Su’ao is a colorful harbor town with its back to the mountains and its face to the sea. It has developed in the foothills of Mt. Qixing with the Pacific Ocean on one side. Its “Su’ao mirage” was once considered one of the eight wonders of the Lanyang Plain. Today it is a transit hub for road, rail and sea transportation.
Immerse yourself in a cold spring with a temperature of 22°C (which it stays at throughout the year), then quietly remain there without moving, and your body will begin to feel hot. As bubbles cover your skin, you may get a sensation that has been described as being like soaking in soda pop. Have you ever had this experience?
“Taiwan’s vibrant hot-spring culture has fostered the development of a saltwater hot spring on Green Island rivaling those of the Japanese island of Kyushu and the Italian island of Sicily.
Stepping into the Long Nice Hot Spring in Taipei’s Beitou District is like returning to a traditional public bath of 100 years ago. There is none of the elaborate decor of modern hot springs facilities, only a simple wooden structure and wafting steam, making this a comfortable place for ordinary people to take a routine hot springs bath.
“The mountainous district of Beitou in Taipei is one of the two places in the world whose turquoise-colored hot springs are known to contain radium. Beitou’s hot springs are richly varied in terms of their chemical compositions. With its traditions of itinerant musical performances and high-end cuisine, the place also boasts a vibrant cultural history that sprang from its famous spas.
In Taiwan, rice wine is essential for both home-cooked meals and banquets, a constant companion through life, from birth to death.
Did you know that betelnuts, besides being a stimulant, can be used to convey affection? Did you know that in Taiwan betelnuts have long been given as gifts to draw people closer together? Did you know that betelnuts can be used in religious rituals, and even in divination? Did you know that there are many more things to know about betelnuts?
Is there any food in your culture which can be used in myriad ways and is not only for eating, but also conveys the meaning “best wishes” as well as being closely connected to major life events like birth and death?
During the ice ages, many plants and animals in Asia gradually migrated to the Pacific seaboard. The area that later became Taiwan provided welcome refuge from the freezing cold. Some 18,000 years ago, temperatures began to rise, and Taiwan was eventually separated from the continent by the sea. The island thus became a permanent home for migrant flora and fauna which developed into endemic species as they adapted to the peculiarities of the local climate and geology.
The 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) for the first time designated one day of their meeting as Health Day. More than 120 of the participating countries signed the Declaration on Climate and Health, reminding us all that we must remain aware of the health implications of climate change.
