The Power of Magic Potions: Taipei & Lukang

10.12

At noon on December 10 our two adventurers landed in the bustling capital of Taiwan, Taipei. The first quest was to find the way to our humble lodging. We took a bus. The hostel was really nice, especially in comparison to our mediocre one in Seoul. The afternoon was spend snacking a variety of streetfood and exploring temples and night markets in the surrounding area. A highlight of the dinner was a Michelin star steamed bun which tasted so good, it would even make Sam Gamgee happy (even though it did not contain any potatoes).

11.12.

The following morning we took the metro to the Taipei 101. The name might suggest that we partook in a lecture about the basic social rules of Taipei, but no. Taipei 101 is a cloud tickling tower of stone and glass. The whole area was bustling with shoppers and futuristic glass facades lined the avenues, so unlike the rest of the city we have seen so far. So we channelled our very best inner inside-out chameleon and adapted: venturing through shopping malls and got some boba tea. Side notes I just need to get out here: who the heck is in charge of the clothing stores here? Who buys sweaters and thick woollen hats when it is 30 °C outside??? I wanted to buy shorts because it is hot outside! I have enough warm clothes! The other side note is that boba is overrated I just can´t see how semi chewy bits of tapioca improve my tea experience. As we realised that the futuristic world of shopping districts is not our ideal environment, we ventured on to a place of memory. A grand hall made to remember none other than Dr. Sun Yat-Sen! There is no need to explain the grandeur of the structure or the topics of the exhibition, he was after all known as the founder of modern China. After the hustle of the morning we had exquisite streetfood lunch and took a break in a park. By now we have perfected the art of relaxation to a point where we were approached by strangers while napping in the shade of rustling trees. In the deeply untroubled state of mind, we graciously allowed the nice stranger and his assistant to interview us for his YouTube channel. The catch was that he was really interested in the German view of Taiwan. What Taiwan was best known for in Germany, his tip was “stinky tofu” a local speciality. Now imagine dear reader how you would explain to a very enthusiastic Taiwanese, that no one in Germany has ever heard of stinky tofu and that most Germans probably couldn´t rightly locate Taiwan on a map. But overall, the conversation went smoothly. After our break we visited another memorial hall, even more impressive and grand. For the well-known authoritarian leader Chiang Kai-Shek. When the sun kissed the horizon we dined at another night market and let the day come to an end.

12.12.

On the twelfth day of the twelfth month, we arrived at the place where we would finally rediscover long-lost, but vital information for our survival. The might and power of magic potions. But first, we explored the area around our accommodation in Taipei. After lunch, we set out to our next destination. A fuel-driven carriage carried us to Lukang. At this point in our adventure, we have spent a lot of time on a variety of carriages, but this one was exquisite! We relished in the luxury of a wireless internet connection, and it was the first bus we took on our trip that had a toilet! We arrived in Lukang at six in the afternoon and went out to get dinner at one of the many street food stands. It was great, but as usual the portions were not large enough so of course we got another snack: spring rolls. We both had spring rolls before so sort of knew what to expect. One thing every adventurer learns over and over on their travels your expectations are usually wrong. The meat filled spring rolls were seasoned with sugar and cinnamon. On the upside, we also got the first magic juice in Lukang. Filled with the wondrous effects of the Bromeliaceae plant and L-ascorbic acid our mood lifted to highs we would chase again and again the following days.

13.12.

The next morning, we broke our fast at the restaurant of the lovely woman who also run the homestay where we stayed. Afterwards, we got our next magic juice, this time a concoction we decided to name jae or Teaft. Filled not only with ascorbic acid to strengthen our immune system and boost our mood but also with a chemical of the methylxanthine class (stimulant of the central nervous system). The magic of this potion had the ability to transform our brains from Bombur in Mirkwood after he fell into the black river to Hickup in “how to Train Your Dragon”. With 500 mL of potion in our hands we set forth to discover the winding streets and hidden temples of Lukang. The temples were very impressive with a lot of colourful decorations such as winding dragons and roaring tigers. Those were definitely our favourite temples so far! Throughout the day our inner hobbits got too excited about the street food that is literally everywhere, so we snacked throughout the day. One of the best foods was the fried tofu, just too good. In the afternoon we got another pint of magic potion to fuel our afternoon. These potions cause a state of mind that we soon supplemented by a playlist because music makes life even better. However, we still struggled with how to perfectly describe this state of mind (we would eventually name it “strolling through Berg with Sid”). Before dinner we recorded another episode for our podcast, which I’m sure, my dear readers, you will all listen to attentively when it launches. Another great attribute of our magic potions is their healing powers. Sina who was struggling with a cough throughout our journey through Korea is now nearly back at full strength.