Jiufen: Taiwan Paradox

Being Westerners living in Taiwan, Katie and I are at a unique vantage point to see certain points of aesthetic collision. That is to say Taiwan has provided us with some interesting insights into things that can truly be categorized as Yin and Yang.

This weekend we made a trip up north to a very small town called "Jiufen." We found the town in our tour book sometime back but neglected going because of our larger and more zealous trip to Green Island. But after getting a taste for some of what the more "out of the way" places had to offer we started asking around about this Jiufen place. To our surprise and delight a friend raved to us about how beautiful the town was and that it truly was worth a trip.

So after a quick and chaotic first week back of teaching, Katie and I were up early on Saturday to catch the fast train to Taipei. We switched trains without trouble and made our way north to the town of Reufang. We could already tell it was going to be beautiful as we caught glimpses of the jagged coastline and tall misty peaks straight out of a Chinese painting. From the train we hailed a taxi and made our way toward our destination.

So...why Jiufen? The town is famous for its location, being built into the jagged north coastline, its tea (many famous teahouses line the streets), and its preservation of a simpler way of life. All this to say...it is a picture of the way life used to be before Taiwan became infused with the Modernization steriod.

The road was narrow and green. Katie and I laughed as our taxi driver made some close call passes of slower cars (buses usually and that should have been a hint) and after a few minutes we were let off on a small street in the middle of perhaps the prettiest town we have ever seen in Taiwan. It is built directly into the coast (Katie said it reminded her of the Amalfi Coastline in Italy), with a view of a huge bay, jagged rocks, blue/green water, a large volcanic island...and then I was almost hit by a bus.

Then another bus came...and another bus...Katie and I tried to get off the road (it was barely two lanes) but there was no sidewalk. The sun was intense, so we began to sweat buckets as we walked quickly up the steep hill looking for a place to sit and get our bearings. This was no easy task. Taxis honked and raced past us down the hill to bring more people up from the train, buses whirrled by, billowing exhuast into our faces...then after a rather startling beeping sound, their doors would open producing large numbers of Taiwanese tourists. The road was so small in fact that Katie and I had to push our way through the lines of people, dodge cars, buses, taxis, and scooters (with several near misses) for quite a few minutes before we managed to climb the hill.

With a sigh we found that the hotel we were looking for was at the very bottom of the hill we had just climbed and therefore we needed to wade through the mess of exhaust, people and cars again (all caught at that single choke point).

Long story short, we found lodging at a rather peculiar spot called, "The Jiufen Kite Muesem," dropped off our very heavy bags and made our way toward the street of famous tea houses. We settled for one quickly and found ourselves seated on a patio, drinking phenominal lemon tea mixed with lemonade looking over the gorgeous coast.

We sat for a while and began to consider what we had just witnessed. This town was beautiful. We were perched up next to a quite steep, dramatic mountain with stunning views. The streets were beautiful...some were only steps, others were cobblestones winding their way through the small houses toward the top of the hill. But then there were the crowds...and the buses. It occurred to us that there is a difference in the way we perceive "vacation" and the way Taiwanese do. We like space, quiet, and simplicity. The Taiwanese seek the same things, only they like to bring everyone they know along with them.

They love tour buses. In fact, I feel like that statement might not paint a strong enough picture of the Taiwanese affinity toward mass transit vehicles. This tiny town was never without several buses roaring up its roads during the day. The town had two main streets, perhaps a kilometer long...and there were always buses stopping and going. Each busload brought on more people...more people to enjoy the peace, quiet and simplicity of the place. At the heart of this there is a cultural motivation that makes sense: In Taiwan, relationships and especially family are of penultimate importance. A vacation means going to be with the ones you love. So...a day trip to Juifen will include everybody...everybody.

Another point we noticed was what we saw as a clash of asthetic choices. Here is an example:


This is another view from our hotel...
..and that is the parking lot marring the otherwise beautiful view.

So these points aside, we did enjoy Jiufen. We left the teahouse and found ourselves wandering through a cobblestone street that was just one massive market. During the day it was crammed with people...almost to the point in some sections that Katie and I had to hold hands or we would be separated by the shifting bodies.

The market was a cacophany of sounds, smells and sights that made us laugh or gag at every turn. We loved wandering through that market...in fact after all was said and done we went there three different times!
Wanna eat a slimy, see-through raw meat filled with nuts, powder and red beans? Yeah we don't know what that is either...but they look worse in person.
Here it is at night when all the buses left...
Yes that is Katie with a sword...and she is awesome.
This was a local artist we met who did calligraphy and Chinese painting with her fingers. We bought one of her pieces and she gave us two more! Three pieces of original art for $9.00 US!
Once we made our way through the market we went back down the meandering steps of the famous tea house road. The most famous tea house here is named "City of Sadness":
"City of Sadness" is also the name of a very famous Taiwanese movie shot here in Juifen some years ago. The movie was a celebration of the simple life and the simple love for tea. It was one of the main reasons the city became a tourist destination.

Another feature of the town beyond the shopping and eating was the large mountain jutting out just to the north.
There was a trail leading up the mountain dotted with pagodas and we saw that once you made your way to the top you could see the ocean from both sides. After some hiking through the town we began to make our way up the mountain in the hopes that we could catch the sunset. The "trail" was actually a series of stairs that was...very unforgiving...
This was a very, very small part...
Still going...

Needless to say it was a tough climb. Sadly, the clouds began to move in before we could reach the top so we did not take any pictures of the other coast line. But here are some shots that we took:

We noted that the hillside above the town was dominated by graves that actually looked quite interesting from above. These were all at the top of the hill--which is prime real estate. This is a quick example of how much value is placed on ancestors...even when they die they are set above the rest.

We scrambled down the hill in the dark and came across another interesting aesthetic choice: Cafe Bus!
Is that a van on the side of the road (note the red line "sidewalk")? Yes it is...in fact it is a dirty, broken down, rusted van with flat tires turned into a cafe. Turning a bus into a cafe? Cool idea...at least wash it and maybe use a bus instead of a rusty van...or just give the van a fresh coat of non-puke colored paint. We are just throwing out ideas here.

Like every town in Taiwan this one was dotted with beautiful and unique temples. When we first arrived in town this temple was the only place we could find to stop and rest:



Here are a couple of the inside...

The temples in Jiufen only added to its charm. They stick out from the rest of the town adding a distinctly Taiwanese feel to its horizon.
Our sleep in the Kite Museum was quite comfortable and we woke up feeling refreshed. We considered taking another stab at the mountain, but there were still lingering clouds and to be honest our legs hurt. So we hailed a cab and made our way back toward Taipei, not quite ready to head home yet...

Two Tickets to Paradise (Part Two)

So, onward we pressed to Green Island. The nice lady at the B&B informed us that we could catch a bus for the first leg of our trip in front of the 7-11. Of course, here you can do most anything and everything at the 7-11. Pay bills, play the lottery, buy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Really, it's quite convenient.

So, after waiting about 20 minutes in the hot sun a bus came by. We flagged him down, showed him the Chinese character for our destination that the lady had written out for us and we were on our way! And, boy, were we excited...
We made it to the station and hopped on a train to Taitung (the city on the east coast where we would pick up the boat to Green Island). Our excitement soon turned to apprehension as the train came out of a mountain tunnel and was suddenly being pummeled with wind and rain. Nice weather for a boat ride, eh? Would there even be a boat ride?

Our worries were put to rest when we walked in to buy our tickets and were told that, yes, there would be a boat. We proceeded to wait in line, with the wind threatening to take our hats and a slight drizzle coming down. All of a sudden the slight drizzle turned to a downpour and we were stuck, with no umbrella waiting to board. After some jostling from the crowd we made it on, still wondering what kind of boat ride this might be. We had heard that they could be rough...
Our fears were fanned when, as the boat was pulling out of the harbor there was a guy walking up and down the aisles selling Dramamine for $500 NT. $500 NT? They should be handing this stuff out like candy the way the boat is starting to rock, I thought.

Then, Luke (genius that he is) remembered those motion sickness bracelets with the pressure points. "What if we just push on the same spot?" he said.

By now the boat was out in the open water and getting tossed around quite a bit. There were a few drops where it felt like my stomach was in my throat. However, our little pressure point trick was working quite well until I started hearing the barf bags rustling all around us. At that point, we had to put on our Ipods, close our eyes, plant our feet firmly on the floor that was swaying beneath us and hope for the best.

We must have actually looked pretty zen-like. Eyes closed, staring straight ahead, middle fingers pressed firmly on pressure points. I don't think I moved from that position until the boat was safely docked at the Green Island harbor. I have to say that we made it the whole way without losing it which is more than I can say for most of the people around us. I was pretty proud of our American tummies, holding up with the best of the Taiwanese.

After stumbling off of the gang-plank, a little green in the face we were hit with a barrage of wind and rain...again. In addition to this, a man on his scooter approached us, asked us where we were staying and insisted that we come to his house. Luke, in his best and most polite Chinese, said no thank you and we continued on our way. However, the man persisted, thinking we didn't understand. And persisted, and persisted, and persisted. Luke kept telling him, I understand, no thank you but he only left us alone after another Chinese man stepped in and basically told him to leave us alone.

The hotel that we had decided we would try to get a room at was in the village about one kilometer from the harbor. An easy walk in nice weather, but pretty terrible when you're getting soaked. Not to mention Crazy Cathy...

Oh, Crazy Cathy. Soon after we left the first old man a lady on a scooter approached us. We figured out that these people work on commision and if you stay at the hotel they bring you to they get a cut of the profit. So, here we are. Cold, still feeling sea-sick and soaked to the bone and Crazy Cathy (as we named her) is making circles around us on her scooter, jabbering in Taiwanese and stopping at every hotel along the way, trying to get us to stay there. This was pretty much the last thing we wanted at this point. The village is so small that it's literally one road and all the hotels are on that road. So, it's not like we couldn't find it on our own. Finally, we decided to duck in to a convenience store to try and lose them (oh, yes, there was another man tailing us while Crazy Cathy was making her circles around us). We walk out and lo-and-behold, she's waiting for us. How nice. We decide on a hotel and go in that direction. She speeds ahead of us and meets us at the front door. Long story short, we booked a room, Cathy got her stake and we were left alone to dry off and settle in to our room in peace. Thank goodness.

All this to say, we were not impressed with Green Island. The village was small and dreary with with hardly any places to eat. After wandering up and down the main street in the rain, trying to settle on a place, we finally got up the nerve to walk into what looked like a restaurant and order some food. After an unsatisfying meal and a soggy walk back to the hotel we turned in for the night. We decided that night that if things weren't better the next day that we would be gone on the next boat.

We woke up the next morning and a tentative look out the window revealed a bright blue sky, white puffy clouds and the shining sun. We breathed a sigh of relief and headed out to make the most of the day.

Green Island is tiny, only 17 kilometers around the entire thing. We rented a scooter and were on our way. I'll say right now that the scenery was breathtaking! We rounded curve after curve on the scooter and to our delight our eyes were met with sight after dramatic sight. Our first quick stop was at a beach which I will go back to later.
Next stop was one of only three salt water hot springs in the world. Apparently there is one on Mt. Vesuvius, one somewhere in Japan and one on Green Island. Who would have thought? The hot springs were amazing and right on the beach. In addition to the natural ones they had a large pool with different sections, some warmer, some cooler. We spent a lot of time just soaking and enjoying the scenery.
In addition to the hot springs, there was a short hike up to a bluff. Unfortunately, the pictures really don't do it justice.
After a while, we hopped on to our scooter and continued on. The next stop was a short walk up a flight of stairs to two pagodas perched on the edge of a cliff where we saw some incredible views. Again, the pictures don't really do it justice...
A little further down the road we came to a spot where there had been an ancient (I think this term was being used loosely) settlement where some of the houses still remained. Here we also found a pool of clear, turquoise water to soak in and plenty of lava formations to climb on.
Green Island was not always a place of rest and relaxation we soon found out. We came across an old prison with a memorial outside of it. Apparently, in the 50's Taiwan went through a period called the "White Terror" where about 90,000 citizens were arrested and imprisoned for espionage and speaking out against the government. While there were some that actually were spies many were sadly imprisoned at Green Island and were either left there or executed. This was a dark time in Taiwan's history and things have been done to rectify and repay the families whose loved ones were falsely imprisoned.

After the prison, we came to the lighthouse where there was yet another pool of perfect, turquoise water just begging to be swam in.

This pretty much completed the trip around the island. After grabbing some dinner we decided to watch the sunset at the first beach we had come to. We settled in to a sunny spot on the grass, tan, sun-soaked and happy as clams at the day we had.
Suffice it to say, we decided that we did indeed like (or maybe even love) Green Island despite the terrible first impression. So much so that we stayed the night and got up at 4:50 AM (yes, that's AM) to watch the sunrise from the hot springs. A bit groggy and thinking, "What are we doing? It's still pitch black" we rode out to the hot springs in the early morning light. We soaked in the springs and watched the sun make its way over the horizon.
So, having felt like we fully explored Green Island and catching a sunset as well as a sunrise it was time to head back. Since the next day would be 10/10, a major Taiwanese holiday we decided to try and make it back home that day since we heard it would be near impossible to go anywhere without reservations over the weekend. So, with another semi-rough boat trip, a taxi ride, a train, a bus and then another train we were back in Hsinchu 12 not-so-short hours later. Phew...it was a whirlwind getting back but totally worth it. We will be back to Kenting I'm sure and hopefully Green Island. But, if not Green Island we were left feeling actually thankful for the poor first impressions because they made the next impressions and last impressions that much better. Green Island was just what we had been needing. So, until the next post...zai jian!

Two Tickets to Paradise (Part One)

Some weeks ago Katie and I were given a list of Taiwan's national holidays and the subsequent days off of work they would provide. To our amusement we learned that the Taiwanese people actually voted to have fewer holidays as they took away from work (not kidding). So the list was rather short...almost comical. The only holiday in sight was October 10 --Taiwanese Independence day. It fell on a Friday so Katie and I decided to make the most of it and take the whole week off. We had heard that plane tickets around Asia were very cheap so we felt confident in our ability to book an international trip on the cheap and we would be set.

After some research and serious effort we discovered that plane tickets were not nearly as cheap as we had been told. Every ticket came with a hefty fuel tax that tripled the price of the ticket. So...what do we do? With only a week left till the coming break we decided to make use of the convenient Taiwanese public transit and to make a trip around the island. To make the trip unique we decided on a few destinations, then just trusted in our ability to find our way there: no pre-booked tickets or hotels...just a general idea on what we wanted and our trusty tour book. The week passed slowly, Katie and I were both dealing with a head cold and an extra class that we were subbing for. Friday finally arrived and I found myself flat on my back: sick. So sick that I had to take my first day off from work and then go to the doctor.

Long story short we were going to leave on Saturday but had to wait until Sunday instead. We packed a bag early Sunday morning then rode our scooter to the Hsin-Chu train station. Our first destination would be a Taiwan hot spot: Kenting.

Kenting is located at the very southern tip of Taiwan. There was no train that went directly there so we would have to figure it out. We booked a train ticket to Kaohsiung (the second largest city in Taiwan) and we were on our way.

The Taiwanese train system is really quite amazing. Without too much detail, the tickets are cheap, the trains are efficient, reliable, quiet and there are plenty of them (Unless you go on a national holiday...but more on that later!). We enjoyed a leisurely train ride down the length of the western portion of the island and two and a half hours later we found ourselves in the middle of Kaohsiung.

The city is huge, loud and quite intimidating. We stepped out of the station and began to look for a way to get to Kenting. After a quick dinner we spotted a bus and began to make our way toward it.

It was here we discovered there are always options. In Taiwan, if you want to get somewhere you can take a train, a bus, a plane or...often there is just some guy who is willing to drive you for a modest fee. We knew you could take a cab as an option so I walked over to a cab driver just to test the water. His price was outrageous and after some basic bartering we decided to just head toward the bus station. As we were crossing the street a man came up to us and asked where we were going. I told him Kenting and he said he would take us in his van. He would charge us only $3 more than the bus...

Sound sketchy? Just wait.

We agreed (perhaps foolishly) and climbed into his van. He told us to wait ten minutes so we sat awkwardly and waited. Ten minutes later we drove to the other side of the street where we parked and the man told us to wait again. We felt a little nervous but we were ok.

A few minutes later he came back and told us to get in another van. This van had all its windows tinted and/or covered by curtains. We climbed in, but felt uncomfortable. The van drove around the block then stopped again and our new driver told us to wait. He climbed out and disappeared into a small crowd. Feeling a little scared, frustrated and tired (I was still feeling under the weather) we decided to give him five minutes and then we would leave.

He returned a minute later with two other guys apparently heading to Kenting as well. He then gave me his business card (a common sign that he is "legit") and we tore off through the city toward the sun-drenched sand of Kenting.

The drive was eventful in so far as our driver made good use of his neon flashing lights and passed as many cars as he could via the shoulder. There was also something hypnotic to his overly-loud, trance-like electronica music and it was an adequate soundtrack to the drive. We laughed at several occasions when we felt like we were almost on two wheels. After letting the other passengers out at a very dark, rather bleak location near the highway our driver asked us where we wanted to be let out. We quickly found a recommended hotel in our tour book and told him the address. Twenty minutes later we were there.

We climbed out of the van, paid the driver then smiled as we took in the fresh salty air of Kenting. It was dark and we couldn't see much but we were feeling pretty good about ourselves. Now...where to stay?

The hotel we were let off at had no rooms left so we walked next door. Again, some lady walked right up to us and asked us where we were going (I really had to use my Chinese on this trip...it felt good) and I told her we were looking for a place to stay. She took us into an alley where her hotel was and we booked a room. Hotel prices in Taiwan are significantly cheaper than those in the states and we were given a really good deal. Then we were led up to our room and Katie burst out laughing (as soon as the lady left of course)...not because the room was dirty...but well...here are the pictures:



Is that pink, or salmon, you ask? The answer is yes and lots of it. The bed was also quite...shiny and slippery. I literally almost slid off of it at some point during the night. Other than that the room was fine and it felt good to be away from everything. We spent the remainder of the night exploring the Kenting night market and just resting.

The next morning we were up early and ready to find a different place to stay. This only required two things: A nice shower/bath and a non slippery/shiny bed. After a quick walk we stepped into the "Tranquil Sea Vacation Hotel" and asked about seeing rooms. We were shown a couple that looked ok and then we were taken to the VIP suite...and we were sold. The room was beautiful with an ocean view, a nice layout and the biggest tub I have ever seen (literally). We were given a discount (as it was a weekday) and any comparable room in the States would have cost at least twice as much.



After settling in our room we spent the day exploring the little town around us and simply resting. Kenting is the only beach resort in Taiwan...that is to say it is typically a major destination for anyone on the island looking for nice beaches and lots of sun. For the most part the town is very nice, lots to look at, nice scenery and good food. But there are certain parts that are just so distinctly Taiwan you never forget where you are:
So...looking for a nice vacation spot? Sun? Check. Beach? Check. Beautiful location? Check. Jackhammers, random garbage and sickly dogs...welcome to Taiwan. On the one hand it isn't as bad as it sounds, on the other hand as my brother so adequately said the last time I saw him, "In Taiwan you just have to lower your standards...hahahaha." That will be a blog post of its own very soon: Taiwan--just lower your standards.

Seriously Kenting is a beautiful place...I only added the section above as a side note to say that there are parts that are rough around the edges. Our days there were so relaxing and restful that the place was exactly what we were needing it to be.

The weather went from extremely hot to rainy off and on giving us ample time to spend on the beach and huddled indoors. Here are some shots from the beach at the storm that moved over us in a matter of minutes:


The rain came in buckets and it was so relaxing to listen to as it drove into the ceiling above us.

Another great aspect to Kenting was the food. Finding food in Taiwan can be quite challenging at times and Kenting was wonderful in it had pleanty of great places to eat at reasonable prices. We enjoyed our dessert crepes Monday night and spent the time discussing what we would do on Tuesday.

We knew we wanted to go to "Green Island"...a small, little-known island off the east coast of Taiwan. The problem was getting there. There was no train from Kenting to the east coast city of Taitung (where the port was that we needed to find)...and we found out there were no direct buses either.

We met an extremely nice lady at a small bed and breakfast who helped us figure out where to go. We were to catch a bus north to a small town that had a train station. From there we would catch a train to Taitung. It sounded easy enough and we woke up on Tuesday morning with a resolve to find our way!

We knew that we didn't see nearly all there was to see in Kenting and decided that we would definitely go back and spend time exploring. But that would have to wait...

Taiwan Fun Fact

TAIWAN FUN FACT #1: In terms of population density, Taiwan is only second in the world next to Bangladesh.

This is pretty nuts especially if you think about how much usable land Taiwan has. The entire middle of the country is a rugged mountain range with many peaks almost reaching 4,000 meters. In a country that at its widest is only about 140 kilometers, this is pretty impressive. With only about 500,000 of Taiwan's 22 million people on the east coast that leaves the north, south and west edges of the island for the rest of the population.

I think that Taiwan has done a pretty good job of dealing with this massive population in such a small space. We live in a suburb of one of the smaller cities and don't really feel the crush on a day-to-day basis. So, sometimes we catch ourselves wondering, 22 million? Pfshh...it doesn't feel like 22 million. And then, we took a train trip down the western side of the island...and you realize that the city never stops. Sure, you have your major centers of population, but apart from the random rice paddy, there is never not a building in your line of sight.

So, what's a little 'ol island nation of 22 million to do? Apart from imposing population controls, of course? Build, build, build, wherever it can. This is a just bit depressing if you stop and think about it.

However, I rest assured that there are some areas that you just can't build on. Like the jagged coastline of the north, the white sandy beaches of the south and that huge rugged mountain range through the middle. At least I know that those places will maintain their natural beauty.

I like to picture Taiwan a couple hundred years ago before all this "progress." I'm sure it was stunning. Cloud-shrouded mountains, hidden waterfalls, views out to the beaches and the sea. And all dotted here and there with the orange-tiled roofs of temples. I'm sure it was a sight to see. No wonder the first people to come here called it, "Isla Formosa."

When you're in the densely populated cities, sometimes you have to look hard to see Taiwan's beauty. But, it's not far or hard to find. I know I've said this before but this creates a pretty sharp and stunning contrast between the cities and the uninhabited portions of the island. Which really makes you appreciate those uninhabited parts that much more.