|
|
 |
 |
| |
| General Information |
| | |
 | | Hop on the bus at Keelung, where your cruise ship will dock, and hotfoot it to the boisterous, teeming, expensive, and fascinating capital city of the island of Taiwan. Plan ahead and get a good night's sleep because Taipei, like many Chinese metropolises, is a blast of population, energy, and activity, and you'll need your resources. There are plenty of attractions in Taipei, but three are must-sees: the Lungshan Temple, the National Palace Museum, and the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. And Snake Alley … okay, four must-sees.
The Lungshan Temple is a working center of worship for deities from several faiths. The front court is devoted to the Buddhist goddess of mercy, the rear court to the Taoist goddess of the sea, and niches throughout the temple to many, many others. Herbal Medicine Lane, adjacent to the temple, is pungent with the aroma of traditional medicines. Hsiyuan Road, on the other side, is packed with stalls selling religious images and goods. This area's a sort of "Religion Central"!
| |
| The National Palace Museum is the world's largest repository of Chinese art, originally housed on the mainland. After several changes of home over its thousand years of existence, the collection was evacuated to Taipei in 1949 to evade the Communist Revolution. Of the three-quarters of a million artifacts only 15,000 can be displayed at one time. To see the entire collection would take 12 years! The quality of the collection is world-renowned, so take a little time to soak up the Chinese culture.
The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is just about the most impressive monument in town. With a library and mementoes of his life, it commemorates the late generalissimo who ruled Taiwan for almost fifty years. The blue-roofed and marble-clad main hall is imposing, and the wide-ranging gardens and fishponds provide welcome respite from the hurly-burly of the town. It's a favorite gathering place for the locals; if the wind is good you may see people flying kites in the courtyard.
| |  |
| And what can you say about Snake Alley (actually the Huahsi Night Market), except that it lives up to its name? The district wakes up after 7:00 PM. Vendors will "charm" a live cobra before cooking it up according to your taste. Pickled? Fried? You make the call. Snake meat isn't all that's for sale. Snake bile, anyone? Powdered gall bladder? Or maybe snake penis pills will fill the bill? Once upon a time the place was fairly seedy, full of brothels (snakes were considered aphrodisiac), but now it's been cleaned up and is fairly touristy … though not lacking that certain edge.
| |
| If you're determined to escape the hullabaloo, there are several areas close by to flee to. Yangmingshan is a mountain range right at the north end of the city, and is home to the upscale citizenry and Americans who like the fresher air. It's a good place to breathe, take a hike, or to find a massage at the hot springs resort. On the opposite side of town, to the south, is the Sungshan Nature Reserve. It's very big and covered with thick forest, boasting many levels of hiking trail up several mountains: Elephant Mountain, Lady Finger, Tiger's Head, and Nine-Five Peak. Choose whichever level of difficulty or name strikes your fancy.
| |
| Perhaps the nicest side trip would be to Jio Fun. A half hour away by train, it's the seaside resort where Taiwan's poets and painters come to relax. All along the oceanfront you'll see one teahouse after another, each with a world-class ocean view. On a clear day, you can see for miles along the coast. It's gorgeous, and just about as far removed from Taipei in mood and tone as you'll find. Give yourself a shot of tranquility.
| |
| The food in Taipei is excellent all around, although it's not what you might expect if you're only idea of Chinese food is the Cantonese-American stuff from home. For vegetarians Taipei is especially comforting, as the Buddhist minded locals, masters of purely meatless cuisine, have perfected the use of tofu. Fresh seafood and noodle dishes abound, and if you are proud of your asbestos tongue, the ma la ho guo (spicy hot pot) will put your heat tolerance to the test. Good luck!
| |
| If you're not going on an organized excursion, you may want to use the metered taxis. They're everywhere, the prices are reasonable, and if you have your destination written down in Chinese characters you can depend on them. If you plan a side trip out of town, the rule of thumb is to go to the bus station named after the direction you want to travel. For some destinations, such as the zoo or major shopping areas, the Mass Rapid Transit System can be useful; it runs regularly and sports English signage.
| |
| As you make your way back to Keelung and the ship, you're entitled to congratulate yourself. With all the city threw at you, you still made it through the day intact, ready to visit again for another crack at it. | |
| General Information |
| POPULATION
Taipei is home to 2.7 million people, more than 99% of them ethnic Han Chinese. The other less than one percent is primarily Southeast Asian, Japanese, Indian, American, and Korean.
PORT
Keelung.
CLIMATE
Taipei's climate is humid and subtropical. It can be very muggy in summer.
LANGUAGE
The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese, although Taiwanese and English are widely spoken.
CURRENCY
The New Taiwan dollar is commonly called the yuan, not to be confused with the Mainland Chinese currency of the same name. | |
|
|
|
|
