Taiwan, the island of Taiwan, has the same roots and ancestors as the mainland of the motherland. It is the long-cherished wish of many descendants of Chinese people to visit Baodao. This year, another summer vacation after retirement, my colleagues proposed to organize a parent-child group tour to Baodao, which was exactly what I wanted, so I signed up early. After completing the passport, Taiwan entry permit, air ticket, and currency exchange, you wait patiently for the day when you step onto the treasure island of the motherland.
On August 8, a group of 26 people from Jinzituan took China Eastern Airlines flight MU5005 and landed smoothly at Taipei Taoyuan Airport in only one and a half hours. The local tour guide Ajin picked up the plane, and the same language made people feel very cordial. The bus leaves the airport and goes south to Hsinchu Expressway. The first meal in Taiwan is at Fengcheng Zhiyue Nostalgic Restaurant. The layout of the store is just like an old Shanghai alley. The wonton pickles and the briquettes stove seem to have stepped into childhood memories. The waiters served all kinds of dishes with good color, fragrance and taste. After the meal, everyone was full of praise and was deeply impressed. The cold dishes are exquisitely arranged, the hot dishes are light in taste, fish, shrimp, broiler and chicken are all available, and the combination of meat and vegetables is appropriate.
After dinner, continue south along Highway No. 1, passing through Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Chiayi, and Tainan. It is already midnight when we arrive in Kaohsiung, and we check into the Chateau de Chine Hotel. The hotel is economical, but the service is warm, and the travel mobile phone placed on the table for guests is very special.
On August 9th, after breakfast in the morning, we crossed the famous River of Love and visited the old British Consulate on the banks of Xiziwan. In the front room of the consulate, there are statues reflecting various scenes, and there is also an old issue of "Dagou News" (Kaohsiung's old name) showing the history of humiliation in the past. After boarding the consulate, you can overlook Xizi Bay and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Kaohsiung Harbor. After going down the mountain, go to the parking lot to change to a bus. The port railway in front of the parking lot has been turned into a railway museum.
Leaving Gao Nan and following Highway No. 3 to the end, lunch at Yongxin Seafood Restaurant in Linbian Township was another unforgettable gourmet meal. There are sashimi platter, sea shrimp and crab, fish and sea cucumber, braised sea bass and so on. After dinner, continue south along the road around the island until you stop at Hengchun Township, where Kenting National Park is located, and pay homage to the father-in-law of Fu'an Palace. There are many such temples in Taiwan, big or small, simple or luxurious. The upper and lower floors of Fu'an Palace are decorated with splendid golden walls, and there are many offerings for offering incense. The second stop is Maobizui, the southernmost end of Baodao, overlooking the waves at the intersection of Taiwan Strait and Bashi Channel.
Stay at the Fullon Hotel Kenting late, it is a resort hotel, the room is huge, two double beds can sleep four people, there is also a swimming pool, children's wading pool and water slide, of course there is also a gym, children's activity room, audio-visual room, spa Pool and other facilities are not far from the sea. Put down your luggage and go for a swim in the swimming pool. It is quite exciting to try the water slide for the first time.
Dinner is arranged in the hotel restaurant, 26 people are divided into three tables, it is really too much to eat. Among them, the roasted pork knuckle, iced papaya sago dew and fruit platter are delicious and tempting. After dinner, the hotel arranges a shuttle bus to and from Kenting Street, which is convenient for guests to visit the night market, so it is right to take a walk after dinner. Kenting is a famous tourist destination. Tourists from all over the world crowd the night market. There are many kinds of snacks, barbecues, fruits, drinks and souvenirs. But the appetite is limited, so we can only feast our eyes, smell the fragrance of vegetables, and visit the night market. It's just a style.
On August 10th, get up in the morning to take pictures of the sea view (Chuanfan Rock), and return to the hotel for breakfast after watching the waves crashing on the shore. There was a sudden heavy rain just before departure, and the tour guide told us to wait for a while when the car arrived at the Eluanbi scenic spot. Eluanbi, the other southernmost tip of Baodao, is located between the Pacific Ocean and the Bashi Channel. The Eluanbi Lighthouse guides ships sailing between the Pacific Ocean and the Bashi Channel. Eluanbi is one of the eight scenic spots in Taiwan. It has a landmark lighthouse, a boardwalk for viewing the sea, and green grass. After leaving the scenic spot, go to the famous Xiadu Beach Resort Hotel for lunch, which is the most luxurious resort hotel in Kenting, has a private shipwreck, and guests can enjoy the sunny beach at any time. The tableware, menu and service of the hotel restaurant are all in the middle of the standard.
After dinner, return to Kaohsiung on the expressway, and have afternoon tea at the Hanlin Teahouse in the Kaohsiung City Library. I have long heard that Taiwanese milk tea is delicious, but many in mainland China are not authentic. If you have the opportunity to come to Baodao, you must drink it. There are two types of milk tea, iced and hot. In hot weather, most group members drink iced milk tea (you can request to filter out ice cubes), and a small number of group members want hot milk tea. As a result, the iced dish is very ordinary, but the hot one is the first time I saw it, a teapot, a teacup, and two small bowls filled with sago and milk beads. I really don’t know what to eat. The tour guide Ajin also ordered various snacks such as stinky tofu, mung bean cake, sandwich cake, and peanut cake.
After afternoon tea, it was already dark when we headed north along Highway No. 3 to Chiayi City. The tour guide Ajin said that he would take us to a very special restaurant for dinner. Quaint restaurant on the street in the city center. The facade is not big, and the lobby is not big, but there are rockery and flowing water in front of the door, and there are all kinds of small antiques on the shelf in the lobby. Passing through the lobby, you can see the curved corridors, pavilions, and pavilions in the courtyard. All kinds of koi carp play in the pool, and the women in Chinese costumes play and sing in the pavilion. The entire yard is not big, and all private rooms are set up, large or small, with different decoration styles. Fish, shrimp, meat and all kinds of stir-fried vegetables are indispensable for this meal. The special features are bacon and rice, pickled Duxian (salted pig's trotters + old hen). After the meal, the tour guide Ajin gave each child a pack of fish feed. The children and older friends went straight to the pond to feed the fish. Immediately, the koi in the pond rolled up and down to grab food. The children were busy feeding the fish, and the older friends were busy Take pictures. After dinner, check in Chiayi Maison Hotel as planned.
On August 11, a one-day trip to Alishan. There is a small forest train from Chiayi to Alishan, which is left over from the mining of forests, and now few people take it. It takes about 3-4 hours to get to the scenic spot by taking a bus from Chiayi and circling up. Moreover, the mountain road has only two lanes, many bends and the road is narrow. Several group members were motion sick and vomited on the way, and it was already 11:00 noon when they finally arrived at the scenic spot at an altitude of 2,200 meters. There is a small sightseeing train in the scenic area, which is the iconic sightseeing item of Alishan. Although the travel agency did not arrange it, all the group members chose to take the small train up the mountain at their own expense. From Alishan Station to Zhaoping Station, the journey takes 6 minutes and the fare is NT$100. Nowadays, small trains have internal combustion electric transmission, and can be driven at both ends without steering. However, they are still narrow-gauge railways with relatively slow speeds, suitable for sightseeing. On the mountain with an altitude of more than 2200 meters, the temperature is only 17 degrees, the tropical rainforest, and the air is humid. After getting off the bus, walk along the trail and pass scenic spots such as Sister Lake, Shouzhen Palace, Sandaigi, etc. It is more to breathe the fresh air of the virgin forest and feel the thick and upright cypress of the millennium. There are old and young in the group, so it is not suitable for climbing. We will arrive at Alishan Hotel for lunch about two hours later. It is a hotel with better conditions in the scenic area, where you can stay or eat. The restaurant is spacious and bright, decorated with mountains and rivers, the environment is hygienic, the service is warm, the combination of meat and vegetables is delicious, and the portions are large and plentiful, which is highly praised by everyone. Meat dishes: braised chicken nuggets, double-cooked pork (Taiwan does not eat spicy food), boiled sea prawns, chrysanthemum squid, and Yangshen pork chop soup. Vegetarian dishes: braised eggplant, stir-fried tender bamboo shoots, refreshing cabbage.
After the meal, we still go down the mountain and go north along the No. 3 highway. Entering Baodao’s delicious meal every day, the group members suggested to eat farm food (homestay restaurant), so on the way, we got off the expressway at Zhushan and came to a large-scale Zhushan cultural tourism restaurant - Jinzhuwei Restaurant, which is known as the taste of grandma. The restaurant is quite large, but there are not many customers. The store features "Fat Cai Golden Chicken Kiln", and there is a large section of auspicious words about the golden hen on the billboard at the entrance. It is a must-order dish for every team or customer who visits the store. On the contrary, what left the impression was homemade fried rice, assorted hot pot and two desserts (unfortunately not well-known).
After dinner, proceed to Taichung City to stay at the National Hotel. The travel agency responsible for this reception is located in Taichung. The tour guides and drivers are all from Taichung. The hotel is not only located in the city center, but each guest has an upgraded room with an area of 35 square meters. Two large beds can sleep four adults. There are bathtubs, showers, smart toilets and large TVs.
On August 12, leave Taichung for Nantou after breakfast. First go to the famous scenic spot Sun Moon Lake and board a boat around the lake for a week. The boatman on the boat introduced the scenic spots such as Lalu Island and Xuanguang Temple of Sun Moon Lake, and the functions of Sun Moon Lake for flood storage, power generation, and irrigation. After docking, climb up to Xuanguang Temple to see the panoramic view of Sun Moon Lake. The tour guide Ajin bought grandpa tea eggs for each group member. They are exclusive and sold at this price (NT$13 each). The tea eggs that Zeng Jixiao couldn't afford, have already traveled around the world.
After leaving, go to Puli B&B for lunch. Today is Sunday, near the B&B called "Tree Frog Pavilion Pastoral Kitchen", there are many locals who drive to have fun and eat. Although the restaurant is simple, the layout is very artistic. There are field frogs at the entrance to welcome guests, and the Shaoxing wine jar behind the house is used as a screen. The meals are also very local, like stir-fried vegetables with tender bamboo shoots. According to the tour guide, they are not bamboo shoots, but the tender tips of local sugarcane. There are also fried rice noodles with southern characteristics, local specialty wild rice stems and free-range chicken, and southern fruits such as passion fruit.
After lunch, proceed to Cingjing Farm. With an altitude of more than 1,700 meters, Cingjing Farm is the highest altitude village in Taiwan. After the liberation of Yunnan in 1949, some Kuomintang troops retreated to the "Golden Triangle" area of China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. Later, under the protests of the Myanmar government and the United Nations, they were withdrawn to Taiwan for resettlement in 1961. Most of those who settled in Qingjing Farm had their ancestors from Yunnan, so they inherited the authentic Yunnan food characteristics. Qingjing Farm was originally called "Jianqing Cattle Ranch", which was changed to "Wushe Ranch" in 1945, and "Jianqing Rongmin Farm" in 1961. In 1967, when Chiang Ching-kuo inspected it, he titled it "Fresh air, let the king choose it, and the environment is elegant Like Xianju" and changed its name to "Cingjing Farm". It used to be difficult to live by planting trees and raising cattle and sheep. After the rise of homestays in the last century, small western-style buildings were built, which gradually promoted the tourism industry and became known as "Little Switzerland". Staying in "Cingjing National Hotel" is still a large-scale hotel in the scenic area, but the conditions are much worse than below. There is no air conditioner (the temperature on the mountain is 20 degrees), and the room is small, but the travel agency said that this is a place for summer vacation. It is the most expensive this time. Next to the lobby on the ground floor of the hotel, there is also a "Relics Exhibition Hall for Veterans" to commemorate the retired Yunnan officers and soldiers.
Put down your luggage and take the bus up the mountain to visit the "Qingqing Grassland", that is, a few grasslands on the hillside, where there are golden sheep grazing, and you can get close to the golden sheep, which is very popular with children. Another scenic spot has a Kazakh equestrian show, just four horses. Finally, walk down the mountain along the plank road for 30 minutes. The air is fresh and the scenery is pleasant. There is also a small carton train suitable for children to play on the way. Dinner is at the "Cingjing National Hotel" Chinese restaurant. After the meal, the tour guide will take us across the road to the "Little Switzerland" garden to enjoy the night view. It is a water spray and light show. It only takes 10 minutes. After viewing, we will go back to the hotel to rest early.
On August 13th, after breakfast, I went down the mountain to Taipei. I got off the expressway in Miaoli and went to a homestay for lunch. There are rockery and flowing water in the yard, and there are fish in the pool, which is very popular among children. There are not many people in the lobby downstairs and private rooms upstairs, and the food is not bad. Among them, there is a stir-fried dish made of dragon fruit flowers. I really don’t know if the tour guide doesn’t introduce it! The fried soft-legged crab is crispy, the taro steamed rice is fragrant, the tomato beef brisket and various conch are so tempting.
After lunch, continue on your way, skip downtown Taipei, and go straight to Jiufen Old Street by the sea in Keelung. Jiufen Old Street, located at the northernmost tip of Baodao, is a bit like the mountain city of Chongqing, and has been avoided as an old street browsing area. After getting off the bus, climb up the hill. There are many shops selling souvenirs and snacks on both sides of the narrow street, and customers are crowded with each other. According to the guidance of the tour guide, the first stop is Shengping Theater, a century-old theater, which is free to visit, and there are air-conditioning and movie receptions. The second stop is Amei Tea House, where the scene of "City of Sadness" and Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" are filmed. The small teahouse here has made this place very popular, especially the Japanese who visited it and became an Internet celebrity. The third stop is Grandma Lai's taro ball shop. A bowl is NT$50, which is refreshing and delicious. Then continue to walk on the street until you reach the Guanhai Pavilion at the end of the old street. The small second-floor Guanhai Pavilion, according to the condescension, you can enjoy the sea view of Keelung Bay, and the vast waves of the East China Sea can be seen in the distance.
On the way back, at the request of the group members, we went to experience the Taipei Night Market. After discussing with the tour guide, the driver and the tour guide took us to the Raohe Night Market in Taipei (there were fewer tourists and more locals), and each person was refunded NT$400 for meals. So a group of people started shopping with the night market electronic guide map provided by the tour guide. As soon as you step into the night market, there is a long line in front of the pepper pancake stand, 50 NT dollars each, and there are quite a lot of meat fillings. Going forward, there are barbecue stalls, fruit stalls, cooked food stalls, and bento stalls all the way. The signs of snack bars, department stores, dessert shops, and coffee shops on both sides of the street are eye-catching, and the lively scene extends to every branch road. Walking all the way, you can smell the aroma of snacks and witness the customs. I heard that Baodao beef noodles are famous, so I found a noodle restaurant and ordered a bowl of three-in-one noodles (beef, tripe, and beef tendon) for NT$150. The meat is so big that I can't finish it.
Stay at the Chateau de Chine Hotel Xinzhuang, New Taipei District at night, and live on the 10th floor, where you can enjoy the night view of Taipei from a height. The guest rooms are equivalent to 4 or 5 stars in China, with wet and dry separation and bathtub showers. You can also book family hot springs (free of charge), with saunas and large baths.
On August 14, a one-day trip to Taipei. First go to the Shilin official residence. The two-story building of the official residence is not big. There are receptions, dining rooms, study rooms, bedrooms, etc. The official residence rents guides for free, and the environment is quiet and orderly. There are also Chinese and Western style gardens and Kaige Hall (private chapel) in the park. Later, I visited the National Palace Museum in Taipei. There are many treasures in the museum on the upper and lower floors. The three major pieces in the town hall, Maogong Ding, Yubaicai and Dongpo Meat, are even more crowded. For lunch, Baijiaban restaurant features all kinds of prawns and has a good reputation in Taipei. After the meal, I went shopping at Shenghengchang Duty Free Shop, because I didn’t want to sell anything, so I just strolled around. It was late in Zhejiang, and the car went to the 101 Building in the city center to go shopping. The 101 Building is the tallest building in Taiwan. Of course, it is far from the Shanghai Lujiazui Financial District. There are five floors above the ground and one basement. La). The most suitable places to visit are the basement supermarket and food court. Taiwan is really a paradise for foodies. The food court has all kinds of snacks, and every house is full. If the tour guide has arranged dinner at Din Tai Fung at 6 o’clock, you may be full after walking all the way. up. Din Tai Fung is a well-known snack bar in Taiwan. It is located on the basement floor of Building 101. It is full of seats every day, and you have to call for a row of seats when you make an appointment. Make all kinds of exquisite dim sum, such as Xiaolongbao, which are of the same size, with well-proportioned pleats, moderate fat and thin, and delicious. In addition, there are shrimp siu mai, emerald steamed dumplings, long Chaoshou and egg fried rice. They are all home-cooked snacks, but it is really not easy to make them exquisite.
In addition, the owner of the travel agency made a special trip from Taichung today to visit the whole group of tourists. It can be seen that Taiwanese practitioners are always tourists-centered and attach great importance to tourists coming to Taiwan.
On August 15th, I plan to return to Shanghai today. In the morning, make an appointment to visit the official residence of the leader of the Taiwan region, and enter the designated area after going through strict security checks. It used to be the Governor's Mansion, with five floors of red and white and a nine-story central tower with various Chinese and Western architectural styles. The indoor exhibitions include a brief history of regional leaders and utensils, as well as photography, cartoons, graffiti, etc., and finally souvenirs and a post office. It is surrounded by offices such as the Bank of Taiwan, the High Procuratorate, and the Legislative Yuan. Of course, the former party headquarters of the Kuomintang has now become the Zhang Rongfa Foundation Building. Then the tour guide took us to the Wiger Bakery to buy handmade gifts. The bakery has pineapple cakes, mung bean cakes, nougat and other snacks. Guan Jian has a packing service, which is convenient for carrying or checked in by plane.
This trip is coming to an end, but Taiwan's special Lu Rou Rice has not yet been tried. The tour guide then took us to Marubin Lurou Restaurant, where we can order from the restaurant on the first floor. The fast food plate is ready to eat after payment. It is a convenient lunch place for white-collar workers and families nearby. It coincides with lunch time, and the business is booming, so you need to queue up for dinner. The table on the second floor is dedicated to pick up the team, and you have to wait for the table to be turned over for dinner. I thought it was just a bowl of lu rou rice, but I didn’t expect it to be a big table of fish, shrimp, meat, chicken, various stir-fried vegetables, desserts and fruits. The tour guide Ajin finally gave each table a big plate of mangoes. During this trip to Taiwan, from the first meal to the last meal, there were not only delicious dishes in restaurants, but also snacks in teahouses in B&Bs. The food in Baodao has a light taste, which is especially suitable for people in the south and Jiangsu and Zhejiang. This trip is really a food trip, a trip of good taste.
At the request of the young people in the group, we went to Taipei Ximending for shopping on the way to the airport. It is a place popular with young people, with snacks, clothing, movies, and entertainment. Of course, it is also the main commercial street in Taipei's Ximen area. We just sat in the coffee shop and smashed the last Taiwan dollar in the convenience store.
The tour guide Ajin sent us to Taoyuan Airport, assisted us in check-in and waved goodbye at the security checkpoint. MU5006 landed at Shanghai Pudong Airport on time, and the summer trip ended successfully. Said it went well, we avoided the high temperature in Shanghai and Typhoon "Moji", and returned before the typhoon "Wumbia" made landfall; said it went well, it was rainy in the tropics of Taiwan, and we were all ahead of the storm, and umbrellas were almost useless. While away from Taiwan for a week, southern Taiwan was hit by a tropical cyclone. Facing the cloud image of the TV station's weather forecast, I silently prayed for my Taiwan compatriots.
