Taipei: Window to Taiwan

 

Formerly known as Formosa(meaning 'Beautiful Island', as named by the Portuguese), the island of Taiwan has undergone tremendous changes since its early aboriginal days over the past few centuries.
From the Han Chinese to the Dutch, Japanese and back to communism of China, the country has seen its transformation and its continuous struggle with the sovereignty claims  over China as a whole country under the ROC (Republic of China), denied by the PRC (People Republic of China) who staked themselves as the rightful owner of China and Taiwan to fall under its name as the 23rd province.

Relatively a new country with only a few centuries of history under her belt, Taiwan has risen from its tumultuous past and has today emerged as one of the strongest countries in both Asia and the world, ranking at 19th internationally.
One of the Four Tigers of Asia, Taiwan has proven her competency's worth with the rapid economy growth in the country, focusing on industrialization to mark its strong and consistent rise in its yearly GDP.

Home to more than 23 million people, Taiwan is today one of the world's rising countries and has attracted visitors and immigrants from all over the world to the country for study, work and leisure. Many have chosen to reside in Taipei, the capital of the country and a global city with world-class infrastructure boasting of more than half of Taiwan's entire population with its count of approximately 17 million residents.



With such statistics, Taipei is no doubt the soul of Taiwan with its dense population and incoming tourism adds more to the crowds on an annual basis. It is not surprising that the metropolitan city, situated at the northern part of the country (hence the name Taipei - which means Northern Taiwan) is  the ideal spot for a taste of Taiwan's culture as the city's large population and its status as the capital of Taiwan along with it being the home to the country's main international airport, Taoyuan International Airport, are all the reasons where the crowds are gathered.



Taiwan, though an island, is famed for her natural beauty and sceneries, besides the economy and political sector and is one of the favorite travel destinations in the world. The country's natural geographical location provided a perfect setting for the mountainous valleys, hot springs, inactive volcanic formations with sulphurous deposits in its various national parks which had visitors awe-struck with its wonders. The sub tropical climate in the region also spawned an amazing variety of trees, plants and flowers, and is just perfect for travel and settlement with its comfortable temperature all year long.

Filled with the many attractions on Taiwan's list, there is no doubt visitors all around the world flock to Taiwan to experience the beautiful nature and surroundings the country has to offer. A short stay will not suffice to enjoy all that the country has to offer, and it is best to plan with a focus destination in mind and with additional time to spare, it would allow one more luxury to get to know the country better by exploring the other regions.

I would recommend Taipei as one of the first destination, as the city, mentioned above is the center where most of happenings take place besides it being the nucleus of Taiwan's economy, politics and culture. The dense population in this metropolitan city which covers the areas of Taipei city, New Taipei and Keelung (typically Taipei would refer to the overall area of the trio while Taipei city refers to the city itself) says something about the city where most of the Taiwanese are gathered.

Taipei provided much insight into the identity of Taiwan, with its myriad of offerings; from the preservation of its past in the historic streets/places such as Bo Pi Liao Street, Longshan Temple, to a glimpse of the national monuments and treasures at National Palace Museum, and Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and to the best of nature's wonders at its national park, Yangmingshan and the amazing Geothermal Valley of Beitou and the natural hot springs at Beitou and Wulai.

Enjoy a stroll down the Tamsui's Old Street and Waterfront, and take in the sunset at the Fisherman's Wharf, then head on to the night markets (which are just everywhere); namely the famous Shilin Night Market, Raohe Night Market, just to name a few and stuff yourself with the street food just like a local Taiwanese would while taking in the colorful culture and night life in the city.





Take a glimpse or blend in with the busy crowds on the streets of Taipei's premier shopping and lifestyle center in the Xinyi District, where the chic and upscale fashion brands are based stalked by the city's stylish congregation. The city buzzes with life throughout the day, and lights up beautifully at night; both of which can be seen with an aerial view from its tallest establishment, Taipei 101; once named the tallest building in the world. The building towers over the city, and while it has been displaced from its position in the world, Taipei 101 is still Taiwan's tallest building and a proud landmark of the country's accomplishments in engineering.



The Taiwanese are not all self-absorbed in their own culture, as shown by the younger and trendy generation with their reception or adoption of cultures from the other parts of the world. Take a stroll in the hip and happening streets in Ximending and enjoy the blend of the local culture and those from other countries with the crowd in the area which depicts the open mindset of the young towards the world out there. Ximending is not all modern, and one can see the reminder of the past with the Red House Theater standing right in the middle of the stylish district frequented by the young Taiwanese.



While I could not really pick my favorite destination from the list in the city, I must also mention that one should not leave without making a quick detour out of Taipei to the Nantou County to witness the inspiring beauty of the ever famous Sun Moon Lake, defined by the many interesting stories around the lake and its aboriginal origins.

(The aboriginal tribes of Taiwan have formed the past and remains till today, very much a part of Taiwan's culture. In fact, the aboriginal culture has only lent more towards the making of a colorful potpourri of Taiwan's identity today and outlined the features of its many attractions around the country).

The Taiwanese has much to boast of, with its many natural scenic wonders and vogue city lifestyle, there is just no end to the list of gems Taiwan has on her turf.

The Taiwanese are generally known to be friendly people, and I have heard of their reputation since my childhood from elder relatives who have visited the country and it is indeed admirable that this notion has not left the minds of the authorities as they continue to educate their next generation on the importance of values and proper ethics to form a breed of cultured society. It is something that many nations have to focus on, and I am sure the Taiwanese would be able to maintain their status as a friendly nation with continuous efforts and their strong religious roots for many more generations to come.

I have left the country with many memories; and the images of the beautiful landscape and urban lifestyle has been etched into my mind. Though I had only spent most of my time in Taipei, I had enjoyed an enriching experience with the many sights and amazing wonders from what the capital has to offer, and Taipei has indeed been a wonderful insight into the overall culture which formed Taiwan.

It may have only been Taipei that I have visited, but this Window to Taiwan has carved in me memories of a lifetime, and urging me to plan for my next visit to the country, to explore the rest of what Taiwan has to offer on its outskirts and away from Taipei.

P.S: If you will excuse me, I definitely has some research and travel planning for my next visit to Taiwan... :-)

Taiwan Travelogue: Hello Kitty Kitchen and Dining

Theme restaurants are becoming popular around the world, and somehow Taiwan seems to be mecca for these cutesy and heart-melting restaurants, sweeping away fans of the world-famous icons to the feet, or doorsteps of these themes.
The city of Taipei plunged into the center of the attention with the opening of two such themed restaurants; with the first ever Mattel-endorsed Barbie Cafe and the other hailing from the Land of Rising Sun with its cute signature bobtail cat fawning face, Sanrio's Hello Kitty.

I was able to make my way towards this famous restaurant, Hello Kitty Kitchen and Dining, located in the Da'an District of Taipei, surrounded by shopping malls in the centre and this restaurant was just tucked away on Da'an Road.



The unmistakable pink shop lot, graced by the iconic face(or head) of the world's famous adorable little cat beckons to the fans on the hunt for the restaurant.



The restaurant was truly a girl's sweet haven, from the infatuating colors of pink on its walls to the framed pictures of Hello Kitty and the cute pink apron uniforms on the waitresses, are just a few to send the young girls squealing with delight.
Concept wise, the restaurant seemed to be targeted at a young group of customers; mostly girls/ladies from ages of 15-35, and from the looks of it, they have attracted more than they have expected with the crowds flocking into the restaurant on a daily basis with their enthusiastic locals and curious traveler. Though one might think most of the the patrons are fans of the adorable kitty, you'd be surprised at the number of guys or even elders who were in the restaurant.
(Then again, they might be there because of their partners).





The restaurant serves a mix of Asian and Western style menu, from burgers, fries, sandwiches, salads, soups to pizzas, pastas, rice, noodles and also, their desserts.



I did not manage to try out their food, though I have heard and read of the reviews on the food which spewed less enthusiasm on the tastes compared to the atmosphere here. Well, perhaps the fans of Hello Kitty would be less bothered with the quality of the food when they are dining here and surrounded by the faces of their iconic idol, food? What's that?

However, the sweet cakes on display are just enough to send anyone swooning and are certainly not meant for the faint-hearted.







These iconic designs coupled with endorsement for the Hello Kitty's copyright placed these little cakes at a slightly higher price compared to normal cakes, but I didn't think that price would be a deterrent for the loyal fans, at all.

These birthday cakes could really place a little girl on cloud nine, with the various designs and flavors available and all stamped with the signature face of Hello Kitty.











It is best to make a reservation if you are interested to dine here, as it is really difficult to get a place if you were to just walk in. The restaurant is extremely popular with birthday celebrations, gatherings and is almost always, filled with crowds.
The waitresses are friendly and kind enough to inform you of the waiting time which could range between a minimum of 30 minutes to an hour or more, to squeeze you in for a table between reservations.





There are many who may leave without an opportunity to attempt the food, but not truly disappointed with the insight into the Taipei's restaurant home of Hello Kitty and the many delightful peeks into the savory sweet temptations on display.



Hello Kitty Kitchen and Dining is truly a sweet little place, and the Sanrio's icon is definitely pleased with her base of fans here in Taiwan, with the large population flocking to her restaurant daily.

The Taiwanese certainly takes Hello Kitty very seriously, after all, didn't Eva Air sport an entire Hello Kitty flight as reported in the news?

Hello Kitty is no doubt, serious business in Taiwan...

Taiwan Travelogue: Jianguo Holiday Flower Market and Jade Market

One of the interesting markets to visit while in Taipei would definitely be the Jianguo Holiday Flower Market and Jade Market which are only available on weekends.
Holidays, especially during the Lunar New Year/Spring is when the market is at its best crowd where folks would happily flock to the market to select fresh blooms and auspicious items available here for the purpose of decorating their homes and ushering in the luck for the brand new year.

Getting to the market is again, via the train where one would need to take the train to Da-an Station, which is possibly the most beautiful station in Taiwan.



Floral-themed murals adorn the walls in the station and there is just that cheerful aura when one alights at the station.





If that is not enough to set one in the mood, be prepared for a warm greeting when you step out of the station out onto the streets where flowers are in bloom outside a building, and then you are passing by random folks with stalks of flowers in their hands.
Yes, spring is all over this place and follow the crowd (or the scent of the flowers) as you head towards the underpass section under the Jianguo Expressway; where Xinyi Road and the Jianguo South Road meets.







The Jianguo Holiday Flower Market and Jade Market are located in two separate buildings which were actually converted from car parks into this buzzing markets. The two markets are connected, and you will cross from the flower market over to the jade market.

Start with the flower market, where one will definitely be overwhelmed by the varieties of flowers all displayed at the stalls. The beautiful colors of the flowers in bloom just brightens up the entire marketplace, which was covered and well-ventilated for a comfortable stroll and browsing through the different stalls.



As it was approaching the Lunar New Year season during my visit, it was an interesting sight of auspicious flowers and plants on sale which were in demand by the believers of good luck and fortune. From peonies to orchids, roses, cherry blossoms and lilies, these are all icons of well-meaning which are pursued by the Chinese for symbols of new beginnings and prosperity in the upcoming spring.


The Chinese also believe in buying plants; for instance kumquat trees, or money trees (Malabar Chestnut trees) to grow in the house which symbolize a growth in their wealth and well-being.


It is all about flowers here, and photographers would be pleased with the wide varieties available for their leisure shooting.
Do be careful of some of the stalls as they do not permit photography, and they might be telling you in a rather unkind manner. Therefore, do observe before you take that shot.















Auspicious decoration for the plants in conjunction with the upcoming new Spring.


Besides plants and flowers, one can expect to find potteries and gardening tools available at the market too. Flower seeds, fertilizers can all be found in the flower market.




Walk through the 800m long Flower Market and then cross over to the Jade Market on the other side.



The Jade Market was less rowdy compared to the flower market, and the crowd is nothing compared to that of the former; consisting of mostly foreign tourists interested in purchasing a piece of the famed jade as souvenirs to bring home to their countries.
There are all sorts of jades and accessories on display at most of the stalls; from little trinkets for your cell phones, earrings, pendants to large statues which could cost more than five figures.

It is a delightful place for jade enthusiasts to ogle at the different types and shapes of jades imaginable, and it would take an eye for one to be able to tell the value of the jades.
Jades are believed to be auspicious items which can bring its wearer good fortune if it suits the nature of the wearer, and it is also believed to be able to protect its wearer from evil or harm.
It was said that if a jade breaks or falls from its wearer, it was supposed to be taking away the misfortune and that the owner should let it be.
However, it is also important that the wearer should be compatible with the type of jade, or it may not be that effective for the wearer in the end.

One of the most popular items here was reputed to be the Jade Ruyi; which translates to 'according to one's wish' in Chinese and is extremely regarded with high favor among the Chinese population. This attracted the foreign tourists to its existence and is one of the most popular takeaway from this market.


The Jade Market is rather subdued in its environment and due to the sensitivity and also the value of the jades, it is best to avoid photography at the jades on display as the stall owners would also prohibit any form of photography on their possessions.
Therefore, please be respectful of this and enjoy the stroll in the Jade market.

The two markets are popular among the locals and as they are available on weekends and holidays, it would be interesting to drop by these markets while in Taipei for an insight into the local culture.
Of course, the best time would be during the Lunar New Year season where one can truly see the excitement and more varieties available.
After all, the Taiwanese are firm believers of good fortune, and who isn't anyway?

Taiwan Travelogue: What we ate in Wulai

Wulai's compact little town has much to offer; from its scenic wonders to the aboriginal culture and local products, not to mention the beautiful and naturally clean hot springs, all are just part of the town's treasures which just sends it rocketing to Taiwan's list of attractions.

It was truly memorable touring around this town, and it was love at first sight with the beautiful jade green waters to the enchanting little town and then to the captivating Wulai Falls, there is just nothing in this town that could truly disappoint an excited tourist like me.

After the visit to the waterfalls, we took a stroll back towards the main town of Wulai, with more of the little town's local scenes greeting us along the way.
(These were the scenes we missed when we took the train up to the falls).



The many hot spring resorts on the streets of Wulai


Crossing over the bridge, back to the main town






If you weren't hungry when you arrived at Wulai, you'd definitely be hearing the rumbles in your tummy when you pass through the town which is brimming with the food stalls, offering the local produces of fruits and vegetables and their famous products on sale amidst the small eateries, where woks are tossed with the clanging sounds of the ladles as the locals cook up a typical local meal for their customers.




Local products of Wulai on sale


Packets of muar chee (or similar to Japanese Mochi) on sale - this is one of the popular local products here.


The aroma from the open kitchens as we walked through the marketplace in the town was a temptation especially during lunch hours. Nevertheless one ought to experience the local tastes by trying out their cuisines while here.
We picked out this little eatery shop, out of the many available and looked forward to an interesting lunch.

This seemed to be a rather popular dish which was spotted at most of the stalls.

Mix Fry of the baby shrimps and fish

While I am a fan of seafood, I can't say that I understood the tastes of these little things as I was just not so into the idea of biting into them, nor can I enjoy the tastes. Perhaps these are just not my plate of meal?

Wild mountain vegetables stir fry with fried anchovies


These were really crunchy, and was quite an interesting vegetable which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Another interesting thing to try out in Wulai is the Bamboo Tube Rice (竹筒飯)


This was considered to be local delicacy; which constitute of steamed rice (somewhat sticky rice) with sweet corn in a bamboo wrapped with aluminum foil.












This was the vegetable we ordered; translated to Mountain Vegetable from its Chinese characters.

Wulai was truly a beautiful town and is worth a visit, for even the most skeptical would be converted into nature scenes lover upon stepping into this little town off Taipei.
Be prepared to spend at least half a day here, to take in what Wulai has to offer and bring home with you the scenic views embedded in your mind and photographs, the local products and the tastes and memories to last and to bring that smile to your face each time you look back at your snapshots from this town~