Tiger Tales

Taipei We Love You!

Taipei might not rank high on the average traveller’s “must-visit” list, but it should. It’s an exciting city that is undergoing major cultural, political and economic changes. Taipei boasts beautiful tree-lined streets and forested parks along with plenty of public art. Take a detour off any main street and you’ll soon find yourself pleasantly lost in a labyrinth of winding alleys – home to lovely cafés, cool little shops and restaurants that serve unforgettable food.

Above all, Taipei is a city of hidden gems. Unlike visits to better-known destinations in Asia such as Tokyo, Hong Kong and Beijing, a trip to Taipei offers the chance to explore sites that are not yet well travelled. Provided you know the ins and outs of the place, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what the city has to offer – from the sprawling Taipei International Floral Expo, which combines flower displays with traditional cultural performances, to Yuliu Geopark with its surreal stone formations.

For many people, Taipei is known primarily for its complicated relationship with mainland China. The two sides split in 1949 after a civil war, and for the next six decades they maintained frosty relations. Over the past two years, however, things have changed dramatically and Taiwan continues to open up economically to China.

But even now, political groups on the island disagree as to whether Taiwan should be progressing towards independence, seeking to become part of mainland China or maintaining the status quo.

“Politics still play a big part in everyday life in Taiwan,” says Robin Kwong, president of the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents’ Club. “Not only do political rallies regularly draw tens of thousands into the streets, but in the most recent election in late November last year, you could see a lot of young people out campaigning for their candidates – a rare sight in the United States and most other western countries.”

The vast majority of Taiwanese seem to agree, however, that Taiwan should strive to preserve its unique character and identity, regardless of which way the political and economic winds are blowing.

“There has been a real emergence of a Taiwanese identity on the island over the past few years. It’s not just in terms of whether people think of themselves as Taiwanese or Chinese, it is something that can be seen in the arts, movies and cultural life in Taiwan,” Robin says.

ARTS AND CULTURE

The first human settlements in Taiwan date back about 30,000 years ago, and the island’s rich history includes periods of rule by Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese colonialists. For this reason, Taipei has many architectural treasures representing many different styles. While the city has fewer newly built cultural facilities than many art enthusiasts would like, Taipei’s rich heritage lives on in the form of sites like Huashan 1914 Creative Park, a former rice winery that was reborn as an arts complex, and Taipei Spot, the former US ambassador’s residence that is now Taipei’s premier art cinema.

Leslie Yang, a renowned makeup artist who has published books and appears regularly on TV, says his favourite places tend to be in areas that are home to such repurposed historical sites. Having lived in Taipei all his life, Leslie is extremely fond of the city and its cultural heritage.

“I like the idea of continuity, that we aren’t building a new city. We are continuing the history, building upon what we already have and what we treasure,” he says.

Among the sites that Leslie loves best is the Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei (MOCA), which was originally an elementary school built in 1921 during the Japanese colonial period. In the post-war era, it served as the home of the city government. It was turned into an art museum in 2001, the first facility of its kind in Taiwan dedicated exclusively to contemporary art.

The exhibitions at MOCA are designed to surprise and inspire.

Leslie also loves to spend time with friends at The Red House in Ximending, Taipei’s answer to Tokyo’s Shinjuku and Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay. A century ago, Ximending was a market frequented by Japanese colonialists. After the Japanese left, it was turned into a theatre where both traditional and modern performances were staged. It now houses shops, bars and restaurants, including Riverside Music Café and Workshop 16. It tends to be most popular with university students, artists, designers and members of the gay community.

Ximending can seem overwhelming at first. Its streets and alleyways are almost always crowded with young people on the hunt for bargains or good places to eat, and musicians trying out their latest songs on the masses. The wall art and graffiti that adorns many buildings in Ximending creates a visual cacaphony that mirrors the fashionably weird attire worn by some of the people who frequent the area.

INDIE MUSIC

Taipei has in recent years cemented its reputation as the centre of Chinese pop. The music industry here has a long history and nowadays the city boasts one of the most active and exciting indie scenes in Asia.

“Taipei is a cosmopolitan city with its oriental soul well-preserved,” says Yang, “It’s arts scene has a lot of potential and is thriving to venture outside the box to create its own unique characters.”

Many Taipei-based bands and solo artists, such as Cheer Chen, Sodagreen and Tizzy Bac, started out covering the songs of other performers. Eventually, they found their own voices and began creating original works.

Sodagreen is a good example. The band’s songs are incredibly wide-ranging, their sound is reminiscent of performers like Björk and their lyrics are full of references to ancient Chinese literature.

Sean Scanlan, an American-born music critic who has lived in Taipei for more than 15 years, says the indie band culture is incredibly diverse and full of colourful characters. Taiwanese music fans-turned- recording artists tend to study the music of their favourite bands in an almost academic manner. They closely follow the music industry through publications like Rolling Stone and websites like pitchfork.com and are compulsive album buyers. However, somehow they find a way to express their originality, even within the confines of established genres.

“Most Taiwan bands don’t do covers anymore,” says Sean. “They know exactly how they want to sound, what they want to be, what they want to say with their music, way before they are known to anyone.”

For visitors looking to immerse themselves in the local live music scene, Sean recommends The Wall Live House on Roosevelt Road. What began as the project of an unofficial musical alliance among Northern Taiwan colleges has become a popular music venue that hosts live performances nightly from Thursday to Sunday. Music fans can hear everything from heavy metal to post rock, punk to electronica, experimental to folk and just about everything in between. The Wall Live House is also a music label that puts out albums by local bands and solo artists. It has shepherded many acts to fame in Taiwan.

NIGHT MARKETS

The typical recommendation for travellers is to visit any of the major night markets. As obvious a piece of advice as that may seem, they truly are the best places for foodies looking to sample local flavours. There are also a lot of cool cafés and bars in the alleys nearby, along with plenty of shops selling low-priced fashion goods. Shilin Night Market is the biggest of its kind and is a perennial favourite among locals and visitors alike, but there are others that are also worth checking out. Liao Yusheng, a Taiwanese-American photographer who returned to Taipei five years ago, recommends the Shida Night Market. It’s not the most heavily travelled market in town, but it has a few stall owners who are the best in the city at what they do. Yusheng’s favourite stall is home to what he describes as the best grilled corn in the city. “The owner does it the old-fashioned way, with lots of lard and grilled slowly over charcoal,” he says. “His grilled corn brings back fond childhood memories for me. It’s a taste that I haven’t found anywhere else in Taipei. I’m afraid once he retires, that taste will be gone forever.” The stall is not part of the night market proper. However, it’s close by on Shida Road, near the MRT station.When it comes to street food, the general rule is to get in the longest queue you can see, which essentially guarantees you a delicious meal. Be prepared to do a lot of hand gesturing though, because many sellers speak only Taiwanese. The night markets are also the best places in town for people-watching. Says New Yorker-turned-Tapei resident Liao Yusheng: “Although Taipei isn’t picturesque like Paris, or as visually interesting as Tokyo, it can be photogenic if you capture scenes of its people.” We say, snap away.

OUTSIDE OF TOWN

* Taipei is relatively small compared to many of Asia’s other leading cities. However, Taipei County is enormous and has a lot to offer, whether you’re into nature, sports, history or culture. What’s more, the entire county is within an hour’s bus ride of the city centre.

* If you visit during the winter, a soak at a hot spring resort is a special experience. Finding one that you like is part of the fun. You can browse online or even just hop from one place to another, staying at the one that tickles your fancy.

* For photographers, design geeks and architecture nerds, photographer Liao Yusheng recommends taking a day trip out to Sanzhi: “There are some abandoned houses that the locals have dubbed the UFO houses because that’s what they look like. It is an amazingly surreal spot.”

WHAT TO DO IN TAIPEI

* Eslite Dunhua Store, 245 Dunhua South Rd, Sec 1, tel: +886 (0)2 2775 5977, www.eslite. com This is the original shop in the Eslite bookstore chain, whose branches have become cultural landmarks. Open 24 hours.

* The Wall Live House, B1F, 200 Roosevelt Rd, tel: +886 (0)2 2930 0162, www.thewall.com.tw This indie music venue is in a basement, accessible through a small entrance on the ground floor. Bands play nightly from Wednesday to Sunday. There is also an art gallery and a music store.

* FifiTea House Lounge, 15 Renai Rd, Sec 4, tel: +886  
(0)2 2779 0528, www.isabelle-wen. com/wenfifiCreated by renowned fashion designer Isabelle Wen, Fifi focuses on traditional Chinese tea culture and cuisine.

* Tripodking Spicy Hotpot, 89 Guangfu North Rd, tel: +886  
(0)2 2742 1166, www.tripodking. com.tw Enjoy the best mala hotpot in Taiwan, prepared in specially-made traditional Chinese standing pots. For a truly authentic culinary experience, try their duck’s blood jelly and pig’s intestine in a spicy soup.

* Bomb Metal & Fry Jewelry, 1-7 Alley 29, Lane 205, Zongxiao East Rd, Sec 4, tel: +886 (0)2 8773 1843, www.bmfj.com This is a tiny silver jewellery store operated by two design lecturers. The offerings are highly affordable.

* VVG Bistro, 14 Alley 40, Lane 181, Zongxixao East Rd, Sec 4, tel: +886 (0)2 8773 3533, www.. vvgbbb.com.tw For wonderful French fusion food and great coffee, visit this bistro. The walls are adorned with art installations made with everyday objects like rubber bands, pipes and marbles.