Exploring the Rocky Coast of Yehliu Geopark (Taiwan)

The coast of Yehliu Geopark (captured with GoPro).

Located on the north coast of Taiwan, Yehliu Geopark contains uniquely-shaped rock formations such as the Queen’s Head and Fairy’s Shoe making it a popular hiking and sightseeing destination. Besides the famous Taroko Gorge, this is one of my most favorite parks in Taiwan. Since this park is a bit remote from Taipei City, I decided to book a cheap bus tour through GetYourGuide that stopped here and the famous lantern towns of this area (Jiufen and Shifen). The tour was extremely laid back and you could freely wander around all the areas, so I would recommend it to people who are trying to make the most of their day. I came here on the 2nd day of January, but the weather was sunny and I managed to take some decent photos despite the crowds:

Though I have been to a number of parks similar to this in Asia, the architecture here really amazed me! The surface of the rocks reminded me of craters on the moon so I felt as if I was in my own sci-fi adventure. Definitely be sure to follow the guideposts to the elegantly-shaped Queen’s Head rock (fortunately most of the signs are written in English). The hike around the cape was very pleasant and it was awesome to see the ocean. The entire park is walkable within 2 hours so you can definitely fit in other activities if you plan your day out. The signs below indicate the major points of interest in the park (as you can see, there’s quite a lot):

I asked my guide on how these rock formations were formed because I was curious, and apparently it was due to seawater erosion. Each layer of contains a different level of hardness (I recall learning this long ago in primary school), so the unique shape of the rocks is caused by the ocean waves weathering them over time. It’s amazing how flat some of the surfaces are, yet others look like they have circular shapes in them like coral. You can get a great view of the entire park if you follow the trail to the lighthouse:

Located next to the park is Yehliu Ocean World if you’re interested in seeing dolphin and sea lion performances among other aquatic lifeforms. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to see them, but I’ve had the chance to see them before in Thailand and Japan.

This was a fantastic 2nd day in Taiwan, and I will be covering the lantern towns in my next post! Yehliu Geopark was the first outdoor area where I used my GoPro, so it will always have a special place in my heart!

Taking the Tradition of Hatsumode to Taiwan: Exploring Songshan Ciyou, Confucius, and Dalongdong Baoan Temples

Visiting Songshan Ciyou Temple on the first day of the 2020 and wishing for another year of adventure.

After eating hotpot out of a toilet bowl, I decided to spend my first night of the new year in Taipei stopping by the local temples and shrines like the natives do. In Japan there is the tradition of hatsumode (初詣), which is the first trip to a Shinto or Buddhist shrine on January 1st. I asked my Japanese friends what they normally wish for, and they said they usually wish for necessary things like good health, success in their career, and happiness in life. I am fortunate to have all of these things, so I usually wish for more adventures and exciting encounters. Essentially, I wish to never grow bored or complacent in life. I want to keep exploring the world and advancing at a steady place. Though I will admit, a little love would be nice too!

The majority of Taiwan residents observe the Chinese New Year which occurs later in the month (this year it starts on January 5th, 2020). However, I noticed there were a lot of people here that still visited to the shrines in order to pay their respects. I have mentioned before here that I am not particularly a religious person; I believe we are all our own gods and what we perceive the world as is our customs or religion. Despite this, I enjoy visiting temples and shrines all over Asia. You get a sense of peace and clarity from being outside a temple versus crammed in a western church. I enjoy seeing the intricate architecture and learning about the culture as well. That is why you will see me at a lot of shrines despite me being an atheist–I enjoy immersing myself in culture as much as possible. And in order to fully grasp a culture, you must start at its origin.

Songshan Ciyou Temple

Songshan Ciyou Temple was by far my favorite temple in central Taipei. I loved how the lighting captured the beautiful illustrations on the temple walls at night, and there were multiple floors that you could climb and see different deities. The temple is dedicated to Mazu who is the goddess of the sea despite it being located near the heart of the city. Many people pray for her divine protection and it is a great place to witness Taiwanese tradition:

I loved the unique carvings of the pillars and the beautiful gold statues inside. I was really overcome with awe since this was my first time ever exploring a temple in Taiwan. The temple even had a tiny mascot! It felt a lot like exploring a temple in Japan, but it had a slightly different atmosphere. I spent quite a long time here soaking in the culture and trying to read what I could about its history. It really is an amazing place to see!

Conveniently located next to this temple is the Raohe Street Market. This is a great first street market experience as well because it is one of the biggest in Taipei! I found a lot of interesting foods there like stinky tofu fries, dinosaur hamburgers, fried squid with mayonnaise… the list goes on and on. I have been to a number of night markets in Asia already, but I like seeing the unique foods and characteristics each one has!

Confucius Temple

Confucius Temple was the 2nd temple I visited during my stay in Taipei. I came here during the morning of January 2nd and was surprised to see people dancing and doing yoga here! It reminded me a lot of what I had seen in Vietnam actually. This temple had a more open feel than others that I have been to in Asia and is really worth visiting.

As many people know, Confucius was one of the most influential teachers in Chinese philosophy. I took a number of Asian studies classes in university and actually agree with some of his theories; such as we should make education widely available and cultivate ourselves. The quote: “If you want to change the world, first change yourself” is a good example of Confucian theory. I try to practice this when I travel abroad so I can improve my life and [ideally] the lives of others. I believe that change is something that usually comes with dedication and time much like the ancient sage does.

The most interesting part of this temple is there is actual a chariot driving simulation game you can play in one of the chambers! This is the first time I had ever seen anything like this at a religious ground, and I fully support the use of interactive technology:

Dalongdong Baoan Temple

Right next to the Confucius Temple is the Taiwanese folk religion temple Dalongdong Baoan. It is dedicated to the Taoist saint Baosheng Dadi who sadly I do not know much about. However, I loved the aesthetic of the temple. It had an outdoor garden and a beautiful dragon statue that spits water into a pond full of koi fish:

Right around the corner is street lined with palm trees, lanterns, and tiny shops. Even in January this town had an extremely tropical vibe to it that made me happy to be here! I will be writing more about Taiwanese culture in my future posts. Please look forward to reading them.

Eating Hotpot out of a Toilet Bowl on New Year’s Day (Modern Toilet, Taipei)

A common new year’s tradition in Asia gone too far. **Happy 2020, folks!**

After spending the whole week of Christmas partying in Tokyo (I saw Trekkie Trax perform 3 times and also met Mall Grab who was on tour from London), I took the first flight to Taipei on new year’s day to begin my aesthetic adventures in Taiwan! I spent January 1st – January 9th exploring the country from top to bottom; climbing mountains, clubbing with friends, and trying the most interesting food I could find… Which lead me to this famous toilet restaurant chain in Taiwan and many other amazing things that I’m excited to write about!

Why travel out of Japan after New Year’s Eve?

Since most companies in Japan start their holiday on the last Friday of December (which was the 27th this year), it is actually cheaper to fly during the first week of the new year. I bought my roundtrip ticket through Scoot airlines for $250. Because I had been out drinking all night at Japan’s largest club, ageHa, I went to the wrong terminal twice but fortunately found my way there after some time. The airport employees were giving out free sake shots in the departure lobby to celebrate the beginning of the new year. Ironically the person that handed me one had also traveled to Michigan (my quaint hometown) and spoke almost fluent English. Already this year was off to a crazy start!

Thank you for your kind hospitality, Narita Airport.

Though Tokyo is an awesome destination for partying during or before New Year’s Eve, usually the first 2 weeks of January are pretty quiet. Most of my Japanese friends go to their hometowns to spend time with family during the new year’s holiday, so my timing with this trip was perfect. I had the chance to experience a lot of inspiring music events and also say goodbye to everyone I care about before I departed. This left me in a good state of mind for the things that were yet to come. Taiwan is not affected by the new year because most people observe the Chinese New Year (later in January). My friend informed me not to come here during this time because most things will be closed.

Waking up in Taipei

After my 4 hour flight, I awoke in Taipei with only a mild hangover. The first thing I noticed was how much warmer it was here than in Tokyo (I only needed a light jacket as opposed to a winter coat). I also realized that although I don’t know any Mandarin Chinese (which is widely spoken here), I could still recognize a lot of the characters and figure out what certain places were from my kanji studies. There is a lot of English support around the city as well. The metro is easy to use (you can purchase a refillable card or single trip tokens), and it honestly feels a lot like Tokyo with less crowds and annoying tourists. I felt relaxed during most of my trip which is rare for me (usually I am always in a rush or on the go).

Eating Hotpot out of a Toilet Bowl

As per tradition, I always dine at the most meme-worthy restaurants my first night in any new country I visit (take the Unicorn Cafe in Thailand, for example). Taiwan is no exception, so I decided to try the Modern Toilet Restaurant near Ximen Station. Ximen is near the main Taipei Station and has a ton of trendy shops, claw machine games, tea shops, and delicious street food so I recommend checking it out. It was the perfect first destination for me.

Promising “Crappy Food” and “Shitty Service”, the Modern Toilet did not disappoint:

It’s amazing how popular this restaurant is between tourist and locals alike. With the lively atmosphere, toilet bowl seats, and hilariously themed menu items that you can share with your friends, I can see exactly why it is. I had to wait 10 minutes to get in, but the staff were extremely friendly and accommodating (despite advertising shitty service). Most of the dishes they have on the menu are hotpot, but there are a number of à la carte and dessert menu items as well. I settled with the vegetarian hotpot and the chocolate shaved ice.

My Review

I wasn’t a huge fan of the hotpot since I’ve had some of the best nabe in Fukuoka, Japan, and this simply couldn’t compare. The ingredients were fresh and service was good but the taste just wasn’t as delicious as how they make it in Japan (and other Asian countries). I was informed by my native Taiwan friends that this isn’t the first place you should try hotpot, but it is worth coming here for the experience.

The shaved ice, on the other hand, was beyond delicious. They topped it with condensed milk, Oreos, marshmallows, cornflakes, and a scoop of chocolate ice cream so I actually enjoyed this more than Japan’s shaved ice (which is just ice with a light flavored syrup). For a themed restaurant, the portion sizes were quite large and affordable so I would recommend coming here for the humor and meme factor. I’ve seen poop-shaped food in other countries, but eating out of a toilet bowl takes it to a whole different level.

Looking for more stinky food?

If you haven’t yet gotten your fill yet, hop on over to the nearby night market and try some stinky tofu! It really isn’t that bad considering you just ate hot pot and chocolate ice cream out of a toilet bowl. I promise.

Look forward to the rest of my Taiwan article series and have a happy new year!

Super Aesthetic Adventures in Taiwan

taiwan

On the first day of 2020, I have decided to fly to Taipei from Tokyo and embark on yet another wild adventure! A year ago I was at a Full Moon Party in Thailand, but this year I have decided to focus on hiking and photographing the various destinations in this country. Fortunately the western new year isn’t widely celebrated in Taiwan due to the country honoring the Chinese New Year (which occurs later in January), so everywhere I want to go to will be open. The dates I have chosen are 1/1 – 1/9 which should give me enough time to see everything I want.

Taiwan has been on my radar for a long time because not only is it cheap to fly there (I only paid $250 for a roundtrip flight), but also it has great hiking destinations and a number of my favorite Tokyo producers have played there. The weather is much warmer than Tokyo, and it has a high speed rail so it’s much faster to get around places compared to other Asian countries. I am super excited to try the delicious food, meet both new and old friends, and also try out the GoPro Camera that I just bought!

My planned itinerary (so far) is listed below:

Tokyo → Taipei → Jifuen → Hualien (Taroko Gorge) → Taipei (Laomei Reef & Beaches) → Kaoshiung → Taichung → Taipei ↺ Tokyo

December 30th & 31st

During the last week of December there are an endless amount of parties going on in Tokyo. On December 30th I am watching my friends of Trekkie Trax play at THE BASS, and the 31st I am watching them play again at ageHa Countdown 2020. My flight leaves around 11:30am on the 1st which I booked through Scoot airlines. I’ll have just enough time to run back to my apartment to get my luggage at 7am and make it to the airport. There is no better way to go out than seeing the homies play twice. Japan is usually quiet during the first week and a half of the new year, so overall this is a power move.

January 1st

I will arrive to Taipei around 3pm and begin exploring as much of the city as possible. There are a number of places I wish to see such as the Songshan Ciyou Temple, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial, and Confucius Temple. I also wish to eat at the Modern Toilet Restaurant and try some street food. I noticed that there are a number of vegetarian and vegan options as well. I will be staying at Come Inn Hostel for around $15 a night. All accommodations in Taiwan are quite affordable so I will be spending most of my money on traveling around the country.

There is also an infamous bar called “The Fucking Place” (操場) where I am super excited to drink at. It became a meme on my timeline when a Tokyo DJ got really lit there and I am stoked to experience it myself.

January 2nd

I booked a really cheap bus tour to Jifuen and Shifen (the famous lantern-filled village that inspired Spirited Away), and Yehliu Geopark through Get Your Guide. Every website I’ve read recommends these places so I’d like to tackle them the first full day I’m here. I’m sure they will be breathtaking and amazing! I’m excited to light a lantern and see it burn bright in the sky.

At night I will be taking a two hour train ride to Hualien Station and staying in a cheap hostel called Cave. I will be waking up at 7:30am the next morning to explore the famous Taroko Gorge.

January 3rd

One of the most famous national parks in Taiwan is Taroko Gorge, so I have decided to spend a full day hiking here. There are a number of tours available, but a lot of the private ones are super expensive. I decided on the highly-rated Better Taroko Gorge Tour, because it starts very early to avoid the crowds and you have the option of paying in cash. It’s a group tour but I think I will enjoy it since the tour organizer that I’ve been corresponding with is friendly. If I don’t like the people I can always just use my headphones to ignore them. I am very stoked to see the Eternal Spring Shrine, learn about the culture of this region of Taiwan, and have some delicious Aboriginal food.

At night I will be taking a train back to Taipei and seeing Night Tempo at Club FINAL. By coincidence, he and Neon City Records will be having an event during the same time that I’m here. I haven’t seen senpai in almost a year, so this will be a lovely reunion!

January 4th

When I wake up I plan on heading straight for the beach. I was informed it may be too cold to swim, but I’m not opposed to trying. I am planning to see Laomei Reef and Baishawan Beach since they are two of the most photogenic places. I will likely be tired from hiking and partying the previous day, so this will be my recovery day. I will also check out the night markets in Taipei if I have time.

January 5th

After spending a day recharging, I will be taking the high speed rail to Kaoshiung City and exploring all of the famous sights. First I want to see the street art and warehouses at Pier 2, then I will take a boat to the scenic Cijin Island that is only 5 minutes away from the port. I plan on renting an electric bike (like I did in Jeju, Korea) and traveling along the island to the Rainbow Church and doing photography. This island is very long and rectangular, so seeing it in one day is doable. I will be staying at Legend Hotel Pier2 which is right near the beach too!

At night I plan on seeing the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas and stopping by J.C.co Art to try their realistic-looking dog cakes. Kaoshiung is in southern Taiwan so I’m sure there will be a number of interesting things to see.

January 6th

When I feel satisfied with my sightseeing in Kaoshiung, I will head to the nearby Taichung City via train. I’m most looking forward to seeing the Rainbow Village here. There’s also a Sea of Flowers in Xinshe, the Cultural Heritage Park, and numerous hiking spots around here. I’m going to play it by ear and see how energetic I feel. I may end up just going to the Rainbow Village and a couple of breweries. I will be staying at Loosha Hostel which is once again central and affordable.

January 7th

On this day I will be traveling to the lovely Sun and Moon Lake and taking the ropeway up to the mountains. I will also be spending the majority of my day at Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village. This has the tallest free-fall ride in Taiwan and also has a waterpark. I’m not sure what the weather will be like, but I went to a similar park in Sentosa, Singapore and had an absolutely lovely time. Regardless of how warm it is, I should be able to get some amazing shots while I’m here so I’ll be happy. The lake is very large and also has frequent cruises.

January 8th

This will be my last full day in Taiwan, so I will head back to Taipei and resolve any unfinished business I have here here. I plan to hike up Elephant Mountain, take a bus trip to the cat village, and also see the Golden Waterfall. After this time I should feel extremely satisfied with all the places I have been. Hopefully I get some good GoPro footage too.

January 9th

I will be heading back to Tokyo very early in the morning. January is filled with amazing events in Japan. I will be traveling to Nagoya the same weekend for another Pasocom Ongaku Club / in the blue shirt event, and also seeing Madeon in the same week. I am excited for what 2020 has to bring!!