Traveling in Wanhua

Wanhua has a lot to offer, to pray at the Lungshan Temple—the oldest temple in Taipei, to shop at countless wholesaler and retailed stores, not to mention many century old small eateries of local delicacies. I ventured to Wanhua for a special reason Saturday afternoon, January 17th, to scout the venue for the first gathering of golden ladies in 2015.

I was invited by Kate to the opening tea party for the Exhibition of illustrator Michael Leu at the Hall of Duckla, the basement of Duckstay Hostel, 大可居 large and cozy, literary in Chinese. I arrived 30 minutes early. Being the first participant to the exhibition, I had the priviledge to take photos before the opening of the exhibition and to mingle with a group of young staff over a cup of expresso and a slice of green bean cake. Early birds indeed got worms!

I didn’t know illustrator Michael Leu, but I fell in love with his illustrations immediately, especially his protraits of cats. When I was required to design a cat at the artistic class for senior citizens at Taipei City Library—Jing Xin Branch Friday afternoon, January 15th, I didn’t know exactly how a cat was built physically. I’d been puzzling how to make a creative cat since then. What a serendipity it was to see three illustrated books for children about cats by Michael. Michael  keeps a cat as a pet and has been drawing cats since childhood.

Michael was born and brought up in Wanhua. In his illuatrated storybook “Railway Kids“ published in 2013, he draw the old Wanhua area around the railroad. I was born and raised in Chia-yi, but I’d been learning Japanese dance in Wanhua for more than a decade, and I love Wanhua for no less. I was mesmerize by the reminisce of old Wanhua in the early 20th century. To my surprise, I was given the Miachel's Railway Kids as a gift for my feedback at the end of the panel discussion.

After a grand tour of Duckstay Hostel, Kate and I decided to book a room for 8 for a crazy slumber party for golden ladies at the end of January. On my way to MRT Wanhua Station, I bought two pounds of pork floss, one pound of preserved fruits, two bags of small yellow and green jade beads (1000 beads a bag). Reading the "Railways Kids" on MRT to Xindian, I was drawn to the story of A-Liang, the protagonist of Railways Kids, a adpoted son to survive in poverty and strived to become a good man.

I felt a strong urge to share my excitements by tapping on the keyboard as soon as I got home. I look forward to rejoicing the first gathering with golden ladies at Duckstay in 2015, to posing in PJ in front of a huge illustration of Michael's Railway Wanhua at the slumber party, to savoring the bliss of traveling in Wanhua twenty-four seven.

PS: The avian flu virus has swept Taiwan recently. Tens of thousands of geese, ducks and chickens were culled to contain the outbreak. At the first sight of the sign of Duckstay, I thought about the potent strains carried by migratory birds. Be aware of birds that fly around and stay!