CHAPTER 154

Original: 2015-01-20

Rewritten: 2026-05-15

My wife and I had already lived more than half our lives before finally visiting Taiwan. It truly broadened our horizons.

To think that at the age of 55, I had still never set foot on the treasured island of Taiwan — quite embarrassing indeed. We finally decided to make the trip. As luck would have it, our buddies, a couple from Hong Kong, agreed to meet up for a 5-day, 4-night reunion in Taipei, and we readily raised both hands and feet in approval.

My better half took full charge of the itinerary and program arrangements. After years of self-learning, she had become a highly skilled amateur tour leader. After careful budgeting, and considering that we were first-time visitors, convenience in food, accommodation, and transportation became our priority. We stayed in one of Taipei’s tourist hubs, beside the historic Ximending night market area.

Nearby stood the Presidential Office Building, and most tourist attractions were either within walking distance or accessible by MRT. Though my buddy was no seasoned veteran traveler, he had visited Taipei before and already knew his way around the maps.

For excursions farther away, we asked the hotel to arrange a chartered car for two days, eight hours each day. The cost split among four people was very reasonable. Better still, the schedule was flexible — no need to wake before dawn, wash up in a rush, and become ducks being herded around. Altogether, the five-day expenses were cheaper than joining a package tour.

When the day arrived, we set off.

Leaving the simple rectangular Taoyuan Airport with its dim lighting, the taxi driver told us that it was the final day of campaigning before the presidential election. Campaign teams were parading through the streets on scooters, waving huge banners high above their heads. The cityscape appeared somewhat plainer and older than Hong Kong’s.

Sure enough, in New Taipei City we encountered one such procession. The atmosphere was almost thunderous, like gongs and drums shaking the heavens. The following day the commotion ceased, and one day later, Taiwan had changed leadership. Roads near the Presidential Office were barricaded with metal barriers. Streets beside our hotel were also blocked, for fear that citizens might storm the Presidential Office.

Yet the night passed peacefully, and the next day life returned to normal. Taipei residents accepted the outcome remarkably well. As a Canadian Chinese, I truly gained new insight from witnessing this.

On the evening of our arrival, we met our friends in the hotel lobby. We discussed the travel budget and agreed that each household would contribute a fixed amount daily. Our “sister-in-law” managed the expenses, with any surplus refunded and any shortfall shared later. It was a practical system worth learning from.

Just across two streets lay Ximending. There were simply too many restaurants to choose from. Hunger drove the four of us into a semi-self-service Korean restaurant, where each person ordered a set meal. After filling our stomachs, we walked a short distance and immediately spotted another food stall: for only 60 New Taiwan dollars, one could get a bowl of braised pork rice with a fried egg. Instantly we felt our earlier meal had been overpriced.

The district was packed with tourists, with pedestrians, bikes and scooters weaving through one another. Everywhere there were specialty food shops, juice stalls, and snack carts. Just looking at them made one feel hungry. We saw a café bearing the words “Hong Kong” on its signboard, but it sat in a dim corner with few customers around, so we did not dare try it.

Interestingly, even when both shops sold braised pork rice, one would be packed to the brim while the neighboring one remained almost deserted. Naturally, we avoided the quieter shop as well. What we loved most were the dessert stores. The fresh fruit was especially tempting, with a tremendous variety of combinations and presentations. We were completely sold.

From then on, our nightly dinner routine became: first eat at two specialty shops, then finish with dessert — a grand campaign of eating in three rounds.

The highlight of the next day’s trip was Jiufen Old Village in Ruifang District. This was the filming location of famed director Hou Hsiao-hsien’s movie A City of Sadness, starring Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai. The mountain village retained an old-world charm, and the goods sold there had their own distinct character.

Back in the Qing Dynasty, only nine households lived there. Whenever someone went into town to shop, they would buy “nine portions” to share with the villagers upon returning, hence the name “Jiufen.” During the Japanese occupation, it became a gold mining village; when the gold ran out, the village declined. In the blink of an eye, the mountain town transformed into a tourist destination. On holidays, crowds of visitors flock there for enjoyment — and naturally, this time included the four of us.

(To be continued)...