http://admin.taiwan.net.tw/rssA.aspxBurgers topped with cranberry and Camembert, aromatic and savory butter tea, fish and chips drizzled with South African chutney…. Tuck in your napkin and take a seat at the table as we rack up the ways to devour international cuisine in Taipei. Over the last decade, waves of immigrants and visitors have come to Taiwan and crossed paths with legions of Taiwanese who have trotted the globe and developed new tastes. The results can now be sampled at restaurants all over town. In Taipei, you have upscale restaurants serving gourmet sushi or down-home Tibetan eateries featuring nomadic staples. Five meals, five restaurants, the food of five different continents, and just one day – that’s all it takes to sample a slice of this culinary heaven. First Stop: Brunch at Kiwi Gourmet Burger –“Burger” Redefined Hidden in a tiny, shaded alley off Shida Road, Kiwi Gourmet Burger (KGB) was opened by two New Zealand expatriates. But to call this a mere burger joint is quite deceiving, for they serve some of the best fare I’ve ever tasted. For first-timers, restaurant co-owner Matt Blackburn suggests the CC Burger and The Tower. While waiting, I couldn’t help but admire the hip yet cozy bistro-like environment, complete with soft lighting. Just when I thought I knew all that there is to know about a patty and a bun, the CC Burger redefined my idea of a burger. “CC” stands for cranberry sauce and Camembert, a soft and creamy French cheese. The lean cut of beef, which may be a little dry on its own, is perfect when savored with just the right mix of creamy Camembert and the slightly sweet and tart cranberry sauce. Being from Los Angeles, where cranberries only come twice a year on a slice of turkey, this was both Thanksgiving and Christmas on a bun! Don’t fret if you aren’t a fan of meat; KGB also provides great vegetarian alternatives, including The Tower, a Taipei 101-inspired sandwich layered with every delicious grilled vegetable imaginable. Zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, mushrooms…you name it. Not only that, each burger on the menu can be ordered with a chicken or vegetarian lentil and walnut patty. Slightly crispy on the outside, moist on the inside with crunchy walnut bits, the vegetarian patty is undeniably tasty and will make you reconsider meat! And then…the salads. My favorite dish, in a way, was the simplest – a spinach salad garnished with apples, walnuts, and Gouda cheese, and dressed with a tangy apple vinaigrette. Seemingly plain, but this was the perfect refreshing treat for my taste buds. Kiwi Gourmet Burger (紐西蘭風味漢堡) Add: 5, Lane 114, Shida Rd., Taipei City (台北市師大路114巷5號) Tel: +886-2-2363-6015 Hours: 12 noon ~ 11 pm Website: www.kgbburgers.com Lunch: Samdon Tibetan Restaurant – A Taste of the Himalayas A hop and a skip away from KGB is an entirely different yet equally exciting frontier for your palate. Situated in an alley featuring purveyors of all types of international cuisine, Samdon Tibetan Restaurant is a standout. Run by a native Tibetan, this restaurant serves traditional Tibetan dishes and offers a rare glimpse into the little-understood Tibetan culture. This small, dimly lit restaurant features simple yet fascinating Tibetan decorations. Seated in the cozy lounge area with my legs crossed on a traditional mat, my heart followed the beat of Tibetan pop music as I anxiously waited for my much-anticipated meal. I’ve heard much about these Himalayan specialties, especially the region’s savory butter tea and that staple of the Tibetan diet, tsampa – a parched barley cake made with scented, dried paste that has a doughy consistency. Some may consider this a bit exotic, but this nomad staple passed down for generations was a must-try. Using my fingers, I broke off a small, slightly sticky piece of tsampa and dipped it into the aromatic and warming butter tea. To my surprise, the interesting texture of the barley cake paired with a sip of the butter tea was a match made in nirvana. Another must-try is the Tibetan momos, a steamed dumpling stuffed with juicy seasoned beef. Rich and distinct with culture and tradition, the Himalayan cuisine here easily stands out amidst the already impressive array of international cuisine in Taipei. Samdon Tibetan Restaurant (藏味館) Add: 18-1, Lane 13, Pucheng St, Taipei City (台北市浦城街13巷18-1號) Tel: +886-2-2362-0211 Hours: 11:30 am ~ 2:30 pm; 5:30 pm ~ 9:30 pm Website: www.samdon588.htm.tw (Chinese) Afternoon Tea: Wedgwood – Where Tradition Meets Innovation A culinary tour of Taipei would not be complete without afternoon tea in the uniquely Taiwanese adaptation of the British tradition. In Taiwan, drinking tea is an integral part of the culture, just like the eating of rice, and doing so in the afternoon is a great way to relax and have a chat with some good friends. A perfect manifestation of tradition and innovation is the Wedgwood Tearoom, located in the trendy eastern district of Taipei. Around the world, Wedgwood is synonymous with exquisite china, but here in Taiwan it has taken on a certain novelty. The English tradition can be experienced, Taiwanese-style, at the Wedgwood Tearoom. The wide, spacious windows of the tearoom, located on the ninth floor of a SOGO Department Store, provide a glimpse of the diverse and hybrid architecture of Taipei, and the matching tablecloths and tea sets are reminiscent of parlor ambience. At the same time, the designs on each teacup are also uniquely Eastern. This East-meets-West synthesis permeates every aspect of Wedgwood. While sipping the most traditional English afternoon tea, I savored the flaky crust of a Danish and its red bean mix-ins. I had started my afternoon tea with an English afternoon tea staple, the finger sandwich, and finished off with refreshing cubes of dragon fruit. Wedgwood offers a relaxing afternoon tour of Eastern and Western traditions in the simplest yet most authentic form. Wedgwood Tearoom (瑋致活下午茶室) Add: 9F, 300 Zhongxiao E. Rd., Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路三段300號9樓; inside SOGO Department Store) Tel: +886-2-8772-0130 Hours: Lunch 11 am ~ 2 pm; Afternoon Tea 2 pm ~ 5:30 pm; Dinner 6 pm ~ 8:30 pm Website: www.wedgwood.com.tw (Chinese) Dinner: South African Fish House – A Feast on the Wild Side Without flying halfway around the world, you can now taste traditional South African cuisine in the heart of Taipei, down an alley off of Guangfu South Road. Opened by Jerry Chen, a local entrepreneur who spent a number of years in South Africa, South African Fish House features an array of mouthwatering delicacies. Heavily influenced by English, Dutch, German, and other influences due to the country’s colonial history, South African cuisine is truly a melting pot of many great culinary traditions. One such example is a Dutch stew called potjiekos, which literally translates as “small pot food” because it is a stew traditionally prepared outdoors in a cast-iron three-legged pot (a potjie). Succulent and carefully spiced pork is first sautéed, then simmered with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots for over six hours. The result? Juicy melt-in-your-mouth bites that soothe the soul. Another favorite is their fish and chips, which come with a twist. The crispy battered hake was surprisingly grease-free and appealing, but what made this dish to-die-for was the dollop of South African chutney, made with twelve different fruits. What an unexpected yet perfect melding of sweet and salty flavors! The sweet, piquant fruit creation enlivened my taste buds in a way that the fish alone could not. From the handcrafted animal-print menus to the earthy décor, expect to be surprised, in a good way. A subtle mix of creams and browns framed with lively forest-green vines, the restaurant exudes a soothing appeal. With a menu that challenges your taste buds and an atmosphere that takes you to the African jungle, the South African Fish House will not disappoint. South African Fish House (南非美食餐廳) Add: 345, Xinyi Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei City (台北市信義路四段345號) Tel: +886-2-2703-1099 Hours: 11 am ~ 1 pm Website: www.south-africa.tw (Chinese) Final Stop: Late Night Fun at The Brass Monkey Located right off the intersection of Nanjing East Road and Fuxing North Road, The Brass Monkey is more than just your typical American bar. The brainchild of six owners hailing from different national backgrounds, this sports bar seeks to bring a sense of enjoyment to locals and foreigners alike. When night falls, the neon monkey sign lights up and folks line up for a variety of reasons –some come for a relaxing night of drinks with friends, some gather to watch sports, and some even hit the dance floor. But that’s just the beginning…. The Brass Monkey also features unique events such as US college football brunches and pub-quiz nights. With an outdoor area, a main hall decked out with widescreen TVs, a dance floor, and a game room with everything from chess sets to a foosball table, this brass monkey definitely has a reason to be confident, for there is really something here for everyone. The Brass Monkey (銅猴子) Add: 166 Fuxing N. Road, Taipei, Taiwan (台北市復興北路166號) Tel: +886-2-2547-5050 Hours: 4 pm ~ 1 am (Mon.~Wed.); 5 pm ~ 4 am (Thurs.); 5 pm ~ 2 am (Fri.& Sat.) Website: www.brassmonkeytaipei.com provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly November/October Issue, 2010 /news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2859&tag=124 Dec 2010 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H24 Dec 2010 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Hundreds fill a field in the Fata’an tribal community on the climactic night of the local harvest festival. Most participants are Amis in splendid traditional regalia, but many of those standing in the loose concentric circles are like us, jeans-clad visitors, panting and waiting eagerly for the next dance. The air is refulgent with the glare of floodlights and the glisten of damp grass. It is late summer in eastern Taiwan, and all around us bodies are in motion and perspiring together. I push a sweaty lock of hair away from my eyes, and in my excitement pay no heed to my shortness of breath. A single voice rises into the night and we all extend our arms toward the sky. A moment later the Song of the Ocean is again a jubilant lilt and everyone is moving. Clumsy dancer that I am, I nevertheless cannot but lose myself in the churning frenzy, following the young Amis on stage as they pantomime the motions of hunting, fishing, and farming. We are engaged in the traditional celebrations of the Harvest Festival or Fengnianji (in Chinese). With a population of about 180,000 the Amis, or Pangcah as they call themselves, are the largest of Taiwan’s fourteen officially recognized aboriginal peoples. Their traditional territory stretches from northern Hualien County down Taiwan’s east side along the narrow coastal plains and the East Rift Valley, a narrow strip of land between Taiwan’s central and eastern coastal mountain ranges. Two features of traditional Amis society are particularly notable: matrilineal descent and the age-grade system, under which each Amis belongs to a cohort of peers of similar age throughout life. While it is hard to say to what extent the matrilineal roots of the Amis still influences them today, after centuries of contact with Chinese and Japanese culture and with modernization, the age-grade system is still a part of life in the villages. As tribe members explained to myself and some fellow travelers on a recent visit to various villages, at least some aspects of both traditions are discernable in contemporary Harvest Festival festivities. This is both a harvest festival and the Amis New Year’s celebration. Before the Japanese introduced rice cultivation during their period of colonial rule (1895-1845), millet was the staple grain for the Amis. It was believed the success of crops lay in the hands of a rather finicky millet deity, who was appeased through a variety of ceremonies and rites throughout the growing season. In the past, the festival was a more sober affair, including many religious rites held over a week or more in order to thank the heavens for a bountiful harvest and drive away evil. In Fata’an (either Mataian or Guangfu in Chinese) at least, only adult men participated, and the ceremony was also used to form a new age-grade cohort for young men coming of age. These days Fata’an’s festival has been transformed into a lively series of events and an important occasion for youth to learn about their Amis heritage. In a day when educational needs and job opportunities whisk away most of the younger generation at an early age, the harvest festival is a time for young and old to be reunited, and to preserve and reinvigorate their culture. With ever-changing social and economic conditions in mind, festival organizers have also made many adjustments to welcome tourists, while at the same time preserving key religious aspects of the festivities. It was young people who took center stage the last and most exciting night of Fata’an’s Fengnianji, which is known as Lovers’ Night. As we looked on, a ring of men, young and old, slowly rotated to a hypnotizing beat. At the emcee’s signal, women and teenage girls flocked to the circle in search of ideal matches. As the custom goes, a female expresses her interest in a particular male by gently tugging at his embroidered bag, or dofot (in the Amis language). If the young man is keen, he will place the bag around the woman’s neck. After a few minutes of flirtatious tension, the lights went out, and in the dim bustle of silhouettes one could see the glint of more than a few giddy smiles. By the time lights went back on, quite a few young couples had vanished from the field. Traditionally, the Amis’s elaborate courtship process was also initiated by the woman, and included an exchange of food and betel-nut kept in dofot, along with other symbolic gestures. Although Fata’an parents suggested that this part of the festival is now just for fun, some of the young people we saw had a pretty serious look in their eye! Since the 1990s Taiwan’s Han Chinese majority, and governments at various levels, have been giving greater recognition to aboriginal cultures as a vibrant part of the island’s cultural heritage – at times as a way of proclaiming Taiwan’s cultural uniqueness to the outside world. These changing attitudes in part explain the increasing appeal of Fengnianji to tourists, and the festival has been changing with the times. In Tafalong (Taibalang or Futian in Chinese; a short drive east of Fata’an), another Amis community with a large festival, a sudden and intrusive influx of tour buses raised hackles a few years back. But the community decided to adjust, and after moving the festival away from the local highway and discontinuing billboard advertisements, they have been able to strike a better balance between sharing their culture with outsiders and keeping Fengnianji first and foremost for the people of Tafalong. Not far south from Fata’an is the smaller community of Mafo (also called Mafu). While other nearby communities have grappled with their sudden increased renown in recent years, the intimate, casual air surrounding Mafo’s festivities suggests they have had no such problem. During our visit community members came and went as they tended to work, family, and other responsibilities, and it seemed that at any one time there was never more than about fifty people gathered at the elementary school where they held their celebration. One man stirred a gigantic vat of pig stew while still wearing his Pizza Hut uniform. After paying our respects to the organizers, we were soon pulled into a small group of people dancing near some chatting elders. A nimble-footed woman sprinkled homemade millet wine at each of our feet before offering a glass. In such a small community as Mafo, it seems that Fengnianji has become a sort of all-purpose gathering, not only a time to rejoice but also to take care of tribal business, including elections for the chief. As we sat quietly observing the proceedings conducted in the Amis language, an enterprising elementary-school-aged girl tried to sell me some betel-nut from her dofot. “You’re American?” she asked. “Could you get me Justin Bieber’s phone number?” What could a polite guest do but offer to do his best! Guangfu Township is located south of Hualien City about one-third of the way to Taitung City down the East Rift Valley. You can self-drive from Taipei along quality highway, but be forewarned that the narrow, serpentine stretch of cliff-hugging coastal highway between the town of Suao and Hualien is both breathtakingly beautiful and quite forbidding. It should take between four and five hours, not counting stops to take in the Pacific blue. The less-confident driver or easily carsick passenger may prefer the three-to-four hour train ride from Taipei. There are several options for accommodation in Guangfu, but it is best to remember that the Amis Harvest Festival is now a big tourist draw and reservations should be made well in advance. We stayed at a hotel and recreational tourist area on the site of the old Hualien Sugar Factory. Established in the 1920s, the factory itself is no longer in operation, but the site preserves much of the rich heritage of the area – especially in architectural terms. According to one Japanese architecture expert, it contains the most complete, best-preserved industrial dormitories from the Japanese colonial period to be found anywhere. To meander along the narrow roads of the complex is to receive a primer in wabi-sabi, the Japanese aesthetic of finding beauty in imperfection and of the acceptance of transience. Patinaed siding and weathered roof tiles serve as a reminder of the ambivalent legacy of Japanese colonial rule and culture in this part of Taiwan. Those buildings that are now part of the hotel have been meticulously restored, providing immaculate interiors for guests while at the same time preserving such unique architectural elements as earthquake- and typhoon-resistant buttresses. We slept on aromatic tatami mats and bathed in wooden tubs. Luxury, simple yet elegant! Hualien Sugar Factory (花蓮觀光糖廠) Add: 19 Tangchang St., Dajin Village, Guangfu Township, Hualien County (花蓮縣光復鄉大進村糖廠街19號) Tel: +886-3-870-5881 Website: www.hualiensugar.com.tw (Chinese) Another option is the Amis-operated Lalan’s House (Lalan Unak), which offers lodging for mid-sized groups by reservation, in addition to cultural activities. The small inn is located in front of a marsh, once part of a larger wetlands area significantly reduced in recent years by construction projects. The ecosystem here was once a central part in the life of the local Amis. During our visit, the son of the hostel's proprietor gave us a demonstration of how an ingenious traditional three-layered fish trap, or palakaw, has been used to catch fish in the wetlands here. The eco-friendly fishing methods of the Amis are based on the natural lifecycles of aquatic animals, and are a great example of the sustainable use of natural resources. For those visitors interested in the local ecology and indigenous culture, the Tourism Center of the Guangfeng Farmers’ Association organizes guided wetland tours. Lalan’s House (拉藍的家民宿) Add: 15, Lane 42, Daquan St., Daquan Village, Guangfu Township, Hualien County (花蓮縣光復鄉大全村大全街42巷15號) Tel: +886-3-870-0015, +886-3-870-0721 Website: www.lalan-unak.com (Chinese) Guangfeng Farmers’ Association (光豐農會遊客中心) Add: 55 Daquan St., Daquan Village, Guangfu Township, Hualien County (花蓮縣光復鄉大全村大全街55號) Tel: +886-3-870-1861, +886-3-931-265-898 There is a wide variety of interesting foods available at the larger harvest festival events. In all of the communities we visited, wild boar is a major part of the festivities, eaten at every meal. In Mafo, several middle-aged men were tending to a pork stew being prepared in gigantic pots. “Other than salt, water, and bamboo shoots, all it contains is pork – the whole pig, and nothing but,” they boasted. The broth was simple but hearty, the blood adding a bit of a bitter nip after each mouthful. The larger festivals at Fata’an and Tafalong both had a variety of food vendors. In Fata’an we enjoyed fresh sea urchin (great with cold beer) and thick slabs of pepper-seasoned, charcoal-grilled pork with fresh scallions. Not a bad way to recover one’s stamina between dances! For a more complete meal, don’t miss the Cifadahan Café, which features simple, delicious Amis fare, including two traditional local staples: freshwater fish and wild vegetables. A set meal includes mouthwatering stone-grilled pork, a light soup, sticky rice, and crudités. The assortment of fresh, raw vegetables is, no doubt, like nothing you’ve seen come from a Chinese or Western kitchen – ferns, pigeon peas, pumpkin leaves, chayote, Chinese onion, miscanthus hearts, and hyacinth beans. Most of these vegetal delights are slightly bitter or astringent, and thus very refreshing when paired with a sweet dip. There are two interesting fish dishes on the menu. In the first, a large freshwater Taiwan tilapia is packed in salt and grilled over charcoal. Peeling back the salt-caked skin, you will find plenty of very juicy flesh. The second dish is a fish and vegetable stew served in a dried-leaf bowl. The staff adds heated river stones to the bowl to cook the stew before your eyes. All of the dishes are modestly seasoned so that the natural flavors of the ingredients – and their incredible freshness – will meet your palate with full force. The owner is an avid woodcarver, and her handiwork is on display everywhere at Cifidahan, many pieces adorned with her favorite owl motif. Cifadahan Café (紅瓦屋文化美食餐廳) Add: 16, Lane 62, Daquan St., Daquan Village, Guangfu Township, Hualien County (花蓮縣光復鄉大全村大全街62巷16號) Tel: +886-3-870-4601 Website: www.cifadahan.58168.net (Chinese) Info For more info about the when and where of the harvest festivities in Guangfu Township, contact the Guangfu Township Administration: Tel: +886-3-8702-206, ext. 21, 24, 58 Add: 257 Zhonghua Rd., Dahua Village, Guangfu Township, Hualien County (花蓮縣光復鄉大華村中華路257號) Website: www.guangfu.gov.tw (Chinese) For assistance in acquiring more information in English, you can also call the 24-hour tourist hotline of the Tourism Bureau at 0800-011-765. How to Get There To get to Guangfu Township, take a train following the eastern Taipei-Yilan-Hualien-Taitung route and get off at Guangfu Station. From there, take a taxi or rent a motor scooter to get to the festival grounds. The fastest trains from Taipei make the trip in about 3.5 hours. Guangfu Township on Google maps: http://tinyurl.com/guangfu ENGLISH & CHINESE Amis Tribe 阿美族 East Rift Valley 花東縱谷 Fengnianji 豐年祭 Futian 富田 Guangfu Township 光復鄉 Hualien City 花蓮市 Hualien Sugar Factory 花蓮糖厰 Mafo 馬佛 Mafu 馬富 Mataian 馬太鞍 Song of the Ocean 海洋之歌 Suao蘇澳 Taibalang 太巴塱 Taitung City 臺東市 Yilan 宜蘭 provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly November / December Issue, 2010 /news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2860&tag=13 Jan 2011 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H3 Jan 2011 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Covering an area of more than 90 hectares and presenting an estimated 25 million plants, in Taipei Int’l Flora Expo is going to be a massive event with countless attractions. There is much ground to be covered, but with the four park areas serving as venues being well connected by easy-to-follow footpaths, shuttle buses, and even a ferry service on the Keelung River, seeing it all even within a single day in not out of the realm of possibility. After many months of worksite busyness, the final touches have been put on the Flora Expo facilities and the big show is ready to go, set to run November 6, 2010 ~ April 25, 2011. Major buildings have strikingly innovative and futuristic exteriors, making one curious about the exhibitions that will be presented inside. The four major park areas the will serve as venues for the expo, which are interconnected, are all located north of Minzu East/West Road and south of the Keelung River. Each has been the recipient of a major facelift. So, once the exposition opens, where to start? Many visitors will opt to enter the Yuanshan Park Area first, because Yuanshan Station on Danshui Line (Red Line) of the city’s MRT (mass rapid transit) system is right next to its Gate 1. From the station’s elevated platform you can get a first glimpse of what awaits you in the adjacent park, and after leaving the station it’s just a short walk to the entrance. Another way to get to the expo by MRT is to take the Wenhu Line (Brown Line) to Songshan Airport Station and there transfer to the free Flora Expo shuttle bus to the Xinsheng Park Area. For other transport options check the Flora Expo website: www.2010taipeiexpo.tw The most prominent building you’ll see when entering the Yuanshan Park Area is the old Zhongshan Soccer Stadium to the right, which has been transformed into the Expo Dome. Inside is a superb floral-display area where visitors can appreciate the sprit of floriculture while learning about the latest international developments in this art. The Expo Dome will also host the international Indoor Flora Design Competition, a veritable Olympiad for florists, with maters in this art competing on a large scale, creating spectacular works. To the north of the stadium there is a large, open area with colorful flower fields, resembling those you can find in Taiwan’s numerous flower-cultivation area. Just east of the stadium is one of the remarkable of the Flora Expo structures, the Pavilion of New Fashion, also named the EcoARK. Shaped like a giant wooden ark, the pavilion is not only eye-catching bit, featuring a structural skeleton made of Taiwan-grown bamboo, walls built with recycled plastic bottles, and powered in part by solar and wind energy, it is also a decidedly “green” building. Along the curving Water Purification Corridor you can delve into the building’s eco-secrets as you learn about natural water purification, and the Ark Lab will feature video display on the building’s planning, groundwork, construction, and operation. After checking out the Pavilion of Culture and the Celebrity’s House, the former explaining the evolution of flowers and the latter centered on bonsai and flower arrangement along with celebrities and their favorite flowers, it’s time to move on to the Fine Arts Park Area by crossing the pedestrian bridge over Zhongshan North Road. The Expo Hall, to the right when entering the park, is the venue for the opening ceremony and for the duration of the expo it will host major international arts and cultural performances. The chrysalis-shaped facility is patterned on flower, butterfly, and green-living themes; and its half-open architecture allowing natural ventilation, plus its highly translucent ceiling allowing predominantly natural-light illumination, are the epitome of eco-friendly building concepts. After wandering through the Global Garden Area, featuring garden designs from around the world, you’ll reach the Pavilion of Aroma of Flowers. Adopting the imagery of an interlocking six-petal flower, the pavilion uses the power of curved surfaces to form an umbrella-shaped external structure that has a dynamic futuristic appearance. This is site of the Flora Expo’s biggest souvenir shop, an expensive space that will have over 1,000 different souvenirs for sale. To reach the Xinsheng Park Area, you need to pass through a long, luxuriant tunnel decorated with flowers. Highlights of this area are three concepts with solar-paneled roofs, plant-draped walls, and paths built from recycles plastic bottles. Cutting-edge interactive technologies are featured at the Pavilion of Domes, including high-curvature smart liquid-crystal displays, ultra-large-area surround-sound speakers giving out insect sounds and birdcalls recorded from nature, and bio-signal measurement systems offering visitors a fresh experience of nature with the help of high technology. This tour de force of Taiwan’s technological prowess takes participants on a journey of sensory wonders. Furthermore, the pavilion’s Theater of Dreams has showing of an animated feature with a storyline that takes the viewer on a quest for the source of dreams. The Pavilion of Future is Taiwan’s first smart energy-saving greenhouse, housing 30,000 individual plans from nearly 1,600 species found around Taiwan and with habitats ranging from frigid through tropical. Well worth visiting is the Orchid and Fern Exhibit Area, which pairs the beauty and uniqueness of Taiwan’s orchids with ferns. The Pavilion of Angel Life displays internationally created visual arts, dynamic aerial images, Earth art, and oceanic imagery to showcase the diverse splendor of Taiwan. There is also a Body-Mind-Sprit Spa and the Atrium Garden/ Aquatic Plants Area, forming a place of refuge where busy people can take a break from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Apart from its main pavilions, the Xinsheng Park Area also features variety of gardens as well as attractive architecture such as the Place of Floral Teas, where you can learn about life in imperial-era courtyard-style residences and about the preparation of floral teas. The last and most expansive park area is the Dajia Riverside Park Area on the south bank of the Keelung River. Many of the expo’s performances and cultural events are to take place here, in particular at the Eco-Theater, a horseshoe-shaped amphitheater built with great horticultural and artistic flair, the Expo Arena, where each day two shows with music, dance, drama, magic, and more are to be shown. On Carnival Boulevard visitors will be entertained daily with colorful parades led by a ladybug float followed by pixies, stilt walkers, the expo’s five Flower Fairy mascots, and another mascot called Yabi the Seed Baby. All these happy characters will take time to interact with the crowd – especially, of course, with the kids. Finally, after a fun-filled day taking in flowers and plants of all shapes and sizes, marveling at truly amazing state-of-the art green architecture, learning all about the rich flora of Taiwan, and enjoying vivid performance and entertainment programs, how about taking a ferry cruise on the Keelung River from the wharf at Dajia Riverside Park? Take in the mesmerizing lights of the city in the evening and let the sights and sounds you’ve experienced during your visit to the Taipei Int’l Flora Expo all sink in. From the Dajia Riverside Park Area you can then take a shuttle bus back to Yuanshan Park Area and MRT Yuanshan Station. ENGLISH & CHINESE Ark Lab 方舟實驗室 Carnival Boulevard 嘉年華大道 Dajia Riverside Park 大佳河濱公園 Eco-Theater 生態劇場 Expo Arena 行動巨蛋 Expo Dome 爭艷館 Expo Hall 舞蝶館 Fine Arts Park Area 美術公園區 Pavilion of Angel Life 天使生活區 Pavilion of Aroma of Flowers 風味館 Pavilion of Dreams 夢想館 Pavilion of Flora Teas 花茶殿 Pavilion of Future 未來館 Pavilion of New Fashion-EcoARK 流行館－遠東環生方舟 Theater of Dreams 夢想劇場 Water Purification Corridor 水淨化走廊 Xinsheng Park Area 新生公園區 Yuanshan Park Area 圓山公園區 For more info on the Flora Expo, visit the official website at www.2010taipeiexpo.tw Special guided tours in English and Japanese are available for foreign visitors free of charge. Ask at the information desks in the park areas’ main pavilions. Headphones for audio tours are available free of cost in exchange for depositing your ID; the headphones have to be returned the same day. Travel in Taipei, Follow Me! During the Flora Expo period, individual foreign visitors can also make use of a special guided city-tour service. 120 specially trained volunteer tour guides well versed in English, Japanese, Korean, French, Spanish, German, and other languages will stand by and be ready to take international visitors on 10 different tours listed below for visits of the myriad attractions of Taipei. The volunteer guides come from different walks of life and fields of expertise but have in common a deep passion for Taipei and are all eager to share this passion with visitors form around the world! A. Yangmignshan National Park and Shilin Night Market B. Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Feb. 28 Peace Park , and Ximending District C. CKS Shilin Residence, Shilin Assembly Center, Zhishan Park, and Naitonal Palace Museum D. Dalongdong’s Baoan Temple, Confucius Temple, The Red House, and Ximending District E. Xingtian Temple, Fortune Teller’s Street, and Taipei Mayor’s Residence Arts Salon F. Grand Hotel , Martyrs’ Shrine, and Ferris Wheel of Miramar Entertainment Park G. Taipei 101, Xinyi Commercial Area, Xinyi District Citizen Assembly Hall, Tonghua Street Night Market H. National Taiwan University, Taipei Water Park, and Gongguan & Shida Night Markets I. Beitou Public Library, Hot-Spring Museum, and Thermal Valley J. Danshui Riverside, Danshui Old Street, Mackay Memorial Hospital, and Fort San Domingo For more information, call +886-2-5551-1111 or visit: www.travelintaipei.com.tw Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly November / December Issue, 2010 /news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2861&tag=110 Jan 2011 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H10 Jan 2011 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)When the days of work in Taipei demand days of play away, the county of Yilan is never far away. This area is a splendid getaway destination for busy Taipei folk -- physically close yet psychologically a world away because of the thick lines of mountains between the big city and the laid-back northeast coast, a place largely defined by neatly demarcated farm plots and fishing villages. Yilan folk – mostly – live on the small Lanyang Plain, given a triangular shape by the run of mountains that courses right up to the Pacific on its north and another run hitting the sea on its south, the two coming together on its inland or “back” side. The mountains plus tectonic activity add up to a wealth of hot-spring fonts, and one fine recent day I up and decided to vacate the big city, hit the coast, and check out two newer high-end resorts recommended by hot-springs-loving friends. The first, Leo Ocean Resort, is on the coast right where you shoot out from the north-side mountains onto Lanyang Plain. Appropriately, this spot is called “Beiguan” or “North Pass.” The second, RSL Cold & Hot Springs Resort Suao, is just a hundred meters or two in from the coast on the southeast tip of the plain, where it is abruptly halted by a mountain wall. This picturesque venue is occupied by the well-known fishing and ROC navy port of Suao. Both locations serve as passes, with just enough room to fit the coastal Provincial Highway No. 2 between fast-rising mountains and breakers ramming the rocky coastline. The views, you may well imagine, are dramatic. Leo Ocean Resort is the brainchild and, quite evidently, the beloved child of developer John Kao, who could not wait for us to check in so he could take us on the grand tour. The resort, inside and out, is really quite lovely, built on a rugged slope right up to and onto the rocky shore, iconic Guishan “Turtle Mountain” Island, which can be seen from pretty much everywhere in the county, directly before us seven km offshore, fishing boats dragging their nets so close to the shore that we were to exchange many a wave during our stay. “I grew up in the Penghu in the Taiwan Strait,” John informed us, “so though I live in Taipei now I have a need for the sea. I found this spot over 30 years ago and have been buying up all the fishermen’s homes in the old village as they have become available. I bought the last just recently, so all my resort plans are set to go; this is just the first phase.” Yilan is known for progressive political leadership, with controls on building height and density plus demands that large-scale projects incorporate elements of traditional local architecture to ensure visual harmony. “Happy to oblige,” said Kao, pointing out his contributions. “Our exterior has extensive nods to traditional three-sided courtyard residences, with red brick liberally used along with white-mortar trim and with works of ceramic art worked right into the walls.” Though a large facility, the effect of these elements is calming. The grounds are landscaped so anything man-made blends seamlessly with the upraised coral, giant boulders, and stratified rock formations that surge from Earth’s depths, searching for the sky, an iconic Yilan visual. “We’ve sought minimal eco-impact,” said John. “You see? Paths split to accommodate ‘coral art,’ and our freshwater swimming pool is built around upraised ‘coral islands’.” The sea wall protecting grounds from breakers is mostly natural – the massive boulders strewn at shore-side – with minimal man-made wall connections. One man-made section separates sunken freshwater pool from sea, lined with shade umbrellas at which we took a Western breakfast, quite a thrill with breakers foaming just feet from our toes. Windows running from tub-sill to high ceiling create the feeling you are floating on the sea itself There are lovely alfresco saltwater hot-spring pools on the grounds, with superb ocean views, and each room, all sea-facing of course, is outfitted with a Japanese-style tub sculpted from stone and windows running from tub-sill to high ceiling, creating the feeling you are floating on the sea itself. “There are no surface hot-springs here,” John informed us. “We pipe up heated saltwater from 800 meters below. The waters seep down through the stratified rock layers, which throughout Yilan point seaward at 40-70 degrees. At 800 meters the temperature is just right, pollutants have been scoured away, and valuable minerals have been picked up.” The water looks but does not feel muddy, with no smell. The salt brings a nice buoyancy, allowing soakers to float “mid-air,” and I can attest to their effectiveness, arriving with bad back and sciatic nerve determined to pinch yet leaving a free man. An unexpected and decidedly pleasant bonus was the Lion’s Kingdom Museum, which takes up a good part of the main building, with free access from the hotel section. I was bedazzled by the finest collection of ancient Chinese treasure I’ve ever seen outside Taiwan’s National Palace Museum. This is John’s private collection, which he’s eager to share, and he was obviously in love with the art. “Most pieces are from China’s famous Dunhuang caves. I acquired much of this during the Cultural Revolution, when to own ancient art invited death. I had secret contacts in China and Hong Kong and managed to spirit out this priceless heritage, saving them from destruction.” After enjoying a personal tour I went back twice on my own, marvelling especially at the Tang Dynasty tri-color works with their non-Chinese horse riders and ceramics recovered from Southeast Asia shipwrecks still encrusted with sea-bottom mud. English tours are available, and for NT$600 non-guests get a tour and unlimited same-day access to the outdoor pools. The resort will give you free rides to/from the nearby train station in Jiaoxi (a well-known hot-springs resort town) and to nearby tourist sites: Beiguan Tidal Park, the launch-point for yacht tours to/around Guishan Island, and right beside this harbor the superb new Lanyang Museum, which relates Yilan’s history and is housed in a magnificent structure emulating the stratified rock that soars into the Yilan sky. After saying goodbye to our friendly host, we were off for our short train ride to sunny Suao across the paddy-sculpted Lanyang Plain. Leo Ocean Resort (理歐海洋溫泉渡假中心) Add: 36, Sec. 4, Binhai Rd., Toucheng Township (頭城鎮濱海路4段36號) Tel: (03) 978-0782 Website: www.leogroup.com.tw The good folk of the RSL Resort sent a taxi for us, and in just a minute or two we were at the front door. I noticed a rack of shiny new bikes lined up, none locked up. The resort encourages guests to explore the sleepy town, especially the close-by harbor, and Assistant PR Manager Cloudia Hsieh was soon to inform me that staff will also take you on hikes up the surrounding hills if you like. The RSL is a walled compound, with creamy-white buildings on all four sides focused inward for privacy, save for the tall “back” or harbor-facing rooms building, where many rooms offer an expansive panorama of the famed Suao Cold Springs Park, the busy harbor, and the scenery-bracketing mountains. Rooms are in Japanese tatami style or classical European style, and all have both hot and cold mineral waters piped in to upscale spa tubs. Mineral pools, some shimmering like cool glass, others bubbling with heat, take up a large open-front villa The buildings of the complex, in Italian Renaissance style, give form to an expansive and immaculate central courtyard almost entirely taken up with pools, freshwater and hot/cold spring waters. Mineral pools, some shimmering like cool glass, others bubbling with heat, take up a large open-front villa. Bathers can thus see almost all other bathers. There are also mineral pools in secluded corners, a quiet massage/spa/aromatherapy center, and separated male/female nude-bathing rooftop pools on the room-accommodation building, especially popular with Japanese visitors, with surfaces that seem to ease seamlessly with the Pacific’s blue waters in the distance. According to Cloudia, the RSL “is the only resort with both hot and cold spring-waters in Taiwan. The cold springs have high levels of naturally occurring carbon dioxide, and are the only carbonated cold-water springs of this type in Asia.” Asking about the hot-spring waters, I found that RSL had repeated the experience of Leo Ocean Resort. “We pipe our heated mineral waters up from the stratified rock, from a depth of 600 meters. In winter we offer more heated alfresco pools, and in summer more cold-spring choices.” A great treat during my stay was the inventive menu. However, it would be more accurate to say there is no menu. The chefs go to port and farmer’s markets early each day and select only the freshest and tastiest items, then build that day’s eclectic fusion menu around them. “I have worked here for some time now,” Cloudia informed me, “and have never had the same meal twice. No surprise, I still look forward to each meal-time.” Another unexpected treat was the real sense of friendliness on the part of staff, both toward guests and among each other. They appeared to always work in teams, always seemed to be smiling, and always seemed to be chatting amiably among themselves while going about their tasks. “This is the friendliest and happiest place I’ve ever worked at,” said Cloudia, who’s been in Palau, Shanghai, around Taiwan, and elsewhere. “Almost all our staff are local, but had to leave home for hospitality-industry studies. The fact they have found work near their families does wonders for morale, we have tremendous teamwork and pride in our ‘local’ resort, and customers continually comment on the family feeling they get during their stays.” RSL Cold & Hot Springs Resort Suao (瓏山林蘇澳冷熱泉渡假飯店) Add: 301 Zhongyuan Rd., Suao Township (蘇澳鎮中原路301號) Tel: (03) 996-6666, ext. 2005 Website: www.rslhotel.com Well now, ready for some down-home Yilan hospitality? Pack your bags; your county playgrounds awaits. Yilan is reached by comfy train from Taipei in just two hours, and your resorts will pick you up. English & Chinese Beiguan北關 Cloudia Hsieh謝宜芬 Dunhuang敦煌 Guishan Island 龜山島 Jiaoxi礁溪 John Kao 高建文 Lion’s Kingdom Museum 河東堂獅子博物館 Lanyang Museum蘭陽博物館 Lanyang Plain蘭陽平原 National Palace Museum故宮 Penghu Islands 澎湖群島 Suao 蘇澳 Suao Cold Springs Park 蘇澳冷泉公園 Yilan County宜蘭縣 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly November / December Issue, 2010 /news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2862&tag=117 Jan 2011 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H17 Jan 2011 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tainan, Lugang, Hsinchu, and other old towns and cities on Taiwan’s west coast may lay claim to the island’s oldest buildings and documented historical legacy, but for an understanding of an even earlier period in the country’s past, for glimpses of more traditional lifestyles, and for a vision of how sustainable, environmentally sensitive practices might hold the key to everyone’s future--as well as for a thoroughly enjoyable trip--visitors should head to the southeastern county of Taitung. Up until around 400 years ago, the island of Taiwan was wild, untamed country. It was still outside the Chinese empire; indeed, it was outside any other empire or organized state. Control of its farmlands and hunting forests was divided up between several dozen groups of Austronesian aboriginal groups (distant relatives of the Hawaiians, Maoris, Malayans, and others) who traded and fought with each other and with the outside world. By the beginning of the 17th century, a small number of Han Chinese and Japanese had established bases for fishing and trade on the island, but at most they numbered only around two percent of the total population, compared with the several hundred thousand aborigines. Four centuries later Taiwan’s Austronesian peoples find their position reversed. In succession came the establishment of small Dutch and Spanish colonies and zealous Christian missionary work in their environs; settlement of much of their ancestral lands by Fujianese and Hakka immigrants from mainland China, and encroachment on their cultures via war, intermarriage, and assimilation; cession to Japan of the whole island and resulting “imperialization” of all islanders; and finally, five decades of one-party government, which in the face of outside threat from Communist China stressed unity over cultural diversity They now represent a tiny minority of around two percent of the total population. Furthermore, their native cultures and languages are forgotten or under threat of being forgotten, and many aborigines are marginalized economically. There is hope on the horizon, however, as the last two decades have seen a reversal in the fortunes of Taiwan’s “first nations.” Not only has their self-respect and pride in their cultures blossomed – as illustrated, for example, by their demands to be called Yuanzhumin (“original inhabitants”) rather than Shandiren (“mountain people”) and to be allowed to use their non-Chinese personal names on passports and other official documents – but there has also been complementary growth in respect for and interest in the country’s diverse cultures among the majority Han Chinese population. Fourteen extant ethnicities are currently recognized by the government, up from nine 20 years ago, with other groups still being appraised for inclusion. Each group has its own distinct cultural traits and language (which are more dissimilar than Chinese dialects), and tribespeople are actively researching their almost-forgotten traditions, histories, and legends. Arts and handicrafts are being revived and skills passed on to eager members of the new generation. A selection of these arts and traditions, such as singing and dancing, the barbequed boar often offered at hotel receptions, and the woodcarvings and textiles on sale in gift shops, is the face of collective indigenous culture most frequently seen by local and international tourists. But these elements represent only one aspect of tribal life. To gain a better understanding of both the traditions and current conditions of the island’s minority population, visitors must spend a little more effort and a little more time than is needed for a trip to the Taipei 101 tower or the National Palace Museum in Taipei. They should get away from the regular tourist itineraries and head for some of Taiwan’s less-accessible areas. While those aborigines who inhabited coastal lands around the earliest established cities on the western hills and plains, such as Tainan, Lugang, and Hsinchu, were the first to be assimilated into Han Chinese society, others living in the mountains, along Taiwan’s eastern seaboard, and on distant Orchid Island to the southeast have managed to maintain more of their original cultures. The county of Taitung (“Taiwan East”) is among the best places to start one’s exploration. The last part of Taiwan proper to be settled by immigrants from mainland China, it still retains much of its natural beauty and rural charm, and is sparsely populated with only one percent of Taiwan’s 23 million people living here. Nevertheless, around 15 percent of these – some 34,000 – are aborigines, and seven of the 14 recognized aboriginal ethnic groups are represented. Taitung is among the best places to start one’s exploration of indigenous culture in Taiwan They live mostly in small villages, generally called buluo, typically of just a few dozen households. This is where outsiders can see the “real” lives of Taiwan’s indigenous people today. There is no official tourist itinerary in place, so visitors are free to explore the county’s 15 townships with their numerous buluo. They should remember to respect residents’ privacy, of course, and be sensitive about taking photographs and asking questions. Many villages have some kind of craft shop or arts center, or organize and publicize performances and other events, thereby indicating their desire to engage with tourists. The craft and produce shops, often located where the village meets a main road, are probably the best place to start before taking a wander round the smaller streets behind. Spending the night in an aboriginal-style minsu (“homestay”) is another good way to contribute to the tribal economy while gaining firsthand experience of local life. At first sight, the concrete and tiles of aboriginal homes and the jeans and t-shirts of their occupants look much the same as those of their Han Chinese compatriots. Traditional building materials such as slate and wood, and the techniques used in constructing ground-level and semi-subterranean houses, are largely restricted to museum displays, while such attractions as fur hats decorated with boar tusks and shell-ornamented vests are common only as the costumes of dancers at the evening show of the five-star hotel in Taitung City, the county capital. One doesn’t have to go much further than this, however, for exposure to the quintessentials of old-style aboriginal living. On a recent visit by this writer to Dongxing buluo, a mixed community of members of the Paiwan and Rukai tribes just a few kilometers inland (west) from Taitung City, an elderly man driving a small Mitsubishi van stopped to chat. In the back of the van was a dog – nothing particularly unusual in that – but the dog was not the Labrador, golden retriever or basset hound beloved by city dwellers, but a scrawny mongrel with a strong stare; a typical aboriginal hunting dog. And around the man’s neck hung a bag made from boar hide. He explained that on this day he was returning empty-handed from the mountains, and having been up since before dawn his day’s work was largely done. Elsewhere in the village, a woman was husking rice using a hand-powered wooden contraption normally seen in museums or on display in restaurants that wish to create an atmosphere of old-world authenticity. If she had been standing on the main road or outside the village’s handicraft workshop it might have felt phony, but here in a back street she was simply going about her daily activity. It looked like hard work, and although she didn’t pause, she was happy to pass the time of day. Down the road at Xinxing buluo, close inspection of people’s homes showed that in fact they are not so similar to those of their Han Chinese neighbors as they might at first appear. Paiwan aborigines have a strong tradition of wood and stone carving, and many of the houses in this village are decorated with woodcarvings, ranging in size from small ornamental house numbers to large door frames and wall friezes. Relief sculptures vary in quality from roughly hewn images to intricate and expressive works that would not be out of place in a museum of fine art. Subjects include geometric designs and human figures – often with an emphasis on genitalia, which again is not common in Han Chinese art – as well as hunting scenes and depictions of plants and animals. Particularly in evidence are snakes, which is not surprising since it is the ancestral totem of the island’s 67,000 Paiwan aborigines, of whom 14,500 live in Taitung County. Homes of Rukai, of whom 1,200 reside within the county, are often similarly decorated with carvings. Many of the houses in the village are decorated with woodcarvings, ranging from small ornamental house numbers to large door frames and wall friezes Although the carvings and sculptures often look abstract, they sometimes record local events. For example, during my visit one elderly woman proudly posed next to a painted bas-relief that clearly depicted herself, albeit quite a few years younger. These groups’ skill in woodworking is said to result from their strict social hierarchies, the noble families having been rich enough to employ and train artisans. Other groups with more egalitarian social structures, such as the Amis (146,000 island-wide and 4,400 locally), tend to focus on weaving and clothing handicrafts. Another indication of prestige and wealth is the toumu jia (chieftain’s house), often the largest, most decorated and clearly identified house in a Paiwan village. Although a system of appointing chieftains was forced on non-hierarchical tribes during the period of Japanese rule in Taiwan (1895-1945), since it facilitated implementation of the colonial administration’s rules and commands, it tended to follow a more democratic procedure and to some extent has waned in postwar years. Another sign of indigenous residence – though for this visitors will require specialist knowledge or the guidance of a local expert – is the presence of unusual trees and plants along the roadside. These are sometimes consumed as foods or medicines, but are more commonly used as components in dyes or for other chemical properties. Other shrubs and trees are used as boundary markers. Although visitors should feel free to explore the county and make their own discoveries, one destination that deserves to be on all itineraries is the memorial to the first arrival of Austronesian peoples on Taiwan on a slope beside the main highway at Sanhe, a coastal village southwest of Taitung City. While the memorial and the nearby works of art are interesting in themselves, try to visit with a local tribe member. He or she will be able to explain the story, as well as the significance, of rituals performed here. One should not worry too much if the explanation differs from other versions heard: this is probably because the memorial means slightly different things to different ethnic groups, and each group and even subgroup has its own oral histories and legends regarding the arrival of their ancestors in Taiwan. According to Puyuma of the local Jiban sub-tribe, ancestors comprising two women and one man, named Paluh, Tavutav, and Sukasakaw, landed nearby. Everyone is descended from one or other, the Jianhe sub-tribe deriving from the elder sister, the Nanwan sub-tribe from the younger sister, and the Jiban sub-tribe from the brother. Another explanation is that the Nanwan are descended from bamboo, and the Jiban from stones. All this is depicted in the stele. The Paiwan living in the Sanhe area have their own origin legends, which are similarly carved onto a stele. If possible, visitors should also try to attend a harvest festival, since it is at such events that local aborigines celebrate for themselves their rich histories and seek to pass on traditions to the younger generation. Finding one to witness should not be too difficult as there are 154 such celebrations throughout the county, mostly in the summer and autumn, lasting from two to eight days. Details can be obtained from the Taitung County Government (www.taitung.gov.tw). For those who like a little theory to back up their firsthand experiences, a visit to the Beinan Cultural Park, located west of Taitung Railway Station, and the National Museum of Prehistory, located south of Kangle Railway Station, the next stop south on the main railway line, are recommended. In addition to being a pleasant location to relax and enjoy the views over Taitung City and the sea beyond, the park also has an education center, a performance hall, and a forest where ancient ecosystems are maintained. There is also an archaeological site, originally the location at which some of the earliest known human inhabitants of Taiwan made their home, where more than 1,500 burial plots have been unearthed. Funereal items, stone tools and weapons, pottery vessels and jade ornaments are on display. The museum also emphasizes the ancient people’s relationship with the environments in which they lived. But like most trips to new places, it is usually not the sights seen but the people met that leave the most lasting impressions. Thus it was with my visit, and hopefully it will be for readers too. One good example was Presbyterian minister Sakinu Tepiq of the Paiwan Tribe in Taimali Township, a place better known to tourists for its day lilies and hot springs. Sakinu’s passion for the development of his community after many years of neglect was inspiring. In particular, his dedication to helping the young people of his tribe rediscover their traditions by talking with the elders, and learning to live in harmony with nature, is something everyone can take heart from. ENGLISH & CHINESE Amis Tribe 阿美族 Beinan Cultural Park 卑南文化公園 buluo 部落 Dongxing 東興 Hsinchu 新竹 Lugang 鹿港 minsu 民宿 Paiwan Tribe 排灣族 Puyuma Tribe 卑南族 Rukai Tribe魯凱族 Sakinu Tepiq 戴明雄 Sanhe 三和 Shandiren 山地人 Taimali Township 太麻里 Tainan 台南 Taitung 台東 toumu jia 頭目家 Xinxing 新興 Yuanzhumin 原住民 zu 族 National Museum of Prehistory (國立臺灣史前文化博物館) Add: 1 Bowuguan Rd., Taitung City (臺東市博物館路1號) Tel: (089) 233-466 Website: www.nmp.gov.tw Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly November / December Issue, 2010/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2863&tag=124 Jan 2011 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H24 Jan 2011 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)The arts of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples are my passion. Their unique aesthetic quality comes from the particular place where the artist lives and his/her cultural background. They are what has inspired me to promote Taiwan’s indigenous culture internationally and visit indigenous villages around Taiwan whenever time allows. My first contact with this land’s indigenous cultures was in 1997 when I started working at the National Museum of Natural Science in Taichung. One of the permanent exhibitions in that museum is on the indigenous peoples of Taiwan. To be able to explain this exhibition to international visitors, I needed to study the history and culture of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples. I sought out information from the ethnologists on staff and my indigenous coworkers. One of my coworkers was from the Rukai Tribe and invited me to his home in Wutai Village of Wutai Township in Pingtung County. Experiencing Indigenous Culture for the First Time As we walked around the village, we saw a group of women preparing pigeon peas, a common ingredient in indigenous cuisine. Later, we came across another group of women, a little bit older, also working and chatting. Some of them wore flower wreaths. My friend explained that women traditionally wore such wreaths for their fragrance and beauty. Soon, I was presented with a beautiful wreath of my own to wear. We then visited a very elderly woman with fading tattoos on the backs of her hands, a tradition that is no longer practiced. She explained the meaning of the tattoos to us in the Rukai language, with my friend providing the translation. I couldn’t help but be struck by the warmth of the people and their willingness to share their culture. I couldn’t help but be struck by the warmth of the people and their willingness to share their culture My friend’s family ran a guesthouse, one of about a dozen in the village, and that is where I stayed. The Rukai custom is to politely address an older woman as “ina,” which is what I called my friend’s mother. This made us both smile and laugh as though we were sharing an inside joke. One of the most characteristic images of the village is the rows of houses above the elementary school. The facades of these homes are decorated in slate, which is found on the surrounding slopes. Traditional dwellings were built with slate, and the village residents decided that this material should be incorporated into their modern architecture. This image is framed by the towering mountains that encircle the village. In recent years typhoons have brought destruction to Wutai Township and now, whenever there is heavy rain, there is the threat of the road leading into and out of Wutai Village becoming blocked by rockslides. But this has not dampened the spirit or friendliness of the people living there. Discovering the Art of the Paiwan It was also on that first trip that I bought my first indigenous-made handicraft, a bead bracelet. On the way to his village, my friend stopped at the Sha Tao Lazurite Art workshop in Sandi Village of Sandimen Township, which produces bead jewelry. Lead-glass beads have always been an important part of the Paiwan Tribe’s culture, representing social status and position, serving as important betrothal gifts, and providing protection against evil spirits. The owner of the workshop, Shatao, and other artists make both traditional- and contemporary-style beads. Today’s handicrafts, such as these beads, have developed as a way for artists to preserve the culture of their people and to take advantage of increasing tourism. Sandimen Township has led the way in handicrafts-based tourism in Taiwan, and it can be argued that this has resulted in too much commercialism. However, it is still possible to find quality handicrafts with cultural meaning in this area. This craft was once in danger of becoming extinct, as many of the beads and handicrafts were taken away by or sold to collectors and there was no knowledge of how to make them. Then Umass Zingrur, a Paiwan artist, stepped in. He researched a quartz-clay formula that resulted in beads that look like the traditional lead-glass ones. At his workshop, the Sandimen Bead Workshop, you can watch as these beads are produced and purchase some of the jewelry on display or order something custom-made. Umass’s workshop and the workshops in Sandi Village are all very accessible, located off Provincial Highway No. 24, which connects to National Freeway No. 3. If the road is open, it is possible to take Provincial Highway No. 24 all the way up to Wutai Village. However, a mountain permit is required to enter the village, which can be obtained at a local police station in the Pingtung. Much to See and Do in Pingtung County If your travels to Pingtung County take you to Kenting National Park and the Hengchun Peninsula instead of its high mountains, consider a detour from Provincial Highway No. 26 onto County Road No. 199 to Mudan Township. During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan (1895-1945), this area was referred to as the “botanical garden” of Taiwan, and with good reason. Wild peonies, white ginger lilies, and other wild flowers take turns blooming throughout the year in breathtaking patches of color. As soon as I arrived in Shimen Village on my first visit to Mudan three years ago, a friend took me to the home of Auniyaw, the founder of the Mudan Township Aboriginal Tourism and Cultural Industry Development Association. Within the first minutes of meeting her I felt like family. She explained that there are six Paiwan villages in Mudan Township and then added that in each of the villages the people are known for a specific characteristic, such as having received a high education or being thin or tall. While there I met up with Chen Shi-jie, or Ah Jie, who used to work in Taipei, but left his job to return to his village. He told me about a trail that the young people of Shimen have fixed up and that leads to the ruins of a village where according to legend once lived a people very short in stature. It is only about 300 meters long, up a sturdy wooden stairway. The ruins of the stone houses show that the walls come up only to the waist. There is no way that a person of average size would be able to fit inside. Thus, there may be some truth to this legend. We also visited the Jiade Gorge Indigenous Plant Educational Park, operated by Auniyaw’s association. It cultivates plants traditionally used by the Paiwan people, which Auniyaw explains to interested visitors. These plants along with the area’s hot-spring waters are used to make handmade soap, which can be purchased at the park. Running alongside the park is a nature trail leading to a crystal-clear stream. There is a saying in Taiwan that the farther south you travel, the warmer the weather and the people. Pingtung County lies at the southern end of Taiwan. It should thus come as no surprise that all of the places mentioned here are in Pingtung County or that the indigenous areas of Pingtung County are the ones that I travel to the most. It is the natural beauty of this part of Taiwan and the hospitality and creativity of its indigenous people that bring me back again and again, each time discovering something new. (Note: Cheryl is the founder and owner of the Tribe-Asia Company; www.tribe-asia.com) Sha Tao Lazurite Art (沙滔琉璃珠藝術工坊) Add: 7, Lane 37, Zhongzheng Road, Sec. 2, Sandimen Township, Pingtung County (屏東縣三地門鄉中正路二段37巷7號) Tel: (08) 799-4849; 0915-563-037 Sandimen Bead Workshop (山地門串珠工房) Add: 215-1, Zhongxiao Road, Shuimen Village, Neipu Township, Pingtung County (屏東縣内埔鄉水門村忠孝路二段215-1號) Tel: (08) 799-4046 Jiade Gorge Indigenous Plant Educational Park (佳德谷原住民植物教學園區)/Mudan Township Indigenous Tourism and Cultural Industry Development Association (牡丹鄉原住民觀光文化產業發展協會) Add: 20km marker along County Road 199, Mudan Township, Pingtung County (牡丹鄉, 屏東縣) Tel: (08) 883-1188; 0913-186-080 ENGLISH & CHINESE Auniyaw 奧妮耀 Chen Shi-jie 陳世傑 Hengchun Peninsula 恆春半島 Kenting National Park 墾丁國家公園 Mudan Township牡丹鄉 Mudan Township Aboriginal Tourism and Cultural Industry Development Association 牡丹鄉原住民觀光文化產業發展協會 National Museum of Natural Science 國立自然科學博物館 Paiwan Tribe 排灣族 Pingtung 屏東 Rukai Tribe魯凱族 Sandi Village 三地村 Sandimen Township 三地門鄉 Shatao 沙滔 Shimen Village石門村 Umass Zingrur巫瑪斯-金路兒 Wutai Township霧台鄉 Wutai Village霧台村 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly November / December Issue, 2010/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2864&tag=131 Jan 2011 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H31 Jan 2011 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)In a world where many people feel apathy, dissatisfaction, and a treadmill lifestyle seem almost preordained, how often do you meet someone who’s gone to great lengths to follow a different path? And in a world where every outside force seems to ask you to conform, isn’t it inspiring to meet someone who has maintained their own ideals? Taiwan’s great “Economic Miracle” (a period of rapid industrialization starting in the 1960s) did wonders for the country, bringing such benefits as education and doctors and upward mobility to the masses. An unintended consequence, however, is that wealth and opportunity are now centered in crowded cities. Most Taiwanese see urban life as offering the only path to economic success and, in turn, happiness. For this reason, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found on a recent trip to Sanzhi. This small town, located minutes from the picturesque beaches of Taiwan’s north coast, is home to a fresh, bustling community of “renegades” who have given up on big-city life; they’ve sought out a peaceful, sustainable existence. While the people I met have unique stories, and varying ambitions, all share a strong sense of pride in the lives they are leading and a refreshing perspective on what gives life meaning. Walking along the narrow, winding roads of Sanzhi, one can’t help but smile. Neighbors take time to stop and chat; children ride their bikes in the street; people are genuinely pleasant and show a clear interest in their community. It brought me back to my childhood in the sleepy suburbs of southern California. However, to truly understand the micro-revolution that is happening there, I had to get to know the residents better than this. My first stop was a homestay (bed and breakfast)/kindergarten called Animal Church, owned by Mrs. Huang Rui-ling, who is the “pioneer” of the Sanzhi community of idealists, a passionate speaker, and a person sure of herself and her ideas. She enthusiastically explained that many of Sanzhi’s residents are working together to form a healthy, viable alternative to city life. She started the community by hosting religious meetings in her home, and the group has now grown to about 120 families – some looking for a Christian environment, but many just trying to escape the rat-race. She showed me her property, where she keeps chickens, providing eggs to local businesses and families. With a terrace overlooking endless rice fields and a cute little playground, I had no doubt that this space could easily win the hearts and imaginations of young and old alike. She also showed me her workshop, where she and her husband make all of their own furniture. Her husband was busily sawing and sanding a new creation, but took a few moments to show me around. He explained that his true passion is teaching the people of his community (as well as the homestay’s guests) how to work with wood, so they themselves can do carpentry. The Huangs love the work they’re doing and the community they’ve helped to create. They see true value in a community that works together, each family making a contribution. After chatting over coffee, Mrs. Huang took me (and her goats) on a walk around town. Every bend in the road brought smiling faces; each person we encountered was warm and friendly. There was a tangible feeling of happiness and peace that is often hard to find in an urban setting. There is also an oddly international feel to the town; small cafés and homestays dot the streets, one of southern Greek style, another looking more Mexican. Many of the buildings have large murals or lavish paint-schemes. There was a tangible feeling of happiness and peace that is often hard to find in an urban setting. We headed down a muddy path and, soon, were walking past rice fields and through meadows. As I lazily strolled along, marveling at my surroundings – the greenery, the silence, the serenity – I imagined myself picking up and moving to the country. My daydream was rudely interrupted, however, when one of my new goat-friends started chasing me. I ran and screamed, like the city boy that I am, but Mrs. Huang just looked on and laughed, no doubt pitying my sheltered existence. After the goat moved on, to ram some bushes, my heartbeat returned to normal and I couldn’t help but laugh; how many of my neighbors in Taipei had the joy of being chased by a goat that day? Heading back into town, we stopped at a splendid-looking pizzeria (Pizza Olmo). The structure itself could have come straight from the south of Italy. With arched adobe doorways, Spanish-tile floors, and sunny ocean-view verandas, it was immediately apparent that Mr. Li Ming-zhe (the owner and head chef) had thought of every detail – even the bathrooms were meticulously decorated. With the scent of fresh-baked bread billowing through the kitchen, and seeing the authentic Italian menu and the wood-fire oven, I had to stop and ask Mr. Li, “How on Earth did you do this?” He sat down with me as his staff brought us Italian coffee and fresh-baked, thin-crust pizza. He explained that he had learned about pizza while living with his brother outside of Milan, Italy – ironically, he admits, in light of the fact they were running a Chinese restaurant there. Mr. Li is very proud of his pizzeria, and has a photo album documenting the transformation of the building as it went from an abandoned and dilapidated structure overrun with weeds to the grand attraction that it is today. He boasts that he laid every brick and painted every wall himself, though he’s proudest, he adds, of his brick oven. He then pointed to the eggs in the refrigerator. “You think you can get eggs that fresh in the city?” The pizza was delicious, worth an article in itself, but Mr. Li was much more excited about the relaxed and welcoming spirit of the area’s people. He pointed to a teenage boy working the oven and mixing the dough. “That is Mrs. Huang’s son! You think he could get this kind of experience in a cram school?” He then pointed to the eggs in the walk-in refrigerator, “They come from Mrs. Huang’s chickens. You think you can get eggs that fresh in the city?” Mr. Li grew up in Banqiao (a suburb of Taipei), but disliked the locked doors and closed people. “Everyone in Sanzhi knows one another, they’re all working together.” As I was getting ready to go, Mr. Li admitted that his restaurant wasn’t very well known outside of Sanzhi, and that – at times – business could be slow. “The thing is,” he said, pausing for a moment, “I’ve already fulfilled my dream.” With that, he gave me a warm smile and a handshake, and I promised I’d be back soon. My final stop was Gezhi Chuang Zhibo Art Café, owned by Mr. Chen Jian-xiong and his wife Lin Min-hui. Mr. Chen, confident, handsome, and polite, was formerly a banker in Taipei and is an old friend of Mrs. Huang. He and his wife finally made the leap to Sanzhi, chasing “peace and happiness,” about a year ago, and are thrilled with their new life. He couldn’t stop talking about the greenery, the quiet streets, and the happy children. He compared the local lifestyle with the popular Facebook application FarmVille, joking that the children in Sanzhi are working on real farms. The Chens also built their abode by hand – a quaint, European-style café with a classic, antique feel to it – and are proud of the hard work they put in. We munched on fresh brownies and muffins, all baked by Mrs. Chen, who uses her free time to teach local folk her baking secrets. Mr. Chen, on the other hand, is working hard to build up tourism in the area. He excitedly explained that the unique sights and attractive local culture are worthy of domestic and international tourists alike. Mr. Chen is bringing a businessman’s perspective to the area, though he is determined to build things up slowly and sustainably. The Chens finally made the leap to Sanzhi, chasing “peace and happiness,” about a year ago, and are thrilled with their new life. After enjoying enough coffee to last three weeks, and enough stimulating conversation to last a year, it was finally time for me to head back to my home in Taipei and tend to my Facebook farm. During the car ride, as I made my way from the gentle hills of Sanzhi to the North Coast Highway and then along the ever-busier streets of Danshui town and Taipei City, I thought about all I’d seen and who I’d met that day. I recalled a book I’d seen in Mrs. Huang’s kindergarten – County Mouse and City Mouse, the tale of a country mouse which accidentally ends up in the city. Terrified of the crowds and traffic, it desperately wants to get home. Simultaneously, the city mouse gets stuck in the country, and dreads the wild animals and lack of shelter. In the end each returns home safely, appreciating their own “comfortable” lives. At this, it clicked – I am a true city boy, much happier to see an approaching subway train than a wild goat, and I’ll take twenty-four-hour Thai restaurants over ocean views. But that’s just me. For my Sanzhi friends, happiness is found elsewhere. The beauty of life is that wherever you find yourself, with passion and dedication happiness is always attainable. Apathy and dissatisfaction are not preordained. And this realization was worth being chased by a rampaging rebel goat…was it not? Info More info about Taiwan’s northern coast at www.northguan-nsa.gov.tw More info about Sanzhi District at www.sanchih.tpc.gov.tw/ Location of Sanzhi on Google maps: http://tinyurl.com/Sanzhi Animal Church (動物教堂) Add: 85 Zhibo Rd., Sanzhi District, New Taipei City (新北市三芝區芝柏路85號) Tel: 0928-072-135 Pizza Olmo Add: 46 Zhibo Rd., Sanzhi District, New Taipei City (新北市三芝區芝柏路46號) Tel: (02) 2636-2758 Blog: tw.myblog.yahoo.com/pizzaolmo-0920215600/ (Chinese) Gezhi Chuang Zhibo Art Café (格子窗芝柏藝術咖啡館) Add: 1 Zhibo 2nd St., Sanzhi District, New Taipei City (新北市三芝區芝柏二街1號) Tel: (02) 2636-6906, 0932-316-854 Blog: tw.myblog.yahoo.com/grille_coffeehouse/ (Chinese) ENGLISH & CHINESE Banqiao 板橋 Chen Jian-xiong 陳建雄 Danshui 淡水 Huang Rui-ling 黃瑞齡 Li Ming-zhe 李明哲 Lin Min-hui 林愍慧 Sanzhi 三芝 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly November / December Issue, 2010 /news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2865&tag=19 Feb 2011 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H9 Feb 2011 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Each year, the official Taiwan Lantern Festival is staged by a chosen county or city government. This year the honors go, for the first time, to the county of Miaoli in northwestern Taiwan. This year’s festival will be extra-special, as it will not only be a welcoming celebration for the Year of the Rabbit’s entry but will also be a centennial celebration for the Republic of China, founded after the Chinese Revolution that started near the end of 1911. As in previous editions of the festival, the giant main lantern and the smaller-sized side lanterns will be in the shape of the zodiac animal for the year. There will also be a large number of other rabbit-shaped lanterns, bringing the total number of rabbit lanterns to 100, the number of years the ROC has been in existence. Furthermore, centenarians and those born in any Year of the Rabbit will be invited to attend the lighting of the lanterns ceremony. Another highlight of the festival will be an attempt to break the Guinness world record for most traditional Chinese lanterns assembled in one place, which currently stands at 47,759 and was set during the Taiwan Lantern Festival in 2008 staged in Tainan County. The Miaoli organizers have also come up with a slew of great new ideas to make this festival even more attractive and memorable than its predecessors. There will be a “Bombing the Dragon” ritual, long a part of Miaoli’s annual Lantern Festival celebrations organized by the local Hakka communities. A rich entertainment program will include stage performances featuring theater, music, and dance, and there will be a street parade a la Disneyland with floats decorated with rabbit lanterns. During the 12 days of the festival there will be many options for visitors to tour the countryside and scenic areas of Miaoli, as there will be shuttle-bus connections to all 18 townships and a wide range of package tours for domestic and international travelers on offer. How to Get There Railway: Take a conventional train to Zhunan Railway Station (about 1.5 hrs from Taipei, 3.5hrs from Kaohsiung). During the event there will be shuttle buses running between the station and the festival grounds. By car: Take National Freeway No. 1 (Sun Yat-sen Freeway) to the Toufen Exit; follow Prov. Hwy No. 1 South; turn right onto Yongzhen Rd., Sec. 2 and follow the signs to the festival grounds. Taiwan Lantern Festival in Miaoli Date: Feb. 17~28, 2011 Venue: Zhunan Sports Park, Zhunan Township, Miaoli County (苗栗縣竹南鎮竹南運動公園) Organizer: Miaoli County Government Website: www.miaoli.gov.tw Other Lantern Festival Activities around Taiwan Taipei Lantern Festival 臺北燈節 Staged for the first time in 1990, the annual Taipei Lantern Festival is mother of the many major Lantern Festival celebrations now staged in many cities around Taiwan each year. Due to the event’s huge popularity, the festival has been expanded with each edition; it features a huge theme lantern in the shape of the zodiac animal of the year and many lantern-exhibition areas with lanterns in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Date: Feb. 11~20, 2011 Venue: Area around Taipei City Hall and grounds of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (臺北市政府周邊，國父紀念館) Organizer: Taipei City Government (臺北市政府) Website: English.taipei.gov.tw New Taipei City Pingxi International Sky Lantern Festival 平溪國際天燈節 The old mining town of Pingxi in New Taipei City is an excellent destination for day-trips from the capital offering beautiful landscapes, historic sights, and a fun train ride on a branch railway line. Usually a quiet town, once a year huge crowds gather here for an unforgettable slight, the releasing of the thousands of paper lanterns into the night sky. Definitely a festival not to be missed! Date: Feb. 06, Feb. 12, Feb. 17, 2011 Venue: Pingxi District, New Taipei City (新北市平溪區) Organizer: New Taipei City Government (新北市政府) Website: www.tpc.gov.tw Kaohsiung Lantern Festival 高雄燈會藝術節 In response to the great success of the Taipei Lantern Festival, the city of Kaohsiung first staged its own large-scale version in 2001 when it was chosen to organize the Taiwan Lantern Festival. From that year on the banks of Lover River, and more recently the area around Glory Pier as well, have been the venues for memorable lantern displays. Incorporating the city’s river and harbor waters, the festival attracts visitors with mesmerizing shows of lights and reflections. Date: Feb. 12~28, 2011 Venue: Area around Glory Pier and Love River, Kaohsiung (高雄市光榮碼頭及愛河周邊) Website: www.kcg.gov.tw Taichung Lantern Festival 中台灣元宵燈會 Since 2006, Taiwan’s third-largest city has delighted lantern-lovers (especially the little ones) with its own version of the Lantern Festival celebrations. Using famous cartoon characters such as snoopy (2006), Piglet (2007), Micky Mouse & Minne Mouse (2008), Baseball Bulls (2009), and Tiger (2010) for the theme lantern designs, the organizers have add a playful note to the festival. Will it be Bugs Bunny in 2011, the Year of the Rabbit? Date: February 10~20, 2011 Venue: Wenxin Forest Park, Taichung city (台中市文心森林公園) Organizer: Taichung City Government (台中市政府) Website: english.tccg.gov.tw/ Tainan Yanshui Beehive Rockets Festival 台南鹽水蜂炮 Visiting the small town of Yanshui in Tainan County and taking part in the annual Beehive Rockets Festival is probably the most adrenalin-inducing experience you will ever have on this island, and likely anywhere else. Multiple mobile launch platforms will fire hundreds of thousands of tiny rockets in to the sky – and into the crowds of revelers. Proper protection (full-face motorcycle helmet, thick scarf, and thick winter coat) is essential if you want to leave the festival exactly as you arrived. Date: Feb. 17, 2011 Venue: Wu temple, Yanshui Junior High School and other locations in Yanshui Township (鹽水鎮、武廟、鹽水國中等地) Website: www.tainan.gov.tw Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly January/ February Issue, 2011 /news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2866&tag=114 Feb 2011 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H14 Feb 2011 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)From the mountains of Yangmingshan to the rocky cliffs along the north and northeastern coast, there are many fine road trips within just an hour or two of downtown Taipei. But for those with a little more time to spare, a truly sublime journey is to travel along the 170-kilometer stretch of Provincial Highway No. 9 between Hualien and Taitung cities in eastern Taiwan. One of a pair of arteries connecting the two county capitals (the other, Hwy No. 11, follows the coast), No. 9’s tranquility and rural beauty derive from the relative economic underdevelopment of the long north-south rift valley it traverses. This does not mean there are not plenty of things to see and do, however, and the following is merely a brief introduction to a few of them. As the region has been inhabited – perhaps continuously, perhaps on and off – since around 6,000 years ago, the logical place to start (or finish for those traveling north to south) is the National Museum of Prehistory (www.nmp.gov.tw) in the southern suburbs of Taitung City. Location of this important and interesting institution so far from the nation’s capital stems from the discovery of ancient graves during construction of Taitung’s new railway station in the Beinan area, for which the culture was named. A ticket gives entry to both museum (which, with sections introducing all of Taiwan’s major archaeological sites, its current indigenous ethnicities, and its natural environment, deserves at least a day) and the burial site in the Beinan Cultural Park. If spending a night in Taitung City, one evening hotspot is the Tiehua Music Village (26, Lane 135, Xinsheng Rd., Taitung) near the now-disused railway station in the old city center. Performances by local artists start at 8 pm Thursdays through Saturdays and 4 pm on Sundays, with an open-mike session starting at 8 pm on Wednesdays. Foreigners with their passports and students with IDs get a discount on their first drink. In good weather people stage picnics on the lawn, and local-produce and handicraft stalls are set up around the edge. Heading north from the city, and before formally starting your journey on Hwy 9, those with a liking for weird geology can visit the Liji Moonscape World near Liji Village, often referred to in English as the Liji Badlands, created by tectonic movements and erosion. (To reach Liji, follow Taitung County Road No. 45 north from Taitung). Those still not surfeited on matters pertaining to prehistory can stop at the Beinan Site near Taitung Railway Station to take a look at the crescent-shaped stone pillar that points – like the feet of the skeletons in the ancient graves – in the direction of the dominating 1,190-meter-high Dulan Mountain. As one enters the East Rift Valley National Scenic Area, now on Hwy 9, local seasonal produce is sold at roadside: custard apples (“Buddha heads”) in autumn, for example, or pineapples in early summer. Visitors interested in botany and agriculture may stop off at the Yuan Sen Applied Botanical Garden (www.yuan-sen.com.tw) in Chulu Township (about 15 minutes north of Taitung City), where the price of entry includes hotpot flavored with unusual herbs and vegetables. (To get there, follow Taitung County Road No. 37 from Chulu) The small Shanli Railway Station is also worth continuing on the scenic county road (follow No. 38 from the Botanical Garden). In fact the old station is so photogenic that a viewing platform has been built beside it. The nearby Gospel Chapel of Shanli is also popular with visitors, but only opens for services on Sundays. Back on the Hwy 9, one soon enters Luye Township, famed for its tea. Pickers can often be seen at work in the fields, and the leaves may be followed back to the family-based drying and rolling houses, where the finished product can be tasted and purchased. For those with a taste for adventure, Luye has a paragliding center operating in the summer. Although not especially high in tea-growing terms, the approximately 300-400m elevation of the rift valley still provides sufficient day-night differences in temperature to grow quality tea. This is also said to account for the excellent quality of the rice produced in the next three townships heading north, Guanshan and Chishang in the county of Taitung and Fuli across the county boundary in Hualien. Others say the pure, mineral-rich waters descending from the Central Mountain Range are responsible. In any case, the golden harvest of this area commands some of Taiwan’s top rice prices. Dapo Lake, from which Chishang (literally “Above the Lake”) takes its name, is a pleasant oasis at which to cool off on a hot day. Pedal boats can be hired, and drinks and snacks bought. After entering Hualien County and passing the town of Fuli, leave the highway (following Hualien County Road No. 80) to visit Luoshan Waterfall, which cascades down from the Coastal Mountain Range. Landslides have made the last section of trail leading to the waterfall impassable, but it can be seen from a distance and is worth the diversion. On the way there, one can also stop at the Mud Volcano, actually a mud-filled pool where natural gas gurgles its way to the surface, and try one’s hand at tofu DIY in one of several farmhouse workshops, where staff say the pool’s mineral brine gives rise to the distinctive flavor. Further north along Hwy 9, between the towns of Dongli, Antong, and Yuli, a section of disused railway line has been converted for cyclists’ use. Then at Wuhe, a town famous for its tea plantations, one crosses the Tropic of Cancer. This is marked with an unmissable monument, and a good deal of information about the planetary science underpinning the existence of the tropics, an introduction to traditional Chinese solar terms (an agricultural calendar that complemented the more famous lunar one), and much more. Ruisui, the next major town on Hwy 9, is best known for its cow’s milk, but also has tea plantations of interest and hot springs for those who like to relax in hot, mineral-rich waters. In Guangfu, a few miles further north, is the now disused Hualien Sugar Factory, a complex of many buildings dating from the Japanese era (1895-1945). Some are currently under renovation for use as homestays and backpacker dormitories, but the date of opening is still uncertain. Until then, visitors may enjoy some renowned Taiwan Sugar Corporation ice-cream and wander round the historic establishment. Another site dating from the period of Japanese rule is the Chinan National Forest Recreation Area in the hills above Carp Lake, not far from the city of Hualien. Films in English and Chinese introduce the history and ecology of the site, and examples of forestry machinery dot the short trails. One last diversion before heading down the hill into Hualien City is up Provincial Highway No. 14 toward Tongmen, a Bunun indigenous settlement known locally as Meqmegi. Alternatively, for those with limited time, this nature- and culture-rich valley is just right for a gentle and tranquil day-trip after a visit to the grandeur and bustle of Hualien County’s more famous Taroko Gorge. GETTING THERE AND AROUND Trains run from Taipei and Kaohsiung to Hualien and Taitung, but also stop at various small stations along the East Rift Valley. Cars may be rented in Hualien/Taitung for around NT$1,600 per day, with some companies allowing different pick-up and return points with a 2-day minimum hire. Scooter-rental costs are around NT$300 per day, and bicycles around NT$100. There is a shuttle bus from Taitung Railway Station to the commercial/tourist center around the old station. SOME ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS In accordance with the rule of thumb “more beautiful = more accommodation,” the East Rift Valley has countless hotels and homestays (B&Bs that may not offer breakfast). Here are three interesting examples: a conveniently located boutique hotel, a homestay inside a disused “tunnel” kiln, and a high-quality hot-spring resort with budget option. Taitung Cultural Excursion Resort The location of this hotel slap-bang next door to the National Museum of Prehistory is no coincidence: it was built as accommodation for visiting dignitaries and overseas archaeological professors. Originally equipped with wooden floors and Internet connections, the 39 rooms have been further upgraded, with five categories ranging from “standard” doubles and twins to a “VIP suite.” Still owned by the government-run museum, the hotel is run by a five-person team that boasts of its 100 years of combined experience, which shows in every detail, from the Aladdin’s-cave art-festooned lobby to the 24-hour personal service. Of greatest interest to local people in a city of few high-end dining options is the Italian-themed Graves Kitchen restaurant, with set dinners at NT$250-380 and an a la carte menu. Rooms with breakfast range from NT$3,400 to NT$8,000 for the suite, but hefty discounts are often available, with the exception of the Chinese New Year period. Add: 1 Museum Rd, Taitung City (台東市博物館路1號) Tel: (089) 384-777 Website: www.tceresort.com.tw (Chinese) Kiln Homestay This a family-run enterprise, with 18 rooms inside a converted fifth-generation brick kiln dating from Taiwan’s construction boom of the 1970s and ’80s, before use of concrete made it obsolete in the ’90s. The rooms are modern and tasteful, each with two double beds, one beside and one above the original kiln tunnel. The homestay’s main attractions – in addition to the hospitality offered by Mr. Hsu Chen-long and his wife – are historical and environmental. Hsu is knowledgeable about all five generations of kiln, from Qing-dynasty mantou (spherical) kilns, for making traditional roof tiles, through the 1920s low-capitalized “snake” pottery kilns and larger 1940s “bagyayo” Japanese kilns, to the oval bagua and long “tunnel” kilns built by his father in 1966 and 1971. The earlier one has also been renovated, used as a conference hall, and the latter has been left with its tunnel intact, serving as a home to several hundred Formosan leaf-nosed bats, which residents can watch fly out to feed at sunset. Rooms with breakfast cost NT$2,500. Add: 20-2, Tai 3, Lin 11, Funan Village, Fuli Township (花蓮縣富里鄉富南村十一鄰三台20~2號) Tel: (03) 883-2188 Website: www.shyulu.com.tw (Chinese) New Life Spring Resort This resort was initially owner Leo Chen’s weekend villa. A Taipei-based businessman, his favorite pastime was visiting nearby spa hotels originally built for use by colonial officials in the Japanese era. He bought a piece of land in 1988 and built himself a small villa, but after being advised his property also had mineral waters 300 meters below ground, he decided to share his good fortune with others. Located roughly mid-way between Hualien and Taitung cities, and between the central mountains and the ocean, the hotel is a good base for exploring the area by car, bike, or on foot (the Walami Trail, which crosses the island to Chiayi, begins nearby – perhaps “ends nearby” is better, considering the pleasure of a hot-spring soak after several days of camping). Rooms with breakfast range from NT$2,500 to NT$5,000 on weekends, and there are dormitory beds also with breakfast and use of the hot-spring facilities for NT$800 per person. Add: 41-5 Wenquan, Yuli Township (Antong), Hualien (花蓮縣玉里鎮(安通)溫泉41-5號) Tel: (03) 888-7333 Website: www.twspa.com.tw (Chinese) ENGLISH & CHINESE Antong 安通 bagua kiln 八卦窯 Beinan (Site) 卑南遺址 Beinan Crescent-shaped Pillar 卑南月形石柱 Beinan Cultural Park 卑南文化公園 Carp Lake 鯉魚潭 Chinan National Forest Recreation Area 池南國家森林遊樂區 Chishang 池上 Chulu 初鹿 Dapo Lake 大坡池 Dongli 東里 Dulan Mountain 都蘭山 East Rift Valley National Scenic Area 花東縱谷國家風景區 Fuli 富里 Gospel Chapel of Shanli 基督教山里教會 Guangfu 光復 Guanshan 關山 Hsu Chen-long 徐振龍 Hualien Sugar Factory 花蓮觀光糖厰 Kiln Homestay 磚窯居 Leo Chen 程文鎰 Liji Moonscape World/Badlands 利吉月世界 Liji Village 利吉村 Luoshan Waterfall 羅山瀑布 Luye 鹿野 mantou kiln 饅頭窯 Mud Volcano 泥火山 National Museum of Prehistory 國立台灣史前文化博物館 New Life Spring Resort 紐澳華溫泉 Ruisui 瑞穗 snake kiln 蛇窯 Taitung Cultural Excursion Resort 台東文旅 Taiwan Sugar Corp. 台灣糖業公司 Taroko Gorge太魯閣 Tongmen 銅門 Tiehua Music Village 鐵花村 Tunnel kiln 隧道窯 Walami Trail 瓦拉米步道 Wuhe 舞鶴 Yuan Sen Applied Botanical Garden 原生應用植物園 Yuli 玉里 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly January/ February Issue, 2011 /news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2867&tag=123 Feb 2011 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H23 Feb 2011 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Birdsong, sleepy villages, friendly and laid-back people, crisp mountain air, fresh mountain produce, big mountain appetite, meandering trails among silent tree giants, Tsou Tribe culture…here you have all the ingredients for a long-cherished moment of your life. All aboard! With that the doors closed, engine hissed, wheels started turning, and we were off on our great Alishan train trip. Well, though nobody on the platform in fact yelled out “All aboard!” in Chinese, I heard it in my head, since of course no proper train trip can launch without this iconic utterance. And, truth be told, this wasn’t exclusively a “train trip,” for the Alishan National Scenic Area is in Taiwan’s high central mountains, we were in Taipei in the far north, and we would be transferring to an Alishan-bound bus at the train station in the central-plains city of Chiayi for our run up the hills. Our destination was the area centered on Fenqihu and Shizhuo villages, as opposed to the main hotspot, Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, located further up the hills at the end of the iconic Alishan Forest Railway, which starts at Chiayi Railway Station (and farther along Provincial Highway No. 18). The narrow-gauge railway, today dedicated to tourism, was engineered by the industrious Japanese in the early 1900s when they controlled Taiwan (1895-1945). They wanted the thick stands of virgin timber here, mostly cypress and cedar. Fenqihu sits at about the half-way point of the line, and Shizhuo is about 5 km away on the main highway, blazed much later. The steam-engined railway is currently closed down for line improvements, but the good news is that you can now walk the line, standing amidst tall branched giants leaning over to look at you, their murmurs sounding much like breezes swooshing through their leaves. Fenqihu, a place of low wooden houses, is fitted snugly onto a high slope where two mountain bodies meet; as you approach, you clearly see the pass above it that leads into the next valley. As our bus pulled in on the main access road, at the top of the village, I was happy to see a clutch of rustic wood-built cafés on the uphill side and a large old railway storage and repair shed on the downhill side where tracks cross road. Running downhill past the shed was the narrow Old Street, bustling with tourists. Fenqihu has been “discovered” by flatlanders in recent years, and we’d deliberately come in on a Sunday, knowing the area would largely empty out around dinner-time. Old Street, lined tightly with heritage shops selling iconic Alishan foods and crafts, becomes exceedingly narrow at its far (western) end, facing shops so close the sellers can almost reach out and shake hands across what is more corridor than street, eaves overlapping to create a tunnel effect where day feels much like night – a night at the fair. Of all of Alishan’s food offerings, I am especially fond of the local Japanese horseradish sold in powder form in small packages, great for spreading on rice and perking up other foods, even pizza. The Japanese themselves introduced the plant, used in paste form for their wasabi, but the Alishan folk have created this variant, sold by many in Fenqihu. You pop out at the far end of Old Street with the old Japanese-era railway station, now retired, in front of you. The new station, half-way along Old Street, is almost ready to go. Fenqihu has a duo of raisons d’etre: it was close to great timber stands, and a halfway-point storage and repair depot was needed for the railway. The reason for us to be here was one: trails. The national scenic area administration has set up a splendid system that keeps expanding. Each trail is clearly signposted, with good and abundant English, and with trail-and-area maps plus distances. Our goal was to tackle as many trails as possible in the time we had, and from the old railway station we could see the entrance to our first, beside the tracks at the village’s far (west) end, the Cedar Trail. Below are my filtered favorites. The trails. The unified trail system loops around the outside of the village, in spots dipping into it. Meandering amongst tall stands of Taiwan fir, the lower section under the railway (Cedar Trail) is defined by raised wooden walkways, the upper (Fenqi Trail) by railway-tie steps. Mists continually rolled in and out as we walked, bringing a surreal Lord of the Rings ambiance. Perhaps my favorite spot, history buff I, was site of the ruins of the area’s Japanese Shinto shrine near trail-top, the line of tall fir before said to have been planted by Chiang Kai-shek himself, pining for his mountainous home area in China. The Eryanping Trail, informally named Tea Fragrance Trail, starts beside Highway No. 18 at Xiding. “Xiding” means “top of the crevice,” indicating the pass/crevice used by early settlers when heading to Eryanping Mountain. Just 800 meters, with many wood steps and platforms and some short, steep grades, we found ourselves amidst bamboo stands and tea fields and had grand views of the plains in the far distance. What I perhaps liked best were the many friendly seniors we met, picnicking or happily moving along walking sticks in hand. The Miyang Stream Trail, which you’ll also see named the Mihu Trail, runs 2.3 km along a sometimes babbling and sometimes gushing, rushing waterway strewn with massive boulders. There are thick bamboo stands, numerous pavilions, and a pretty suspension bridge right out of a painting. I found this trip’s highlight, however, to be a huge old tree up a short, staired side trail, in which you can see the series of nails that once held steps in place; the Tsou climb such trees to get at cash-source wild jelly figs used in delicious aiyu jelly. The Dadongshan Trail is very long; our goal here was simply to get to the massive, incredible Tree-Stone Alliance, which took 50 minutes over undemanding grades. “Dadongshan” means “Big Frozen Mountain,” reference to the very cool climes here. We accessed the trail behind the – in form and fact – sleepy little village of Dinghu, rousing several folk from siestas. Surrounded by tea plantations, we much enjoyed getting up close to the shyly smiling, pastel-attired pickers. I still can’t get over the size of the boulder at the trail entrance, the biggest piece of ancient-rockfall evidence I’ve ever seen, one side sliced off so clean it seemed an immortal jeweller was at work. I’m glad I wasn’t the guy standing here holding a spear, looking for supper, way back when this monster decided to come down. This trail was perhaps my favorite, with a feel like that in the Canadian Rockies, strong with evergreen scent and with small roots and stones uncleared. Once a lousy physics student, I still do not understand how the massive tree in the Tree-Stone Alliance could develop such tremendous boulder-clinging roots without toppling this entire wondrous work of nature’s art down into the valley below; they must run very, very deep into the mountainside. Tsou Culture. YuYuPas, a young tourist village dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Tsou Tribe culture, is located on the slopes of Leye Village below Shizhuo. It seems to hover above magnificent Rainbow Valley, sometimes decorated with multiple rainbows. We spent a half-day here (plus a meal the night previous). The village is defined by two lines of large, thatched-roof buildings running down the slope, copies of traditional Tsou meeting halls, wood stilts replaced by sturdy steel girders, open-air sides replaced by glass walls inviting in heart-quickening views. The song-and-dance show was very enjoyable (performances daily), especially the thumping Tsou music, both traditional and new-style, but what I liked most about this place was the enthusiasm and will of the staff; most staff are Tsou, many young ones have returned from the plains to take up the precious employment opportunities, and management’s mission is clearly their mission. A couple of special observations. In the 1600s the Tsou had extensive contact with the Dutch colonials, many of whom stayed on after the Dutch were driven away in 1662; a number of staff members clearly have Dutch blood in them. Also, ask to be shown the “heritage” boulder below the village where slope drops into valley, lined with scores of notches from centuries past showing warriors’ head-hunting takes. HOW TO GET THERE ALISHAN Self-drive is your best option if you intend to access different trailheads, which are spread out. If you intend to stay in one spot, visit local sites, and access a couple of close-by trails, a train/bus combination is perhaps best; take a regular train to Chiayi, then take an Alishan bus from the small bus station just to the right as you exit the railway station, one direct on Highway No. 18 to the forest recreation area, the other detouring to Fenqihu and other spots before continuing on. ENGLISH & CHINESE aiyu 愛玉 Alishan Forest Railway 阿里山森林鐵路 Alishan National Forest Recreation Area 阿里山國家森林遊樂區 Alishan National Scenic Area 阿里山國家風景區 Cedar Trail 杉林棧道 Chiayi 嘉義 Dadongshan Trail 大凍山步道 Eryanping Mountain 二延平山 Eryanping Trail 二延平步道 Fenqihu 奮起湖 Fenqi Trail 奮起步道 Leye Village 樂野村 Mihu Trail 迷糊步道 Miyang Stream Trail 米洋溪步道 Old Street 老街 Rainbow Valley 彩虹谷 Shizhuo 石棹 Tea Fragrance Trail 茶香步道 Tree-Stone Alliance 樹石盟 Tsou Tribe 鄒族 Xiding 隙頂 YuYuPas 阿里山鄒族文化部落 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly January/ February Issue, 2011 /news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2868&tag=12 Mar 2011 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H2 Mar 2011 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)It’s hard to go wrong up on Alishan, with the local mountain ingredients so distinctive and so likely to have come fresh from fields within view of your dining location Because of the famous narrow-gauge alpine railway, the equally renowned “railway biandang” must be tried. These lunchboxes were invented in the old days for quick sale to loggers and passengers passing through the railway villages, and feature a bed of rice, fried pork cutlet or chicken leg, soy-sauce-marinated salted egg, and a selection of local vegetables presented in a faux wooden box made of cardboard. In the Fenqihu-Shizhuo area, Fenqihu’s Old Street is the best-known spot for these. A great higher-end option is the large glass-wall restaurant at YuYuPas (Tsou Tribe Culture Village), which has tremendous views of mountain-backed “Rainbow Valley” beyond and thatched Tsou buildings in front. My fellow travelers and I agree that one set-menu feast specially captures the Alishan character: Tsou-style wood-grilled boar, Alishan tea-leaf soup, Su Dongpo pork with an Alishan coffee-based sauce, river shrimp with baby tea leaf, beancurd with Alishan wasabi sauce, Oolong-sauce beef slices, and range chicken cooked in tea oil. YuYuPas (阿里山鄒族文化部落) Add: 127-2, Neighborhood 4, Leye Village, Alishan Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣阿里山鄉樂野村4鄰 127-2號) Tel: (05) 256-2788 Website: www.yuyupas.com Lauya is a spacious timber-theme restaurant (smoke-free, organic) with sun-inviting French windows on three sides and a large deck with big shade umbrellas that hangs over the long valley along which the Miyang Stream and Miyang Stream Trail traverse. In the Tsou language, “lalauya” means “beautiful maple forest.” Having eaten there twice, the general agreement among my band of gourmands is that the hotpot with Alishan Oolong tea soup stock, which comes with a heaping plate of local ingredients to simmer (most notably thick meat cuts as opposed to the usual wafer-thin slices), is the best of the best. It won’t be easy to leave room for dessert, but you are advised for your own good to try; after a vote, the delicious banana pie and papaya pie tied for first place (the banana pie the reason I insisted we go back a second time). Lauya (神禾) Add: 57-12, Leye Village, Alishan Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣阿里山鄉樂野村57-12號) Tel: (05) 256-2341 Website: www.lauya.com ENGLISH & CHINESE Miyang Stream Trail 米洋溪步道 railway biandang 鐵路便當 Tsou Tribe 鄒族 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly January/ February Issue, 2011 /news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2898&tag=17 Mar 2011 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H7 Mar 2011 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)In the Fenqihu-Shizhuo area there are a few hotels, but the way to go is the hostel or the homestay, with choice aplenty. When deciding where to stay (note there is no camping in Alishan), check the websites of the Tourism Bureau (www.taiwan.net.tw) and the Alishan National Scenic Area (www.ali-nsa.gov.tw). This means a place has been vetted and you can “rest” assured during your stay. Here are two getaways vetted by yours truly on my most recent Alishan excursion. In Fenqihu the Arnold Janssen Activity Center, run by the Divine Word Missionaries, has a hostel. The morning views are invigorating, with mountain spurs running past along the two sides and cloud and mist running up the slope toward you from the valleys far below and beyond. The town criers – the local roosters – provide your wake-up call. The lovely Sister Ulrich, from German-speaking Switzerland and in Taiwan thirty years, takes good care of you, among other things advising you the mission’s pudgy old beagle is a bit grumpy and ornery. There are rooms for one person, two, and groups of various sizes. The singles are NT$700, the dorms NT$250 per person. Rooms and other facilities, such as shared bathroom/shower, are spartan and spotless. There are no phones, bring your own towel, and note food is available with advance notice. Arnold Janssen Activity Center (楊生愛諾德活動中心) Add: 26 Fenqihu, Zhonghe Village, Zhuqi Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣竹崎鄉中和村26號) Tel: (05) 256-1134 Website: aj-centersvd.myweb.hinet.net (Chinese) Changqingju (“Evergreen Home”) sits right at the bottom of the Ding Shizhuo Trail just above Shizhuo Village, off Provincial Highway No. 18. Run by a great guy, Xu Yong-hong, this homestay is his ancestral home, a traditional three-sided courtyard residence he has decorated impeccably. The rooms (for two people, four, families; NT$3,000~3,600) are modern, bright, and airy, all featuring much polished wood and etched-glass panels. Each has a bathroom/shower and cable TV, but no phone. Xu does not serve breakfast, but brews Alishan tea for you on the veranda, sourced from his family plantation, amidst which you are sitting as you gaze out over the broad valley laid out before you. When prompted, the quiet Xu enjoys telling stories of his youth here, before the highway was pushed through. Note that most Alishan locations give steep discounts during the much quieter weekdays. Changqingju (長青居) Add: 16 Shizhuo, Zhonghe Village, Zhuqi Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣石桌竹崎鄉中和村16號) Tel: (05) 256-1603 / 0932-711-222 Website: http://052561603.tw.tranews.com/ (Chinese) English and Chinese Ding Shizhuo Trail 頂石棹步道 Fenqihu 奮起湖 Shizhuo 石桌 Xu Yong-hong 許永鴻 /news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2911&tag=117 Mar 2011 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H17 Mar 2011 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Way up in Alishan you are spoiled for choice when it comes to apropos souvenirs and gifts for the folks back home Tourisr-friendly sellers package local produce using attractive Alishan-image designs, and the area is also known for high-quality woodcarving and for leather and fabric items. Here is an introduction to some tried-and-tested items, meaning especially liked by those I have given them to (including myself). In the Fenqihu area, browse Fenqihu’s Old Street, very much aimed at the tourist. One very conspicuous shop has walls lined with colorful traditional Japanese wooden shoes, made on the spot. Choose your own fabrics or buy off the wall. These make exotic decorations for Asia-theme corners back home. Two old and very pretty wood-décor Old Street shops, DerMing and Trainpei, sell traditional baked items such as sun cakes, mochi, and Taiwan-style cookies using fresh local ingredients. Each has been in place for generations, the friendly people selling you your items made these treats themselves by hand and, perhaps most importantly, they’ve come up with beautiful packaging that captures the Alishan/Fenqihu character. DerMing’s boxes feature the steam locomotives of Alishan’s picturesque narrow-gauge railway, and Trainpei has gone a step further, designing a large giftbox with rope handles that is itself a steam locomotive, containing a selection of almost all its baked items. Vendors have come up with beautiful packaging that captures the Alishan character In this area it seems steep-slope tea plantations are always in view, so a purchase of the much-valued Alishan semi-fermented Oolong from the Fenqihu-Shizhuo area is a must. As it happens, both DerMing and Trainpei have their own plantations, and their tea selections feature the bright Alishan sunrise over plantation and pickers. A final recommendation: I was quite taken with the international-quality leather goods at YuYuPas (see feature article), items such as purses, wallets, and handbags that feature scenes from Tsou Tribe myths (with tagged explanations) that are bright and olourful yet elegant. Though hand-made by Tsou talent, they start at just over NT$1,500. Two recipients, my wife and mother, are also enamored with them. WHERE TO FIND ALISHAN TEA AND BAKED GOODS DerMing (德銘餅店) Add: 146, Fenqihu, Zhonghe Village, Zhuqi Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣竹崎鄉中和村146號) Tel: (05) 256-1143 Website: www.derming.com.tw (Chinese) TrainPei (天美珍餅舖) Add: 142, Fenqihu, Zhonghe Village, Zhuqi Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣竹崎鄉中和村142號) Tel: (05) 256-1008 Website: www.trainpei.com.tw (Chinese) Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly January/ February Issue, 2011 /news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=2912&tag=121 Mar 2011 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H21 Mar 2011 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Taiwan is a beautiful island, a land of diverse scenery with towering mountains and dramatic coastlines. Apart from its wondrous natural assets, Taiwan is also characterized by a fascinating mix of traditional and modern culture and the coexistence of different ethnic groups. Its central location in East Asia and its mild climate are also advantages for visitors. The surprise, then, is why in the past Taiwan was not seen as a premier tourist destination by international travelers. Over the last decade this perspective has begun to change, and in dramatic fashion. Thanks to successful promotional efforts by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, the island has moved from being a seasoned traveler’s insider tip to a top travel destination in Asia, attracting more than 5.5 million visitors in 2010, a steep rise from the 2.83 million visitors in 2001. While this growth in inbound tourism has been remarkable, the ambitious plans of the Tourism Bureau don’t stop here. Promotional initiatives to improve the overall travel environment are ongoing, with the government hoping to increase the number of visitors per year to 10 million by 2016. Visitor Arrivals in Taiwan (in millions) 2001 – 2.83 2002 – 2.97 2003 – 2.24 2004 – 2.95 2005 – 3.37 2006 – 3.51 2007 – 3.71 2008 – 3.84 2009 – 4.39 2010 – 5.56 Source: Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) Note: At the time of writing, the number for 2011 was expected to top the 6-million mark. This is good news for travelers who plan to visit, both first-timers as well as those who have visited before. First-timers will be surprised by the diverse travel environment, with myriad options for recreation, relaxation, excitement, indulgence, and learning. Repeat visitors will realize with each new visit that there is always still more to discover and experience, and that traveling around each time becomes even more convenient and pleasurable. During 2012~2013, the Tourism Bureau is covering all bases by presenting visitors the best possible and most touching Taiwan experiences. Tourists are invited to join specially designed tours that bring exposure to all facets of local life, including religious practices, traditional and modern culture, the lives of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples, hot-spring bathing, hiking in the mountains and exploring the wide variety of ecological environments, “chasing” local celebrities, and going on two-wheel adventures following dedicated bikeways. Four international annual festivals are being specially promoted: the Taiwan Lantern Festival, Taiwan Hot Spring and Fine-Cuisine Carnival, Taiwan Culinary Exhibition, and Taiwan Cycling Festival. A total of 100 routes are currently suggested, covering all areas of Taiwan, all promising to offer a “touching” experience. Visitors are also encouraged to visit “International Spotlight” areas that have been selected by the Tourism Bureau as representative places featuring unique aspects of local culture that offer facilities and services meeting international standards. Visiting any of Taiwan’s 13 national scenic areas, which are directly administered by the Tourism Bureau, is also highly recommended, since all area administrations offer suggestions for the best routes and organize attractive seasonal festivals and events. With so much focus and effort being placed on developing Taiwan into a premier travel destination in the heart of Asia these days, it is now truly the time for Taiwan! For more info about the latest tourism-related developments in Taiwan, visit the official website of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau at http://taiwan.net.tw. Why Now Is the Time for Taiwan 1. New experiences, encompassing: religion, traditional and modern culture, indigenous peoples, hot-spring resorts, hiking, local pop culture, eco-environment discoveries, and bicycling  2. 100 routes promising heart-touching experiences  3. Increasingly convenient public-transportation network, integrating High Speed Rail and conventional railway services as well as tour-bus routes  4. “International Spotlight” areas presenting local culture and offering facilities/services that meet international standards  5. Exciting tours and activities in all of Taiwan’s 13 national scenic areas  6. International festivals introducing local culture, fine cuisine, hot-spring bathing, and traveling by bicycle Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly January February Issue, 2012/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=3464&tag=120 Feb 2012 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H20 Feb 2012 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)By Mark Caltonhill The Northeast Coast is one of the best areas for leisure bicycle tours in Taiwan. Access is convenient by railway, bike rental is easy, and the well-marked dedicated bikeways lead you through a diverse landscape with sandy beaches, dramatic rock formations, bucolic countryside, and a 2km-long old railway tunnel. Anyone who has cycled through hilly countryside has, at sometime or other, prayed to the bicycle gods: “Let there be a tunnel around the next corner, and preferably one without cars.” It was, perhaps, with this in mind that Taiwan’s cycling gods (OK, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications; MOTC) designated a 2.16-kilometer section of disused railway tunnel for development as part of the Old Caoling Tunnel Bikeway. Offered the novelty of being able to cycle through a tunnel without sharing the road with countless gravel trucks – or maybe because the air is noticeably cooler inside – many Taiwanese tourists take a tour bus or train to the town of Fulong, near the tunnel’s northern entrance, cycle 15 minutes to the other end, drink a cup of coffee or eat ice-cream, then cycle back. The MOTC recently extended the bikeway further along the coastal highway north from the tunnel’s southern entrance by constructing a barrier to ensure separation of the above-mentioned trucks with the soft flesh of cyclists. This route allows bikers now to safely cycle back to Fulong the long way after exiting the tunnel. On the way, its gentle slopes and curves take cyclo-tourists past a plethora of historical, cultural, and culinary places of interest. For most bikers, the starting point is Fulong Railway Station. And while the journey by bus from Taipei offers its share of pretty and interesting sights, the rail journey introduces visitors to some spectacular valleys filled with natural beauty and vestiges of the mining industry on which the area’s prosperity was built. If you come from the city of Hualien to the south you’ll pass even more stunning scenery, by means of track laid using extraordinary feats of engineering. After arriving in Fulong, the next port of call is a bike-rental store, of which there are several in front of the station. Prices here are a flat NT$100 per person per day, though slight savings might be found by those willing to walk to one of the shops a little further away from the station. Next stop might be the Fulong Visitor Center three minutes by bike from the railway station, for information, maps, toilet use, and water-bottle refills. The center’s Driftwood’s Rebirth Gallery contains works by 22 artists from Taiwan’s woodcarving capital of Sanyi in Miaoli County, who were invited to make art out of driftwood washed ashore here following the devastating typhoons of 2001. Fulong’s main beach is accessed by a footbridge near the center. Access to the beach itself is free, but the bridge is private and costs NT$70/40 (summer/winter) to cross. In early summer, this beach is the venue for the Fulong Sand Sculpture Festival and, thoughtfully not at the same time, for the three-day-long Ho-Hai-Yan Gongliao Rock Festival. The bike route to the old railway tunnel is so well signed that maps are barely necessary. It starts right at the railway station, heading up a slight incline with the railway line on one side and a stream on the other. After about 2 kilometers you arrive at the north-end tunnel entrance, where there are toilets, drinks and snacks, as well as whacky sculptures made out of disused railway materials. The tunnel is not only dimly lit, cool, and mystical, but also musical, since about two-thirds of the way in the New Taipei City-Yilan County border is celebrated in light and sound. The tunnel is otherwise peaceful, especially in comparison to the coastal highway, and its gentle downhill slope certainly preferable to huffing and puffing over the mountain overhead. Some cyclists chat as they ride two abreast, and many stop to take pictures, but most just silently enjoy the novelty of the situation. Emerging at the southern end, visitors are greeted by the magnificent sight of Turtle Island, around 10 kilometers offshore. Many make a prolonged stop here for a dozen or two photographs: of the island, themselves coming out of the tunnel, the old houses, or the modern tourism-related structures. Snacks are available. While the hour-trippers head back, committed cyclists make a left turn and begin the journey along the coastal bikeway which, as mentioned earlier, has recently been separated from the main road (Provincial Highway No. 2) with a low barrier. Another couple of kilometers (about 10 minutes) brings one to the Shicheng Scenic Area, which has the same great view of Turtle Island but also has an elegant coffee shop with indoor/outdoor seating from which to enjoy it. The name Shicheng (“stone city”) is said to refer to an old Dutch or Spanish fort built here when those countries attempted to colonize Taiwan; whether true or not, this is the first clue encountered by riders in regard to the area’s international history over recent centuries. The next comes shortly after, where after passing the geologically interesting and visually spectacular Lailai Marine Terrace – usually inhabited by dozens of local anglers – the bikeway rounds a headland, heads north, and then heads back west toward Fulong. This is Cape San Diego – sinicized as Sandiaojiao – so named by Spanish forces who alighted nearby to begin their colonial adventure in 1626 after sailing from the Philippines, before quickly moving up the coast to Keelung and establishing their permanent base there. The cape is now home to the Sandiaojiao Lighthouse, built not by the Spanish but by another temporary colonial power, Japan, in 1935 following the wrecking of two of its ships in local waters. The lighthouse is open to the public, and the climb from kilometer marker 108 up the small access road is well worth it if you have enough puff left in your lungs. Succor is at hand just two kilometers further on at Mao’ao Village, both physical and spiritual. Physical in terms of refreshments; spiritual in terms of fine views and cute buildings, with many fishermen’s stone cottages still standing over a century after being built. The Mao’ao Little Stop (no English sign) combines both. Built in an old stone house, albeit reconstructed, on the main bay, it also sells coffees, other drinks, and meals. Upstairs are two rooms for rent (NT1,800 for the larger room with the sea view, NT$1,600 for the other), and proprietor Wang Shu-mei is a font of information about the area’s heritage of international, Hoklo Taiwanese, and indigenous Ketagalan-tribe influences. Revitalized and back in the saddle, cyclists next pass weird-shaped geological constructions on the right (sea) side, and Lingjiu Mountain on the left (inland) side. The mountain is topped by the Wusheng Monastery, a sprawling collection of temples, meditation halls, statues, stupas, and other structures representative of the eclectic mix of chan (Zen) Buddhism, esoteric Tibetan Buddhism, and even the Chinese popular religion practiced here. Visitors are welcomed (there are dormitories), but should check first (www.093.org.tw) in case the monks and nuns are in retreat. Be warned, however, that the climb here is a lot tougher than the last up to Sandiaojiao Lighthouse. For a more standard Daoist temple experience, cyclists should stop at Dongxing Temple, located down a side road through an archway on the right just as they reenter Fulong from the east. Restaurants nearby sell fresh seafood, while the South African-run Fu Bar caters to foreign tastes for meat, sausage, and international beers. The railway station, bike-rental stores, and famous “Fulong lunchbox” restaurants are just half a kilometer further up the road. If time (and energy) permits, a 5-kilometer extension heading further northwest is well worth considering. Leave the highwayside bikeway by turning right and entering the Longmen Campsite (www.lonmen.tw). This leads to a pine-filled park, with free access to the sands, and a tranquil ride through fishing communities toward the village of Yanliao, where a memorial commemorates local people who resisted Japanese forces landing here to begin their five-decade occupation of Taiwan in 1895. This route also crosses photogenic Longmen Suspension Bridge, which like the Old Caoling Railway Tunnel is another man-made highlight of a cycling tour along the northeast coast. Cycling Tips: Before setting out, make sure tires are pumped and brakes are functioning before setting out, and adjust the saddle to the correct height (most day-trippers set it too low). If renting, ask for a bicycle lock if none is provided, and write down the renter’s telephone number in case of puncture or technical failure. Along the way, drink plenty of water, and remember that the rules of the road apply along bikeways too. English & Chinese chan (Zen) 禪 Dongxing Temple 東興宮 Driftwood’s Rebirth Gallery 原木再生緣木雕展示館 Fu Bar 福吧 Fulong 福隆 Fulong lunchbox 福隆便當 Fulong Sand Sculpture Festival 福隆國際沙彫藝術季 Fulong Visitor Center 福隆遊客服務中心 Ho-Hai-Yan Gongliao Rock Festival 貢寮國際海洋音樂祭 Lailai Marine Terrace 萊萊海蝕平台 Lingjiu Mountain 靈鷲山 Longmen Campsite 龍門露營區 Longmen Suspension Bridge 龍門吊橋 Mao’ao Little Stop 卯澳小站 Mao’ao Village 卯澳村 Old Caoling Tunnel Bikeway 舊草嶺自行車隧道 Sandiaojiao 三貂角 Sanyi 三義 Shicheng 石城 Shicheng Scenic Area 石城觀景區 Turtle Island 龜山島 Wang Shu-mei 王淑美 Wusheng Monastery 無生道場 Yanliao 鹽寮 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly January February Issue, 2012/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=3471&tag=129 Feb 2012 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H29 Feb 2012 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)By Steven Crook Taiwan’s second-largest city prides itself of being a cycler-friendly metropolis. An extensive network of dedicated bikeways and a wide variety of attractions along these paths make Kaohsiung a place worth exploring on two wheels. The cleaning-and-greening of Kaohsiung has been one of Taiwan's great success stories of the past 20 years. Formerly a bastion of steel-making, shipbuilding, and other heavy industries, this city has leapt up the livability rankings thanks to sterling environmental protection efforts and major investments in public-transportation, sporting, and recreational facilities. Cycling from one side of the urban core to the other no longer means enduring exhaust fumes and inconsiderate drivers. Thanks to an ever-growing network of bike trails (501km as of late 2011), pedal-power has become the best way to explore a city which, for all its skyscrapers and malls, has preserved a good amount of its fascinating past. Following the merger of Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung County in late 2010, the municipality now stretches all the way from the ocean to the southern slopes of Yushan (Jade Mountain), Taiwan's highest mountain. Some districts of greater Kaohsiung – rural Meinong, for example – are worthwhile cycling destinations in their own right. However, for this article Travel in Taiwan will stay in the urban core and tackle some of the routes described on the city government's informative and multilingual website Kaohsiung Travel Online (http://khh.travel/en/theme/Bike.aspx). Starting from Lotus Pond in Zuoying District, we pedaled southward along Love River, all the way to the True Love Ferry Pier – a distance of 31.2km – and then on to the Former British Consular Residence, a 132-year-old landmark that overlooks the mouth of Kaohsiung's busy harbor. The bicycles we used were rented from a station along Kaohsiung City Government's C-Bike network (www.c-bike.com.tw). Lotus Pond has been drawing tourists for decades, and arriving on a typical winter morning – which in south Taiwan means gentle sunshine and comfortable temperatures – it wasn't hard to see why. This 42-hectare body of water is perfectly complemented by nearby hills, but it's the surrounding religious architecture which makes it truly special. If a criticism can be made, it's that there aren't many lotuses in Lotus Pond! After renting our bikes at the rental station on the eastern shore, we headed to the pond’s northern end to visit the Confucius Temple. It's said to be the largest Confucian shrine in Taiwan, and if you have a particular interest in the sage and his disciples, you'll learn a lot from the information panels here. Heading south along the western shore, we made Yuandi Temple our next stop. But instead of going inside, we headed out along the nearby pier toward Lotus Pond's most striking landmark, a 22m-high statue of the Lord of the North Pole. He's believed to take a special interest in the well-being of butchers, sailors, and children, and to keep his followers safe from fire. In the modest shrine directly beneath the base, we found the snake and turtle icons which symbolize the lord's faithful servants. The former is especially lifelike; it's sometimes mistaken by foreign visitors for a living serpent, perhaps because it's kept in a glass case beside which worshipers leave real eggs as offerings. Qiming Temple is just 400 meters away, and as I got close I was struck by how colorful it is, even by the ebullient standards of Taiwan's folk temples. Inside, a memorable statue of the general-become-god Guan Gong holds center stage. He's depicted with a dark red face, a full beard, and an unforgiving countenance. The pedestrian bridge here leads to the Spring and Autumn Pavilions and then on to Wuli Pavilion, the closest you can get to the middle of the pond without swimming or boarding a boat. The seven-story Dragon and Tiger Pagodas are reached via a zigzag walkway, the sharp changes in direction intended to throw visiting evil spirits off track The pond's single most popular attraction is in its southwestern corner, near the wall and gate that are all that remains of the old prefectural capital of Fengshan. The seven-story Dragon and Tiger Pagodas are reached via a zigzag walkway, the sharp changes in direction intended to throw visiting evil spirits off track. The towers themselves are guarded by a huge blue-and-green dragon and crouching tiger at the base. Buddhists believe that going in through the dragon’s throat and emerging via the tiger’s mouth brings good luck; we did just that, before taking a quick look at Zhen Fushe, a long-closed Lord of the Land (Earth God) shrine notable for its aged, delicate door-god paintings. The tiny temple, located at the intersection of Beizitou St. and Shengli Rd., is a national historic site. Then it was along the southern shore of Lotus Pond and over the railway line on a bridge built especially for cyclists. Turning left on the other side would have brought us to the Protogenic Plants Garden. This park boasts an extensive collection of indigenous flora and is a must-see for anyone interested in botany. We turned right, followed the railway line, and then turned left onto Xinzhuang 1st Rd. After about 20 minutes following this road and then Xinzhuangzi Rd., we turned right onto the bike path running beside Love River. The tree-shaded path here, along the northern section of the river, leads through residential areas and a number of community parks. The scenery changes significantly further south, along the middle section of the river, where you can find three distinctive sites. The first of these, if you're coming from the north, is a park area called Heart of Love River, at the intersection of Bo’ai 1st and Tongmeng 2nd roads. This stirring confluence of shining water and gleaming steel is an ecological-architectural attraction that's particularly impressive at night. Less than 1km downstream, Kaohsiung Hakka Culture Park has a bilingual museum and a theater; get a Chinese-speaker to call (07) 313-7878 for details on the daily shows. At the time of writing, the museum was closed for renovation, but it should reopen in mid-March. Do go inside if you can; expect to spend an hour poring over the fascinating collection of old-style agricultural tools, furniture, household utensils, and ritual items. Anyone with an interest in industrial heritage will thrill at the sight of Jhongdu Tangrong Brick Kiln and its twin octagonal smokestacks. Between 1899 and 1992 this kiln produced up to three million bricks and tiles per month. Located on the corner of Zhonghuaheng and Tongmeng 3rd roads, it's now an open-air museum open to the public. Reaching the mouth of Love River, we turned west and began exploring Hamasen, part of Yancheng District. Hamasen – the name is a Taiwanese version of the Japanese toponym – developed rapidly during the Japanese colonial era (1895~1945) because of its proximity to Kaohsiung's harbor. As a result of the city's center of gravity shifting to the north and east in recent decades, the neighborhood has retained much of its old character. Several of Hamasen's disused warehouses have been put to new uses. One that used to store bananas before they were shipped to Japan is now a popular venue for wedding parties. Another now houses Pier-2 Art Center (pier-2.khcc.gov.tw), a space where artists create and display their works. Train buffs will like the new Takao Railway Museum (takao.railway.tw), located beside what used to be Kaohsiung Harbor Railway Station. Xiziwan, on the coast just north of Kaohsiung Harbor, is dominated by a steep ridge that forms part of Shoushan, a small mountain crisscrossed by hiking trails and famous for its lively troupes of Formosan Rock Macaques. Our final stop, the Former British Consular Residence (www.british-consulate.com.tw), is atop this ridge, and can be reached either by cycling around the small fishing harbor on Kaohsiung Harbor’s north side or taking the tunnel that leads to the main campus of National Sun Yat-sen University. The official home of the British empire's diplomatic representative in south Taiwan between 1879 and 1897, the residence is a spacious single-story redbrick dwelling with superb views of the harbor and the Taiwan Strait. The restaurant/bar/coffee shop here is an excellent place to wind up any Kaohsiung tour, and after more than 35km of pedaling, we felt we deserved our refreshments. C-Bike bicycles can be returned to any of the 50 official rental points; all of these stations are fully automated and function 24/7 Fortunately, we didn't have to go all the way back to Lotus Pond to give back the bicycles, as C-Bike bicycles can be returned to any of the 50 official rental points. All of these stations are fully automated and function 24/7. If you run into problems, there's a station with helpful staff at True Love Pier (open 10am-9pm daily). The C-Bike system has other advantages, too. Twenty of the bike-hire stations are adjacent to KMRT stations; others are at museums, parks, and other locations frequented by tourists. The instructions are in both Chinese and English. You can pay by credit card or Kaohsiung I Pass Card; get one of the latter if you're going to be in town for a while, as they can also be used to pay for bus and KMRT rides. However you pay, the first hour is free; after that, each 30-minute period costs NT$20 if you're using a credit card, NT$10 if you've an I Pass Card. The C-Bike website lists rental-station locations and other details. The green-and-white bikes are suitable even for taller individuals (I am 181 cm, and found my ride quite comfortable once I'd adjusted the seat). The bikes come equipped with baskets, but no locks or helmets are provided. If you want to rent a bike suitable for longer distances, rougher surfaces, or a larger body, try the Giant Bicycle Store at the western end of Qingnian 2nd Road, near the mouth of Love River; tel: (07) 241-3040, open 10am–9.30pm daily. Whether your approach to bicycling is slow and ever so easy or with a bit of sweat-inducing exercise in mind, you're bound to have a great time in Kaohsiung. English & Chinese Confucius Temple 孔廟 Dragon and Tiger Pagodas 龍虎塔 Fengshan 鳳山 Former British Consular Residence 打狗英國領事館 Guan Gong 關公 Hamasen 哈瑪星 Heart of Love River 愛河之心 Jhongdu Tangrong Brick Kiln 中都唐榮磚窯廠 Kaohsiung Hakka Culture Park 高雄市新客家文化園 Lord of the Land 土地公 Lord of the North Pole 北極大帝 Lotus Pond 蓮池潭 Love River 愛河 Meinong 美濃 National Sun Yat-sen University 國立中山大學 Pier-2 Art Center 駁二藝術特區 Protogenic Plants Garden 原生植物園 Qiming Temple 啟明堂 Shoushan 壽山 Spring and Autumn Pavilions 春秋閣 Takao Railway Museum 打狗鐵道故事館 True Love Ferry Pier 真愛碼頭 Wuli Pavilion 五里亭 Xiziwan 西子灣 Yuandi Temple 元帝廟 Yancheng District 鹽埕區 Yushan 玉山 Zhen Fushe 鎮福社 Zhonghuaheng Rd. 中華橫路 Zuoying District 左營區 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly March April Issue, 2012/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=3482&tag=19 Mar 2012 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H9 Mar 2012 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)By Rick Charette Taiwan may not be one of the biggest places found on your world map, but knowledgeable long-term foreign residents enthuse about the tremendous variation of its natural and people-created environments. If you’re on the island and looking to get out of the city and explore a little, taking advantage of that free day or two, just about every tourist spot in the land is quickly accessible to you. Your answer is the Taiwan Tour Bus service (www.taiwantourbus.com.tw), run by bus-tour outfits vetted by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau. The firms handle everything, including insurance. Here’s a selected English-language tour sampler for you, with Taipei your launch point and pickup/drop-off at major hotels and public facilities such as Taipei Railway Station. North – Wulai A prime attraction for many foreign visitors is the cultures of Taiwan’s many indigenous peoples. Wulai, 30 minutes south of central Taipei, is the northernmost settlement of the Atayal, Taiwan’s northernmost tribe. Situated in a deep gorge, it is also a hot-spring resort. On this half-day tour, offered each afternoon by two firms, you take a ride on an old logging-industry mini-railway, see soaring Wulai Waterfall, and take in indigenous-culture displays and a song-and-dance performance. Northeast – Jiufen and Jinguashi There are both half-day and full-day tours to these two picturesque former mining towns clinging to high slopes off the coast, not far southeast of Keelung City. Jiufen’s heyday was the 1890s~1930s, and today its quaint, often steep streets are populated with tourist-oriented food-sellers, eateries, and teahouses. Jinguashi’s Gold Ecological Park is a history buff’s delight, where you can visit old Japanese-built heritage buildings and enjoy a mine-tunnel experience. This was also site of the infamous WW II Kinkaseki POW camp, where Allied soldiers were forced to work the mines. Central – Sun Moon Lake Taiwan’s vetted bus-tour enterprises offer so many options that not all are listed on the Taiwan Tour Bus website. What you do is go to their individual websites. For example, the main website lists a one-day outing to famed Sun Moon Lake in the central mountains, with Taichung City pickup, but go to the Edison Travel Service website (www.edison.com.tw) and you’ll see that all tours are in English, and it has a two-day Taipei-launch Sun Moon Lake excursion. You stay overnight at a lakeside hotel, visit such iconic attractions as imposing Wenwu Temple and Ci’en Pagoda, and ride the long, thrilling cable-car “ropeway” to nearby Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village. East – Taroko Gorge The Taiwan Tour Bus website lists a number of single-day excursions to fabulous Taroko Gorge, Taiwan’s premier natural wonder. All the usual travel-writing superlatives – “magnificent,” “awe-inspiring,” “incredible” – are fully justified in describing this marvel, where 250-million-year-old marble-rich walls at times soar up a thousand feet along the main (lower) gorge, which stretches 19km. For the Taipei-launch tours you are flown to Hualien City, take a bus to/from the gorge, and come back via a picturesque coast-and-valley train ride, with bus drop-off. In the gorge, you visit such dramatic sites as the Eternal Spring Shrine, Swallow Grotto, and Tunnel of Nine Turns. South – Kenting and Kaohsiung Sunny Kenting National Park, sometimes characterized as Taiwan’s California/Big Sur, takes in much of the island’s south-tip peninsula. Kaohsiung, a history-rich harbour metropolis, is Taiwan’s second largest city. The Taiwan Tour Bus website offers a number of single-day Kenting tours starting on the peninsula (no English guide); on Edison’s site you’ll find a two-day Taipei-launch tour, during which you ride the island’s impressive High Speed Rail. Trip highlights include Kenting’s world-class biodiversity and the first-rate National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium. A final note of advice: If possible, avoid weekend/holiday travel, when all tourist sites are markedly busier. English and Chinese Atayal Tribe 泰雅族 Ci’en Pagoda 慈恩塔 Eternal Spring Shrine 長春祠 Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village 九族文化村 Gold Ecological Park 黃金博物園區 Jinguashi 金瓜石 Jiufen 九份 Kenting National Park 墾丁國家公園 National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium 國立海洋生物博物館 Sun Moon Lake 日月潭 Swallow Grotto 燕子口 Taroko Gorge 太魯閣峽谷 Tunnel of Nine Turns 九曲洞 Wenwu Temple文武廟 Wulai 烏來 Wulai Waterfall 烏來瀑布 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly March April Issue, 2012/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=3491&tag=115 Mar 2012 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H15 Mar 2012 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)By Rick Charette In Taipei on business or other travel, got an extra day or more to explore, want out of the city to see what else Taiwan has to offer, too busy to handle everything yourself, and looking for an attractive and interesting place to get to and back from quick? Travel in Taiwan has the answer: Visit Yilan County! Here’s what I would do if we were you. First, go to the Taiwan Tourism Bureau website (www.taiwan.net.tw) to get the basics on Yilan. You’ll learn it is not far southeast of Taipei, and is roughly triangular in shape, with mountain massifs framing the Yilan/Lanyang Plain on two sides and the Pacific pushing against the third. The county is small, 63km wide and 74km long. It was long relatively isolated from Taipei, reached in modern times by a roundabout rail journey or by a two-hour-plus motor-vehicle drive over rugged mountain or along rugged, zigzagging coast. Today the drive is just 40 minutes, thanks to National Highway No. 5, which shoots right through the mountains. Its 2006 opening has brought a tourist boom. The county remains quite bucolic, relying heavily on farming, fishing, and tourism, has few conurbations, and little heavy industry. Let’s assume you want somebody else to handle everything for you: planning, driving, insurance, even providing a guide. Click on “Travel Suggestions” on the Tourism Bureau’s main website page (English version) and then on “Tour Bus.” This will lead you to the “Taiwan Tour Bus” site (www.taiwantourbus.com). The Tourism Bureau works with local travel firms to develop package tours to all Taiwan hotspots, including single-day and multi-day outings to Yilan; you get picked up in Taipei and dropped off after. Note that the firms are also willing to tailor packages when possible. Perhaps you’d like a little more independence of movement? Can do. We suggest the Hotel Royal Chiao Hsi as your base, for a number of reasons: It’s in a lovely sylvan setting, it’s in the famed Jiaoxi hot-springs area and is a first-class hot-spring resort, it’s in north Yilan near numerous tourist sites I’d like to recommend, the hotel offers guided tours to (or transport to/from) these and other sites, and you’ll get picked up at Jiaoxi’s railway station or inter-city bus station (or stations in Yilan City, your choice). To find out how to take a train or inter-city bus, click “Getting Around” on the Tourism Bureau main page. Recently Travel in Taiwan conducted a two-day Jiaoxi/Hotel Royal dry-run visit with your needs in mind. What follows are highlight spots we think you’d most like. Nature Explorations We set off from the hotel lobby at 7am for a guided walk to nearby Wufengqi Falls, higher up in the quickly narrowing valley. The trip takes about 2 hours. There are actually three cascading waterfalls, the tallest and uppermost 42m high (closed for safety reasons at time of writing). A walkway with some English signage follows the waterway, dotted with picturesque Chinese-style pavilions. There’s lots of bird life, and this day we spotted numerous brilliant Formosan blue magpies. Just down-valley from the hotel is the dead-end access road to Paoma (Running Horse) Historic Trail, a branch of a Qing Dynasty Yilan-Wulai-Taipei-Tamsui pioneer trail. The “Running Horse” refers to Japanese-era mounted-officer patrols. The 1.5km paved road moves up the massif face above Jiaoxi and Yilan Plain; locals take daily walks here, enjoying the great views. They’re even better along the easy-grade trail, which first moves into the massif along a steep valley and then makes its way to the massif’s top and riveting panoramas. Give yourself 3 hours, including the access road. Though we didn’t do it on our latest trip, a boat tour to iconic Guishan (Turtle) Island from Wushi Harbor is a unique experience. The harbor is by majestic Lanyang Museum, which we’ll visit later on. The eco-preserve island is Taiwan’s only active volcano, and there are military and fishing-village ruins. If you are lucky you can also enjoy whale/dolphin-watching during the trip to or from the island. You must apply one week ahead; your travel firm or hotel can help (for the Chinese form, visit https://kueishan.necoast-nsa.gov.tw). Cultural Attractions The young Lanyang Museum (www.lym.gov.tw) is one of my favorite museums in Taiwan, housed in one of my favorite works of architecture on the island. The structure seems to shoot out of the ground just like the area’s great natural sculptures of stratified rock. Inside, the open-concept floors are staggered, cascading like the tiered-rock formations of the coast. The museum explores the heart of Yilan’s people, telling the story of its indigenous peoples, pioneers, and modern-day inhabitants, the local geology, farming and fishing traditions, and the biology of local land and sea. The museum structure seems to shoot out of the ground just like the area’s great natural sculptures of stratified rock Twenty-some minutes south of Jiaoxi, at the base of the mountains that overlook the town, is the King Car Whisky Distillery (www.kavalanwhisky.com), where the KAVALAN series is crafted. The grounds here are green, expansive, and immaculate. English guided tours are available, with a 50/50 chance they’ll be led by the lovely, knowledgeable Joanie Tseng, from the distillery’s global P.R. team, who studied in England. You start with informative English signboards, view the giant vats, see the whiskies aging in thousands of Jack Daniel’s bourbon casks and oloroso sherry casks, and finish at the elegant King Car Whisky Castle sampling the line. Culinary Journeys Most of Yilan’s high-end, luxurious dining spots are in its hotels, but Formosa Pearl (www.formosapearl.com) is changing things. The dream-made-true of Lin Wen-juan and her husband, the two-story wood-theme restaurant is set in the middle of the plain amidst rice paddies. The trappings are museum-quality exquisite, almost everything antique, including many of your utensils. The specialty is seasonal-catch seafood, the menu changing every few months. My favorite selection is the sashimi platter, featuring all-local marine delicacies, some unavailable in Taipei. The Zen Garden Fusion Cuisine restaurant at Hotel Royal Chiao Hsi, with its broad mountain view and sunken Japanese garden, is run by chef Joe Huang, who grew up just a short walk away and loves being back in Yilan. He’s taking the restaurant toward fully organic, everything Yilan-sourced, working with local farmers and buying himself at local ports. His fusion creations are imaginative – and delicious – and the sushi bar is source of a wonderful sensory tour. Taiwan folk love driving to the coast and eating at seaside port-town seafood restaurants. These are often very simply decorated; the key is ingredient freshness, your soon-to-be food swimming in tanks at the entrance. You choose. There are good places at busy, colorful Wushi Harbor, beside the Lanyang Museum, but on this trip we tried the Temple Mouth Seafood Restaurant, on the coastal highway about 10 minutes north of the harbor, after three separate word-of-mouth recommendations. These people were right; the food is hearty and tasty, the floor-to-ceiling back-wall glass giving pastel-blue views of breakers below and Guishan Island beyond. My favorite dish? The meaty crab in miso soup with beancurd. The food is hearty and tasty, the floor-to-ceiling back-wall glass giving pastel-blue views of breakers below and Guishan Island beyond Though I’ve just placed many an information morsel on your Yilan-travel plate, I’ve left far, far more in the kitchen – forest recreation areas, recreational farms, cultural parks, historical sites, eco-preserves, religious sites and celebrations…. Browse through the Tourism Bureau website to learn more. English & Chinese Guishan Island 龜山島 Paoma Historic Trail 跑馬古道 Wufengqi Falls 五峰旗瀑布 Wushi Harbor 烏石港 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly March April Issue, 2012/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=3497&tag=121 Mar 2012 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H21 Mar 2012 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Taiwan is a country known for its world-class teas. Few people outside the country, however, are aware that coffee is cultivated here too, albeit on a much smaller scale. If you want to learn first-hand about home-grown coffee while sipping a cup or two, your best bet is the township of Gukeng in southern Taiwan. By Owain Mckimm The sun has set over the Huashan area in Gukeng Township, and the coffee shops dotting the winding mountain road are lit up with neon signs and fairy lights. It is a cool January evening in the hills of southern Taiwan, and we are at the Red Cherry High Quality Café, owned by coffee expert Dai Jun-ming, sitting outside listening to the grind and crackle of one of his small roasting machines. It has been a long day, with more cups of coffee than I’d usually drink in a week, but the smell of roasting beans emanating from the roaster has something deep and alchemic about it, making me think just one more cup might be a good idea, even if it means not sleeping for a few days. The smell of roasting beans emanating from the roaster has something deep and alchemic about it Gukeng coffee is known for its smooth, mild taste, low acidity, and a lightness which allows for a fresh nutty flavor to emerge. The beans grown here are of the Arabica variety and, according to one farmer we had spoken to earlier in the day, have characteristics similar to Brazilian and Kenyan coffee. Dai explains, though, that the amount of roasting also noticeably affects the flavor. After a few minutes in the roaster the coffee beans start to audibly “pop,” and Dai says that at this point he can accurately judge the quality and characteristics of the beans (he has won international awards for his roasting skills), and knows just how much more roasting is needed for optimum flavor. Coffee trees were first planted in Gukeng in the early 1930s by the Japanese, who ruled Taiwan from 1895 to 1945, and before long around 600 hectares were dedicated to growing coffee, with most of the produce being sold as a luxury item in Japan. In the latter half of the last century, however, the coffee trade in Gukeng waned. Coffee was just too expensive for the local market, and the international one proved too competitive for the shrinking number of coffee farmers. "Just before the year 2000, there were only about three coffee shops selling coffee in Huashan and only one in Hebaoshan, Gukeng’s other main coffee-growing area," says Dai. "In 2003 we had the first ever Taiwan International Coffee Festival here, but few knew about it. The next year, though, the organizers stepped up their advertising campaign, and a commercial for Mr. Brown Coffee (a popular Taiwan canned-coffee brand) was also shot here. After that things just exploded." The 2004 coffee festival earned the township five times more money than the first, and by 2008 the number of visitors attending the festival had quadrupled. Though the number fluctuates, Dai estimates that there are now over 90 coffee shops in Huashan alone, though not all of them grow their own coffee beans. Earlier in the day we had visited Liu Qing-song, the owner of Key Café, who has 1.4 hectares of coffee growing on the slope below his coffee shop. We sat on Liu's veranda overlooking the Yunlin County plains – a view that, when night falls, is quite spectacular – and enjoyed a cup of his freshly roasted coffee. Liu was a tea farmer for 17 years before trading his tea bushes for coffee trees in 1999. "When I was a child, there was no real candy for us to eat around here, so we would go and steal coffee cherries and eat them because they’re so sweet, and there were coffee trees everywhere," Liu said. "We'd take the beans and dry them in the sun, wait until our parents went to work and then roast them in a big cooking pot on the stove. We'd crush the beans with a millstone, and put the grounds in a teapot, add some sugar, then drink the coffee out of a rice bowl." Liu said the reason he switched from tea growing to coffee growing was because of these early childhood memories. After our coffee, Liu took us down to visit his plantation. "In Taiwan, coffee grows best at altitudes between 400m and 1300m," he said. "In Gukeng we are lucky that the climate is very similar to Jamaica's Blue Mountain area, where their famous coffee is grown. The one difference is that our soil doesn't have the same volcanic composition as theirs does, and so our coffee tends to be less chocolaty." Liu harvests his coffee between December and March. The higher the altitude, the later the coffee cherries tend to ripen; Liu's plantation is at an altitude of 700m, but on a farm only 300m below his the harvesting starts around September. "The trees start to flower around February, and continue flowering until about May," he explained. After pollination, the coffee cherry takes 6-8 months to grow, fatten and ripen. On the day of our visit, Liu's coffee trees had a mixture of green, unripe cherries and ripe ones of a deep red. He picked a red one for us to taste. Coffee cherries have very little flesh, and though sweet to the taste, the flesh only provides a brief diversion before hitting the sizable coffee bean. Because of the staggered nature of the flowering the cherries ripen at different times, so they must be picked painstakingly by hand. After picking, the beans are squeezed out of the cherry and put into a tub to ferment overnight. This breaks down the slippery pulp that still clings to the beans. After fermentation they are washed and then dried in the sun for a week – though it can sometimes take up to half a month depending on the weather. When the water content of the beans has dropped to around 12% they are put through a machine to remove the dry outer layer of parchment. Liu can identify just how much moisture is in a bean by judging its color – a skill that he assured me comes with experience. The beans are then ready to be roasted. Coffee cherries have very little flesh, and though sweet to the taste, the flesh only provides a brief diversion before hitting the sizable coffee bean Liu explained that even though Gukeng coffee is famous in Taiwan, you'll be hard pressed to find it sold anywhere other than the local coffee shops. This is because most of the land in Gukeng is used to plant more profitable betel-nut trees. Many farmers even plant betel-nut trees on coffee-growing land to protect the sun-shy coffee trees from direct sunlight. Liu estimates that there's only around 80 hectares of coffee-growing land in all of Gukeng Township (out of an island-wide total of around 1,000 hectares). Furthermore, Taiwanese coffee counts for less than a tenth of all coffee drunk in Taiwan, and Gukeng's for only a fraction of that. After visiting Liu we stopped for lunch at the Sun and Moonshine Café, where the owner, Lai Song-zhi, suggested that we try his coffee hotpot – a Gukeng twist on the popular Taiwanese dish. For the broth he mixes espresso with soy sauce, sugar, and cornflower, adds water and a few freshly roasted coffee beans, fills your pot with the mixture, provides you with a heat source, vegetables and meat, and away you go. He also suggested we add some of his Gukeng coffee liqueur, which gave the dish an additional kick – as if the amount of caffeine already in it wasn't sufficient! In the evening, as we reflect on the day's events at the Red Cherry High Quality Café, we suddenly realize the hour is late. Some of the coffee shops here stay open until 2am to allow visitors to feast on the night views, but for us there's a long drive back to Taipei ahead. Happily, however, after a full day sampling the best of Gukeng coffee we won't have to worry about falling asleep at the wheel! Getting There From Taipei, take a train to the town of Douliu, then transfer to a Taisi Bus Co. bus headed for Shiqiao and get off at Huashan bus stop. There are only two buses each day, one at 7:30am and one at 3pm. Alternatively, get a taxi at Douliu (about NT$400 from Douliu to Huashan; drivers usually charge NT$2,000 for a half day). If you drive yourself, take National Highway No. 1 to Yunlin System Interchange, then take Provincial Highway No. 78 east and exit at Gukeng Interchange, getting on Provincial Highway No. 3 and then changing to County Highway No. 210 to Huashan. English & Chinese Gukeng Township 古坑鄉 Douliu 斗六 Hebaoshan 荷苞山 Huashan 華山 Shiqiao 石橋 Taisi Bus Co. 台西客運 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly March April Issue, 2012/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=3503&tag=127 Mar 2012 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H27 Mar 2012 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Visiting both of these premier tourist destinations in central Taiwan has now become even more convenient for travelers relying on public transport. Scenic Sun Moon Lake and Xitou, the latter known for its lush bamboo groves, have been connected to Taichung by separate Taiwan Tourist Shuttle routes (more info at www.taiwantrip.com.tw) for some time now, but until recently there was no public-bus connection between the two. This has changed recently. There are now six bus services each day between the areas. One-way tickets are priced NT$80, and buses need 90 minutes for the 60km trip, stopping on the way at Zhushan, Jiji, and Shuili. For schedules, contact Yuanlin (www.ylbus.com.tw) or Nantou (www.ntbus.com.tw) bus companies. Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly March April Issue, 2012/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=3524&tag=15 Apr 2012 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H5 Apr 2012 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)A piano factory in Taoyuan County’s Daxi Township is among the growing number of tourist factories around Taiwan, and now allows visitors to learn about piano production and the mechanics that make the instrument work. Travel in Taiwan made the short trip from Taipei to find out more. By Kurt Weidner If you come across a new upright piano in Taiwan it has, with almost 100% certainty, been assembled in a certain factory that is a 40-minute drive southwest of Taipei City. Since the only other producer of pianos in Taiwan, Yamaha, closed its local business in 2009, Tong Ho Musical Wooden Works Co., Ltd. has been the sole domestic company supplying musicians with pianos that are not imported. Keeping the production line running over the past two decades has been quite a challenge, with sales numbers declining ever since the “golden 1980s” when Tong Ho sold up to 700 pianos a month. The present number is about 150. In an attempt to stimulate business and create an additional source of income, five years ago the then 40-year-old company decided to open the plant up for visitors. After a year of preparations, the doors of the Music 4 Fun Tong Ho Music Experience Museum were swung open. The factory/museum is located just 15 minutes by foot from Daxi’s Old Street, the town’s main tourist draw. Even before entering through the main gate, the sound of piano music emanating from loudspeakers fills the air, setting the tone for a highly educational tour that is all about pianos and music. "Opening the doors of the factory for visitors," explains Chen Wei-hong, the plant’s manager and vice-director, “is an attempt to create an interest in music in general, and the piano in particular, among the younger generation. Children are nowadays more interested in playing video games than learning a musical instrument, and it is therefore important to introduce them to music at an early age. Only with this interest established will we be able to sell more pianos in the future”. It is therefore not surprising that the tourist factory is primarily geared toward entertaining visiting families and school classes, with the first mainly coming on weekends and the latter during the week. Visitors who do not belong to one of these groups are nevertheless welcome too, and everyone who’s interested in music will find a tour of the plant highly interesting, and perhaps even eye-opening. Music 4Fun offers half-day and full-day tours (NT$200 and NT$400, respectively). On our visit we opted for the half-day tour, which includes a session on DIY assembly of musical instruments, a tour of two exhibit rooms where you learn a great deal about the piano, a visit to a hall housing simple devices for creating sound (or better, noise) built with recycled waste materials, and a tour of the factory’s assembly. The DIY session is especially geared to kids. You are shown how to put together a harmonica by screwing the different parts together with tiny screws, and you learn how the different parts of a recorder are put together. The most interesting part about the harmonica assembly is learning how the reed plate at the core of the instrument works – sound is created by blowing wind into the holes to make the reeds vibrate. The DIY session is conducted on the first floor. Afterwards, we went up to the display hall on the second floor. If you have ever wondered what a piano looks like on the inside and how the sound is created, you’ll find all the answers here. The pianos and piano components arranged around the two large rooms here have been dissected in every possible way to let you see inside and help you comprehend the surprisingly complicated mechanics. In the first room, you will learn that spruce from Alaska is used for the soundboard, how the keyboard is glued together, how the hammers hit the strings, what material the hammers are made of, what’s happening inside the piano when pressing the pedals, and much more. The second room has displays of piano peripherals, including humidity sensors, a device that turns a piano into an electrical instrument (allowing musicians to play on at night without disturbing their neighbors), and a fancy system that slows down the fall of the “fall” (the keyboard cover). Filled in with all the details about the piano, visitors – especially the younger ones – are delighted with the next part of the factory tour. In the “Environmental Music Area,” located inside a hall opposite the exhibition building, you can make sound to your heart’s content on simple devices made with recycled trash by factory workers. The title “Music Area” is a bit misleading, because if you visit this hall at the same time as a 30-strong class of elementary students, the “music” created by hammering on metal surfaces and plastic buckets is more like an assault on your ears, the piano music from the aforementioned outside loudspeakers completely drowned out. Have fun, and don’t say you weren’t warned. The last part of the tour – and in our view the best – is the visit to the assembly hall, where you’ll see 20~30 pianos being assembled by a dozen workers. Following a designated path through the hall, you look right over the shoulders of the workers, watching how they put together keys and hammers, strings and boards, pedals and covers. At one end of the hall you witness how the sound for each piano is fine-tuned before the instrument is shipped out. About the Company Tong Ho is the Taiwan agent for Japanese piano producer Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd. The company was established 45 years ago, starting as a producer of wooden cabinets for TV sets. Cooperation between Tong Ho and Kawai began when the two sides were introduced by a company supplying the paint for both Tong Ho’s cabinets and Kawai’s pianos. In the 1960s, 90% of pianos in Taiwan were imported from Japan, and because of their high price tags only affluent Taiwanese could afford to buy one. Thanks to the cooperation between the two companies prices were reduced and the market expanded by importing the parts from Japan and assembling the pianos in Taiwan. Today, Tong Ho still imports main components from Japan, while the wooden boards and other less important parts are produced in low-cost countries around Asia. The heyday of the company was during the 1980s and ’90s, when an average of 700 pianos were built each month. During that time the company was also a major producer of amplifiers, selling 6,000~7,000 units per month and exporting them around the world. Other Places of Interest in the Area The town of Daxi is best known for it’s Old Street (Heping Road), lined with old shophouses, many sporting Baroque-style facades, an indication of the town’s thriving commerce in times gone by. There are numerous shops and eateries here, where you can sample local specialties such as dried beancurd and rice cooked in bamboo tubes. At the western end of town is the small Zhongzheng Park, from which you enjoy great views over the Dahan River. A path below the park, by the river, leads to the photogenic river-spanning Daxi Bridge. A nice place to enjoy a cup of coffee while taking in the river views is the terrace at Daxi Artist Villa, housed in what was once a summer retreat of late President Chiang Kai-shek. For more about tourist factories around Taiwan, visit taiwanplace21.org/en/index.htm. English & Chinese Dahan River 大漢溪 Daxi 大溪 Daxi Artist Villa 大溪藝文之家 Daxi Bridge 大溪橋 Heping Road 和平路 Old Street 老街 Tong Ho Musical Wooden Works Co., Ltd 東和樂器木業股份有限公司 Zhongzheng Park 中正公園 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly March April Issue, 2012/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=3539&tag=112 Apr 2012 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H12 Apr 2012 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)By Rick Charette Taiwan has so much variation that you can look at it as an island made up of many smaller “islands” of natural and cultural uniqueness, a mosaic in which each local destination is unlike all the others, each a small world unto its own. And to this mosaic is added the distinctiveness of Taiwan’s many smaller offshore islands as well. Great news for the traveler is that a good deal of this land is contained within national parks and national scenic areas (“NSAs”) which, of course, are each a world apart from all the others though not so far as the crow flies, considering Taiwan’s overall size. The Tourism Bureau administers the 13 NSAs, and the administration of each creates a special menu of events each year that best captures the unique personality of that area. Some highlight an NSA’s one-of-a-kind characteristics while joining in on national or international happenings, such as Taiwan’s Lantern Festival celebrations, New Year’s Eve parties (Tri-Mountain NSA, Sun Moon Lake NSA), and “first sunrise of the year” celebrations (Northeast & Yilan Coast NSA, which has a concert, and East Coast NSA). Others are NSA-specific and could be staged nowhere else in the world, such as the Blue Fin Tuna Cultural Festival in Dapeng Bay NSA or the brilliant Alishan Sunrise Impression Concert in high-mountain Alishan NSA. Here are just a few of the many events organized by NSAs: The Taiwan Hot Spring & Fine-Cuisine Carnival runs from October through January, celebrating the blessing of Taiwan with scores of hot-spring locations and the local passion for mineral-spring bathing and good food. Hot-spring resorts, restaurants, and other related businesses in NSAs and other areas present a wide range of special offers, including stay-and-dine offers, special theme menus focused on local produce, organized tours to places of interest, and much more. Each September, the 10,000 People Sun Moon Lake Traverse takes place in the central mountains (Sun Moon Lake NSA), at one of the prettiest lakes you’ll ever come across – or swim across – surrounded by mountain peaks. There are in fact more than 10,000 swimmers, and this is the only time when swimming is allowed here. This is a cross-lake “tour” rather than a competition, slow swimming is the rule, and swimmers from around the world participate. There can be few more soothing experiences than listening to live music on a wide sandy beach, accompanied by the rhythm of lapping, or crashing, ocean waves, silky sun setting in the distance, endless sea before you. The North Coast Ocean Music Festival happens on two days in July (North Coast & Guanyinshan NSA), with one evening and one bay dedicated to classical music, another day and another bay dedicated to rock ‘n’ roll. The Alishan Firefly Season – Stepping Out with Alishan’s Fireflies runs from the end of March through June (Alishan NSA). Alishan is famous for its alpine forest railway and scenic sunrises, and for its beautiful and pristine natural environment. A key symbol of its rich ecology is the many fireflies lighting up the night; 25 of Taiwan’s 56 species are found here. In early summer, nature lovers can choose from a variety of nature tours, including trips to major firefly areas, combined with exploration of the local Tsou tribe culture and accommodation in local homestays. About 400,000 people come to the bustling port of Donggang in south Taiwan each year for the Blue Fin Tuna Cultural Festival, which begins in early May and ends in late June (Dapeng Bay NSA). Donggang, south of Kaohsiung City, is the heart of Taiwan’s bluefin tuna-fishing industry. Northern Bluefin Tuna gather off Taiwan’s southern tip end-May to spawn, and are at their fattest; Taiwan’s catch is the world’s largest. This festival introduces Donggang’s “three culinary treasures,” bluefin tuna, sakura shrimp, and escolar roe, and local scenic tourist attractions, with special bicycle outings and excursions to Xiaoliuqiu, a tiny coral island. As you can see, there is something for all personalities. What kind of traveler are you? For more information about Taiwan’s NSAs, visit info.taiwan.net.tw/NSA2006/0717/index.html (click on the name of a NSA on the map to be redirected to that NSA’s official website). Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly March April Issue, 2012/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=3554&tag=123 Apr 2012 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H23 Apr 2012 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Like people everywhere else, the good people of Taiwan like to get away from the stress of urban living to frolic in and by placid freshwater spots. Beyond Sun Moon Lake, the main subject of our Feature section this issue, here are my five more tourist-friendly lake/reservoir destinations. By Rick Charette Shimen Reservoir This reservoir, not far south of Taipei, is on the upper reaches of the Dahan River, the Tamsui River’s main source. It lies behind a tall dam – Shimen (“Stone Gate”) Dam – blocking the long, narrow gorge that opens onto the long, flat valley that leads toward Taipei. The area is rugged and dramatically scenic; visitors come for long lake cruises, walks on winding trails to well-placed pavilions, bicycling (rentals available), and meals at waterside eateries featuring reservoir fish in multiple ways. In spring, peach blossoms, cherry blossoms, and azaleas are in bloom, and in autumn maples planted to prevent erosion turn golden. Not far to the east of Taipei is Feicui (“Emerald”) Reservoir, the city’s main drinking-water source. Severe restrictions on development have made this a prime spot for peaceful walks and hikes. Liyutan (Carp Lake) Just southwest of Hualien City, nestled in the eastern foothills of the central mountains, this is the region’s largest lake, about 104 hectares in area. There are pedal-boat and bicycle rentals, open-air eateries and cafés, a four-kilometer ring road for pleasant walking, well-marked trails shooting off into the nearby hills, and camping/picnic areas. Small motorboats can be rented (with driver) for cruises. The ring road, featuring easy grades, can be traversed in about an hour; fireflies abound in late spring/early summer. Pineapple and other tropical-fruit plantations surround the lake, and resort hotels are now going up in the area. Paragliders use Mt. Liyu, just to the lake’s east, as their launch-pad (tandem-flights with professional instructors available). Deji Reservoir On the Dajia River in Taichung, up in the central mountains, framed in many spots by sheer walls, this body of held-back water is 14-km long and 592 hectares. Tourists are permitted 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Its high, thin, hyperbola-shaped dam, Taiwan’s first arch dam, is a magnificent sight, peaking at 290 meters. Scenic Provincial Highway No. 8 runs alongside the reservoir (at present, the reservoir is only accessible by this highway from the east, since the highway is closed off to the west). Premier nearby attractions are the Lishan area and its alpine fruit orchards, including those at Fushoushan Farm, Taiwan’s highest tourist tea farm, which has orchards, eco-hikes, a museum, and other amenities. Wanda Reservoir is to the south in the same general region, near Wushe town and Provincial Highway No. 14. Set amidst tall peaks, dense forest lines the shores. The area is known for hiking, bird-watching, hot-springs and, at Aowanda Forest Recreation Area, colorful autumn maples. Wushantou Reservoir In the western rural section of sprawling Tainan City, 30 waterways flow into Wushantou, which sprouts over 100 islands. The water flowing from the 6,000-hectare reservoir forms a lovely high waterfall. The intricate indentations of the shoreline have given rise to another name, Coral Lake. Other lake-area attractions are peaceful Zhongzheng Park, atop a hill, temple facilities, a barbecue area, camping area, lakeside trail, water park, and small aviary/garden. Even larger Cengwen Reservoir, in the mountains not far to the east in Chiayi County, has camping areas, guest cottages, high observation platforms, outdoor-exercise facilities, an aviary, and a landscape-garden area. Chengqing Lake The Kaohsiung area’s largest lake, this reservoir, measuring over 300 hectares, is one of south Taiwan’s most popular scenic areas. “Crystal Clear” Lake has picnicking, boating, and a shoreline pathway and forest trails that connect its scenic sights together. Locals consider a relaxing day exploring the pavilions, pagodas, and pedestrian bridges a day spent within a poem. The lake’s myriad compelling beauties have brought it the name “West Lake of Taiwan.” The lake’s aquarium was originally a massive underground bunker; its 200-meter-long tunnel brings you to eight exhibits, on whales, exotic sea life, coral, shellfish, and more. English & Chinese Aowanda Forest Recreation Area 奧萬大森林遊樂區 Cengwen Reservoir 曾文水庫 Coral Lake 珊瑚潭 Feicui Reservoir 翡翠水庫 Dahan River 大漢溪 Dajia River 大甲溪 Deji Reservoir 德基水庫 Fushoushan Farm 福壽山農場 Liyutan 鯉魚潭 Mt. Liyu 鯉魚山 Shimen Dam 石門水壩 Shimen Reservoir 石門水庫 Wanda Reservoir 萬大水庫 West Lake of Taiwan 台灣西湖 Wushantou Reservoir 烏山頭水庫 Zhongzheng Park 中正公園 Provided by Travel in Taiwan Bimonthly May June Issue, 2012/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=3587&tag=14 May 2012 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H4 May 2012 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)The "2012 Fulong Sand Sculpture Festival" will be held from May 5 to June 24 at Fulong Beach, says Hsu Cheng-long, director of the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration announced that. Leading sand sculptors from the United States, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Latvia, Singapore, Taiwan and mainland China have been invited to compete at the festival, ensuring a feast for the eyes. U.S. and Canadian sand artists will create giant "fairy-tale world" and "Universal Studios" sand sculptures based on Shrek, Batman vs Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Fantastic Four, and other movie themes. "Coiling Dragon in Fulong" is the theme of the Taiwan team's sculptures, which will draw on the subjects of "Dragon Boating," "Longshan Temple," "Guanyin Riding a Dragon," "龍生貴子," and "Rock and Roll Dragon." Artists from Japan will present a dinosaur sculpture based on the movie "Jurassic Park." Through May 4, sand sculptors competed at an international sand sculpture invitational arranged as a warm-up to the main event. Sand sculpture classes will be offered on weekends during the festival period. Visitors can also enjoy the beauty of the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area on the "Tour Taiwan Shuttle: Golden Fulong Route." The tour includes stops at major scenic sites: Bitou and Longdong Bay Geology Park, the golden beaches of the Fulong resort area, and the Old Caoling Trail Circle-Line Bikeway. This tour enjoyed the highest satisfaction rate among Tour Taiwan Shuttle routes last year (2011). Building on this success, the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration decided to continue issuing the "Tour Taiwan Shuttle: Gold Fulong Route Tourism Passport" as well as plan the "Tour Taiwan Shuttle: Northeast Coast and Yilan Area Package Tour" and "Tour Taiwan Shuttle: Golden Fulong Music Route."/news/news_d_en.aspx?no=31&d=3592&tag=110 May 2012 0:0Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)text/htmlText315080000Hzh_TW315080000H10 May 2012 0:0315080000H315080000H630DD0I00Tourism Bureau,M.O.T.C. Republic of China(Taiwan)