Jan 17, 2009

Wu Fen Pu(五分埔) 國文101甲謝佩儒


Introduction

When talking about buying the most fashionable and cheapest clothes in Taipei, Wu Fen Pu is the place which almost everybody who lives in Taipei city will recommend.
Wu Fen Pu, located in front of the Song Shang train station, is a huge market which sells many kinds of clothes and accessories varied from Japenese, Korean, Chinese Idian style to American, Europe style. It provides clothes for both men, women, and even for dogs! Not only for retail sale, Wu Fen Pu is also a place for bulk sale. Every Monday, you can see lots of retail trader come here to purchase clothes for sale. If you would like to take a look at the biggest "mall" that has the greatest variety of things, Wu Fen Pu will definitely be the best choice for you. The only two disadvantage of Wu Fen Pu I can think of, is that sometimes there are stores selling illegal copies of brand name clothes, which is not allowed, ane the other one is that the clothes there usually can’t be tried on for customers.

Wu Fen Pu and I

I love shopping there for not only the reasonable price but also the big variety of clothes. It's lucky that I live very close to Wu Fen Pu so that I can go there for shopping twice a month on average. Among all the shops, the one I like most is the one called Fu-Li. Fu-Li is a shop which sells clothes of Japanese style. Though the price isn't that low among the area, the quality of the fabric is better than others', and the clothes there look better to me, too.

Traffic

Clue 1: It's close to MRT Hou Shan Pi Station

You can take a MRT train to Hou Shan Pi Station. You can leave the station by Exit 1 and walk north along Jhongpo N. Rd. to the intersection of Jhongpo N. Rd. and Yongji Rd.. Congradulation! Wufenpu is on the left and front.

Clue 2: It's by Songshan railway station

Take a train to Songshan station. It's one of the most important statitions in Taiwan, so every trains will stop here on the way. Leave the station by the south exit facing to Songlong Rd.. Well done! It's on the left and front again.

Clue 3: TGIBIS - a bus information system

We don't know which routes are convenient for you, however, Taipei city government has done a good job. You can check the bus information at Taipei bus and transportation information system: http://www.taipeibus.taipei.gov.tw/index_e.htm

Clue 4: Always another way

Don't forget you can always take a taxi!

Opening Times

A few things about the opening times in WuFenPu which you should know before you come to visit it.

1. Wufenpu is open for 7 days a week.

2. They don't have identical opening times, but mostly start business at around noon and close after mid-night.

3. They are available on Sunday but maybe close earlier after PM 9:00.

4. Monday is reserved for wholesalers, even though you still can go, but may not get services as good as usual.


Welcome to Wu Fen Pu, the biggest and the cheapest market of clothes!

Jan 16, 2009

Shi Lin Night Market

cosine 邢正璇














Shi Lin night market is one of the most famous night markets in Taiwan. It is located in TaipeiCity's ShiLinDistrict. My house is near this night market, so it's convenient for me to go shopping or find something good to eat there.

The traffic of this place is very convenient, too. You can take the bus or MRT and get off at Chientan Station. Besides, the market area is near many schools, so there is always crowded with people on weekends and even on weekdays. Actually, another reason why there are always full of people is that Shi Lin night market is a famous travel spot for foreigners, too.

Shi Lin night market can be divided into two parts. One is a large building where you can find all kinds of cheap and delicious food. If you want to try some traditional Taiwanese snacks, such as large pancake enfolding small pancake, hot pot on stone, and Shi Lin sausage, you can't miss this place. The other part is a large area and the center of the area is an old theater. The area includes many streets and vendors, some restaurants, and all kinds of shops, such as furniture, clothing, photo shops, and pet shops. Almost any product imaginable can be found there. The products are of good quality and quite inexpensive, so that you'll be satisfied to shop in this night market.

As a local, I'd like to introduce my favorite snack to you. Although the most famous fry chicken in Shi Lin is Hau Da fried chicken(豪大大雞排), it is not really very delicious for me. I prefer sweet juicy fried chicken(蜜酥雞排) which is to the left of the theater. It's not only very thick but also crisp. What's more, it even tastes a little sweet, and that is really special and yummy. I would be a pity if you come to Shi Lin night market without trying sweet juicy fried chicken.

In addition to all the shopping and food, Shi Lin Night Market also has movie theaters, video arcades and comic books store. There is a building called City Jungle near the market. It is a special place which has fortune-telling streets, cell phone streets, pet streets, KTV, and many other game machines. There is even a racetrack which you can play the kart in the basement of City Jungle.Or there is a bowling alley near Shi Lin night market that you can have fun with your friends. There are also the grounds of the art museum nearby available for a peaceful stroll. After your visit to the night market, you've had your fill of eating, drinking and shopping, you can head up to YangMingMountain to enjoy the night views and take a dip in the hot springs.

With so many choices available in dining, shopping and entertainment, there is no doubt that Shi Lin Night Market will continue to provide an endless supply of attractions and discoveries for all visitors, whether you're a veteran like me or a first-timer. So if you have the chance to visit Shi Lin, don’t forget to come to Shi Lin night market for an unforgettable journey.

Famous snacks in Tainan

Name:Alice 杜幼淳

Tainan is a city in the southern part of Taiwan and also the fourth largest in the country. Tainan, meaning ‘South Taiwan’ is home to a population of over one millionin habitants.This traditional city is supposed to have the most Buddhist temples in Taiwan and is regarded as one of Taiwan’s major cultural center. Established in 1624, Tainan is one of the oldest cities in Taiwan and is famous for its historic constructions and its delicious food.

Coffin bread is one of the famous snacks in Tainan. This snack was also known as jigan ban ( “chicken liver plank”). Basically it is a thick slice of white bread that has been hollowed out, stuffed with a mix of ingredients like fried tripe and seafood, and then covered with a thin slice of toast. The stuffing now usually consists of a thick seafood chowder with assorted vegetables. While the name of this snack might lead you to think that the ingredients could be dangerous to consume, it’s just the shape of the sandwich and its cover that gave it such a peculiar name.

Dandan noodles is also a classical snack that every visitor should have a try. Legend has it that there was once a poor fisherman who suffered from a lack of food. In order to help out with the family expenses, he started to sell small soup noodles. Luckily, the weather were too cold that people wanted to eat something hot on their way home. This new snack soon became popular. It also named as 29 day lunar month noodles. Eventually it became one of the well known snacks of Tainan as we see today.

There is a very interesting story about Oyster omelet. According to legend in 661A.D., the Holland army occupied Tainan, and Zheng Cheng-gong led rank-and-file soldiers to attack from Deer Orifice. He wanted to recover the lost territory, because Zheng`s Military suffered from a defeat of Holland Military. However, Holland Military got angry underneath. They hid all grain. Zheng‘s Military had quick wits in an emergency: they used local resources like local-produced Oyster, sweet potato powder mix with water to fry a round flat cake. Unexpectedly, it was handed down, becomes a very popular local flavor---Oyster omelet. Its secret lies in fresh Oyster and sweet potato powder: only when both of them are in perfect combination can make the taste of Oyster omelet.

With so many snacks and so little time to introduce all of the delicious food in Tainan,I could only choose some to talk about. Next time when you go to Tainan, don’t forget to try some local snacks; you will be surprised by how simple snacks can offer you huge joy and happiness.

Chiufen


陳怡安 美術101

Chiufen is one of the most popular tourist sites of northern Taiwan. It was said that long ago there were only nine families living in the village where all materials were transported via ships, so whenever one family goes grocery shopping at the market, what they bought would be divided it into nine pieces for each of the families. And the Chinese word nine pieces,“Chiufen” then becomes the village’s name.



Later, Chiufen becomes the center of gold mining, and that’s when lots of people moved in and made Chiufen prosperous. But after the gold runs out, Chiufen faded away soon. But several movies chose to shoot here and the movies won international acknowledgement and awakened people's memory of Chiufen.



Today Chiufen features all sorts of local snacks and unique accessory stores.

Chinese teahouses are also popular among both Taiwanese and Foreigners, and the beautiful ocean view of Keelung outer sea with its foggy weather condition that creates a romantic atmosphere also made Chiufen a great place of sightseeing.

I went on a trip to Chiufen with Kaohsiung and Pingtung association of NTNU on October 25th. We visited the Gold Ecological Museum which presents the history of mining gold and the physical characteristic of gold. But the best of all is the snacks of Chiufen old street, I bought all kinds of desserts and local food such as Yu Yuan, Grass dumplings and Fish ball soup. I even bought some back to dorm to share with my

roommates!

Jan 10, 2009

Taipei Zhongshan Hall




Taipei Zhongshan Hall

When I was 14, I happened to have a chance to hold a concert with the Chinese Orchestra of our school in Zhongshan Hall. I was shocked by its beauty and solemnity at first sight. From then on, it has become the most attractive site in the Ximenting neighborhood for me. Besides going there for a walk in my free time, I usually go to there to attend concerts. Therefore, I really want to introduce Zhongshan Hall to the class and let everybody know how attractive it is.
If we walk along Yanping South Road in the Ximenting neighborhood of the Wanhua District, we will see a beautiful building located there, hidden in an alley. It is called Taipei Zhongshan Hall, one of the most famous historic spots in TaipeiCity.

The construction of Zhongshan Hall was started in 1932 and was completed in 1936. As a tribute to mark the ascension of the Japanese Emperor, the Japanese government, who was colonizing Taiwan, dismantled the former Ching Dynasty government office and built it as the Taipei City Hall. This four-story steel-structure was designed to be fire-resistant and to withstand severe quakes or typhoons. The main architect serving as a Chief Engineer put to good use the full cost of ¥980,000 and some 94,500 engineers and workers.
In 1945, in the celebration of recovering Taiwan after World War II,the Chief of Taiwan Provincial Administrative Office accepted a formal surrender from the Japanese Governor of Taiwan. After that, the former TaipeiCity Hall was renamed as Zhongshan Hall and became an official meeting place under the Chinese government. What’s more, it had been one of the most formal reception area for welcoming important foreign guests, including the former US president Richard Nixon, Korean President Lee Chen-Wine,and so on. It has also hosted some memorial ceremonies, such as the signing of the Sino-US Taiwan Mutua l Defense Treaty and the formal inauguration ceremonies of the president and Vice-President of the Republic of China.
Zhongshan Hall has been through the Japanese colonization over Taiwan, and has marked Taiwan's return to China over five decades of Imperial Japanese rule. As a consequence, the Internal Ministry Department has made Zhongshan Hall under the shield of Relics Protection Act as a major national cultural monument in 1992, reminding us these important historical events.
Now it functions as a a concert hall and one of the best places for the residents of TaipeiCity to take a walk to in holidays.
How to get there?
1.By MRT: exit 5 of Ximen Station
2. By Bus: 9、12、25、49、52、201、202、205、206、209、212、218、221、223、231、232、233、234、235、238、239、242、243、246、249、250、252、253、259、260、262、265、281、302、304、307、310、601、604、624、628、701