Shezi Peninsula－A Contrasting Rural Area in Taipei City

地理101陳俊明 Jim 497231357

●Discovery
One day, when I was looking at a map of Taipei City, I found a place which is very flat and surrounded by two rivers. This place is Shezi Peninsula(社子島). I was curious about it and, in addition, I like to travel around Taipei at my leisure to observe and understand more about the city I live in. Therefore, I decided to go there by bus and take a look. As a result, I was surprised that there is such a rural landscape in Taipei City. I really enjoyed the natural scenery and the calm atmosphere. That’s why I chose Shezi as my topic.

●Description
The Shezi Peninsula is located in the Shilin District(士林區), the northwest part of Taipei City. In Chinese, local people are still used to calling it “Shezi Island,” since it was truly an island several decades ago, but it becomes a peninsula now. Here, at the end of the peninsula, the Keelung River(基隆河) flows into the Danshui River(淡水河). Therefore, there’s an ecological area full of mangrove and wild birds. For those who love nature, this underdeveloped area is definitely a good place to visit.

●Background
Because Shezi Peninsula is surrounded by two rivers, and the ground is very flat, it is a place where rivers may flow through and floods may occurs very frequently. As a result, this area is underdeveloped, and a huge part of the land is for agricultural use. That’s why we have such country-like scenery in the busy Taipei City.
In the recent years, the dikes along the riversides have been built up. This is the reason why Shezi turned into a peninsula from an island. Consequently, floods are not that frequent anymore. Some small communities and small factories emerged. This area starts to develop gradually.

●Attractions
If you go by bus, after the bus arrives at the terminal stop, you can walk for a while to reach the dike. Climb up, and the beautiful natural scenery comes into sight. We can see the exact end of the Shezi Peninsula, the converging point of the two rivers, and a huge mangrove protected wetland, where is a habitat for many birds. Across the Keelung River is the Guandu(關渡) area of Taipei City. Across the Danshui River is Wugu Township and Lujhou City(五股鄉、蘆洲市) of Taipei County. If we look around, the bright red Guandu Bridge(關渡大橋), the magnificent Guandu Temple(關渡宮), the high-standing Beitou Incineration Plant(北投焚化爐), and the misty Yangming Mountain(陽明山) all come into sight. In addition, outside the dike, a plaza was built. It’s quite a good place to go in leisure time.
Another attraction is on the way to come. The major road leading to Shezi is the Yanping North Road(延平北路), from section 6 to section 9. But after section 7, the road narrows a lot, and the houses look low and antique. I could feel that I am in a rural countryside, but actually I’m still in Taipei City. It’s quite an interesting contrast!

●Cycling
Since buses run fast, and we can’t randomly stop it, another recommended way to discover Shezi is to ride a bike. There’s a riverside bicycle trail around the whole peninsula. We can choose to ride on the right bank of Danshui River, or the left bank of Keelung River. The two rivers bring you two different views. It’s very comfortable to feel the breeze as you ride along the riverside to admire the beautiful scenery. The bicycle trail stretches all the way to the city center. If you ride along it, you can experience the different atmosphere of rural area and urban area.

●Transportation
The most convenient and easiest way to get to Shezi is to take bus Red 10 from MRT Jiantan Station(劍潭站), till the terminal stop: Taipei College of Maritime Technology(台北海院). It takes about 30 minutes. There’s no specific parking lot and the road is quite narrow, so suggested ways to get there are by bus, by bike, or by scooter. Especially by bike, you can also ride along the bicycle trails, enjoying different views.

●Evaluation
At the first time I visited Shezi, I was impressed by its rural scenery: the low, ancient-looking houses, and the narrow road. The natural scenery, including rivers, mountains, and mangrove, is also very beautiful. It’s quite difficult to find such a rural area in the hustle and bustle Taipei City nowadays. It has been kept underdeveloped, so if you want to experience the rural atmosphere just in Taipei City, Shezi is a good place. Taipei is a special basin with both mountains and rivers surrounding it. For leisure, besides going to the mountains, the river view of Shezi is another choice. After busy weekdays, get a bike and enjoy the slow and natural atmosphere through a comfortable cycling!

Lehua Night Market---Body and Soul Contentment

地理101 連芳國497231072

Located in the most crowded city all over the world, Yonghe , Lehua night market provides both tourists and local inhabitants with daily necessities.
Every night, you can see vendors all gathering there and start selling their products. There are a lot of local cuisines: juicy fried chicken, spareribs stewed in herbal soup, oyster omelet, meatball, soy-sauce flavored delicacies, etc. Of course, Lehua Night Market also offers some exotic foods, including Japanese sushi, Turkish Doner Kebab, Thai green papaya salad, Korean seafood pajun, and many other kinds of foreign specialties. Among those mentioned above, I prefer juice fried chicken, for it has crispy skin and juice meat with crazy sweet smell. Once you bite, you can’t stop. Near the entrance of the night market, there is a famous chicken stand. There is always a long line in front of it. It is really yummy. What`s more, you can also shop for clothes, shoes, DVDs even bags at a low price. That is, it meets your requirements in many aspects.
When I was little, I once got lost in the night market. I just wandered around but did not know what to do. I didn`t feel panic. However, many shop keepers came and asked me. They gave me some sweets and tried to help me find my parents. In the end, they realized that I came to the night market by myself when I finally saw the familiar food stand and ordered some takeout. Well, I did get lost, but some stores can show me the way home.
There are many benefits to live near night market. For one thing, you will never need to think hard where to show your guests around. The night market is a good place to discover Taiwanese culture. For another, no matter how late you stay up, you can always get some yummy food to keep you awake.
Night market itself is a unique culture for Taiwanese, while Lehua night market is a famous tourist spot in Yonghe. It shows people’s night life. Take a walk here, and you might discover some wonderful stuff which you can buy only here. Next time when you visit Yonghe, don’t forget to enjoy yourself with food and cheap but good products in Lehua night market.

One of the Greatest Beef Noodles restaurants in Taiwan─Taida Beef Noodles

心輔101 497010284 葛艾苓/Eileen

One of the Greatest Beef Noodles restaurants in Taiwan─Taida Beef Noodles
(Address: No.54-6, Sec. 3, Sinsheng S. Rd., Da-an District, Taipei City 106 Taiwan)

(↑Name card)

(↑Outside)

















(↑Inside)





§Where is it?

(↑A simple map from its name card)

The restaurant is located in Da-an District, Taipei City. It’s Near the Gongguan commerce district. The nearest landmark there is National Taiwan University Stadium. You can go there by MRT (get off at the Gongguan Station) or by bus (get off at Civil Service Development Institute Station). There is also a branch store of the restaurant at Guangfu N. Road.

§What is so special about it?
Taida Beef Noodles enrolled in Taipei Beef Noodles Festival (2006) and got an excellent appraisal of five stars.

Taida Beef Noodles is very different from those similar-property restaurants today in Taiwan. First of all, the owner of the Taida Beef Noodles only uses flesh of cattle instead of buffalo, so that beef becomes more succulent and sweeter and the soup stewed by cattle’s bones are tasty to eat. By the way, the soup offered here is stewed(清燉), not braised in soy sauce(紅燒). Secondly, there are a lot of palatable dishes(小菜) for customers to choose. There are also variable meals more than beef noodles for customer to order, like Zajian noodles(炸醬麵) and chicken legs noodles, just name a few. The owner of the restaurant is a generous, talkative and nice person. He always treats customers as his friends.

The first time I dines there was about three years ago, when my family and I were looking for a new restaurant to have dinner. Consequently, we became frequent costumers of there. The space of Taida Beef Noodles is not big, but the decoration there is very elegant and clean, just like a friend’s house. The foods there are also dainty. On weekends, you can see lines of visitors waited out restaurant for only one meal. That shows how popular and famous Taida Beef Noodles is.

Here are some dishes that I recommend that you have to order or you’ll regret:

(A)Beef Noodles (NT120)
It is the most famous meal, and also stands as the sign of the restaurant. The soup is not greasy. The beef tastes savory. The combination between the smell of soup and green onion creates a unique taste. By the way, you can ask for a larger amount of noodles, all sorts of noodles included, without paying extra money!

(B)Beef Noodles with Tendon (NT130)
This is my favorite dish. The beef shank is so chewy and delicious! It is more appropriate for elders to choose this meal instead of normal beef noodles because the beef with tendon are easier to chew.

(C)potato salad(涼拌洋芋絲)(NT30)
It’s a very special dish. I’ve never seen any restaurant deal with potatoes this way. Potatoes are cut into the shape like silk. It’s refreshing that you will want to eat it plate after plate!

(D)boiled cabbage(燙青菜)(NT30)
Though this dish looks usual, I still want to recommend it to all of you, for it tastes different from other restaurants’ boiled cabbage. I think it is because of its special sauce invented by the chef.

(E)soybeans salad(黃豆芽)(NT30)

It is my favorite side dish. The chef adds a lot of sesame oil and black pepper, which make this soybean salad taste spicy and tense. If you like strong-flavor food, this plain dish is a good choice for you.

§How does the restaurant relate to Taiwanese culture?

Beef noodles can count as an important and characteristic part in Taiwanese cooking culture. I think Taida Beef Noodle added so many innovations to traditional cultures and it also developed new kinds of beef noodles that are suitable for modern people.

§My evaluation

Taida Beef Noodles is a great restaurant in my own opinion. Each of the dishes has a fair price, but you can feel satisfied and enjoy dishes of such high quality without paying as much money as in luxurious restaurants. If you have time or want to try something different, why don’t you just come to Taida Beef Noodles and have a bowl of wonderful beef noodles? : )

Having FUN in TAINAN!

Having FUN in TAINAN 心輔101 曾昱涵 Peculiar

Want to have some fun? Desire delicate but low-price food? Hope to visit a place that has something besides only passing by and see? All your desire could be satisfied in TAINAN! Please follow my narration, then you’ll be led to the most gorgeous wonderland that you’ve never been to.




One would regret if he didn’t visit some historical sites before he leaves Tainan. Because Tainan is the first capital of Taiwan, 2 hundred years ago, it is rich in history and traditional culture. That’s why the number of historical sites is almost as large as the number of convenient stores in Tainan. Um, I’m not kidding! It’s totally a truth that you’ll find out at the capital of culture ── Tainan.











If you want to take a look at the oldest school in Taiwan, please come to Tainan Confucius Temple(孔廟) to explore the combination of traditional campus and the temple which honors the most distinguished educationist in Asia. You can also dip yourself into the scene of the building’s old elegance and the fresh-green trees swaying with the gentle wind.

















Left:An-Ping Tree House(安平樹屋) Right:An-Ping Fort(安平古堡)


If you want to know about the Netherlander’s activity in 17C, An-Ping Fort(安平古堡) and Chih-Kan Tower (赤崁樓)are the greatest choice for visiting. Every part of the buildings has their own stories. What’s more, some buildings are mixed up with the Chinese and western elements. Besides, there is a marvelous An-Ping Tree House(安平樹屋) near by An-ping Fort----the miracle of Nature should be gasped with admiration by yourself personally.










In addition to these historical sites, there’re still COUNTLESS glamorous sites waiting for your arrival. Such as National Museum of Taiwan Literature(國家台灣文學館), the past city hall of Tainan City. Now it is not only a museum for literature, but also a multi-function place which let art and culture to interact with the public. Although the museum only displays pieces about Taiwan literature, the exterior look of it is worthy to spend a gaze as well. The Mansard-style roof and Onion Dome make a great cooperation with the staid red-and-white wall. What’s more, a row of Coconut Palms joined the above-mentioned elements, producing a breathtaking scene.




Speaking of art and breathtaking scenery, I would like to introduce a place deserves your lingering away a whole NIGHT. It is Hai-An Art Road. (海安路藝術造街) that made so many visitors forget the time and stay there until midnight. Hai-An Road was planned to be an under-ground commercial area 10 years ago. However, the plan was forced to stop because of the lack of fund. That’s why Hai-An Road had not had any visitor until some artists contributed to develop this area, solving the dilemma of its developing. Now, Hai-An Art Road is a site which has not only art and surprise, but also history and communal appearance----the old and the new on the same street, making an unforgettable scene for all the visitors.

As you enjoy these famous sites in Tainan, I bet your stomach must also in search of something good----don’t worry about it, because all the tasty food is always waiting for you. People in Tainan usually pay as much attention as they can to what they eat every day, and that’s why Tainan is also called “the capital of food”.

The first one I would like to introduce is Guan-Tsai-Ban(棺材板), a special snack stemmed from Tainan. I can almost be sure that you’ve never know any food like this. Crispy and hollow toast with thick soup----which was made of onion, bean, carrot, squid, milk, and flour----inside, creating a fresh and unique flavor that cheers your bud.

After the snack, are you thirsty for drink? If the answer is yes, you should try some traditional drink in Tainan, such as Kuo's Mung Bean Soup(郭家綠豆湯) and Yi-Fong Winter Melon Tea(義豐冬瓜茶). The old cooking method from hundred years ago keeps the local flavor lasted from past to now.

It is possible that all things above could not satisfy your unfilled stomach. Yet that’s not the problem, for there are some place for you to have a plentiful meal (recommend for lunch, but why? Ha-ha, I’ll tell you later.) For example, Chou's Shrimp Rolls(周氏蝦捲) is always the first choice for me every time I go to An-Ping. After the fresh shrimps ─which is wrapped up in flour─is fried with pork, fish ground into liquid, celery, and green onion in the oil, a crispy golden shrimp rolls seems to be inviting us to experience its deliciousness.

In addition, if you want some light food for lunch, you can’t miss Jin-de Spring Roll(金得春捲). It is a kind of Chinese food which is made with a piece of outer layer wrapping some cooked food in it, including cut-into-piece pork, vegetable in season, fried egg, shrimp, peanut powder, garlic, dried bean curds, and emperor bean. After all the ingredients are rolled up, it will be fried in the pot for a while in order to take off the unnecessary water in the spring roll, and provide a light and fresh taste for us.

Although I’ve presented so many mouth-watering dishes for you, there are still numerous kinds of food in Tainan that you should taste. However, where are they? I’m going to tell you the secret of finding delicious and various foods: Go to the NIGHT MARKET! Not only cheaper and a great variety of food (That’s the reason that I tell you to take those foods for lunch!) but also clothing, shoes, recreation, and supply can be found in the night market. Night markets provide cheaper but low-quality goods, but sometimes we can discover some funny or odd things there, so night market is still a great site for visiting or even killing time, especially the most famous one: Hua-Yuan Night Market(花園夜市). Except for the night market, there still some places for shopping, such as Zhong-Zeng Commercial Area(中正商圈), Bei-Men Commercial Area (北門商圈), are consisted of many shops and restaurants as well.

The pace of life in Tainan is peaceful and leisurely, so please slow down your pace to savor this city. The people in Tainan are also friendly and cordial, so don’t worry about losing your way or facing any other personal problems, for the locals will help you. It is a large curiosity that you only have to bring with you on travel. Just come and see, then you can acquire a totally fresh and new experience after a wonderful journey in TAINAN.

Source of Photo

孔廟 Tainan Confucius Temple
http://easy.sina.com.tw/img/images/1208165853861-400x300.jpg

安平古堡An-ping Fort&安平樹屋An-ping Tree House
http://lfat.pixnet.net/blog/post/19052232

台灣文學館National Museum of Taiwan Literature
http://www.pts.org.tw/~web01/input2006/photos/106.jpg

金得春捲Jinde Spring Roll
http://www.ag007.com.tw/travel/snack/w0135.htm

棺材板Guan-Tsai-Ban
http://njitjerry.pixnet.net/blog/category/356767

花園夜市Hua-Yuan Night-market
http://sh-chen.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html

海安路藝術造街Hai-An Art Street
http://www.wretch.cc/album/show.php?i=blueva88&b=89&f=1923810067&p=137

Yangmingshan

Ha there! Are you trying to explore Taipei city? I bet you are. If not, I bet you will be willing to do so. Then, you must have already heard of Yangmingshan. But do you really know the most amazing places in Yangmingshan and what’s special about them? If not, just follow my steps right now.

There are six national parks in Taiwan, and Yangmingshan National Park is one of them. Yangmingshan is different from the others because of its volcano landforms. In addition, it also has a lot of historical spots. In Yangmingshan, you can explore our semitropical ecology, study our historical heritages, and experience the hospitality of local people.

Semitropical ecology is one of the reasons why the conditions of different areas in Yangmingshan and in Taiwan varied so much. These varieties show in three ways: forests, animals, and our foods. Speaking of forests, for monsoon in winter, activities of volcanoes, and the big range of the temper, you can see semitropical rain forest, broad-leaved forest, and grasslands at areas of different height in the same mountain. For example, you can observe bamboos and awns on the same hill. As about animals, insects of one altitude are different from those of another altitude. Finally, when speaking of foods in Yangmingshan, I bet you will be amazed by the delicacies of products from the mountains. The foods change from season to season. In conclusion, Yangmingshan is a place being endowed with adequacy of natural resources.

The second thing that you can’t miss is the chance of visiting our historical personages. The two most famous spots in Yangmingshan are Yangmingshuwu and the Lin Yutang House. Yangmingshuwu, which has been called Chunghsing Residence, is the summer resort of the late President Chiang Kai-shek and his wife. By visiting this excavation, you can experience the early history of Taiwan. The second important spot is the Lin Yutang House. Lin was a writer and the first person in Taiwan who was famous for his English publication. A Leaf in The Storm, You-Bu-Wei-Jhai, Between Tears and Laughter, and the Pleasure of a Nonconformist are some of his famous works. To sum up, Yangmingshan is a place that treasures a lot of human histories.

I think you will ask: where and which to visit first if I could only stay for one or two days? That is not a problem. You can just go to Rock Garden and you will feel contended with your trip.

The final thing you should experience is our hospitality. If you want to have a delighted evening, it is suggested that you go to the hydrophilic restaurant-Rock Garden. There are three reasons that I like Rock Garden: the surroundings, the fresh and cool drinks, and the managers’ hospitality. The first reason that I like Rock Garden is the comfortable atmosphere of its environment. The managers of Rock Garden are a couple that are fond of getting closer to nature and environment buildings. As a result, they decided to build their ideal restaurant in a small valley that has three streams flowing together. Visitors can experience the fine scenery with hills and waters at the same time. In addition, the host is good at and fond of interior design and landscape gardening. That’s the reason that it is called garden, and it is also the one that I bet you’ll like. The second reason I like Rock Garden is the drinks that the hostess makes. The fruit vinegar juice is my favorite, because I could taste the sweet smell of fruit and the sour of vinegar in one cup of drink. It’s a perfect combination. Furthermore, green tea with honey is also a great choice. The third reason that I like Rock Garden so much is because of the hospitality of the host and hostess. For instance, they can design special food lists for each party they hold. It makes people feel unique and well treated. All in all, I commend Rock Garden as the best choice for all the reason I mentioned.

Yangmingshan is a place that you can experience Taiwan’s semitropical ecology, historical heritages, and the hospitality of local people no matter in which season and which way. I ensure everyone can find some memories that you will want to treasure forever in this mountain. In brief, don’t miss any chances to visit Yangmingshan when you visit Taiwan.

Are you excited about Yangmingshan? The shortest answer is doing. Wish you have a good trip.

By Zoe Young(楊子萱)