Traveling on an air- line you haven’t been on before is an adventure in itself.
During an overseas flight that spans more than 10 hours, you desire that level of comfort where you can extend your limbs and catch some sleep. in the hours you find yourself awake staring at the in-flight map and wondering ‘are we there yet?’, you seek options for entertainment, whether it’s onboard Wi-Fi or a wide selection of Tv shows and movies. On top of these amenities, a budget-friendly price tag for the ticket and no extra or exorbitant charges for check-in luggage are always ma- jor considerations.
For the modern day traveler, such requests aren’t that far reaching and it was a trip aboard eva air that brought these ele- ments together.
Recently, i boarded eva air’s flight to Taipei out of los angeles international airport (laX). after a stopover in Taipei, i would then proceed to Cebu to experience the airline’s newly launched daily service from los angeles.
For the next 13 hours, a seat in the elite Class section of the aircraft — a happy medium be- tween economy and business class — was my resting place where i could extend my legs and fully recline. When i settled in, an amenity kit, slippers, pillow and blanket were provided, mak- ing me feel at ease even before takeoff.
In front of me was a personal interactive entertainment system that housed Tv shows, movies, and video games, complete with a power socket and USB port on the side, just in case any of my electronics needed charging mid- flight. There was on-board Wi-Fi, which was surprisingly fast, so i could catch up on my e-mails.
The flight attendants would periodically check in to see how passengers were faring and would deliver meals to our seats, even if we missed the scheduled ser- vice. Passengers in this section can choose either a Western or Chinese meal, which is served on chinaware and doesn’t seem like you are eating that stereotypically underwhelming and unappetizing airplane food.
Surely, these are all small but important details that assuage the length of air travel.
24 hours in Taipei
Along with the tour group i par- ticipated in, we landed at Taipei’s Taoyuan international airport at 5 am prepared for the full schedule ahead. Personally, i emerged from the plane well-rested and produc- tive because i used the travel time to sleep and write, which is rare for me because my usual experi- ences on other long-haul flights have meant either not getting enough sleep or work done.
For those going on to Cebu, eva’s flight departs Taipei at 7:10 am, so there is not that much downtime in between the arriv- ing flight from la. The airport has a few kiosks and eateries that open early in the morning in case travelers want to grab a bite or refreshment.
However, our tour group de- cided to stay another day to get a sampling of Taipei. This was my second time in Taipei, and i was excited to revisit a few monuments and destinations that the city has to offer and see the progress over the past two years.
The Taiwan Tourism Board organizes free half-day city tours — either in the morning (from 8 am to 1 pm) or afternoon (from 1:30 pm to 6:30 pm) — for those who have a 7 to 24-hour layover. Once travelers land at the airport, they can register for one of the tour slots at the Tourist Service Center located in the airport’s ar- rival lobby. For a minimal fee, lug- gage can be stored at the airport baggage service counter before boarding the tour bus.
At 8 am, we loaded onto our bus and began the journey outside of the airport with a local guide named leslie, who would educate and entertain us with Taiwanese culture and history throughout the day.
Our first stop was Shou Xin Fang Creativity Wagashi and Cultural Center in the city’s Da’an District. it’s a famous confection- ary that produces and sells Tai- wanese desserts, like pineapple cake and various flavors of mochi and mooncakes, to name a few. Most of us were still adjusting to the sunlight and time difference, so being interactive and using our hands to make red bean mochi was a good way to start off the day. We got to take our flower-shaped creations with us — perfect for an afternoon snack in between tour stops. next, we walked around the facility and saw bakery items being made and sampled products at the store. For those thinking of souvenirs, you can’t go wrong with the pineapple cake and strawberry and chocolate mochi.
Next, we trekked to the Zushi Temple, a Taoist temple in the Sanxia district. as leslie ex- plained, this temple dates back to the late-1700s and has been restored after it was in ruins from World War ii. Today, it is an artistic place of worship, made of carved stone with bronze columns and statues of gods, lions, and dragons, which bear stories of their own. (Have your tour guide explain the various worshipping rituals and gods.) even if you don’t practice Taoism, the temple is a must-visit destination. i spent an hour inside admiring the intricate details at every corner and observ- ing individuals praying or lighting up incense.
Since we had more time to wander around before lunch, we walked through the Old Street of the district, which featured red brick hallways and Baroque- style architecture from the Japanese occupation of the country. The tour- ist-friendly shops offer items such as handicrafts, croissants shaped like a ‘bull horn’ and fresh fruits. if you are curious, taste one of the bull horn croissants, either plain or with fill- ing, to see what the hype is about. it is not flaky like the traditional French pastry, but rather crunchy on the outside with a soft center.
At lunch, we were treated to a multi-course meal at Dian Shui Lou (not part of the free tour), a fine-dining Chinese/Shanghai- nese restaurant that is considered one of Taiwan’s best. The table was adorned with plates of fresh fish, fried rice, pan-fried noodles, vegetables, and xiao long bao, thin-skinned soup dumplings stuffed with meat and crab. eating this type of dumpling involves a routine (though there is not only one way to follow): gently use chopsticks to pick one up at the top, dip it into a black vinegar and ginger concoction, place it on the spoon, and then poke a small hole to release the steam before silently slurping up the broth and chewing the meat. a trip to the country is definitely not complete without eating these dumplings, which are perhaps the most recognized symbol of Tai- wanese cuisine. at the end of the meal, we had steamed buns filled with egg custard to give us that appropriate amount of sweetness to cleanse the palate.
With full stomachs, we began the afternoon tour at the Zhong- zheng District, where the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is lo- cated. The national monument was erected in honor of Chiang Kai-shek, president of the repub- lic of China from 1928 to 1975. Before going up the white stairs (which has 89 steps to represent the leader’s age when he passed away, as leslie encouraged us to count one by one), we basked in the grandiose structure from afar. The blue octagonal roof and four white walls symbolize the lucky number 8. To the sides of the monument sit a lush park, the National Theater, and national Concert Hall.
Every hour from 9 am to 4 pm is the Changing of the guards Ceremony, an exhibition of utmost discipline and synchro- nization. We caught the 3 pm ceremony and for those 15 minutes, visi- tors swarmed into the hall. it was completely si- lent inside, except for the sounds the guards made when twirling their guns or stomping their shoes.
Our sightseeing excursion ended at the Longshan Temple, a place of worship dedicated to guanyin, the bodhisattva of mercy. By the time we got there, clouds of smoke emitted from incense holders in the main and back halls as worshippers chanted and placed food offerings and flowers on the tables. Over 100 gods and goddesses are located inside; among them is Yue lao (translated to “Old Man Under the Moon”), also known as the god of matchmaking. leslie directed us to that god so we could wit- ness young people, particularly women, praying to him.
At the end of our daylong tour, we checked into Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, a sanctuary nestled in the middle of Taipei’s business district. When i entered my room, i was greeted by classi- cal music, an introductory letter, a bowl of fruits, and a tray of delec- table sweets that said “Welcome to Taipei” — all testaments to the five-star hotel’s hospitality.
The room itself, which the hotel describes as a modern version of historical Song dynasty décor, had a spacious mirrored hallway, walk-in closet, bathroom with glass shower and bathtub, queen- sized bed and sitting area by the window.
That night, it was an internal conflict between lounging around the luxurious room or using up the limited hours i had left in the city.
If you’re curious to walk around the hotel, climb up to the 43rd floor and you’ll find a rooftop swimming pool and a panoramic view of the city, a marvelous glimpse to catch especially when the sun is setting.
For food and drinks, the ho- tel offers nine restaurants and bars, ranging from Cantonese to Japanese to italian offerings. The tour group had dinner at Shang Palace located on the 6th floor of the hotel. The indulgent, creative eight-course meal con- sisted of black fungus marinated with sweetened black vinegar, chilled sliced abalone with spicy sauce, shrimp and crab roe; double-boiled chicken soup with matsutake mushroom and conch; braised sea cucumber with bam- boo and mushrooms; steamed crab pinchers in kaoliang wine; braised bird’s nest with shrimp, milk, ham and white egg; fried rice with scallops and crab; herb- al jelly served with honey sauce; and a fresh fruit platter.
If you have one night in Taipei to spare, do not miss a visit to Tai- pei 101 — the tallest skyscraper in the city where you can ride a fast elevator to the top and admire a sweeping view of the metropolis — or one of the night markets (i.e. guangzhou night Market near longshan Temple) to try street food and exotic delicacies.
Our sightseeing itinerary over the past 24 hours was merely a teaser of what Taipei has to offer. i’ll be back to explore more of Taiwan’s destinations and write about them.
The next morning, I headed to Cebu via eva air, ready to begin the next leg of my travels.
EVA Air’s flight to Cebu & more sights from the southern Philip- pine city to be continued in the next issue…
Acknowledgements
A special thank you to EVA Air, Taiwan Tourism Board and Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan. More details on EVA’s inflight hospi- tality, services and schedule are available at www.evaair.com. To learn more about Taiwan Tourism Board’s half-day tour, please visit http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/tour/in- dex.htm. Information regarding Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel can be found at http://www. shangri-la.com/taipei/fareastern- plazashangrila/.
