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.