Travel in Taiwan (No.64, 2014 7/8) by Travel in Taiwan

No. 64, 2014

Orchid Island

TOP TEN TAIWAN TOURS Harbor City Keelung

BACKPACK BUS TOURS Muzha-Pingxi Tourist Shuttle Route

A World Apart Taipei 101 Run-Up Downhill Mountain Biking Blue-and-White Porcelain Indigenous Glass Beads

Welcome to Taiwan! Dear Traveler, Welcome to Travel in Taiwan. With the arrival of high summer, the people of this land get serious about having f un while traveling, visiting places all over the main island and our many beautif ul of fshore islands, enjoying our almost endless array of tourist destinations to the f ull. In the pages to come we take you on a sample tour to show you just how wide your range of Taiwan travel-adventure options is, and when you emerge f rom the far side of this issue I’ve no doubt you’ll want to experience Ilha Formosa, “the beautif ul island” too – as so many have done before. In our Feature section, we visit beautif ul Lanyu, or Orchid Island, a world apart f rom the rest of Taiwan, home to the Tao indigenous people, with a culture, lifestyle, traditions, cuisine, and sense of time and space that is nothing like what you’ll experience on what the Tao call “the mainland.” We also take a trip to nearby Green Island. Our destination in Top Ten Taiwan Tours is Keelung, an important seaport city with a deep natural harbor and unique character where you’ll discover f renetic energy, distinctive local color, great seafood, a long and fascinating history, Taiwan’s most elaborate Ghost Month festivities, and a feast of impressive natural and cultural attractions. Open the door to our Backpack Bus Trip department and you’ll f ind yourself boarding a bus on the Muzha-Pingxi Route of the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus network, headed f rom Taipei City for adventure in the nearby Pingxi area, a place where glowing sky lanterns are released into the heavens, carrying people’s hopes and dreams up to the gods. The area is also dotted with quaint mountain-valley towns that once hummed with coal-mining activity and now buzz with tourists. Elsewhere, you’ll be exploring the world of Taiwan’s papaya cultivation in the f ields of the island’s far south, heading into the region’s mountains for an introduction to local indigenous art and artists, seeing how new is being married to old in the world of Taiwan blue-and-white porcelain creation, and getting some vigorous exercise with a hike to cloud-veiled Songluo Lake in the northeast mountains and a run up one of the world’s tallest buildings in the annual Taipei 101 Run-Up. I welcome you to high-summer Taiwan – sure to be the high point of your Asia travels.

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

CONTENTS July ~ August 2014

10 30

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 Publishing Organization E-MAIL: editor@v-media.com.tw Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Ministry of General Manager Frank K. Yen Transportation and Communications Editor in Chief Johannes Twellmann CONTACT English Editor Rick Charette International Division, Taiwan Tourism Bureau DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & EDITING DEPT Joe Lee Add: 9F, 290 Zhongxiao E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei, MANAGING EDITOR Gemma Cheng 10694, Taiwan EDITORS Ming-Jing Yin, Chloe Chu, Nickey Liu Tel: 886-2-2717-3737 Fax: 886-2-2771-7036 CONTRIBUTORS Rick Charette, Joe Henley, Stuart Dawson, E-mail: tbroc@tbroc.gov.tw Owain Mckimm, Steven Crook, Cheryl Robbins, Richard Website: http://taiwan.net.tw Saunders PHOTOGRAPHERS Jen Guo-Chen, Maggie Song, Chian Chu 台灣觀光雙月刊 ART DIRECTOR Sting Chen Travel in Taiwan DESIGNERS Fred Cheng, Maggie Song, Eve Chiang, Karen Pan The Official Bimonthly English ui-chun Tsai, Nai-jen Liu, Xiou Mieng Jiang Administrative Dept H Magazine of the Taiwan Tourism

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Traditional Tao canoe on Orchid Island (photo by Jen Guo-Chen)

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FEATURE 10 Orchid Island

— Journey to Another World

Green Island — A Tropical Island of Myriad Scenic, Historic, and Outdoor Fun Attractions

1 4 6 8

Publisher’s Note Taiwan Tourism Events News & Events around Taiwan Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings

32 Hospitality 33 Fun with Chinese 60 Nostalgia

TOP TEN TAIWAN TOURS 22

Keelung

— Seaport City of Deep Character

SPLENDID FESTIVALS 26

Overcoming Gravity — To the Top of Taipei 101 in 2,046 Steps

HIKING

30 Songluo Lake

— An Easy Two-Day Trip to a Dreamlike Location

OLD STYLE/NEW IDEAS 36 Yang Li-li

— Empress of Blue-and-White Porcelain

INDIGENOUS ARTISTS

40 Beautiful Beads

— The Revival of Glass Bead Traditions and the Creation of a Successful Cultural Enterprise

FOOD JOURNEY 44

Fruit of the Angels — Visiting a Papaya Farm in Southern Taiwan

BACKPACK BUS TRIP 48

Exploring the Valley of the Glowing Sky — A Bus Trip from Muzha to Pingxi and Back

ACTIVE FUN 54

Going Downhill Fast — Thrilling Mountain Biking Fun Around Taiwan

Travel in Taiwan

TAIWAN TOURISM EVENTS

Summer Action

Soaking in the Sun, Remembering the Ancestors

During Taiwan's summer months, the sweltering heat drives people to the cooling waters of the ocean and public swimming pools. Among your options: combine a visit to the beach with listening to local indie music on the northeast coast, take your kids to a great water-fun event in Yilan, and challenge yourself with a swim across the island’s best-known lake. During Ghost Month, witness how local folk go about paying reverence to their ancestors and visitors from the underworld during fascinating religious festivities.

Yilan International Children ’s Folklore & Folkgame Festival ( 宜蘭國際童玩藝術節 )

July

Aug.

Location: Dongshan River Water Park; 2, Sec. 2, Qinhe Rd., Wujie Township, Yilan County ( 冬山河親水公園。宜蘭縣五結鄉親河路二段 2 號 ) Tel: (03) 932-2440 Website: www.yicfff.tw This is a festival kids and families eagerly anticipate each year. Staged at the height of the usually very hot summer in Taiwan, it is a great event for cooling down and having a wonderful time. While the focus is on playing in the pool areas – shooting at each other with water guns and swishing down water slides – and clambering across a large sky bridge made of ropes, the festival is also highly educational. Children can take part in a host of DIY classes, play many exciting edutainment games, and watch a rich stage program featuring cultural-arts troupes from Taiwan and around the world.

Aug.

Sun Moon Lake Swimming Carnival/International Super Triathlon ( 日月潭萬人泳渡 / 國際超級鐵人三項系列賽 )

July

Ho-Hai-Yan Gongliao Rock Festival ( 新北市貢寮國際海洋音樂祭 )

Locations: (Swim) Sun Moon Lake, Yuchi Township ( 魚池鄉，日月潭 ); (Run) Caotun Township ( 草屯鎮 ); (Bicycle) Puli Township ( 埔里鎮 ), Nantou County ( 南投縣 ) Tel: (049) 220-3639 Website: www.nantou.gov.tw

Location: Fulong Beach; 40, Xinglong St., Fulong Village, Gongliao District, New Taipei City ( 福隆海水浴場。新北市貢寮區福隆里興隆街 40 號 ) Tel: (02) 2707-6777 Website: www.2014hohaiyan.tw

Swimming in scenic Sun Moon Lake in central Taiwan is not allowed – with one exception, the annual lake-swimming carnival. Thousands of swimmers sign up for the traverse of the lake from Zhaowu Wharf on the northwest shore to Ita Thao Wharf on the southeast. Great care is taken to ensure that every swimmer makes it across the lake – the total distance is about 3 km – safe and sound. Apart from the cross-lake swim there are also two other sports events held in the area at around the same time. The Jung-Tan Blvd. Marathon, between the towns of Caotun and Guoxing, northwest of Sun Moon Lake, and the grueling Wuling Bicycle Race, starting at the town of Puli and ending at Wuling, at 3,275 meters above sea level the highest point of any highway in Taiwan.

Want to hang out on a fine-sand beach while listening to live indie music? The Ho-Hai-Yan Gongliao Rock Festival might be just what you are looking for. The venue for this four-day event is the beach at Fulong, a village on the northeastern coast, conveniently connected to the eastern railway line (from Taipei City you can get there in a little more than one hour). The festival features many lesser-known bands from Taiwan, giving young talent a grand stage to perform on. There are also swimming, surfing, and other water activities at the beach, and a large campground nearby. And if you want to explore more of the northeast coast, renting a bicycle at Fulong Railway Station is highly recommended.

Travel in Taiwan

JULY~SEPTEMBER

July

AUG.

Keelung Mid-Summer Ghost Festival ( 雞籠中元祭 ) Location: Laodagong Temple; 37, Lane 76, Le 1st Rd., Anle District, Keelung City ( 老大公廟。基隆市安樂區樂一路 76 巷 37 號 ) Tel: (02) 2422-4170 Website: http://tour.klcg.gov.tw The seventh lunar month (July 27th ~August 24th in 2014) is known as “Ghost Month” in Taiwan. This is a time when ghosts and spirits are believed to return from the netherworld to the world of the living. To welcome them, feed them, and help them find their way back at the end of the month, sumptuous offerings are prepared, and a wide variety of rituals and ceremonies are held at temples. The Ghost Festival activities in Keelung, which begin and end at Laodagong Temple, are especially elaborate. Many of these, notably a large procession that snakes through the harbor city’s streets and the releasing of water lanterns at Badouzi Harbor, attract thousands of visitors.

Aug.

National Yimin Festival ( 全國義民祭 ) Location: Xinpu Township, Hsinchu County ( 新竹縣新埔鎮 ) Tel: (03) 551-0201 This festival is celebrated by the Hakka people in northwestern Taiwan to honor and commemorate the valor and sacrifice of hundreds of Hakka martyrs, or Yimin (“fighters for righteousness”), who fought in two civil uprisings during the Qing Dynasty in Taiwan to protect their people and their land. Staged during the seventh lunar month, the festival features many activities at Yimin temples in the area, the oldest and most important of which is the Xinpu-Fangliao Yimin Temple. There will be martial-arts shows, pudu rituals during which the souls of the dead are transmigrated, performances by folk-art troupes, a sacrificial-pig contest, and much more.

July

Hualien County Joint Aboriginal Harvest Festival ( 花蓮原住民聯合豐年節 ) Location: Meilun Athletic Field, 40 Minquan Rd. Hualien City, Hualien County ( 美崙田徑場。花蓮縣花蓮市民權路 40 號 ) Tel: (03) 822-5123 Website: http://www.hl.gov.tw/bin/home.php Staged after each year’s rice harvest, the purpose of this festival organized by Hualien’s indigenous people is to celebrate the harvest and to show gratitude to ancestral spirits. The festival, lasting three days, gives visitors a chance to witness how members of the Amis and other tribes go about having a great party, with lots of singing, dancing, and feasting. It’s also a great occasion to see the intricately made traditional attire of the tribes, and at the venue you will also have the chance to learn about indigenous arts and handicrafts and sample specialties such as millet wine and roast wild boar.

Travel in Taiwan

WHAT'S UP

News & Events around Taiwan

Books

Bradt Travel Guide Taiwan This June, England-based publisher Bradt Travel Guides released the 2nd edition of its Taiwan guidebook. Written by a long-term resident of Taiwan, Steven Crook, the book gives travelers a detailed introduction to Taiwan and its offshore islands, with helpful info on what to see and do, where to stay, where to eat and drink, where to go shopping, where to find entertainment, and how to get around. Especially interesting are the many side boxes with in-depth info about Taiwan’s turbulent history, fascinating religious practices, colorful festivals, amazing natural environment, and exotic customs. More info at: http://goo.gl/Sj7VfE (Amazon).

Tourism Promotion

Short Films Promoting Taiwan The Taiwan Tourism Bureau has recently released six short films highlighting the best Taiwan has to offer as a tourist destination. Directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Johnny Au, the films show how foreign visitors experience traveling in Taiwan and how they frequently exclaim “zan ,” the Chinese equivalent for “great” or “awesome,” when encountering things they like, such as the local food, natural treasures, scenic beauty, friendly people, and so on. Another short film commissioned by the bureau, and produced in collaboration with local producer Hsu Li-kong and director Leading Lee, was made by combining scenes from the movie Anywhere, Somewhere, Nowhere , which records the experiences of two young men on a 182-day motorcycle tour around Taiwan. The short films can be watched on the bureau’s Youtube channel at www.youtube.com/user/TheTbroc/videos .

Communication

Wi-Fi for Tourists Having a Wi-Fi connection available is of the utmost importance to many a young traveler. Recognizing this need, the Taiwan government offers free Wi-Fi service to tourists visiting the island. The iTaiwan service is currently available at 4,400 major tourist spots, transportation hubs, cultural sites, and government buildings around the island. Foreign visitors who want to make use of the service can register for an iTaiwan account at a Tourism Bureau visitor information counter/ center (showing passport as proof of identification is required), which brings immediate access to the network. More info at: http://itaiwan.gov.tw/en/.

Travel in Taiwan

Immigration

Visa upon Arrival for Cruise Ship Travelers In an attempt to boost the number of visitors from Southeast Asia and India, the government has recently announced that visitors from these regions who arrive in Taiwan by cruise ship will be issued visas upon arrival. The new agreement applies to nationals from India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Guided Tours

Exploring Taipei’s Dadaocheng Area Dadaocheng is, roughly, the area to the immediate north of Taipei Railway Station between the Tamsui River and Zhongshan North Road. This is an interesting neighborhood, with a number of old temples (Confucius, Bao’an, and Xiahai City God) and the well-known Dihua Street well worth visiting. If you’d like to learn a thing or two about the local history, culture, architecture, and so on, rather than simply walking around, joining a guided tour organized by the Taipei Walking Tour group is a good option. Each session lasts two to three hours, and is either a walking tour or a walking tour combined with a workshop, during which you can learn about tea drinking, traditional cake making, or other interesting subjects. More info at: www.taipei-walkingtour.tw.

Travel in Taiwan

CULTURE SCENE

Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings

Taiwan has a diverse cultural scene, with art venues ranging from international-caliber concert halls and theaters to makeshift stages on temple plazas. Among Taiwan's museums is the world-famous National Palace Museum as well as many smaller museums dedicated to different art forms and aspects of Taiwanese culture. Here is a brief selection of upcoming happenings. For more information, please visit the websites of the listed venues. August 1 ~ September 7 Various Venues Around Taipei

Taipei Arts Festival

臺北藝術節

The Taipei Arts Festival features a series of themed performances held at different venues throughout Taipei. This year, as always, there will be outstanding performances by troupes from Taiwan and abroad, presenting experimental theater, dance, puppet theater, juggling, singing, and much more. More info at: www.taipeifestival.org.tw.

May 1~ July 25 National Palace Museum

Famous Works of Modern Chinese Painting and Calligraphy 近代書畫名品展 This exhibition features Chinese paintings and calligraphy from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including paintings by “The Three Masters from Across the Strait” who moved to Taiwan in 1949: P'u Hsin-yü (18961963), Huang Chün-pi (1898-1991), and Chang Dai-chien (1899-1983). More info at: theme.npm.edu.tw/exh103/ modernchinese2/en/en00.html.

Travel in Taiwan

July 19 ~ 20 Da’an Forest Park

Romantic Jazz Nights Under the Stars 星空下浪漫爵士夜 Celebrated international jazz virtuosos will perform at this year’s Taipei Jazz Festival, including American trombone great Alan Ferber and his quartet. Also entertaining the crowds at Taipei’s Da’an Forest Park will be the Lin Jia-qing Big Band and TIJEPA Jazz Groove Band, as well as local jazz celebs Chilin and Kaiya, who will present a fusion of Hengchun folk music and the blues. More info at: www.taipeijazz.com.

May 10 ~ August 17 Taipei Fine Arts Museum

The Cloud of Unknowing – A City with Seven Streets 未明的雲朵：一城七街 The focus of this exhibition is an examination of the cultural elements and historical contexts contained in a city’s composition, with artists using a variety of media and art forms, such as sound, installations, constructions, images, and manuscripts. More info at: www.tfam.museum .

June 28 ~ September 14 Songshan Cultural and Creative Park

Hello Kitty 40th Anniversary Exhibition 百變 Hello Kitty 40 週年特展 Forty years ago, the Japanese company Sanrio introduced the cute cartoon character Hello Kitty to the world, which became an instant hit with kids and adults alike. See what has happened over the four decades since in this special exhibition. More info at: www.songshanculturalpark.org .

Venues Taipei

ATT Show Box Add: 12, Songshou Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市松壽路 12 號 ) Tel: (02) 7737-8881 www.attshowbox.com.tw Nearest MRT Station: Taipei 101/World Trade Center

Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts （關渡美術館） Add: 1 Xueyuan Rd., Beitou District, Taipei City ( 台北市北投區學園路 1 號 ) Tel: (02) 2896-1000 www.kdmofa.tnua.edu.tw Nearest MRT Station: Guandu

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 )

National Palace Museum （國立故宮博物院）

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

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

( 台北市至善路二段 2 21 號 )

( 台北市經貿二路 1 號 )

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

Tel: (02) 2725-5200 www.twtcnangang.com.tw Nearest MRT Station: Nangang Exhibition Hall

National Taiwan Museum （國立臺灣博物館）

Add: 2 Xiangyang Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市襄陽路 2 號 )

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

Novel Hall（新舞臺） Add: 3 Songshou Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市松壽路 3 號 )

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

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

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

Taipei Arena（台北小巨蛋）

Add: 21 Zhongshan S. Rd., Taipei City

( 台北市南京東路四段 2 號 )

( 台北市中山南路 21 號 )

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

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

Add: 2 Nanjing E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City Tel: (02) 2577-3500 www.taipeiarena.com.tw Nearest MRT Station: Nanjing E. Rd.

Taipei Fine Arts Museum （台北市立美術館）

( 台北市中山北路三段 181 號 )

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

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

National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Taipei International Convention Center（台北國際會議中心） Add: 1, Xinyi Rd., Sec.5, Taipei City

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

( 台北市信義路五段 1 號 )

( 台北市仁愛路四段 5 0 5 號 )

Tel: (02) 2725-5200, ext. 3517, 3518 www.ticc.com.tw Nearest MRT Station: Taipei 101/World Trade Center

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

National Museum of History （國立歷史博物館）

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

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

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）

Add: 332 Zhonghua E. Rd., Sec. 3, Tainan City ( 台南市中華東路三段 332 號 )

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

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

( 台北市中山南路 21-1 號 )

（國立國父紀念館）

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

Taipei Zhongshan Hall （台北中山堂）

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

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

( 台北市延平南路 9 8 號 )

( 高雄市中正四路 27 2 號 )

Tel: (02) 2381-3137 www.csh.taipei.gov.tw Nearest MRT Station: Ximen

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

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

Journey to Another World

Orchid Island

Lanyu, or Orchid Island, may be on Taiwan’s doorstep – two and a half hours by ferry from Taitung – but it is a world apart. Home to the Tao (officially, Yami) indigenous people, it has a culture, lifestyle, traditions, cuisine, and sense of time and space that are nothing like those on what the Tao call “the mainland.”

Kaiyuan Harbor

Travel in Taiwan

ORCHID ISLAND Text: Rick Charette

Photos: Jen Guo-Chen, Vision Int'l

While walking through one of the villages on a recent island visit – my first, despite having lived in Taiwan 20-plus years – a travel companion who has been in Taiwan as long and was also on his first Lanyu foray suddenly turned to me and said: “It’s like we’re in another world.” I had at that moment been thinking just that. Here’s a selection of highlights that will prepare you for your own journey to “Lanyu world.”

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

The Place Mountainous Lanyu is a big cooled chunk of lava, outlined with some of Taiwan’s most dive-worthy coral reefs, that was long ago spewed forth from ocean’s bottom (don’t worry, Mother Nature has gone into a deep slumber here). Measuring 45.7 sq. km., the Polynesia-like island, covered in tropical rainforest, bobs up and down in deepblue ocean waters about 90 kilometers southeast of the city of Taitung, on Taiwan proper’s southeast coast (at least, it seems to bob when the Pacific is less than pacific, which is often). Isolated from Taiwan's main island geographically, Lanyu was also long cut off from it economically, though tourism has today become the main moneymaker for locals. There is virtually no local industry. During the 1895~1945 period of Japanese colonial rule of Taiwan, officials from Nippon made the remote island a living museum for anthropological study, cutting it off from all but approved academics and administrators. The Tao at the time were the only residents. Today, the island offers near-perfect conditions for the traveler looking for a safe destination almost untainted by mass consumer culture.

The People The Tao number about 3,000 (there are also about 1,000 Han Chinese residents on the island). They are members of the great Austronesian diaspora, and evidence indicates that they reached this idyllic island abode less than a thousand years ago. Clear clues from their mythology, as well as from linguistic studies, point to the Philippines' Batanes islands as their jumping-off point; the Batanes cluster sits in the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and Luzon. The name Tao simply means “the people,” and they call their home “Pongso no Tao” (“Island of the People”). Mistakenly labeled the Yami people by a Japanese anthropologist – “Yami” means “northern islanders” – today locals will inevitably refer to themselves as Tao, but accept the use of Yami by others. The name Orchid Island was bestowed by the Republic of China government; today not too many of the once thriving butterfly orchids in question are left, save in the deep hills. 2

Travel in Taiwan

ORCHID ISLAND

Round-Island Travel Travel around the island is via a paved loop road that hugs the coastline. There is also a winding road serving up lovely vistas that crosses the mountains between the villages of Hongtou and Yeyin. The island's six villages are all located along the loop road, which stretches 37.5 kilometers in total. The best way to travel about is to rent a scooter, and the best and most convenient location for this is the rental station beside the only gas station on the island at Kaiyuan Harbor, where the ferries dock. Local homestay and inn operators will also help with rentals. The cost is NT$400-500 per day, gas not included. Note that the loop road, generally in good shape, has some rough patches. Also note that goats, pigs, chickens, dogs, and cats roam the roads freely, and that island seniors tend to make sudden direction changes when driving scooters/motorbikes, so keep an eye out. 3

1. Yeyin V illage on the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s east coast 2. Fishermen at K aiyuan Harb or 3. Girl in Hongtou V illage

4. Tak ing a break in Dongqing 5. Pigs on road, a common sight 6. Traditional Tao canoes

Traditional Tao Canoes One of Lanyuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most iconic sights is the collections of colorful traditional Tao canoes pulled up on the beaches before the villages. The simple tools their forefathers used are still largely relied on today to build the renowned, richly decorated traditional Tao seagoing canoe, made from 27 separate pieces carved from wood, which are fastened snugly together with pegs. No nails. The launching of a finished canoe is enmeshed in solemn age-old ritual and much celebrating.

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE

1. Bus stop in Dongqing 2. Traditional Tao dwelling 3. Church in Yeyou V illage 4. On the island’s main road 5. Dragon Head Rock 6. Goat at the coast 7. Sunrise seen from the weather station 8. Evening near Yeyou V illage

Traditional Tao Dwellings The other key Tao-culture visual icon is the tribe’s unique traditional buildings. The number of these dwellings is steadily dwindling, but a large cluster remains in Yeyin. (Note that a great bird’s-eye photo-opp view of the cluster is enjoyed from the cross-island mountain road.) The eye-catching semi-subterranean dwellings, very much still functioning homes, are made of stone, wood, and thatch. Built low to offer protection against heat and typhoons, they stay cool in summer and retain heat in winter. A simple workhouse of smaller size is constructed on one side; each has a plank floor and a below-ground storage space underneath. On the other side is an elevated rest platform, capped with a sun-shield thatch roof, which catches cooling breezes. These platforms inevitably have a grand, unobstructed view of the sea, and are a favorite place to sit about gnawing over the issues of the day and perhaps a chew of betel-nut.

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ORCHID ISLAND

Sunrises/Sunsets

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Rock Formations The majesty of the mountain/ocean scenery is embellished further by the many large, striking rock formations you’ll come across when zooming around the coast. Each has had an imaginative name bestowed on it – Twin Lions Rock, Dragon Head Rock, Virgin Rock, and so on. Most visually compelling, I have found, are Battleship Rock, Lovers’ Cave, and Old Man Rock.

The Lanyu sunrises and sunsets are inspiring experiences, capturing the dramatically changing daily moods of the surrounding sea and sky. My vote for best sunrise-viewing spot is the mountaintop weather station (about 550 meters above sea level). Head up the cross-island mountain road, where near the highest point you’ll see a clearly marked turn-off. This short road is comparatively steep – don’t let the sweeping views distract you – and you’ll need to park and walk the last few hundred meters. The panorama over Dongqing Bay to the east is soaringly inspiring. In my book, the best sunset views are along the coast from behind the giant offshore Mantou Rock (“Steamed Bun” Rock), either from pretty Yeyou Elementary School, decorated with Tao-icon imagery, or the higher promontory just south of here, visited daily at nightfall by a herd of goats that love striking dramatic poses in silhouette.

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Battleship Rock has rocky spikes resembling gun turrets, and locals enjoy telling tourists the story that during WW II a Japanese ship attacked it, spotters mistaking it for a US naval craft. Lover’s Cave features a huge hole drilled right through a promontory by the pounding sea, which continues to drill relentlessly through the soaring cliff behind in a magnificent show of power against power. The Old Man Rock, carved out from solid cliff by surf and typhoon (with a giant cave dug out right behind), can be viewed from above at cliff-edge from the peaceful Green Green Grassland, which has an unfettered view of Little Lanyu island off in the distance, around which locals get most of their flying-fish catch.

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Snorkeling/Diving and Fish-Catching Experiences The island has what many aficionados consider Taiwanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best snorkeling and diving. Hotel and homestay operators can arrange guided outings (NT$400 per person without boat, NT$600 with, approx. 2 hours). Operators also arrange flying-fish view/catch excursions. The outings, in small, open, shallow-draft craft with experienced fishermen, are after sunset, when the fish come close to shore (NT$400 per person, 2-3 hours). 2

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Cuisine The three main Tao food staples are flying fish, taro, and yam. The fish is prepared in many ways, most commonly steamed, fried, and in soup. Flying-fish fried rice, made with sun-dried fish, is also quite tasty. Other recommended treats are the lightly sweetened Tao pie, which has the consistency of pumpkin pie, and the chilled taro balls, as soft as ice cream on the outside. The best Tao food is served at the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best (and most relaxing) restaurant, the Epicurean CafĂŠ in Yuren.

Flying-fish soup

Fried rice with f lying fish

Fried f lying fish

Arts & Crafts There are a number of shops and studios where Tao-theme items crafted by island artisans are sold. Perhaps most attractive to the tourist are the brightly painted models of the traditional canoes. Specially recommended is the shop at the Lan En Cultural Gallery in Yuren, which also has an interesting display of Tao cultural artifacts and a full mock-up of a traditional Tao dwelling outside.

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Catching f lying fish Snorkeling near Yuren V illage Under water world Tasting screw pine fruit juice

5. Shop signs at Hongtou V illage 6. Tao cano e souvenir models

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FEATURE The Flying Fish Festival Traditional Tao belief is that fire was long ago stolen from a strange goat-headed people living under the island, whom a young Tao accidently found after traversing a long tunnel. These people also told him how to catch flying fish, and which types to catch in which season, thus preserving stock. Beyond new-canoe launchings, the annual Flying Fish Festival is the other major Tao celebration, featuring rich pomp and ritual. With the start of the main flying-fish season in spring, the fish ride the Japan Current north in huge schools. The men don their traditional ritual dress of loincloth, rattan-vest armor, and silver conical helmet. Besides his canoe, the helmet is the Tao man’s most cherished possession. Covering the entire head, with slits left for the eyes, the helmets, made in days of yore with silver from Spanish and Japanese coins beaten into strips – the Tao did not smelt metal – are only seen on special days. The coins were acquired in the days of sail through trade with passing craft, salvaging of sunken craft, dealing with the people of the Batanes, and sometimes through raids.

Cross on a hilltop near Dongqing Village

The “Action” On a trip to Lanyu you should – in fact must, for you’ve really no other choice – slow down, unwind, and enjoy Mother Nature’s art. The only real nightlife in the sleepy towns is in Hongtou, where bright lights illuminate the cluster of brightly painted tourist-oriented gift shops and eateries-cum-cafes-cum-pubs at night. Note as well that the only gas station is at Kaiyuan Harbor, and that the number of convenience stores, none chain-owned, is limited – so don’t leave your goodies-shopping too late each day.

Getting There There is a daily ferry service from Fugang Harbor, just north of Taitung City (90~120 minutes one way), and from Houbitou in Kenting National Park. Ferries from both locations dock at Kaiyuan Harbor. Bring along seasickness pills; at Fugang Harbor, these can be purchased at the terminal’s convenience store. There are also a number of flights daily from Taitung Airport (20 minutes one way), operated by Daily Air (www.dailyair.com.tw ). The planes are small and seats fill up quickly, so book well ahead. Note that air and ferry service is often cancelled because of inclement weather.

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Do’s & Don’ts Many Tao, especially seniors, do not like their likenesses captured on film, so be circumspect. Tao canoes are private property – and sacred – so no touching.

English and Chinese Bashi Channel 巴士海峽 Battleship Rock 軍艦岩 Dongqing Bay 東清灣 Dragon Head Rock 龍頭岩 Epicurean Café 無餓不坐 Flying Fish Festival 飛魚祭 Green Green Grassland 青青草原 Hongtou 紅頭 Kaiyuan Harbor 開元港 Lanyu (Orchid Island) 蘭嶼 Lan En Cultural Gallery 蘭恩文化館 Little Lanyu 小蘭嶼 Lovers’ Cave 情人洞 Mantou Rock 饅頭岩 Old Man Rock 老人岩 Tao 達悟 Tao pie 達悟派 Twin Lions Rock 雙獅岩 Virgin Rock 玉女岩 Yami 雅美 Yeyin 野銀 Yeyou 椰油 Yuren 漁人

GREEN ISLAND

Green Island

A Tropical Island of Myriad Scenic, Historic, and Outdoor Fun Attractions Text: Owain Mckimm

Photos: Taitung County Government

G re e n Island Light house

Green Island may be tiny, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in rugged volcanic scenery, startling political history, and a tropical sense of abandon.

FEATURE

On a recent

outing with friends, after arriving by ferry at Nanliao Harbor, our first port of call is our guesthouse, where we drop our bags and rent our new wheels. Most, if not all, of Green Island’s guesthouses offer packages when you book, which include ferry tickets, scooter rental, and a variety of activities such as snorkeling and night safaris. Our package, booked through a cycling-adventure company, includes bicycle rental as well. The island is encircled by a 20km ring road, and doing a full circle by bike takes a good three hours. Heading north along the west coast, we quickly enter Nanliao, the island’s main village and a typical seaside strip replete with dive shops, restaurants, and beachwear suppliers. Come nightfall, a few bars open for those who want to stay up late. Nanliao is a fine place to grab lunch. Seafood dominates the menus of Green Island’s restaurants, and the local specialty is fish boiled in a mixture of brine and ginger (to give it a spicy kick). Soon after rounding the island’s northwest corner and stopping for a quick look at the lighthouse there, we arrive at

Pe k inese Dog Rock and Sle eping Beaut y Rock , on G re e n Island ’s east coast

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the Green Island Human Rights Culture Park. This huge one-time prison complex reveals the darker side of the island’s past. During Taiwan’s period of martial law (1949~1987), thousands of political prisoners were shipped off to Green Island to perform hard labor and undergo thought reform. The park’s most striking feature is the high-security fortress, which has the dry title Oasis Villa. From here the road becomes a torturous climb for cyclists, though one that offers glorious views of the prison below. Eventually, we arrive at Guanyin Cave, a limestone cavern converted into a temple to Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy. The cave houses a stalagmite in the (approximate) shape of the goddess, who faces the cave wall with her back to the worshiper.

Climbing

higher still, on the near crest of a steep incline we come to a sign for the Little Great Wall, a set of steps and viewing pavilions that

undulates over the nearby promontory in a manner that recalls China’s famed landmark. From the topmost pavilion, there is a great view over Haishenping, a bay formed by the erosion of a volcanic crater, and at the far end we can see two distinctive rock formations – the Pekinese Dog and Sleeping Beauty. From here, it’s a merciful downhill stretch most of the way to the Zhaori Hot Springs, where you can soak your aching calves in one of the few saltwater hot springs in the world. The springs are split into two sections, a set of modern tiled pools, which are temperaturecontrolled, and a set of three circular stone pools which lie on the tidal f lat, surrounded by jagged reef rocks.

GREEN ISLAND

Evening

comes, and after dinner at our guesthouse we are ready for a night safari. Our bicycles stabled for the night, we borrow the owner’s ecofriendly electric scooters and head out with a guide for a now anti-clockwise after-dark island tour. Most of Green Island’s wildlife is best seen at night – coconut crabs, gem-faced civets, flying foxes – and in one particular spinney of screw pines we espy a Tsuda’s giant stick insect, an endemic, parthenogenetic species that secretes a defensive fluid from its thorax which, rather pleasingly, smells of mint. The next morning we go snorkeling, Taiwanese style. After being asked to put on life jackets, we are taken to

English and Chinese Bashi Channel 巴士海峽 Chaikou 柴口 Fugang (Harbor) 富岡 ( 漁港 ) Green Island 綠島

Chaikou, a diving area on the north side of the island. Our guide then hands out six f lotation rings, tells us to grab on, two snorkelers per ring, and we are hauled out to sea and towed around the reef in convoy. And though it may seem restrictive at first, as soon as you let go and enjoy the ride you soon discover it’s a lazy man’s dream. You get to enjoy the island’s 660 species of fish and 200 plus species of coral, which carpet the seabed and cling to the rocks. All too quickly, it’s time to board the ferry back to Fugang on the mainland, and Green Island is soon shrinking in our wake. We leave knowing that we have left plenty unexplored, many a cove unseen, many a cave not entered. Green Island’s nooks and crannies are plentiful, and not to be rushed. We see them simply as places to explore the next time we visit.

Green Island Human Rights Culture Park 綠島人權文化園區 Guanyin Cave 觀音洞 Haishenping 海參坪 Little Great Wall 小長城

Getting there The most common way to get to Green Island is by ferry. During summer, ferries leave from Taitung’s Fugang Harbor every two hours between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. In winter, departures are infrequent and largely dependent on weather and a sufficient number of passengers. For an estimation of ferry times, check out www.ezboat.com.tw . The journey costs NT$460 each way, and takes about 50 minutes. If you want to fly to Green Island, there are three flights a day from Taitung Airport to Green Island (Daily Air; NT$1,130; one way).

Getting around A few places around Nanliao Harbor rent regular bicycles for around NT$200/day, while a rental shop at the south exit rents electric bicycles for NT$400/day. There is also a free bike-loan service at the Green Island Visitor Center, just north of the main strip at Nanliao. Service hours are 8:30 a.m. ~4 p.m., and bicycles must be returned by the end of each day.

Nanliao (Harbor) 南寮 ( 漁港 ) Oasis Villa 綠洲山莊 Pekinese Dog Rock 哈巴狗岩 Sleeping Beauty Rock 睡美人岩 Zhaori Hot Springs 朝日溫泉

TOP TEN TAIWAN TOURS

Keelung:

Seaport City of Deep Character Text: Richard Saunders

Photos: Maggie Song, Vision Int'l

Blessed with a deep, natural harbor (which has made it a natural choice for a settlement since Taiwan’s natives moved in, followed by the Spanish and Dutch for brief spells in the 1600s and the Taiwanese since, Keelung (pronounced “jeelong”), Taiwan’s second-busiest seaport after Kaohsiung, combines frenetic energy, distinctive local color, and great seafood with a long and fascinating history, Taiwan’s most elaborate annual Ghost Month festivities, and a slew of impressive natural and cultural attractions. 2

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KEELUNG

Tourists

visiting this corner of the island generally make a beeline for the famed seaside rock formations at Yeliu, to the northwest of Keelung, or the historic twin gold- and copper- mining villages of Jiufen and Jinguashi, to the east. Be sure, however, to make time for exploration of a few areas of this vivid and endlessly fascinating city – at just 40 minutes from downtown Taipei by bus or train, it’s an easy day-trip from the capital.

There are a number of contrasting theories as to how the city got its name, which is spelled “jilong” if using Hanyu Pinyin romanization. One is that it was named by early settlers after pyramidal Mt. Jilong nearby, which was itself originally named for its likeness to a traditional chicken cage (jilong ; 雞籠 ). The Chinese characters for both the mountain and the city were changed in 1875 to those presently used ( 基隆 ), which have the same pronunciation but convey the more attractive meaning “prosperous base.” Others are that Keelung was named after the Ketagalan indigenous tribe which once lived in the area – that Han Chinese settlers simply called these natives kelang (“people”) – or that Keelung is a bastardization of “Ketagalan” itself.

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Buses and trains from Taipei terminate in the center of town, right before Keelung’s harbor. A minute’s walk from the railway station, and also close to the harbor, is the terminus for local Keelung City buses, with regular service on a network of routes fanning out in all directions, providing easy and convenient access to just about any place in the area that tourists might be interested in. Pick up one of the good English maps of the city available at the Keelung City Tourist Information Center, about 50 meters to the right of the railway station exit, and you’re set to explore!

1. Keelung seen from near Shiqiuling For t 2. Coast near Badouzi 3. Entrance to the Fair y Cave 4. Museum of Marine Science and Technology 5. Pavilion on Heping Island 6. Bisha Fishing Harb or 7. Miaokou Night Market

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TOP TEN TAIWAN TOURS Fort, one of a series of fortifications built to defend Keelung by Liu Ming-chuan, the first governor of the newly created province of Taiwan, following the SinoFrench War of 1884-85.

Keelung Harbor and Keelung Island The logical place to start a visit is on the waterfront, an area that has received much loving care over the last few years and now makes a fine introduction to any city exploration. Excursion boats depart from directly opposite the train station for Keelung Island, a pristine, rocky pyramid looming out of the ocean about five kilometers off the coast from Badouzi on the eastern edge of Keelung City. Most Keelung Island excursions last about 2 hours, and include enough time for a landing on the island and a stroll along the path around the northern shoreline, but it’s also possible on longer outings to climb to the summit for fabulous 360˚ views. It is easier to join an outing on weekends/holidays, when there’s more demand; at other times it’s often necessary to form a private group.

Heping Island A favorite place for delicious, fresherthan-fresh seafood is the fish market on Heping (“Peace”) Island, reached via bus 101 from the city bus terminus. A parade of eateries stands directly opposite the place where fishing boats unload their catch each morning, located

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down the road on the right after crossing the little bridge connecting the island with the rest of Keelung. Head over to the far (north) side of Heping Island to find its other great attraction: the Geo Park, an area of sandstone cliffs eroded into a fantastical series of formations that rival Yeliu in beauty, and a curious natural tunnel called the Cave of Foreign Words, which pierces right through a small headland. Inside the cave is some (very faint) graffiti scribbled on the wall by Dutch inhabitants in the 1660s. The Dutch garrisoned the site for a time after driving off the Spanish.

About midway between Keelung Railway Station and Heping Island (get off bus 101 at Haimen Tianxian bus stop), Ershawan Fort, which is also known as Haimen Tianxian, is considered the most important of Keelung’s historic fortifications, since it’s one of the few Chinese-built Qing Dynasty fortifications still extant in Taiwan. The fort was established to protect against British attack during the First Opium War in 1841, but in August 1884, at the beginning of the Sino-French War, it was partially destroyed – and later repaired. Back in the city center, a short, steep walk up a narrow road climbing the steep hillside behind the harbor leads to Shiqiuling Fort, which commands a panoramic view over Keelung’s magnificent harbor. Piercing right through the hill on which the fort sits, the 235-meter-long Shiqiuling Tunnel was the first railway tunnel built in China, taking a punishing 30 months to create between 1888 and 1890. Finally, no visit to historic Keelung is complete without a look at one of its most unique sights, the Fairy Cave, an extraordinary cave temple in a natural cavern formed by erosion in the sandstone cliffs west of the harbor. Behind the main temple located at the cliff base, a pair of narrow fissures slice deep into the rock, with an atmospheric shrine chamber at the end of each, filled with clouds of drifting incense.

Historic Keelung On the grassy headland above Heping Island’s Geo Park stand the atmospheric and little-visited ruins of Sheliao East

KEELUNG through images, lighting, and sound effects. Housed in a modern, speciallydesigned building nearby, Taiwan’s largest IMAX theater also screens videos on related subjects, such as marine science and conservation. The museum can be conveniently reached not only from downtown Keelung but also from the nearby town of Ruifang. Trains on the Shen’ao Branch Line take travelers from Ruifang, an important hub for tourists visiting Jiufen and Jinguashi, right to the doorsteps of the museum.

Badouzi Badouzi is the easternmost suburb of Keelung, which can be reached with a short hop on bus 103 from the city bus terminus. It has long been famous for its Ghost Month festivities on the night of the 14th day of the 7th lunar month, when, at just before midnight on the night of the full moon, elaborate lanterns are floated out onto the sea and set alight. These days, however, Badouzi is equally noted as the location of the impressive new Museum of Marine Science and Technology, which opened in January this year. The museum is partially housed in one of Keelung’s historic buildings, a power-station edifice built in the late 1930s during the Japanese colonial period (1895~1945). Its mission is to showcase marine science, technology, ecology, culture, and man’s relationship with the ocean. The main exhibition building consists of nine exhibition halls furnished with an array of vivid interactive exhibits (with full English translations), and in the former power station’s cavernous boiler room is the Deep Sea Theater , in which a dive into the depths of the Big Blue is re-created

Aside from this new kid on the block, there’s plenty more to keep you occupied while at Badouzi. A short walk from the museum, the grassy, cliff-bound headland above the district, including Wangyou Valley, is crisscrossed with attractive trails offering fabulous sea views, while a kilometer to the west is Bisha Fishing Harbor, which has an excellent fish market with a cluster of small harborside restaurants where visitors can chow down on some of the freshest, tastiest seafood to be found anywhere, at prices far cheaper than in Taipei.

Miaokou Night Market After a day’s wandering around the city, conclude a Keelung-day trip with a visit to the famous Miaokou Night Market, a 10-minute walk east from the train station. The street on either side of little Dianji Temple is lined with stalls selling delicious xiaochi (snacks; lit. “small eats”) from noon to late in the evening. The range of gastronomic goodies is enormous, and choosing just what to try can be a bit of a challenge, but don’t leave without trying a cup of the famous bubble ice, which comes in a range of fruity flavors, whipped up to order – the perfect way to end a summer’s day in Taiwan’s great northern port city of Keelung.

English and Chinese Badouzi 八斗子 Bisha Fishing Harbor 碧砂漁港 bubble ice 泡泡冰 Cave of Foreign Words 蕃字洞 Dianji Temple 奠濟宮 Ershawan Fort 二沙灣砲台 Fairy Cave 仙洞巖 Haimen Tianxian 海門天險 Heping Island 和平島 Jinguashi 金瓜石 Jiufen 九份 Keelung 基隆 Keelung Island 基隆嶼 Liu Ming-chuan 劉銘傳 Miaokou Night Market 廟口夜市 Mt. Jilong 基隆山 Sheliao East Fort 社寮東砲台 Shen’ao Branch Line 深澳線 Shiqiuling Fort 獅球嶺砲台 Shiqiuling Tunnel 獅球嶺隧道 Wangyou Valley 忘幽谷 xiaochi 小吃 Yeliu 野柳 Museum of Marine Science and Technology ( 國立海洋科技博物館 ) Add: 367, Beining Rd., Zhongheng District, Keelung City ( 基隆市中正區北寧路 367 號 ) Tel: (02) 2469-6000 Website: www.nmmst.gov.tw

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Keelung Harb or at night Strange rock formation on Heping Island Shiqiuling For t Museum of Marine Science and Technology Dianji Temple Bubble ice

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SPLENDID FESTIVALS

Overcoming Gravity To the Top of Taipei 101 in 2,046 Steps

Text: Owain Mckimm

Photos: Maggie Song

Standing at 508 meters tall, the Taipei 101 tower dominates the Taipei skyline. Stretching to the heavens like a giant jade beanstalk – or bamboo stalk, as it’s meant to resemble – it is the world’s tallest green structure (environmentally as well as chromatically), was until 2010 the world’s tallest building, and has since 2005 been one of the world’s longest vertical race courses. World Association (TWA; www. towerrunning.com ), has overseen the Towerrunning World Cup – an official worldwide ranking system for competitive tower runners that makes it possible for athletes to compare their performances with other athletes.

With around

The Taipei 101

Run-Up, an event which opens up some of the usually off-limits parts of the building, or at least its stairwell, to those who want to scale Taiwan’s most famous landmark on foot, takes place once a year and attracts thousands of runners from all over the world. And though by no means unique – there are many similar tower runs held around the globe – it’s certainly one of the most prestigious and widely attended. For serious runners, buildings like Taipei 101 present a unique challenge – a relatively short race, but one of maximum intensity. Though the actual distance covered may be well under

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half a kilometer, the punishing task of overcoming gravity, one step at a time, can be excruciating. The birth of modern tower running came in 1978, with the inauguration of the Empire State Building Run-Up in New York City, an event that was held for the 37th time on February 5th this year and remains the granddaddy of modern tower races. In recent years tower racing has evolved into a very real and serious sport, and its popularity has skyrocketed, with the number of races held worldwide almost doubling over the past five years. Since 2009 the sport’s main governing body, the Towerrunning

200 tower runs held each year around the globe, it’s often difficult for athletes to coordinate their runs and compete directly with their rivals. Each race, then, is given a maximum point value, ranging from 40 for minor races up to a possible 240 for particularly important and wellattended ones. The top-placing athletes in any given race receive those points on a sliding scale – the higher you place, the closer to the maximum number of points you get. That way, over the course of a season, athletes are able to compare their performances by comparing the number of points they have accumulated. Of course, you don’t have to be a full-time tower runner to compete in any of these races, and indeed, most participants take part for fun or to raise money for charity. 2

TAIPEI 101 RUN-UP

The Taipei 101 race, because staged in one of the world’s tallest buildings, is, as one might expect, a major event for dedicated tower runners. Each year the TWA designates 12 of the world’s 200-orso tower runs as “Grand Prix” races. These are the races which are awarded the largest point values, and unsurprisingly, the Taipei 101 Run-Up is among them. This year marked the 10 th anniversary of the annual run-up, with more than 5,000 runners testing their endurance by scaling the 2,046 steps to reach the observation deck on the skyscraper’s 91st floor. The event was split into four separate races: the Elite Runners Race , consisting of 101 athletes who had either been specially invited to take part in the race or who had taken part in marathons, triathlons, or previous run-up events and finished with a competitive time; the Celebrity Relay Race , which included three teams: foreign ambassadors, major trade representatives from the tower-surrounding Xinyi

District, and executives of the major tenants in Taipei 101; the Corporate Teams Race ; and the Self Challenge Race , in which over 4,000 runners participated.

The race

started at 8 a.m., and with the crash of a gong, the elite runners were off, released at 30-second intervals. This was our cue to head to the observation deck on the 91st floor, where we would see the aftermath of the grueling 390-meter vertical run. We were herded into an elevator (the world’s fastest) and shot off at 55.2 feet per second towards the upper floors. But, in a testament to the speed of the athletes, or perhaps to the difficulty of herding journalists into an elevator, the first runner, Australia’s Mark Bourne, was already catching his breath on the observation deck by the time we disembarked. “Taipei 101 is the toughest tower race I’ve done,” he said. “The steps are actually a little bit taller than in most other staircases, making it just that little bit harder, especially when you’ve got to go up this high.” Bourne, who also won the Taipei 101 Run-Up in 2012 and 2013, claimed his hat trick this year with a time of 10 minutes, 54 seconds, taking away the top cash prize – a cool NT$200,000 (approximately US$6,600).

This year,

Christian Riedl, a German tower runner who is currently ranked number two in the TWA’s World Cup rankings, finished the Taipei 101 Run-Up in third place with a time of 11 minutes, 11 seconds. “The technique always depends on the staircase,” he said. “Here it’s very long, so you have to stay quite close to the railing. You need good balance between the arms and the legs, so you must always use your hands. And with a building like this, you don’t start too fast; you’ll pay for it in the end.”

Indeed, one runner – of the sculptedmuscle type you find depicted on Grecian urns, who at the starting line looked as if he could do ten run-ups before breakfast without breaking a sweat – stumbled out of the stairwell like a shaky-legged fawn before collapsing in a quivering heap on the floor. Most racers, of course, do proper prep work, and few who ran ended up collapsing. Most emerged from the stairwell looking flushed but not too exhausted – though they, of course, took a lot longer than the top runners to finish. As proof perhaps that neither age nor fitness should be a hindrance, 97-year-old Peng Hung-nian, the oldest-ever competitor, finished the race (for the tenth year in a row) with an admirable time of 1 hour, 23 minutes. Runners wanting to participate in next year’s Taipei 101 Run-Up can register online at www.taipei-101.com.tw. Registration opens around a month before the event, which takes place in May/June each year. Note that places fill up quickly.

English and Chinese Taipei 101 Run-Up 台北 101 國際登高賽 Xinyi District 信義區 Peng Hung-nian 彭宏年

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At the star ting line On the first f loor of Taip ei 101 97-year- old Peng Hung-nian V iew from the top of the tower Discussing the run af ter the finish

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HIKING

Songluo Lake An Easy Two-Day Trip to a Dreamlike Location Text: Stuart Dawson

Photos: Qiu Jia-de

Songluo Lake

is a shallow marsh-like lake in the mountains of southwestern Yilan County. The lake is also known as “Seventeen Year Old Girl Lake,” for it is said that the lake, which is often covered in a veil of cloud, has the beauty of a shy seventeen-year-old girl. It’s located at the northern end of the Snow Mountain Range, and makes for a great weekend of camping and hiking. The hike to the lake begins near the small village of Yulan on Prov. Hwy 7, west of the town of Luodong. This is a tea-growing area and, as I drove up the narrow, winding road off the main highway on an outing with a group of hiking companions, we passed row after row of immaculately kept tea bushes and small teahouses.

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At the end of the road we packed our gear, shared out the food, and split up the tents so that one person wasn’t carrying too much weight. While we were getting ready, a couple of Taiwanese hikers came down the trail, covered in mud. I asked if it was muddy (not the brightest of questions) … and received no reply. I guess the answer was just too obvious for them to bother explaining. The trail to Songluo Lake is almost always muddy. Even if it hasn’t rained for weeks, the trail will still be wet and have several inches of mud. So it’s a good idea to invest in a pair of gaiters for this one!

The trail

cuts through fairly dense forest, and there isn’t much in the way of views, but it’s a nice walk and a fairly even-paced climb.

YILAN The last section, just before the lake, is a lot steeper than the others, and hikers need to cross a sloping cliff face. There’s a fairly big drop on the other side, but fixed ropes make the passage easy. One “member” of another hiking group I saw that day was a dog, which managed the traverse without trouble. We arrived at the lake in the late afternoon and set up camp on the far side, where it was a bit quieter (there were other hiking groups camping at the lake that day). The clouds that had been hanging around above us all afternoon were now swirling around and bouncing off the surface of the lake. In the evening we spread out a tarp on the ground and lay on it looking at the stars. The moon was out, so we couldn’t see the Milky Way, but countless twinkling lights were still visible. It’s amazing to think that after a mere 2-hour drive and half day of walking you can leave Taipei so far behind, and find yourself in such a remote setting.

Some people do this hike as a long one-day walk, but they’re missing out. The early morning light as the sun rises over the surrounding mountains is spectacular. The basin’s topography also means that there’s little wind, and you often get mirror-like reflections on the lake’s surface. It’s well worth getting up before sunrise to set up your camera, and spend most of the early morning shooting. On this day, however, the clouds began rolling back in shortly after breakfast, and so we broke camp and launched ourselves on the hike out before the forecast rain arrived. Safety Although Songluo Lake is a relatively easy hike, it is still recommended that anyone wishing to hike to it join a group on a guided hike.

English and Chinese Luodong 羅東 Seventeen Year Old Girl Lake 十七歲少女湖 Snow Mountain Range 雪山山脈 Songluo Lake 松羅湖 Yulan 玉蘭

The early morning light as the sun rises over the surrounding mountains is spectacular

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HOSPITALITY

Taiwan’s Railways Convenient Means of Transport for Travelers

Text: Editorial Department Photos: Maggie Song

Taiwan’s railway system is quite easy to figure out. The conventional Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) network loops around the island, more or less following the coastline, and also has several branch lines, allowing you to visit various areas in the interior. The Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) service has a single line, traversing the Western plains, that allows you to zip in just 90-plus minutes from Taipei in the north to Kaohsiung in the south. Both systems are convenient options for travelers, and both services have a range of special offers for tourists. Taip ei T R A staf f memb er

Taoyuan THSR staf f memb er

Foreign

travelers who plan to travel by highspeed rail during their stay in Taiwan should note that the THSR has a variety of THSR Pass options for unlimited 3-day and 5-day railway rides. The passes can only be bought at selected tour operators in other Asian countries (for more details, visit www. thsrc.com.tw/event/2013/THSRPass/EN/index.html ), and are not available after arrival in Taiwan. So you need to plan ahead.

Gate. Here you can get all the information you need about Taiwan’s conventional railway, provided by the friendly bilingual staff. If you intend to use the Taipei Metro system, it is highly recommended that you buy an EasyCard. This not only allows you to take the metro, but also to take local TRA trains between all stations from Hsinchu, to the southwest of Taipei, to Fulong on the northeast coast, including the popular Pingxi Branch Line.

For travelers leaving Taiwan from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, there is a convenient check-in service at the Taoyuan HSR Station. Passengers flying with China Airlines, member airlines of the Star Alliances and several Chinese airlines, can complete their check-in procedures right at the station.

Traveling to eastern Taiwan has become more convenient this year. After completion of the electrification of the line between Hualien and Taitung the fastest trains (Puyuma Express) can now make it from Taipei to Taitung in just 4 hours.

Enjoying quality service is an important part of the THSR experience. The system is fully bilingual and also accommodates the needs of travelers with special requirements, such as the elderly and the handicapped. If you call in advance, each station will dispatch service personnel to accompany and assist you at each station.

Railway lunchboxes are popular among the people of Taiwan and there are a number of stations on the TRA system that are well known for local-style lunchboxes, including Gongliao in northern Taiwan, Chishang in the east, and Fenqihu on the Alishan Forest Railway Line. And if you take the THSR you can enjoy highquality lunchboxes prepared by an airline catering service.

If you need info or help from the TRA while at the Taipei Railway Station, the TRA visitor center is near the West 3

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For more info on the two railway systems, visit www.thsrc.com.tw and www.railway.gov.tw .

OLD STYLE/NEW IDEAS

Chinese blue

-andwhite porcelain always makes me think of my grandmother’s modest collection of porcelain plates, of which she was inordinately proud and displayed like a set of holy relics in an antique Victorian china cabinet in her parlor. Indeed, to me, despite the rather modish minimalism of the color palette, blue-and-white ware is something that has a distinct association with both the old-fashioned and the inviolable. Yang Li-li – known in the Taiwanese art world as the “Empress of Blue-and-White Porcelain” – is however rapidly bridging the gap between the cabinet-bound china crockery of the past and the functionality and tactility demanded by 21st-century consumers.

Yang Li-li Empress of Blue-and-White Porcelain Text: Owain Mckimm

Photos: Maggie Song

While continuing the tradition of blue-andwhite porcelain painting, artist Yang Li-li has found ingenious ways to apply this age-old painting style to modern-day products.

Stepping off the train in Yingge – the “Pottery Capital of Taiwan,” around 20 km southwest of central Taipei – we make our way to Yang’s nearby studio. From the street we proceed through an archway with whitewashed walls that have been illuminated with vibrant blue butterflies, exotic birds, and flowers. We are entering the Empress’s domain. Inside the studio, which is set up in a spacious 90-year-old Japanese colonial era (1895~1945) building, we take a look around. There is a strange mixture of commercial goods and high art – somewhere between a department store and a gallery. There are shelves stacked with coasters, lotion dispensers, toothbrush holders, thermos flasks, coffee mugs – each made of porcelain, each a brilliant white with one of Yang’s signature motifs impressed on it in deep cobalt blue. Amongst these trappings of the day-today are large, artisanal china vases, urns, and dishes, all decorated with imaginative hand-painted scenes. Whether it’s due to the simplicity of the color palette or the cohesive use of a small but striking repertoire of motifs, the commercial and the artistic do not jar, as one might expect, and there’s not even so much as a hint of kitsch.

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This unfettered

approach to blue-and-white ware possibly stems from the fact that Yang is not herself a potter but rather an accomplished artist and designer, though she does have roots in the ceramics industry. In 1979, at the age of 19, Yang entered the China Pottery Arts Company in Taipei’s Beitou District, working on the production line as a ceramics painter, repeatedly copying the same design, sometimes for months on end, on various dishware. “The reason I took the job at the company was because my father had recently passed away, and I wanted to settle myself and get a job,” she says. “The

ceramics factory just happened to be the closest workplace to my house.” When Yang had been there six months, the company set up a blue-andwhite-ware department, to which she was transferred. “I was fascinated by how you could create such remarkable imagery though using just one pigment. Standing alone, blue really is the most beautiful color; and because it is so simple and singular, you can really appreciate the texture and quality of the design.” However, after a time she got tired of copying the same pictures over and over again, and decided to expand her

PORCELAIN

photo of her sleeping son. Yang’s fat dolls now adorn many of her artworks, as well as much of her commercial line. Though not a motif that would be acceptable to a blue-and-white-ware purist, these playful caricatures, with their wide moon faces, perpetually closed eyes, and traditional Chinese raiment, certainly do not look modern. Yang says this is because she cannot stray too far from people’s perceptions of classic blue-and-white ware. “When I’m painting blue-and-white ware, I have to be careful with how I present the pictures. I can’t really paint something realistic or contemporary, like a betel nut girl, for example, because people’s perception of blue-and-white ware is still fairly conservative and old-fashioned. It would be too unexpected.” (Note: “Betel nut girls” are attractive young females who sell betel nuts, cigarettes, etc. at roadside stands in Taiwan.)

Whether it’s due to the simplicity of the color palette or the cohesive use of a small but striking repertoire of motifs, the commercial and the artistic do not jar

horizons by studying traditional Chinese bird-and-flower painting in her spare time under the renowned artist Yu Zhong-lin. After eight months of study under Yu and a full two years at China Pottery Arts, Yang left to pursue a career as an artist. Over the next several years she worked for numerous small companies, illustrating, designing lampshades, painting door gods. “I entered lots of different industries, and tried to discover how I could integrate my art into the equation,” she says. “And while I was still interested in blue-and-white ware, I didn’t want to limit myself to just one type of painting.”

It wasn’t

until Yang was 38 that she decided to move to Yingge and return to her roots – painting porcelain. “I had just gone through a divorce and, as my ex-husband was also an artist, I wanted to get away from the circle of artists I had been familiar with and support myself and my young son by painting ceramics. I also wanted to change my style of painting. I didn’t want to keep on painting traditional Chinese designs like flowers and birds; I wanted to paint my own creations.”

It was during this period that Yang’s most distinctive motif emerged – the pang wa wa or “fat doll” series, inspired by a

When it came to painting her son, then, Yang had to use her imagination. “I’ve always loved painting people, but I needed a way to convert reality into something more abstract. I realized that on a pot or vase, a butterfly, for example, could well be painted larger than a person; that size and proportion didn’t have to follow reality. So I began to formulate a story where my son was the protagonist in a kind of fairytale, in a land of giant creatures. And as soon as that idea struck me, a whole series of visual scenarios became possible.”

1 2

1. Porcelain cup and coasters 2. Ar tist Yang Li-li

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OLD STYLE/NEW IDEAS

1 2

3 4

1. 2. 3. 4.

Painting p orcelain Plate painted in blue and white Yang Li-li's shop Daily-use items painted by the ar tist

Yang explains

products are applied, rather, by decal. “As artists, we have to use industry to that, nowadays, much of her inspiration our advantage. By doing that we not only comes from Taiwanese religious life, in help ourselves earn a living, but at the particular the ornately costumed battlesame time we array troupes can add artistic that perform “I began to formulate a value to things at temple fairs. story where my son was the that would “For my designs, protagonist in a kind of fairytale, I think it’s otherwise not important to find be valuable. in a land of giant creatures” a meeting point If we make art between the past into a business, and the present, and for me, temple fairs that’s a really terrible thing, but if we can are a good place to find that. These fairs make business more artistic, that’s really are very traditional, but they’re still very something to strive for.” much relevant to contemporary Taiwan, and my goal is to find new meaning in This is also the logic that spurred the old traditions.” Yang to separate the simple blueand-white color palette from its – New meaning and, indeed, new historically speaking – exclusive canvas purpose as well. Vitally important to Yang of porcelain. “Porcelain, by its very is the concept of culture and creativity. nature, is impractical – it breaks. So Indeed, what separates Yang from many we decided to separate the porcelain of the other artists in Yingge has been her element from the blue-and-white element ability to balance creativity and artistic for some products. Our ballpoint pens, integrity with mass production, and while smartphone cases, suitcases – these all she continues to regularly produce handshowcase the artistic essence of bluepainted ceramic artworks, the designs and-white ware, but we have dispensed that adorn her commercially available with the fragility of porcelain.”

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Getting there To visit Yang’s Yingge studio, take one of the frequent southbound trains from Taipei to Yingge (approx. 30 minutes). The archway that leads to Yang’s studio is opposite the railway station’s main exit. Yang’s products can also be purchased at various places around Taiwan, including the gift shop in the Yingge Ceramics Museum, at the Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei, and at the Taiwan Handicraft Promotion Center, also in Taipei.

English and Chinese Beitou District 北投區 blue-and-white porcelain 青花瓷 China Pottery Arts Company 中華陶瓷廠 pang wa wa 胖娃娃 Yang Li-li 楊莉莉 Yingge 鶯歌 Yu Zhong-lin 喻仲林

Li-li Yang Porcelain Art Design ( 楊莉莉青花瓷創作與設計 ) Add: 181, Wenhua Rd., Yingge District, New Taipei City ( 新北市鶯歌區文化路 181 號 ) Tel: (02) 8677-7887 Hours: 10 a.m. ~ 5 p.m. (closed on Mondays) Website: www.liliyang.com.tw (Chinese)

INDIGENOUS ARTISTS If you want to learn about the traditional art of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples, especially the art of glass-bead creation, Sandimen in Pingtung County is the place to go.

Beautiful Beads

One of the

Text: Cheryl Robbins

most successful indigenous cultural industries in Taiwan is that of the decorative glass beads of the Paiwan Tribe. Shatao Dance & Glass Art Studio, located in Sandi Village of Sandimen Township in Pingtung County, has contributed much to this success. Sandi Village is where the studio’s founder, Shatao, a member of the Paiwan Tribe, grew up. This village is a center for traditional and contemporary Paiwan arts, with many artisan workshops and cultural groups. It is also a place where different art forms, such as dance and glass art, are brought together. As expressed in the name of the studio, dance came first for Shatao. When a young boy, Shatao developed a love for song and dance. At 18 he entered a cultural group, underwent strict dance training, and experienced his first taste of performing on a stage – not only in Taiwan, but also abroad. He later became a dance instructor, teaching at a nearby high school. It was during this time that he and his family made the decision to become glass-bead makers. Traditionally, the Paiwan Tribe maintained a hierarchy of chieftain, nobility, and commoners. Glass beads were important to this tradition, as certain beads were especially valued and were reserved for the chieftain and nobility. Beads were important betrothal gifts, served as symbols of honor, and represented a person’s identity, social status, and wealth. Each type of bead had a name, and

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Photos: Aska Chi

The Revival of Glass Bead Traditions and the Creation of a Successful Cultural Enterprise

3 1. Glass b eads of the Paiwan Trib e 2. Glass b ead name chops 3. Shatao, founder of the Shatao Dance & Glass Ar t Studio

GLASS BEADS an associated legend. For example, one version of the legend associated with a bead that features a peacock-feather pattern is that it was given to the Paiwan Tribe by a deity, following his wedding to a chieftain’s daughter, who could take the form of both peacock and man. This bead thus became associated with love.

In the past

there were no written texts for indigenous languages, and a people’s history had to be passed down orally. This makes it difficult to trace the origins of Paiwan beads. According to academic research, they were made from lead glass and were similar to the traditional beads of Borneo and of Yunnan in mainland China. Hence, it is possible they were obtained through trade, perhaps as early as 1,600 years ago. Starting in the early 1900s, large numbers of Paiwan beads were taken away by or sold to collectors. With the number of beads dwindling, and with no idea how to make them, the Paiwan Tribe faced a cultural crisis. Without the beads it was difficult to conduct many of the traditional ceremonies, such as weddings within the chieftain’s clan. Umass Zingrur, a Paiwan artist, decided to act. About 40 years ago, he began to research methods for replicating the beads. As part of that process, he learned pottery-making and glassart techniques, and after much experimentation developed a quartz/clay formula to make traditional-style beads, shaping and firing them in a kiln in the same manner as used for pottery. He also introduced colored glass in order to fashion modern-style beads.

Traditionally, beads were important betrothal gifts, served as symbols of honor, and represented a person’s identity, social status, and wealth

Shatao’s younger brother was one of the first Paiwan artisans to be trained by Umass Zingrur, in the late 1970s. Shatao and his wife then also became interested in learning how to make the beads, for according to Paiwan tradition it is the first-born child that inherits the family property and possessions, including the family’s beads. As neither Shatao nor his wife are first-born children, they did not have beads of their own or for their children. In the beginning, the major challenge was sourcing the materials. Umass Zingrur taught the methods, but did not reveal his formula or

suppliers because he considered the formula a trade secret. The family spent several years on trial-and-error research, and once they had resolved these issues and had produced enough for themselves, they turned their attention to developing their bead production into a business. On weekends and holidays, Shatao would drive to different events around Taiwan and set up a booth. He recalls that, at first, sales were not good. To increase interest in these cultural products, he researched the names of the beads and their associated stories. Later, he came up with the idea of using other iconic Paiwan cultural symbols to decorate the beads, such as the hundred-pace pit viper, an animal the Paiwan consider sacred, and the lily flower, worn in the traditional headdress of an accomplished hunter or a woman considered to be of virtue.

As the family's

confidence in creation and marketing increased, their business expanded to what it is today, a large, brightly colored studio. At the entrance is a showroom filled with bead necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and other accessories, all hand-crafted by women from the village. Some feature just one bead, others many. If purchasing jewelry and accessories featuring the traditional-style beads, the studio provides a small brochure with the names of the beads in the Paiwan language as well as their cultural meanings. There are several shapes to choose from in the contemporary-bead series, including round and flat, rectangular, and crescent-shaped. Production is carried out in an adjacent building. Women form the glass beads over a flame, and then use thinner glass strips to “paint on” the patterns. Behind them is an area for creating traditional-style bead jewelry and accessories. When asked what he thinks about the future of the indigenous glass bead industry, Shatao notes that one of the largest threats is the increase in copying, i.e. the production of imitation beads by non-indigenous people. In response to this threat, it is necessary to continually develop new designs and products. Thus, every one to two weeks the family sits down together to brainstorm ideas. One of his

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INDIGENOUS ARTISTS

The showroom is filled with bead necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and other accessories, all hand-crafted by women from the village

daughters, he says, is the design genius. She has developed glass-bead figurines and transformed them into name chops, which have become very popular gift items. In addition, she has incorporated glass beads into clothing and accessories, such as shoes, T-shirts, and handbags. Shatao notes that, “We need to create the best quality and best designs, each item accompanied by a story, for these products to be accepted in the market.” Over the years, this studio has done just that, expanding its sales channels to include gift shops all around Taiwan.

At the back

of the studio is a space for weekend rehearsals by the Tjimur Dance Theatre, which visitors are welcome to watch. This is a professional, modern dance company that adheres closely to its Paiwan roots, as suggested by its name. Tjiumur is what Sandi Village is called in the Paiwan language. The performances are based on field studies, namely stories and legends told by the elders, and have been seen by audiences all around Taiwan and even overseas. The artistic director is Luzen Matilin, another of Shatao’s daughters. Shatao’s son, Balu Matilin, does much of the choreography.

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Shatao Dance & Glass Art Studio is thus not just a shopping stop, but also a cultural center. It is a place to learn about the Paiwan bead culture, shop for Paiwan bead jewelry and accessories, and view modern-dance performances that are based on Paiwan culture.

Getting There & Getting Around

By bus: Pingtung Bus Company offers services between Pingtung City and the Sandimen Township administrative office, which is a few minutes’ walk away from the studio. For more information, call the Pingtung City main station at (08) 732-4103, or go online to www.ptbus. com.tw (Chinese). By car: On National Freeway 3, exit at the Changzhi/Sandimen Interchange and connect to Provincial Highway 24, heading east toward Sandimen. Cross the Sandimen Bridge and continue on Provincial Highway 24. A few hundred meters past the intersection with County Road 185, turn left and follow the directional signs to reach the studio.

English and Chinese Paiwan Tribe 排灣族 Pingtung Bus Company 屏東客運 Sandi Village 三地村 Sandimen Township 三地門鄉

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Old and young members of the Paiwan Tribe Glass b ead creation Produc ts by Shatao Shatao Studio in Sandimen

Shatao Dance & Glass Art Studio ( 沙滔舞琉璃藝術空間 ) Add: 7, Lane, 37, Sec. 2, Zhongzheng Road, Sandi Village, Sandimen Township, Pingtung County ( 屏東縣三地門鄉三地村中正路二段 37 巷 7 號 ) Tel: (08) 799-3332

FOOD JOURNEY

Fruit of

the Angels Visiting a Papaya Farm in Southern Taiwan

Text: Steven Crook Photos: Maggie Song

Papayas aren’t native to Taiwan. They are from Central America, and it’s said that when Christopher Columbus tried one during his historic voyages of exploration in the late 15th century, he described it as the “fruit of the angels.” Like many other crops, papayas grow superbly well in Taiwan thanks to its abundance of water and flora-friendly climate. Sometimes called the pawpaw, the hefty reddish-orange fruit is sold at markets up and down the island. To learn more – and enjoy the freshest imaginable product – Travel in Taiwan recently visited the southern county of Chiayi.

PAPAYAS

Carica papaya

Half a papaya gives you enough vitamin C for two whole days and contains a fifth of the fiber you should consume each day

– the scientific name of the papaya tree – is a relatively recent addition to Taiwan’s landscape, having been introduced to the island from the Chinese mainland around 1907. These spindly, fast-growing plants are now seen throughout the island, individually in private gardens or cultivated by the hundred, beneath nets, in farm fields. In terms of quantity, Taiwan’s papaya hotspot is Pingtung County, in the far south. A good many are also grown in Tainan. However, Chiayi County’s Zhongpu Township has won a reputation for producing consistently excellent papayas, so it was to this township, located between Chiayi City and the mountain resort of Alishan, that we recently drove in search of knowledge and yummy fruit. Thanks to Mr. Chen Yong-ming, who is an official in Zhongpu Township’s Farmers’ Association as well as a papaya grower, we got both. According to Mr. Chen, who looks after approximately 8,000 papaya trees on 4.85 hectares of farmland, Zhongpu’s main advantage is its climate. Even though most of the township is less than 200 meters above sea level, nighttime temperatures are considerably lower than those in the daytime, and this facilitates the healthy development of the trees.

Guessing

that Mr. Chen would be a typical Taiwanese farmer – in other words, modest to a fault – and wouldn’t be one to make boastful claims about the fruit he grows, I had researched the health benefits of fresh papaya before our meeting. What I discovered impressed me. A normal-sized papaya is typically 20 to 30cm long, as wide as your fist, and weighs between 600g and 1kg. Half a papaya gives you enough vitamin C for two whole days, contains a fifth of the fiber you should consume each day, and one-seventh of the daily recommended intakes for vitamin A, potassium, magnesium, and copper. The orange flesh

is butter-like in texture, and half a papaya is unlikely to have more than 120 calories.

1. Papaya farmer Chen Yong-ming 2. Fresh papaya 3. L-shap ed papaya trees

Almost all the papayas grown in Taiwan, Mr. Chen informed us, are one of two variants: Risheng or Tainong 2 . The latter, a Thai subspecies that is a hybrid of the former, is longer and less oval. By way of comparison, he added that papayas grown in the Philippines are rounder and yellower than their Taiwanese equivalents. Left alone, papaya trees grow dead straight and bear fruit near the top. Because the trunks aren’t usually strong enough to support a ladder, harvesting becomes difficult as soon as the tree grows taller than a man. This is why many papaya farmers clear-cut their trees when they’re about three years old and invest in younger, shorter saplings. Each time this is done, however, the farmer must wait 10 months until the tree is mature enough to produce decent fruit. Zhongpu’s farmers have hit upon an alternative. They force the lower part of each tree to grow almost horizontally,

3 so that even when the tree is five or six years old, the fruit is still within reach. These L-shaped trees are said to produce sweeter-tasting fruit (because the papayas swell more slowly). Also, because there’s a constant trickle of fruit ready for harvesting – rather than a lot one month and none the next – there’s less need for the farmer to hire additional labor.

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FOOD JOURNEY

If you visit Zhongpu any time between September and April, you’ll have no problem finding quality papayas in the township’s markets. The best purchases are those which show no green on their skins, and which are slightly soft but not mushy when pressed. Within 24 hours, these will be perfect to eat. Cut each papaya in half, and remove the seeds with a spoon. Don’t eat the seeds; they’re not harmful, but are rather astringent. Then scoop out and eat the f lesh. As in other parts of Taiwan, Zhongpu’s papayas are cultivated in enclosures of very fine netting. This isn’t to stop birds gorging on the fruit, as you might suppose, but rather because papayas are vulnerable to a virus carried by aphids. Netting fine enough to stop aphids doesn’t come cheap: NT$180,000 for a field covering 970 square meters. If you step into one of these netted enclosures, you’ll notice that much of the ground is covered with plastic sheeting. At first glance, this might seem far from eco-friendly. However, as Mr. Chen pointed out, the

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use of plastic actually reduces the need for pesticides by countering both weeds and insect infestation. Moreover, because the sheeting stops the soil from drying out, it reduces the need for watering during dry spells as well. Mr. Chen and his fellow farmers collect papayas when they’re still a dark shade of green, just before they ripen, because at this time they’re less likely to bruise. They also avoid harvesting in wet weather, because the papayas may end up marked with conspicuous handprints, which reduces their market value.

At the nearby packaging center, Mr. Chen explained another trick of the trade. When papayas are packed in cardboard boxes for shipment to market, the shredded newspaper used as padding isn’t the only thing added. A small amount of solid ethylene is wrapped in a sheet of newspaper and placed inside; the naturally occurring gas this chemical emits acts as

a ripening agent, ensuring the fruit are ready for sale when unpacked. Not all papayas are eaten in the form of fresh fruit. Papaya pork-rib soup, for example, is a healthful, warming dish. Another papayabased dish is zesty green papaya salad, which incorporates slivers of carrot and green beans, peanuts, sliced cherry tomatoes and dried shrimps, as well as strips of unripe papaya. Even more popular – and perfect for summer afternoons when you want an alternative to water or soda – are the papaya milkshakes available from roadside stalls. You won’t have to search long in Zhongpu Township if you’re looking for someone selling this concoction, which is made by mixing chunks of fresh papaya, milk, crushed ice, and a dash of sugar 2 in a blender. Zhongpu Township’s Farmers’ Association also supervises the production of some papaya-related products, such as pickled papaya and papaya enzyme. The latter, called papain, is found in the leaves as well as the fruit, and can be added to water to make a healthy beverage.

PAPAYAS Getting to Zhongpu

English and Chinese

Most visitors come by car. From the Zhongpu Exit on National Freeway 3 it takes less than 10 minutes to reach the downtown area. Motorcyclists can use Taiwan Provincial Highway 3, a road which runs almost the entire length of the island.

Chen Yong-ming 陳永明 green papaya salad 青木瓜沙拉 Guanziling 關子嶺 jujube 紅棗 papaya pork-rib soup 木瓜豬骨湯 papaya milkshake 木瓜牛奶 Risheng 日陞 Tainong 2 台農 2 號 Yunshui 澐水 Zhongpu Township 中埔鄉

Fengshan Ecology Garden Take Highway 3 south from Zhongpu and you’ll soon reach Fengshan Ecology Garden (tel: [05] 203-1146; 8 a.m. ~ 5 p.m. daily; free admission). Spending an hour or two here is worthwhile if you’ve an interest in exotic plants and fruit. Rambutans, Tahitian apples, and Jabuticaba (tree grapes) are grown here; come at the right time of year and you can buy some to eat on the spot. The garden is just inland of the little village of Yunshui. If your next destination from there is the hot-spring resort of Guanziling, consider taking the strikingly steep and scenic County Road 172 south from Yunshui.

2 1. Green papaya salad 2. Ready for the market 3. Papaya milk shake

Edison Travel Service specializes in Taiwan tours and offers cheaper hotel room rates and car rental services with drivers . Edison welcomes contact with other travel services around the world.

Fengshan Ecology Garden ( 豐山生態園區 ) Add: 18, Puding, Shenkeng Village, Zhongpu Township, Chiayi County ( 嘉義縣中埔鄉深坑村埔頂 18 號 ) Tel: (05) 203-1146, 253-6146 Website: www.feng-shan.com.tw (Chinese)

Papaya milkshakes are perfect for summer afternoons when you want an alternative to water or soda

BACKPACK BUS TRIP Text: Joe Henley

Photos: Fred Cheng

Most travelers visit the Pingxi area by taking the Pingxi Branch Line, but this is not the only means of transport. The MuzhaPingxi Route of the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle network is a good alternative and also allows you to visit some interesting places, which are not on the railway line.

y e l l a V e h t g n i r Explo y k S g n i w o l G e of th Muzha A Bus Trip from ck to Pingxi and Ba

There's a place in Taiwan where the sky is often filled with glowing orbs floating up into the lower troposphere. It's a place where mountain-valley towns once hummed with industrial activity, and from which a healthy portion of the lifeblood of the country once flowed. The valley of Pingxi, in the eastern part of New Taipei City, was a thriving coal-mining district in the first half of the 20 th century. Today it's a place where people write their hopes and dreams on the side of paper lanterns and watch them drift through the air toward the heavens. Getting to Pingxi is fast and easy. There are two options for public transport from Taipei City. You can either board an eastbound train and transfer to the Pingxi Branch Line at any station from Badu to Sandiaoling, or you can take a Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus following the MuzhaPingxi Route. On my most recent visit, I opted for the latter. The Taiwan Tourist Shuttle network now has lines running throughout Taiwan, taking tourists to points of interest all over the island. Tickets are generally inexpensive; on this day my travel companions and I bought oneway tickets for the run between Muzha in Taipei City and the village of Shifen, near the town of Pingxi, for NT$45. The first bus from Muzha rolls early each day, at 5 am, and the last bus back leaves Shifen Tourist Center (the terminus on the inbound run) at 8:35 pm. For more info about the tourist-shuttle service, visit www.taiwantrip.com.tw.

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MRT Muzha Station

Shuangxikou (bus no. 666 to Shiding)

Shenkeng (Old Street)

Jingtong (Old Street)

Lonely Maiden Temple

During the roughly one-hour journey on the tourist shuttle (bus no. 795), which departs from Taipeiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MRT Muzha Station, I watched through the window as we passed by small towns where young Taiwanese men and women once flocked for opportunity, now reinvented as centers where tourists both homegrown and international can go to get a feel for what life in Taiwan was like a hundred years ago. Upon reaching Shifen, I soon saw tourists releasing brightly colored paper lanterns. During the annual Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, which takes place

Shifen (Old Street)

Pingxi (Old Street)

Shifen Tourist Center

around the end of the Chinese New Year period, thousands of people come to the Pingxi area to do the same, filling the sky with thousands of colorful dots of moving celestial light. I would soon have my own chance, but first I was on my way to the Taiwan Coal Mine Museum, which is a bit outside Shifen. A small shuttle train from Shifen to the museum will be in operation this July, taking visitors to the facility and its on-site mine, which first churned to life in 1965 and was shut down in 1997. Note that if you prefer to walk instead, it takes just 20 minutes. Since the shuttle train was not

PINGXI entranceway and a short span just inside. The museum's mini-train service currently takes tourists a short distance through a forest to a dumping station where the coal was once offloaded to be conveyed to a shipping yard lower in the valley.

After learning

about coal mining at the museum, we headed back to Shifen, where a lesson in lantern-making awaited. This village has a history going back about 200 years, with the first settlers coming over from Fujian Province in mainland China. The practice of releasing lanterns is nearly as old as the village itself, originating as a safety signal during a time when the area was ravaged by roving gangs of Han Chinese bandits and subject to attack by indigenous warriors. Shops specializing in helping tourists to make their own lanterns line Shifen Old Street, and can be found throughout the Pingxi area.

1 1. Mini train at Taiwan Coal Mine Museum 2. Old coal mine equipment 3. "Miner" from Canada 4. Pingxi Branch Line train at Shifen 5. Sk y lantern shop owner Wang Rui-yu 6. L aunching a sk y lantern 7. Shifen Water fall

running during the time of our visit, and we wanted to save time, we had called the museum in advance to take advantage of their pick-up service from Shifen. On arrival at the museum we were greeted by David Gong, the grandson of the man who opened the mine over 40 years ago. He showed us around the facility, first taking us to the 1,200-meter-long, 500-meter-deep tunnel the mine's 500 or so workers used to enter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; their sweltering world of darkness and honest toil. Gong has plans to allow tourists to ride a mini train inside, but for the moment the tunnel remains closed to the public save for the

A four-color lantern goes for NT$200, a single-color version for NT$150. Local shop owner Wang Rui-yu showed me the proper way to glue the four thin pieces of paper together, and how to affix the light wood-and-metal frame to the bottom. The frame also holds in place yellow pieces of joss paper, or ghost money, which have been soaked in oil. The oil serves as fuel, and when the paper is lit the heat causes the lantern to rise up and sail about for five to eight minutes to a height greater than that of Taipei 101, over 500 meters. Painting some select words upon my lantern, I held it up and watched Wang light the joss paper. The lantern slowly lifted off the ground, and with a quick count of yi , er , san (1, 2, 3) I released it so it could join several others already on a skyward path.

If you visit Shifen, another place worth checking out is the multi-tiered Shifen Waterfall, a 20-minute walk from Shifen Old Street along a paved path. The falls, located on the upper reaches of the Keelung River, are 20 meters high and 40 across â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the widest falls in all of Taiwan.

BACKPACK BUS TRIP

4 1. Pingxi V illage 2. Cave of the Eight Immor tals 3. Preparing p eanut ice cream 4. Shi-T i Slop e Mine 5. At Jingtong Station 6. Shenkeng Old Street 7. Stink y tofu

Now working our way

back along the shuttle-bus route, our next stop was Pingxi Old Street in the village of Pingxi. The street sits on a hillside, below a railway bridge that the trains of the Pingxi Branch Line clatter by on, and has a reputation for two things – sausages and peanut ice cream. If you're wondering where to find either, just look for the lines. The ice cream is definitely unique, taro-flavored and covered in peanut powder and something you might not expect – coriander. Not far from the street is Guanyin Temple, next to the Cave of the Eight Immortals. This cave, as dimly lit as the mine I had visited earlier, houses eight Buddhist idols, and is an interesting sight for those not afraid of the dark.

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From there,

The scenic hills around Pingxi are also a great place to go for a hike. There are a number of trails, most popular the one to Mt. Xiaozi, one of several strangely shaped crags in the area.

and now exiting the Pingxi valley, it's two stops on the tourist-shuttle route to Shuangxikou (lit. “Mouth of Two Rivers”), where two rivers indeed converge, and where a branch road heads off to the old town of Shiding. If you want to go there, you have to transfer to another bus (no. 666) at this location. The town is known for some interesting architecture, called diaojiaolou or “dangling foot buildings,” in which part of the building is suspended over a small river running lazily by below. There are also many restaurants where you can try the local specialties, notably tofu, which has been produced here for over a century.

West of Pingxi, Jingtong is in another former mining village, its highlight a charming wooden railway station dating back to the Japanese colonial period (1895~1945). Some of the former villas in the area that were once home to officials who presided over the Shi-Ti Slope Mine have been converted into quaint guesthouses, tea rooms, and coffee shops. The tea rooms and coffee shops are good places for weary travelers to take a break and enjoy the quiet majesty of the surrounding mountains for a while. Jingtong is also the terminal station for the Pingxi Branch Line.

The last stop on our trip before heading back to Muzha was Shenkeng which, even more than Shiding, is famed for its tofubased delicacies. The Shenkeng area has long been known for pristine waters and the especially delicious tofu made with it. Shenkeng Old Street, lined with recently restored red-brick residential buildings, has numerous shops selling stinky tofu, tofu ice cream, and just about anything else you can imagine made from soybeans. One of the converted heritage residences, Dexing House, is now home to what may be the most stately ice-cream shop you’ll ever come across.

PINGXI Then it was back to MRT Muzha Station, which is just one stop away from Taipei Zoo. While it may be too late to visit the zoo after spending most of the day exploring Pingxi, there is another way to end the day on a high note. Take the MRT to Taipei Zoo Station and from there take the Maokong Gondola to the Maokong tea plantations to enjoy a cup of fresh local tea and take in the sparkling lights of the city in the distance after sunset.

English and Chinese Cave of the Eight Immortals 八仙洞 David Gong 龔俊逸 Dexing House 德興居 diaojiaolou 吊腳樓 Guanyin Temple 觀音巖 Jingtong 菁桐 Keelung River 基隆河

Taiwan Coal Mine Museum ( 新平溪煤礦博物園區 ) Add: 5, Dingliaozi, Xinliao Village, Pingxi District, New Taipei City ( 新北市平溪區新寮里頂寮子 5 號 ) Tel: (02) 2495-8252 Hours: 9 a.m. ~ 5 p.m. (closed on Mondays) Website: www.taiwancoal.com.tw (Chinese)

Maokong 貓空 Mt. Xiaozi 孝子山 Muzha 木柵 Pingxi 平溪 Pingxi Branch Line 平溪支線 Pingxi Old Street 平溪老街 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival 平溪天燈節 Shenkeng 深坑 Shenkeng Old Street 深坑老街

7 Shiding 石碇 Shifen 十分 Shifen Old Street 十分老街 Shifen Tourist Center 十分遊客中心 Shifen Waterfall 十分瀑布 Shi-Ti Slope Mine 石底大斜坑煤礦場 Shuangxikou 雙溪口 Taipei Zoo 臺北動物園 Wang Rui-Yu 王瑞瑜

Your Journey Begins Here

ACTIVE FUN

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MOUNTAIN BIKING in I'm on the side of Mt. Dan feng pro dow nhi ll Taipei’s Beitou Distric t wit h , who mountain-bike rider Dan Chiang t is wha of nts poi r is showing me the fine on l leve t Fee known as “attack position.” as a act t to the pedals, arms and knees ben tandem wit h nat ural suspension system in ers on my the front and rear shock absorb which et loaner bike. Oh, and don't forg which is brake is for the front wheel and dow n on for the rear. Mistakenly ham mer e and forc ch mu too the front brake wit h ars. dleb han I'll be flyi ng right over the t Chiang Wit h us are a handful of wha nhi ll dow lar regu estimates are about 100 . wan Tai und riders who live scat tered aro elf mys ch They're about to watch me laun and clay red oth smo of dow n a slope e. tim t bumpy rock for the firs

ividuals most focus on road cycling. Ind nastics gym the ut abo me tells ang Chi ation of drawn to the speed and exhilar of Taipei, classes he takes at University r own thei ed dow nhi ll ridi ng have form school. where the 20-year- old goes to crew pei loose associations, wit h the Tai fall properly to how ns lear he re whe t's Tha Ala n's centered around places such as r statesmen to avoid injury. One of the elde p located sho un ily-r fam Mountain Bike, a Yamoon of the Taiwan dow nhi ll scene, ng nlo Wa s between the Taipei Metro’ ng this run Huang, 51, look s on. He's sitti 5 of tion and Gongg uan stations on Sec a broken out, having recently suffered th. If Roosevelt Road in the city's sou collision collarbone in an unfortunate t to wan and wan Tai you're traveling in a Taiwanwit h a tree. Bag wel l Hsu, 34, rides s lead who get a ride in, go see Alan, nhi ll h his bor n, New Zealand-raised dow wit g most weekends, sometimes alon wit h a smi le enthusiast, sits off to the side hen. wife, Yen, and daughter Shen-S en a full on his face, having already gott I take a deep morning's wor th of ridi ng in. favorite The trai l on Mt. Dan feng is a breath, and prepare to drop in. and pei Tai spot for dow nhi ll riders from . The those from elsewhere in Taiwan still a Dow nhi ll mountain biki ng is om ing Zha ind beh star ting poi nt is just , far outside relatively new sport in Taiwan ple, Tem ers’ Lov Temple, also known as e are official the mai nstream. Though ther On . ion not far from MRT Qiyan Stat ntry, cycling organizations in the cou

Downhill mountain biking is still a relatively new sport in Taiwan, far outside the mainstream

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ACTIVE FUN Mt. Danfeng in Taip ei Cit y's Beitou Distric t is a great playground for downhill mountain bik ing.

“Enjoying the environment is the best thing about it,” he says jovially. With that in mind I say a quick “here goes nothing,” tuck into attack position, and shoot down the hill this day, Taiwan's most decorated female rider, Penny Chou, has come out to get a few runs in as well. This trail is actually relatively new, having been built just a few months prior to our late-April ride following a bushfire that swept over the hillside, exposing a slope rife with potential for thrill-seekers. There is also a downhill trail on Mt. Wuzhi (“Five Finger Mountain”), on the southeastern boundary of Yangmingshan National Park. As for the best trails in other cities, Chiang runs down his favorites for me. A native of Taoyuan, his no. 1 is the region's own Mt. Hutou (“Tiger Head Mountain”) – the place where he was introduced to the sport as a boy, and began throwing himself down the treed incline on a trail bike before getting himself a proper downhill rig. In the central Taiwan city of Taichung, he favors Mt. Dadu, located west of the

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city center. In nearby Changhua, where many of Taiwan's bike-component makers have their head offices, Chiang rides Mt. Bagua. And in Kaohsiung, there is Dapingding, the site of this year's national championship races in April, where Chiang blew away the competition. His agent, Ian Chu, a rider himself for 16 years, says that riding in Taiwan is unlike anywhere else in the world. Getting to the trails is easy. “The city centers are so close to the mountains,” he explains. “There's nowhere else you can get from downtown to the mountains in just 15 minutes.” In the case of Mt. Danfeng, it's just a 20-minute ride uphill from the MRT station. Once there, however, when you're overlooking the rocky terrain below, trying to choose what experienced riders call a “line” – the route you're going to take over natural jumps, around curved clay embankments, and down rain-swept gullies – getting started is another matter

entirely. It's challenging both physically and mentally, says Chiang, who tells me the first step for any downhill rider is to conquer the sense of fear that accompanies the sport. “If the track is easy but you have fear,” he says, “you still can't run fast.” The protective gear I've got on helps to alleviate some of the pre-run jitters. A full-face helmet along with knee and elbow guards are standard issue, though some riders wear what resembles a full suit of futuristic plastic polymer armor, complete with chest and spine protectors. With tree branches whipping past and rocky outcroppings at just about every turn, the armor might not be a bad way to go no matter what your level of experience may be. It seems fear isn't much of an issue for Chiang, however. His was a childhood in which getting on a bike was akin to taking one's first steps. His two older brothers

MOUNTAIN BIKING and an elder cousin all rode before him, and Chiang himself had totaled two trikes by the time he was three years old in attempts to tackle jumps that should have been beyond his years. At age 13, he took the top of the podium in his first downhill race at the National High School Games. Riders his own age were no match for him, so he began taking on older competition. By 2010, while still in high school, Chiang began competing against adults. With all his accolades shooting through my mind, I'm just hoping I don't make a complete fool of myself and face-plant. Mercifully, Chu, Chiang, and Hsu reassure me with a few stories of the family-type atmosphere of the downhill mountain biking community in Taiwan before I take my first run. They tell me of

English and Chinese Beitou District 北投區 Dan Chiang 江勝山 Dapingding 大坪頂 Guandu Plain 關渡平原 Mt. Bagua 八卦山

BBQs they have on section 4 of the six-part Five Finger Mountain trail, and picnics on Mt. Dadu. I look out over the Guandu Plain and the Tamsui River in the distance as it flows toward the sea. Hsu reminds me to have fun, and take in my surroundings. “Enjoying the environment is the best thing about it,” he says jovially. With that in mind I say a quick “here goes nothing,” tuck into attack position, and shoot down the hill. What follows is a near euphoric rush of adrenaline. This being my first time, I only go a short distance, but I can't wait to push the heavy bike back up the hill to go at it again. It's difficult to put into words, a sentiment Chu agrees with:

Reminder If you decide to experience the rush, keep in mind that most downhill mountain-biking trails in Taiwan are actually shared hiking trails. There is sometimes friction between the hiking and biking communities, so when representing the mountain-bike scene, put your best foot forward. Be courteous and respectful, and slow down whenever you see hikers on the trail. For more information on trails, shops, and races, check out the following links: Alan's Mountain Bike http://alansmountainbike.com.tw Formosa Fat Tire Association www.formosanfattire.com UCI World Cup Mountain Climb Competition www.facebook.com/groups/77998796736

“It's abstract,” he says of the feeling you get from downhill biking. “It's best experienced for yourself.”

Northern Taiwan Off-Road Group

Mt. Dadu 大肚山 Mt. Danfeng 丹鳳山 Mt. Hutou 虎頭山 Mt. Wuzhi 五指山 National High School Games 全國中等學校運動會

Penny Chou 周佩霓 Tamsui River 淡水河 Yangmingshan National Park 陽明山國家公園 Zhaoming Temple (Lovers’ Temple) 照明淨寺 ( 情人廟 )

www.facebook.com/groups/taiwanoffroad

NOSTALGIA

1. Kele candy 2. Jinbao candy 3. Stereo candy 4. Yellow hear t plum 5. Long long candy 6. Dabunei

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Photos: Maggie Song

Nostalgia

and created a “globe-stoppered” bottle in 1873. In 1884 a lemonade sold in this type of marble bottle was introduced in Japan, where it soon became popular. The drink was thereafter introduced to Taiwan during its period of Japanese colonial rule (1895~1945). It was called dabunei ( 大補内 ) in Chinese, from the Japanese ramune , in turn the Japanese approximation of the English “lemonade.” After the Japanese left in 1945 the soda stayed on and was long one of the most popular refreshments in Taiwan, before the arrival of Western-style soft drinks.

has been a big theme with Taiwan residents in recent years, as evidenced at numerous restaurants and shops around the island offering old-time delicacies and classic-style merchandise to domestic and foreign tourists. If you visit the popular tourist towns of Shenkeng, Jingtong, Pingxi, and Shifen, for example, all within quick reach of downtown Taipei and all on the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Muzha-Pingxi Route (see Backpack Bus Trip article in this issue), you will find a number of nostalgia shops that sell items bringing back fond memories among elder locals and stirring the curiosity of youngergeneration travelers.

One of the most popular nostalgia products is a soft drink in a glass bottle which contains a marble in the neck. The soft drink has an interesting history. It was invented by an Englishman, Hiram Scott (1838~1887), who experimented with mineral-water bottles

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There are many other examples of old-time products sold at nostalgia shops, including all sorts of sweets and candies such as “stereo candy” ( 音響糖 ), “yellow heart plum” ( 黃心梅 ) candy, “long long candy” ( 長長糖 ), and kele candy ( 可樂糖 ). Each offers a tasty glimpse into the world of Taiwanese children decades ago when they were content with far fewer choices than kids have today.