Julie and I spent a wonderful five years in Kyiv, and with it, an incredible opportunity to travel during breaks. When we decided where to go next, Asia was high on our list for just that reason….to explore a new part of the world without long-distance travel. After attending a virtual job fair in January 2022, Julie took a job in S.E. Asia, Bangkok more specifically. Watching Russia invade Ukraine so soon after we left Kyiv left us thinking of Taiwan with so many worried about China copycatting the move. We had also met a teacher here in Thailand who was living there, and who gushed over the Island’s beauty. We got onto a research kick. We’ve learned that the time spent researching and planning makes a difference in making efficient use of the time and resources we have, and ensures we leave without regrets about what we “should have done.” And, the planning adds to the enjoyment of the whole experience. Anticipation and excitement, about the things we will do and see, build over the weeks and sometimes months we spend looking at possibilities. For Taiwan, we came up with a rounded trip that wasn’t too rushed, although the high-speed trains did conveniently rush us between stops. We strongly suggest that you book your trains well in advance as they do fill up fairly quickly. We traveled towards the end of December through the first of the year, which gave us 15 days in the country. Everywhere we go, we make choices. We cannot see it all. Julie and I agree, a different time of year would have been better, but it just gives us a reason to return.
Taipei Lungshan Temple
Taipei, and all the cities we visited were full of temples. We wandered around the neighborhood near our hotel on our first day, but it was rainy and cold, so we didn’t go far. Bangka Lungshan Temple was close to our hotel. It is the most famous and important temple in Taipei. Originally built in 1738, and rebuilt in 1924. We didn’t understand all that we saw that day, but we learned more on our subsequent tours.
One of the first things we learned later is it’s a big no-no to step on the threshold as you come through the entrance. It can be quite high, and stepping on it is considered very disrespectful so be sure to step over…right foot first for males and left foot first for females.
We also learned that Taiwanese religions are very transactional. They have hundreds of gods and many of them reside in the same temple. They have different specialties. At Longshan, there are two gods who are very popular to visit…one helps students with tests and the other helps people find love. The people come to the temple with an offering of food…snacks, fruit…and they leave it on a table for the gods while they go through their ritual. They light sandalwood incense and wave it and bow in front of the gods, then leave it to burn. Different numbers of sticks of incense for different gods.
Then, they get a pair of wooden blocks shaped like crescent moons, flat on one side and rounded on the other called Moon Blocks or Jiobei. They go to the god, ask their question or favor and toss the blocks. Depending on how they land, there are 3 possible answers. The one they are hoping for is “yes”. However, they won’t believe it the first time. The second possibility is “the angry answer”…which is no. No means the god didn’t like your question so you need to rethink what you are asking. Possibility number three is “the laughing answer”…which is a maybe. In this case, the god is undecided, so maybe you should do an act of service or something good to help him decide in your favor. To get a strong yes, you need to get a yes 3 times in a row, so people stand there throwing those blocks over and over, rephrasing the question, until they get the answer they want. In Taiwan, like many countries, there are important tests that determine future opportunities for students, so most of the young people at Longshan were asking for good test grades. We also saw couples asking for blessings on their relationships from the love god.
The young men who led our tours later in the week said that young people are not very religious here. However, their parents insist they go to the temple when they visit home. And, when they have big decisions to make, they go on their own.
Chiang Kai-Shek House
We also went to Chiang Kai-Shek’s residence while we were in Taipei. On a tour we took just outside the city, our guide filled us in on some of the history. After the Nationalists defeated the Japanese on the mainland, they had to fight The Chinese Communist Party led by Mao. They were defeated in 1949.
Chiang Kai-Shek is controversial in Taiwan. He did some good things, but he was also very brutal in suppressing people he perceived as threats to his power. The Taiwanese also have a love/hate sense of their history with the Japanese. They were there for 50 years and developed much of the infrastructure, but they were colonizers.
(An interesting note…there was a fantastic restaurant in Spartanburg, S.C. named the Aloha. Kai-Shek’s former chef Jackson Shen was the chef/owner there.)
Who doesn’t need a Caddy
Sitting room
The grounds were interesting as well, with kitschy sculptures and beautiful flowers.
Other things to get into in Taipei
There are lots of things in the city to keep anyone busy. From walking food tours, night markets, Maokong Gondola, Taipei Zoo, Beitou Hot Springs, museums, and all the rest of the things that you would find in a city of 7 million people. On a clear day, it’s worth visiting the iconic Taipei 101,….at 508m/1671ft it was once the world’s tallest building.
There are also many day trips available. We did a couple that we will talk about in detail in future content.
Got an Itch?
The Tramway was really high.
Our hotel hot spring tub in Beitou Park
Some final thoughts
Taipei is the perfect city to gain your balance for what Taiwan has in store. We were warned about the lack of English by a couple of people, but we found those warnings were in vain. All we had to do was look a little lost or confused, and every time, someone would approach us offering help. We certainly don’t mind someone practicing their English on us, we all benefit. We also love meeting friendly locals whenever possible….that’s the trick to finding the secret spots and the best foods.
While Taipei was not the place we enjoyed most in Taiwan, it does have much going for it. Don’t neglect to explore it.