Taiwanese Odyssey-III

 

Taiwanese Odyssey-III

 

Enchanting Sun Moon Lake

 

Sun Moon Lake

Best described as the “Pearl in the Central Mountain Range”, the Sun Moon Lake is the largest, fresh-water, alpine lake in Taiwan and is a veritable paradise for tourists. 

 

Lying in the Nantou County, the charming lake is on the western side of the Central Mountain Range and has the magical powers to soothe the tired nerves and rejuvenate the human mind.

 

Sun Moon Lake

We were at Hotel De Lago overlooking the Sun Moon Lake set in the backdrop of green mountains. 

 

The lake has a mirror-smooth surface and its water colour varies from pale to deep blue. One can take the 1.5 km long winding pathway to capture the magical aura of the lake through lenses.There is a 6.9 km bikeway trail around the picturesque Sun Moon Lake.

 

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Pavilion at Sun Moon Lake

 

Admiring the beauty of the lake, we visited the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Pavilion where the Chinese leader used to take break to spend his vacations. 

 

A view of Shueli township from Sun Moon Lake

 

We took up a 45-minute cruise of the lake at Shueli and went past the lonely Lalu Island that divides the lake into two halves and the lake gets its name from this island.

 

A view of Lalu Island

 

The lake was once under the domain of military cops. 

 

View of Ita Thao

 

After cruising the lake, we reached Ita Thao that has the Sun Moon Lake Station -octagonal in shape with a dome.

 

Sun Moon Lake Station

 

A seven-minute cable car ride from Sun Moon Lake Station brought us to Yuchih township. We could get some unforgettable views of the lake at a height of 1000 metres high from the cable car. Yuchih town is reputed for its tea production, mushrooms and orchids. It has a similar growing condition of Indian Assam tea and has been producing black tea since the times of Japanese colonization.

 

Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village- A journey back in time

 

At Yuchih township, we reached the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village that enjoys the distinction of being the largest indigenous theme park in Taiwan. Here we had a chance to experience the lifestyle of nine, distinct aboriginal tribes of Taiwan including Paiwan, Bunun, Amis, Taroko, Puyuma, Rukai et al. The Sun Moon Lake in Yuchih township area was known as Shue-Sha-Lian in bygone times.

 

Naruwan Theatre at Yuchih township

 

We arrive at Naruwan Theatre to watch the martial art and dance performances of the tribes. It was indeed an out-of-the-box experience to walk past the life-like tableaus of aboriginal tribes engaged in their daily chores like monkey rites or a ball game.

 

Life-size tableaus at the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village

 

There are live demonstrations of Paiwan women crafting handicraft works from glazed beads. There are wood carved lintels on display that form the traditional art of Paiwan and Rukai tribes and this formed the significant culture of the Pacific belt. We walked past the quaint houses of Paiwan and Bunun tribes and it took us to a journey back in time.

 

Tribal dress on display

 

Once our visit to Formosan Aboriginal culture Village was over, we came near the grand Ritz Palace and the European-style garden.

Taichung

Giant goat lantern at 2015 Taiwan Lantern Festival, Taichung

 

We travelled to Taichung from Yuchih township to watch the 2015 Taiwan Lantern Festival that took off with a gamut of events including six minutes of fireworks.

 

2015 Taiwan Lantern Festival

 

The USP of the festival was the flaunting of giant goat lantern measuring 24.4 metre high that heralds good luck and prosperity for the nation. There were scores of lanterns in the shape of various animals on display at the lantern festival.

Taichung Metropolitan Opera House

 

Taichung Metropolitan Opera House

 

The most complicated building in the world; Taichung Metropolitan Opera House came up sometime in November, 2014. Designed by a Japanese architect, the building is designed like a cave.

 

We halted at Howard Taichung and the very next day, we visited Miyahara that specializes in Taiwanese desserts and sweet delicacies like variety of sun cakes and black sesame peanut desserts. Opened in 2012 on Chungshan Road, the outlet is widely famed for its local sweet delights.

New Taipei City

 

A 1½ hour drive from Taipei took us to Pingxi in the eastern part of New Taipei City that enjoys the age-old tradition of releasing sky lanterns believed to be auspicious. These sky lanterns carry messages of hopes and wishes of scores of travellers and it was indeed a memorable moment to watch the lanterns bearing our wishes floating high up in the sky. The tradition of releasing sky lanterns into the sky dates back to 19^th century in Pingxi resting on the banks of Keelung river in the mountain valley.

 

Our Taiwan sojourn ended with the exploration of exciting night life in Taipei and we were off to Spark 101 in the down town area of the city. 

Taiwanese Odyssey-II

Taiwanese Odyssey -II

 

Touristy attractions of Kaohsiung

 

The second largest city in Taiwan on the banks of river Love that overlooks Taiwan Straits is Kaohsiung. A one-and-a-half hour journey by High Speed Railway from Taipei brought us to Zuoying Station from where we took the bus to the port city of Kaohsiung. We halted at the luxurious Sky Tower Hotel, the 85-storied, five-tar haunt being the largest in the city. 

 

MRT Formosa Boulevard Station, Kaohsiung

 

At Kaohsiung, we visited the wonderful MRT Formosa Boulevard Station that figures as the second most beautiful Mass Rapid Transit across the globe and represents the heart of the city. It lives up to the reputation of being the largest round-shaped station in the world. 

 

It is a visual wonder comprising three-level underground station with an island platform and the “Dome of Light” in the upper part of the station displays the largest glass work in the world. It is exquisitely done up with 4,500 glass panels.

 

Dome of Light at Formosa Boulevard

 

Designed by an Italian artist, the Dome of Light is renowned for its biggest public art installation across the globe. 

 

Another Mass Rapid Transit of the port city that is worth a visit is the Central Park Station. It was a sense of pride to visit some of the global wonders in Taiwan.

Adventurous E-DA World

 

The Outlet Mall at E-DA World, Kaohsuing

 

 

A quick lunch at Starbucks Café and we headed to E-DA World – a city in itself and is replete with a theme park, Royal Hotel, Skylark Hotel and the high-end Outlet Mall providing luxury shopping experience. 

Taiwan Straits from Kaohsuing

E-DA World is around 16 minutes drive from HSR Zuoying Station. The theme park has a monorail and is the largest indoor park in Taiwan. We came across huge statues of Greek warriors but the USP of the theme park is “Fly over Taiwan” adventure show. 

 

Sky Tower Hotel, Kaohsuing

 

Replete with four-dimensional effects, the ride was a flying simulator that provided a lifetime experience for us. We had a bird’s eye view into the heartland of Taiwan with rugged landscapes and exciting nightlife and it was spine-thrilling for us.

Ten Drum Ciatou Creative Park

 

The next day it was time for us to have hand-on experience in Taiwanese art and culture. We wended our way from Kaohsiung to Ten Drum Ciatou Creative Park in Tainan district, a mere 20-minute drive. Widely known as the first drum-themed global art village in Asia, Ten Drum has been set up at the historic Rende Sugar Refinery and has an invigorating, eco-friendly ambience where one can experience live drum shows, take a look at the Taiwan drum instruments, sip a cup of coffee or have a delectable, exotic Taiwanese lunch.

Taiwanese drums at Ten Drum Ciatou Creative Park

 

For us, a visit to Ten Drum Ciatou Creative Park was amazing since we got to learn the art of playing drums. Ten Drum was born way back in 2000 at a site that once housed a sugar refinery and was gutted by fire. The beams of the roof were made of Taiwan cypress and the ruined site and the scorched cypress have been revived by natural weathering.

 

Ten Drum Ciatou Creative Park

 

We had a glimpse of the collapsed walls, burnt cypress and a number of indigenous plants that have been preserved by Ten Drum Creative Group. We had a chance to watch a live percussion performance at the state-of-the-art auditorium that shows off a blend of traditional and contemporary beats. It was a high-voltage performance complete with stunning light effects and water showers. We took a stroll around the creative park that has old warehouses and railway tracks belonging to 20^th century.

Taiwanese Odyssey-I

Taste of Taiwan travel

 

My Taiwanese odyssey began once I reached at Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei by a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong sometime on March 1, this year. It was the lure of 2015 Taiwan Lantern Festival that made me jet off to Taipei. Recalling from a collage of memories of Taiwan that flash my mind every now and then, we were all gripped by cold, gusty wind once we came out of the Taoyuan International Airport. 
 

The first day was far from being smooth-sailing for me and owing to lack of warm clothing; I couldn’t wrap myself against the inclement weather conditions that dipped at 9º C. We were at the plush Howard Plaza Hotel in Taipei and having said this, things soon began to look up once I purchased my pullover from the Ximending area of Taipei.

Da Dao Cheng Wharf

 

A view of DaDao Cheng Wharf

 

The historic city of Taipei nestling on the banks of rivers Keelung and Danshui has unlimited options for tourists. The next day, our exploration of Taipei began with the tour of Da Dao Cheng Wharf on the banks of river Danshui. Once upon a time, Da Dao Cheng was a tea reprocessing centre and a business hub during Japanese colonization of Taiwan dating back from 1898 to 1945. 
 

The world-famous Formosa tea that was represented as Oolong tea was reprocessed at Da Dao Cheng. It was at Da Dao Cheng that the economy of Taipei prospered and it emerged as the significant port of North Taiwan.

DiHua Street

A Chinese mansion with bull-eye at DiHua Street

 

A tour of Da Dao Cheng begins with DiHua Street, the oldest area in Taipei that was earlier well-known as Zhong Street. The once-rich culture and trade centre flourished at DiHua Street owing to its proximity to Da Dao Cheng Wharf. Walking down the DiHua Street, one comes across a plethora of heritage mansions that show off Taiwanese architecture and were built during the Japanese reign. Most of the old-styled mansions are richly embellished on the outer walls. There are baroque-style buildings and Chinese mansions with bull-eye window. The lavish mansions depict that Taipei was under the reign of Qing dynasty, Japanese invasion and the Republic of China. 
 

Our tour winded up with a visit to Xia-Hai City God Temple and the Yun-Lo Fabric market on DiHua Street.

Xia-Hi City God Temple

 

Xia-Hai City God Temple at DiHua Street, Taipei

 

It is a dream-come-true for travellers to visit the most renowned temple in Taipei located on DiHua Street - the Xia-Hai City God Temple where devotees pour in to pray for good luck, peace and prosperity. Chinese history flows on that Xia-Hai was once the deity of the residents of Fujian Province.

 

Fortune shoes at Xia-Hai City God Temple

 

It was in 1821 that the gilded image of the deity was transported by the residents of Fujian across the Taiwan Straits who initially settled down at Monga and then at Da Dao Cheng. Built in 1859, the Xia-Hai City God Temple is devoted to the love-making God and devotees pray to the matchmaker, one of the most famed deities for marriage in Taiwan.

 

The Matchmaker in the temple

 

The 43 cm tall matchmaker flaunts a long, white beard with a smiling face. He has a marriage appointment book on his left hand and a walking stick on his other hand. Built on Feng Shui norms, the temple is small but a unique one in the form of a hen’s cave.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

 

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

 

Sprawling over 250,000 sq. metres area, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is regarded as the national monument of Taiwan that forms the perfect address for history buffs. Located on Zongshan Road, Chiang Kai- shek is a huge, impressive monument with its roof built on the lines of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing topping a pyramidal body. 

 

The statue of Chiang Kai-shek

 

Change of guards in the Memorial Hall

 

The memorial hall has the National Theatre exhibiting classical Chinese art and the National Concert Hall on each side that form the seat of domestic and global art performances.

 

We were lucky enough to watch the change of guards that takes place every one hour between 10 am to 5 pm. 
 

Chiang Kai-shek is credited to have established the blue print of Taiwan’s political system and lived for 89 years. The renowned Chinese military and political leader was born in 1887 and was the former President of Republic of China from 1928 to 1975. He was the successor of Sun Yat Sen and entered Taiwan from Hong Kong to Shanghai via Keelung and died in 1975. 

 

The Limousine used by the former President of ROC

 

At the memorial hall, we also glanced at the seven-seated Limousine that was used by the leader. We came across the Exhibition Hall that has the snippets of Chiang Kai-shek visiting India on February 18, 1942. The Exhibition Hall has illustrations of the great statesman with Dr Sun-Yat Sen, Ronald Reagan and Mahatma Gandhi.

The Exhibition Hall

Taipei 101 Mall and Observation Deck

 

Taipei 101 Mall and observation deck

 

It is the second largest building in the world on Xinyi Road in the downtown area of Taipei dominating the city skyline.

Pachmarhi

Evergreen jewel in Satpura Hills

 

The only hill resort in Central India snuggled in the Mahadeo Hills of Satpura Range is Pachmarhi that forms a veritable delight for travellers and adventure buffs. During one of our annual visit to Madhya Pradesh, we had set off to explore the colonial out-of-the-city haunt and were carried away with its fascinating ambience replete with waterfalls, gently flowing streams, ravines, gorges and pristine rock shelters.

 

For Pachmarhi, we started off from Pipariya and took a 48 km drive along the banks of river Denwa and there was no looking back. Our premier destination was Pandav Caves comprising five sandstone rock dwellings dating back to Buddhist period. 

 

Resting on a hill, the 4^th century caves have pillared verandah and is believed to have offered shelter to Pandavas during exile. The heart of the town has Christ Church with stained glass panels that reflect bygone colonial architecture.

 

Forsyth or Priyadarshini Point

 

The attractions are many like Priyadarshini or Forsyth Point- a vantage location that traces the discovery of the hill resort by Captain Forsyth sometime in 1857. If you are interested to view ravines, head to Handi Khoh that has a steep slope and a 300 feet high precipice.

 

If the pre-historic era excites you, there is the Paleolithic Mahadeo Cave with the deity of Lingaraj and rock shelters nestling in Mahadeo Hills at a height of 4,360 metres. Made of sandstone rocks, the rock shelters have overhanging streams and cascades that make the sight tempting. From here, we proceeded further to Gupt Mahadeo, the narrowest point in the valley that has a tunnel-like cave with an overhanging stream and we had to enter the cave with caution.

 

Our next exploration site was Jata Shankar, a unique rock shelter seated at the source of Jambu Dweep stream. We had to take up a short steep trek and could view rock formations in the form of matted locks of Lord Shiva. We were stressed-out but more excitement awaited us when we moved to Jamuna Prapat or Bee Fall. We gathered a lot of stamina to climb the 490 metres rocky terrain that has a roaring cascade with swarms of bees buzzing around.

 

No visit to Pachmarhi is complete without a trek to Chauragarh, possibly the most prominent landmark in the Satpura range. The next day, we made our way through bridle path criss-crossed by streams and we passed through 4 km inhospitable terrain without any human habitation. It was a journey from one hill to another with rock shelters and dense groves and climbing the huge boulders was quite tough for us. We climbed around 1,365 steps and paused for breath when the age-old shrine of Lord Shiva appeared. We were closed to the summit. 

 

A view from Chauragarh Hill

 

The Chauragarh hill provides a spectacular view of a host of Satpura Range infested with lush greenery. We paid our obeisance to the life-size statue of Lord Shiva with a smiling face.

 

Before bidding adieu to Pachmarhi, we hurried to Dhoopgarh in the midst of Satpura Tiger Reserve with massive hanging cliffs. Resting at a height of 4,329 metres, Dhoopgarh provides grand views of sunset.

Mount Abu

The captivating hill retreat in Aravalli

 

Around 185 km from Udaipur in Sirohi district of Rajasthan is the pleasant retreat of Mt. Abu. We took off from Ahmedabad and a 250-km picturesque drive made us reach Mt. Abu nestling on the southern edge of the Aravalli Hills. The road to Mt Abu is flanked by barren hills with overhanging rocks in various forms and the rock faces appear like huge projections that attract travellers.

 

We had a penchant to visit the splendid Dilwara temple and within a short time, after reaching Mt Abu we headed to the shrine.

 

Dilwara Temple

 

At a distance of 3 km from the hill resort, the 11^th century Dilwara temple is a man-made wonder in marble with a marvellous gallery of Jain shrines. The shrine complex encompasses a group of five temples that stand as a treasure house of great Indian artworks. Created by leading architects of Gujarat, the shrine stands apart with exquisite marble carvings. 

 

A visit to Vimal Vasahi temple, the premier shrine in the complex made us gape at the artistic gems. Designed by Vimal Shah, the minister of bygone Solanki ruler in Gujarat, the shrine was built in 1031 AD and houses the reigning deity, Adinath- the first Jain Tirthankara. We did not forget to visit the central shrine honouring Rishabhdev with 52 pillars showing off impressive carvings and the ceilings adorned with overhanging sunflower-shaped marble works. 

 

Nakki Lake, Mount Abu, Rajasthan

 

 

The picture postcard hill resort of Mt Abu has the enchanting Nakki Lake at a height of 1,200 metres in the midst of Aravalli hills providing panoramic views of the landscape. There is the Toad Rock; the enormous rock overhanging the lake that resembles a toad. For us, the hill resort presented a slice of paradise and the charm refuses to fade.

Southern pinnacles of faith

Southern pinnacles of faith

 

Madurai - City of gopurams

 

My enthusiasm knew no bounds when I had a chance to travel to Madurai, the temple city of Tamil Nadu lying on an impressive jagged coastline. Earlier known as Madhurapuri, Madurai prides in having a rich heritage of temples and manmade monumental glory that would take you back in time.

 

The greatest landmark of Dravidian architecture in India, the 2500-year-old temple city of Madurai on the banks of river Vaigai is undoubtedly the second largest city in Tamil Nadu with soaring gopurams. 

 

Meenakshi Temple

 

The magnificent Meenakshi Sundareshwar temple on West Tower Street has five prominent, intricately carved colourful gopurams. We entered the shrine through west gopuram that has multi-coloured images and stone sculptures. The nine-storied west gopuram is highly adorned with 1,124 sculptures and the southern gopuram is the tallest soaring at a height of 48.8 metres. All the gateways display sculpted tales from Indian mythology.

 

We entered the temple comprising two sanctorums- the first devoted to Lord Shiva and the other to his consort- Meenakshi. The chief attraction is the Meenakshi Amman temple with walls and ceilings richly laid with colourful sculptures of gods and goddesses. It was a divine experience for us visiting the shrine that forms one of the largest temple complexes of South India. There are other wonders in the shrine like richly embellished musical pillars, the Hall of Thousand Pillars with 985 pillars, huge mandaps and a lotus tank in the temple complex. 

 

Tirumalai Nayak Palace

 

Another 2 km away from Meenakshi temple is the 17^th century Tiurmalai Nayak Palace on Palace Road that was built by King Tirumalai Nayak, the prominent ruler of Nayak dynasty in 1636. One can get to know more about the ancient Chola paintings, Vijaynagar paintings and the Pandya art at the palace. Set in soft tones, the palace is an example of Indo-Sarcenic architecture that stands as a memorial of the bygone ruler where he lived and held court. There are two residential portions- Swarag Vilasam and Ranga Vilasam and a rectangular court at the centre flanked by intricately carved tall columns.

 

Rameshwaram-A journey back to epic times

 

Rameshwaram Shrine

 

 Tucked away around 174 km from Madurai on the Gulf of Mannar is the tiny island of Rameshwaram that is truly a remarkable pilgrim destination and is considered as one of the four pilgrim centres in India. The pilgrim resort evokes the charm of the epic era and for those wishing to pay a tribute to Lord Rama and his victory over the kingdom of Ravana, Rameshwaram is the perfect choice.

 

On our way to Rameshwaram, we crossed the Pamban Bridge or the Indira Gandhi Bridge built over a bay spanning over 2.2 km. Being the longest bridge in the country, the Pamban Bridge connects Rameshwaram with the mainland.

 

We visited Ramanathaswamy temple housing one of the 12 jyotirlingams in India. Better known as Rameshwar shrine, the temple was visited by Swami Vivekananda way back in 1897. The entrance of the shrine bears a huge gopuram rising to a height of 38.4 metres. The shrine is devoted to Lord Ramanathaswamy with wonderful glimpses of artistic grandeur, carved pillars, ornate ceilings and adorned corridors that are longest in Asia.

 

We also visited Gandhamardana Parvat on the hillock that forms the highest point on the island. The legendary shrine has the footprints of Lord Rama. Our visit to Sethubandh deserves mention since it has a fabulous display of floating rocks and stones used by Lord Rama in the bygone era to build the Ram’s Bridge connecting India and Sri Lanka. There is the five-faced Hanuman at the entrance of Sethubandh.

 

We wended our way to Dhanushkodi, a barren island on the southernmost tip of Rameshwaram. At a distance of 18 km from the pilgrim resort, Dhanushkodi has the ruined, historic shrine of Kothanda Ramaswamy or Vibhishan temple where Vibhishan had surrendered to Lord Rama.

 

Kanya Kumari- Holy land on southernmost tip of India

 

The shores of Kanya Kumari

 

Nearly 300 km from Rameshwaram down south, is the sacred land of Kanya Kumari, also popular as Cape Comorin. A visit to the land is a must for all travellers since ages for it marks the merging of three great seas of the Indian sub-continent – the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. For us, travelling to Kanya Kumari was something out of Great Expectations since the land has been sanctified by great souls like Swami Vivekananda and Thiruvalluvar.

 

The merging of three seas presents an unforgettable sight. We first headed to the reputed ancient shrine of Kanya Kumari that houses the deity- Goddess Kanya Kumari adorned with a diamond nose ring that glitters in the dark. The shrine is for only Hindu pilgrims. We paid obeisance to Lord Ayappan temple at the entrance and there is an age-old shrine of Adi Shankara.

 

The highpoints of our trip to Kanya Kumari was the 20-minute cruise to the colossal Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the Vivekananda Kendra standing in the midst of the sea. Swami Vivekananda had arrived here in 1892 and meditated for three consecutive days on the rock from December 25 to 27. 

 

In contemporary times, Vivekananda Memorial stands on the rocks created by Eknath Ranade. We could view the towering statue of Thiruvalluvar, the great Tamil poet at a height of 133 feet adjacent to Vivekananda Rock Memorial. The Holy Church of Lady Ransom stands prominently on the mainland.

 

Mandapam at Vivekananda Rock Memorial

 

The Rock Memorial constitutes a mandapam bearing a giant statue of Swami Vivekananda with an “Om” symbol installed at Dhyan Mandapam. Built in 1970, the mandapam has been consecrated by Swami Vishweswarand of Belur Math. We sighted the Pada Mandapam and digging the mythology, one gets to know that Goddess Parvati had meditated in the incarnation of Kanya on the spot marked as “padam” symbol.