We begin today with a walk around the Di Hua traditional dried food market. Never have I seen so many sacks and sacks of different herbs, spices, fish, meat, nuts and much more.
Our eyes are darting from one to the next, wondering what most of them are and recognising quite a few as well. Our guide tells us if we are interested in taking any back as gifts the vendors will package up our purchases for the plane.
We walk on to visit the Hsiahai City God Temple. Singles from near and far flock to this temple for a meeting with the Love God. Up to 500 visitors a day will turn up to pray that the love of their life will soon come. They will pray for around 15-20 minutes to complete the steps that are outlined at the temple. This includes buying incense, praying to the City God and eating wedding cookies that other successful couples have left.
The temple is quite small and apparently it has never been expanded during its 100 years.
On the day we were there we saw a succession of single females and males lighting the incense and praying. We were also lucky enough to watch one couple, who had been successful in love, come back and worship, and return money to the temple as thanks for their union.
It’s time for lunch and we meander down ‘eat street’ in the Wanhua District. It’s places like these you get a real feel for the gastronomic delights of the country. The flavours, the dishes you could never imagine, and the smell igniting your nostrils, begging you to taste.
It’s not expensive and you could eat the most delicious food every day without breaking the bank.
More walking and sightseeing around the Ximending neighbourhood before resting and then, yes you guessed it. Dinner!
We are promised a seafood delight and head back to the Wanhua District to the Re-Hai restaurant. This small restaurant would be hard to find if you didn’t have a guide. From the front roadside you are faced with a large tank – full of lobsters, oysters, prawns, etc. fresh and inviting. Once your seafood is chosen you are taken to the restaurant down the allyway to a smallish place packed with locals, so you know it is going to be good food. Each dish was amazing, and a visual delight packed with extraordinary flavour. I also have to mention the largest oysters I have ever seen and the lime-flavoured crushed ice on top was mouth-watering. This restaurant is one you should definitely try to visit if in Taipei.
Our last day tomorrow and it promises to be another packed day before we head to the airport tomorrow evening.
The writer was a guest of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau/Taiwan Visitors Association.
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