5/27/23
Another beautifully packed day (let’s pretend I’m not writing this the day after)! Today we went to the Tamsui organic farm, which is one of Tse-Xin’s farms. It was a gorgeous (read: hot) day to see the terraced rows and greenhouses at the farm. On the walk, we learned about the volcanic rock that is a building block for the terraces, walls and homes in Nanshipu. The farm itself was relatively small but was still home to many different interesting trees and crops. We saw cinnamon, lychee, and grape trees as well as loofah and gourd plants. There were also many yummy vegetables that were almost ready to be harvested such as cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants. One of my favorite parts of the day, during a tour of the farm, was getting to see their bee hives. They taught us about the relationships and structures that honey bees create in their hives and then showed us examples of each type of bee in real life. We even got to try the honey and hold the comb!
Our visit was not only to see the functions of the organic farm (which was less of working farm and more of a learning farm) but also to do some exciting activities related to the food that was grown there. We got to be creative with shaping rice dough surrounding sweet red bean paste, which was later steamed. We also created tie-dye handkerchiefs using turmeric dye. While these activities were a blast, the best part of the visit hands down was lunch. We were given bento boxes full of different forms of rice, tofu and vegetables along with a passion fruit drink and a fruity dessert. This was certainly the most delicious meal I had for all of the trip so far (and I’ve had some very good food). There were words of approval around the whole room and we all left stuffed.
In the afternoon, we visited The National Palace Museum to see ancient Chinese artifacts that used to reside in the emperor’s palace. It had a vast collection of artifacts from Taiwan’s history that accumulated when Chiang Kai-Shek fled mainland China with his defeated Nationalist party in the late 1940s. They miraculously transported treasures all the way from the Imperial Palace, through warzones, across the sea, and to Taiwan. This feat is an incredible demonstration of cultural preservation, which differs from Western ideologies that may sacrifice culture for individuals. We observed and appreciated historic pottery, paintings, tapestries, jewelry, porcelain books, jade, bronze, and more.
We finished the day with a trip to Jiu Fen street (where the idea for the streets in Spirited Away came from!!). And collectively, we left with many yummy treats and trinkets.