Travel in Taiwan (No.68, 2015 3/4) by Travel in Taiwan

No. 68, 2015

MAR & APR

Maolin National Scenic Area

Butterflies, Indigenous Culture, and Hot Springs

EASY HIKE

Yilanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wufengqi Waterfalls

YILAN COUNTY

Culture and Countryside

RAIL/BUS/BIKE

Tianwei Flower Gardens Indigenous Cuisine Flea Markets Strawberry Farms Taichung Nightlife

Welcome to Taiwan! Dear Traveler, Spring has arrived, and the soothing sunshine and warmth have put a fresh spring in everyone’s step. We all want to be spending time outside, so you’ll find that on your tour through the pages of this issue of Travel in Taiwan we’ve kept you out of doors almost the whole time. Our Feature is on the Maolin National Scenic Area, in the foothills of the central mountains not far northeast of downtown Kaohsiung. This is a place of indigenous villages, hot-springsoaking, butterfly-watching, easy trail walks, and magnificent mountain scenery. We take you on a 3-day journey, presenting you with ideas on six of the travel Ws: What to see, What to do, Where to stay, Where and What to eat, and What gifts and souvenirs to buy. Back up in the north of the island, in Taipei, we tell you about the unique Taiwan flea market experience by taking you on a treasure hunt at a number of Taipei’s best and most vibrant markets. We spend time in Yilan County, in the northeast, in our My Favorite Spots and Easy Hiking articles. In the first, we spend a day in Yilan City on a culture-vulture outing, exploring the area around Yilan Railway Station while getting to know Huang Chun-ming, one of Taiwan’s greatest writers, who has a close relationship with Yilan. In the second, we delve into one of Yilan’s best-known scenic areas, going on a hike to the lovely Wufengqi Waterfalls and mountain-embraced inland points beyond. Details on two other easy day-trip options await you in our Indigenous Cuisine and Farm Fun departments, in which we take you to two destinations not far to the southwest of the capital. Dayewei Indigenous Cuisine restaurant, in the small Hsinchu County town of Zhudong, combines classics from the Atayal tribe with Taiwanese, Hakka, Korean, and Thai borrowings. Dahu, a hilly Miaoli County township, is eponymous with strawberries, and is the birthplace of Taiwan U-Pick farming. We spend time in central Taiwan in our Where to Go Tonight and Rail/Bus/Bike sections, pointing out a few of the most stylish spots in Taichung’s chic Taichung’s Park Lane/Eslite Bookstore/Calligraphy Greenway Commercial District, and hopping on a rented bike to explore the sprawling Tianwei Highway Garden in Changhua County. Enough to keep you busy for awhile? Enjoy your time with us.

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

CONTENTS March ~ April 2015 See more amazing images of Taiwan in our Travel in Taiwan app!

Taiwan Slang Keelung

— Seaport City of Deep Character

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

Where you can pick up a copy of Travel in Taiwan

Wayne Hsi-Lin Liu

TEL: 886-2-2711-5403 Fax: 886-2-2721-2790 E-MAIL: editor@v-media.com.tw General Manager Frank K. Yen Editor in Chief Johannes Twellmann English Editor Rick Charette DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & EDITING DEPT Joe Lee MANAGING EDITOR Gemma Cheng EDITORS Ming-Jing Yin, Chloe Chu, Nickey Liu CONTRIBUTORS Rick Charette, Nick Kembel, Joe Henley, Owain Mckimm, Richard Saunders PHOTOGRAPHERS Ray Chang, Maggie Song, Twelli DESIGNERS Choc Hsu, Eve Chiang, Karen Pan ui-chun Tsai, Nai-jen Liu, Xiou Mieng Jiang Administrative Dept H

Abroad

Publishing Organization

Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications CONTACT

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台灣觀光雙月刊 Travel in Taiwan The Official Bimonthly English Magazine of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau (Advertisement) March/April, 2015 Tourism Bureau, MOTC First published Jan./Feb., 2004 ISSN: 18177964 GPN: 2009305475 Price: NT$200 www.tit.com.tw/vision/index.htm Copyright @ 2015 Tourism Bureau. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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At the Majia Visitor Center (photo by Ray Chang)

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30 1 Publisher’s Note 4 Taiwan Tourism Events

6 News & Culture 42 Taiwan Slang

FEATURE

10 The Maolin National Scenic Area — Under the Eyes of Eagles

20 Prowlin’ in Maolin — For Tasty Foods, Nifty Buys, Comfy Places to Sleep

RAIL/BUS/BIKE

34 Tianwei Highway Garden — Heaven for Plant and Flower Lovers

WHERE TO GO TONIGHT

40 Stylish Living

— Taichung’s Park Lane/Eslite/Calligraphy Greenway Commercial District

MY FAVORITE SPOTS

44 Culture and Countryside

— A Visit to Yilan, Home of Taiwan Literary Great Huang Chun-ming

Indigenous CUISINE

26 Dayewei Indigenous Cuisine

— A Fusion Restaurant that Diversifies the Culinary Scene in Northern Taiwan

Farm Fun

30 Strawberry Town

— Dahu, Birthplace of Taiwan U-Pick Farming

POPULAR PASTIMES

50 Looking for a Bargain? — Visiting Flea Markets in Taipei

EASY HIKING

54 Wandering in Wufengqi

— A Trip to Yilan’s Best-Known Scenic Area

TA I WA N TO U R I S M E V E N T S

Early-Summer Action Time to Head Out to Frolic in the Sun Taiwan’s great outdoors beckons during the first half of the summer season, with numerous exciting festivals ensuring you an unforgettable time. Among the great events you don’t want to miss are an open-air music festival in southern Taiwan and a fireworks show in Penghu. If you are more interested in traditional culture, make sure to get a glimpse of Taiwan’s elaborate annual Mazu birthday celebrations and dragon-boat races. Want to take to the waters yourself? Go on a white-knuckle white-water rafting trip in eastern Taiwan!

4/4 4/5

Spring Wave Music & Art Festival 春浪音樂節

The Spring Wave Music and Art Festival is one of the top annual open-air music events in Taiwan. Staged each spring since 2006, the 3-day festival draws thousands of revelers from around Taiwan and abroad, who come to watch some of Taiwanʼs top pop and rock acts. The venue is small Hengchun Airport, north of the town of Hengchun in southern Taiwanʼs Pingtung County. Since the popular beach-resort town of Kending is just a 30-min. drive south on Provincial Highway 26, many festival-goers stay at Kending and combine the music fun with beach fun. Location: Wuliting Airport, Hengchun Township, Pingtung County ( 屏東縣恆春鎮五里亭機場 ) Website: www.spring-wave.com

4/6 4/15

Taichung City Mazu International Festival 大甲媽祖國際觀光文化節 In Taiwan, there are more than 500 temples dedicated to Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea, showing how important this deity is to the people of the island. Among these temples, Dajia Zhenlan Temple in Taichung is one of the most important. Once a year a grand pilgrimage is launched from this temple, taking devotees on a round-trip during which many Mazu temples in central and southern Taiwan are visited. If you are interested in local religion, visit one of these Mazu temples when the procession stops by and witness colorful traditional ceremonies, martial-arts performances, and much more.

Location: Dajia Zhenlan Temple/158 Shuntian Rd., Dajia District, Taichung City ( 台中市大甲鎮瀾宮 / 台中市大甲區順天路 158 號 ) and Mazu temples in Taichung City, Changhua County, Yunlin County, and Chiayi County Website: www.culture.taichung.gov.tw

Travel in Taiwan

4/20 6/25

Penghu Ocean Fireworks Festival 澎湖海上花火節

The islands of the Penghu archipelago, located in the Taiwan Strait west of Taiwan proper, are a popular holiday destination during the summer months. Early summer, when itʼs not yet sizzling hot on these tree-shade-lacking islands, is a great time for a visit, and the Penghu Ocean Fireworks Festival is an added bonus. The festivalʼs colorful ﬁreworks shows, lasting about 20 minutes, can be seen twice a week (Monday and Friday evenings) from the plaza adjacent to the Guanyin Pavilion (a temple dedicated to Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy), on the west side of Magong, Penghuʼs capital. Live-music entertainment is provided on a stage during and after the ﬁreworks. Location: Guanyin Pavilion Leisure Park / 7 Jieshou Rd., Magong City, Penghu County ( 觀音亭休閒園區 / 澎湖縣馬公市介壽路 7 號 ) Website: tour.penghu.gov.tw

APRIL ~ JUNE

Lugang 6/20 Dragon Boat Festival 鹿港慶端陽系列活動

The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the most important traditional festivals in Taiwan. On the day of the festival (June 20 this year), boat races are staged in numerous locations around Taiwan, including Dajia Riverside Park in Taipei, Love River in Kaohsiung, and Dongshan River in Yilan, where teams race against each other in long wooden boats sporting a dragonʼs head at the bow. The old town of Lugang in central Taiwanʼs Changhua County hosts its own Dragon Boat Festival event. Apart from the boat races, there are also festival-related religious ceremonies at the townʼs two most important temples, Longshan Temple and Tianhou Temple. Lugang is a historyrich town well worth visiting, where you can meander through narrow alleys and past many heritage sites and traditional-arts shops. Location: Lugang Township and Zhangbin area, Changhua County ( 彰化縣鹿港鎮及彰濱地區 ) Website: tourism.chcg.gov.tw

Mid June

Xiuguluan River Rafting Activity 秀姑巒溪國際泛舟鐵人三項競賽

Great outdoor activities should be exciting yet at the same time safe, and take place in gorgeous surroundings. White-water rafting on the Xiuguluan River, in Hualien County on Taiwanʼs east coast, provides just that. The section of the river that flows east of the town of Ruisui down to the Pacific coast has enough white-water rapids to satisfy all thrill-seekers, and the safety crews that are part of all rafting outfits are always close by, so there is nothing to fear. The Xiuguluan snakes itʼs way through the scenic mountains of the Coastal Mountain Range, and thereʼs many a vista to take in when the calmer stretches of the river allow you to do so. Location: Xiuguluan River Rafting Service Center / 215, Sec. 3, Zhongshan Rd., Ruisui Township, Hualien County ( 秀姑巒溪泛舟中心 / 花蓮縣瑞穗鄉中山路三段 215 號 )

Website: www.eastcoast-nsa.gov.tw

6/22

Taiwan Fun on the Tropic of Cancer 台灣夏至 235

Taiwan has two main climatic zones. It is subtropical in the low-lying northern, central, and northeastern parts of the island, and tropical in the low-lying southern and southeastern parts (temperate in the higher mountains). The line dividing the subtropical and tropical zones, the Tropic of Cancer, is marked in various locations where it crosses the island, including in Chiayi and Hualien counties. The Taiwan Fun on the Tropic of Cancer celebration features a series of events organized by local governments in areas traversed by the tropic, from the Penghu archipelago in the Taiwan Strait to Dongshi Harbor and Chiayi City on the west side of Taiwan to Ruisui and Fengbin townships in the east. The activities highlight the scenic, cultural, and culinary attractions on offer in each region. Location: Tropic of Cancer Marker, Chiayi City / County ( 嘉義市 / 縣北迴歸線標誌 ), Tropic of Cancer Park, Ruisui Township, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣瑞穗鄉北迴歸線標誌公園 ), Tropic of Cancer Marker, Fengbin Township, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣豐濱鄉北迴歸線標誌 ), Hujing Village, Magong City, Penghu County ( 澎湖縣馬公市虎井里 ), Changbin Township ( 臺東縣長濱鄉 ) Website: taiwan.net.tw Travel in Taiwan

W H AT ' S U P

NEWS & Events around Taiwan

Medical Tourism

First Medical Tourism Hotel Opens in Taipei For those in search of medical treatment abroad, Taiwan, which has a world-class healthcare system, presents a variety of options, from physical checkups to cosmetic surgery. The recently opened Taipei Wellness Clinic and Resort (www. tpehealth.com ), funded by the Taipei City Government and jointly operated by Beitou Health Management Hospital and the Hotel Royal Group, is the ﬁrst facility in Taiwan offering diversiﬁed medical-treatment services that include health management, cosmetic medicine, and hotel accommodation with hot-spring bathing facilities. For more information about medical tourism in Taiwan, visit http://medicaltourism.tw .

Boat Trip

Tourism

KaohsiungTainan Cruise

New Tourist Information Stations

The big-harbor city of Kaohsiung and the old capital city of Tainan are the most important cities in southern Taiwan. Both offer a wide range of attractions for tourists. If you want to visit both cities, there is now a new transportation option linking the two, a mini-cruise route between Kaohsiungʼs Xingda Port and Tainanʼs Anping Port. This boat trip allows you to get quickly from one city to the other and at the same time enjoy the coastal scenery At present there are two services each Sunday, in both directions, with tickets priced between NT$550 and NT$699.

The Taiwan Tourism Bureau has recently established 26 information stations to provide “friendly, convenient, and considerate” tourism information services. These stations are not located at transportation hubs such as railway and MRT stations, where information centers already exist, but instead at minor locations frequented by tourists – for example, a popular B&B in Penghu, a specialty store on Matsuʼs Beigan Island, and a police station in Taitung. The info stationsʼ purpose is to provide tourists with helpful information speciﬁc to certain areas, allowing them to understand and enjoy a locale to the fullest. The information station in Taipeiʼs Dadaocheng neighborhood, for example, is located in a tea shop, and provides visitors with information about tea and the best spots to visit in the heritage-rich community. Many more such information stations are to be opened in the future.

Travel in Taiwan

APRIL ~ JUNE

Train Ride

“Alien Train” Introduced Taking the train is a convenient way of getting around Taiwan. The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) operates different types of trains (from slow commuter trains to the fast Puyuma Express) on the main lines that circle the island, as well as a number of branch lines into the interior. If you take the Jiji branch line you might board a train with a distinct “alien” theme. The sky-blue train, designed by Akibo Lee, features two alien robot ﬁgures, “Mr. Ten” and “Miss One,” who accompany travelers on their way into the lovely countryside of central Taiwanʼs Nantou County.

Scenic Spots

City Exploration

Two Lighthouses to Be Opened to the Public in 2015

International Spotlight Southern Taiwan The long-time imperial capital of Taiwan, Tainan City, is well known for old temples, heritage sites, and snack foods. If you want to visit the city, but donʼt know where to start, you might want to check out the International Spotlight – Southern Region website (www.nanspot.tw ), where youʼll ﬁnd detailed information about places of interest in the city, including temples, historic sites, cultural venues, eateries, and much more.

History and Music

Ten Drum Opens Sugar Factory Basement

Good news for lighthouse lovers! This year the lighthouse on Qimei Islet, one of the islands in the Penghu archipelago, and the Fugui Cape Lighthouse, on the north coast of Taiwan proper, will be opened to the public, in May and September, respectively. Many heritage-site Taiwan lighthouses located at scenic spots overlooking the sea have become popular tourist attractions. The lighthouse on Qimei, constructed in 1937, is surrounded by rugged coastal rock formations. Fugui Cape Lighthouse, built in 1897, was the ﬁrst lighthouse erected by the Japanese during their period of colonial rule over Taiwan (1895~1945). The lighthouse will be complemented by a visitor center offering stamps for tourists to commemorate their trips. A total of 10 lighthouses around Taiwan have been opened to the public so far, and the plan is to have a total of 16 opened by 2016.

One of Taiwanʼs most celebrated arts troupes, Ten Drum Art Percussion Group, has recently added a new attraction to its base, the Ten Drum Culture Village in Tainan. The culture village is located inside the long-disused Rende Sugar Reﬁnery, and Ten Drum is now allowing visitors to explore the basement of the reﬁnery. The spacious rooms underground, once used for the production of industrial alcohol – and for this reason the target of Allied bombing during WWII – are interesting for their architecture and history. Ten Drum also plans to use them for music performances in the future. www.tendrum-cultrue.com.tw

Travel in Taiwan

c u ltu r e s c e n e

CULTURE Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings

Until 4/26

Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Coral Stone Mountain: Chen Shun-chu Solo Exhibition

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre: Spring Riot 2015 雲門舞集：春鬥 2015

硓山 – 陳順築個展 This is the ﬁrst major retrospective of local artist Chun Shun-chu held in Taiwan. The exhibition includes photographs, photo installations, and hand-painted fragments of old furniture from the 1990s to the present. www.tfam.museum

Until 4/15

Tamsui Culture and Art Education Center

4/24 5/10

National Museum of Natural Science

Seven years ago, the Cloud Gate Dance Theatreʼs dance studio, props department, and storage complex went up in flames. Last November, the famous dance ensemble celebrated the completion of its new home, the Tamsui Culture and Art Education Center. Spring Riot 2015, performed by Cloud Gate 2, will be the first production staged in the new facilities, and promises to be an occasion filled with joyous emotions. www.cloudgate.org.tw

Until 9/9

National Palace Museum

The Enchanting Splendor of Vases and Planters

Birth of the Dinosaurs – Egg and Embryo Fossils from China 「恐龍蛋．誕恐龍」特展 With this exhibition, the NMNS provides rare insight into how dinosaurs developed. The exhibition combines art and science, with an astounding array of dinosaur eggs and nests collected by the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in mainland China, along with precious fossils from Montana, Argentina, and France. www.nmns.edu.tw

A Special Exhibition of Flower Vessels from the Ming and Qing Dynasties 瓶盆風華─明清花器特展 This exhibition is primarily focused on porcelain objects from the Ming and Qing dynasties in the National Palace Museum collection, and is divided into two sections, “Planters” and “Vases.” Together, they present an overview of the development of ﬂower vessels through the two eras. www.npm.gov.tw

Songshan Cultural

4/29 5/4

and Creative Park / Huashan 1914 Creative Park / Taipei Expo Park

Creative Expo Taiwan 台灣國際文化創意產業博覽會 Taipei, selected as the World Design Capital 2016, is buzzing with creative activity and design projects. The upcoming Creative Expo Taiwan is one of the big events not to be missed if you want to know what the cityʼs creative minds are working on these days. creativexpo.tw

Travel in Taiwan

3/27 3/28

National Concert Hall

Ju Percussion Group Spring Concert 2015 朱宗慶打擊樂團春季音樂會 The ﬁrst percussion ensemble established in Taiwan, Ju Percussion Group, is famous for its blend of Western and Eastern music elements. The group has performed in countries around the world, and has been very active in promoting percussion music and educating young musicians. www.jpg.org.tw

Until 6/28

National Center for Traditional Arts

Shaun the Sheep 笑笑羊在傳藝

Who doesnʼt like Shaun the Sheep, the clever star of the British stop-motion animated television series of the same name? To date, more than 130 7-minute episodes have been ﬁlmed depicting Shaunʼs farm adventures. In this exhibition youʼll learn about the production of the series and you can enter a life-like recreation of the world of Shaun and his friends.

VENUES 4/25

Taipei International Convention Center

Mayumi Itsuwa – 40 Year Anniversary Taipei Concert 五輪真弓 – 40 周年臺北演唱會 Mayumi Itsuwa is a famous Japanese singer who started her career in the early 1970s and became famous in Japan and other Asian countries with her hit “Koibito yo” (“My Dear Lover”). The tragic love song, written by Itsuwa herself, tells the story of a break-up in which a woman is freezing on a park bench waiting for her lover to return and tell her that the break-up was just a dream.

Taipei ATT Show Box

Taipei Arena（台北小巨蛋）

Add: 12, Songshou Rd., Taipei City

Add: 2 Nanjing E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City

( 台北市松壽路 12 號 )

( 台北市南京東路四段 2 號 )

Tel: (02) 7737-8881 www.attshowbox.com.tw Nearest MRT Station: Taipei 101/World Trade Center

Tel: (02) 2577-3500

Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts （關渡美術館） Add: 1 Xueyuan Rd., Taipei City

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

( 台北市學園路 1 號 )

( 台北市中山北路三段 181 號 )

Tel: (02) 2896-1000 www.kdmofa.tnua.edu.tw Nearest MRT Station: Guandu

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

Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei

Taipei International Convention Center（台北國際會議中心）

（台北當代藝術館）

Add: 39 Chang-an W. Rd., Taipei City ( 台北市長安西路 3 9 號 )

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

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

4/25

Taipei International Convention Center

Lisa Ono 2015 Taipei Concert 小野麗莎 – 2015 臺北演唱會

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

Taipei Zhongshan Hall （台北中山堂）

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

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

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

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

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

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

( 台北市中山南路 21-1 號 )

( 台北市經貿二路 1 號 )

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

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

National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Add: 505 Ren-ai Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City ( 台北市仁愛路四段 5 0 5 號 )

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

National Museum of History

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

（國立歷史博物館）

( 台北市南海路 4 9 號 )

National Theater and Concert Hall

( 台北市信義路五段 1 號 )

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

Add: 49 Nanhai Rd., Taipei City

Until 4/12

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

( 台北市中山南路 21 號 )

（國立國父紀念館）

Born in Brazil, Lisa Ono is a well-known bossa nova singer. With her natural voice, rhythmic guitar playing, and charming smile, she became a huge success in Japan, and has been popularizing bossa nova since the 1990s. She has performed in Japan, Brazil, and other countries around the world.

Taipei Fine Arts Museum（台北市立美術館）

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

National Palace Museum （國立故宮博物院）

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

Taiwan International Festival of Arts 台灣國際藝術節 The Taiwan International Festival of Arts is a great cultural event, featuring avant-garde theater, dance, and music. Among the performances in March/April are Shakespeareʼs “Hamlet,” directed by Japanʼs Yukio Ninagawa; “Take Off,” a dance performance featuring dancers from Taiwan and Korea; “Genghis Khan,” a symphonic presentation of Mongolian music; and “Les Noces, Corrente II, Wild Butterﬂies,” performed by the Leipzig Ballet. http://tifa.npac-ntch.org/2015/en/#programme

( 台北市至善路二段 2 21 號 )

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

National Taiwan Museum （國立台灣博物館）

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

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

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 ( 高雄市中正四路 27 2 號 )

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

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE MAOLIN

Under the Eyes of Eagles

THE MAOLIN NATIONAL SCENIC AREA

Duona Bridge

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE MAOLIN

Text: Rick Charette Photos: Ray Chang

I had been here before, some 15 years earlier, though dipping in for only the better part of a daytime. Unnoticed or perhaps not present on that occasion was what struck me most of all the things I saw on a recent 3-day trip into the valleys of the Maolin National Scenic Area, the seemingly ever-present gaze of eagles.

FEATURE MAOLIN

any times I looked up from valley floor, looked across a valley from a mid-slope trail-point, or looked down from a mountain-ridge crest, there hovered a patient, slowly circling bird of prey, a few among the largest I have ever seen, including champions of North America’s Rockies and Pacific Northwest. Evidence that, though man has a long-established presence here, this region remains pristine and Nature-owned. So, is this a place where you do not do much more than trek about on trails and watch eagles hunt? Nay. Equally popular prime attractions in the Maolin National Scenic Area (www.maolin-nsa. gov.tw) are the indigenous villages, hot-spring-soaking, butterflywatching, and magnificent mountain scenery. Here is a highlight reel of my recent Travel in Taiwan trip, in prose and photos. The NSA has a pronounced indigenous population. Members of the Rukai and Paiwan tribes, which share many cultural elements, live in the south, Rukai in the middle, Tsou and Bunun in the north. The Rukai tribe, which has the largest population in the NSA, and the Paiwan tribe are perhaps best-known for striking arts and crafts and traditional dwellings and communal halls made of slate. In Duona village, a cluster of 30 traditional Rukai slate houses is being preserved, the largest concentration in Taiwan. In Sandimen, a Paiwan settlement, is a renowned cluster of tourist-friendly studios

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where beautiful ornaments made with beads imbued with deep cultural symbolism are crafted. Blessed with many hot-spring sources, the NSA is home to numerous commercially operated hot-spring facilities. It has the most extensive distribution of natural stream springs in Taiwan. The Purple Crow Butterfly, an intrepid traveler that, like the Monarch Butterfly, accomplishes impossibly challenging annual migrations, winters in tremendous number in the Maolin area. In the Purple Butterfly Valley and Maolin Ecological Park you may well see thousands at a time flitting about in the woods.

Day 1 Majia Township

Our first stop was at the Majia Visitor Center, to get our bearings. Maolin’s visitor centers are unusually attractive, and highly individualistic in design. The exterior at Majia’s has a striking indigenous-symbol theme. Inside you’ll find English brochures, a large and well-wrought, wall-mounted NSA scale map, and small hands-on displays of intricate tribal gear and handicrafts. From the center you can also follow a trail to the majestic 3-tier Liangshan Waterfall (about 1km one-way).

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Next was the expansive and edifying Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park, which sits on a plateau high above the Ailiao River (NT$160 adult entry, NT$50 small-vehicle parking; www.tacp.gov.tw ). Sandimen is directly across the narrow river valley – this is where the Ailiao rushes out into the western lowlands – perched equally high. Further and much higher in the mountains beyond Sandimen is Wutai, perhaps Taiwan’s most attractive indigenous settlement, which has a great concentration of Rukai slate-slab edifices. The Cultural Park has scores of superb indigenous-architecture replicas, from many of Taiwan’s other tribes as well as those with a local presence. Beyond this, my favorite elements are the honest handicraft-production presentations and, next, the exuberant and earnest touristoriented song-and-dance shows. Leaving the theme park, we drove over the crest of the mountain it is located on to the western lowlands-facing side. Entering the slopeland village of Rinari, we felt as though we’d somehow ended up in Europe. Laid out in a neat grid of tidy

1. Majia Visitor Center 2. Rinari Village 3. Welcome dance at Rinari 4. At the Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park 5. Millet stored in house at Rinari

streets are copycat-design A-frame and twin homes, all two stories, all made of wood. This new settlement is a re-settlement of three Rukai/Paiwan villages that suffered severe typhoon damage. In striking yet harmonious contrast with the Europeanstyle architecture are the traditional Rukai/Paiwan slate-built patios before each home, most enclosed by low slate walls, many with built-in slate seating on the inside. Tribal members spend a good deal of time here, in what they call their “living rooms.” After a formal song-and-dance greeting by the friendly staff of the Rinari Tribal Development Center (http://rinari.pgo.tw ; Chinese), we were given a free village tour (advance booking required). Our guide explained that “Rinari” literally means “We walk together, to the place yonder,” interpreted the different tribal-theme flourishes at the front of each home – each family submitted its desired design before construction began – and took us into the various home-based studios to meet the artists/ artisans and into the homes of a number of elders, including a Rukai chief.

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FEATURE MAOLIN

Day 2 Maolin Township “The Maolin National Scenic Area is the only place in the world where traffic signs have been set up to protect butterflies!” So said Liao Jin-shan, our deep-knowledge volunteer guide at Maolin Ecological Park, situated on a low mountaintop dramatically overlooking Maolin village. Take the free guided tour (advance registration; English available; call 0919-219-944); though the visitor center has solid displays (with English) on the region’s butterflies, the guides provide so much more and they can show you the best sites to spot the butterflies. When disturbed by visitors the butterflies, often looking just like dark leaves on branches when still, burst into flight en masse in such a dense, visually dramatic spectacle that, it struck me, if seen on a movietheater screen I’d declare it special-effects fake. Between Maolin and Duona, as you follow the twisting highway high above the serpentine Zhuokou River, you are suddenly presented with what to me is the NSA’s single greatest visual. Far below is the sparkling-white Duona Bridge, leaping the riverbed, with a giant steel-frame eagle guarding one end. At stage-right is the “head” of Dragon Head Mountain, said to be spitting out a “pearl,” a mountain-ridge section the river has sliced its way around. High on stage-left is the soaring Duona Suspension Bridge, leaping a deep chasm. Finally, stage-rear and moving right-left atop the crouching dragon’s spine is the attractive, easy-grade Dragon Head Mountain

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Butterfly Watching in Maolin The Maolin NSA is one of only two over-wintering butterfly valley areas in the world, the other Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Valley. The southern mountains provide winter nesting grounds during Taiwan’s short but at times chilly winter season for the Purple Crow Butterfly, which at other times can be found throughout the island. When the northeastern winter winds arrive in northern Taiwan in late autumn, millions of Purple Crows – like migratory birds – move to the south and gather in the valleys. You’ll view four sub-species: Dwarf Crows, which account for almost 75% of Maolin’s population, which at times may total one million; Double-branded Black Crows, which make up much of the rest; Striped Blue Crows; and Blue-banded King Crows. 14

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Trail. Accessed via a highway-side parking lot, a boardwalked pathway leads to the suspension bridge and you’ve got little space left and right, the madly twisting river at your feet on both sides of the trail. After you’ve traveled high into the mountains, you descend into Duona, nestled on a plateau between two high mountains along what is obviously, from afar, an ancient river channel, a deep-dug tributary of the Zhuokou beyond and below, out of sight. The quiet, tourist-friendly village is not much more than a single street with offshoots. Buy delicious indigenous-style stone-grilled meats and sausages at two joints just as you enter. The first building on your right is the Yishanmu Duona Café, in a splendid extra-large slate building, offering indigenous handicrafts, coffee, partly made with beans grown in the area, and a beloved Taiwan cold treat called aiyu jelly, made from the gel surrounding aiyu fig seeds, the fruit commonly gathered by brave young indigenous men climbing tall trees. Beyond the village entry-point, signs lead you to the initially steep yet pleasant Duona Warriors’ Trail, from which high-on views of village life are presented. Along the short, wide trail are replicas of traditional structures where, long ago, warriors placed their status-enhancing hunted heads, stored hunted meats, and called out their illustrious deeds. 1. Hunted-head slate wall on Duona Warriors' Trail 2. Studying Purple Crows at Maolin Ecological Park 3. Watchtower at Duona Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE MAOLIN

Day 3 Liugui Township On the drive up the Laonong River valley from the Maolin to the Bulao/Baolai area, take Provincial Highway 27 (on the right bank of the river) instead of 27A. (We actually did this on the way back, on the recommendation of Baolai Visitor Center staff.) Though narrower, it’s much more scenic, with more shade trees, temples, and farm-hamlet attractions. Though this puts you across from the 18 Arhats Mountains, running parallel to Highway 27A, a renowned nature reserve with 72 cone-shaped peaks sometimes called Taiwan’s “Little Guilin,” the views are better from this side of the river. The valley narrows where the 27 crosses the Laonong to link with the 20, becoming more picturesque. Unlike the rugged Maolin/Duona and Sandimen/Wutai valley areas, there is a long, gently undulating riverside-plateau strip here, nicely quilted with compact, well-tended farm fields and orchards. The Pulaixitou Tribe Historic Battle Trail is just outside Baolai. About 1.5km long one-way it brought us past a plum-tree orchard in snow-white bloom, thick-cluster bamboo forest, and into a clearing atop a mountain-spur ridge with picture-perfect rivervalley views – and face-to-beak with the largest eagle I’ve ever seen, not 10 meters away, riding the updraft. I was deeply impressed. His Majesty turned his back on me, a mere mortal, equally unimpressed.

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4 English and Chinese 18 Arhats Mountains 十八羅漢山 Ailiao River 隘寮溪 aiyu 愛玉 Baolai 寶來 Baolai Reconstruction Association 寶來重建協會 Bulao 不老 Bunun 布農 Central Mountain Range 中央山脈 Dragon Head Mountain 龍頭山 Duona 多納 Duona Bridge 多納橋 Duona Suspension Bridge 多納吊橋 Duona Warriorsʼ Trail 多納勇士步道 Laonong River 荖濃溪 Liangshan Waterfall 涼山瀑布 Liao Jin-shan 廖金山 Liugui 六龜 Majia Visitor Center 瑪家遊客中心 Maolin 茂林 Maolin Ecological Park 茂林生態公園 Maolin National Scenic Area 茂林國家風景區 Paiwan 排灣

Pingtung Bus Co. 屏東客運 Pulaixitou Tribe Historic Battle Trail 浦來溪頭社戰道 Purple Crow 紫斑蝶 Purple Butterﬂy Valley 紫蝶幽谷 Rinari 禮納里 Rukai 魯凱 Sandimen 三地門 Shezaijiao Cultural Sharing Space 檨仔腳文化共享空間 Suluopo Hot Spring Area 蘇羅婆溫泉區 Suluopo Special Zone 59 Eco Trail 蘇羅婆 59 特區生態步道 Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park 台灣原住民文化園區 Tsou 鄒 “We walk together, to the place yonder” 「我們一起走大家一起往那兒去的地方。」 Wutai 霧台 Yishanmu Duona Café 一山沐多納咖啡屋 Zhuokou River 濁口溪 1. Baolai Visitor Center 2. Enjoying plum blossoms at Baolai 3. 18 Arhats Mountains 4. Pulaixitou Tribe Historic Battle Trail

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FEATURE MAOLIN

Maolin Basics The National Scenic Area (NSA) is northeast of central Kaohsiung, in the western foothills of the Central Mountain Range and the southernmost section of Taiwan’s thick mountain spine. The area is heavily forested and three major rivers run through it. Long and comparatively slender, it has a north-south orientation. It can be divided into three main sections, centered on settlements along each river: the south section’s hubs are Sandimen and Wutai, the middle section’s Maolin and Duona, the north’s Bulao and Baolai. Even if pressed for time, don’t overplan your trip – each section deserves at least a full day. There is good – and steadily more – bilingual signage throughout the NSA.

Taipei

to Meinong

Taichung

Hualien Maolin National Scenic Area

Chiayi

N Kaohsiung Pingtung

Day 1 - Majia Township Day 2 - Maolin Township Day 3 - Liugui Township

Getting There and Around If you do not have your own wheels, the Pingtung Bus Co. (www.ptbus.com. tw ; Chinese) offers services between Pingtung City and various NSA locations on four lines: two to Sandimen via different routes, one to Sandimen and then Wutai, and one to Maolin and then Duona. For additional details on the lines, on getting to central Kaohsiung and Pingtung City, and on getting around, notably about the NSAʼs bicycle routes and rentals, visit the NSA website (www.maolin-nsa.gov.tw ).

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FEATURE

to Southern Cross-Island Highway

MAOLIN

Pulaixitou Tribe Historic Battle Trail

Baolai Village

Suluopo Special Zone 59 Eco Trail

Another area strongly impacted by 2009’s Typhoon Morakot was the Suluopo Hot Spring Area, just south of Baolai. Resident volunteers have reopened an old-trail section originally blazed over 40 years ago to bring mineral-spring waters down the mountainside, in a protected forest area called Special Zone 59. The section is about 1km long and you move amidst longan, aiyu fig, plum, and other types of trees, and among butterflies and fireflies in number when in season. The “Suluopo Special Zone 59 Eco Trail” is low-impact; for example, steps are made of tied-together bamboo poles and access is limited to 80 people daily. If you want to visit, contact the Baolai Reconstruction Association at (07) 688-3098.

Pu-Lao Hot Spring Hotel

Liugui 27 A

18 Arhats Mountains Zhong Family Fruit Farm

Maolin

Duona

Snake Head Dragon Mountain Maolin Head Ecological Mountain Park

Shezaijiao Cultural Sharing Space

Traumatized by Typhoon Morakot in 2009, their settlement severely damaged, members of the Shezaijiao community in the Baolai area quickly rallied, rebuilding a damaged warehouse to give local people, especially the elderly, a place to gather, share, give each other strength, and start rebuilding the local economy – christening it the “Shezaijiao Cultural Sharing Space.” Travelers are warmly invited to take part in the many DIY sessions now offered, having fun and learning about local cultural life while baking breads (and pizzas) in the hand-built brick oven, firing pottery pieces in the gas kiln, dyeing clothing and other practical items using traditional natural-material dyes, etc.

Sandimen 18 5

Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park Rinari

Wutai

Majia Visitor Center Du Mama

Majia

to Pingtung City Travel in Taiwan

STAY/EAT/BUY MAOLIN

Prowlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Maolin

For Tasty Foods, Nifty Buys, Comfy Places to Sleep Text: Rick Charette Photos: Ray Chang

Though a place of quiet and of simple-living people, there is no lack for appealing choice when it comes to accommodation, eating, and gift/ souvenir purchases in the Maolin region.

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STAY/EAT/BUY MAOLIN

STAY The Pu-Lao Hot Spring Hotel is in a majestic setting, looking across a low line of mountains over the sometimes roaring, generally water-thirsty Laonong River. In the shape of a squared “U,” the hotel has a pretty, welcoming landscaped courtyard with an attractive topiary, a water wheel, and a faux-rookery waterfall. The area’s weak carbonic-acid mineral waters are piped into each room’s Japanese-style soaking tub, and into the covered outdoor courtyard-side communal bathing pools with a cross-valley view (there’s also a swimming pool). I recommend staying in the left arm of the “U,” where the rooms are like a series of attached log-wall cabins. Large and spartan, the furnishings rustic, the rooms reminded me of those in my parents-and-unclesowned family cottage back home in Canada. (Rooms start at NT$3,500.)

BUY and DIY

On our first day on this trip your Travel in Taiwan crew visited the Rukai/ Paiwan tribal village of Rinari. The village is a great place to learn about indigenous culture, and it also has a number of indigenous-artist studios, i n cl u d i n g fo u r i n t h e l a r g e t r i b a l development center at the top of the village and a number in annexes attached to private homes. At some houses residents have a range of village-produced items on display for sale. On my village tour I decided on a work of exquisitely crafted headgear and a glass-bead necklace and

bracelet, for wife, mom, and mom-inlaw, respectively, and was taken aback by how inexpensive it was to take possession of such beauty. It took six full hours to create the most expensive, the brightred traditional-style cloth cap (NT$350), covered in small decorative seashells, glass beads, and metal trinkets. If you spend time in Rinari village you can take part in DIY sessions learn to make indigenous-style handicrafts, such as bracelets, wooden key rings, and leather ware. The village also offers archery

Pu-Lao Hot Spring Hotel ( 不老溫泉渡假村 ) Add: 82, Xinkai Rd., Xinfa Borough, Liugui District, Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市六龜區新發里新開路 82 號 ) Tel: (07) 679-1888 Website: www.pu-lao.com.tw (Chinese)

1. Tribal chief's house at Rinari 2. Hot-spring bathing at Bulao 3. Pu-Lao Hot Spring Hotel 4. Friendly reception at Rinari

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STAY/EAT/BUY MAOLIN

Kucapungame (Rinari Village) ( 好茶部落 ) Add: 1, Makazhaya Street, Majia Township, Pingtung County ( 屏東縣瑪家鄉瑪卡札亞街 1 號 ) Tel: (08) 799-7070 Website: http://rinari.pgo.tw (Chinese)

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 29 巷 45 號 ) Tel: (08) 799-3332

Zhong Family Fruit Farm ( 鍾家果園 ) Add: 171, Dajin Borough, Liugui District, Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市六龜區大津里 172 號 ) Tel: (07) 680-1656 / 0919-198-396

Er-ge Workshop ( 峨格手藝工作室 ) Add: 52, 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 52 號 ) Tel: (08) 799-5200

sessions and Paiwan-cuisine cooking classes. Groups who have signed up for these activities are likely to receive a special warm welcome, including singing and dancing by village representatives. If you want to explore the surrounding area, you can also rent bikes in the village. Rinari nights are very quiet, and many residents sit out on their patio “living rooms” chatting or singing hymns. In the evening you can also take in the sparkling city lights of Kaohsiung in the far distance.

knifes – adorned with bold and powerful totem ic i mager y. T he valley slopetipped village of Sandimen is the hub of a continually growing cluster of shops operated by native artists and artisans. At Shatao Dance & Glass Art Studio, watch traditional-style glass beads being made and used to create striking jewelry. You can also make your own beads. At Er-Ge Workshop, watch workers craft pottery vessels in the ancient Paiwan style, and watch wood carvers craft and decorate furniture, doors, and other items.

The Rukai and Paiwan are renowned for their artistic skills, their works – especially those in the shared traditions of glass-bead jewelry, pottery, and hunting

In the Dajin area by the Laonong River, on Provincial Highway 27, is the Zhong Family Fruit Farm. The Maolin National Scenic Area authorities are

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working with local farmers, promoting thei r produce a nd fa r m-exper ience visits, and with advance notice farmer Zhong Huan-hong is happy to show off his large net-protected fields of Chinese dates (jujubes) and papayas. This year he’s producing a new Taiwan-created cultivar on his 20-year-old date trees, “snow honey dates,” and the results are delicious, the best Chinese dates I’ve had, extra-large, finger-lickin’ juicy, nectar sweet – no writer’s embellishment here. Prices are based on weight; a box of 12 will be about NT$350. The 36-date box I brought home was gone in minutes when presented to my (Taiwanese) wife’s clan members, and one, a fruit-store owner, is now sourcing direct from Zhong.

STAY/EAT/BUY MAOLIN

EAT

Ever heard of jinafu? Though I’ve eaten traditional fare in many indigenous villages and restaurants around Taiwan over the years, I certainly never had until I stepped into Du Mama, a simple shop with walls of corrugated steel right on County Route 185 at Jiayi Village’s north end. Owner Mama Du is a Paiwan-tribe member; jinafu is an old-time Paiwan delicacy, and her shop is a must-stop for tourists. Jinafu is made by wrapping ground millet, a staple of Taiwan’s tribes, and

seasoned minced pork in leaves. Minced pork is the norm; Mamu Du fries chunks in a wok. These are first wrapped in a plant called Trichodesma calycosum , then in shell-ginger leaves. Steaming causes the millet to absorb the flavor of the pork and the leaves’ unique taste. The outer leaf layer, too thick and fibrous, is removed before eating. Mama Du also offers three other types of savory rice treats, using millet or glutinous rice. 1. Glass beads of Shatao Dance & Glass Art Studio 2. Indigenous style vest made by Rinari resident 3. Zhong Family Fruit Farm 4. Du Mama treats 5. Making jinafu at Du Mama

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STAY/EAT/BUY MAOLIN

When visiting Rinari village you can also enjoy an indigenous feast (NT$350 per person) that is a traditional welcome for visitors and invariably served to all family members who’ve been living away. Hearty and filling, my favorite selections were the grilled boar, steamed sweet potato topped with cane sugarsweetened peanut, and a-bai , which is what the Rukai call their jinafu . Coffee, lemongrass drink, and afternoon tea are also available in the village.

Du Mama ( 杜媽媽 ) Add: 104-13, Taiping Lane, Jiayi Village, Majia Township, Pingtung County ( 屏東縣瑪家鄉佳義村泰平巷 104-13 號 ) Tel: (08) 799-0426 English and Chinese a-bai 阿拜 jinafu 吉拿富 snow honey dates 雪蜜棗 Take Your Shoes Off – Kucapungane 脫鞋子的好茶部落 Zhong Huan-hong 鍾煥宏國賓-2.pdf 1 2015/2/16 上午 10:33

1. Indigenous-style dinner at Rinari 2. Refreshing lemongrass drink

Advertorial

At the Top of the Luxury Food-Experience Chain

DING XIAN 101

The brand “Ding Xian” ( 頂鮮 ) means “top fresh,” the “top” referring to the restaurant’s position in the Taipei 101 tower, and “top fresh” expressing its philosophy of best in service, decor, and ingredient quality. The restaurant specializes in classic Taiwan fare, embellished with sophisticated international flourishes.

Ding Xian Shrimp Roll and Fried Calamari Ball 蝦捲花枝炸雙拼

There are three ways to order at Ding Xian: set menu, a la carte, and table (banquet-style). The regular set menus feature two classic night-market staples – Tainan DanZai Noodles and Shrimp Roll and Fried Calamari Ball. Western customers generally order the set menus, and the most popular dishes are Baked Prawn with Formosan Fruits, Steamed Giant Grouper in Sesame Oil with Vermicelli, and Grouper with Truffle Slice.

Baked Prawn with Formosan Fruits 寶島水果焗明蝦

Tainan Dan-Zai Noodles 招牌台南擔仔麵

Basted Lobster with Mullet Roe and Salted Egg Yolk 烏魚子冶金龍蝦

The restaurant takes up the entire 86th floor, and diners are seated along the outside in open areas with smaller tables or in private banquet rooms, taking in the spectacular views of city laid out far below and the surrounding mountains beyond through soaring knee-to-ceiling windows. Luxury Taiwanese cuisine is served, with a heavy emphasis on seafood.

Ding Xian 101 recently has teamed up for the first time with Macau’s Melco Crown Entertainment to open the first overseas branch in the City of Dreams Manila. Ding Xian 101 Chairman Chou Wen-Pao has assigned almost 20 senior Taiwan F&B executives to oversee the new operation. The highly experienced team will be bringing the unique “tastes of Taiwan” to the diners of Manila, and at the same time staking a claim in the overseas Chinese and business markets as well as amongst high-end clientele in the gambling sector.

Entrance to the Manila restaurant

At the City of Dreams, Ding Xian 101 Manila is on The Shops at the Boulevard, which features an outstanding collection of the finest restaurant-chain brands from around the world. The overall design style has been inherited from the venerable Huaxi Street location, with the premium décor specifications of the flagship operation on the 86th floor of the landmark Taipei 101 tower. The elegant Wedgwood bone-china dinnerware favored by the British royal family is used, along with delicate Nachtmann crystal glassware from Germany. Isothermal fish tanks allow for the freshest marine catch to be selected, and private rooms feature exquisite Rotex Wallcoverings hand-crafted peacock-feather wallpaper. Even greater emphasis has been placed on the quality of the cuisine -- the myriad hurdles involved in air transport to Manila have been systematically overcome to ensure the presentation of premium Taiwan culinary-delicacy perfection at the table. Come try the world-class Ding Xian 101 experience! For the Taipei branch please visit www.dingxian101.com or call (02) 8101-8686 or 0800-00-8687. For more information on the Manila branch, please visit www. dingxian101manila.com or call +63-917-322-3101

INDIGENOUS CUISINE HSINCHU

Dayewei Indigenous Cuisine A Fusion Restaurant that Diversifies the Culinary Scene in Northern Taiwan

Text: Nick Kembel Photos: Maggie Song

In our continuing quest to uncover quality indigenous restaurants in Taiwan, we recently came across this gem in Zhudong. Chef Xu Hui-ming, a member of the Atayal tribe, is expanding the boundaries of his people’s cuisine by combining indigenous classics with elements of Taiwanese, Hakka, Korean, and Thai cuisine. The restaurant also features live indigenous music and artwork, uniting people through the appreciation of native culture.

ixteen kilometers southeast of Hsinchu City lies a small, sleepy town called Zhudong. While not itself generally seen as a tourist destination, Zhudong lies at the confluence of a number of roadways lined with scenic and cultural attractions, making it a useful transportation hub for travelers. From Zhudong, traveling northeast on Provincial Highway 3 will take you to Leofoo Village Theme Park, while heading southwest on the same road you can visit Lion’s Head Mountain and the Hakka centers of Beipu and Nanzhuang. The same train that stops at Zhudong continues on into the mountains to Neiwan, a popular tourist town. Last but not least, Zhudong is the starting point of County Road 122, a winding, stunningly beautiful road that leads to a number of indigenous villages, including Qingquan, with its gorgeous riverside setting and steaming hot springs. Zhudong is also the nearest urban center for many members of different indigenous tribes living in this otherwise primarily Hakka region, making it an important commercial center and meeting point of cultures. This helps to explain why the young Atayal couple who own Dayewei restaurant chose this location when they executed their dream of opening an indigenous restaurant in 2013. Hailing from the mountainous, primarily indigenous-population townships of Fuxing in Taoyuan County and Datong in Yilan County, respectively, Hong Jing-wen and Dong Wen-ping have made a living running

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a technology company in Hsinchu. In the hope of contributing to the preservation of the Atayal people’s culinary and artistic traditions, they decided to use some of their earnings to open a restaurant, providing an urban space that re-creates the atmosphere of an Atayal village. With so many members living away from tribal home areas these days, scattered about in cities, they hope to foster a community in which not just natives, but all others who want to, can come together. The establishment serves authentic indigenous fare, but many of the dishes come with an interesting spin; they contain elements from a variety of non-indigenous cuisines, and a few surprising exotic meats and rare ingredients also make an appearance. There’s no English menu, so we give the Chinese for numerous dishes below. To reach Dayewei, take a train to Zhudong Railway Station, go left on the main road outside, and you’ll reach the restaurant it in less than five minutes. It’s hard to miss; massive logs carved with aboriginal motifs form the entranceway, leading to a hefty door built of hunks of wood connected like puzzle pieces. Or maybe it’s the glass-faced food elevator fronting the building that will catch your eye first, especially if you happen to see it while a whole roasted chicken or boar is being slowly lowered down into the restaurant from the rooftop roasting area. “Food coming down the elevator represents the provision of sustenance from the gods above,” explained chef Xu after he greeted us. Xu is an Atayal from nearby

INDIGENOUS CUISINE HSINCHU

Dayewei chef Xu Hui-ming and his crew

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INDIGENOUS CUISINE HSINCHU

You can order a sixth, half, or – if you've brought twenty or so friends – entire roasted pig, cooked to perfection on the restaurant rooftop

Nanzhuang with over a decade of cooking experience in various styles. Meanwhile, a group of handsome young waiters in aboriginal vests giggled and shot us shy smiles from the corner of the room. What immediately stands out when you enter Dayewei is the exquisite, hand-carved wooden furniture and bar. Massive slabs of wood form the tops of the tables, which have legs interlocked with rows of low seating, all custom designed by members of the Atayal tribe. The atmosphere is homey and unassuming, as though one has stepped into the communal eating quarters of an Atayal community rather than a formal eatery. Before ordering, we sat down with Xu to find out more about Atayal cuisine. He introduced us to three staple ingredients in Atayal cooking: maqaw, dana , and teng xin . Maqaw , known as magao and shan hujiao (“mountain pepper”) in Mandarin, are small peppercorn-like seeds from the May Chang (aromatic litsea) evergreen tree. Maqaw adds a spicy, lemony kick to dishes, and is sometimes used to make tea or is chewed by tribal folk to stay awake. Maqaw may be the next miracle plant; research is currently being conducted to determine whether the seeds could aid in the treatment of lung cancer. A recommended dish if you want to appreciate its use as a spice is the maqaw sour and spicy fish, in which maqaw seeds are perfectly paired with Thai-style sourness and lemongrass, the dish garnished with cilantro and tomatoes. Dana , or cicong in Mandarin (known as “prickly ash” in English), is the leaf of a prickly plant that has long been used in Chinese medicine to cure a number 28

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of ailments, including headaches, colds, toothaches, and malaria. The Atayal use it to make energy-enhancing wine and soups. At Dayewei, the whole roasted free-range chicken comes with dana leaves as a garnish. The final ingredient, which Xu specially showed us, is teng xin , or rattan shoots. These edible palms closely resemble bamboo shoots, and can be enjoyed in the teng xin and lily pork-rib soup. Xu went on to introduce the restaurant’s zongzi , glutinous-rice dumplings wrapped in lotus leaves. According to the chef, the salted pork that they contain can keep for long periods of time, so in the past hunters often carried them on extended bouts in the wild. Dayewei serves varieties from the Paiwan and Puyuma tribes, as well as the Atayal classic zhutong fan , seasoned rice steamed inside bamboo tubes. If you want to try something from the Tao (Yami) tribe, which lives on remote Lanyu (Orchid Island) in Taitung County, go for the flying-fish steamed cake or flying-fish XO-sauce fried rice. Other standard indigenous dishes on the menu include meat/giant shrimps baked on hot rocks, betel-nut flowers, spicy mountain greens, and roasted mountain boar. You can order a sixth, half, or – if you’ve brought twenty or so friends – entire roasted pig, cooked to perfection on the restaurant rooftop. Roasted whole chicken is also a favorite, with crispy skin and meat about as tender as can be. For something unique, try the millet-wine shrimp cooked in a tube of bamboo. Also, lovers of exotic meat take note – here’s your chance to try an ostrich fillet. One of the restaurant’s most notable fusion dishes is flying fish xiao chao , a Hakka stir-fry classic normally prepared with julienned pork, squid, tofu, and scallions. The standard Taiwanese quick-fry “three-cup” dishes are served, but for something more unusual, try the three-cup ocean sunfish, the meat of which is firm but takes on a gluey texture when cooked. If you’re not a fan

of chewy textures but are still looking for adventure, three-cup crocodile meat might tickle your fancy. Yet another dish of the too many worth mentioning is the Korean kimchi deer. Every Friday and Saturday night, indigenous musicians rock Dayewei’s stage from about 7:30 pm to 11 pm, and boisterous guests are known to get out of their seats and dance. As a foreign guest, don’t be surprised to find yourself being invited to another table, nor should you resist the glasses of xiaomi jiu , the sweet, cloudy millet wine that is the beverage of choice in indigenous communities across Taiwan, that you are very likely to be offered. On weeknights, KTV is the preferred form of entertainment. The restaurant is open from 5 pm to 2 am every day of the week, or at lunch with a reservation. Dayewei offers something unique, something worth stopping for in Zhudong before moving on. The restaurant is demonstrating that indigenous food is flexible and compatible with other cuisines. Best of all, it’s an unpretentious, laid-back place to hang out, eat succulent food, and make some new local friends.

English and Chinese Atayal 泰雅 Beipu 北埔 cicong 刺蔥 Datong 大同 Dong Wen-ping 董雯萍 Fuxing 復興 Hong Jing-wen 洪敬文 Lanyu (Orchid Island) 蘭嶼 Lionʼs Head Mountain 獅頭山 magao (maqaw ) 馬告

Nanzhuang 南庄 Neiwan 內灣 Paiwan 排灣 Puyuma 卑南 Qingquan 清泉 shan hujiao 山胡椒 Tao (Yami) 達悟 teng xin 藤心 xiaomi jiu 小米酒 Zhudong 竹東 zongzi 粽子

INDIGENOUS CUISINE HSINCHU

Dishes on the Menu Betel-nut flowers 爽口陰陽檳榔花 flying fish steamed cake 飛魚雷貢蒸糕 flying-fish XO-sauce fried rice 飛魚 XO 醬炒飯 flying fish xiao chao 飛魚小炒 free-range chicken 放山土雞 Korean kimchi deer 韓式泡菜鹿肉 maqaw sour and spicy fish 馬告酸辣魚 meat/giant shrimps baked on hot rocks 達野味石頭蝦 / 肉 millet wine shrimp cooked in a tube of bamboo 小米酒竹筒蝦 ostrich fillet 鐵板鴕鳥腓力 roasted mountain boar 烤全豬 spicy mountain greens 月亮照過貓 teng xin and lily pork-rib soup 藤心金針排骨 three-cup crocodile meat 三杯醬爆鱷魚 three-cup ocean sunfish 三杯曼波魚膠 zhutong fan 竹筒飯

Dayewei Indigenous Cuisine ( 達野味原住民料理 ) Add: 480, Sec. 1, Beixing Rd., Zhudong Township, Hsinchu County ( 新竹縣竹東鎮北興路一段 480 號 ) Tel: (03) 510-0703 Website: www.facebook.com/adsl0220 Hsinchu City Zhudong Railway Station

Neiwan Branch Line

g ixin Be 1, c. Se

Dayewei Indigenous Cuisine

. Rd Neiwan

1. The restaurant's food elevator 2. Indigenous specialties arrive at the table 3. Live-music stage 4. Entrance with wood decoration 5. Free-range chicken 6. Spicy mountain greens 7. Maqaw sour and spicy fish

Travel in Taiwan

FARM FUN DAHU

Strawberry Town

Dahu, Birthplace of Taiwan U-Pick Farming Text: Nick Kembel Photos: Maggie Song

Strawberries, strawberries, strawberries. Everywhere I look, I see giant, succulent s t r aw b er r ie s . St r aw b er r y f ield s , strawberry hats, strawberry bus stops, strawberry statues, strawberry wine, strawberry ice cream. No, I’m not caught in a strange strawberry-wonderland dream. This place is real, and it’s called Dahu. Join us as we visit a strawberry farm and winery in the heart of Taiwan’s prime strawberry-growing region.

n til quite recently, it was not com mon to see st rawber ries in Taiwan’s markets. The first record of local strawberry cultivation dates to 1934, when seedlings were imported from Japan. In the early stages, strawberry growing was small-scale – and largely unsuccessful. In 1952, Marshall strawberries were imported from the US, and the sector gradually expanded. Dahu, a rural township in northwestern Taiwan’s Miaoli County, was the island’s earliest center of strawberry production. In December and January, the region provides all the right conditions for strawberry cultivation: deep, slightly acidic soil rich in organic material, sufficient drainage, a cool climate, little rainfall, and a significant drop between daytime and nighttime temperatures. I n it s ea rly d ays, most of t he strawberries harvested here were sold to jam producers. Then, in the late ’70s, farmers unloading their trucks at the farmhouses along Provincial Highway 3 began enticing drivers to stop and buy the just-picked produce. In the mid ’80s there came a full reorientation toward selling fresh strawberries to the public. Demand for the fruit increased across Taiwan, and farms grew in size. To decrease the manpower burden of farms, “U-Pick” farming was introduced in Taiwan, with farmers’ allowing visitors to pick their own fruit. The U-Pick phenomenon was incredibly successful and tourists arrived in droves. At the time fewer people had cars in Taiwan, so the area’s public transportation system was overwhelmed. These days there

are traffic jams on the area’s section of Provincial Highway 3 on most weekends, starting early in the day. To get a better idea of how things work at a U-Pick farm, we pay a visit to Sanlunche Strawberry Farm, located 3 kilometers south of Dahu village. Sanlunche means “pedicab” in Chinese, and the farm’s name harks back to when current owner Rao Ming-lin’s father established it 42 years ago, and would pedal his strawberries into the village on a tricycle to hawk them to potential buyers. Farmer Rao explains to us that his farm is in fact smack in the middle of the Dahu strawberry-producing area, surrounded by other farms selling the same product. Despite the competition, however, Sanlunche maintains a steady influx of customers with minimal advertising. “We produce nothing but the highestquality strawberries. As such, most of our customers find out about us through word of mouth.” Rao leads us to one of the greenhouses on site to demonstrate how to pick strawberries. He explains that, when the strawberry industry picked up in Taiwan, farmers had to switch to a different variety better suited for producing larger yields. Like many of the farmers in the area, he grows Taoyuan No. 1, a cultivar perfected by Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture through selective breeding of the Fengxiang variety imported from Japan in 1985. Taoyuan No. 1 strawberries are large and heart-shaped, with juicy flesh and a sweetand-sour taste.

R a o ex pla i n s t h at t he si z e a nd sweetness of a strawberry are unrelated. Rather, it is proper ripeness that is the key when picking. He points out that while his strawberries don’t get as dark-red as some other varieties, they are surprisingly sweet. “Every farm uses different cultivation methods,” he says. “So there is a lot of variety in the strawberries produced by the farms.” In such a competitive market, Rao ensures the finest fruits by farming with care and adopting sustainable practices. He uses organic fertilizers and minimal pesticides, and lets the land lie fallow with a mulch of grass and tree bark in the non-growing season. As a result, he claims, his strawberries are sweeter and more fragrant than most others sold in the area. Rao also leaves his best strawberries for pickers, whereas many other farmers remove them for sale to markets before the tourists arrive. Greenhouses provide protection from excess rain and pests, but due to their exorbitant cost, only a portion of Rao’s strawberries is covered. “Sure, some of the strawberries in the uncovered fields are eaten by birds,” he says, “but that’s fine. We take something from nature, so it’s only fair that we give something back.”

1. Strawberry farmer Rao Ming-lin 2. Clipping a strawberry 3. Greenhouse at Sanlunche Strawberry Farm Travel in Taiwan

FARM FUN DAHU

Once visitors have collected and paid for their strawberries, they can take them to go – or enjoy them on the spot in a bowl, doused with sweetened condensed milk. Strawberry jam and ice cream are also on offer, not to mention strawberry beer, which actually tastes like strawberries, unlike a lot of the faux-flavored offerings sold around the world. To visit Sanlunche, hire a taxi in Dahu village, or catch bus no. 5655 or 5663 and get off at Shuitouliao Bridge. The farm is on the other side of the a red steel bridge. While passing through Dahu village, it’s hard to miss Dahu Wineland Resort, a veritable strawberry theme park. When you spot the huge 30-foot strawberry out front, you’ll know you’re there. The facility is a mecca for tourists who’ve come to experience all things related to the strawberry. In the first floor gift shop, you can find everything from strawberry cakes to strawberry pajamas. To learn more about the history of strawberry cultivation in Dahu, try the Strawberry Culture Museum on the third floor. If strawberry omelets, fried fish with strawberry sauce, or other strawberry-adorned foods sound appetizing to you, try the restaurant on the fourth floor. The fifth-floor terrace offers a commanding view of the village’s st r awb e r r y fa r m s a nd su r rou nd i ng mountains. If it’s drink you seek, head straight to the back of the building. Here you’ll find the Dahu Winery, famous for its strawberry wine, which comes in 6.5%, 11%, and 16% alcohol varieties. Free samples are on offer. Alternatively, grab a strawberry beer and head out back to guzzle it down on a patio with a front-row view of an adjacent U-Pick farm. Dispersed throughout the winery are numerous food stalls selling more strawberry-themed snacks. Strawberry wine sausages are a popular choice; you can never go wrong with strawberry shaved ice; kids will love the strawberry popcorn; and the deep fried strawberries are worth trying. With leisure farms getting more and more popular across Taiwan, perhaps the most interesting thing about visiting Dahu, besides all the strawberry mania, is getting a first-hand look at where it all began.

Travel in Taiwan

FARM FUN DAHU

Tips for Picking Strawberries Times and Prices The strawberry-growing season in Dahu is f rom December to Apr il. Sanlu nche Strawberry Farm is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm, but early birds of course get the best picks of the bunch. Some tourists arrive as early as 6:30 am! Come on a weekday if you can, because it is incredibly busy on weekends and there are often traffic jams through the day. Peak picking time is 10-12 noon. When you enter, you will be provided with a basket and a pair of shears. Rain boots are also available if the fields are muddy. Once you’ve finished, the staff will weigh and package your strawberries for you. Prices fluctuate according to local supply. When we were there, we paid NT$250 per jin (600g). Choosing the Right Strawberries Da hu fa r me r s recom mend choosi ng strawberries that are about 80% ripe if you want to take them home. If too ripe, they will go bad quickly. Go for the ones that have a bright red color, fragrant smell, and green, non-wilted petals. Strawberries redden with exposure to the sun, so if the non-exposed side is a little white, this is not a problem. Avoid the ones that are bruised or have been damaged by pests or diseases. Strawberries are fragile, and must be picked carefully.

Getting There There are regular Hsinchu Bus Co. buses running between Dahu village and Miaoli Railway Station.

to Shitan

Miaoli Railway Station

How to Pick 1. Bend with your knees to avoid back injury. 2. Pinch the stem with your thumb and index finger an inch above the strawberry while cradling the fruit in your hand. 3. Cut the stem just above the leaves. 4. Place the strawberry carefully in the basket. 5. Don’t fill your basket more than five strawberries deep or they will get bruised. After You Leave 1. Put the strawberries into the refrigerator as soon as you get home. 2. Do not rinse them or remove the leaves until just before you eat them, as this hastens deterioration. 3. Eat them within one week; reduce this to 3-4 days later in the season.

English and Chinese Dahu 大湖 Fengxiang 豐香 Hsinchu Bus Co. 新竹客運 jin 斤 sanlunche 三輪車 Shuitouliao Bridge 水頭寮橋 Taoyuan No. 1 桃園一號

Sanlunche Strawberry Farm ( 大湖三輪車草莓園 ) Add: Shuitouliao, Dahu Township, Miaoli County ( 苗栗縣大湖鄉水頭寮 ) (at km 133 of Prov. Hwy 3; look for the red steel bridge) Tel: (037) 990-749, 0935-991-562 Website: trike.myweb.hinet.net (Chinese)

72 3

Dahu Village Dahu Wineland Resort to Zhuolan

Sanlunche Strawberry Farm

1. Strawberry field 2. Strawberry-flavored sausages 3. Strawberries with condensed milk 4. Strawberry beer

Dahu Wineland Resort – Strawberry Cultural Building ( 大湖酒莊 – 草莓文化館 ) Add: 2-4, Baliaowan, Fuxing Village, Dahu Township, Miaoli County ( 苗栗縣大湖鄉富興村八寮灣 2-4 號 ) Tel: (037) 994-986 Website: www.dahufarm.org.tw/wine (Chinese)

5. Fried strawberries 6. Fresh-picked strawberries 7. Dahu Wineland Resort Travel in Taiwan

RAIL/BUS/BIKE CHANGHUA

Tia nwei High

It's Fun!

Heaven for Plant and Flower Lovers South of the central Taiwan city of Taichung, the chrysanthemums of Tianwei in Changhua County are blooming. Across a flat expanse of over 1,000 hectares, hundreds of nurseries, gardens, and greenhouses teem with lush greenery, just as they have since the region began to develop its flower farming industry in the 1940s. Back then it was purely a commercial operation, but today Tianwei has thrown out the welcome mat for tourists, taking a page of out the Dutch tourism playbook, including offering the chance to bike through the colorful and fragrant fields. Here's a look at how a day amidst the verdant scenery of Tianwei might go.

Text: Joe Henley Photos: Maggie Song

Liu

fe n

to Changhua City Sec. 2, G Narrow Lane ong Old House yu an CD Rose CafĂŠ R Garden

Longsheng Petrified Wood Museum

Zhe

nhu

Minzu

R d.

Oufeng Rental Station Information Center

n Rd .

Sec. 1,

Tenway Garden n g R d.

Biking at Tianwei

gsha

, Go Sec. 1

Orchidee Treasure

Minshe

Zhon

Sec. 1,

Shengyuan Cactus

Gong yuan Rd.

A-ma Private Dining

Yixinyuan Water Park

Songmeng Rental Station

to Xiluo

Getting There & Getting Around To get to Tianwei from Taipei or Kaohsiung, take a High Speed Rail train to Taichung Station (at Wuri). Once at the HSR station, head down to the lower concourse and look for bus platform 6, from which shuttle buses, heading directly to Yixinyuan Water Park, where the Tianwei Highway Garden Visitor Information Center is located, depart. Buses leave regularly starting just after 8 in the morning; the trip to Yixinyuan Water Park takes about 50 minutes. Alternatively, you can catch Changhua Bus no. 6937 to the park. Prices for bikes rented at either of the aforementioned rental stations range from NT$150 to NT$600 for a full day of riding, depending on the type chosen. The area is small enough that it is easily possible to visit as many as 10 attractions within the span of a day and not wear yourself out; but as always, it's best to go slow, take your time, and enjoy at a relaxed pace.

Travel in Taiwan

Rented four-wheel bike Cacti

RAIL/BUS/BIKE CHANGHUA

hway Gar den

Shengyuan Cactus

Flower fields at night

Tenway Garden

RAIL/BUS/BIKE CHANGHUA

Tianwei Highway Garden Visitor Information Center Start your visit to Tianwei at the areaʼs visitor center, getting your bearings with a map and information on various highlight attractions provided by the center. A quick walk from the visitor center are the two main bike-rental stations, Songmeng Rental Station and Oufeng Rental Station, where standard bicycles as well as customized and motorized four-wheelers are

available for hire by the day. From the rental shops it's a short ride to the Tianwei Bikeway, a circular path that takes you around the area's farms, nurseries, landscaping shops, restaurants, and cafés. (Note: There are streets cutting across the bikeway, should you wish to take a shortcut to a speciﬁc destination.)

Tianwei Highway Garden Visitor Information Center ( 田尾公路花園遊客服務中心 ) Add: 156, Sec. 1, Minzu Rd., Dalian Village, Tianwei Township, Changhua County ( 彰化縣田尾鄉打簾村民族路一段 156 號 ) Tel: (04) 883-6882 Hours: Daily 9 am ~ 5 pm

CD Rose Garden On Minsheng Road, not far from the Narrow Lane Old House Café, is CD Rose Garden, a restaurant in an A-frame building with floor-toceiling windows that let in the area's abundant sunshine. Look for the large water fountain out front, along with the rose garden from which the restaurant takes its name, and follow

the winding red-brick path to the front door. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, and the menu features a special hotpot with locally grown greens and flowers. Another specialty is the rosemary chicken. There is also steak and pasta, along with a large selection of herbal teas.

Tenway Garden This beautiful restaurant and garden, about a kilometer from the info center, is known for its cypress trees, a magnet for shutterbugs. During the fall and winter months the feathery needles turn a reddish-orange hue, blanketing the ground as they fall. Nearly everything found on the restaurant menu is grown on-site. There are free-range chickens for eggs, and vegetable gardens and greenhouses in which organic vegetables are grown. A narrow waterway filled with lilies leads to a picturesque pond surrounded by guava trees and ladyﬁngers (okra), among other plants. An exhibition hall is currently under construction behind the restaurant, where in the future there will be shows pertaining to gardening culture and landscape design. The farm's original owner began his agricultural career growing orchids, and that legacy remains in clear evidence

Travel in Taiwan

today. Inside, next to the restaurant, is an orchid display, and Tenway Garden still does ﬂower designs for events of all kinds, with the moth orchid the local specialty. The restaurant itself is actually a climate-controlled greenhouse, with plants hanging from the roof. During the summer months the temperature inside is kept pleasantly cool, and the plants serve as natural air puriﬁers.

Tenway Garden ( 菁芳園 ) Add: 73, Zhangcuo Lane, Dalian Village, Tianwei Township, Changhua County ( 彰化縣田尾鄉打簾村張厝巷 73 號 ) Tel: (04) 822-3535 Website: www.facebook.com/ChingFangYuan (Chinese) Admission: NT$200 (deductable from meals); number of visitors limited; weekdays NT$100 (deductable from meals)

RAIL/BUS/BIKE CHANGHUA

Longsheng Petrified Wood Museum If you're into garden decoration and landscape or interior design, this warehouse shop, one of the largest in the area, is a must-see. Say Ni hao (“hello”) to the talking gray macaw greeter, then tour the store's collection of woodcarved ﬁgurines and other miscellany, marble tables, and petrified-wood stools. If you're not much of a shopper, the store also houses an additional attraction – its tree-fossil jade museum. Such fossils are from trees that fell long ago, were subsequently covered with earth, sank down into the substrata, and were subjected to intense CD Rose Garden ( 全得玫瑰莊園 ) Add: 451, Sec. 1, Minsheng Rd., Dalian Village, Tianwei Township, Changhua County ( 彰化縣田尾鄉打簾村民生路一段 451 號 ) Tel: (04) 824-5889 Hours: Tuesday ~ Friday 10 am ~ 7 pm, Saturday & Sunday 10 am ~ 9:30 pm

pressure and heat that, over the course of 100 million years or so, transformed the wood into precious jade. Though no such jade – commonly called “tree jade/fossil jade” – has been found in Taiwan, the shop's owner has collected samples from all over the world. Check out a piece called “Formosa,” so named for its resemblance of the island of Taiwan, and the towering 4,000-kilogram piece known as “The Charisma of Lord,” by far the most imposing item in the collection, both in name and stature.

Longsheng Petrified Wood Museum ( 隆盛木化石博物館 ) Add: 41, Sec. 2, Minsheng Rd., Liufeng Village, Tianwei Township, Changhua County ( 彰化縣田尾鄉柳鳳村民生路二段 41 號 ) Tel: (04) 822-9822 Hours: 9 am ~ 5 pm Admission: NT$120

Phoenix Flower Garden

Narrow Lane Old House Café This is a coffee shop just off Minsheng Road, housed in a traditional threesided farmhouse fronted by the Phoenix Flower Garden. The interior is pure Taiwanese nostalgia, with old vinyl records from favorite local singers and songstresses on the walls, as well as a variety of memorabilia – everything from old beer paraphernalia to movie posters. On the menu you'll find a

variety of coffees as well as smoothies, ﬂoats, teas, and beers, along with snacks and desserts. There's outdoor seating with a garden view, as well as a small children's play area. Don't be surprised if the resident farm dog, Lucky, stops by for a lengthy game of fetch, all part of the friendly, rural charm of the place.

Narrow Lane Old House Café ( 窄巷古厝咖啡 ) Add: 478, Sec. 1, Minsheng Rd., Dalian Village, Tianwei Township, Changhua County ( 彰化縣田尾鄉打簾村民生路一段 478 號 ) Tel: (04) 823-4111 Hours: weekdays 1 pm ~ 5:30 pm, weekends and holidays 9:30 am ~ 6 pm

Travel in Taiwan

RAIL/BUS/BIKE CHANGHUA

Orchidee Treasure As the name suggests, the Orchidee Treasure shop is famous for its orchidflower designs. The orchids of many colors and types that are on display are all grown on-site, and the shop can create custom designs tailored to a customer's specifications. And as the large sign at the front proudly proclaims, yes, they speak English.

Shengyuan Cactus If you've got a soft spot for plants of the spiny variety, this is the shop for you. Shengyuan Cactus specializes in cacti, in all shapes and sizes. Some are no more than a few centimeters high, while those on display o u t s i d e d wa r f a n ave r a g e - s i ze d person by a meter or more. There's a DIY cactus-decorating area where

you can stick various colored materials on the spines of your cactus of choice or, if you prefer, the knowledgeable staff will expertly decorate your purchase for you. If it's warm, sit outside and enjoy some sweet cactus shaved ice (a treat imported from Taiwanʼs Penghu islands, not a local product).

Orchidee Treasure ( 花王園 ) Add: 618, Sec. 1, Minzu Rd., Dalian Village, Tianwei Township, Changhua County ( 彰化縣田尾鄉打簾村民族路一段 618 號 ) Tel: (04) 823-2425

Shengyuan Cactus ( 生源仙人掌 ) Add: 269, Sec. 1, Gongyuan Rd., Liufeng Village, Tianwei Township, Changhua County ( 田尾鄉柳鳳村公園路一段 269 號 ) Tel: (04) 823-2120

A-ma Private Dining

A-ma Private Dining ( 阿嬤私房菜 ) Add: 240, Liufeng Rd., Liufeng Village, Tianwei Township, Changhua County ( 彰化縣田尾鄉柳鳳村柳鳳路 240 號 ) Tel: (04) 822-9822 Website: http://amar.emmm.tw/ (Chinese)

Located on Liufeng Road, this is one of the best-known restaurants in Tianwei. The Peng family has been serving up traditional Hakka and Taiwanese favorites for three generations. Current manager Peng Chun-yue's grandparents once farmed the land surrounding the family home, and hired extra hands to help out. Grandma Peng would cook for the hired hands, and the food was so good her cooking became known in the area, which eventually inspired the family to establish a formal eatery. The atmosphere inside is homey and cozy, with paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling and various

Travel in Taiwan

pieces of vintage Taiwan memorabilia covering the walls. The food proves that Grandma Peng's reputation as a master chef is more than justiﬁed. Try some of the house specialties, such as succulent braised peanut and pork knuckle, black chicken soup with radish, taro cake, and dried cauliflower. Dried foods have always been a staple of the Hakka people, who were once known for their migrations, leading to a certain skill with preserved foods. Come hungry, as set menus for anywhere from two to 12 people run from NT$499 to NT$8,000, and the portions are generous.

English and Chinese Peng Chun-yue 彭淳嶽 Penghu 澎湖 Tenway Garden 菁芳園

Tianwei 田尾 Tianwei Bikeway 田尾自行車道 Phoenix Flower Garden 鳳凰花園 Yixinyuan Water Park 怡心園親水公園

Songmeng Rental Station ( 松錳租車 ) Add: 107, Sec. 1, Minzu Rd., Dalian Village, Tianwei Township, Changhua County ( 彰化縣田尾鄉打簾村民族路一段 107 號 ) Tel: (04) 883-6061, 0932-681-936

Oufeng Rental Station ( 歐風租車廣場 ) Add: 287, Sec. 1, Minzu Rd., Dalian Village, Tianwei Township, Changhua County ( 彰化縣田尾鄉打簾村民族路一段 287 號 ) Tel: 0919-705-679, (04) 883-6668 Website: http://048bike.emmm.tw/ (Chinese)

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WHERE TO GO TONIGHT TA I C H U N G

Taichung’s Park Lane/Eslite/ Calligraphy Greenway Commercial District

Guanqian Rd.

Stylish Living

CMP Block Museum of Arts 1

Text and Photos: Vision Int’l

h e Park Lane commercial district, centered on the Park Lane/Eslite Bookstore complex on Gongyi Road in Taichung’s West District, has an expansive Eslite branch and, in the surrounding area, a dense cluster of exhibit spaces, theme restaurants, designer boutiques, coffee and pastry shops, bars, etc., all brimming with urban chic. The district is framed by abundant green space in which citizens congregate in number on weekdays to enjoy their moments of leisure and, at night and on weekends/holidays, to visit markets and enjoy concerts. Visitors to Taichung should be sure to immerse themselves in this area’s lively arts and culture scene.

Zh on gx 2 in g

1 Meicun Diantou Ice ( 美村點頭冰 )

2 Orobello (8 巷 23 號義式甜點 )

“Diantou” means “nod (oneʼs) head” – it is said that every customer at this famed purveyor of shavedice treats nods his or her head in happy satisfaction. The shop offers myriad selections, with those featuring coconut milk, purple rice, and fruit the most popular. Among the many other toppings are mango, strawberry, and sweetened taro and adzuki bean.

This is an Italian-style confectionery in a renovated old Japanese-style house. The sweet things sold at this shop, notably popular with young consumers, include handmade ice creams, cakes, and treats in the shape of hotspring boiled eggs, roses, and sheep.

Add: 176, Sec. 1, Meicun Rd., West District, Taichung City ( 台中市西區美村路一段 176 號 ) Tel: (04) 2301-2526 Hours: 12:00 ~ 23:00 (closed during the winter)

Add: 23, Lane 8, Mofan St., West District, Taichung City ( 台中市西區模範街 8 巷 23 號 ) Tel: (04) 2305-1333 Hours: 14:00-20:30

1s t

Ln .

Ln. 155, Gongyi Rd.

Xiangshang N. Rd.

Sweet Treats

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Zhongxing St.

Sec. 1, Meicun Rd.

Eslite Bookstore

Gongyi Rd.

Sec. 1, Xiangshang

3 Koucheese ( 光之乳酪 ) Using southern Hokkaido cheese and other premium ingredients sourced from around Taiwan, this shop specializes in Japanesestyle cheesecake using a half-steam/halfbake method. Cakes roll out fresh from the oven daily. In addition to the different cheesecake selections, customers can also choose other sweet treats such as chiffon cakes and ice creams. Add: 73, Guanqian Rd., West District, Taichung City ( 台中市西區館前路 73 號 ) Tel: (04) 2329-5797 Hours: Sun. ~ Thu. 11:00 ~ 21:30; Fri. & Sat. 11:00 ~ 22:00

WHERE TO GO TONIGHT TA I C H U N G

Restaurants 1 Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House ( 春水堂 ) A Chinese-style teahouse opened in 1983, this is the famed inventor of Taiwanʼs renowned pearl milk tea. It also serves traditional Taiwan tea refreshments and foods, including kungfu noodles, beef noodles, Chinese turnip cake, and pig-blood rice cake. Add: 17, Lane 155, Gongyi Rd., West District, Taichung City ( 台中市西區公益路 155 巷 17 號 ) Tel: (04) 2302-8530 Hours: 08:30 ~ 23:00

2 Wu Liu Shou Yakitori Izakaya ( 吳留手串燒居酒屋 ) Part of a well-known yakitori chain, this restaurant has an interior décor with the classic character of the Orient. Specially recommended are the boneless beef short ribs, bacon-wrapped scallops, ichiyaboshi (ﬁsh salted and dried overnight), and chicken wings with mentaiko (soy-marinated pollock roe). Add: 111, Zhongxing St., West District, Taichung City ( 台中市西區中興街 111 號 ) Tel: (04) 2302-8611 Hours: Tue. ~ Sun. 18:30 ~ 01:00

Mofan St. Yingcai Rd.

Rd.

1 Lee Guitars X Coffee Bike ( 李吉他直營店 X 小緹大作咖啡 ) Lee Guitars is a brand established by renowned Taiwan musician Jonathan Lee. He sells guitars and accessories at his store, and regularly stages guitar performances. Lee Guitars and Coffee Bike share a common space, where coffees are served in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Add: 71, Guanqian Rd., West District, Taichung City ( 台中市西區館前路 71 號 ) Tel: (04) 2329-8728 / 0921-365-621 Hours: Lee Guitars: Mon. ~ Fri. 14:00 ~ 22:00, Sat. & Sun. 11:00 ~ 22:00 Coffee Bike: 15:00 -20:00 (closed Thursdays)

Bars/Lounges

LoungeONE ( 忘廊 )

This is a music bar located on the 29 floor of Hotel ONE. Patrons enjoy superb views over the city and bands perform live each night Wednesday thru Saturday, deliciously complementing the ﬁrst-rate light foods. Add: 29F, 532, Yingcai Rd., West District, Taichung City ( 台中市西區英才路 532 號 29 樓 ) Tel: (04) 2303-1234 Hours: Sun. ~ Thu. 18:00 ~ 01:00; Fri. & Sat. 18:00 ~ 03:00 Website: taichung.hotelone.com.tw

Fantasystory – Green Ray ( 范特喜 – 綠光計畫 )

This is a cluster of shops and other small businesses in a renovated dormitory complex formerly owned by the local water company. Vi s i t o r s c a n s a v o r Ta i w a n ʼ s u n i q u e o l d residential architecture, with the original redbrick walls and banyan trees well preserved, while also enjoying the restaurant and clothing, hairstyling, handicrafts, and other shops in the complex. The second-floor open-air space is regularly used for live performances and for bazaars on weekends/holidays. Add: 8, Zhongxing 1st Lane, West District, Taichung City ( 台中市西區中興一巷 8 號 ) Note: Most of the shops are closed on Mondays Website: www.fantasystory.com.tw

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Like the miniature robot museum that adjoins it, the Robot Station theme restaurant brims with robot ﬁgures large and small. The menu features various Italian pasta selections and sandwiches, but most popular are the “strange animals pocket baked sandwiches,” stuffed with cheese and meat, quesadillas, and deepfried snacks. Add: 106, Xiangshang N. Rd., West District, Taichung City ( 台中市西區向上北路 106 號 ) Tel: (04) 2301-9859 Hours: Mon. ~ Fri. 10:00 ~ 22:00; weekdays/ holidays 09:00 ~ 22:00; Sun. 17:00 ~ 22:00 Website: www.facebook.com/ROBOT.STATION

Shops/Cafés 2

3 Robot Station

SIMBA ( 辛巴音樂餐廳 )

SIMBA is a music bar/restaurant with a jungle theme. A parade of Taiwan singing stars performs here. Theme parties are held at Christmas, New Year, and other holidays and festivals. Add: 22, Sec., 1, Xiangshang Rd., West District, Taichung City ( 台中市西區向上路一段 22 號 ) Tel: (04) 2305-8886 Hours: Tue. ~ Sun. 21:00 ~ 04:00 Website: www.simba-taiwan.com.tw

3 Le Blé d'Or ( 金色三麥 ) “Le Blé d'Or” is the name of a homegrown Taiwan micro-brewery, its craft beers, and its beer-garden restaurants. On tap are honey, rye, barley, and other brews. This is a great spot for friends to gather and have special activities. Add: B1, 68, Gongyi Rd., West District, Taichung City ( 台中市西區公益路 68 號 B1 樓 ) Tel: (04) 2329-5911 Hours: Sun. ~ Thu. 12:00 ~ 24:00; Fri. & Sat. 12:00 ~ 01:00

Travel in Taiwan

MY FAVORITE SPOTS YILAN

Culture and Countryside A Visit to Yilan, Home of Taiwan Literary Great Huang Chun-ming

Many visitors to Yilan come for the beaches, the hot springs, and the natural surroundings. But the county also has much in store for culture vultures. Head to the area around Yilan Railway Station, for example, to learn more about one of Taiwanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest contemporary writers. Text: Joe Henley Photos: Maggie Song

The Writer

Huang Chun-ming 42

Travel in Taiwan

Throughout the literary world, there are authors who are inextricably tied to certain places and times. In the case of Yilan, writer Huang Chun-ming will forever be associated with the east coast region's simple, laidback lifestyle and the changing face of the county, and of Taiwan as a whole, from the 1960s onward. Huang was born in the Yilan town of Luodong in 1935, and when his writing career began in earnest in the late 1950s and early '60s, he became known for his at times tragic and sometimes humorous stories about the lives of ordinary Taiwanese in his hometown. These continue to endear him to readers at home and abroad to this day. Though at first hailed as one of the leaders of the "nativist" literature movement focused

heavily on the lives of rural people, he has come to write of city life as well. Western authors such as Hemingway, Twain, and Faulkner have had a heavy influence on Huang's writing style, along with Chinese authors such as Shen Congwen and the Russian great Anton Chekhov. Over the course of his storied career, Huang has written novels and children's books, and delved into theater and television. Through it all he has never lost his love of telling stories that revolve around small-town life, focusing on the small eccentricities and minutiae that comprise the at times elusive Taiwanese identity he strives to illuminate. A tour of Yilan City offers a glimpse into the world of one of Taiwan's foremost literary minds.

MY FAVORITE SPOTS YILAN

hough less than an hour away from Taipei via the muchtunneled National Freeway 5, Yilan is a world removed from the fast pace of big-city life. Yilan City is home to less than 100,000 people, and the surrounding countryside is framed by a backdrop of green-blanketed mountains to north, west, and south and the steel-blue Pacific to the east. The city sits on the Lanyang Plain, on which most residents of the county reside. This is the second-largest expanse of flat land in the country, covered for the most part with a patchwork of rice paddies and fields. The county is home to charming small towns as well, such as Jiaoxi, known for its hot springs, and Luodong, famed

for its night market, a mecca for Taiwanese foodies. There is also the beautiful black-sand Wai’ao Beach, with modest waves suitable for beginner- to intermediate-level surfers. Yilan, home to members of the Kavalan and Atayal tribes, has a multifaceted culture. Native traditions are today being brought back to prominence following long-term efforts to stamp them out by the dominant majority. Despite this multifaceted culture, however, Yilan is a place where the local identity is resolutely Taiwanese, thanks in part to artists and writers such as Huang Chun-ming, who have taken it upon themselves to observe and record what it truly means to be called Taiwan ren (ren means “person/people”).

1. Yilan Railway Station

For most, this will be the starting point for a tour of Yilan City. Just to the right when exiting the station is Yilan Hangkou. In Huang Chun-ming's early days, these warehouses, completed less than a decade before he was born, were used to store goods headed up and down along the east-coast railway. Today the warehouses have been converted into art galleries, a large secondhand bookstore, performance spaces for dance troupes and musical groups, and bars/ restaurants selling everything from traditional Taiwanese fare to western staples.

2. Diudiutong Forest Across the street from the railway station stand the tall metallic trees of the Diudiutong Forest, a dreamlike amalgamation of sculpture and painting designed by Taiwanese artist Jimmy Liao, known to most in Taiwan simply by his first name. Look up towards the top of the geometric green trees and you'll see a train hanging from the glass rooftop, with the words “Starry, Starry Night” painted along its side. The paint job is reminiscent of the famed painting The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh. The name of the park comes from an old Taiwanese children's song, the “Diudiutong” Mandarin onomatopoeia for the sound raindrops make as they splash against the steel sides of an old steam engine. The installation is fitting, seeing as how it is the railway that firmly opened long-isolated Yilan up to the other side of Taiwan.

3. Baiguo Tree Red Brick House

This café, exhibition space, art gallery, and reading room is Huang Chun-ming's Yilan legacy. He opened it in 2012, in a space right beside the Diudiutong Forest. The interior of the red-brick building has the atmosphere of the city's lush surroundings, with warm hardwood features. On a rope tree, visitors have affixed well-wishes for the much-loved author. Paintings done by the writer himself adorn the

Travel in Taiwan

MY FAVORITE SPOTS YILAN

walls. There are books by Huang available to peruse, too, as you enjoy a cup of coffee or tea along with a light snack; from time to time talks and presentations are given by local artists, and classic films such as Breakfast at Tiffany's screened in the evening. Sadly, ill health has prevented Huang from making appearances of late. But even if he can't be there in body, he very much inhabits the place in spirit. (www. facebook.com/wonderfultree)

4. Memorial Hall of

Founding of Yilan Administration

When Huang Chun-ming was born in 1935, Taiwan was under the colonial rule of the Japanese. Here you'll find preserved remains from that era, in the form of traditional Japanese houses in which Japanese government officials once lived. Take your shoes off at the door of the main residence and step inside. You can then walk between rooms on the roka , wooden-floor passageways between rooms that are separated by fusuma , sliding doors made of wood and paper. Each room is filled with information pertaining to Yilan City's colonial-era history; English translation of this info is still pending. In any case, for non-Chinese speakers it's still possible to glean what the city looked like in the early half of the 20th century through the pictures and models. Surrounding the homes are tranquil ponds and zen gardens, along with camphor trees a hundred years old or more. Take a walk along the stone walkway circumnavigating the grounds, bask in the serenity, and soak up the history. Tickets for adults are NT$30. (memorial.e-land.gov.tw)

5. Yilan Literature Museum

Next to the memorial hall is a place with a name that is misleading. Though this colonial-era building once was a museum, it now has a coffee shop, serving up the ubiquitous pick-me-up along with teas and light snacks on traditional low tables sitting atop tatami mats. Here you can sit on the floor Japanese-style and look out through floor-to-ceiling windows at the landscaped grounds, enjoying an unobstructed view of this dash of countryside in the heart of the city. (literature.ilccb.gov.tw [Chinese])

Travel in Taiwan

MY FAVORITE SPOTS YILAN

6. Yang Shi-fang

Memorial Museum

The education of those who have come to represent Yilan’s humble earthbound identity, such as Huang Chun-ming, is owed to figures such as Qing Dynasty scholar Yang Shi-fang, who dedicated his life to the region’s cultural and educational development. Inside the building raised as a memorial to him, at the corner of Jiucheng N. Rd. and Bixia Street, is information related to his life; but this place is mostly about continuing his commitment to Yilan by showcasing the best the creative community has to offer, through painting and literary exhibitions and the like. Next door to the small museum (which at this point lacks English information as well) is Bixia Temple, which Yang Shi-fang helped establish.

7. E-Wang Community and Guangda Lane

Ya ng Shi-fa ng Memor ial Museu m is in the E-Wa ng Community, a place where, for multiple generations, skilled artisans have lived and worked in industries ranging from textiles to metal works to the carving and painting of religious icons and making of traditional food staples. To locate Guangda Lane, a narrow artery leading to their homes and workshops, look for the streetside mural on Jiucheng Street with playful caricatures of each of the neighborhood's artists. On the wall lining the lane, the history of the neighborhood is played out in murals and carvings, taking visitors on a journey from when the enclave was established, about 200 years ago, to the present day. These are the very people Huang Chun-ming has sought to represent in his work, and taking a peek into their daily lives is like cracking open one of his books to read one of his many engrossing tales. Yilan Hangkou 宜蘭行口 Yilan Literature Museum 宜蘭文學館

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The fastest train from Taipei to Yilan takes just over 1 hour (Puyuma Express; NT$140 one way). Alternatively, Kamalan Bus (www.kamalan. com.tw ) runs coaches regularly from Taipei Bus Station (adjacent to Taipei Railway Station on Chengde Road), which take less than an hour to reach Yilan City (NT$129). Capital Bus (www.capital-bus.com.tw ) offers the Capital Star bus service between Taipei City Hall Bus Station and Yilan City, which also takes about one hour and costs NT$120. All places introduced in this article are within walking distance of Yilan Railway Station.

Jiu

Getting There & Getting Around

English and Chinese Baiguo Tree Red Brick House 百果樹紅磚屋 Bixia Street 碧霞街 Bixia Temple 碧霞宮 Chengde Road 承德路 Diudiutong Forest 丟丟銅森林 E-Wang Community 鄂王社區 Guangda Lane 光大巷 Huang Chun-Ming 黃春明 Jiaoxi 礁溪 Jimmy Liao 廖福彬 Jiucheng N. Rd. 舊城北路 Lanyang Plain 蘭陽平原 Luodong 羅東 Memorial Hall of Founding of Yilan Administration 宜蘭設治紀念館 Taiwan ren 台灣人 Waiʼao Beach 外澳海灘 Yang Shi-fang 楊士芳 Yang Shi-fang Memorial Museum 楊士芳紀念館

ang

Yilan Hangkou fu

Yilan Railway Station

Travel in Taiwan

POPULAR PASTIMES FLEA MARKETS

Heart-zap-heart Bazaar near Yongfu Bridge

Visiting Flea Markets in Taipei Text: Owain Mckimm Photos: Maggie Song

Though often overlooked in favor of the better-known night markets, Taiwan’s flea markets are certainly not something visitors to the island should let sneak under their radar. Worlds apart from the neon-lit, midnight-snack-obsessed battlegrounds that are Taiwan’s nocturnal bazaars, the flea markets bustle with a different crowd – the bargainhunting larks, not the hungry night owls.

Travel in Taiwan

POPULAR PASTIMES FLEA MARKETS

There is a surprisingly good ratio of genuine treasures versus the background noise of standard flea-market kitsch subst a nt ial por t ion of t he Ta iwa ne s e, s eld om s e e n by the bleary-eyed and late-rising traveler, rise at the crack of dawn, do exercises or take dancing lessons in a local park, and/or go hunting for treasure in one of Taipei’s vibrant early-morning secondhand markets. And despite the fact that most of these bargain-hunting larks are well into middle age, with the rise of hipsterism and the lust for all things vintage at a fever pitch, the younger generation of Taiwanese is also getting in on the game. So don’t be surprised to see some young faces with neon-pink hair extensions and trendy headgear roaming the stalls as well. In fact, the fashionable youths of Taiwan are truly spoilt for choice, as there’s also a vibrant scene of afternoon arts markets in Taipei, which cater even more specifically to them and their preferred waking hours. There is something of a trend in Taipei for hosting markets underneath bridges or overpasses, and the city’s flea markets are no exception. Sprawled underneath Fuhe Bridge (on the Yonghe District side), which links Taipei City and New Taipei City, is the Fuhe Bridge Flea Market – a living, breathing, pulsating organism of barter and bargaining. But it’s not just secondhand goods that are on sale here. The market is sandwiched between a weekend flower market (selling everything from orchids to orange trees) and a traditional

market (selling vegetables, meat, and other Taiwanese foodstuffs), with the addition of some food stalls for the purposes of refueling between haggling sessions. Although I have lived near Fu he Bridge for more than five years, I had, in fact, never heard of the flea market until very recently (a testament to the relative obscurity of these daytime markets). One fine Saturday morning, I thought it would be rather fun to see, along with a few friends, what I had been missing out on. We arrived at the market relatively late, at around 9:30 am. The market starts up at around 4:30 am, and for those looking for first pickings and uninterrupted browsing, the earlier you go the better. By the time we arrived the market had become quite crowded, though not off-puttingly so, and there was more than enough treasure left for us not to feel as if we’d missed out (and anyway, with over 250 stalls in the market, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into). There is also a sur prisingly good ratio of genuine treasures versus the backg rou nd noise of st a nd a rd f leamarket kitsch. The goods on offer are a nice mixture of what you’d expect to see in a Western flea market – old vinyl records, used books, second-hand shoes of dubious origin, a mustachioed Ken doll from the ’70s – and the more intriguing local treasures: jade trinkets, charms, and bracelets; collections of historical Chinese coins; Yixing clay teapots and slabs of old Oriental antiques at Fuhe Bridge Flea Market

Old toys

pu’er tea; statuettes of Taiwan folk gods, including (on this day) a rather striking Sun Wu-Kong (the Monkey King from the classic work A Journey to the West) ; antique swords and daggers; a cage full of live Japanese white-eyes; a frowning statuette of an obscure phallic deity; and karaoke sets that will doubtlessly end up in some of the many mountain shacks on the not-too-far-away Hongludi hiking trails (mountainside karaoke is a bit of a thing in Taiwan). There is much here too for those interested in getting a glimpse of the everyday in Taiwan’s past. Old banknotes, unused phone cards from the pre-cellphone age, aging housenumber plaques, cast-iron tea kettles – collectively provide something of a Taiwan retrospective otherwise confined to the quaint little museums-of-life that you sometimes find in Taiwan’s rural villages. The market at Fuhe Bridge begins winding down around midday (though the weekend flower market stays open until 6 pm), and after having a quick brunch at a nearby breakfast shop, we hopped in a taxi and headed over the adjacent Yongfu Bridge to an afternoon pop-up arts market in Gongguan (the busy area south of National Taiwan University) – the Heart-zap-heart Bazaar. The market is held near Gongguan’s riverside park, underneath the overpass of the Shuiyuan Expressway. Starting at 12 pm and lasting until around 8 pm, the market is starkly different from the dark, canvas-covered world of intrigue that is the Fuhe Bridge Travel in Taiwan

POPULAR PASTIMES FLEA MARKETS

Flea Market, and in fact, one hesitates to call it a “flea market” at all. The sellers are almost exclusively young trendy women, decked out in vertical beanies, baggy woolly jumpers, multi-colored leggings, and eye-catching combat boots. And the wares they’re hawking are pretty much geared to the same market. It’s a fairly small affair, though there’s a lot less tat here and a lot more fashion. Coats, bags, shoes, clothes – some secondha nd, some not – ma ke up the vast majority of the items on sale. But there are also some stalls selling handicraft

products designed and made by the sellers themselves, such as badges, phone cases, leather purses, and the like. And, though I was not madly attracted by the wares (I sensed I wasn’t their primary target market), the atmosphere was nonetheless very relaxed and convivial, a little like an arts festival, and would make a nice little distraction to a cycling trip along the river. Later in the evening, the food and drink emporiums by the riverside open up, too – so you are able to round off your day of shopping nicely with a meal and a drink by the riverside. Fashionable hair

Fashionable clothes

Curious biker

My Top Finds Though I didn’t shell out any cash on that day, I have to say a few things caught my eye for which I’m sorely tempted to make a return visit. One was a lovely old kaleidoscope, festooned with leafy embossments and brass studding – a little pricey, though, at NT$1,300. Another item which had me umming and aahing was a pretty rimless magnifying glass with a jade handle, not bad at NT$300. A great find, which I didn’t recognize at the time but am now kicking myself over not snapping up, was an old Famicom. That’s right, the early Japanese-release version of the Nintendo Entertainment System – a priceless antique of the Silicon Age! Collectors take note: there were also a few nice typewriters (though a bit rusty); some very exotic Chinese instruments – a lute, a zither, and a twostringed fiddle; and some old ceramic liquor bottles (which once held such throat-smashing delights as kaoliang and baijiu , but would now make a rather fetching set of vintage decanters).

Magnifying glass with jade handle

Chinese ﬂutes Two-stringed ﬁddle

Travel in Taiwan

POPULAR PASTIMES FLEA MARKETS

Haggling in Chinese Of course, one perk about visiting this kind of market is the opportunity to haggle. Here are a few handy phrases to have in your arsenal: * To get a seller’s attention, say: laoban ( 老闆 ; Hey, Boss)! * To ask the price of an item, say: zhègè duoshao qián ( 這個多少錢 ; How much is this)? If * you want the seller to lower the price, say: you y dian guì ( 有一點貴 ; It’s a little expensive.) / piányí y dian, hao bù hao ( 便宜一點，好不好 ) (Can you make it a little cheaper)? And if looking to buy more than one item, try: mai lianggè key dazhé ma? * ( 買兩個可以打折嗎 ) (If I buy two, can I get a discount)?

Where and When? Traditional “Classic” Flea Markets: Fuhe Bridge Flea Market ( 福和橋跳蚤市場 ) Location: Sec. 3, Huanhe E. Rd, Yonghe District, New Taipei City ( 新北市永和區環河東路 3 段 ) underneath Fuhe Bridge on the Yonghe side. Hours: Daily 4:30 am ~ 12 noon How to Get There: The market is about a 5-10-minute bike ride from MRT Dingxi Station. You can rent a YouBike at the corner of Yonghe Rd. and Zhongxing St.

Chongxin Bridge Flea Market ( 重新橋觀光市集 ) Location: Shuhong 16th Road, Sanchong District, New Taipei City ( 新北市三重區疏洪十六路 ) under neath Chongxin Bridge. Hours: Daily except second and fourth Monday each month; Mon-Fri 6 am ~ 1 pm; Sat-Sun 6 am ~ 2 pm 師大國語中心英文招生_E_1-3W_2014_12.pdf 1 2014/12/17 下午 12:06 How to Get There: About a 15-minute walk from MRT Sanchong Station.

Fashionable hats

Pop-up Arts/Vintage-Fashion Flea Markets: Heart-zap-heart Bazaar ( 心電心市集 ) Location: 1, Siyuan St., Zhongzheng District, Taipei City ( 台北市中正區思源街一號 ) (Gongguan Riverside Park) Hours: Check website for upcoming dates; usually 1 pm ~ 8 pm. How to Get There: Short walk from MRT Gongguan Station (Exit 1). Website: www.facebook.com/hzaph Water Water Bazaar ( 水水市集 ) Location: Itinerant around Taipei; starts temporary stint in Bitan near MRT Xindian Station in February 2015. Hours: Weekends and holidays. Check website for times and location. Website: www.facebook.com/mk.waterwater Hand-in-Hand Market ( 手手 ) Location: Itinerant around Taiwan. Has upcoming events in Taichung, Hsinchu, and Tainan. Hours: See website for dates and times. Website: www.facebook.com/handinhandmarket

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Fuhe Bridge Flea Market

English and Chinese baijiu 白酒 Fuhe Bridge 福和橋 Gongguan 公館 Hongludi 烘爐地 kaoliang 高粱 Shuiyuan Expressway 水源快速道路 Yongfu Bridge 永福橋 Yonghe District 永和區

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EASY HIKING YILAN

Wandering

in Wufengqi

A Trip to Yilan’s Best-Known Scenic Area Yilan County, in Taiwan’s northeast corner, is easily and quickly reached from Taipei by bus or train, but it’s a world apart from the big city. Visit the area to take in enchanting vistas of verdant mountains and azure ocean, and go for a hike to the scenic Wufengqi Waterfalls and mountain-embraced inland points beyond. Text: Richard Saunders Photos: Twelli, Vision Int'l

Shengmu Peak

Wufengqi Scenic Area

Linmei Shipan Trail

to Taipei

Lanyang Museum

Tangweigou Hot Spring Park

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Turtle Island

Toucheng

Jiaoxi Railway Station

Pacific Ocean

to Yilan City

Dongshan River Water Park

Wushi Harbor

National Center for Traditional Arts

EASY HIKING YILAN

ne of the most beautiful roads in north Taiwan, Provincial Highway 9, takes you past a succession of stunning landscapes as it strikes southeast from Taipei City to Yilan County. Leaving the metropolis at Xindian, the southernmost suburb of greater Taipei, the road loses no time climbing high into the hills and to commanding views, such as the grand vista over the beautiful blue-green waters of Feicui Reservoir, the largest reservoir in northern Taiwan. W he n t he r o a d d e s c e n d s t o t he mountain-surrounded town of Pinglin, terraced fields with snaking rows of tea bushes come into view, lending a distinctive appearance to the steep hillsides. Farmers here produce Baozhong tea (also spelled Pouchong), for which the area is famous. East of the town, which is also home to the fine Pinglin Tea Museum (www.tea.ntpc.gov. tw), the scenery becomes wilder as the road slowly regains altitude and strikes across the sparsely inhabited uplands of southeast New Taipei City, topping out at an obelisk that marks the point where Yilan County begins. Here the highway commences a long descent to the Lanyang Plain and the Pacific Ocean, about 600 meters below, both

4 1. Third Wufengqi Waterfall 2. Lanyang Museum 3. Seafood restaurant at Wushi Harbor 4. National Center for Traditional Arts

of which abruptly and memorably come into view as the snaking road twists its way down the steep escarpment marking the northern extremity of the Xueshan (Snow Mountain) Range. A leisurely trip along Route 9 makes a great prelude to the scenic beauties of Yilan County for those with a little extra time, but these days visitors from Taipei can also reach the Lanyang Plain via the much quicker National Freeway 5 and its 12.9-kilometer-long Xueshan Tunnel. While traveling either road, the first glimpse of the Lanyang Plain is breathtaking. This, the northern part of Yilan County, is one of the wettest corners of Taiwan, and the copious rainfall ensures a stunning landscape of emerald-green, jungle-covered mountainsides dropping to a pancakeflat coastal plain of flooded paddy fields. Offshore, the conspicuous, shapely crag that is Turtle Island rises out of the gleaming blue ocean. Secreted in deep, wooded gorges cut into the steep mountain walls looming above the plain are another notable feature of the area: a series of fine waterfalls, the best of which are just a short drive south from the point where Freeway 5 and Route 9 cross, at the hot-spring spa town of Jiaoxi.

Jiaoxi, easily reachable from Taipei by express bus (about 60 min.) or express train (about 90 min.), features a fine range of hotspring hotels and resorts, many of which are quite luxurious. These, plus the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proximity to the big city and a plethora of interesting and scenic sights to explore nearby, make it an extremely popular place for a short getaway. Visitors are spoilt for choice when it comes to sightseeing. About 10 kilometers north, Wushi Harbor has a great freshseafood market, and in summer boat trips are offered to the mysterious Turtle Island, 10 km offshore. Next to the harbor, the astonishing work of modern architecture that commands every visitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention is the fine Lanyang Museum (www.lym.gov. tw), which introduces the culture, geology, and natural history of the area. Its unique sloping walls of stone and glass, which seem to grow out of the ground, were inspired by the iconic coastal rock formations at such nearby places as Beiguan, 2 kilometers north. Heading south from Jiaoxi, the famous night market and National Center for Traditional Arts (www.ncfta.gov.tw) at Luodong are especially deserving of a visit, while nearby Dongshan River Water Park Travel in Taiwan

EASY HIKING YILAN

The northern part of Yilan County is one of the wettest corners of Taiwan, and the copious rainfall ensures a stunning landscape of emerald-green, jungle-covered mountainsides dropping to a pancake-flat coastal plain of flooded paddy fields is a refreshing place to go in fine – and especially hot – weather. Of all the attractions in the Jiaoxi area, however, perhaps none are more popular than the three-tier Wufengqi Waterfalls a couple of kilometers west of the town, which are not only spectacular but also very easy to visit. Visitors without their own transport are in luck, thanks to the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Bus service (www.taiwantrip.com. tw), the Jiaoxi Route of which connects the waterfall area with Jiaoxi Railway Station. There are services every 30 minutes on weekends (once an hour on weekdays). Take note, on the way, of Tangweigou Hot 52

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Spring Park, the first stop on the route, before the bus heads out of town. The small, pleasantly landscaped park has shallow hot-spring pools for soaking tired feet, and simple indoor hot-spring pools (which are segregated) for a full dip, making it a tempting stopover after exploring the Wufengqi area on foot. From Jiaoxi Railway Station it’s about 10 minutes on a Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Bus to the Wufengqi Scenic Area stop, in a large car park beside a wide stream. Follow the waterside path upstream for a few minutes to a set of steps that takes you up to a rest

area with a cluster of snack vendors and washroom facilities. Just beyond this point a wide stone path leads, in just a couple of minutes, to the first of the three beautiful waterfalls. Climb the steps through the gorge past the small but pretty cascade, and just above it is the second fall, a higher and more impressive leap. From here it’s another 10-minute climb up steps to the third and last fall, along a path cut into the rocky, sheer-sided gorge. It’s a steep push in parts, but the reward is a view of the highest and most impressive of the three waterfalls. Unfortunately, the path to this waterfall is sometimes closed due to the risk of falling rocks; but if open, it’s well worth the climb to see the spectacular 40-meter-high plunge. Turning left at the junction just below the second waterfall, a short path leads out of the gorge to join an unsurfaced track. Turn right to head uphill along this track, and in a few minutes you’ll see a large and striking Catholic church at the top of

EASY HIKING YILAN

steps on the right. The gleaming white, circular structure was built after a Marian apparition (one of about 300 that were recorded worldwide during the 20th Century) witnessed by a group of Taiwanese hikers at this spot after they had become lost in bad weather in November 1980. A grotto and statue of the Virgin Mary stands nearby, on the site where the apparition occurred. Follow t he t rack uph ill past t he church, and in about 2 hours the summit of Shengmu Peak is reached. This is a great hike through beautiful countryside, and quite a good workout, with 700plus meters of vertical ascent. On the summit is another huge memorial to the Catholic faith: a flight of steep concrete steps which climb past metal plaques representing the fourteen Stations of the Cross, taking you to a large concrete platform with a statue of Christ on the cross in the center. The view from this site is magnificent, with the Lanyang

Plain and a wide sweep of the Pacific Ocean laid out below. Back at the Wufengqi Scenic Area bus stop, take the next shuttle bus to the enchanting Linmei Shipan Trail. It takes only an hour or so to walk this loop trail at a leisurely pace; the scenery is wonderful, especially during the first half of the outing, with the path traversing a sylvan gorge beside a tumbling stream of limped blue water. After passing a small waterfall, the trail loops back to the trailhead through an attractive expanse of dense forest. It’s a wonderfully relaxing walk, and a great way to round off a day exploring the beautiful Wufengqi area. However, before heading back to the city, be sure to treat those legs to a leisurely soak in one of Jiaoxi’s wonderful hotspring facilities. After all, it’s less than an hour back to Taipei, so you’re sure to have the time!

English and Chinese Baozhong tea 包種茶 Beiguan 北關 Dongshan River Water Park 冬山河親水公園 Feicui Reservoir 翡翠水庫 Jiaoxi 礁溪 Lanyang Plain 蘭陽平原 Lanyang Museum 蘭陽博物館 Linmei Shipan Trail 林美石磐步道 Luodong 羅東 National Center for Traditional Arts 國立傳統藝術中心 Pinglin 坪林 Pinglin Tea Museum 坪林茶業博物館 Shengmu Peak 聖母峰 Taiwan Tourist Shuttle 台灣好行 Tangweigou Hot Spring Park 湯圍溝溫泉公園 Turtle Island 龜山島 Xueshan (Snow Mountain) Range 雪山山脈 Wufengqi Scenic Area 五峰旗風景區 Wufengqi Waterfalls 五峰旗瀑布 Wushi Harbor 烏石港 Xindian 新店 Xueshan Tunnel 雪山隧道 1. First Wufengqi Waterfall 2. Pavilion near second Wufengqi Waterfall 3. Creek along Linmei Shipan Trail 4. Linmei Shipan Trail 5. Tangweigou Hot Spring Park 6. Catholic church close to Wufengqi Waterfalls

Travel in Taiwan

TAIWAN SLANG

Heavenly Vegetable? Too Far Up to Be Reached

天菜 Illustration: Karen Pan

f you listen to young people in Taiwan chatting, you might hear the expression tian cai ( 天菜 ; not 天才 , which means “genius” and is pronounced differently, with the second character having the second rather than the fourth tone). Students of the Chinese language will know that 天 means “heaven” or “sky,” while 菜 means “vegetable” or “dish.” Logically, then, 天菜 could mean “heavenly vegetable,” or perhaps a “heavenly good-tasting dish.” Neither is meant, however, when 天菜 is used to describe a person. To say 他 / 她是 (lit. “He/She is a tian cai”) is to say a person is perfect, classy, or “out of one’s league,” especially when talking about looks.

個天菜

Another common expression used to describe young ladies as “perfect” is 正妹 (zheng mei ). The character 正 means “right” or “correct,” and 妹 simply means “little sister.” 正妹 is used for girls who are very attractive. To describe a man as attractive, however, you don’t use 正男 (zheng nan), but 型男 (xing nan ; xing means “form/fashion”; nan means “man/male”), which in contrast to 帥哥 (shuai ge ; “handsome elder brother”) indicates that a man is not only extraordinarily handsome, but also has style.

Travel in Taiwan

GLORIA PRINCE HOTEL TAIPEI

Hotels of Taiwan North Taoyuan City

Taipei City

Keelung City

New Taipei City

Hsinchu City Hsinchu County

Yilan County

Miaoli County

Taichung City

Central Changhua County Yunlin County

Nantou County

Hualien County

Chiayi City Chiayi County

Tainan City Kaohsiung City

Taitung County

East

Visitors to Taiwan have a wide range of choice when it comes to accommodation. From five-star luxury hotels that meet the highest international standards, to affordable business hotels, to hot-spring and beach resort hotels, to privately-run homestays located in the countryside there is a place to stay that satisfies every traveler’s needs. What all hotels of Taiwan — small and big, expensive and affordable — have in common is that serve and hospitality are always of the highest standards. The room rates in the following list have been checked for each hotel, but are subject to change without notice. Room rates at the hotels apply. Northern Taiwan Gloria Prince Hotel Taipei Miramar Garden Taipei Miramar Hotel Hisnchu Hotel Sense Hotel Éclat

Pintung County

South

Taipei 台北

華泰王子大飯店

NO. OF ROOMS: 220 ROOM RATES: Deluxe / Single / Twin & Double NT$ 7,800-8,500 Suite NT$ 9,500-20,000 DESK PERSONNEL SPEAK: Chinese, English, Japanese RESTAURANTS: L’IDIOT RESTAURANT & BAKERY (Western), Chiou Hwa (Chinese)

Taipei Gala Hotel The Grand Hotel Taipei Westgate Hotel Central Taiwan 53 Hotel

SPECIAL FEATURES: Coffee Shop, Fitness Center, Business Center, laundry service, meeting and banquet facilities, non-smoking floor, parking lot, airport transfer service

369 Lin-sen (Linsen) N. Rd., Taipei City, 104 104 台北市林森北路 369 號

Tel: 02.2581.8111 Fax: 02.2581.5811, 2568-2924

＊ Hotel list in alphabetical order from Northern to Southern Taiwan.

MIRAMAR GARDEN TAIPEI 美麗信花園酒店

NO. OF ROOMS: 203 ROOM RATES: Deluxe Room Business Room Executive Deluxe Room Boss Suite Premier Suite

Taipei 台北

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

8,000 9,500 10,500 16,000 20,000

DESK PERSONNEL SPEAK: English, Japanese, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Cantonese RESTAURANTS: Rain Forest Restaurant, Garden Terrace, Lounge 81 SPECIAL FEATURES: Business Center, Pyramid Club - Luxury Executive Floor, Multifunctional Room, Internet Service, 40-inch LCD TV, Garden Terrace, Bar, Fitness Club, Outdoor Pool, Sauna, Spa, Aromatherapy, Car Park

MIRAMAR HOTEL HSINCHU 新竹美麗信酒店

NO. OF ROOMS: 141 ROOM RATES: CORNER 8 COMFY ZONE D ROOM QUEENS KINGS STUDIO M

Hsinchu 新竹

HOTEL SENSE 伸適商旅

www.gloriahotel.com

Taipei 台北

6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 12,000 20,000

(All rates are exclusive of 5% VAT and 10% service charge)

DESK PERSONNEL SPEAK: English, Japanese, and Chinese RESTAURANTS: The Zone Bar & Restaurant SPECIAL FEATURES: Gym, Sky Lounge, Sky Garden

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

111, Sec. 2, Gongdao 5th Rd., East Dist., Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan

10 4台北市市民大道三段8 3號

3 0 0 新竹市公道五路二段111號

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

www.miramargarden.com.tw

Superior Room Business Room Deluxe Room Executive Deluxe Room Executive Suite Sense Suite

怡亨酒店

Taipei 台北

NO. OF ROOMS: 60

NO. OF ROOMS: 79 ROOM RATES: NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

HOTEL ÉCLAT

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

7,500 8,500 9,500 9,000 10,000 15,000

DESK PERSONNEL SPEAK: English, Japanese, Chinese

SPECIAL FEATURES: Business center, fitness center, meeting rooms, Club House with luxury furniture and advanced media facilities for private meetings and gatherings, wood-floored open-air Sky Garden, parking tower, close to the MRT system near Zhongshan Elemen tary school MRT station and key commercial and entertainment districts.

ROOM RATES:

Deluxe Room Grand Deluxe Room Premier Room Premier 9 Éclat Suite

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

12,000 12,500 13,000 15,000 35,000

(All rates are exclusive of 5% VAT and 10% service charge)

DESK PERSONNEL SPEAK:

English, Japanese, Taiwanese, Chinese, Cantonese

RESTAURANTS: Éclat Lounge, George Bar SPECIAL FEATURES: Member of Small Luxury

Hotels of the World; strategically located in the most fashionable and prestigious district of Taipei; offers guests great convenience for business and entertainment; Wi-Fi connectivity and in-room business facilities; variety of meeting rooms providing the ideal venue for professional meetings, corporate functions, and social gatherings.

Tel: 03.623.1188 Fax: 03.623.1199 E-mail: info@miramar-hsinchu.com

477 , Linsen N. Rd., Zhongshan District, Taipei City 104 104 台北市中山區林森北路 477 號 3 minutes by foot from Exit 2 of MRT Zhongshan Elementary School Station Tel: 02.7743.1000 Fax: 02.7743.1100 E-mail: info@hotelsense.com.tw

370, Sec. 1, Dunhua S. Rd., Da-an District, Taipei City 106 106 台北市敦化南路一段 370 號 Tel: 02.2784.8888 Fax: 02.2784.7888 Res. Hotline: 02.2784.8118

www.miramar-hsinchu.com

www.hotelsense.com.tw

www.eclathotels.com

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TAIPEI GALA HOTEL 慶泰大飯店

Taipei 台北

NO. OF ROOMS: 160 ROOM RATES:

Single Room Deluxe Single Room Deluxe Twin Room Suite Room

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

6,200 6,800 7,600 11,000

DESK PERSONNEL SPEAK:

English, Japanese, Chinese

RESTAURANTS: Golden Ear Restaurant (Western semi buffet); Golden Pot (Chinese Cuisine)

SPECIAL FEATURES: Business Center, meeting rooms, airport transfer service, parking lot, laundry service, free Internet access, LCD TV, DVD player, personal safety box, mini bar, private bathroom with separate shower & bath tub, hair dryer

THE GRAND HOTEL 圓山大飯店

NO. OF ROOMS: 500 (Suites: 57) ROOM RATES: Single/DBL NT$ 8,200-13,000 Suite NT$ 18,000-30,000 DESK PERSONNEL SPEAK: English, French, Spanish, and Japanese RESTAURANTS: Western, Cantonese, Northern China Style Dumplings, tea house, coffee shop SPECIAL FEATURES: Grand Ballroom, conference rooms for 399 people, 10 breakout rooms, business center, fitness center, sauna, Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, billiards

186 Songjiang Rd., Taipei City,104 104 台北市松江路 186 號 Exit 1 of MRT Xingtian Temple Station on the Luzhou Line.

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

www.galahotel.com.tw

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

Travel in Taiwan

Taipei 台北

1 Chung Shan N. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City, 10461 R.O.C 10461 台北市中山北路四段 1 號

TAIPEI WESTGATE HOTEL

53 HOTEL

永安棧

寶島53行館

Taipei 台北

NO. OF ROOMS: 121 ROOM RATES: Cozy Deluxe Premier Premier City View Dual Queen Premier Dual Queen Executive Suite Grand Suite

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

7,200 7,800 8,500 8,800 10,800 11,800 12,800 12,800

DESK PERSONNEL SPEAK: English, Chinese, Japanese RESTAURANTS: Unwind Bar & Restaurant SPECIAL FEATURES: Located in the heart of the energetic Ximending; 1 minute on foot to MRT Ximen Station; free wireless Internet access; fitness center; business center; meeting room; laundry; express laundry service; complimentary Chinese/ Western buffet breakfast; safety deposit box; limousine service; airport pick-up. 150, Sec. 1, Zhonghua Rd., Wanhua Dist., Taipei City, 108

(MRT Ximen Station, Exit 6) 108 台北市中華路一段 150 號

Tel: 886.2.2886.8888 Fax: 886.2.2885.2885

Tel: 02.2331.3161 Fax: 02.2388.6216 Reservation Hotline: 02.2388.1889

www.grand-hotel.org

www.westgatehotel.com.tw

NO. OF ROOMS: 70 ROOM RATES: Standard Room Superior Room Deluxe Room Family Room Deluxe Family Room DESK PERSONNEL SPEAK: English, Japanese, Chinese

Taichung 台中

NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$ NT$

4,000 4,500 5,000 5,500 6,000

SPECIAL FEATURES: Our guests enjoy easy access to all attractions lively Taichung City has to offer. From the hotel it’s a two-minute walk to Taichung Railway Station and a three-minute walk to the bus station, from where guests can easily reach popular tourist sites, such as Qingjing Farm, Xitou Forest Recreation Area, and Sun Moon Lake. 53 Hotel offers a wide range of services, including laundry/dry cleaning, a business center, a gym, and free wireless Internet access. 27, Zhongshan Rd., Central District, Taichung City, 40042 ( two minutes from railway station) 40042 台中市中區中山路 27 號 (距離火車站兩分鐘) Tel: 04.2220.6699 Fax: 04.2220.5899 E-mail: service@53hotel.com.tw

www.53hotel.com.tw

A POPULAR SHOP IN XIMENDING FIRST CHOICE FOR A CULTURAL-BRAND

Received national GSP certificate from the Ministry of Economic Affairs in 2003 Winner of the 1st Pineapple Rhapsody Contest in 2005 Winner of the Pineapple Master Category at the Taipei Pineapple Cake Culture Festival in 2007 Winner of the Pineapple Master Category at the Taipei Pineapple Cake Culture Festival in 2008 Winner of the Gold Medal for Excellence in Quality Product in 2009 Winner of the Taipei City Gift Shop Award in 2010. 2012

OLYMPIA FOODS - XIMENDING MAIN STORE Add: 78, Chengdu Rd., Taipei City (MRT Ximen Station, Exit 1) Tel: (02) 2331-4578 Fax: (02) 2371-1032 OLYMPIA FOODS - YANJI STORE Add: 232-3, Yanji St., Taipei City (near intersection of Sec.4, Ren'ai Rd.) Tel: (02) 2325-0368 Fax: (02) 2325-3268 OLYMPIA FOODS - HEPING STORE Add: 236, Sec. 3, Heping E. Rd., Taipei City (near MRT Liuzhangli Station) Tel: (02) 8732-3238 Fax: (02) 8732-7737

OLYMPIA FOODS - BREEZE CENTER STORE Add: B1, 39, Sec. 1, Fuxing S. Rd., Taipei City Tel: (02) 8772-5393 OLYMPIA FOODS - TAIPEI RAILWAY STATION BREEZE FOOD PLAZA Add: B1 of Taipei Railway Station (near the entrance to the High Speed Rail; take escalator near the Entrance C3) Tel: (02) 2311-3038 BREEZE SONG GAO SHOPPING MALL, COUNTER B2, FASHIONABLE CUISINE CHEF

Add: 16, Songgao Rd., Taipei City (near MRT Taipei City Hall Station) Tel: (02) 2758-1123

www.olympiafoods.com.tw

Let’s experience some exciting traditional Taiwan stage performances! TaipeiEYE stages shows for tourists visiting Taiwan, including folk music, aboriginal dance and music, Peking opera improved by new scenes of dances and martial arts, and much more. English subtitles are provided so that foreign visitors can easily follow the action. The performances at TaipeiEYE are a must-see for anyone interested in the amazing performing arts of Taiwan.

Performances: Mon .Wed. Fri. at 20:30 Sat. at 20:00/ Effective from April 2015 The show commence at 20:00 Closed on 2/8/2015 to 3/3/2015 Please contact us if you need more detailed information

www.taipeieye.com

Tel: +886-2-2568-2677 Fax: +886-2-2568-2335 E-Mail: taieye@taipeieye.com Add:【Cement Hall at

Taiwan Cement Building】 .113, Sec. 2, Zhongshan N. Rd., Taipei City(Jinzhou Rd. entrance) 【台泥大樓士敏廳】台北市中山北路2段113號(錦州街入口)

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