Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the home of the US ambassador. There is also a branch of SPOT at Huashan 1914 Creat-
ive Park (
Click here
)
.
Shopping
With its endless markets, back-alley emporiums, speciality shops and glittering shopping
malls, Taipei offers the complete gamut of shops and shopping experiences. Go local and
you can't go wrong. Taiwan has a rich tradition of wood, ceramic, metal and glass pro-
duction and young designers are now pushing the envelope with everything from cloth-
ing and stationery to tea sets. Agricultural products, from organic teas and coffees to dark
sesame oil, pineapple cakes and tropical fruit jams, are also superb.
tp://otop.tw
)
website.
Hakka Blue
CERAMICS
(Kèjiā Lán;
www.hakka-blue.com
; 67 Dihua St; 11am-7pm; Zhongshan)
In a restored long-
shop from 1923, this exceptional ceramic studio sells works inspired by the indigo colour
of Hakka clothing. Its spice rack set, with individual holders shaped like little
xiǎolóng
bāo
(steamed dumplings), is probably the most original gift you can take home from
Taiwan.
Lin Mao Sen Tea Co
DRINK
(
quality_tea@hotmail.com
;
195-3 Chongqing N Rd, Sec 2; 8am-10pm; Daqiaotou)
This is re-
portedly the oldest tea- selling shop in Taipei, going back some 133 years. The current
fourth-generation merchants are more than happy to talk tea and let you sample the
wares, which sit in large metal drums about the warehouse. Prices per
jin
(600g) are writ-
ten clearly on the top of each drum.
Ming Xing Dao
ANTIQUES
(Míng Xíng Dào;
www.facebook.com/mingxingdao
;
358 Dihua St, Sec 1; 10am-8pm Tue-Fri, to
5.30pm Sat & Sun; Daqiaotou)
One of Taipei's most interesting small antique shops is
run by an ordained lama. This is where you go for your Yuan dynasty Islam-influenced
double-necked vases or rare Tibetan
thangkas,
but there are also many affordable items