The colourful capital of the island country is a pleasure to the eyes and a treat to the tastebuds. Nightmarkets, seafood and technological advancement wow its visitors. Suchayan Mandal tours the city, stopping here and there, discovering the fragrance of Taiwan
Taiwan is not a country that needs much introduction. Our familiarity with “Made in Taiwan” label spreads across gym appliances and gadgets of our daily need. Taiwan Tourism Board’s invitation to explore the island country painted my imagination green and I was all set to dive into the East China Sea, climb up the trails of Toroko Gorge, get lost among the crowd of Shilin Night Market and above all breathe in all the freshness that the must-see Asian destination can offer!
When we landed at Taipei’s Taoyuan Airport, it was 8.20 pm local time. Our first impression of the country was formed by its bus, cute enough with dazzling graphics of kitty and ladybirds. The journey to the city was of 50 minutes. The flyways and roads looked not very different from other metros and was thinking , so what the uniqueness of technologically advanced. I got the answer as soon the city lights appeared and it was a cutout clip from any Hollywood movie with SUVs rushing past and multi storeyed buildings with motion advertisements on them.
Tensed past
Taiwan’s capital city Taipei is old enough and carries a baggage of the past. As our tour guide Francis informed us, the Han Chinese people came and settled in Taipei Basin in 1709. After its defeat in the Sino-Japanese War, China handed over the entire island to Japan in 1895. Taihoku (as Japanese would call Taipei) emerged as the political centre of the Japanese colonial government. Including the Presidential Building, most of Taipei’s architecture dates back to the Japanese reign. Post Pacific War in 1945, the Chinese Nationalist Troop took over Taiwan and Kuomintang government under Chiang Kai-shek established Taipei as the provincial capital of Republic of China (ROC) in 1949 after the communists forced them to flee mainland China
or People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Taiwan has been removed from the UN as China entered the league. Francis, an army man with good sense of humour, when asked the difference between ROC and PRC, said it was because mainland China had more “people” than ROC.
The urge for freedom and China undercurrents are quite palpable in Taipei’s markets where street vendors would say, “China goods are bad! These are made in Taiwan!” or “No China goods here! Only Taiwan.”
Culture
Chinese practices blending with modern commercialism and technological advancement topped with Japanese traits is what Taiwanese means in short. It was reflected in the removing of shoes when one entered a house or even by the hotel staff when they entered a guest’s room. However, since this island country has remained far off the cultural margins of the colonizers because of its distance and accessibility hindrances from the mainland, not much influence could affect the native people. Taiwan’s cultural centres shifted at times, sometimes to Amsterdam, sometimes Beijing and even the US!
The official language being Mandarin, communication is slightly difficult. However, English is understood by some (either approach the old and wise looking ones or the young brigade).
Fashion blast
If you love happiness, florals and polkas, Taipei is the city you should be in. The happy- go-lucky people one finds everywhere in Taipei are probably a celebration of everything good on earth. The cheering and jocund pretty girls could have been the casual ambassadors! Early in the morning or Night markets Dresses, LBDs, stilettos, floral printed parallel pants, tees, skirts and shorts~ yes, one can find anything and everything well coupled with accessories and bags. So Taipei can be a good place to shop as much essentially casual stuffs one can fill one’s bags with, though for men, Taipei could be a bit too “funky”. The young men sport baseball caps and wayfarer sunglasses with t-shirts peeping out from unbuttoned long sleeved shirts. But fashion reigns the city and the neon colours are a treat to the eyes!
Food
Eating is an essential thing to do in Taipei. Even here, it’s colour that rules. Coloured leaves, vegetables and dips accompany most food here. Whether one is a foodie or not, taste and explore as much duck, squids, mussels, chicken, lamb and tofu as one can.
A haven for seafood, Taipei offers a varied cuisine customised to suit all taste buds. The food portions are small but the variety and spread more than makes up for it. Taipei has around 20 streets dedicated to snacking. Every time one thought one found the best streetside bao, the incredibly stinky tofu, or the mind blowing beef noodle soup, there’s always another food joint that surpasses it. The island's food is a mish-mash of the cuisine of the Min Nan, Teochew and Hokkien Chinese communities, along with Japanese style of cooking. Trying the milkfish, braised pork fried rice served with small fish, oyster omlette, bubble tea, iron egg and pineapple cake are a must. While finely chopped pork belly, slow-cooked in aromatic soy sauce with five spices makes up the magic of fried rice, iron eggs are tough chewy quails eggs cooked in soy sauce. The night markets are best place to try the delicacies, where they also serve frog eggs and Ox tongue pancakes (not from ox).
Nightmarkets
There are 12 night markets in Taipei, which operate till midnight. Raohe Street Night Market, Shilin Night Market, Dalong Night Market and Shida Night Market hog the limelight for offering as much variety they can. Besides food and drinks, phone covers, clothes and umbrellas are the top selling products. Shilin being the largest and most famous of all the night markets, it’s a must visit. Built in 1899, this market is famous for snacks and eatery. Snake Alley or Huaxi Street Night Market has a definite charm. Going by its name, you can guess that snake is on the menu. Once a legal red light area till the Taiwanese Government banned prostitution in 1991, this market, a hotel steward informed us (unofficially), serves snake meat in the form of soup, medicine, wine and also in various cooked dishes. Even the blood of the snake is drunk straight in a shot or can also be mixed with various other beverages, such as alcohol. However, it’s not easy to trace the snake shops. But then the government, to protect the wildlife, does not promote this tradition.
When we landed at Taipei’s Taoyuan Airport, it was 8.20 pm local time. Our first impression of the country was formed by its bus, cute enough with dazzling graphics of kitty and ladybirds. The journey to the city was of 50 minutes. The flyways and roads looked not very different from other metros and was thinking , so what the uniqueness of technologically advanced. I got the answer as soon the city lights appeared and it was a cutout clip from any Hollywood movie with SUVs rushing past and multi storeyed buildings with motion advertisements on them.
Tensed past
Taiwan’s capital city Taipei is old enough and carries a baggage of the past. As our tour guide Francis informed us, the Han Chinese people came and settled in Taipei Basin in 1709. After its defeat in the Sino-Japanese War, China handed over the entire island to Japan in 1895. Taihoku (as Japanese would call Taipei) emerged as the political centre of the Japanese colonial government. Including the Presidential Building, most of Taipei’s architecture dates back to the Japanese reign. Post Pacific War in 1945, the Chinese Nationalist Troop took over Taiwan and Kuomintang government under Chiang Kai-shek established Taipei as the provincial capital of Republic of China (ROC) in 1949 after the communists forced them to flee mainland China
or People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Taiwan has been removed from the UN as China entered the league. Francis, an army man with good sense of humour, when asked the difference between ROC and PRC, said it was because mainland China had more “people” than ROC.
The urge for freedom and China undercurrents are quite palpable in Taipei’s markets where street vendors would say, “China goods are bad! These are made in Taiwan!” or “No China goods here! Only Taiwan.”
Culture
Chinese practices blending with modern commercialism and technological advancement topped with Japanese traits is what Taiwanese means in short. It was reflected in the removing of shoes when one entered a house or even by the hotel staff when they entered a guest’s room. However, since this island country has remained far off the cultural margins of the colonizers because of its distance and accessibility hindrances from the mainland, not much influence could affect the native people. Taiwan’s cultural centres shifted at times, sometimes to Amsterdam, sometimes Beijing and even the US!
The official language being Mandarin, communication is slightly difficult. However, English is understood by some (either approach the old and wise looking ones or the young brigade).
Fashion blast
If you love happiness, florals and polkas, Taipei is the city you should be in. The happy- go-lucky people one finds everywhere in Taipei are probably a celebration of everything good on earth. The cheering and jocund pretty girls could have been the casual ambassadors! Early in the morning or Night markets Dresses, LBDs, stilettos, floral printed parallel pants, tees, skirts and shorts~ yes, one can find anything and everything well coupled with accessories and bags. So Taipei can be a good place to shop as much essentially casual stuffs one can fill one’s bags with, though for men, Taipei could be a bit too “funky”. The young men sport baseball caps and wayfarer sunglasses with t-shirts peeping out from unbuttoned long sleeved shirts. But fashion reigns the city and the neon colours are a treat to the eyes!
Food
Eating is an essential thing to do in Taipei. Even here, it’s colour that rules. Coloured leaves, vegetables and dips accompany most food here. Whether one is a foodie or not, taste and explore as much duck, squids, mussels, chicken, lamb and tofu as one can.
A haven for seafood, Taipei offers a varied cuisine customised to suit all taste buds. The food portions are small but the variety and spread more than makes up for it. Taipei has around 20 streets dedicated to snacking. Every time one thought one found the best streetside bao, the incredibly stinky tofu, or the mind blowing beef noodle soup, there’s always another food joint that surpasses it. The island's food is a mish-mash of the cuisine of the Min Nan, Teochew and Hokkien Chinese communities, along with Japanese style of cooking. Trying the milkfish, braised pork fried rice served with small fish, oyster omlette, bubble tea, iron egg and pineapple cake are a must. While finely chopped pork belly, slow-cooked in aromatic soy sauce with five spices makes up the magic of fried rice, iron eggs are tough chewy quails eggs cooked in soy sauce. The night markets are best place to try the delicacies, where they also serve frog eggs and Ox tongue pancakes (not from ox).
Nightmarkets
There are 12 night markets in Taipei, which operate till midnight. Raohe Street Night Market, Shilin Night Market, Dalong Night Market and Shida Night Market hog the limelight for offering as much variety they can. Besides food and drinks, phone covers, clothes and umbrellas are the top selling products. Shilin being the largest and most famous of all the night markets, it’s a must visit. Built in 1899, this market is famous for snacks and eatery. Snake Alley or Huaxi Street Night Market has a definite charm. Going by its name, you can guess that snake is on the menu. Once a legal red light area till the Taiwanese Government banned prostitution in 1991, this market, a hotel steward informed us (unofficially), serves snake meat in the form of soup, medicine, wine and also in various cooked dishes. Even the blood of the snake is drunk straight in a shot or can also be mixed with various other beverages, such as alcohol. However, it’s not easy to trace the snake shops. But then the government, to protect the wildlife, does not promote this tradition.
Tourists take note
Taipei 101
Taipei 101 is definitely a place to be. It’s a 101 storeyed building that houses designer stores, offices and apartments. Climb up to the 89th floor for the best view of the city
.
National Palace Museum
Having a permanent collection of more than 696,000 pieces of ancient Chinese artefacts and artworks, the National Palace Museum encompasses over 8,000 years of Chinese history from the Neolithic age to the late Qing Dynasty. Among the collections of bronzes, Zong Zhou Zhong (Bell of Zhou), commissioned by King Li of Zhou, is the most important musical instrument cast under his royal decree. One of the most popular pieces of jade carvings in the museum is the Jadeite Cabbage. It's a piece of jadeite carved into the shape of a cabbage head, and with a large and a small grasshopper camouflaged in the leaves. Among the most famous paintings in the collection is the Qing Palace version of Zhang Zeduan's Along the River During the Qingming Festival. Even though this is a copy (the original is in the Palace Museum in Beijing), it is nevertheless regarded as an artistic masterpiece. The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a famous monument built in memory of Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China who came to the island after being evicted from mainland China, With him had come many mainlanders as well and settled here. The change of guard in front of Kai shek’s statue is a notable one.
Shopping
That nail chewing part of the article is here! Hand bags, strolleys, rucksack bags are found in plenty in Ximen Market. This is a market for all your needs, be it clothing or accessories! An advice is not to bargain on the street stores. Just walk into showrooms if quality is in your mind. From personal experience bargaining, helps rarely. Umbrellas are good souvenirs from Taipei. Cheap and colourful these umbrellas are almost a must-buy.
For apparel, Wufenpu is the answer. This is a wholesale market to shop for cheaper and quality garments. Mondays are better to avoid as they engage in dealing with retailers. But then, the more you buy, the lesser the price is the basic mantra here. Bargaining doesn’t help here as the price is cheap, starting from 100NTD and going up to 1000NTD. Visit the stores where the crowd is as it’s definitely low priced. Though the mother country of gadgets, they aren’t cheap. One would find the price at par with Indian markets. If you still want to try, visit Nova Mall.
TIPS
Try public transport for an authentic feel. People are helpful. Take MRT or Metro for citycommunication. Cab fare starts from 85NTD for the first two km. High Speed Rail is another experience. (1 NTD = Rs 2)
Taipei 101
Taipei 101 is definitely a place to be. It’s a 101 storeyed building that houses designer stores, offices and apartments. Climb up to the 89th floor for the best view of the city
.
National Palace Museum
Having a permanent collection of more than 696,000 pieces of ancient Chinese artefacts and artworks, the National Palace Museum encompasses over 8,000 years of Chinese history from the Neolithic age to the late Qing Dynasty. Among the collections of bronzes, Zong Zhou Zhong (Bell of Zhou), commissioned by King Li of Zhou, is the most important musical instrument cast under his royal decree. One of the most popular pieces of jade carvings in the museum is the Jadeite Cabbage. It's a piece of jadeite carved into the shape of a cabbage head, and with a large and a small grasshopper camouflaged in the leaves. Among the most famous paintings in the collection is the Qing Palace version of Zhang Zeduan's Along the River During the Qingming Festival. Even though this is a copy (the original is in the Palace Museum in Beijing), it is nevertheless regarded as an artistic masterpiece. The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a famous monument built in memory of Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China who came to the island after being evicted from mainland China, With him had come many mainlanders as well and settled here. The change of guard in front of Kai shek’s statue is a notable one.
Shopping
That nail chewing part of the article is here! Hand bags, strolleys, rucksack bags are found in plenty in Ximen Market. This is a market for all your needs, be it clothing or accessories! An advice is not to bargain on the street stores. Just walk into showrooms if quality is in your mind. From personal experience bargaining, helps rarely. Umbrellas are good souvenirs from Taipei. Cheap and colourful these umbrellas are almost a must-buy.
For apparel, Wufenpu is the answer. This is a wholesale market to shop for cheaper and quality garments. Mondays are better to avoid as they engage in dealing with retailers. But then, the more you buy, the lesser the price is the basic mantra here. Bargaining doesn’t help here as the price is cheap, starting from 100NTD and going up to 1000NTD. Visit the stores where the crowd is as it’s definitely low priced. Though the mother country of gadgets, they aren’t cheap. One would find the price at par with Indian markets. If you still want to try, visit Nova Mall.
TIPS
Try public transport for an authentic feel. People are helpful. Take MRT or Metro for citycommunication. Cab fare starts from 85NTD for the first two km. High Speed Rail is another experience. (1 NTD = Rs 2)
