After a nutritious and filling breakfast of greens, cheese, pickled veggies, toast and cereal I embarked on a program that filled most of the day. With the MRT station virtually at the doorstep it was no hassle using public transport. By now I had become confident using the MRT. Being a working day, I expected the MRT to be busy, but was pleasantly surprised to find it otherwise. A ride on the Blue Line ride for 6 stops took me to the Longshan Temple station.
The Lungshan Temple is a famous old temple in Taiwan. Guanshiyin Budda and other divine spirits are worshipped in the temple. The Lungshan Temple faces South and it is in three segments: the front hall, rear hall and two dragons on the flanks protecting the middle hall. The temple was built in 1740, during the Qing Dynasty. Due to natural disasters and man-made damages, the temple has seen many restorations.
The doors, beams, and dragon poles are beautifully decorated and intricately carved with delicate sculptures. There are also exquisite wooden sculptures within the temple complex of which the sitting Buddha in the main hall is exquisite.
There are decorative lamp fairs and temple activities during historic festivals. On the 1st and 15th day of each month of the lunar year believers aggregate in the Temple for elaborate worship ceremony. During my visit too I was privileged to be part of a large gathering of worshipers with the clergy loudly reciting prayers. The Lungshan Temple is not just a temple or a sightseeing attraction, but it is also a national heritage site. There are shops selling antiques, articles pertaining to Buddhism and Chinese medicine shops surrounding the temple.
Public toilets in Taiwan are mostly clean and well maintained. There are no health faucets in the toilets, one has to use toilet paper. The excellent civic sensibility among the citizens ensures that such public facilities are responsibly used. I was given to understand that the character formation and responsibilities towards the state and fellow humans is ingrained in the children from an early age in schools. Most of their waking day is spent under the guardianship of teachers with parents getting to see their children less than the teachers, except during holidays. The point I noted is that teaching and parenting are full time vocations and not part time as in many so called developed and developing countries, including India.
Less than 5 minutes' walk away from the Lungshan Temple is the Bopilao Historical Block. The community of Bopiliao was formed in the period of the early Qing Dynasty. Since then, it has been witness to the evolving history of Taiwan as it went through different eras, from Qing Dynasty, Japanese colonization, to early Post World War II period. Situated in one of the most prosperous areas of Taipei, Mengka, the architecture of the Bopiliao Historic Block reflects the different cultures when it was built.
The Bopiliao Historic Block was repaired by 2009 by the Taipei City government and was opened up to the public. The nearly two hundredyear legacy is showcased through arching verandas and red-brown brick walls. These old buildings have now become a cultural and educational landmark. Short write-ups on the buildings tell their story. The buildings still serve the practical purpose of holding art exhibitions.
To get to the National Palace Museum I had to use a bus, where the EasyCard could be tapped. However, using a bus to visit attractions is more time consuming. My first experience of using the bus was almost comical. I got into one with the NPM displayed on the board. As I got in, the driver asked me where I was going to, possibly knowing that, as a tourist, I may be on the wrong bus. When I told him the destination I had wanted to go to, he smiled and said that I was on the wrong side of the road!
Bus stations have adequate information of those that stop there and their frequency. Most stations have rudimentary seating facility. One has to tap the card as you get in as well as when one exits. All buses are air-conditioned and have comfortable seating. Buses scheduled to stop at a station do not stop unless they are waved down. While returning from the NPM, I waited for nearly 20 minutes to catch bus 304. It stopped for passengers to disembark at one location, and I thought that it will stop at the designated stop for passengers to get in. To my utter astonishment it just took off without stopping at the stand as I had not waved it down! Anguish and humidity frustrated me.
National Palace Museum building is on a hillock and was built in 18 months between 1964 and 1965, with many later on additions. There are over 700,000 Chinese art works and artefacts in the museum. These were moved from mainland China, mostly from the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City in Beijing, during the Sino-Japanese conflict and the retreat of Koumintang Party to Formosa.
The collection in the NPM contain sculptures, bronzes, ceramics, paintings, calligraphy, carvings, rare books and documents stitching together thousands of years of Chinese history. Other notable features of the NPM are the Zhishan Garden and the residence of the renowned Chinese painter Chang Dei-chien. When I reached the museum, I found that it was closed every Monday. I walked around leisurely in the elaborate grounds admiring the architecture but missed out on a historical and cultural tour.
From the NPM I took a couple of buses and got to the Dadaocheng circle. Dihua street is the first and oldest street in Taipei, dating back to Dutch rule in the 1600s. However, a formal street was constructed in the mid-19th century and became an important centre for commerce in Taiwanese products and produce such as medicinal herbs, fabrics, processed tea and incense. The 800 meters of this historic street is even today a bustling centre for commerce.
Its busiest period is the two weeks leading up to the Chinese New Year when more than 750,000 people are reported to visit the street to pick up their new year festivities' necessities. The trade and commerce in this short street are said to be over three billion US dollars annually. The smells from medicinal herbs and spices as well as the sight of busy enterprise was a heady brew for my senses as I took my time sneaking in and out of shops. Sticky rice flour coated strawberry mochi is one of the delicacies in Taiwan. I found it mouthwateringly delicious.
Located on the banks of the Tamsui River, Dadaocheng Wharf thrived in earlier years as a trade port along the river. Tea, cotton and silk textiles were among the main products bought and sold here, attracting trading companies from across the western world. Dadaocheng's fortunes as a trading center went into decline during the Japanese colonial era.
In recent years, however, this area has experienced a revival as a tourism destination, bicycling spot, sports centre and as a departure point for boat tours along the Tamsui River. The container market is a big attraction along the erstwhile wharf with plenty of eating and drinking options, including liquor.
Quietly enjoying the cool breeze and serenity I lazily got through a portion of hot mashed potatoes and cheese sauce. Along the waterfront is an excellent walkway stretching for over 8.5 km. I walked a bit down the waterfront till my legs became weary. After resting the old bones and atrophied muscles I went in search of a bus station to get back to my accommodation.
After a short rest I ventured out in search of dinner. I came across a restaurant specialising in Poke Bowl. Poke (pronounced Pok-eh) means "to slice or cut" in Hawaiian and refers to chunks of raw, marinated fish - usually tuna - which is then tossed over rice and topped with vegetables and umami-packed sauces. It was my night out to experiment. From a multiple options menu I chose my bowl consisting of multi grain rice, pineapple, edamame, sweet potato, tofu, yuzu poke sauce, sweet corn, broccoli keeping in mind the vegetarian diet during the Lenten Season. It was awesome, to say the least, tasty and nutritious at the same time.
When I was planning the Taiwan tour, I gathered valuable information and suggestions from Darieo and Subin, the two contacts from the Taiwanese Malayalee Association. Darieo, who lives in Keelung near Taipei, travelled over 90 minutes to meet me this evening. It was indeed a fascinating meeting with the young scientist working in the field of cutting-edge tumor treatment. After completing his PhD, he has just landed a prestigious post-doctoral placement. Hailing from Trissur in Kerala, Darieo has been in Taiwan since 2020. He put me up to speed on life and living in this country.
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