One of the trips we made was going to Taiwan for five days and I wish we could've stayed there longer because I fell in love with the country. I feel guilty for having such strong positive emotions about Taiwan because I feel as if I'm betraying Korea, but almost everything in Taiwan is just better than Korea in my opinion. Or perhaps I've been in Korea for so long (almost 6 months now) that experiencing a new country was exciting and new. The weather is very nice (for winter it was usually a high of 65 F and a low of 55 F), the scenery is breathtaking, the people are much, much more friendly (people actually say "sorry" for bumping into you!), it's extremely clean, the public transportation is just as nice as Korea for half the cost, and you overall feel more comfortable as a foreigner there (in Korea you're constantly reminded that you're a foreigner). Despite the delicious street food in Taiwan (especially the grilled sausages), I think Korea has Taiwan beat on food, but that's mostly due to the fact that I have a crazy obsession over Korean food.
We arrived in our hotel in Taipei around dinnertime so we explored Ximen, the area our hotel was located in, before heading one MRT stop over to visit Longshan temple. Ximen is a newer area of Taipei, with a bunch of stores, restaurants, and pedestrian-only streets. It really reminded me of Myeongdong with how everything was laid out. Figuring out the MRT system was very easy. The hotel gave us the MRT map of the lines and we were able to buy and add money to our Easycards (the equivalent to Tmoney in Korea) in a machine in the station.
A street corner in Ximen.
Longshan is one of the more famous temples in Taipei so there were many visitors in and around the temple (the majority of tourists in Taiwan are from mainland China). I could see why, though, because the temple was gorgeous. We arrived a little before the sun set so the lighting made the temple seem as if it was glowing. Longshan is not the only temple in Taipei, in fact there's hundreds, and they're all beautiful and majestic-looking. Sometimes my dad and I would just be wandering around the back streets in the city and we'd come across a hiding temple. I'm so accustomed to seeing churches in Korea that it was interesting observing only Buddhist temples.
Longshan temple.
We then headed to the nearby night market to grab dinner. Similar to temples, Taipei also has a lot of night markets throughout the city that all differ in layout, size, and what they sell. For example, some night markets might specialize in clothes whereas others specialize in medicinal herbs or food. After walking by it, we came back to a restaurant much fancier than the rest of the restaurant stalls in the market. We decided to treat ourselves for our first meal in the country, so for $60 a person we got copious amounts of tea, a 7-course dinner, and a 2-course dessert. To say it was delicious is an understatement. I don't think I've ever had seafood so sweet and tender. The first course was sashimi, followed by spring rolls that you wrap in crunchy cabbage, then clam in noodles and sauce (this sauce actually tasted like what people think heaven is like), a prawn baked in a mayonnaise-type custard, grouper in another delicious sauce, a baked chowder-like dish that included cream and clams with a layer of cheese on top, and a shrimp soup. Dessert included fruit and boiled peanut soup, which I want to try recreating in the future. The peanuts were just so soft but not mushy and the broth was the perfect the amount of sweet. I want to go back to Taipei just to visit that restaurant again, haha.
The night market we had a delicious first dinner in.
The following day was spent visiting various places in Taipei. We started off by visiting the National Palace Museum. We unfortunately couldn't take photos inside the museum, but I saw enough to have memories that will last forever. The museum is huge and full of thousands of art pieces from Taiwan and mainland China. My favorite rooms of the museum included jade and ceramics throughout all of the Chinese dynasties. It fascinated me how complex the work was for being made hundreds and thousands of years ago. As an American, I felt humbled because it made me realize how young the United States is and just how much history has occurred in China. I took a history course on imperial China at MSU last year so it was also neat being able to utilize what I learned to understand the various artifacts and their importance in demonstrating how life was in a certain dynastic period.
The National Palace Museum.
We then headed to the Lin family garden, again taking the MRT. I went to the garden without a lot of expectations because it's just a garden, how great could it be? I was surprised to say the least. The garden and the home were huge, extremely decorative, and creatively laid out. It was also very quiet and peaceful, despite being right in the middle of a bustling city. The Lin family was, in a short, a rich family who made their money from trade and they built this magnificent house when they decided to move to Taipei. If I ever moved to Taipei I would definitely frequent the garden because it was a pristine oasis in the middle of concrete and business.
Discovering that we were starting to get hungry, we decided to visit the fruit stalls we saw on the way to visiting the garden. Unlike Korea, Taiwan has an abundance of fruit and not only that, but fruit is cheap too. Over our time in Taiwan I had dragonfruit, starfruit, custard apple, waterapple, pineapple, mango, you name it. My dad and I bought a huge, ripe custard apple from one of the stalls, went back to sit on a bench by the MRT station, and devoured every last bite. It was just so sweet and so filling and the weather was perfect. It was a nice moment that I won't forget. Who knew I could be moved by fruit so much, haha.
A pond in the Lin family garden.
Some of the trees in the garden.
Another building forming a courtyard in the garden.
The day was passing by and we wanted to go by the coast to see the sunset. We headed to the end of one of the MRT lines to Tamsui where we walked along the bay and nibbled on various street foods while also browsing the numerous store stalls. One of things I ate was called "fried milk" which was like a fried cream ball and it did taste exactly like its name. If I can find the correct ingredients I want to try recreating the recipe. It was nice seeing the sunset and being by a body of water, things I haven't done in awhile since being in Korea. After walking along the bay we went inland and browsed another night market and consumed more street food. I tried a sausage wrapped in a rice bun with a spicy chili sauce and vegetables inside. I also had a sweet potato croquette. The night market was definitely a tourist spot that sold Taiwan-specific foods and snacks like pineapple cake, ginseng, and dried foods among other things. It was a good place to be a tourist though because I didn't mind gorging myself on all the free samples, haha.
Tamsui.
Since the night was still young after the sunset, we headed back into the city to Taipei 101, Taipei's tallest building. The building is similar to Namsan Tower in Seoul in that you pay to go up to the observatory and then there's various gift shops inside. Taipei 101 is known for it's speedy elevator; when I went on it, the elevator actually felt like an amusement park ride because we were going so fast. My ears were fine going up because I was able to pop them, but coming down I couldn't hear clearly for about twenty minutes afterwards until they finally cleared. The observatory offered breathtaking views of the city and since the tower was higher than Namsan, you could see more of the city. Once you exit the observatory, to my surprise, you enter a huge coral gemstone museum and store. I was blown away by all the intricate carvings and jewelry they made from the coral. If it wasn't so expensive I was tempted to buy a small necklace, but the store was obviously targeted to the richer population. After exiting the tower, which is located above the shopping mall part of Taipei 101, we grabbed a late dinner of dim-sum and stir-fried cabbage before heading back to the hotel.
On top of Taipei 101.
Some of the coral in the museum inside Taipei 101.
The remaining two days of our trip consisted of day trips taken outside of the city. What's great about vacationing in Taipei is that it's perfect for day trips. We only had time for two but there were so many more opportunities. We started off the day by taking a two-hour train ride to Sandaoling. Our plan for the day was to hike through a trail to see three waterfalls then walk over to the nearby town of Shifen to see the more popular waterfall there. The trail we went on was quite isolated and there were no tourists there except us; the trail took us almost two hours and we only saw two local men the whole time. We followed the directions written in a blog which proved essential because we wouldn't have been able to find the trail and get to the other town otherwise, especially since all the signs are in Chinese which neither my dad or I speak.
Sandaoling train station.
The trail hike was absolutely gorgeous and peaceful. The trail started off easy but towards the end got increasingly more difficult due to the elevation. And one point we were going completely vertical, but fortunately the trail had ropes where appropriate to help us out. As mentioned, we passed three waterfalls along the trail as well as being able to see streams, bamboo, and these plants with giant leaves. Looking back, hiking this trail was my favorite part of the trip. It was nice seeing wildlife and waterfalls, two things I'm unable to experience in Korea at the moment.
Bamboo on the trail.
These plants with HUGE leaves were found all along the trail. I joked and said that if it were to rain we could always use them as umbrellas.
The first waterfall.
Crossing a bridge over a small stream.
The trail got tougher as it went on.
The second waterfall.
Climbing the "stairs" was definitely a workout.
The third waterfall.
Another view of the third waterfall.
Our day was peaceful until we exited this trail. Keep in mind that this trail is out in the middle of nowhere. If you didn't have directions you would certainly get lost and that's unfortunately what happened to us. I was following the directions from the blog but it misdirected us onto a different road after the trail. Our guess was that while we were walking we passed a road that was gated off and we figured that was the path we were supposed to take. After walking for about an hour towards Yeren Valley (the place we were supposed to head to on our way to Shifen) and coming to the conclusion we were lost, we remembered that down along the road we were walking on was a path with yellow ribbons. The blog post said to follow the yellow ribbons during the trail so we figured since we don't have any other options we would follow that path, even though I was hesitant because we were leaving a paved road to walk into the woods. Sure enough, about twenty minutes later we ran into a small village that was in the blog. From there we walked around another thirty minutes and we finally made it to Shifen Falls. At this point we were both exhausted since we walked around for four hours. We made it to the waterfall just in time before they closed and despite being long, the walk was worth it because the waterfall was gorgeous.
Looking out across Yeren Valley.
Posing by the Shifen waterfall.
After exploring the waterfall we headed to the town of Shifen itself and I was pleasantly surprised by how quaint the town was. Shifen was an old coal mining town so a train track runs right in the middle, which we were able to experience on our way back to Taipei. Shifen is also known for its lighting of sky lanterns. We didn't pay for one, but there were plenty of people to observe sending the lanterns in the sky, which was quite a sight. After eating yet more street food and buying a couple souvenirs, we headed back on the train to Taipei. We were so tired that once we got back to the hotel we fell asleep right away, resting for another day trip.
The train passing through Shifen.
People lighting the lanterns.
For our last full day in Taiwan, we headed an hour outside of the city to Yehliu geopark to look at cool rock formations and eat some seafood. The park wasn't super big but it still took us about two hours to complete it because we decided to hike up the mountain/hill at the the tip of the park to get a cool view of the island. The rock formations made me feel like I was in outer space and their most famous rock, the Queen's Head, was neat to observe because it looked just like its name if you looked at it from the correct angle. We headed back into the town after the park to grab lunch, which was out of this world for its deliciousness. My dad picked a live crab to steam and I picked a live grouper to be cooked in brown sauce. We also got a side of stir-fried cabbage which was so fresh and not soggy even though it was drenched in a delicious garlic sauce. I'll continue to have dreams about the fish I ate because it was so good, and seafood in general is something I'm going to miss a lot when I head back to the U.S.
Some of the rock formations found at Yehliu geopark.
The most famous rock in the park: the Queen's Head.
A view on top the hill at the tip of the park.
Another view.
Freshly caught grouper in brown sauce.
We headed back to the city after the park and grabbed another dinner of dim-sum in Ximen. We didn't want to stay up too late because we had to pack and get up early for our flight the next day. My reflections about Taiwan include only positive thoughts. I was thinking that if my post-graduation plans of working for the government fall through, then I want to teach English in Taipei. I would have to learn basic Chinese before I would go, but I fell in love with the island too much to not go back. Plus, you can't beat those $1 bubble teas that I got twice a day while there, haha.
After arriving back in Seoul, I had a week left to show my dad around the city. I took him to my favorite restaurants and other touristy places like Insadong and Gwanghwamun. After waiting 6 months, I finally had a chance to take a tour to the DMZ with my dad. In order to go the DMZ and the DML (demarcation line), you have to go on a tour for security reasons. The pricing is a little high ($125 per person), but you have a bus to take you there, a tour guide, and lunch during the middle of the trip.
After being picked up in Sinchon, we took the bus north and had to pass a checkpoint before going into the DMZ. Once in, we stopped to visit the Freedom Bridge, a bridge formally used by the founder of Hyundai to transport goods back and forth. We then had the chance to experience one of the several tunnels that North Korea dug from their side to eventually get into Seoul for a future invasion. South Korea has discovered 3 but they expect that there a lot more to be found. We were able to walk about 170 m in the tunnel before we reached a brick wall at the end built so North Koreans couldn't enter. Exploring the tunnel was a challenge though, because the tunnel wasn't high so I had to bend down the whole time making the experience a little claustrophobic. How North Koreans are expected to walk at least ten times that distance blows my mind.
The checkpoint for the DMZ.
I can finally say I've been to the DMZ!
Freedom Bridge.
Inside the tunnel.
We then went to the Dora Observatory where you can look through binoculars to see North Korea. Fortunately, I learned about this area beforehand during class, so it was fulfilling being able to experience it in person. A fun detail is that the village we saw is a propaganda village built so it looks like people live there and live relatively comfortable lives. In reality, I was only able to see two people. Additionally, the taller buildings are empty inside and don't have floors, so during nighttime you can see how a single light bulb at the top lights the whole building. Even though there wasn't a lot of activity, I still greatly enjoyed being able to see North Korea for the first time. Our next stop was Dorasan Station, the last train station in South Korea if you're heading north. Obviously the train doesn't run north through the DML but South Korea hopes that once reunification is achieved, than the train can finally run to connect the two nations. The station itself was actually really, really nice and was modeled after Incheon airport. I just liked seeing Pyeongyang as a station stop inside, because outside of North Korea and China you're not going to see that anywhere else.
Looking through binoculars to see North Korea.
Inside Dorasan station.
The last stop on our journey was Panmunjeom, the only place that you actually cross the DML into North Korea. There was an additional checkpoint and security measures we had to go through since we were entering Camp Bonifas, a U.N.-run military base. The coolest part about this leg of the trip was being able to say you've been in North Korea (by stepping over the DML) and seeing a North Korean soldier on the other side. I remember learning about the formation of the DMZ back in middle school, so it was rewarding to finally set foot in an area that so many people talk about. After visiting Panmunjeom the bus took us back to Seoul where we rested after a long and busy day.
Panmunjeom.
Inside the conference room.
A close up of a North Korean soldier.
During one of the days while my dad was here, I wanted to show him Itaewon, the foreigner district of Seoul. I've been to Itaewon several times and I always walked by the various restaurants but have only eaten in two. I've been meaning to try Turkish food here because there's several Turkish restaurants in Itaewon, so I figured I could finally get a dish with my dad. I studied abroad in Turkey for a month last summer and I couldn't find Turkish food in Michigan, so it was a real treat getting Turkish food again. I ordered my favorite dish, iskender kebab, and Turkish tea, and it was all I wanted it to be. It brought back a lot of good memories of my time in Ankara and Istanbul. Who knew that I would find good Turkish food in Korea out of all places?
Iskender kebab.
My dad works for Ford Motor Company and one of his duties is to work with suppliers who want to provide parts for Ford cars. He worked with a supplier from LG in the past and since he's in Korea, he reconnected with him and asked if we could visit LG. On the day before my dad left, we were picked up by his friend and two other men who work at LG. They drove us to Anyang to the Research and Development Center to show my dad new car parts that Ford would benefit from taking on. Even though engineering is not my forte, I still enjoyed seeing my dad in a work environment and learning more about the Korean conglomerate. I also enjoyed being able to experience a Korean work environment, noticing how order is based a lot on respect and how many people are put together to work on a project, showing the value of group consciousness in Korean society. They then took us to a very expensive lunch and to my surprise even gave us really nice gifts. They were very nice to me the whole time, which I honestly didn't expect as a female foreigner, but it showed that they respected my dad enough to respect me. They also got a huge kick out of the fact that I speak Korean and knew a lot about the country. After lunch they drove us to Incheon to show us the electronics branch of LG. We were allowed access to the innovation room which was my favorite part of the whole visit. I was fascinated by the super high definition TVs and the wireless phone charger. It was also very humbling to meet such high executives in LG, a company that has a lot of influence in not only Korea but the world. They then dropped us off in Sinchon where my dad and I proceeded to get his last dinner in Korea.
My dad left on Sunday and since then I've not been doing a whole lot. My mom arrives next week and stays for a week and half so I'm really looking forward to her visit. The most productive thing I've done so far is signing up for my classes next semester. I will taking Korean again and then two history courses for my content courses: pre-modern and modern Korean history. I was fortunate that I could take both courses because I feel the need to really understand Korean history; it provides a very solid context for understanding current affairs.
I probably won't blog again until my mom leaves, and by the time that happens school starts in a week so I'll be more occupied with my time but it also means I'll be posting more frequently. I can't believe it's been nearly 6 months since I've been in Korea. Time has gone by fast but slow at the same time because I'm conscious of everything I've done thus far. Anyways, I will see you all again at the end of the month!
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