[RD] Discovering Taiwan

Changing of the Guard Ceremony

The changing of the guard ceremony in front of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall happens every hour between 9am and 5pm, every day, including weekends and holidays. I got lucky enough to catch the last one of the day.


The nature of this ceremony has recently changed, and it's definitely a change worth pointing out.

This all used to happen right in front of the statue, up the stairs and inside the Memorial Hall. Due to a push to put less emphasis on authoritarianism and acts that might be interpreted as celebrating it, the ceremony is now held outside the Memorial Hall, right on Democracy Boulevard, which is the long pedestrian walkway that leads from the stairs of the Memorial Hall to Liberty Plaza.

This all changed a couple months before I arrived. From what I can see in older photos the soldiers also used to wear different uniforms, perhaps more ceremonial ones.
 
Fuda Dumpling House (福大蒸餃館)

This restaurant is famous for their handmade steamed dumplings. I came here for dinner because Din Tai Fung's dumplings that I had the previous day were still fresh on my mind.. They set the bar quite high, but I couldn't help myself, I needed to eat more Taiwanese dumplings!

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These ones were not quite as good, but overall very tasty. I also had a hot and sour soup here, which was sort of average.

The cost to me for the soup and dumplings was the equivalent of $5 USD or so. A lot cheaper than Din Tai Fung and definitely worth the visit.
 
Day Two Reflections
Thursday, November 7, 2024

Total Distance Walked This Day - 10.5 km


The highlight this day was definitely the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and the surrounding Liberty Square grounds. Out of all the places I visited this day it left the largest impact on me overall.

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At this point I was more than sold on Taipei as a city that's great to explore on foot. It's easy to get around, safe, the public transit system is extensive and efficient if you need it, and there are cheap restaurants and food stalls almost everywhere. You can walk, explore, and eat your way through the city at your own pace.

One thing I'd like to point out is this sign that I saw multiple times on my trip, on average maybe twice a day or so:

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At first these obviously made me think of the broader Taiwan - China conflict, but also how pragmatic and practical the Taiwanese people seem to be. They brushed off the super Typhoon like it was nothing; dealt with it efficiently and quickly got back to regular life.. When I arrived here a couple days later there were almost zero signs that anything had happened.. I attributed these Air Defense shelter posters to Taiwan being ready for a conflict in a similar pragmatic fashion.

After doing some research I can tell you that in Taiwan there are laws that stipulate a certain minimum amount of air defense shelters.. It's even included in the building code. The problem is that government oversight or enforcement are spotty at best.. So you end up with basements and parking garages doubling up as air raid shelters, even if they aren't exactly up to code. They must exist, so the signs are there, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it'll be a useful air defense shelter. It's up to local governments to control and enforce this stuff, and it isn't exactly one of their priorities.

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Onto sweeter subjects.. On the walk back to my hotel I stopped by a Mister Donut, a Japanese chain that's become very popular in Taiwan. It made my eating list, so I had to try one.. These are a bit lighter tasting and not as sweet as western donuts. Nothing mind blowing, but a good donut experience all around.

And a very successful day two.
 
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The Eating List

One thing I brought with me to Taiwan was an eating list I had assembled beforehand. It includes local Taiwanese specialities I found mentioned on various websites, dishes specifically recommended to me by friends, street food must eats, and all sorts of other items that seemed interesting to me at the time. I knew that I wouldn't be able to try all of the items on this list, but I wanted to at least have an understanding of which dishes were popular in Taiwan and which were considered "must try". My objective was to really dive into the Taiwanese culinary scene and to try a diverse mix of the food on offer on the island, with some focus on regional specialities.

This list ended up blowing up quite a bit.

Let me preempt the inevitable "What is Pizza Hut buffet doing on this list?". It came up on a couple Taiwan food lists, so I became a bit curious, after dismissing it at first.. After some research I had to admit to myself that this Taiwanese spin on Pizza Hut buffet was worthy of the list. First of all, we haven't had all you can eat Pizza Hut buffet in Canada in a while, but it's fairly popular in Taiwan.. and cheap.. and there's interesting pizza toppings.. and interesting side dishes and desserts. Some people rave about it.. So it made the list. I didn't end up eating pizza on my trip at all, but this is the sort of thing I wanted on my list - unique local culinary experiences. And in this case Pizza Hut made the cut.

Spoiler :

1 - Taiwan's Fruit 台灣水果 (Táiwān shuǐguǒ)
2 - Mango Ice 芒果冰 (Mángguǒ bīng)
3 - Boba Milk Tea 珍珠奶茶 (Zhēnzhū nǎichá)
4 - Taiwan Hotpot Buffet 台灣的火鍋吃到飽 (Táiwān de huǒguō chī dào bǎo)
5 - Renwu Roast Duck 仁武烤鴨 (Rénwǔ kǎoyā)
6 - Beef Noodles 牛肉麵 (Niúròu miàn)
7 - Pizza Hut Buffet 必勝客歡樂吧吃到飽 (huānlè bā)
8 - Scallion Pancake 抓餅 (Zhuā bǐng)
9 - Egg Pancake 蛋餅 (Dàn bǐng)
10 - Pan-fried Dumplings / Potstickers 鍋貼 (Guōtiē)
11 - Boiled dumplings 水餃 (Shuǐjiǎo)
12 - Fried Rice 炒飯 (Chǎofàn)
13 - Egg-wrapped Rice 蛋包飯 (Dàn bāo fàn)
14 - Pork Buns 肉包 (Ròu bāo)
15 - Xiaolongbao 小籠包 (Xiǎolóngbāo)
16 - Steamed Dumplings 蒸餃 (zhēng jiǎo)
17 - Matsu Hamburger 馬祖漢堡 (Mǎzǔ hànbǎo)
18 - Taiwanese Steak 牛排 (Niú pái)
19 - Chicken Fried Steak 雞排 (Jī pái)
20 - Salt and Pepper Chicken 鹹酥雞 (Xián sū jī)
21 - Oyster Omelet 蚵仔煎 (hé zǎi jiān / eh ah zen)
22 - Baked Cheese Noodles / Rice 焗烤 (jú kǎo)
23 - Guandongzhu 關東煮 (Guāndōng zhǔ) / (Kantouchi)
24 - Mongolian Grill 蒙古烤肉 (Ménggǔ kǎoròu)
25 - Sashimi 生魚片 (Shēng yú piàn)
26 - Grilled Squid 烤魷魚 (Kǎo yóuyú)
27 - Lobster 龍蝦 (Lóngxiā)
28 - Fried Shrimp 蝦子 (Xiāzi)
29 - Crab 螃蟹 (Pángxiè)
30 - Clams 蛤蜊 (Gélì)
31 - Mussels 淡菜 (Dàn cài)
32 - Stir-Fried Fish 炒魚 (Chǎo yú)
33 - Rechao 熱炒 (Rèchǎo)
34 - Flying Fish Rice Wrap 飛魚飯糰 (Fēiyú fàn tuán)
35 - Mahi-Mahi Rice Wrap 鬼頭刀飯糰 (Guǐtóudāo fàn tuán)
36 - Purple Rice Breakfast Wrap 紫米飯糰 (Zǐ mǐ fàn tuán)
37 - Pepper Buns 胡椒餅 (Hújiāo bǐng)
38 - Guabao 刈包 (Yì bāo)
39 - Steamed Buns 饅頭 (Mántou)
40 - Night Market Bread 夜市麵包 (Yèshì miànbāo)
41 - Coffin Bread 棺材板 (Guān cái bǎn)
42 - Taiwanese Barbeque 台式烤肉 (Táishì kǎoròu)
43 - Taiwanese Sausage 香腸 (Xiāngcháng)
44 - Small sausage in large sausage 大腸包小腸 (Dàcháng bāo xiǎo cháng)
45 - Braised Pork Rice 滷肉飯/肉燥飯 (Lǔ ròu fàn / Ròu zào fàn)
46 - Braised Pork Noodles 滷肉麵/肉燥麵 (Lǔ ròu miàn / Ròu zào miàn)
47 - Jin Feng (金峰魯肉飯): Taipei’s Most Famous Braised Pork Rice Bowl
48 - Water Spinach 空心菜 (Kōngxīn cài)
49 - Fish Ball Soup 魚丸湯 (Yúwán tāng)
50 - Chicken Fried Steak Bento / Biandang 雞排飯便當 (Jī pái fàn biàndāng)
51 - Fried Chicken Leg Bento 雞腿飯便當 (Jī tuǐ fàn biàndāng)
52 - Mongo Fried Chicken
53 - Taiwanese Railroad Bento 鐵路便當 (Tiělù biàndāng)
54 - Pork Fried Steak and Rice 豬排飯 (Zhū pái fàn)
55 - Pork Rib Rice Bento 排骨飯 (Páigǔ fàn)
56 - Fried Fish Bento 炸魚飯便當 (Zhà yú fàn biàndāng)
57 - Turkey Rice 雞肉飯 (Jīròu fàn)
58 - Ba-wan 肉圓 (Ròuyuán)
59 - Fried Octopus Balls / Takoyaki 章魚燒 (Zhāngyú shāo)
60 - Grilled Stinky Tofu 烤臭豆腐 (Kǎo chòu dòufu)
61 - Fried Stinky Tofu 炸臭豆腐 (Zhá chòu dòufu)
62 - Boiled Stinky Tofu 水煮臭豆腐 (Shuǐzhǔ chòu dòufu)
63 - Dried Tofu 豆乾 (Dòuguān)
64 - Gluttonous rice pudding / Wanguo 腕果 (Wànguǒ)
65 - Cheese Wrapped in Bacon 培根包起司 (Péigēn bāo qǐsī)
66 - Zongzi 粽子 (Zòngzi)
67 - Alkaline Rice Dumplings 鹼粽 (Jiǎn zòng)
68 - Stir-Fried Noodles (Chao Mein) 炒麵 (Chǎo miàn)
69 - Large Intestine Noodles / Vermicelli 大腸麵線 (Dàcháng miànxiàn)
70 - Neritic Squid Rice Noodle Soup 小卷米粉湯 (Xiǎo juǎn mǐfěn tāng)
71 - Wanton Noodle Soup 混沌湯麵 (Hùndùn tāng miàn)
72 - Guangdong Porridge 廣東粥 (Guǎngdōng zhōu)
73 - A-gei 阿給 (Ā gěi)
74 - Water Chestnuts 菱角 (Língjiǎo)
75 - World's Hottest Chili Sauce 天下第一辣 (Tiānxià dì yī là)
76 - Apple Sidra 蘋果西打 (Píngguǒ xī dǎ)
77 - Vitali 維大力 (Wéi dàlì)
78 - Heisong Yogurt Soda 活力乳酸汽水 (Huólì rǔsuān qìshuǐ)
79 - Taisugar Sarsaparilla Soda 台糖加鹽沙士 (Táitáng jiā yán shāshì)
80 - Wheel Cake / Imagawayaki 車輪餅 (Chēlún bǐng)
81 - Egg Cake / Mahulu 雞蛋糕 (Jīdàn gāo)
82 - Mochi / Muaji 麻糬 (Máshǔ)
83 - Tangyuan 湯圓 (Tāngyuán)
84 - Taro Ball Soup 芋圓湯 (Yùyuán tāng)
85 - Shaved Ice 剉冰/刨冰 (Cuò bīng / Páobīng)
86 - Eight Treasures Congee 八寶粥 (Bābǎo zhōu)
87 - Milk Peanut Soup 花生湯 (Huāshēng tāng)
88 - Jellied Tofu 豆花 (Dòuhuā)
89 - Fruit Shaved Ice 水果冰 (Shuǐguǒ bīng)
90 - Milk-based Shaved Ice 雪花冰 (Xuěhuā bīng)
91 - Grass Jelly Tea 仙草茶 (Xiāncǎo chá)
92 - Moon Cake 月餅 (Yuèbǐng)
93 - Taiwanese Doughnuts 台式甜甜圈 (Táishì tián tiánquān)
94 - Ox Horn Bread 牛角麵包 (Niújiǎo miànbāo)
95 - Maple Cream Dorayaki (Tongluoshao 銅鑼燒) (Tóngluó shāo)
96 - Fried Dough Twist / Mahuajuan 麻花捲 (Máhuā juǎn)
97 - Taro Cake Roll 芋頭卷 (Yùtóu juǎn)
98 - Taro Cake 芋頭餅 (Yùtóu bǐng)
99 - Peanut Ice Cream Burrito 花生卷 (Huāshēng juǎn)
100 - Mr. Donut (Mister Donut)
101 - Specialty Oreos
102 - Taro Smoothie 芋頭冰沙 (Yùtóu bīngshā)
103 - Fruit Milk 水果牛奶 (Shuǐguǒ niúnǎi)
104 - Soft Serve 雪淇淋 (Xuěqílín)
105 - Taiwanese Hot pot
106 - Pork belly sandwich (Gua Bao)
107 - Incredible Pork Belly Bun in Taipei: Lan Jia Gua Bao (藍家割包)
108 - Ay-Chung Flour Rice Noodles
109 - Winter melon soup
110 - Braised tofu
111 - Corn soup
112 - Lemon aiyu jelly
113 - Fried fish meatballs
114 - Blowtorched steak
115 - Hot Star Fried Chicken
116 - Lin Dong Fang
117 - Fuzhou Pepper Buns (Raohe Market)
118 - Glutinous rice sausage (Second market - Taichung)
119 - White jute soup (Second market - Taichung)
120 - Noodle potage (Second market - Taichung)
121 - Sesame noodles (Second market - Taichung)
122 - Fried noodle sandwich (Feng Chia night market - Taichung)
123 - Mashed potatoes (Feng Chia night market - Taichung)
124 - Soft-shell shrimps (Feng Chia night market - Taichung)
125 - Taiwanese sausage with sticky rice (Feng Chia night market - Taichung)
126 - Chinese omlet (Feng Chia night market - Taichung)
127 - Lard rice (Sixth market - Taichung)
128 - Stuffed buns (Sixth market - Taichung)
129 - Soy shaved ice (Sixth market - Taichung)
130 - Dou hua tofu pudding (Taitung)
131 - Yi mian - Fried egg noodle soup (Taitung)
132 - Dan zhai noodles (Taitung)
133 - Blue Dragonfly Fried Chicken (Taitung)
134 - 3 night 3 day goat stew (Chiayi)
135 - Fish head stew (Chiayi)
136 - Pig blood cake 豬血糕 zhū xiě gāo
137 - Chicken cartilage 雞軟骨 jī ruǎn gǔTempura 甜不辣 tián bù là
138 - Tempura 甜不辣 tián bù là
139 - Squid 魷魚 yóu yú
140 - Pork chop fried rice
141 - Tonkatsu
142 - Hot n sour soup
143 - Steamed mushroom bun
144 - Din Tai Feng house special wontons
I had a printed version of this list on hand so that I could occasionally reference it and cross off items I had tried. The problem is that this just wasn't very practical. It just wasn't realistic to look through the list and figure out which nearby restaurants served any of the remaining dishes on the list whenever I got hungry. It was good I did this research though! A number of the key dishes I really wanted to try did get stuck in my head, so it was easy to remember them without having to look at the list. It also helped me get an understanding of what sort of food to expect and what sort of variety of dishes exist on the island. Occasionally it was also good to look through the list and remind myself what was still on it. It wasn't long until I almost completely ignored the list until the end of each day, which is when I could sit back in my hotel room and cross off any items I had tried earlier on in the day.

I can't remember when this happened, but one day I ended up sweating through my tshirt and backpack enough to ruin the printed list. It got wet, the printed text started running, and the pages stuck together. When I pulled it out of my backpack at the end of the day, some of the pages ripped right there and then. I tried to salvage the list, but it was a lost cause. I had a bit of a moment of realization that the list wasn't very wieldly and that I might as well throw it out. I still had an electronic version of it on my phone that I could occasionally reference, and in the end all the research I did to create the list and all the times I spent looking through it did help me to have a better experience eating out in Taiwan.

Overall I found the Taiwanese culinary scene to be very innovative, mixing various influences and styles, with an emphasis on traditional recipes but also new takes on those recipes & modern culinary techniques and trends. There's obvious Chinese regional influences, as well as Japanese, some South-East Asian influences, aboriginal Taiwanese influences, as well as French and other Western culinary styles. Eating out is also very popular here, for various reasons. Many apartments don't have full kitchens and it is not uncommon to not even have a kitchen in your residence at all. With so many low cost restaurant and food stall options serving high quality nutritious meals, many Taiwanese residents just do not cook their meals at home. There is a cultural element to this as well, as eating out with friends and family is a key aspect of social life here.

As such I got the sense that to really experience Taiwanese culture, eating out was going to have to be a large part of that journey. And that's how this list was born.
 
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Day 3

Taiwanese Street Art & Urban Design

Friday, November 8, 2024

The more I walked around Taipei, the more I grew to appreciate the various types of street art around and the care taken to make these urban spaces more interesting. It turns out that Taiwan is undergoing a period of urban revitalization, over time making Taiwanese cities more pedestrian friendly, with public art installations, green spaces, murals, and other community-focused design.

I came across two examples of this sort of thing on my first walk of the day. To be honest this is sort of an excuse to post the Star Wars murals.. but you will definitely see more examples of this sort of thing (and you already have as well)

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Taiwanese-style Pai Gau Fan fried pork chop

The origins of this dish date back to Japanese colonial times, when katsu bento boxes were introduced and often sold near train stations. The Taiwanese modified this dish with new ingredients and cooking techniques and turned it into a national staple. It is a sort of home comfort type food that the Taiwanese associate with home cooking, but can also be found at restaurants, night markets, and bento box stalls, in various formats. Today it is one of the most widely eaten dishes in Taiwan. Some call it a cultural icon.

Technically there exist several variants of Pai Gau, but the most popular one in Taiwan is this fried pork chop. It is usually marinated in soy sauce, garlic, five-spice powder, rice wine, and coated with sweet potato starch, then deep fried.

A short 10 minute walk away from my hotel was Dong Yi Pork Chop, a restaurant that's known for their authentic take on Taiwanese fried pork chop. When I got here the place was packed, with no tourists in sight. This place just screams retro 70s decor and apparently does the same with the food. The textures and flavours are supposedly just as they were in the 70s and years before that and most of the reviewers seem to rave about the pork chops. So obviously I came here for my first meal of day 3

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Unfortunately I got no photos of the decor, but the pork chop was delicious.
 
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How are your arteries?
 
How are your arteries?

Honestly, I think overall all the walking & hiking I did more than balanced out all the food that I ate on the trip! It might look like I ate a lot, and I sort of did, but many of the meals had smaller portions. That's in part by design (I tried to order so that I could try more types of dishes) but also partially due to the fact that food portions in Taiwan tend to be smaller to begin with.

There were some deep fried items in the mix, but this pork cutlet was for instance not greasy at all. Overall Taiwanese food tends to be well balanced and healthyish. The least healthy food that I had was some of the street food found at the night markets. Not all food there is greasy and bad for you, but there tends to be more of that kind of stuff on offer.
 
OK good to know.
 
Unexpected postcards from Taiwan

My friend's brother got an unexpected postcard from Taiwan yesterday.

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The postcard was addressed to a diminutive of his name which he did not often use, adding to the mystery. Confused, he started thinking of ex-girlfriends and one seemed to fit the bill in terms of the timeline - she dropped off his radar about 7 years ago. His current girlfriend meanwhile was growing suspicious and unblocked the ex-girlfriend in question on facebook, so that they could snoop on her a bit and see if she went to Taiwan and why she might have been arrested there and thrown in jail.

I admit it, I sent the postcard. I don't know my friend's brother at all and he doesn't know me. I had some extra postcards and asked if any of my friends knew anyone who wouldn't mind a practical joke and probably wouldn't mind having their address shared with somebody like me.

In this particular case my friend had to eventually start answering questions, but in the end laughs were had by all

And now we wait for the other unexpected postcards to arrive
 
Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park

In Taiwan Sun Yat Sen is known as the Father of the Nation. In the People's Republic of China he is known as the Father of Modern China and as a revolutionary pioneer. He was a key revolutionary leader during the wars that eventually toppled the Qing dynasty in 1912. After its collapse he was elected as the first president of the Republic of China. You will find statues of him throughout Taiwan & China and his portrait on the Taiwanese $100 bill.

When the People's Republic of China was established in 1949, Mao Zedong's government officially distanced itself from Sun Yat Sen's political vision for the country, while at the same time retaining his position as an important historical figure. That's why in China the focus is moreso on Sun Yat Sen's revolutionary ideas, while in Taiwan the focus remains on his "Three Principles of the People": Nationalism, Democracy, and People's Livelihood. In both countries though he is seen as a father of the country or nation.

Sun Yat Sen also founded the still influential Taiwanese Kuomintang (KMT) political party, the symbol of which appears of the flag of Taiwan, and was succeeded by Chiang Kai-shek.

This little memorial park sits right in front of Zhongshan Hall, named in reference to Sun Yat Sen's birthplace. I had no idea it was there or its significance at the time, or I would have taken pictures.

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Right across the street is the Zhongzheng District Police Station. It services the central part of Taipei where you'll find government buildings and historical landmarks.

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The Presidential Office Building (總統府)

Built in 1919 by the Japanese, this Neo-Renaissance building with Baroque elements served as the Governor-General’s office during colonial rule. In 1945 it became the headquarters of the Nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek, and in 1949 it was turned into the Presidential Office Building. To this day it remains the official workplace of the President of the Republic of China.

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There were soldiers with automatic weapons guarding this place, with military vehicles set up around the perimeter. I wasn't sure if it was okay to take pictures, but I snuck one in as I walked past.
 
228 Peace Memorial Park (二二八和平公園)

This is the largest park in Taipei's historical core. It acts as a reminder for and contains memorials to the victims of the February 28 incident, also known as the February 28 massacre, or 228.

On February 27, 1947 a confrontation between a government official and a merchant lead to the death of a civilian and demonstrations the next day, when soldiers fired into the crowd. This exploded into a nationwide anti-government uprising. It was brutally suppressed by Chiang Kai-shek's KMT government and thousands of civilians were killed. Martial law was enacted and not repealed until 1992. This period in Taiwanese history is known as the White Terror.

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The reasons for the anti-government uprising were many. There was a lot of built up resentment against the authoritarian KMT government and the way it was handling pretty much almost everything. The flashpoint came when a government official struck a widow who was suspected of selling contraband cigarettes, then fired into the angry crowd.

Estimates of the number of civilians who perished on February 28, 1947 range from 18,000 to 28,000. Over the following years, during the period known as the White Terror, up to 5,000 more were executed, and thousands more were tortured, imprisoned, or deported.

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It's so interesting to me that this prominent park exists as a reminder of such a horrible thing that happened, a key moment in Taiwanese history.. and not a 15 minute walk away there is a large memorial dedicated to the person who was responsible for a lot if not all of those deaths.

To me this sort of balance between remembering the past and moving forward reflects an interesting aspect of the Taiwanese pragmatic psyche and approach to life. These competing narratives are allowed to exist side by side, without erasing either one of them from view. They are both important aspects of Taiwanese history and the way the country has evolved over the years. And sure, the Chiang Kai-shek memorial has been undergoing some changes to minimize the aspects of it that seemed to in some ways celebrate authoritarianism.. but it nevertheless is there, such a grand memorial to a leader who was responsible for such brutal things that the country will never forget, to this day a popular attraction for both locals and tourists.

The internet tells me that Taiwanese culture tends to embrace ambiguity and contradictions to some degree, and this is why competing historical perspectives are allowed to exist. You can contrast this with the way some other countries take a more black and white approach to their history. No doubt you could spend a lot of time studying this aspect of Taiwanese society and writing a long paper about it, and I bet such papers exist.. All I can give you is this brief summary of what I saw and what I think this all means.

In the end I really grew to love this Taiwanese sort of pragmatism, which comes out in so many different aspects of everyday life.

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Right in the middle of this memorial park you will also find the Tsui Heng Pavillion, which is a reference to the birthplace of Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the KMT political party which was directly responsible for the 228 massacre and the White Terror. Yet another example of this sort of duality.

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The 228 Peace Memorial Park park also retains many elements of the original Japanese design, which to me is an example of another sort of duality. And in the photo above you can of course see elements of Taiwanese history coexisting with modern Taiwan, in the form of the skyscrapers being constructed in the background.

So many metaphors and layers of Taiwanese history on display here that you don't really appreciate until you sit down and do some research.
 

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National Taiwan Museum (國立臺灣博物館)

Taiwan's oldest museum happens to be located in 228 Peace Memorial Park. It was established in 1909 during the Japanese colonial period. The exhibits focus on Taiwan's natural history, cultural heritage, anthropology, and paleontology.

Land Bank Exhibition Hall across the street contains an impressive collection of dinosaur skeletons.

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The main building's exhibits focus on Taiwanese indigenous cultures, the Qing period, the Japanese colonial period, Taiwan's geology, and ecology.

I was most intrigued by the exhibits focusing on Taiwan's Astronesian tribes. I first learned that the Polynesian peoples who colonized places like Polynesia & Madagascar originated in Taiwan on my trip to New Zealand. Ever since then that's evoked a sense of curiosity in me, so it was super interesting to see the Taiwanese side of this here.

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One of the exhibition halls also contained a fascinating look at Czech castles from various periods, including intricate models, paintings, weapons, musical instruments, crowns, jewelery, and other attire. This was here as part of a cultural exchange with Czechia, as the countries have recently been strengthening their ties. Currently this space is showcasing contemporary Czech literature and related artefacts.

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Unfortunately for you I do not really photograph a lot when I'm at a museum. I spent just over an hour here checking out the exhibits.

Something else worth mentioning - Admission to all wings of the museum is less than $1 USD.
 
The 1954 Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Republic of China

This treaty was signed on December 2, 1954, in Washington DC and came into force on March 3, 1955, about 5 years after the end of the Chinese civil war. It was intended to prevent an invasion of Taiwan by the People's Republic of China, staying in effect until January 1, 1979 (exactly a year after the United States established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China). In 1979 a new treaty - the Taiwan Relations Act was signed between Taiwan and the United States, not promising outright defense in every situation but offering military and other support for Taiwan.

Even though this is a replica of the 1954 treaty and not the original, it was cool to see hanging behind glass at the museum. A key part of modern Taiwanese history.

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Fuzhou Ancestral Pepper Cake

This corner shop in central Taipei is famous for its pepper buns, also known as pepper cakes, or Hujiao Bing (胡椒餅). You might remember me eating one of these just the previous day.. I had my sights on this particular vendor though and was passing nearby. This place is set up at a busy corner of an intersection in central Taipei and only offers pick-up service.

Whether it was here or at their location at the Raohe Night Market, I was going to have one of their signature pepper cakes at some point on my trip.. On my list of foods to eat in Taiwan, these particular pepper cakes continually came up in my research as being iconic (and delicious)

You can watch the pepper cakes being made as you wait in line.

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Overall this was on another level compared to the previous day's pork bun. That one was good, but this one seemed almost perfect. Crispy on the outside, with juicy and well seasoned fresh pork flavours on the inside, and just a great balance of everything. This one had more pork too, and a bit less of the scallions. It seemed like a complete pork bun eating experience, possibly the best street food I had on the whole trip.
 
Taipei Twin Towers

My next destination was the nearby North Gate, the only Taipei old city gate built by the Qing that has survived unaltered to present day. Unfortunately it was being renovated and was all boarded up..

I sat down to take a break and finish the rest of my pepper bun.. and took a closer look at the two large structures being built across the street. Here's one of them:

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I noticed that they were basically facing the same direction as the North Gate and could be thought of as a gate. And sure enough, after some research..

This is one of the two new 76 & 56 story Taipei Twin Towers that is (and I quote from their website) envisioned as a new gateway to Taipei. This whole space is going to look a lot different when this project is complete, it is going to be very pedestrian friendly and contain elements of that creative urban space design that I've mentioned previously.

This whole part of Taipei is being redeveloped, as there is a highway and a large boulevard running through here which in many ways cuts off the old town from the areas just to the north. Taipei Twin Towers is a part of a larger redevelopment effort to rebuild this part of the city and reconnect things a bit. It also aims to remodel the area surrounding the nearby Taipei Main Station into a modern commercial hub.

Spoiler :
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For context: If you look just to the right of the twin towers you will see a red squareish building - That's Taipei Main Station, the rail, metro, and bus hub. In the distance you can see Taipei 101

After completion the east tower will become the second tallest building in Taiwan, at 369m (1,120 feet).

Of course I had no idea about any of this at the time. I was headed north, to hang out by the river and to later meet up with an acquaintance from the 1990s.
 
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Tamsui River (淡水河)

This is the largest and most important river in northern Taiwan. The Spanish built their main settlement at the mouth of the Tamsui in 1629, which today is about 20km from central Taipei. During Qing and Japanese colonial times this river was an especially important waterway for transportation and commerce. These days the banks of the river are lined with parks and the 17 km long Tamsui Riverside Bikeway.

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The river actually also acts as a natural boundary between Taipei City (to the east) and New Taipei City (to the west). These two cities are very much connected as one continuous urban area, but the river does separate them.

In the above photo I am standing in Yanping Riverside Park, looking south. New Taipei City is across the bridge, to the right.

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Looking north towards the mountains I would be hiking through later that evening.
 
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Spoiler :
218478_000_Taipei_C1D1_C03_N2_large-1667535042-scaled-800x449-c.jpg


For context: If you look just to the right of the twin towers you will see a red squareish building - That's Taipei Main Station, the rail, metro, and bus hub. In the distance you can see Taipei 101
And if you look at the bottom, just left of center, of that picture and find the small red roof, I believe that is the North Gate.
 
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