tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13643715900312905152012-01-31T14:32:48.801-08:00Let's wander in a beautiful island located in East Asia, also known as "Formosa"Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.comBlogger1051100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-60323453209535441062012-01-10T15:59:00.000-08:002012-01-10T16:23:12.249-08:00

壁畫彩繪是台灣寺廟裝飾中，不可或缺的一項，壁畫的主題不外乎忠孝節義的民間故事及宗教神話傳說，位於新埔的廣和宮內的壁畫也一樣，但不同的是，壁畫裡的仙女們個個身材姣好、穿著性感，風格頗異於傳統寺廟彩繪。 Mural painting is an essential component of the temple decorations in Taiwan. The themes of the painting mainly present loyal, filial piety, or justice folk stories or religious related stories. The mural painting in GuangHe Temple has the same theme, however, the the fairy tale ladies in the

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-44613127002653200942011-12-22T09:37:00.000-08:002011-12-22T12:09:14.069-08:00

喜歡逛市場嗎？市場是當地人們生活的縮影，是了解一個國度最好的方式，因此不管是在國內或是國外旅行，「逛當地市場」必定是我行程裡最重要的一項。台灣的傳統市場相當多，但仍然有著濃濃古早味的市場，要屬新埔的第一市場了。 Do you like to shop in a traditional farmer market? A traditional market reflects how local people live. Shopping in the farmer market is the best way to get acquainted with the local life. When traveling in Taiwan or other countries, “strolling through the traditional market” is on my

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-83276437671524873432011-12-12T17:11:00.000-08:002011-12-12T21:55:11.538-08:00

聽過蔥油餅嗎？蔥油餅是台灣常見的路邊攤美食，一種麵餅裡裹蔥的小吃。台灣人作菜，總少不了蔥，就算有些料理不需要蔥來提味，也會在菜上頭撒一點蔥花，為的是視覺上的好看。台灣人太愛吃蔥了，想當然爾,蔥油餅在這裡當然是很受歡迎的！前些日子，我跑到了蔥的故鄉－宜蘭三星鄉，跟著當地農夫下蔥田採蔥、洗蔥，然後做蔥油餅，相當棒的體驗，也分享給你們大家。 Ｈave you heard of the Green Onion Pancake? Green Onion Pancake is a common street vendor food in Taiwan. It is a pancake with green onions embedded. Green onion is always needed when the dishes are made. Sprinkle some chopped

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-68783265853308382532011-11-26T10:05:00.000-08:002011-11-26T11:34:12.691-08:00

Traveling in Taiwan, the most convenience lodging and easiest way to get close to local resident are to stay in the Bed and Breakfast (民宿). The B&B in Taiwan has become a unique experience since each B&B has set its own characteristic reflecting the background and culture of its owner and the local community. After staying in the B&B in Taiwan, you will not only make friends with the owner,

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-13392290829946276222011-11-11T20:15:00.000-08:002011-11-12T09:02:23.061-08:00

I have always heard from people that, “when visiting Asia, you see temple after another temple, and you see church after another church when you visit Europe”. This is not a negative statement of course, but it shows how essential the religions play the roles in every culture. Come to Taiwan, the Feng Tian Temple (奉天宮) is one of the temples that you don’t want to miss. Located in Chiayi,

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-5965165104347385802011-11-04T14:53:00.000-07:002011-11-05T08:08:33.641-07:00

Many visitors have heard of the Jiji Train Staiton in Nantou, Taiwan, but not the Checheng Station, which is the last stop of the Jiji branch railway. We came to Checheng (車埕) by car, but obviously the railroad can also take you there along with a splendid mountain scenery. Checheng has been an essential timber processing industry center for central Taiwan since 1919. Railroads were

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-41374799921135752692011-05-19T08:24:00.000-07:002011-05-21T15:02:01.592-07:00

Located in Southern Taiwan, Chiayi County, Bantou Village (板頭社區) is the cutest village and is filled with the JiaoZhi Pottery art. (交趾陶) It is one of the places where you can enjoy fresh air with a rural feeling. It’s also a great place to enjoy the JiaoZhi artwork offering visitors surprises in every corner of the village. JiaoZhi is a soft ceramic used for the wall decorations in

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-70521912147737866332011-05-10T14:11:00.000-07:002011-05-10T19:51:24.340-07:00

Dragon Fruit, also known as Pitaya or Huo Long Guo (火龍果) in Chinese, is one of the most popular summer fruits in Taiwan. It also grows in all the tropical countries worldwide. I fell in love with this fruit since it has a fresh smell, a sweet taste, and is very healthy as well. Do you know that Dragon Fruit actually belongs to the cactus family? I am a succulent and cactus lover, so I

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-14317235544958257072011-04-20T13:26:00.000-07:002011-05-23T09:55:06.078-07:00

Everyone may have a nostalgia item in his/her lifetime. Mine is the “Tatung Baby” from Taiwan. This cute little big head boy has accompanied me during my childhood years in Taiwan until I tossed it away and this has made me regret so much until now! I have been looking for a reproduced or a vintage Tatung Baby whenever I was in Taiwan. During last trip to Lugang, I finally found one and bought

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-50456172513609140932011-03-08T19:52:00.000-08:002011-03-08T20:04:43.617-08:00

玉龍泉是台東鹿野永安社區內的一條天然湧泉野溪，順著一小段階梯下行，便能見到涓涓流動的清澈溪澗。這裡為下切的小峽谷地形，有著豐富的動植物生態，想要尋寶很容易，翻起一個石塊，便很有機會像我一樣，找到雙色澤蟹的蹤影。 Yulungchuan is a natural mountain creek in Luye Yong’an Community, Taitung. With a few steps down, the clear stream water flow can be seen. Because of the incised valley terrain, it is rich with flora and fauna. Just by turning around a rock, you can find the 2- color tones crab (

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-63242263569133762032011-02-25T08:00:00.000-08:002011-02-25T13:06:14.544-08:00

Next to Tainan and Mengjia, Lugang is the second greatest historical town in Taiwan with at least a 350 year history. It is located in Changhua County in central Taiwan. Unlike Tainan’s historical with modern mixes, Lugang has no high-rise buildings. It has only Quan and Zhang regional buildings with Baroque-styled architecture. The three unique characteristics of Lugang in the past made

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-27637092947302467772011-02-13T13:31:00.000-08:002011-02-13T13:44:10.988-08:00

穿著恨天高、小背心與迷你裙，倚在椅櫥窗前的檳榔西施，模樣十分的俏皮可愛。老樹根魔法木工坊用木偶的方式，來呈現台灣特有的次文化，真實但一點也不低俗。除了欣賞創意木偶公仔外，到老樹根還可以參觀木工製作，挑戰木頭益智遊戲及體驗木工、彩繪等DIY活動，是一個很適合親子同遊的地方！ Wearing a high heel shoes, a tiny vest, and a mini skirt, a Betel Nut Girl is leaning on the window and looking so cute. The Motou Magic Wood Tourism Factory utilizes the puppet doll to present the very unique secondary culture of Taiwan. These dolls look so

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-44015179472988634572011-02-01T07:45:00.000-08:002011-02-01T08:20:14.686-08:00

Time flies. I feel like I just celebrated the year of Tiger, then the year of Rabbit is already around the corner arriving this Thursday, February 3rd. As the day approaches, all red themes with rabbit figures can be seen everywhere on the streets. Find out how the traditional Lunar New Year is celebrated in Taiwan and what those traditional customs are by checking our last year post “Gong Xi

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-58753438261139079852011-01-28T07:39:00.000-08:002011-01-28T07:56:08.854-08:00

「飛行傘的起跳場」Paragliding take-off field 位於永安社區的鹿野高台，有著廣大的平坦腹地與特殊的斷崖地形，為理想的飛行傘活動場地。每年四到九月適合飛行的季節裡，總是聚集了許多飛行好手在這裡大顯身手。從起飛場居高臨下俯瞰，可欣賞到美麗的棋盤式農田景緻。 Located in the Yongan community, Luye Plateau has a large field with special cliffs and flat terrain that makes an ideal place for paragliding. From April to September each year, players are gathering here to show off their talent. The gorgeous chessboard

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-1729597216942702902011-01-21T17:02:00.000-08:002011-01-21T18:52:28.223-08:00

As a place showing me the world, the fascinating interior of the famous mansions or the palaces as well as taking me into the fairy tale stories, the Miniature Museum in Taiwan can do as good as the Small World in Disneyland. In this place, I was a giant and wished I could shrink myself to go in and play in each dollhouse. Would it be wonderful if the machine from the movie of “Honey I shrunk

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-34763725769984414192011-01-14T07:26:00.000-08:002011-01-14T08:44:49.423-08:00

一直都很喜歡手工木湯匙，那一刀刀不刻意修整的刻痕，充滿著樸實拙趣的質感。如果，能擁有一支木湯匙，而且還是自己手工製作，那該有多棒！在台北就有這麼一間木工房，讓人可以自己動手做一支獨一無二的專屬湯匙。 I always like a handmade wooden spoon. Each carving on the wood is filled with simple and interesting texture. How wonderful if I can make and own a wooded spoon! A woodwork house in Taipei let me to DIY my own unique spoon. 推開娃娃活的大門，無論是展示架、桌面、地板，甚至天花板上，全都擺滿了各式各樣的木頭玩具，要說這裡是個木頭樂園，一點也不為過。

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-28908889659157472232011-01-07T07:12:00.000-08:002011-01-10T10:08:30.008-08:00

Dixiajie Used Bookstore (Underground Stair, 地下階) We often heard that "other's junks can be someone's treasure". I did not totally feel that way until I came to Yongkang Street, Taipei. Although there are many antique and second hand stores in Taipei, I found these two places hidden in the Yongkang St. are my treasure hunting lands. Near famous "Din Tai Fung" restaurant, "Dixia Jie"(

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-39749719695740631802010-12-31T09:08:00.000-08:002011-01-02T08:43:50.177-08:00

During a trip to Lugang, besides visiting the traditional handmade noodle and incense places, we also spent time in the old street and discovered unique shops and resting places. Yi Gu Zhai Tea House (怡古齋人文茶館) is one of the unique places filled with a nostalgia atmosphere and offers traditional and new tasting Flour Mush Tea (mian cha, 麵茶). On the wall in the Yi Gu Zhai displayed

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-6878043609462601662010-12-24T08:18:00.000-08:002010-12-24T14:53:33.630-08:00

To start up this post, we would like to wish you happy holidays and thank you all for your continued support to Wandering Taiwan. We received another award as the co-winner of the peer-judged Best Travel Taiwan Blog Award through Taiwanderful 2010. We also would like to thank those of you who have recommended Wandering Taiwan. Your recommendations, comments, and readings of the posts have

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-86404843088752331002010-12-16T20:31:00.000-08:002010-12-17T20:10:30.448-08:00

We came to Weiweijia Persimmon Orchard (味衛佳柿餅工廠 ) in Xinpu Township, Hsinchu County (新竹縣新埔鎮) in an early morning of mid September. Although I hardly eat persimmon, the beautiful scene of drying persimmons in Taiwan is something I did not want to miss. The color and fragrance of persimmon, and friendly people in the orchard left us an unforgettable memory! Because of the hilly terrace

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-5880607982365556352010-12-10T08:05:00.000-08:002010-12-10T13:39:17.130-08:00

位於三義山區的卓也小屋，有民宿、餐廳外，還有染布體驗。這裡的一景一物，都充滿著濃濃的鄉村自然風，是個幽靜清雅的園區。 Chuoye Cottage is located in the mountain of Sanyi. It offers rooms, a restaurant, and cloth dyeing activities. It has a rural living style, and is filled with a simple and quiet atmosphere. 以竹子及枕木搭成的木屋裡頭，是供應養生蔬食料理的餐廳，在這樣的環境下用餐，真是一大享受。 Inside the bamboo and wood built cabin, it offers health food dining. Eating in here is such

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-91881272503502688422010-12-03T08:02:00.000-08:002010-12-06T15:35:33.363-08:00

Religion is one of the essential cultures in Taiwan. A variety of traditional folk deities are placed in the temples or in the homes for worshipping or family blessing. The splendid colors and delicate embroidery deities’ garments have become public attention. Seventy percent of Taiwan’s deities’ garments are produced in the “Shen-Fu, Creative of Embroidery” factory in Puzi, Chiayi County. (

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-13344006108561899232010-11-27T09:03:00.000-08:002010-11-27T10:35:40.188-08:00

[搓湯圓比賽] Rice Ball making contest 位於新竹縣的南埔村，是少數保留傳統灌溉水圳及客家祭祀文化的農村，其中，石爺祭就是目前僅在南埔還能見到的傳統祭典。石爺公是南埔很重要的信仰，每年的石爺祭活動內容包括了成年禮、搓湯圓比賽、農夫市集及體驗客家美食等活動。 Nanpu Village is located in Hsinchu County, and one of the few villages that has irrigation canal and keep the Hakka sacrifice culture. “Shiye Festival” (Stone Lord) can only be seen in Nanpu. Shiye is an important faith in Nanpu. The festival includes

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-42990121031687502002010-11-19T08:26:00.000-08:002010-11-21T09:45:10.399-08:00

Incense (Joss Sticks) connects an individual in Taiwan to our spiritual gods and bonds the daily living. Incense not only has the worship meaning, but also is a person’s access to the spiritual sustenance and comfort. If you travel to Asian countries, you must see the incense burning inside and being sold outside the temples. However, how the incense is made became our curiosity and a purpose

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-8442254568432138232010-11-12T15:36:00.000-08:002010-11-12T15:44:50.678-08:00

桃米人管青蛙叫老闆，這可不是句玩笑話，這個「老闆」不僅讓桃米從嚴重九二一的震災中重新站起來，還讓這裡成了生態保育的模範村，觀光客趨之若騖的濕地樂園。 Residents in the Taomi Community call frog as “Boss”, and this is not a joke. Because this “Boss” makes Taomi a model of the ecological land and tourist attraction place after the devastating 921 earthquake. [草湳濕地] Caonan Wetland 當年九二一地震重創，造成桃米社區近三分之二的房屋被震倒，在重建的過程中，居民重新認識了自己家園，發現原來自己身處在生態資源豐富的寶地，而決定以生態造村，

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-38460127405085325032010-11-05T20:43:00.000-07:002010-11-07T13:20:11.425-08:00

“Handmade” products are hardly found in the manufacturing world now. The handmade thin noodle has almost been replaced by the machine made. “Handmade” means value. It not only presents the hard work but also brings out the person persistency in keeping the traditional spirit. We came to Fushing Township, Lugang, visiting Mr. Lin’s noodle place (林記手工麵線). Mr. Lin’s handmade thin noodles are one

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-58281440306874230282010-10-29T07:39:00.000-07:002010-10-29T13:57:00.387-07:00

[旮亙團員正在演奏傳統竹製樂器－竹鐘](Kakeng Musical Group is playing the traditional bamboo musical instrument- Bamboo Bell) 阿美族除了是能歌善舞的民族外，還擅長以自然材料製成樂器來演奏。據說，早期阿美族的傳統樂器約有三、四十種，但大多早已失傳了。Amis旮亙樂團花了數年時間透過耆老與舊文獻，重新製作出一件件傳統的竹木製樂器，重現消失許久的美妙樂聲。 The Amis aborigines love dancing and singing. They make their instruments from the natural environment. It said that there were at least 30 to 40 different kinds of

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-52342730185027277402010-10-20T21:00:00.000-07:002010-10-24T19:55:50.699-07:00

“The wood carving was no longer the closed-door skill because of the copy right concerns; it was successfully transformed to a tourism industry and became a family oriented leisure activity in Taiwan.” I was watching a mini documentary TV program in an early morning, and was touched by what the owner of the “Shuangfeng Wood Duck Factory” said. (also known as "Sanyi, Duck DIY" 三義鴨箱寶) I wished

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-72030235795931653272010-10-14T21:37:00.000-07:002010-10-15T11:32:23.135-07:00

在南投埔里的桃米社區，有一個用紙做成的教堂。這座紙教堂是日本阪神大地震後興建的，作為撫慰災民心靈的信仰中心，九二一大地震後，它從日本移至埔里， 沿續它震災後重生使命。 A dome made of paper is located in the Tao-Mi community in Nantou, Puli. This dome was built after the Great Hanshin Earthquake in Japan which was the religious center of the survivors. After the “921 Earthquake” in Taiwan, this dome was moved to Puli to continue its mission. 這間紙教堂是用58根堅硬紙管所構成的橢圓形空間。

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-68656918772776102562010-10-08T20:16:00.000-07:002010-10-21T10:13:31.241-07:00

Puppetry is one of my favorite folk arts which reflect not only the artistic side of the puppets, but also the culture and story behind. We decided to visit “Lin Liu-Hsin Puppet Theatre Museum” (林柳新紀念偶戲博物館) in Taipei which is located in the Dadaocheng area. By the end of the visit, I not only saw a variety of puppets from different countries, but also met with and learned from the Puppet Carver

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-56776292789118664512010-10-03T04:41:00.001-07:002010-10-03T04:44:09.216-07:00

南投埔里的紅甘蔗很有名，清脆多汁、十分香甜，來到埔里啃甘蔗是一定要的，但光是啃甘蔗還不過癮，若能到甘蔗田裡體驗採收甘庶的樂趣，那這趟旅行就會更有意思了！ The red sugar cane in Nantou Puli is very famous for its fresh, juicy and sweetness. Coming to Puli and chewing sugar cane is something you don’t want to miss. If you can harvest sugar cane in the field, it would definitely make the trip more interesting! 註：甘蔗分為白甘庶與紅甘蔗兩種。白甘蔗的外皮呈淺綠色，纖維質地粗硬，水分較少但糖分含量高，一般用來製糖。紅甘蔗的外皮為紫紅色，

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-29761411301454124972010-09-23T20:27:00.000-07:002010-09-23T20:34:07.068-07:00

每年七、八月豐年祭，是阿美族最熱鬧的時候。豐年祭是慶祝過去一年農作物豐收，並感謝神靈賜與恩惠的祭典活動，除了有「慶祝、感謝與祈求」的意義外，還有聯繫族人感情及教育後代子孫之意。各部落舉行祭典的內容與時間不盡相同，其中位於花蓮豐濱鄉的港口部落，是保存傳統祭典最完整及最具代表性的部落了。 The Harvest Festival in July and August each year is the busiest time in Amis tribe. Harvest Festival is an event to celebrate crop harvest and give thanks to the god over the past year. In addition to the meaning of the "Celebrate, Thank and Pray", it

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-87095024950653804712010-09-15T04:53:00.000-07:002010-09-15T05:28:06.085-07:00

阿美族是台灣最擅於食用野菜的民族，在海邊、河流、山林，還是田間及路邊，幾乎都能找到可以果腹的食材。這些長在野地裡，被大多數人視為雜草或不可食用的食物，在阿美族人手中都能變成一道道美味佳餚。目前在花蓮吉安鄉的黃昏市場裡有一個「邦查野菜街區」，裡頭販售著各式各樣的野菜、海菜與少見的食材，是全台灣獨一無二的野菜市場。 The Amis tribe in Taiwan is the one that knows how to cook wild vegetables. They find available plants at places like beach, creek, forest, farm field, and streets. Most of us may see those plants as inedible items, but those plants could

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-34014816888977802882010-09-11T22:08:00.000-07:002010-09-11T22:22:47.942-07:00

We are proud to announce that “Wandering Taiwan” has been selected as one of the top travel related blogs in Taiwan by the editorial staff of GO! Overseas. Thanks for all the readers’ continued support and feedback. This news indeed motivates us to continue doing our best. If you do find Wandering Taiwan interesting, informative, and helpful, please vote for us at GoOverseas from 9/10-9/20. We

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-27829500713715105002010-09-06T03:58:00.000-07:002010-09-18T21:59:22.429-07:00

Do you like Stinky Tofu? I like it so much! People either love or hate it because of the strong smell and flavor. However, we all know that the more it smells, the better it tastes for the ones who enjoy. Stinky Tofu is a popular dish in Taiwan, as well as in China and South Asia. It is so popular in Taiwan and it often gets picked up by international travel or cooking shows. Stinky Tofu is

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-21155717323257493232010-08-24T20:28:00.000-07:002010-09-03T09:41:57.524-07:00

花蓮有數間全台少見的鋼管紅茶店，紅茶不僅「從天而降」，而且不加冰塊也能冰涼徹底。一走進這些傳統的鋼管紅茶店，就能見到從天花板垂直而降的數根鋼管。 A few rare Steel Pipe Black Tea shops still exist in Hualien. Black Tea is not only coming down from the ceiling, but also is cold without adding ice cubes. Once I entered the shop, I can see many steel pipes vertically hanging from the ceiling. 店家將煮好的紅茶與其他飲品存放在二樓，省去樓上樓下搬運的時間，直接透過鋼管傳送到一樓，水龍頭一打開，紅茶便源源不斷流出，

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-45172336172393404942010-08-24T20:23:00.000-07:002010-08-29T04:00:12.358-07:00

陽光初灑的晨間，在鳥語花香、靜謐清幽的鄉間騎單車，是件很舒服愜意的事，我們騎著民宿借來的單車，盡情享受這難得的鄉間早晨時光。 Biking in the early morning under the sprinkle of the sun and with birds singing and flower fragrance on the country road is quite pleasant. We borrowed the bikes from the family lodging and enjoyed this morning on the country site. 從民宿的三合院甫騎出，紅磚牆邊這綠的、紫的、紅的、黃的繽紛景象隨即映入眼簾，美麗豐富的色彩讓人驚喜不已。 We started from the

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-607426024859662362010-08-20T21:24:00.000-07:002010-08-21T08:07:11.772-07:00

菁寮村位於台南縣後壁鄉，是台灣知名的米倉，這裡因一部紀錄片而聲名大噪，一時間，菁寮成了新興的旅遊景點。不過，遊覽車雖載來了一批批的觀光客，但這裡卻沒有因此而走樣，菁寮的人依舊純樸可愛，仍然用著相同的步調過生活。 Jingliao Village is located in the Houbi Township, Tainan County and a famous rice granary in Taiwan. A documentary film was shot in here and made Jingliao a tourist attraction. Although full of tourists now, Jingliao has kept the original lovely and simple lifestyle.

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-7954997899082863142010-08-14T09:17:00.000-07:002010-08-14T14:39:34.590-07:00

位於台南縣北門鄉的井仔腳瓦盤鹽田，至今已有180多年的歷史了，是台灣目前最悠久、最古老的人工曬鹽場。曬鹽產業沒落後，大部份的鹽田都已荒廢，井仔腳鹽田的復育，不僅讓傳統曬鹽文化得以保存，還讓這蕭條的漁村應觀光又重新活了過來。 Jingzijiao Tile-Paved Salt Field is located in the Beimen Township, Tainan County. It is the oldest manual salt production filed in Taiwan and has 180 year history. Most salt fields in Taiwan have been abandoned. The restoration of the Jingzijiao Salt Field not only preserved the

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-46928363538764503082010-08-08T16:11:00.000-07:002010-08-08T16:43:21.794-07:00

一趟旅行精不精彩，就在於自己遇上什麼樣的人，聽到了什麼樣的故事。在北門停留的時間裡，鹽鄉民宿的洪爸爸一家人，不僅與我們分享他們返鄉投入社區營造的故事，還帶著我們騎單車遊村落、鹽田，爬上堤坊看蚵棚，甚至還一同穿上青蛙裝下水捕魚去，讓我們渡過相當充實愉快的假期…… To me, the best trip depends on the persons that I meet or the stories that I heard. When I stayed at Beimen, Tainan County, Mr. Hong who is the owner of the Salt House family lodging, not only shared the stories of his community involvement experience, but also took

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-13955364137557292542010-07-31T20:59:00.000-07:002010-08-02T16:44:24.348-07:00

花蓮縣富里鄉的六十石山，是台灣三大金針產區之一。每年八、九月金針花開時節，各地往花蓮的火車票特別難買，從台北出發尤其困難。在這段期間，花蓮富里的六十石山湧入大量的遊客，只為一睹美麗的金針花海。 The Liushi Shishan (Rock Mountain) of Fuli Twoship in Hualian County is one of the three major orange daylily production regions in Taiwan. In August and September, it is hard to get a train ticket to Hualian, especially from Taipei during the Orange Daylily blooming season. Crowds come to Liushi

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-78589376850625704472010-07-24T09:05:00.000-07:002010-07-24T16:21:23.128-07:00

國劇臉譜運用不同的色彩與線條，來象徵不同的性格與命運，透過臉譜的勾畫，點出了生、旦、淨、末、丑各個角色的忠奸善惡，這樣充滿張力的表現方式，不僅烘托出戲劇的效果，也讓臉譜彩繪展現了獨特的藝術之美。想了解每張臉譜背後的故事，可以走訪苗栗三義的「山板樵臉譜文化館」。 Chinese Opera Facial Makeup is done with different colors and lines to present different characters and fates. Through the facial outline, “Sheng (male)”, “Dan (female)”, ”Jing (colorful facial-radical character)”, Mo (elderly)” “Chou (comedian)” present different

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-30502879343941107602010-07-17T09:15:00.000-07:002010-07-17T20:28:50.656-07:00

石碇是個蘊藏歷史的老街，有特殊的吊腳樓、不見天的建築、還有百年的豆腐店、打鐵店及石頭厝，豐富且獨特的人文景觀，相當值得細走探訪。老街以萬壽橋做區分，分為東街與西街。東街開發的較西街晚，早期為乞丐的聚集地，故有「乞丐寮」之稱。西街人口逐漸飽和後，便開始在東街蓋起了房子居住，漸漸形成了街市，販賣的日用雜貨種類齊全。後來煤礦產業的興起，讓東街取代了西街，一躍成了石碇最繁榮的地方。 Shiding is an ancient street which has the unique Diaojiaolou, Skylight-Less architecture, century old tofu shop, blacksmith shop, and stone house. It has very rich and unique scenery and is worthwhile to

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-11802195375514999042010-07-10T11:19:00.000-07:002010-07-10T11:30:20.009-07:00

位於兩個高地中間凹處的二崁聚落，是澎湖保存最完整的古厝群，也是國內第一個傳統聚落保存區。小小的聚落保存了二十幾棟的閩南式傳統古厝，這裡的房子都是當地居民就地取材，用硓（石古）石蓋成的，別有一番風味。 註：硓（石古）石就是珊瑚礁石 Located in the hollow place between two uplands, Erkan Clan is the most well preserved ancient houses, and also the first traditional settlement preservation in Taiwan. More than twenty Minnan traditional ancient houses have been preserved in this small clan. These houses were

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-67583776469073311922010-07-03T10:00:00.000-07:002010-07-14T23:14:50.726-07:00

緊鄰著金瓜石下方的水湳洞，也是遊客到九份金瓜石遊玩時，不會錯過的好地方。這裡有個相當特別且美麗的地貌奇觀，叫做「黃金瀑布」。 Below the Jinguashi, Shuinandong is a great place to visit when you visit Jiufen Jinguashi. It has a very unique and beautiful landscape called the “Golden Waterfall” 金瓜石礦山的岩層外露，在雨水沖刷下，因氧化作用而形成了略帶黃色的酸礦水。閃耀著金光的瀑布，是攝影愛好者與婚紗攝影的熱門地點，無論何時到訪，總是可以見到人們在瀑布前拍照與取景。 Jinguashi mine rocks are exposed. Because of the rain erosion and the

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-44381565472179609272010-06-26T16:23:00.000-07:002010-06-26T16:40:17.385-07:00

「海洋牧場」是箱網養殖結合觀光的新興產業，業者用浮筒在海上建構平台，供遊客釣魚、享用海鮮等活動，一個可吃可玩的海上樂園。 “Ocean Ranch” is a new business which combines net cultivation and tourism. The owner uses floaters to build a platform on the ocean for tourists to fish and enjoy fresh seafood. It is a playful ocean paradise. 在澎湖的「南海遊客中心」裡有許多家不同業者所經營的海洋牧場可供選擇，我們前往的是「海上皇宫」。買了票，再到碼頭搭接駁船前往海洋牧場。 There are many Ocean Ranches that can be selected in

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-16480834693368789882010-06-19T10:28:00.000-07:002010-07-14T22:18:08.743-07:00

與九份相鄰的金瓜石，是日據時代的採金重鎮，因此日本人在空間及景觀上的規劃十分的用心。從車站、醫院、郵局及派出所，還有職員宿舍等等，可以說是相當的完整。金瓜石將這些珍貴的文化資產保留了下來，並整合了自然與人文資源，將礦業遺產與生活空間一併納入，打造了一座「黃金博物園區」。 Next to Jiufen, Jinguashi was a gold mining town during the Japanese Colonial Era. The Japanese carefully designed the space and landscape. It was very comprehensive with a bus station, a hospital, a post office, a police station and miners’ lodgings. All

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-72478547517606501222010-06-12T09:03:00.000-07:002010-06-15T14:01:39.518-07:00

澎湖是位於台灣本島西南方，是個擁有九十幾個島嶼所組成的美麗群島，這裡是人們享受海洋、沙灘及日光浴的渡假聖地。每年的澎湖花火節，是澎湖最熱鬧的時候，今年舉辦第八年，但卻我是頭一回參加，雖然天候不佳，但能夠親身參與其中，也是很開心的一件事。 Located in the south-west Taiwan, Penghu islands are composed of more than 90 small islands. This area is a paradise to enjoy sun, beach, and sun bathing. The most famous activity on the island is the Fireworks Festival. This year was the 8th annual event, but my first time to

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-79266435505400162702010-06-05T07:11:00.000-07:002010-06-05T07:22:39.323-07:00

位於山海交會的九份與金瓜石，因背山臨海再加上剛好處於東北季風入口處，這裡經常是氤氳多雨、白霧迷濛的天氣。為了因應潮濕多雨的氣候，山城居民採用方便排水的傾斜式房頂，還特別在屋頂上漆一層柏油，因此高低錯落有致黑壓壓的屋頂成了金九聚落的特色之一。 Located in the coastal and mountainous area and near the entrance of the northeast wind, Jiufen and Jinguashi rain frequently with cloudy weather. Because of the humid and rainy climate, the town residents built houses with tilted roof to facilitate drainage. The roof has been

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-78094553508224349092010-05-29T07:44:00.000-07:002010-05-30T09:15:06.258-07:00

位於台北縣金山鄉的朱銘美術館，原是藝術家朱銘用來放置大型作品的地方，卻因發現放置於戶外與四周環境合而為一的作品，顯得特別的有韻味，而讓朱銘興起了設立美術館與更多人分享的念頭。 Juming Museum is located at Jishan Town, Taipei County. It was originally used to store Juming’s large scale art works. These art works were found to fit into the surrounding environment with a special charm. Juming started the thought to establish an art museum. 於1999年成立的朱銘美術館，佔地約11甲，是台灣最大的戶外美術館。

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-56627040236091514982010-05-22T11:35:00.000-07:002010-07-13T20:51:11.565-07:00

背山面海的九份，與相鄰的金瓜石、水湳洞，同為昔日金礦或煤礦的重要產區，是台灣重要的礦業聚落遺產，目前尚保存著珍貴的採礦遺跡與礦場景觀。九份是台灣前幾大的國際觀光勝地之一，來這裡的國際觀光客又以日本及香港為多數。多拜電影「悲情城市」所賜，讓九份從一個沒落的小山城，一躍變成了人潮湧動的熱門景點。 Jiufen, overlooking the ocean, like the nearby towns Jinguashi and Shuinandong, was a gold mine and major coal production area in Taiwan. These towns were the important coal mining ruins with precious mining relic and coal landscape. Jiufen is one of

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-34143348602555450152010-05-15T10:24:00.000-07:002010-05-15T11:14:31.657-07:00

Cow Parade，這全世界最大型、最成功的公共藝術熱潮，從1998年的蘇黎士開始，經芝加哥、紐約、布拉格、雪梨、東京……，終於蔓延至台灣，在台北登陸。台北是全球第六十五個奔牛城市，以規模來看，算是亞洲最大的。這107頭令人驚豔的藝術創作牛，展示在台北數個熱鬧商圈，讓台北街頭乍然鮮活了起來。雖然奔牛節已是去年(2009)的事了，但這些展出的彩繪牛相當具有台灣特色，所以忍不住想分享出來，讓大家看看台灣的奔牛節是怎樣的一番情境。 Cow Parade, the world’s largest and the most successful public art exhibition started in Zurich in 1998. After Chicago, New York, Prague, Sydney, Tokyo…., the exhibit came to Taipei,

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-17972902062445147142010-05-09T12:27:00.000-07:002010-09-04T01:55:03.505-07:00

苗栗苑裡，是一個以藺草編織而聞名的純樸小鎮。在日治時期曾創造台灣帽席外銷的經濟奇蹟，渡過了一段相當燦爛輝煌的時代。但和大多數的傳統產業一樣，在社會形態改變及外來競爭等因素下，苑裡的藺草產業也曾面臨沒落、衰敗，有過極為慘淡的歲月。所幸，有苑裡山腳社區的努力推廣，逐漸式微的藺草傳藝文化才有了延續的可能。 Miaoli Yuanli is a small quiet town famous for its Lin Cao woven. The export of the hats and mats created an economic miracle for Taiwan during the Japanese Colonial Ear. It was quite an exciting era! However, similar to other traditional

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-88449927130664069682010-05-01T07:30:00.000-07:002010-05-08T09:18:00.774-07:00

Right off the Taipei MRT Ximen Station (西門站), despite the crowd of youngsters, luster brilliant neon signs, and carnival atmosphere of the Ximending (西門町), an octagonal historical red building catches my attention. This is the “Red House” (紅樓), a historical culture landmark of Taipei, presenting a unique diversity culture of Taiwan for the past 100 years. The Red House was finished in

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-58299509681312996672010-04-24T08:28:00.000-07:002010-04-24T10:30:19.835-07:00

那天潮水還末完全退去，即將西斜的太陽發出溫暖的色調，落在隨潮水微微浮動的舢舨及茂盛的水筆仔上。小白鷺四處走動覓食，步伐十分輕盈，各種不知名的鳥兒在紅樹林間悅耳鳴唱。接近木棧道的這一側，潮水全然退去，軟泥出露，各式各樣的招潮蟹及彈塗魚等，已開始活躍了起來…… The tide has not receded completely; the color of the sunset is spreading on the floating sampans and lush Kandelia. Little Egrets are walking around and looking for food. Their pace is slow and light. All different kinds of birds are singing in the Mangrove. On the

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-73511922585908049292010-04-17T15:36:00.000-07:002010-04-18T17:02:25.065-07:00

Visiting Taipei, you definitely don’t want to miss the tallest building in Taiwan which was also the world tallest skyscraper from 2004 to January 4th, 2010, when the opening of Burj Khalifa in Dubai took place. Taipei 101 has served as an icon of modern Taiwan. It consists of 101 floors above the ground and 5 floors underground. Taipei 101 is also known as “Taipei World Financial Center” and a

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-62458334629796192372010-04-11T08:31:00.000-07:002010-04-11T18:38:04.486-07:00

平溪支線最古意的車站要屬菁桐站了，這個將近有八十幾年歷史的車站，至今還保留著當初建造時的風貌。佈滿苔蘚的黑瓦屋簷，其上、下雙層結構形成了美麗多重屋頂，而白色的木牆，看起來相當古樸典雅，兩者迷人的組合，讓這個古老的日式木造站房，成了平溪支線裡最美麗的風景。 The loveliest station in Ping Si Branch is the Ching Tung Station. For nearly an 80 year history, Ching Tung Station has kept its original appearance as it was built. The black tiles roof is covered with moss. The upper and lower multi-layer structures form a beautiful

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-26340269774273053912010-04-04T00:01:00.000-07:002010-04-07T21:24:10.100-07:00

Yingge, the artistic town in the southwest of Taipei City belongs to the Taipei County. It is Taiwan’s ceramic landmark and the ceramic lovers’ paradise. Going through history, Yingge’s flame from its ceramic kilns has been burning for over 200 years. From one generation to the next, Yingge’s ceramic continues to shine as the stars! We came to Yingge to visit the famous Pottery Street and

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-51267566773813902902010-03-28T10:22:00.000-07:002010-03-28T13:40:23.116-07:00

平溪車站的所在位置是平溪鄉最繁榮的地方，也是平溪主要的發展中心，許多行政機關都設立於此。 Ping Si station is located in the most booming area of the Ping Si town where the major development centers and administrative buildings are located. 高低起伏的地勢是這裡的主要特色之一，車站就建在半坡上，要搭車還得從相鄰的老街爬坡步行而上，或爬上一小段石子階梯。 Undulating terrain is one of the main features. The station was built on the hills. To go to the train station, we had to walk up the hill

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-26861329290490344802010-03-21T11:30:00.000-07:002010-03-23T19:12:10.619-07:00

Many historical sites in Tainan represent the 300 year history of Taiwan. Anping Fort (安平古堡) is one of them. It is also the oldest castle in Taiwan. It represents the time of Taiwan from the Dutch to Japanese occupations and until Taiwan’s retrocession. Although what you have seen now of the Anping Fort is the rebuilt of several times, which no longer has the magnificent look, it still preserves

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-66015454084589433112010-03-15T15:09:00.000-07:002010-03-17T08:14:54.659-07:00

嶺腳，這個繁華褪去的小鎮，並沒有得到太多遊客的青睞。但其實嶺腳有許多值得探訪的景點，諸如古橋、古厝、瀑布，還有選洗煤場及吊橋遺跡等等，而且都集中在車站附近，輕鬆步行就可以悠遊這些古蹟與遺址。來平溪支線旅遊的遊客，不妨利用火車班次間的空檔，欣賞一下嶺腳這個可愛的小站。 Ling Jiao is a small quiet town without too many visitors. However, there are many worth-to-visit spots, such as, old bridge, ancient houses, waterfall, as well as the coal mining field and suspension bridge...etc. They are all located around the train station

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-51213381358390302802010-03-10T08:07:00.000-08:002010-03-12T19:35:17.969-08:00

Many tea houses are available in Taipei for people to spend time alone or with their friends and enjoy a pot of tea in a relaxing, artistic, and literacy environment. We came to Wisteria Tea House (紫藤廬) located across street from National Taiwan University for the late afternoon tea. Wisteria Tea House is not only just a tea house, but also a city historical site. I am not an expert of the tea,

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-16787267670378173102010-03-05T21:31:00.000-08:002010-03-06T08:08:54.568-08:00

乘著小火車來到十分站，遊客一定會注意到，這裡與平溪支線其他的車站相比，都還要來的寬闊許多。沒錯，十分站是平溪支線最大的車站，也是除了三貂嶺外，唯一擁有雙線軌道的車站，支線往來的列車都會在此交會。 When you come to Shi Fen station by train, you would notice that Shi Fen station is larger than other Ping Si Branch stations. In fact, Shi Fen is the largest station. Beside San Diao Ling station, Shi Fen is the one has the dual tracks which allow trains to intersect here. 十分站有二座月台，一座岸式月台、

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-65832177311690780882010-02-27T09:18:00.001-08:002010-03-05T07:50:12.810-08:00

It was a gorgeous blue sky day with a pleasant climate. On the way back from Nei Hu, we decided to visit the Martyrs’ Shrine and nearby scenery. The Martyrs’ Shrine in Taipei is a magnificent Chinese architecture with the look of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in Beijing's Forbidden City. It has a well maintained environment and a quiet and solemn atmosphere. Of course, we won’t miss the famous

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-20344747434160478502010-02-22T21:02:00.000-08:002010-03-05T21:57:54.782-08:00

若要說平溪線最美的一段，莫過於三貂嶺至大華站了。這短短的3.6公里，卻行經了五個隧道，火車穿梭其中，忽明忽暗，時而緊挨著岩壁，時而穿過高懸的鐵橋，讓人讚嘆連連、驚豔萬分。 註：美麗的沿線風景，得親自坐上火車才能一探究竟哦！ The most beautiful scenery of Ping Si Line is from San Diao Ling to Dai Hua Station. Within less than 3.6 Kilometers, the train passes through five tunnels. From the brightness to the darkness and from the cliff to the iron bridge, passengers are impressed by the stunning scenery. PS:

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-33251233074023456162010-02-16T10:33:00.000-08:002010-03-04T09:00:18.759-08:00

羅山村除了學習如何做泥火山豆腐外，還可以到溫伯伯的「雞鳴園」去體驗炒米香。炒米香和爆米香不一樣，爆米香是利用壓力讓米爆開，這裡的米香是用鍋子炒的，全程手工製作且簡單易學。 We not only learned how to make mud volcano tofu, but also experienced how to make parched rice cake in Mr. Wen’s “Ji Ming Garden” in Luo Shan Village, Hualien County. Parched rice and popped rice are different. Popped rice is burst by air pressure. Parched rice is made by stir-fry in a pot. It is quite easy to

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-37755936015772208822010-02-11T09:24:00.000-08:002010-02-19T08:13:08.996-08:00

Photo by Tony[tony’s style] With firecracker sounds and lion and dragon dance, the lively and joyful New Year is here on February 14, 2010! For centuries, we have continued to celebrate and practice the traditional customs of the Lunar Chinese New Year that was carried over by our ancestors. Ever wonder what those traditional customs are and the meanings behind? The most famous legend of

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-4346745338270357312010-02-07T09:10:00.000-08:002010-02-07T16:23:53.606-08:00

建在基隆河峽谷上的三貂嶺站，是個相當特別且讓人十分驚豔的迷你小站。這裡的乘客不多，即便假日也顯少會有遊客到來，我想或許就是這份幽靜純樸深深吸引我吧！ Built in the Keelung river valley, San Diao Ling train station is a very special and stunning mini station. There are not many riders and visitors on this station even during weekends; perhaps this quiet atmosphere has kept me attracted. 註：三貂嶺雖為平溪支線的起點，但因腹地過於狹小，再加上煤礦業沒落後業務萎縮，後來才改由瑞芳或猴硐發車。這就是為什麼平溪支線的起點站，有如此多不同版本的原因了。

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-61996242944306086732010-02-02T20:29:00.000-08:002010-02-03T21:08:28.747-08:00

A house was occupied by a giant banyan tree which formed a unique fairytale look and also mysterious scenery in the north side of Anping, Tainan. It’s hard to describe how it looks unless you go to see it for yourself. However, it can be described as-“There are walls in the trees, and there are trees in the walls”! Located next to the British Tait & Co. Merchant House (英商德記洋行), the Anping

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-38802302726315647962010-01-30T08:25:00.000-08:002010-01-30T19:58:28.030-08:00

位於台北縣東南山城的平溪鐵路支線，是目前台灣三條小火車支線中，長度最短但歷史最為悠久的一條，也是最具觀光價值的一條鐵路支線。 The Ping Si railway branch is located in the Southeast Mountain of Taipei County. It is the shortest and oldest branch among the three small railway branch lines in Taiwan. This railway branch is also one of the most attractive tourist destinations. 全長12.9公里的平溪支線，原為臺陽礦業公司為了運送煤礦而出資興建的鐵路，後來為方便當地民眾往來交通，於是兼辦客運。國民政府來台後，變轉由台鐵接管，

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-39686024564046042412010-01-25T09:17:00.000-08:002010-01-26T20:28:07.655-08:00

Next to the Anping Fort, a must-visit place you can discover the heritage culture of Taiwan and Tainan is “Anping Old Street” (安平老街). It is also known as “Yanping Old Street” (延平老街) or “Taiwan Street” (台灣第一街). It was the first street built by Dutch in Tainan about 300 years ago. We were here to discover the Sword-Lion (劍獅) and Tainan’s historic residence. Anping Old Street roads are very

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-19112097833147129912010-01-19T21:40:00.000-08:002010-02-15T08:48:03.577-08:00

這一塊塊看起來稀鬆平常的豆腐，是羅山村聞名遐邇的手工有機豆腐。它是以四十年古法手工製造，並利用天然的泥火山水來代替一般滷水製成的。雖然看起來有些粗糙，但吃起來口感紮實、豆香濃郁，相當的好吃。因手工製作無法大量生產，且無添加任何防腐劑不能久存，想一嚐美味只能親自前來哦！ These are the famous Luo Shan village handmade organic tofu. They are made with a 40-year old traditional method. They are made with nature mud volcano water instead of the broth. Although it looks somewhat rough, it has a solid texture with a good smell. It is

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-55934282460534141922010-01-14T19:14:00.000-08:002010-01-15T08:29:11.955-08:00

“Let’s go and visit a mystery place by Jin Shan coastline, and have stir fry dishes on the Old Street, but we have to be there early, or those dishes will be gone!” I was asked. A mystery place? What kind of eating place would that be and will stop serving when we get there late? All these questions came to my mind while my stomach started making noises.. Mystery Coast Three of us drove on

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-40567089100428257282010-01-09T12:41:00.000-08:002010-01-10T18:54:36.849-08:00

位於台北萬華的龍山寺旁，有條短短不到五十公尺的小巷子，歷史悠久的數間青草店毗鄰而居，各家店內門前不是堆滿一袋袋的乾燥藥草，就是擺滿了一籃籃新鮮脆綠的青草，或者垂掛著林投果、蘆薈及仙人掌等，一般人都認得卻不知它們也是屬於藥材的一種。這些堆積如山的藥草，種類高達三、四百種以上，熟門熟路的人都管這裡叫做「青草巷」。 Next to the Long Shan Temple in Wanhua, Taipei, there is a small alley with a length of less than 50 meters. This alley is full of door to door herbal shops. Each store is full with sacks of dried herbs, or filled with baskets of fresh green

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-4177279559709639272010-01-04T15:36:00.000-08:002010-01-05T10:44:15.924-08:00

藍衫是客家的傳統服飾，也是極具代表性的客家文化。但身為客家人的我，卻一點也不知道藍衫的存在，探究之後才知，大多地區的客家人早在日治時代服裝就已西化，我外婆那一代就已經對藍衫印象模糊，更別提到我這一代了。慶幸的是，美濃因環境封閉、鄉民個性保守，而讓傳統文化得以傳承。 Blue Shirts are the traditional clothing of Hakka’s. It also represents Hakka’s culture. Being a Hakka, I was not even aware of the existence of blue shirts. After the discovery, I found out that most of the Hakka costumes have already been westernized since the

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-42701762404564613012010-01-01T21:38:00.000-08:002010-01-05T09:36:43.488-08:00

On January 1st, the 121st Rose Parade took place in Pasadena, California. China Airlines which represented Taiwan won again the “International Trophy- the most beautiful entry form outside the United States”. By watching the parade on TV could not fulfill my satisfaction, so we drove up to Pasadena to see the floats, to feel the excitement, and smell the fragrance from the gorgeous roses!

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-72907894879528679692009-12-27T21:33:00.000-08:002009-12-28T20:21:10.517-08:00

During a Christmas party, a lovely couple shared with me about the impression of their first time visiting Taiwan during summer last year. They both said that teachers in Taiwan “are placed in the highest level”. I was so pleased to hear this since I grew up in an educators’ family in Taiwan. This very simple comment of theirs would be a good start for this post to share a bit of background

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-63597518366430758352009-12-21T21:09:00.001-08:002009-12-22T20:03:29.883-08:00

位於蘭陽溪北岸的崙埤部落，曾是一池美麗的埤塘，逐漸乾涸後才慢慢形成現今的泰雅聚落。部落附近的哈盆古道蘊藏了豐富的動植物資源，自古便是當地族人的獵場，他們世代在此狩獵、生活，與自然和平共生。來到崙埤部落，可以跟著獵人Ashong的腳步深入傳統獵徑，辨認動物足跡、學習野外生活，一探泰雅獵人的狩獵智慧。 Located on the north shore of Lan-Yan river, Lun Pi tribe area used to be a beautiful pond. After the pond dried up, it became the settlement for Atayal’s. In the vicinity of the tribe, Hapen Trail deposits rich flora and fauna and was also the

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-7650702205408191452009-12-17T12:54:00.000-08:002009-12-19T18:54:01.909-08:00

When visiting Tainan, the wide variety of Tainan street food is one thing you really don’t want to miss. There is a saying that if you have not tried the Tainan street food, then you have not seen Taiwan. Getting off the train at the Tainan train station, we walked through the east, south, west, north districts, and Anping area within two days looking for Tainan’s old-time taste (古早味). The walk

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-66649171137084940472009-12-13T11:29:00.001-08:002009-12-14T16:17:00.211-08:00

每年農曆10月「迎青山王」的祭典活動，是艋舺一年一度的盛會，也就是俗稱的「艋舺大拜拜」。祭典為期四天，活動包括前二日的暗訪夜巡，第三天的繞境活動及第四天的為青山王誕辰。無論是白天還是晚上，陣頭齊聚較勁、神兵神將繞境遊行，信徒聚集膜拜，炮聲樂聲此起彼落，場面熱鬧氣氛熱烈…… “Qingshan King” festival in October of lunar calendar year is the annual event at Monga, also known as “Monga Pilgrimage”. The event lasts for 4 days. The first two days are the night patrol, the third day a parade, and the fourth day Qingshan King’s birthday

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-31964090322661755292009-12-09T12:33:00.000-08:002009-12-11T16:19:10.492-08:00

An eye-catching wall painting can tell you everything about living in Longshan village (龍山村), Cigu (七股) Township, Tainan County (台南縣). Oyster farming is the life of this small and artistic village. Growing up in the city and having been eating oyster omelets all the time, I had no ideas how oysters grow until we volunteered ourselves to help and got on Mr. Huang’s bamboo raft full with oysters.

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-39207235606130823382009-12-04T19:14:00.000-08:002009-12-05T07:31:49.648-08:00

紙傘，是客家特有的文化之一，除了有遮陽、避雨的功能外，還有吉祥的象徵，對客家人的生活來說有著重要的地位。美濃是客家紙傘的發源地，在興盛時期，紙傘工廠高達二十餘家，每年的生產量約二萬把以上。後來，價格低廉且可快速生產的洋傘取代了紙傘，傳統紙傘行業也就逐漸沒落了。目前，美濃尚有幾間碩果僅存的紙傘廠並開放參觀，讓來訪的遊客有機會可以欣賞到傳統紙傘之美。 Oil-Paper Umbrella is one of the unique culture characteristics of Hakka’s. The umbrella is used not only for the rainy and sunny days, but also a symbol of good luck. It plays an important role in Hakka’s living. Meinung

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-78732001409621433852009-11-27T13:25:00.000-08:002010-04-30T20:34:10.334-07:00

It was a unique experience to interact with the figures of 1970’s most popular TV entertainment -Hand Puppetry. Located on Yi Tong Street, Taipei, “See- Join Hand Puppet Theater” is an awesome place to have the stage experience, learn, interact and have fun with the traditional Taiwanese folk art- Hand Puppetry. Taiwanese cuisine is also offered before all the interacting activities. The long

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-41070803026410049422009-11-21T07:46:00.000-08:002010-03-10T18:28:36.789-08:00

If you are interested in Chinese Typefaces, you would definitely want to visit this small firm on Tai-Yuan Road behind Taipei Train Station. Ri-Xing Letter Casting Firm (日星鑄字行) opens to the visitors on Mon, Tue, and Th. from 5:30pm to 7:30 pm after their business hours. “Letterpress” and “Typography” have been around me for the past four years because of my design work. I visited “

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-75881102276289317702009-11-14T15:41:00.000-08:002010-02-27T17:15:38.352-08:00

A beautiful sea-side town in the Taipei County of northern Taiwan is named Tamsui (meaning fresh water in Chinese). In a gorgeous and blue sky day, we decided to visit this historical town. Right off the Tamsui metro lane station, turned left, a sign would direct you to the old historic street, Zhong Jeng Road. Wandering on the old street, you would find all the traditional local snacks

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-54875580899883050632009-11-08T07:00:00.000-08:002010-01-31T17:38:06.249-08:00

I have not been to Taipei Botanical Garden since I was a kid. I did not like to go in the park because I felt it was very boring for a kid sitting on the bench and watching the lotus. Time has gone by so quickly. This time I visited the park again in June. I realized that the best is just a few steps away from me! We walked to the park with a couple of family friends. Although it was a short

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-3554145295985614962009-11-01T12:48:00.000-08:002009-11-19T16:29:54.948-08:00

長期因戰亂而不停伐木的結果，讓金門的山林日益減少。少了綠林的庇護，每當東北季風吹起，狂風暴塵便撲向村落，讓居民深受風害之苦。為了抵禦風擾，當地居民在各村落迎風口設立了的風獅爺，當作村落保護神，以阻擋漫天風沙與惡煞的侵襲。村民會配合年節、廟會活動，定期對風獅爺進行祀拜，風獅爺可以說是金門最特殊的民間信仰及鄉土景觀了。 Due to the pro-long civil wars and non-stop wood cutting, the number of trees in the mountains has declined. Without protection from the trees, the north east wind and dust would blow to the village directly. Residents were suffering the

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-22143638105447272402009-10-24T12:00:00.000-07:002009-11-19T08:08:12.748-08:00

台南關廟鄉的「關廟麵」以獨樹一幟的彈性與咬勁而遠近馳名，這裡的麵條並非由機器烘乾，而是經過長時間的曝曬自然風乾而成，所以能夠久煮不爛、口感香Ｑ帶勁。走進關廟鄉，除了能夠採買好吃的麵條外，還可以一探關廟麵的製麵過程與傳統手工曬麵的情形…… “Guanmiao noodles” in Tainan Guanmiao Town has been known to be elastic and tasty. These noodles are not dried by the machine. They are dried by the fresh air and are tasty. While you enter Guanmiao Town, you can purchase the best noodles in town, and also discover the process

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-9077077880909494182009-10-16T21:18:00.000-07:002009-11-18T07:22:28.899-08:00

天，好藍好藍，是海島渡假勝地才會有的，那種乾淨清爽、徹徹底底的藍。只是這樣的藍，襯著的不是白沙椰影也不是茅草涼亭，而是農夫扛著鋤頭走過的綠畂田疇，飛鳥停駐的燕尾馬背屋脊，及貓咪輕巧躍過的紅瓦與石牆……這裡是金門，有著美麗聚落景致的迷人小島。 The deep, clean blue sky can be only seen on the island resort. However, this blue sky is not lining up with the white sand beach or pavilion. It is the green farm field with farmers’ footprints; cocktail roof ridge with birds’ dock, and the red tiles and stone walls where

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-71292118270204483152009-10-08T18:12:00.000-07:002010-03-09T16:10:26.623-08:00

Among all the tall buildings in the city of Taipei, across the street from the Taipei Train Station, a fairytale looking entrance would take you back to the old time of Taiwan… This is an absolutely unique place; named “Taiwan Story Land”. It contains many exhibitions; each exhibit shows you a story of a traditional Taiwanese culture. This place would fulfill your childhood memories or give a

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-2199616642998934092009-10-01T08:04:00.000-07:002009-11-19T08:08:40.397-08:00

台灣，一年四季皆盛產水果，從芒果、蓮霧、草莓、芭樂、桃子、李子、水梨，木瓜、西瓜、哈蜜瓜，到葡萄、釋迦、香蕉、鳯梨、楊桃……種類多樣，品質極佳且精緻好吃，讓熱愛水果的我，宛如是生活在天堂般。 All seasons are rich with fruits in Taiwan. It has many varieties, including mangoes, wax apples, strawberries, guava, peaches, plums, pears, papaya, watermelon, honeydew, grapes, custard apples, bananas, pineapple, star fruit... etc. They all have an excellent quality and delicious taste. I love

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-22832637854313969342009-09-24T22:35:00.000-07:002009-11-20T06:09:08.701-08:00

「放天燈」是台灣代表性的文化節慶活動之一，每年元宵節，也就是農曆正月十五日這一天，台北縣平溪鄉湧入了近十萬的人潮，為的就是體驗放天燈及一睹天燈齊飛之美。 “Releasing Sky Lantern” represents one of the traditional culture festivals in Taiwan. The 15th of the first month of Lunar New Year is “Lantern Festival. There are almost a hundred thousand people coming to Pingsi Township in Taipei County on that day to experience and see the beauty of sky lantern. 天燈又名「孔明燈」，

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-28553191599264986822009-09-19T10:13:00.000-07:002009-11-19T16:36:14.212-08:00

司馬庫斯位於新竹尖石鄉的遙遠山區裡，原本是個遺世獨立的泰雅部落，因神木的發現而聲名大噪，觀光人潮紛至沓來。族人為了私利相互競爭，而讓部落嚴重分裂。為了能讓部落永續經營，族人們放棄個人利益、分工合作，共同經營民宿、果園及餐廳，是目前台灣唯一採行「共同經營」的部落。 Smangus is located in the remote mountain of Jianshi township in Hsinchu. Smangus consists of Atayal aborigines and was completely isolated from the outside world. Since the giant ancient tree was discovered, the tourists started to arrive. The tribe was almost

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-82900527978128791372009-09-13T10:18:00.000-07:002009-11-19T16:38:25.500-08:00

麻糬，是一種用糯米或小米製成的甜點，在台灣客家、閩南及原住民裡中，都有的傳統特色食物。因民族與地區的不同，麻糬的做法與口味也各異。其中，以花蓮阿美族麻糬，最廣為人知，這裡的麻糬內餡相當多樣，有紅豆、綠豆、芝麻與芋泥等口味，是遊客到花蓮旅遊的熱門伴手禮。不過，不單單花蓮阿美族，台灣各地的部落都有麻糬文化，遊客到部落旅行，除了可以購買麻糬外，還可以參加搗麻糬體驗，了解麻糬到底是怎麼做出來的唷！ Mochi is made by glutinous rice (sticky rice) or millet. It is a special and traditional dessert for Hakka, Amoy, and Taiwan’s aborigines. Due to regional and cultural differences, the methods in the

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-10215158675962936592009-09-07T18:12:00.000-07:002010-02-27T17:49:57.408-08:00

If you are interested in hot springs, you definitely want to visit Beitou in Taiwan. Beitou is located in north end of Taipei city. We popped in the Metro, got off at the Beitou station, and changed to New Beitou lane which took us straight to New Beitou. It was a hot sunny gorgeous day. As soon as we got off the metro, I could smell and also feel the hot springs around us. New Beitou is

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-17901207815976848402009-09-01T08:58:00.000-07:002009-11-19T16:40:46.037-08:00

早期台灣原住民都以狩獵或採集取得食物，餐具及煮食的容器則就地取材，不管走到哪都不怕會餓著肚子。「石煮法」與「吉發」，就是傳統阿美族人順應自然，取之於自然的烹調智慧。到底什麼是石煮法，吉發又是什麼？要怎麼製作？要解決這些疑惑，那就走訪一趟花蓮馬太鞍吧！ In the past, the aborigines in Taiwan hunt for food and utilized the local materials to make utensils; therefore, they would not suffer hunger. “Rock cooking” and “Giva” are the traditional cooking methods developed by the Amis tribe based upon their wisdom of adapting

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-61485174443193125282009-08-26T21:26:00.000-07:002009-11-19T16:42:36.139-08:00

「靠山吃山，靠海吃海」是台灣原住民的傳統生活方式，「巴拉告（Palakau）」就是生活於花蓮馬太鞍地區的阿美族人，為了適應當地的沼澤環境，而發展出來的一種生態補魚方法。 To be adapted to the Mother Nature is the traditional life style of Taiwan’s aborigines. In order to survive the swamp environment, Amis tribe in Ma Tai An area in Wua-Lien developed the eco- friendly fishing method, calls “Palakau” 有別於其它地方的「主動出擊」，這裡的阿美族人則是採用「請君入甕」的方式，來補捉新鮮且源源不絕的魚蝦。只要帶著一個三角漁網，就可以輕輕鬆鬆把自投羅網的魚兒

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-89726107082679523652009-08-11T10:53:00.000-07:002009-11-18T21:08:48.885-08:00

In Taiwan, Typhoon Morakot spawned mudslides and destroyed the remote mountain tribe villages in the south. As an admirer of the tribes, I have been caught in my heart since August 8 after watching the TV news. I pay attention to every village names reported on TV, although I really do not want to see any tribe villages I visited in June to be one of the mudslide victims. There are

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-50045292156410503402009-08-05T11:11:00.001-07:002010-02-23T11:24:35.930-08:00

When I grew up in the urban city, rural experience was missing in my life. However, a day in Ye Mo Chu, Chashan fulfilled my dream… “Time for breakfast” Ms. Li, Yu-Yan (the owner of the Ye Mo Chu Homestay, and also the former village leader of Chashan) was swinging the bamboo tubes hung outside on the tree and making noise. She told us the bamboo hanger was placed in the farm to make noise to

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364371590031290515.post-49045962679106561552009-07-30T21:40:00.000-07:002010-02-23T10:28:12.465-08:00

Living in the nature and utilizing natural materials are the tribe’s belief. Utensils (plate and spoons) are made with betel-nut leaf or coconut leaf. Soup bowls, cups, and tea pot sets are made with bamboo tubes. Lots of wild plants growing in the mountains are cooked by the tribe people and become popular vegetable dishes in Taiwanese food cuisine. Millet, Rice, Taro, Corn, Sweet Potato,

Micki & Kristenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02601208993627053609noreply@blogger.com2