Faith Mulroy, a Georgetown student in the class of 2013, is studying abroad in Taiwan and records some of the more exotic (and delicious!) food adventures she embarks on: |
This past weekend I decided to take a break from the rainy weather in Taibei and take a short trip down to Kenting. Kenting is a large ecological preservation lining the southern-most coast of Taiwan. In addition to having world-renowned beaches, Kenting is well known for its National Park and beautiful scenery. Though it is a popular tourist destination, the town has not become over-developed and still maintains a fun, rugged atmosphere.
There are many ways to travel to Kenting from Taibei, but being that we were pressed for time, we took the more expensive high-speed rail option. At a little over $40 USD per ticket, you can hop on a train at your convenience. After a short hour and a half, you arrive in Gaoxiong, the second largest city in Taiwan. From Gaoxiong, it is just one more hour and a half bus ride to the coast.
After checking in to an airy, family-run hostel across the street from the beach, we headed to Kenting Street, a small downtown area with night-market stalls, souvenir shops, and small eateries. By the time we finally got to the area for dinner, I was starving! I stopped for the first stall I found, which happened to sell one of my favorite of foods, dumplings!
The rest of the street was a unique compilation of Mediterranean and Floridian-style buildings, souvenir shops, and various night-market stalls. I was pretty full after my dumplings, but I did try one other snack as we were meandering: marinated baby crabs. The whole crabs were about an inch long and covered in chili powder and sesame seeds. Though normally not my kind of snack (I have trouble with fishy flavors), I tried a bite. The spicy taste was not bad and I managed to smile to the vendor and walk a few steps, but then a pincer got lodged in my gum and I lost my composure and had to spit them out. Oh well, adventurous eating takes baby steps.
The next morning we all woke up early and decided to visit Kenting National Park. Founded in 1984, Kenting National Park is an ecological preserve that boasts banyan tree groves, stalagmite caves, and beautiful exotic flower gardens, example below:
Instead of driving up to the top of the mountain where the park entrance is found, we decided to save money and walk, which was in retrospect a phenomenal decision. We passed seven-inch long centipedes lying squished (thankfully) along the road, as well as found some great views of the ocean and forest. By far my favorite part of the walk was seeing some shaking branches in the top of a tree and looking up to find monkeys! I have seen my fair share of wildlife living in Connecticut, but wild monkeys hanging out and grooming one another outside of a zoo is something I had not yet experienced.
After wandering through the park’s many trails, we came to a viewing tower from which we were able to get a perfect 360* view of the southern coast.
After another hike back to Kenting Street, we tried and failed to catch a bus to Erluanbi Lighthouse, a well-known Kenting tourist site. While we didn’t get to see the lighthouse, what we did find was far more interesting! As we were waiting at the bus stop, we realized that behind us the sky was turning pink with the sunset. Giving up on our bus, we walked towards the pink sky and past a few palm trees and discovered the most brilliant sunset I have ever seen.
SUNSET PIC 1 PALMTREES
SUNSET PIC 2 BEACH
After watching the sun go down and strolling along the beach, we went for desserts and people-watching at a little French cafe. I had been eyeing their fudgy brownies for the last two days and was not disappointed!
BROWNIE PIC
The next day we went snorkeling at Houbihu. The reefs there were formed from what seemed like fossilized coral. You could walk along the shelves until you found a nice crevice to dive into and explore. The gem-colored fish, glowing coral shelves, and unique scenery made this one of the most exotic snorkeling places I’ve been, and I would definitely recommend a visit! Just as important as the scenery, the water temperature was warm enough to spend a long time swimming and exploring.
SNORKLING PIC
After drying off, we took the recommendation of the dive shop owner to go to her sister-in-law’s seafood restaurant in Maobitou, the second-most southern tip of Taiwan. The seafood was fresh and delicious and perfect comfort food after a day in the water. We ordered clam soup, sweet fish, a few veggies, and what’s pictured below. Can anyone venture a guess as to what it is?
DISH PICTURE
It’s fish intestine! I was skeptical at first, they being, well, fish intestines, but I was pleasantly surprised. They were cut like little calamari rings and stir-fried in a tangy sauce with a little bit of a spicy bite. I anticipated a heavy fishy taste, but the spice in the sauce neutralized this so that the intestine tasted just like the seasonings. While the flavor was excellent, the texture was my favorite part. I expected them to be soft, like fish itself, but though they were tender, they had a slightly crunchy, springy feel. I went back for more after the first bite not just to say I had eaten them, but because I really enjoyed them!
All-in-all, it was a very successful, very busy trip! For anyone visiting Taiwan, Kenting is a must-see!
