Day 5 ~ Day 9 Hualien

Travelling to Taiwan, since it's a little bit too familiar, there's not going to be exciting things to write about everyday. In the course of a few days, I record down the few memorable events that took place.

First thing reaching Hualien is get a taste of its specialty dessert - Tzen Magi (曾記麻糬). It is a chain store that originated couple decade ago by an old man selling mochi on his old bike. The people of aboriginal tribe Ami in Hualien are also experts on making mochi. You can see mochi stores everywhere as a result. Tzen Magi stand out in terms of its extra bouncy, extra chewy glutinous outer layer, and fresh aromatic flavourful filling. It is always made fresh, and needs to be consumed within 24 hours. Therefore...you can only eat local! :3. The longest preserving time period was attempted by my mother, who refrigerated the mochi on the airplane -  you have to ask the stewardess - and extended the time for about 12 hours so the families in Vancouver can enjoy them.

Taiwanese restaurants are horrible at western-style foods, but I have my knees down for them being able to pull off South Eastern Asian cuisine.The following day we had a family dinner at a restaurant in Hualien City called Irrawaddy Myanmar Restaurant (伊江滇緬料理). Excellent food, and although casual, its decor is very classy compared to many delicious, yet very sketchy restaurants around the area.

Another thing you can do in Hualien is admire the many flower farms. I visited farms that grow Brassica rapa and Cosmos. They actually gave me some illusion of mediterranean. Beautiful indeed.

Aboriginal food is very interesting in terms of its ingredient and presentation. Meats are mainly deer, boar and freshwater fish. Vegetables are well...mountain vegetables which only the Amis themselves know how to distinguish. To have an authentic aboriginal cuisine experience, visit Amis-Tribe Restaurant (三番兩次). This restaurant has been featured on TV shows many times, and was included in the agenda of diplomatic visits by foreign politicians. The hot owner (not kidding, he is good-looking, not uncommon for the Amis) and his wives (note the plural form) came out and explained each dish for us, which did contain some vital information. Do not eat the decorating leaves!