My Trip in December 2024 (Part 1) - Taichung, Taiwan

 

On November 29, 2024, I flew to Taiwan from Vancouver with EVA Air. The flight departed around 12:15 a.m. and arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport the next day (Nov 30) at around 5:25 a.m.

2024年11月29日，我搭乘長榮航空從溫哥華飛往台灣。航班於凌晨12點15分起飛，並於隔天（11月30日）清晨5點25分抵達台灣桃園國際機場。

While most travellers might choose to stay in Taipei, my destination was Taichung. After arrival, I looked for the passenger bus station (客運巴士) where I could catch a bus to Taichung. It is located in Terminal 2, with two companies offering routes to Taichung: Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport (國光客運) and UBUS (統聯客運). I chose UBUS 1623 as it arrived first. The bus came 15 minutes earlier than scheduled. The fare was NT$350, which was about CAD$15.53 — a great deal for a two-and-a-half-hour trip.

大多數旅客可能會選擇留在台北，但我的目的地是台中。抵達後，我開始尋找客運巴士站，以便搭車前往台中。巴士站位於第二航廈，有兩家巴士公司提供台中路線：國光客運與統聯客運（UBUS）。我選擇搭乘統聯1623號班車，因為它最先抵達。巴士比預定時間早了15分鐘到站。票價為新台幣350元，折合約加幣15.53元——以兩個半小時的車程來說，非常划算。

Since it was still early in the morning, the bus was less than half full, and I was able to get a single passenger seat (單邊位). This was my second trip to Taiwan, and it felt quite different from my first visit back in 2010 when I joined a group tour organized by a Hong Kong travel agency.

由於當時仍是清晨，車上乘客不到一半，我順利坐到單人座位。這是我第二次造訪台灣，與2010年第一次參加香港旅行團時的體驗截然不同。

I chose to get off at Taichung Station (台中車站) because I had been told it was a stop for the train station (台中火車站). I arrived at 10:15 a.m. but couldn’t find any train station nearby! I seemed to be in the middle of nowhere and only saw a shopping center across the street, so I wheeled my luggage over. At the entrance, a very kind young man opened the door for me — it turned out to be the luxury hotel Méridien. The gentleman, a hotel staff member, kindly provided me with the Wi-Fi password when I asked, as I had no mobile data to contact my partner.

我選擇在台中車站下車，因為聽說那裡就是火車站（台中火車站）的所在地。然而，當我於上午10點15分抵達時，卻沒看到任何火車站！我似乎被放在某個陌生的地方，只看到對面有一間購物中心，於是拖著行李過馬路。走到入口時，一位親切的年輕男子幫我開門——原來這裡是一家豪華酒店 Méridien。這位工作人員非常友善，當我表示手機沒有網路無法聯繫伴侶時，他還好心地提供了Wi-Fi密碼。

After that “rescue,” I planned to have my first meal in Taichung. There was a nice restaurant called Sooth Road 蔬菜樂 in the Central District, connected to Fushin Hotel. I loved the ambiance — comfortable and relaxing — though I found it a bit chilly inside. Was 11 a.m. too early for lunch? Perhaps, since no other customers appeared until we had almost finished eating. Overall, it was slightly pricey and the portions were small, but I would still recommend giving it a try if you’re in the area.

解決「通訊危機」後，我準備在台中享用第一餐。位於台中市中區的 蔬菜樂 Sooth Road 餐廳吸引了我。它與 Fushin Hotel 相連，氣氛舒適放鬆，只是稍微有點冷。整體而言，餐點稍貴、份量偏小，但若有機會來到這一帶，我仍推薦一試。

The next day (Dec 1), I visited Taichung Railway Station, which is also called 台中車站 in Chinese. If I had walked just five more minutes after getting off the UBUS, I would have found it! There are both old and new station buildings. According to Wikipedia, the original wooden station was constructed in 1905 and opened in 1908. It was rebuilt in 1917 as a red-brick Renaissance-style building.

第二天（12月1日），我造訪了台中車站（Taichung Railway Station）。其實我下車的那站中文也叫「台中車站」，如果當時再多走五分鐘，就能找到真正的火車站了。台中車站分為新舊兩棟。根據維基百科，舊車站最早於1905年以木造形式興建，1908年開始營運，1917年改建為紅磚文藝復興風格建築。

I really liked the design of this historical building. There was also a limited-time Snoopy event at the old station. I shopped in the temporary Snoopy store — the merchandise was cute but quite expensive.

我非常喜歡這座歷史建築的設計。那天舊車站還舉辦了期間限定的史努比主題活動，我逛了臨時史努比商店，商品可愛但價格不低。

After that, I briefly visited the Lyi-Chuan Canal (綠川), a relatively busy spot and one of Taichung’s attractions. Near the canal stands a building with two white animal sculptures (one looks like a deer) and a black roof. It used to be the Miyahara Eye Clinic (宮原眼科) — a very interesting place that I’ll describe in more detail later.

之後，我短暫造訪了綠川（Lyi-Chuan Canal）。這裡是台中熱門地點之一，周圍人潮不少。河畔有棟建築入口處擺著兩隻白色動物雕像（其中一隻像鹿），屋頂為黑色。原來那裡曾是知名的宮原眼科——一個非常有趣的地方，稍後再詳述。

Compared to Vancouver, the cost of meals in Taichung’s restaurants is much more reasonable — and no tipping is expected! I enjoyed several delicious meals, including breakfast and dinner. I especially liked the noodle dishes and Taiwanese-style sandwiches/burgers. Although I found the meatballs just average (as shown in the right photo), the restaurant — Taichung Rouyuan (台中肉員) — has been around since 1933!

與溫哥華相比，台中餐廳的餐飲價格合理許多，而且從不需要給小費！我在這幾天享用了多頓美味的餐點，包括早餐與晚餐。特別喜歡台灣的麵食和台式三明治／漢堡。雖然那家以肉圓聞名的餐廳（右圖）口味一般，但其實它是台中歷史悠久的名店——台中肉員，創立於1933年！

Another famous shop is the bakery Hung Rui Chen (洪瑞珍). I heard that many people from Hong Kong visit Taichung just for their sandwiches — is that true?

另一家知名店鋪是麵包店 洪瑞珍（Hung Rui Chen）。聽說很多香港人來台中都特地為了他們的三明治，真的嗎？聽起來他們的三文治很有魅力！

I tried two sandwich flavors and enjoyed them, though I personally preferred the coffee Swiss roll — I’m more of a cake lover!

我試了兩種口味，都不錯。不過我個人更喜歡他們的咖啡瑞士卷——畢竟我是蛋糕 LOVER 🎂🩷

I revisited the Lyi-Chuan Canal 綠川 area at night on Dec 2 to explore Miyahara Eye Clinic (宮原眼科). It used to be an eye clinic — but what is it now? Let’s find out!

12月2日晚上，我再次來到綠川一帶，造訪宮原眼科。它曾是一間眼科診所，如今是什麼樣的地方呢？

From the entrance, I guessed it might be a confectionery shop, judging by the signboards with sweets like 南糕瓦片, 花餅牛軋, 荷餅軟糖…

從門口看，我以為這是一家賣糖果的店，因為門外寫著「南糕瓦片、花餅牛軋、荷餅軟糖」等字樣。

Indeed, it’s more like a chocolate shop. The interior has a high ceiling and tall wooden shelves filled with books, creating a classic, elegant atmosphere — no wonder it attracts so many customers.

其實，它更像是一家巧克力專賣店。高挑的天花板、整牆的木製書櫃，讓整體氛圍充滿古典優雅感，難怪吸引了許多遊客。

Some of their chocolates feature unique local ingredients such as Irwin Mango White Chocolate, Taiwan Orange White Chocolate, 45% Lychee Oolong Tea Kayambe Milk Chocolate and 34% Longan Honey Lemon Elianza White Chocolate.  Prices were on the expensive side, ranging from CAD$3.50 to $4.50 per piece.

店內的巧克力口味很特別，融入了台灣在地食材，例如：愛文芒果白巧克力、台灣橙白巧克力、45%荔枝烏龍巧克力、34%龍眼花蜜檸檬白巧克力等。價格偏高，每顆約加幣3.50至4.50元。

There was also a large glass donation jar for the Mustard Seed Charity Program, supporting children in poverty — it was heartwarming to see the store contribute to a good cause beyond their business.

櫃檯旁還有一個大型玻璃捐款箱，為**芥菜種慈善計畫（Mustard Seed Charity Program)**募款，用以資助貧困兒童。看到店家在巧克力事業之外也願意回饋社會，令人感動。

They also sell other confectionery, such as nougats in flavors like Irwin mango and Earl Grey, displayed creatively like a collection of books.

此外，他們也販售各式牛軋糖，口味包括愛文芒果、伯爵茶等，包裝設計像一排書，非常有創意。

However, the most popular items there weren’t chocolates or nougats — it was ice cream! The shop has a separate entrance for the ice cream section.

不過最受歡迎的商品其實不是巧克力或牛軋糖，而是冰淇淋！同棟建築內設有獨立的冰淇淋區。

Like their chocolates, the ice cream flavors are locally inspired and unique — Irwin mango, passionfruit, lychee, hibiscus tea, Iron Goddess tea, Alishan oolong tea, longan honey yogurt, and rose white wine yogurt. If it had been summertime, I definitely would have tried them!

和巧克力一樣，冰淇淋口味也十分本地化，例如：愛文芒果、百香果、荔枝、洛神花茶、鐵觀音、阿里山烏龍茶、龍眼蜂蜜優格、玫瑰白酒優格等。

This was my amazing lunch on December 3 — can you believe it was all vegetarian? Taiwan truly excels at vegetarian cuisine.

12月3日這天的午餐非常精彩——你能相信這些全是素食料理嗎？台灣的素食文化真是世界一流。

From the outside, the restaurant looked ordinary, but once inside, the atmosphere was calm and peaceful. It must have been a small town, as there were only three or four tables occupied, including ours.

餐廳外觀樸素，但一走進去，氣氛立刻變得寧靜祥和。這應該是個小鎮，店內只有三、四桌客人。

The menu was extensive and interesting — they even offered six Hong Kong–style dim sum dishes.

With the menu in hand, I confirmed that moon shrimp cake (vegetarian) is indeed a Taiwanese dish! I first discovered it years ago at a vegetarian store called Yes Natural Goods in Richmond, Canada, where I even recreated it at home with salad on top.

菜單內容豐富又有趣，甚至有港式點心。還有素月亮蝦餅！幾年前我在加拿大列治文的素食店 Yes Natural Goods 買過這道菜，搭配沙拉做成夏日料理。

To walk off the meal, I continued sightseeing at Taichung Shiyakusho (台中市役所), located on Minquan Road in the West District. The building was constructed in 1911 and renovated in 2014.

吃飽後為了消化，我繼續前往下一個景點——台中市役所（Taichung Shiyakusho）。它位於西區民權路上，建於1911年，並於2014年整修。

Inside, visitors can see a miniature model and old photos of the building. On the right side, there’s a beautiful café — surprisingly quiet and welcoming. From its window, I could see the Taichung Prefectural Hall (台中州廳) across the street, another elegant building constructed in 1913.

館內展示了建築模型與舊照片。右側有一間漂亮的咖啡廳，從窗外望去，可以看到對面的台中州廳——另一棟建於1913年的精緻建築。

The display of a vintage sewing machine reminded me of my grandmother’s time. 這台老式縫紉機讓我想起阿嫲年代。

Upstairs, there’s a lovely dining room — not grand or shiny, but warm and inviting. 走上二樓，是一間小巧溫馨的餐廳，不華麗、不氣派，卻讓人感到愉悅與舒適。

Perhaps because these historical buildings were built during the Japanese rule, I found the scenery reminiscent of Japanese cartoons I watched as a child.

也許因為這些歷史建築多建於日本統治時期，我覺得景色與童年時看過的日本動畫場景十分相似。

There are at least two Roots stores in Taichung; one is in Sunshine Plaza Outlet (日曜天地) in the Central District. Some say Roots’ clothing designs are even better in Taiwan — what do you think?

在台中，我看到了至少兩家 Roots 服飾店，其中一家位於中區的 日曜天地。有人說台灣的Roots款式設計比加拿大更好看，你覺得呢？

Across from Sunshine Plaza Outlet is Taichung Park, where residents can enjoy greenery, the lake, and nature. Outlet對面就是台中公園，是當地居民享受自然的好地方。

Here’s a description of the park:

Taichung Park occupies a site that was originally covered by mounds, wetlands, bamboo forest, and a graveyard. Due to the mounds, it was named Battery Mountain or Dadun during the Ching Dynasty. In March 1903 (the 36th year of the Meiji Era), the land was developed into a 26,140-ping park and opened to the public on October 28, 1903. The wetland area was transformed into a divided body of water, named Sun-Moon Pond, covering 4,160 pings.

以下是公園介紹：

台中公園原為丘陵、濕地、竹林及墳地，因地勢隆起，清代時稱「大墩山炮台」。明治三十六年（1903年）三月開始開發，佔地26,140坪，並於同年10月28日正式對外開放。原本的濕地被改建為分隔水域，取名「日月湖」，面積約4,160坪。

Lake Heart Pavilion is located at the back, where many fish can be seen in the pond. 公園後方有湖心亭，湖中可見許多魚兒悠游。

There’s also a cozy reading bar offering books — spending an afternoon reading by the lake seems like a perfect way to relax. 遊客可在湖畔閱讀書籍，享受靜謐午後的美好時光。

Bubble tea, invented in Taiwan, is now one of the world’s most popular drinks. In Taichung, locals also love Yizhong Fengren Ice (一中豐仁冰) just as much. This dessert is made with only three ingredients — dairy ice cream, red beans, and pure sour plum ice — but the preparation process is complex. The business, established in 1946, has maintained its natural and simple ingredients, staying true to a time before chemical additives and artificial flavors.

珍珠奶茶是台灣發明的飲品，如今風靡全球。而在台中，當地人同樣喜愛的還有 一中豐仁冰。這款飲品只用三種食材——冰淇淋、紅豆與純酸梅冰——製作過程卻相當繁複。創立於1946年的這家老店，堅持使用天然原料，在當時缺乏化學香料的年代，味道自然純粹。