Taipei’s largest market for Lunar New Year goods and foodstuffs is to feature English-language tours for the first time this year.
The Taipei City government Office of Commerce yesterday announced that there would be English-language tours for the street market that stretches along Dihua Street from Nanjing W Road to Guisui Street every year during the two weeks preceding the Lunar New Year holiday. The office estimates that more than 1 million people passed through the market last year.
Students from the nearby Blessed Imelda’s School are to lead visitors through the street and neighboring alleyways, introducing historic architecture and traditional products, as well as sights such as Taipei’s oldest temple, a traditional puppetry theater and the Yongle Fabric Market.
Photo: Luo Pei-der, Taipei Times
“[Visitors] can learn a lot about the Lunar New Year, and we have a lot of food here,” student tour guide Liz Chou (周品繻) said, adding that she loves the area most of all for its history.
Dihua Street is an artery of Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕) area, which has many historic buildings from the Japanese colonial period, at which time it was a vibrant downtown district during the height of the tea trade.
English tours are to be provided on Monday, Wednesday and Friday next week, as well as on Feb. 16 from 1pm until 2pm, with Japanese-language tours also provided, as well as tours for blind people.
More information on the tours can be found at www.2015taipeinewyear.com.tw/en/20th.php.
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