Taiwan 2023: A Road Warrior's Dispatch
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Hey, thanks to my job, I've been to Taiwan twice in the past 23 years, mainly staying in Hsinchu. I've already visited Tainan a few times a couple of years back and more or less made the rounds on the entire island, so this time I only spent the weekend in Taipei.
This isn't some grand travel plan, just a collection of my random musings and thoughts about what I saw.
Hsinchu is not exactly a typical tourist city:
- My activities were largely confined to the old town, the Hsinchu Science Park (famous for TSMC, affectionately known among locals as "Zukor"), Guangfu Road that connects them, and areas around two universities.
- The city has an aura of history. That said, there are expensive, modern towering buildings around Xinzhuang Station (a train station in Hsinchu City) and Zhuben (a city in Hsinchu County, bordering Hsinchu City). According to my colleagues' insider information, half of the twenty richest communities in Taiwan might be located here... (thanks to TSMC!)
Comparing the cost of living expenses for office workers between Shanghai and Hsinchu (I usually make a living in Shanghai), I noticed:
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In 2017, it seemed that southern city Tainan's prices were lower than Hsinchu, but this time I found that Hsinchu's prices might be steeper.
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Back then, one US dollar was about equivalent to 4.2 Taiwanese dollars based on exchange rates. A regular roadside meal at a small restaurant ended up costing above 100 Taiwanese dollars.
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Even taxi drivers had gripes that rice lunch boxes that cost 120 Taiwanese dollars were up!
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餐饮警告：新竹的价格可能比你想像的要高！ → Note for food lovers: Expect Hsinchu prices to be higher than expected!
- For example, I tried a popular street grilled meat lunch box, with only three pieces of meat for 100 Taiwanese dollars. Another roasted chicken lunch box set costed 70 Taiwanese dollars, tasted bland as well.
- In comparison, in Shanghai, you can enjoy meals like large mantou (steamed bun) with soup, Shaxian cuisine, or Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles for as little as 10 to 20 RMB.
- Even popular chains like Japanese curry shops, the price difference makes it evident that Taiwan's prices are higher.
- Money-saving tip: Ask locals about where they often eat, or consider eating at convenience stores.
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To my delight, I once enjoyed fantastic Vietnamese pho at Dongmen Market in Hsinchu's old city, but unfortunately, the store was closed when I went back a second time...
Regarding bookstores, in addition to the well-known Eslite Bookstore, I visited local “Or Huowen Bookstore,” “Rose Colored Used Bookstore,” and Taipei's “Kuo Yi Mei Bookstore,” “A Bookstore,” and “Qui Fu Ju.” Nearby bookstore ‘Chunqiu’ did not catch my fancy and hence, didn’t explore much.
- Bookworm tip: Beware of the relatively higher book prices in Taiwan!
Moreover, I feel international hotel chains seem to have weaker influence in Taiwan now.
During this visit, I stayed at the Grand Hotel in Hsinchu and Hilton Hotel in Banqiao. Given that I have stayed overnight in the Xinying Hotel in Tainan before these past few years, overall, my most pleasant experiences lie with Taipei Xinying.
Meanwhile, here are some snippets from my accommodation experiences:
- The Grand Hotel in Hsinchu may have aged slightly.
- The Hilton Hotel’s breakfast wasn’t satisfying...
- Nonetheless, Taiwan hotels typically provide sound service.
- Tips for picking hotels: Check different platforms' recent reviews before booking rooms to avoid certain unpleasantness.
In a more reflective way, I find Taiwan's cultural activities and design creativity quite fascinating.
Similar to organizations that promote social activity displays, the planning and revitalization of culture industry parks like how we perceive Beijing 798 in China for example.
As a non-expert in this regard, I tend to feel these areas only superficially.
Taipei's Academia Sinica (akin to a top notch academic institution in Taiwan) which houses an ethnological museum, artifact exhibition hall, along with former house of respected scholar Hu Shi’s Museum, is recommended if these are of your interest.
When I mentioned this place to clients, they seemed surprised; it's still open to the public!
Taiwanese rock band 'Wu Wang Huo You She Hui (previously "Wu Du") has lyrics that roughly translate as "To be just as human as you."
On a few occasions, I even sang this phrase at bookstores and museums when asked about differences between people on both sides of the strait.
Actually, there exist a lot of misunderstandings and biases towards each other among the younger generation of Taiwan and Mainland. Hope everyone would put more effort into mutual understanding and communication.
Looking forward, I wish there'll be another chance next year where I could meet old friends and make new ones in Taiwan...
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Hi, were you flying from Shanghai?
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Yes... flew from Shanghai Pudong to Taoyuan.
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You're welcome to visit Taipei again anytime! If you need help or don't want to have dinner alone, just give me a shout.
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Thanks! Let's see if I get a chance to visit Taiwan again next year.
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That's a very good description.