TIME TRAVEL THROUGH TAIWAN

Though it is a relatively small country, Taiwan in East Asia, offers a multitude of options and experiences to visitors, from varied landscapes and cultures to attractions and activities.

- Varsha Singh

Experiences can rarely get more immersive than the one to be had at Dihua Street in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. Said to be the oldest street in the country, Dihua Street is located in the Dadaocheng neighbourhood, by the Tamsui River on Taipei City's west side. Dadaocheng, in turn, is amongst the oldest neighbourhoods in the country, founded in imperial times and around which modern Taipei was built.

With its narrow streets, lined by low-rise buildings, covered with hundreds of lanterns, we found ourselves immersed in Taiwanese culture and traditions the moment we set foot on this street. It almost seemed as if we had landed a few decades back in time, visiting Taiwan through a time machine or watching a movie set back in decades, with its dominating sepia tones displaying the old-world charms.

But what I could not take my eyes off were the traditional Chinese lanterns. Though I had seen similar lanterns on my numerous visits to Chinatown in Kolkata, my hometown, and in San Francisco, seeing them here in Taiwan lent them another level of authenticity and beauty, as they truly belonged here.

We were on a familiarisation trip to Taiwan at the invitation of Taiwan Tourism Administration and had begun our exploration from Dadaocheng area. As our visit coincided with the famed Taiwan Lantern Festival, the entire capital was decorated with colourful lanterns hanging all over us.

The magic lanterns

The effect of these beautiful lanterns was even more captivating in places like Dihua Street and Dadaocheng, as its narrow streets, lined by two or three-storeyed buildings made the lanterns appear even bigger, hanging like hundreds of colourful stars that had suddenly descended upon us.