Laotoubai Hakka Cuisine (老頭擺客家餐廳)

June 10, 2015 in Travel, Photo Post, Hakka, Taoyuan

Taipei has some of the hippest, stylish restaurants that you'll find anywhere in the world. Wherever you go in the city, you will be overwhelmed by the design of some of the restaurants and when it comes to food, Taiwan is extremely well-versed in the culinary arts. We are also lucky to have Food bloggers like the Hungry Girl's Guide to Taipei who do an excellent job of introducing new places and keeping us up to date on what the new trends in dining are in the city!

When modern design is what you are used to, it can sometimes be a bit strange to walk into a restaurant like Laotoubai (老頭擺客家餐廳) here in Taoyuan and not feel a sense of awe as you will be dining in a home that is over one hundred years old and certainly spares no effort not to look it!

As far as the food goes, Laotoubai is your typical Hakka-style restaurant which serves up all the traditional dishes you would expect. Their take on Ginger Intestines (薑絲大腸) and Salty Pork (鹹豬肉) are the best I've had (I live in a predominately Hakka area) and their fresh River Shrimp (炸溪哥) are taken from the river next to the restaurant!

The food is only one reason why this restaurant is so awesome though and actually isn't the reason why I'm posting an article about a restaurant on a photography blog. The house, which seems to be a mansion is the former residence of Hakka farmers and is a large traditional three-section house (三合院) which still features a lot of the old furniture and decorations the original inhabitants would have used.

A large family having dinner in the main dining room with a rice tiller outside.

Each of the dining rooms in the restaurant has something cool and of historical value to see including traditional beds, old dressers, mirrors, wall paintings, scrolls, record players, farming hats and antique tools such as a rice tiller.

The restaurant is great for exploring and they don't waste time with plaques to explain everything like a museum does.

While I was walking around taking photos, a few parents were also walking around with their children explaining what all the antiques were used for which was teaching a valuable lesson of Taiwan's history that they probably wouldn't have gotten in any textbooks.

A dining room in what was once a living room.

I've been to this restaurant several times over the years and it has always been one of my favourite in the area I live in - While it can be busy, it isn't similar to those in Taipei as you won't likely need to make reservations (unless you need one of the larger dining rooms.)

In summer, I prefer sitting outside in the courtyard on the picnic tables to enjoy the weather. If you choose to sit outside, they have a few tamed chickens that walk around keeping you company!

Whether you're looking for great food or dining in a place where you can learn a bit about the past, this restaurant is a great example of both - and also proves that you don't have to shell out wads of cash for the hippest interior designer in town to attract business!

It also provides excellent light and is appealing to the eye of a photographer!

Food Shots from my iPhone

I don't take food shots with my camera, but I'm not above taking some with my iPhone - Here are some shots of the food I had the night I visited. As mentioned above, my favourites were the Salty Pork and the Ginger Intestines! Hakka Cuisine is one of the best to be sampled in Taiwan and if you are in the country you should definitely give it a try!

梅干扣肉－ Braised Pork with Stewed Vegetables

How to get there:

Address/地址: 325 桃園縣龍潭鄉中正路三坑段546號 / #546 Chung-Cheng Road (Sankeng Section) Longtan Village, Taoyuan County.

Telephone: +886 3-4711359 / Website (Chinese Only)

Gallery / Flickr (High Res Shots)

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Tung Blossoms (油桐花)

May 06, 2015 in Photo Post, Landscape, Taoyuan, Hakka

Growing up in Canada for the first 22 years of my life, one thing I could always count on was that the first few months of the year would be both cold and full of snow. This year was a long winter for Canadians and even though its May, I've seen people from home posting on social media that it is STILL snowing! I'm sure most Canadians would agree that while our winter has its beauty, it tends to get old quick and we all eagerly await the arrival of spring!

My life in Taiwan on the other hand is completely different as the natural environment seems to change colours almost monthly. When the colours change here, it is a great time for photography as there is always something new to shoot and always a reason to get out and enjoy nature!

The first few months of the year bring us Taiwan Cherries (山櫻花), Rhododnendron (杜鵑花), Peach Blossoms (桃花), Yoshino Cherries (吉野櫻) and Calla Lilies (海芋) which in turn bring out massive crowds of people to the places they grow. The people of Taiwan have a lot of respect for their natural environment as well as the abundant floral environment that we have here, so these areas have become tourist attractions especially in spring when people tend to relax and have more vacation time.

In April and May forests in the country turn white with the popular Tung Blossoms (油桐花) that line mountains and hillsides around the country. Taiwanese people often refer to Tung Blossoms as "April Snow" or "May Snow" (depending on when they are in full bloom) and their arrival attracts people from all over the country.

The Tung Tree (油桐樹), a deciduous tree that can grow up to 20 meters tall and is endemic to south China and Burma was originally brought to Taiwan by the Japanese during the occupation period and was planted in mountainous areas in north-western Taiwan.

The cultivation of the tree was important economically to the Hakka people who lived in the areas where the trees were planted and thus started a long-lasting relationship between the Hakka people and the tree that continues to this day.

The tree brought with it economic benefits as its seeds were instrumental in the production of Tung Oil which was used to make paint, varnish, caulking and wood finish while the wood in turn was used for making everything from furniture to toothpicks.

Blossoms that have landed on a moss-covered stone.

When the economic benefits of the Tung tree eventually subsided, the tree transformed into a symbol of the Hakka people who showed their respect for the economic prosperity the tree brought them.

In 2002 the Council for Hakka Affairs started the "Hakka Tung Blossom Festival" (客家桐花祭) an annual event that takes places during the blooming season as a way to promote Hakka culture. The event attracts crowds of people into Hakka-dominant areas of the country to not only see the Tung Blossoms but to experience Hakka culture and cuisine.

Tung Blossoms on a Mountain Hiking Trail.

When Tung Blossoms are in bloom, there are areas set up in New Taipei City (新北市), Taoyuan (桃園市), Hsinchu (新竹縣) and Miaoli (苗栗縣) where people can view the blossoms and in turn experience Hakka culture.

One of the coolest things about the Tung blossoms is that in areas where they grow in abundance they tend to turn hiking trails 'white' as the blossoms fall to the ground. The blossoms falling also gives off an effect of snow falling in the forests which is beautiful as hundreds of them are falling around you while you're hiking.

On the weekends people will travel from all parts of the country to come and see the blossoms, hike a bit and have some food.

Tung Blossoms are popular with people of all ages, but recently especially with young Taiwanese couples who enjoy hiking into the mountains to have impromptu photoshoots with the Tung Blossoms.

Its also common that people will gather some of the blossoms that have fallen on the ground and arrange them into hearts or other shapes or even make a Tung blossom halo that they put around their heads. I visited two different areas to get the shots I used in this blog and in the areas I visited I saw the blossoms arranged in heart shapes, in the shape of Taiwan, and in the Chinese character for love (愛)

Personally, I much prefer taking shots of the blossoms in their natural surroundings. I like taking shots of them while they're still on the tree and I like how they look when they land on the ground or in a river or mountain stream. I'm not really big on the blossoms being arranged in heart shapes for a photo opportunity - but we all look at photography in different ways and it is a very subjective form of art.

Tung Blossoms that have fallen on a hiking trail.

Tung Blossoms that have fallen on a hand rail.

Now that it is May, we still have a week or two left for viewing Tung Blossoms. I recommend if you want to see the blossoms before they're all gone for the year that you should get yourself to Miaoli, Hsinchu or here in Taoyuan to check them out.

UPDATE: Most of the Tung Blossoms have already fallen off the trees in most places around the country. There are still a few places to see them I think, but make sure you refer to the link below before you go to one of the locations to save yourself from disappointment!

I'm linking to the Tung Blossom Festival website which has a lot of information in English and Chinese on how to get to the specific areas where you will have the best chance to see the blossoms before they're gone!

2015 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival

Cute! Tung Blossoms arranged in the shape of a heart.

Gallery / Flickr (High Res Shots)

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Source: http://www.goteamjosh.com/

A Walk Through Daxi (大溪老街)

April 11, 2015 in Photo Post, Travel, Hakka, Taoyuan

Daxi Old Street (大溪老街) is probably one of the nicer and more well-maintained of all of Taiwan’s old-streets. The street, which is also known as “Peace Street” (和平路) is renowned in Taiwan for it's architectural style and it draws large crowds of people on weekends wanting to experience a bit of Taiwanese history.

The government has recently started to push for more foreign tourism in the area, opening Taiwan’s first “Traveler's Space” which will offer multi-lingual services, self-guided tour maps and samples of some of the specialties that Daxi has to offer.

I visit Daxi often as it is relatively close to where I live and when I go, it is always on the weekends when it is busiest – This time (much like my walk through Beipu Old Street) I wanted to walk around the relatively empty streets on a weekday and explore the back alleys behind the street for a glimpse into the lives of the residents of the village and not have a bunch of people filling my frames.

Even though I've visited several times, I've never really explored many of the streets and alleys around the main street. I was surprised this time to find several streets and alleys that were more or less the same as the Old Street in architectural-style (however showing a bit of their age due to a lack of maintenance.)

One of the few statues of CKS that still has its head attached.

The Daxi River Valley area is already quite popular with domestic tourists and those from China as well because Daxi is the resting place of former presidents Chiang Kai Shek (蔣介石) and Chiang Ching Kuo (蔣經國.) The Chiang family was quite fond of the village back in the day and had residences in the town and outside of the town in Cihu (慈湖) which is where the Chiang’s lie in state.

Tourists from China who visit Taiwan often visit these areas to show their respect to the Chiang’s, who were important figures in modern Chinese history despite the precarious nature of the political situation between the two countries and the Chiang family legacy in both China and Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War.

Long before Chiang and his Nationalists retreated to Taiwan from China, Daxi was a commercially successful village that found its riches exporting tea and camphor. The Old Street was originally constructed as a shortcut to transport goods to the river and as the economy grew in the village, businesses soon starting popping up along the street.

The wealthy merchants in the village wanted a way to show off a bit of their prosperity so they hired artisans to come and help design and carve beautiful stone designs on their homes and businesses along the main street and the streets around it. What you see today is a neighbourhood designed in the "baroque" style of architecture (which was popular in Europe at the time) fused with both Chinese and Japanese influences.

The village thrived for decades due to trade between the Dahan River (大漢溪) and the Danshui River (淡水河) but improved modes of transportation took over as the preferred method of moving goods back and forth which dealt somewhat of an economic blow to the village.

Even though the economy started to decline, people in the village continued to do well for themselves through the end of the Japanese occupation and the Nationalist takeover. The village was eventually adopted by the Chiang family as a retreat of sorts and within the last few decades it has became a tourist “old street” for people who want to experience the feeling of walking through a historical street that seems more like a Hollywood set than a real-life town.

A young boy at the gate of the Shou-De Zen Buddhist Temple

History alone however wouldn't bring the masses to the village on the weekends. Taiwan is a food-crazed country and people are willing to travel all over just to try specific dishes. Luckily, Daxi has quite a few of its own delicacies to add to the historical attraction. If you visit Daxi and are completely unaware of what the popular dishes are, one indication would be the store fronts that have long lines of people waiting to sample some of the foods.

There is a variety of food that you can eat while on the Old Street and there are a lot of vendors who set up each and every day along the road making it seem a little like a night market. You should be sure to try some of the most popular dishes though, namely the Dried Tofu (豆乾), some Tofu Pudding (豆花) and freshly made Peanut Candy (花生糖.)

The Main Street is also filled with small shops selling traditional toys for children as well as souvenirs and other Taiwan-related things - and even some kimonos if you so desire!

As mentioned before, on this visit I spent the most of my time on the streets adjacent to the Main Street as it is the area where the actual residents do their every day shopping and where you can see the locals in their natural environment. In these areas you can find small restaurants filled with local people as well as traditional grocery stores and farmers selling local produce. To me, these areas are a lot more interesting than touristy areas and I recommend that if you visit Daxi, you spend a bit of your day wandering around the adjacent streets and don't spend all your time on the old street.

A local farmer selling produce on a street near Daxi Old Street

Walking along the other old roads like this will also take you past old Japanese-era buildings, the former summer residence of Chiang Kai-Shek, some well-maintained Fujian-style mansions and a mountainside park that has an excellent view of the popular Daxi bridge (大溪橋.) and the fading Da-Han river. Most Taiwanese people visit Daxi make the bridge an important part of their itinerary as it is quite beautiful walking across it at night. Taiwanese people have an affection for bridges that foreigners have a hard time understanding. The Daxi Bridge is a historical one though and I guess I can see some of the appeal.

A Fujian-Style Mansion at the end of the Old Street

The old street also has three important places of worship, the biggest being Fu-Ren temple (福仁宮) a multi-faith temple, Shou-De Zen Buddhist Temple (修德禪寺) and Po-Chai Taoist Temple (普濟堂.) The temples hold several major events religious events each year (one of which I hope to shoot this year) and are quite important to the village both historically and culturally.

An old Japanese-era building near the Old Street (武德殿) — An old Japanese-era building near the Old Street (武德殿)

Daxi Old Street can be a pretty busy place, yet for all the years I've been going, I haven't really seen many foreigners. Some might not know about the village, and others may feel it is an inconvenient day trip. I hope the new initiative by the government will bring in more foreign tourists to enjoy the sights and learn about the history of the village. If you are relying on public transportation to get to the village, then you will be a bit limited in what you can do, but if you have your own method of transportation, you can easily fill an entire day in the area and I highly recommend some of the other attractions.

Coincidentally as I'm standing on the sidewalk with my iPad in hand in Taipei waiting for a bus and writing this blog, a bus drove by on the other side of the road with a full-side English advertisement for the village in an attempt to bring foreigners.

It is quite evident there is a push to promote Daxi, so I hope the next time I go I can see some more foreign faces!

Getting to Daxi Old Street

No. 1 National Highway(國道一號) -> Taoyuan Interchange (桃園交流道) -> No. 4 Provincial Highway(台4線) -> Daxi (桃園大溪) -> Heping Road, Zhongshan Road & Zhongyang Road (和平路及中山路、中央路)

No. 1 National Highway(國道一號) -> Pingzhen Interchange (平鎮交流道) -> No. 61 Provincial Highway (台61線) -> Daxi (桃園大溪) -> Heping Road, Zhongshan Road & Zhongyang Road (和平路及中山路、中央路)

No. 3 National Highway (國道一號) -> Daxi Interchange (大溪交流道) -> Chiding (崎頂) -> Daxi (大溪)-> Heping Road, Zhongshan Road & Zhongyang Road (和平路及中山路、中央路)

By Bus:
Take Taoyuan Bus 桃園客運#5096 (Taoyuan-Daxi route) from the back of Taoyuan Train Station (桃園後火車站) to Daxi (大溪) or take Taoyuan Bus 桃園客運#5096 (Zhongli-Daxi route) from the rear exit of the Zhongli Train Station (中壢車站)