Dumpings (and other things) in Taipei

Taiwan is a pretty fun island. I should be careful saying that, as I have only visited a small portion of the island, the northern coastal region. Right now, Alrica and I are in Taipei. We have had several fun days here, with several beautiful sights and interesting museums and wow, so so many dumplings. (And other dumplingesque victuals.)

The Lungshan Temple

We arrived in the afternoon. Our first day was mainly spent in getting to the hotel from the airport and then wandering a bit in our neighborhood. We had to find dinner, and just a couple blocks from the hotel we stopped and got an order of pork dumplings and also xiaolongbao. Xiaolongbao are a must have in Taiwan. They are also dumplings, specifically soup dumplings. In addition to the meat filling of the dumplings, there is also broth inside, really flavorful broth. We've now eaten xiaolongbao several times, and there is a method. So, as a complete expert after four days, I am going to give you the lay of the land, or the lay of the bao.

Step 1: Use your chopsticks (you don't get forks here) to pick up the xiaolongbao from the top. You don't want to break the outside dumpling dough that holds the inner goodness.

Step 2: Set the bottom of the xiaolongbao in your dumpling sauce.

Step 3: Now lift your xiaolongbao and set it in the spoon. You are generally given one of those wide flat-bottomed spoons that you see at Chinese restaurants used for soup.

Step 4: Poke a hole in the dumpling dough so that some of the broth within comes out into your spoon.

Step 5: Sip the yummy broth.

Step 6: Lose patience and just eat the xiaolongbao already!

Moving on from dumplings and soup dumplings, on our second day, we took a tour. We met our guide and the rest of our tour group at the Taipei Main Station. From there we took a bus. The first stop was a village called Shifen. In Shifen, there is a lantern festival. The big business there is selling these gigantic lanterns, probably about three feet tall. And you light some fuel source in an iron ring, your lantern fills with hot air, and then it floats up and away taking your hopes and dreams to the gods. This is somewhat literal, though I'm sure they don't make it all the way to the gods. But you do write on the outside of the lantern, well, actually paint. But you are painting letters. So maybe you're writing and painting all at once.

We wrote 52 (our 52nd country), "happiness" in Chinese, and Euler's solution to the Basel Problem.

We wrote hopes for ourselves, hopes for our kids, the Chinese characters for happiness, and I wrote a math equation for good measure. Then up and away went the lantern.

Alrica at the Jing An Bridge and if you look closely, a lantern in the sky behind her

We also walked across the Jing An Bridge, had some peanut ice cream rolls (which are exactly what they sound like), and admired the Taiwanese version of a total tourist town. My usual rule for tourist towns is you know you're in one when there is a fudge shop. Well, I have to account for the fact that fudge isn't the thing here. But if it were, there would have been at least one fudge shop.

The Shifen Waterfall

From the village of Shifen we went to the Shifen Waterfall, just a bit outside the village. Here we crossed a suspension bridge to get to it. There were lovely views, but it isn't running very fast or with that much water. It has been very dry of late in Taiwan. Our guide showed us a video of the falls the day after a typhoon passed. I mean, it's not Niagara Falls, but it was a much more violent flow than what we were seeing the day we were there. Still, violent or calm, it was beautiful.

View from Jiufen when the sun was still out

View from Jiufen after the sun had set

After the falls we headed into the mountains to a city called Jiufen. Jiufen is a steep city on the side of the mountain. You walk up 400 steps to get to the top. Here we saw views of the ocean from up high, we enjoyed the architecture and the sunset, and we wandered the narrow streets full of lanterns and shops.

Jiufen streets lit by lanterns (and Alrica's smile)

After that we returned to Taipei, a bit overheated, a bit overtired, but it was a great trip.

Vending machines are everywhere here. And entire shops full of "the claw". You know, that arcade game where you try to get a claw to grab a toy. Entire shop with just those "the claw" machines.

The next day we visited the National Taiwan Museum. It had a lot of exhibits, but its general theme was that of natural history. We learned about the formation of Taiwan from plate tectonics. We learned that during the last ice age, it is believed that the Taiwan Strait was not water, but rather a land bridge connecting Taiwan to mainland China. During this time, many animals used that land for hunting. But when the waters rose again, some went west to China and some went east and ended up on Taiwan. The trouble for those on Taiwan was its size. There wasn't enough food and space for them and they died. So there are fossils found in Taiwan of rhinoceroses, Asian tigers, and more. Many of these species had died in Taiwan well before any humans moved in.

The Chiang Kai Shek Memorial

Today we visited Liberty Square. This is a large plaza with an impressive archway gate. Then inside there is the National Concert Hall on one side and the National Theater on the other. In between is an open square, currently being decorated. But when it is not being decorated, it is a space for public dissent and demonstrations. Beyond the square is a long stretch called Democracy Boulevard. And at the end of it is the impressive Chiang Kai Shek Memorial.

The National Theater

The size and grandeur of these buildings is staggering. And at the base of the Chiang Kai Shek Momorial, every hour, there is a demonstration by the Taiwanese military that involves a lot of twirling and throwing of rifles with bayonets. The soldiers involved in the performance wear stark white uniforms with stark white helmets. (Is any color other than white ever referred to as stark?)

Look at those uniforms. Stark, am I right?

Tonight we went to the Lungshan Temple which is a Buddhist and Taoist mixed temple. The architecture is breathtaking and it is very beautiful at night. From there we headed to the Guangzhou Street Nightmarket. Here we ate sausage in sticky rice (which is crazy, the sticky rice is shaped like a sausage, but then they cut it open and it is used as a bun), taro balls, sweet potato balls, and, you guessed it, dumplings.

That is not a typo. They are honestly selling phallic cakes. On the street!

Tomorrow we leave this lovely place. But we might have to come back one day. We'll miss it here. Especially the dumplings.