山區登山街36號) Hours: Tue. ~ Sun. 10:00 ~ 18:00 Closed on Mondays

Takao British Consulate Residence

Visit Sihzi Bay and you must visit this lovely red-brick structure, built in 1879 to serve as the British consul’s abode. A notable feature is the series of semi-circular arched galleries. The facility today houses a museum display space and a restaurant/café, and provides stunning high-slope views over Sizih Bay. Tel: (07) 525-0100 Add: 20 Lianhai Rd., Gushan District (鼓山區蓮海路20號) Hours: 9:00 ~ 21:00 Closed on the third Monday every month

Sizih Bay

Sizih Bay’s sunsets are one of the most cherished collective memories of Kaohsiung’s people. The renovated dike has become an attraction and strolling is now safe and comfortable on the wide space, tourists enjoying the sunset canvases even more. Each evening you see sweethearts gathered in number, and anglers in number along the shore. The sky’s golden hues form a lovely, romantic painter’s vision.

Location: On Lianhai Rd. (蓮海路), Gushan District (at side entrance of Sun Yat-sen University)

Advertisement by Kaohsiung City Government

Eat, Buy, Fun

Ocean of Ice

A Sizih Bay summer visit requires an Ocean of Ice visit, for an eyepopping super-size serving of shaved ice. Bring a group of friends, dare the owner to sell you the special 20-serving shaved-ice monster, and he’ll dare to sell it. A tasty bowl drives the scorching summer heat away.

INFO

Tel: (07) 551-3773 Add: 76 Binhai 1st Rd., Gushan District (鼓山區濱海一路76號) Hours: 10:00 ~ 23:30 Closed on Mondays

Dogpig Art Café

This second-floor venue, decorated in bohemian style and with unembellished walls in a state of studied disrepair, is an eclectic exhibit space. A gathering spot for indie artists and other creative types, the exhibits, light foods, and good coffees and drinks also attract foreign travelers.

Love Boat Love River Tours

Everyone knows the best Love River views are from down on the water’s surface, and for good reason Love Boat tours are greatly popular, sailing by the tall buildings and riverside strollers. The 20-minute outings take you from Jhongjheng Bridge to Love Pier and back. The best time is dusk, the sky aglow with the day’s sunset art.

Please do not drink alcohol if underage

INFO

Tel: (07) 521-2422 Add: 131, Wufu 4th Rd., Yancheng District (鹽埕區五福四路131號2樓) Hours: Sat. ~ Sun. 14:00 ~ 23:00, Tue. ~ Fri. 17:00 ~ 23:00 Closed on Mondays

INFO

Rice Cake City

The King of Bookbags

This traditional-style old shop is a beloved local icon. It is a traditional-snack specialist, notably southern-style rice cakes, “four-divinity” soup, milkfish tripe, and pig tripe soup. Prices are very friendly – in fact, significantly lower than Taipei’s, for the exact same thing. These dishes are authentic, featuring genuine, unchanged old-time flavors, and make for a tasty and filling lunch. Come see what true old-time rice cakes taste like.

Everyone in Kaohsiung knows this is the place to go if you need a bookbag. It carries the bags of every Kaohsiung school. Catching the recent passion for cultural-creative invention, it now also offers cute mini-bags great for leisure use, as purses, etc. This has become a prime spot for tourists seeking Kaohsiung souvenirs.

INFO

Tel: (07) 531-2542 Add: 33 Daren Rd., Yancheng District (鹽埕區大仁路33號) Hours: Mon. ~ Sat. 11:00 ~ 21:30, Sundays 12:00 ~ 21:30

Tel: (07) 521-2463 (Love Pier) Tel: (07) 216-0668 (Kaohsiung City Ferry Co./高雄市輪船公司) Tickets: Adults NT$80 (Kaohsiung residents NT$50) Concession ticket NT$40 (Kaohsiung residents NT$25) Group ticket NT$70 Boarding Locations: On Hesi Rd. (河西路) and Hedong Rd. (河東路) near Jhongjheng Rd. (中正路) Operation Time: 16:00 ~ 23:00

INFO

Tel: (07) 533-3168 Add: 107 Daren Rd., Yancheng District (鹽埕區大仁路107號) Hours: 9:30 ~ 22:30

Time to Shop Shoppers love Taiwan. From the designer boutiques of Dunhua to the gadget stores of Computer Lane, the island’s full of great places to indulge your passion.

And thanks to our proud tradition of craftsmanship you can also stock up on happy memories of your trip.

Paper lanterns painted by hand.

Beautiful woodcarvings. Stunning glass art. There’s even a weekend jade market filled with ornate trinkets made from the mythical green stone. Or visit the charming Maokong Tea Gardens and give friends a taste of Taiwan’s magic.

ISSN:18177964

GPN:2009305475

200 NTD

Back

Relaxing near the hot-spring pools of The King’s Garden Villa

Back

Hot-spring bath with mud

Near the source of Guanziling’s hot springs

Back

Hot-spring bathing in Guanziling is a whole lot of fun

Back

Old hot-spring guesthouse in Guanziling

Back

Water and Fire Spring near Guanziling

Dining area of The King’s Garden Villa Swimming pool of Toong Mao Spa Resort

Back

Suite at The King’s Garden Villa