36 Hours in Taipei, Taiwan

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 12 April 2013 | 17.35

Justin Guariglia for The New York Times

Clockwise from top left: SOGO department store; Fuhang Doujiang; bar and cocktail at Marquee; Hsingtian Temple. More Photos »

Nestled in a river valley and edged by low, tranquil mountains covered in tea shrubs, Taipei is home to 2.6 million people. The cultural and political center of Taiwan, it flaunts its modernity in high-tech company headquarters, an ultraefficient public transportation system and bustling retail centers. Yet it also encompasses teeming street markets, polytheistic temples, recreational green space and other vestiges of ancient traditions reflecting generations of cultural influx from nearby and far-off lands. A haven for insomniacs of all types, Taipei is truly a city that never sleeps, welcoming residents and visitors to brush up on their history, explore their spirituality and, most of all, satisfy their taste buds.

FRIDAY

3 p.m.
1. High Tea

Take a taxi, the city bus or gondola lift to the Muzha Tea Plantations, a mountainside tea-cultivating district just outside the city center that is dotted with vibrant temples and teahouses. Tea plants thrive in Taiwan's climate and topography, and Taipei's tea drinkers are discriminating connoisseurs. Be sure to sample varieties of Tieguanyin ("iron goddess of mercy"), a source of local pride. Produced in a delicate roasting process, it's a robust, fragrant brew that is low in tannin and easy on the palate. Depending on its quality, a 300-gram tin of tea leaves is 200 to 3,000 Taiwan dollars, or $7 to $105, at 28 Taiwan dollars to the U.S. dollar. Visit the Three Stone Teapot Museum (36 Zhinan Road, Section 3, Lane 34; 886-2-2938-3797) for demonstrations of artisan teapot and tea making, offered with free tastings. Admission, 50 dollars. Descend the mountains after sunset to catch a view of the Taipei skyline at twilight.

7:30 p.m.
2. Feast From the East

For more than three decades, Newfulou (2 Jinshan South Road; 886-2-2351-9690) has dished up cuisine from Jiangsu, an eastern Chinese province that borders Shanghai. One specialty is succulent sautéed baby eel, finished at the table with shredded ginger and a dramatic drizzle of sizzling oil (300 dollars). Newfulou also prepares an award-winning fotiaoqiang ("Buddha jumps over the wall"), a mélange of meats, seafood and vegetables that takes a full day (or two) to braise (980 dollars). According to ancient folklore, even the most devout vegetarian will abandon his faith for a sampling of these delicacies.

9 p.m.
3. Shop All Night

When night falls, vendors peddle snacks, massages, clothes, accessories and electronics in the city's famed night markets. Shop and haggle the night away, snacking as you go on oyster omelets (30 dollars), salt-crusted kebabs (30 dollars), pressed-to-order sugarcane nectar (15 dollars), and the legendary stinky tofu (30 dollars), a fermented specialty that tastes much better than it smells. The night market at Huaxi Street is known for edible preparations from venomous snakes, rats and the like, believed by some to be rich in health benefits. The Shida District appeals to the young and chic, and the Shilin District market is impressive for its sheer size. For a change of scenery, visit the flagship Eslite Bookstore (245 Dunhua South Road, Section 1; eslite.com), a giant emporium of domestic and international books, periodicals, stationery, music, food and drinks (drinks, 100 to 200 dollars). Open 24/7, it is a popular rendezvous for locals as well as a prime spot for celebrity sightings. At dawn, follow the sound of roosters crowing to Dongmen Market (81 Xinyi Road, Section 2, Lane 79), where generations of day merchants have expertly butchered livestock, pickled vegetables, roasted meats, wrapped dumplings and sliced tree-ripened fruits (ready-to-eat meals, 50 to 100 dollars).

SATURDAY

9 a.m.
4. Above It All

Go early for your visit to Taipei 101 (7 Xinyi Road, Section 5; taipei-101.com.tw), the 1,670-foot skyscraper that reaches so far above the skyline that it looks as if it belongs in some other city (or on some other planet). Taiwan's entry into the ongoing competition for the tallest building in the world, it held the title after its completion in 2004, only to be surpassed in 2008 by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The observation decks on the 89th and 91st floors afford sweeping views in every direction (admission, 450 dollars). While at the top, take a good look at the steel pendulum hanging in the center; the world's largest and heaviest tuned mass damper, it stabilizes the tower against large lateral movements from tropical winds and earthquakes. Beginning at ground level, you can enjoy five floors of high-end shopping and dining.

11 a.m.
5. Darkness Remembered

Take a stroll on the palm-lined west campus of the National Taiwan University Hospital at 1 Changde Street. Its oldest building, an imposing redbrick and stone-pillared structure built in 1912, is an architectural relic of Japanese sovereignty at the turn of the 20th century. The paternalistic side of the Japanese era brought advancements in agriculture, education and urban planning, but the price was political and cultural suppression. Around the corner, 228 Peace Memorial Park (3 Ketagalan Boulevard) commemorates victims of a heavy-handed government response to a 1947 protest under another set of rulers, Chiang Kai-shek and his Nationalist Party. In public parks like these, the elderly perform morning exercises, the secret to their vigor and youthful appearance.

12:30 p.m.
6. Shoppers' Helpers


Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

36 Hours in Taipei, Taiwan

Dengan url

http://travelwisatawan.blogspot.com/2013/04/36-hours-in-taipei-taiwan.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

36 Hours in Taipei, Taiwan

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

36 Hours in Taipei, Taiwan

sebagai sumbernya

0 komentar:

Posting Komentar

techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger