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Taiwan’s Aboriginal Past Is Alive In Taitung

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Exploring Taiwan's Aboriginal Past at the National Museum of Prehistory in Taitung

Taiwan’s Aboriginal Past Lives At The National Museum of Prehistory

hinese and English. If you enjoy prehistory, you will love this museum. It is astonishing! It is exciting!  It is one of the top museums of its kind in the world. It is Taiwan’s aboriginal past!

Taiwan’s aboriginal Past is living history at the National Museum of Prehistory in Taitung. The museum is alive! The culture is amazing! It is adventurous! It if fun for the whole family! The Museum is the first government museum of its kind in Taiwan. At the front of the Museum you are greeted by a massive bronze sundial. It is amazing in size. It is beautiful! The building features the Austronesian  culture and design. It is fantastic! It is amazing! It is modern! It is prehistoric! You know immediately, that you are entering Taiwan’s aboriginal past. What adventure awaits! 

Within the museum are relics of Taiwan’s aboriginal past. The relics have been excavated from the Beinan site.  The Beinan archaeological dig is located in Nanwang Village.  The village is just outside Taitung City. Great care went into the presentation of the relics. The relics have been well-preserved. The relics are protected from sunlight. The exhibit is culturally correct. There are lots of short videos throughout the museum. There is  also a couple of short movies. The movies make the history of Taiwan’s aboriginal past come alive. You feel like you are there. They are amazing! Each exhibit has place cards that explain their significance. They are clearly written and easy to understand. Everything is done in C

The National Museum of Prehistory has done an excellent job of presenting the prehistoric development of Taiwan. Exhibits explain the nature of Taiwan. They show how its culture evolved. The Austronesian culture comes alive. The museum is divided up into different themes. It is it exciting! It is easy to follow. You feel like you are there. It is amazing!

Before leaving, be sure to take time to browse the small gift store. They have a large selection of books in Chinese. The books in English are limited. There is an excellent selection of music. The music of the Austronesian people is beautiful. What a delight it is! You will also find postcards and other souvenirs. The gift store is well done and the selection is good. The prices are reasonable. 

The grounds of this amazing museum are over 44 acres of history and delight. Behind the Railway Station is the Beinan Cultural Park. It is the only archaeological park in Taiwan. The park is beautiful! It is well managed and kept up. Its exhibits are tasteful and exciting for the whole family. It is fun! It is enlightening! It is living history! It is Taiwan’s aboriginal past!

When planning a trip to Taiwan, save one day for the museum and cultural park. It is located at No.1,Museum Rd.,Fongtian Village,Taitung City. Its phone number is: 089-381166. It is closed on Mondays. 

http://www.nmp.gov.tw/  (Website in Chinese)

http://tour.taitung.gov.tw/en-us/Travel/ScenicSpot/587/Beinan-Cultural-Park  (English)

http://www.nmp.gov.tw/exhibition/visit/beinan/info.php  (Website in Chinese)

Exploretraveler.com

 

Taiwan’s Papaya Tree And It’s Uses

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Taiwan’s Papaya Tree

Taiwan’s Papaya Tree And How To Use It

Taiwan’s Papaya Tree is found all over the island of Taiwan. The humble Papaya Tree is grown in almost every small orchard and around every house. You can not even take a walk to the beach without seeing a Papaya Tree at the beach. So why the love affair with the Papaya Tree?

Taiwan’s Papaya Tree, as humble as it may appear, is one of the most well used fruits in the world. Papaya can be used for food, an aid in cooking meat, and also in traditional medicine. If you rub papaya on the meat or soak meat in its juices it is a natural tenderizer. It is a delightful fruit to eat. It is one of the three most important fruits in the world. Even the stem and bark of Taiwan’s Papaya Tree is used in the production of rope. In some cuisine, the small flower buds are cooked as a delicacy. It is loaded with Vitamins, Calcium, Iron, and Minerals and has 21 mg of Magnesium and 182 mg of Potassium. Even the black seeds are edible and are often used for the prevention and cure of internal parasites. The leaves when cleaned and dried make a good tea and can be used fresh on nervous wounds. So what is not, to like about Taiwan’s Papaya Tree?

When the fruit of Taiwan’s Papaya Tree is a yellow/orange it is considered ripe and can be eaten raw without skin or seeds. It is often eaten in salads, fresh in a fruit bowl, and is delicious with homemade vanilla ice cream. The green papaya is considered not ripe and is used in the cooking of stews, curries, and salads. Papaya is awesome cut up with vegetables and greens for a salad. I use the papaya, banana, and potato daily as they are an aid in the control of blood pressure. Papaya makes an excellent jelly due to the huge amount of natural pectin. Even the seeds are editable and are used in cooking. They can be put in smoothies and then drank to help with parasites. They are often dried and ground in a pepper mill. In cooking these dried seeds can be used in the place of black pepper. The leaves of Taiwan’s Papaya Tree are really good steamed like you would steam spinach. I sometimes prepare the two leaves together and serve with Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. In some parts of the world the leaves are made into tea and used to treat Malaria. For me, I just find it a good tea to drink in the morning. It is also used as a medicine against Malaria. Used daily it is a wonder drug for the keeping of a good heart and helps in the control of blood pressure. Papaya has even been injected to treat ruptured discs.

For more information on Taiwan’s Papaya Tree, check out the links below. Enjoy and remember that Papaya is only one of the reasons to come to Taiwan in.

http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-herbs/carica-papaya.html

http://www.online-family-doctor.com/fruits/papaya.html

Exploretraveler.com

Bashian Cave:Taiwan’s Stone Age Ruin

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Bashian Cave-“The Children Are Coming To See Us”

Bashian Cave: One of Ten Stone Age Caves

Bashian Cave is one of Taiwan’s geological wonders. It is the living past! It is history come alive! It is the home of the ancients. Imagine, a stone age cave in the neighborhood! What an adventure awaits! Excitement is in the air! It is located on the east-coast of Taiwan. It is an easy drive from Taipei or Hsinchu. Bashian Cave is one of ten caves in this area of Hualien County. More unique finds are being discovered yearly at these caves. The caves are very eroded and date back to the Stone Age. Take a step back in time! Discover your roots! Spend the day with your ancestors! Discover Bashian Cave. It is amazing! It is living history!

Originally, the caves were below sea level. This allowed the ocean waves to batter and shape them into what we see today. Imagine their life! Fishing was just outside the door! The caves are currently located on the side of a cliff that is approximately 328 feet above sea level. Each cave is unique! They are totally different in size and shape. The caves provide proof that Taiwan’s east-coast is constantly changing and being elevated. The caves are unique! The caves, are living history!

The drive up the east-coast of Taiwan is very picturesque. There are many excellent camera shots! The scenery is amazing. The water is crystal clear! The beach is awesome! It is a delightful way to experience the awesome natural beauty of Taiwan. What a discovery this is! Bashian Cave is a perfect spot for a geological lunch or dinner break. How about, a little Taiwanese Geology for dinner?

Bashian Cave itself, is the site of a Buddhist temple that was carved into the cliff. The mountain side is very eroded. There is a blanket of heavy fog over the area. It is a constant light mist! There is a statue of an older woman talking to  her husband. This lends credence to the expression—-“The Children Are Coming To See Us.” How delightful of an idea, as for centuries Taiwan’s children have indeed come to see them. Will you be their next child to come?

Basian Cave is actually written “Basiandong”. Basiandong means Cave of the Eight Immortals. The Eight Immortals are famous Chinese deities who crossed the ocean and came to these caves, according to Chinese folklore. When you enter the caves, you are entering their home. With the constant foggy mist, the environment of the interior stays very damp and misty. This environment resembles that which is recorded in the many legends of the Eight Immortals. It is like walking into the pages of Chinese folklore. How amazing to visit a home in ancient history. What a privilege waits! Will you be their next visitor?

There is a visitors site and paths made of either stone or wood that leads to each cave. The caves include Basian Cave, Chaoyin Cave, Lingyen Cave, Yung-an Cave, Hailei Cave ,Chienyuan Cave, Kungchen Cave, Chaoyang Cave, and Kunlun Cave.  There was an awesome prehistoric site discovered within the highest of the caves. This site has been developed and there are exhibits made out of stone and bone on display. A stone hearth in one of the caves is the earliest human discovery in Taiwan to date. The hearth was carbon dated and is 20,000 years old. Imagine, if you can, who might have knelt there to cook! What a discovery! What adventure is waiting at Basian Cave! The time to visit is now! It is not too early to reserve your flight.

Taiwan’s Cultural and Tourism Bureau welcomes you to come and discover the natural beauty of Eastern Taiwan. So what are you waiting for? Living history is waiting! Yesterday is alive! It is unique! So grab your passport and pack your bags! Lets make this the year we head to Taiwan! There is excitement and adventure in Taiwan. Will you be their next visitor? Please check out the links below for added information.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bashian_Cave

Exploretraveler.com

Taiwan’s Eastern Coastline

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Beautiful Eastern Taiwan

Taiwan’s Eastern Coastline: A Fascinating Land

Taiwan’s Eastern Coastline, where the water is so blue, the green dense forests are so green, and the cliffs are breathtaking. Eastern Taiwan was the least populated area on the island. We began our trip on the Taiwanese Express Train, a modern transportation dream. The express train goes all around the country and it is so fast and precise. I loved the bright colors and it was so clean. It had lots of leg room and local Taiwanese women came by with tea and cakes regularly. You could also buy other snacks if you so desired. While it moved across the countryside, Taiwan’s eastern coastline provided outstanding views of mountains, tea farms, and rice paddies. The gorges were deep and wound through the mountains. Winding rivers made their way through these deep mountain gorges. Modern fish farms dotted the countryside. Every time we had a glimpse of the ocean, it was so blue. Not since my days in Hawaii, have I seen water this blue. The rustic beaches, filled with pebbles and unique rock formations ,were amazing. There were dense forests that seemed to carve their way through the gorges. Taiwan’s eastern coastline had caves that had been home for many years to an earlier society . The rocky coast lines was wild with high cliffs and crashing surf. This was eastern Taiwan.

Like nomads we trekked and journeyed through Taiwan’s eastern coastline. This is a land that is still untouched. We spent time with the Aboriginal Amis Tribe. We were delighted to be their guests for dinner. We had no language skills that night, as they did not speak the Mandarin Chinese that we were used to. Neither did they speak the local Taiwanese. They made all the dinner selections for us and what a delightful meal it was. Our time with the Amis Tribe was exhilarating and full of adventure.

So come journey with us down Taiwan’s eastern coastline. It’s not too early to book that perfect adventure for 2015. For more travel tips and information, check out our web sites:

https://www.pinterest.com/exploretraveler/i-love-taiwan/
Exploretraveler.com

 

Hsinchu City Taiwan

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HSINCHU CITY TAIWAN

Welcome to Hsinchu City Taiwan, “the city of New Bamboo”. Cooling breezes coming off the Strait of Taiwan keep the windy city cool and pleasant most of the year. Hsinchu Taiwan is off the main tourist map making it a delightful discovery for the deserning traveler. Hsinchu City Taiwan is over 400 years old and is the oldest city in Northern Taiwan. Chuchang, as it was originally called, was named and inhabited by the Aboriginal Tribe of Taokas. Today, only a small group identify as ethnic Taokas. Most of those who identify as Taokas live around the city of Puli in central Taiwan. The name of the city was changed to Hsinchu during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. Because of it’s rich history, Hsinchu City Taiwan is the perfect home base when visiting northern Taiwan. Those who desire to know and understand the dynasties that ruled the island will find many museums and national historical sites throughout the City of Hsinchu.

Public transportation in the city of Hsinchu is efficient and regular. Buses and scooters are the primary means of getting around Hsinchu. Bright and colorful buses have regular routes throughout the city and the surrounding area. Most of the major tourist sites can be reached by the How-Tai Bus Company . The buses run frequently and are the easiest and most economical way to enjoy the city.

Eighteen Peaks Mountain is a delightful park and dates back to the Japanese Colonial Times. The park is a thick forest that has 18 mountain peaks. Wide paved paths make walking easy and the park is a favorite recreational spot. Take a deep breath and smell the fragrance of the many flowers and shrubs. The east entrance is best reached by buses 1, 1A, 2, 5 or 31. Route 20 will take you to the western entrance of the park.

Hsinchu Botanical Garden has over 300 species of plants. Enjoy discovering the many plants of Taiwan and the secrets that surround them. Learn about the Acacia, the eucalyptus, and the Ceylon olive and their many uses. As a bonus, the Hsinchu Zoo is a 5 minute walk from the garden entrance. This area can be accessed by most of the buses of the city. A short walk takes you to the City God Temple, one of the famous temples in the city. The East Gate Historical Site is also in this area. Constructed from granite with a magnificent arch entrance, this historical wall dates back to the time of the later Qing Dynasty.

These are just a few of the fantastic sites in Hsinchu City Taiwan. Check out the links at the bottom of the page for areas of interest and local accommodations. Discover the many eateries and restaurants that call Hsinchu City Taiwan  home. While there check out the fantastic buffet at the Ambassador Hotel. The variety is unbelievable and the food is some of the best on the island. Let this be the year that you discover the hidden gems of northern Taiwan.Hsinchu City Taiwan is fun, historical, and unique. Come explore with us, this year in Taiwan.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g297906-Hsinchu-Vacations.html

Esploretraveler.com

 

 

Green Island, Taiwan

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Nestled in the channel of the Japanese current off of the Southeastern shores of Taiwan is the hidden gem of Green Island. Less than 21 miles from the main island of Taiwan, this small island in the Pacific, is a paradise for both snorkelers and scuba divers alike. It’s rugged shores and coral reefs are filled with schools of tropical fish and flora. It’s rugged shores have steep cliffs which drop to the coral reefs below. These colorful coral reefs are home to over 300 species of tropical fish. There is also many coves around the island, and an abundance of white sand beaches.

The warm, clear, water surrounding the island makes the perfect environment for all the awesome underwater cityscapes of coral that thrive along the shoreline. There are many different species of coral, each with its own variety of color. All of these coral cityscapes are home to hundreds of different colorful tropical fish. What an adventure is waiting on Green Island!

There are several fascinating underwater adventures available, some not even requiring that you get wet. Several different glass-bottom boat tours are available, as well as semi-submersible and fully submersible tourist submarines. Many causal hiking opportunities are available  and cyclists will enjoy the paths and roads surrounding the island.And for the divers who are qualified, just put on your tanks and enter the fascinating underwater world of Green Island, Taiwan.

No matter if you enjoy hiking, cycling, casual walking, boating, diving,or just want to relax,  there is something for everyone. Those who enjoy history will enjoy a visit to the prisons. Green Island,Taiwan was used for different  types of prisons over the decades, each with their own stories to tell. For those who want to just sit and enjoy the warm water of the hot springs, there are several salt water pools available. So no matter what you want to do, there is something for you on Green Island.

Persimmon Farms of Hsinchu Taiwan

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By ExploreTraveler.com
Persimmon Farms of Hsinchu Taiwan
With all of the excitement we have had traveling around Taiwan sometimes we miss what is in front of us. Thankfully we received an email from a colleague that gave us a heads up about the Persimmon harvest, and preparation here in Hsinchu county.

Post by Exploretraveler.com.

The trip there was very UN-eventful, and started just outside of Jubei Taiwan. From there just outside of town nestled in the hills of the countryside. When we arrived one of the first things we saw was persimmon’s drying outside in the sun in front of the old building within the farm compound. Locals are most the tourists here, and it was very interesting that the farm employees really enjoyed, and encouraged photographs from the beginning. Very seldom in western culture do you see this kind of symbiotic behavior; farms in the USA are mostly off limits and very private.

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Persimmon’s drying in the sun! http://explore1.wpengine.com

View on Instagram

The atmosphere was remarkable for it openness, and interaction with the local staff. One older women would stop and pose every time she rotated persimmon’s drying in racks out in the sun. She would then go to the front of a large stack of these drying racks to take photographs the local tourists. This cycle would repeat about every hour, and every employee would rotate around within the public offering drinks, ice cream, and local persimmon goods for sale.

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Persimmon’s drying in large racks #HsinChu County. http://explore1.wpengine.com View on Instagram


Grounds around the farm were also open for everyone to wonder within the trees, flowers, and other local vegetation. One other important item noted was that other small vendors before, after and during our walk was mixed in along the way. This allowed us to buy persimmon’s fresh, and peeled along the way. Since this was a working farm, animals were also wondering around on the outside the the orchards.

All in all this was a great short trip and highly recommended to anyone who is in the area living, working or just passing through.

ExploreTraveler.com

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Photo of the day – Chili crab Taiwan

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Photo of the day – Chili crab Taiwan

Chili crab in Taiwan “You can never have too much”

Taiwanese Food History

Taiwanese cooking (conventional Chinese: 台灣菜; disentangled Chinese: 台湾菜; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-oân liāu-lí (臺灣料理)) has a few varieties. Notwithstanding the accompanying delegate dishes from the populace of Hoklo (Hō-ló) ethnicity (see Taiwanese individuals), there are likewise Native, Hakka, and nearby subsidiaries of Chinese foods, for example, hamburger noodle soup.

Taiwanese cooking itself is frequently connected with impacts from mid to southern territories of Territory China, most prominently from the area of Fujian (Hokkien), however impacts from all of Terrain China can undoubtedly be found. A striking Japanese impact likewise exists because of the period when Taiwan was under Japanese standard. Customary Chinese nourishment could be found in Taiwan, nearby Fujian and Hakka-style and additionally local Taiwanese dishes, incorporates dishes from Guangdong, Jiangxi, Chaoshan, Shanghai, Hunan, Sichuan and Beijing.

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Post by Exploretraveler.com.

[embedplusvideo height=”400″ width=”450″ editlink=”http://bit.ly/1pw8vle” standard=”http://www.youtube.com/v/LTbgtYHqjEI?fs=1″ vars=”ytid=LTbgtYHqjEI&width=450&height=400&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=1&chapters=&notes=” id=”ep3308″ /] Pork, fish, chicken, rice, and soy are extremely normal parts. Meat is far less basic, and some Taiwanese (especially the elderly era) still shun consuming it.[1] This is to a limited extent because of the contemplations of some Taiwanese Buddhists, a customary hesitance towards butchering valuable dairy cattle required for farming, and an enthusiastic connection and feeling of thankfulness and on account of the creatures customarily utilized for hard work. Nonetheless, because of impacts from the inundation of out of territory Chinese in the early 1900s, the Taiwanese variant of hamburger noodle soup is presently a standout amongst the most prevalent dishes in Taiwan.

Taiwan’s food has additionally been impacted by its geographic area. Living on a packed island, the Taiwanese needed to look aside from the farmlands for wellsprings of protein. Subsequently, fish figures unmistakably in their food. This fish envelops numerous diverse things, from vast fish, for example, fish and grouper, to sardines and considerably more diminutive fish, for example, anchovies. Scavangers, squid, and cuttlefish are likewise consumed.

[embedplusvideo height=”400″ width=”450″ editlink=”http://bit.ly/1pw8JJi” standard=”http://www.youtube.com/v/rShTDrra7J0?fs=1″ vars=”ytid=rShTDrra7J0&width=450&height=400&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=1&chapters=&notes=” id=”ep8505″ /] A pork kiⁿ (羹, kiⁿ), a thick soup with tofu and surimi-covered pork

As a result of the island’s sub-tropical area, Taiwan has an inexhaustible supply of different apples and oranges, for example, papayas, starfruit, melons, and citrus foods grown from the ground. A wide mixed bag of tropical soil grown foods, foreign made and local, are likewise delighted in Taiwan. Other agrarian items by and large are rice, corn, tea, pork, poultry, meat, fish, and different foods grown from the ground. New elements in Taiwan are promptly accessible from businesses.

In a large portion of their dishes, the Taiwanese have demonstrated their innovativeness in their choice of flavors. Taiwanese cooking depends on a bottomless exhibit of seasonings for flavor: soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, matured dark beans, cured daikon, salted mustard greens, peanuts, stew peppers, cilantro (off and on again called Chinese parsley), and a nearby mixture of basil (九層塔 kau-tsan-tha, truly “nine story pagoda”).

A paramount piece of Taiwanese cooking are xiaochi,substantial snacks along the lines of Spanish tapas or Levantine meze.

The Taiwanese xiaochi has picked up much notoriety globally. Numerous voyagers go to Taiwan only for xiaochi. The most well-known spot to delight in xiaochi in Taiwan is in a night market. Every night showcase likewise has its own particular acclaimed xiaochi.

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Post by Exploretraveler.com.

Besides, the Taiwanese xiaochi has been enhancing to a larger amount. These days, Taiwanese xiaochi served in night showcases as well as some extravagance and top of the line restaurants. The costs generally hop 100% or much higher in the restaurants. Likewise, the Taiwanese government backs the Taiwanese xiaochi and has held national