Tracing the Scent of Summer: Day-three itinerary B

Post date：2012-03-30

4568

Travel days: 3-Days Tour
Themed Itineraries: Classic

Introduction

09:30-10:30 Authentic Taiwanese food on the Bopiliao Historic Block →10:30-11:30 Fragrant medicines in the Herbal Alley →12:00-13:30 Nostalgic Japanese cuisine →13:30-15:30 Reliving youth in Ximending → 15:30-16:30 Tea time at the Red House → 16:30-19:30 Live concerts at Riverside Music CafeLive

09:30~10:30	Authentic Taiwanese food on the Bopiliao Historic Block
First developed in the Qing dynasty, Bopiliao was where timber merchants removed the tree barks. This well-preserved historic site features Bangka’s only Qing-era street opened up by Han Chinese settlers, with a variety of snacks available in the neighborhood.
10:30~11:30	Fragrant medicines in the Herbal Alley
Back in the medically undeveloped times, people visited Longshan Temple for “prescribed” herbal medicines, and these visits gave rise to a marketplace that has thrived for over 200 years in Alley 224, Xichang St., where 100-plus types of herbs are sold dried or brewed.
12:00~13:30	Nostalgic Japanese cuisine
Probably the most pro-Japanese area in Taipei, Ximending is famous for the fusion of a half-Taiwanese, half-Japanese cuisine available at Mei Guan Yuan and Big Wheel Sushi, both boasting loyal followers.
13:30~15:30	Reliving youth in Ximending
Ximending was transformed from a noisy cluster of movie theaters into a fashion hub that encourages personal styles. The “tattoo street”, for one, gives teenagers a sense of existence with tattoos, manicures and many other youth-centered services; the 50-plus stores in Wannian Commercial Building carry fancy products targeting youngsters. The American Street and Shinjuku Plaza are also among the malls that turned Ximending into the Mecca for people embracing Japanese or Korean pop cultures.
15:30~16:30	Tea time at the Red House
Built in 1908, the Red House is the most landmark-worthy historic site in Ximending and also a hub of Taiwanese cultural and creative industry that offer unique cinematic and theater experiences. It is complete with a café that offers tea breaks to exhausted shoppers!
16:30~17:30	Live concerts at Riverside Music CafeLive
The Riverside Music Cafe in Cross Building is a must-visit for those who believe the Ximending-styled music should be avant-garde and alternative. It attracts long queues waiting to buy tickets to performances given by independent musicians.