Chenghuang Temple Hsinchu City god Temple (Chenghuang Temple) is regarded as the highest-rank- ing of all City God temples in Taiwan, due to the superior spiritual power of its City God in protecting the town. In front of the temple is a market with a lot of small stalls selling deli- cious Taiwanese snacks, including rice noodles, meat balls, thick cuttlefish Coastline Hsinchu’s coastline is quite far from the downtown. Nonetheless, the city gov- ernment has beautified the seaside, and Nanliao’s old fishing harbor has been converted into a place for recreation. Bicycles-only paths link Nanliao to the city’s southern limits; bikes can be rented on weekends and public holi- days. If you decide to ride the whole distance, you’ll see a variety of land- scapes: beaches, windbreak forests, re- claimed land, and a row of electrici- ty-producing wind turbines. Hisnchu is famous for the “windy city“ so the wind turbine is placed along the coastline. Hsiangshan Wetlands Enjoy a visit to the Hsiangshan Wetlands. There are countless varieties of small an- imals here—particularly fiddler crabs, molluscs and a several species of fish. As the tide recedes, the tidal mudflats retain a dense cross-section of the marine eco- system in an easily viewed environment. Bird-watching is another popular pur- suit at Hsiangshan, so be sure to bring a pair of binoculars for the children. This protected wetland environment official- ly stretches from the delta of Keya Creek to Hsinchu's border with Miaoli county. Cultural Activities Hsinchu's city centre and surrounding countryside are surprisingly rich in cul- tural attractions. The city is home to an impressive array of specialised muse- ums, each exploring a unique facet of Hsinchu's history. Religious sites repre- senting a variety of creeds are open for tours, and many are regularly frequent- ed by worshippers. In many cases, visi- tors and tourists are encouraged to join in traditional customs at these religious sites, enriching cross-cultural exchange. broth, and Zhuqian Biscuit (Zhuqian is the original name of Hsinchu). Hsinchu is famous for a number of spe- cialty foods, especially Hsinchu rice noo- dles, which are produced in Nanshr Village, Hsinchu City. Another famous product of Hsinchu is shiangfen, a tra- ditional cosmetic powder which was used by women through out Taiwan be- fore the arrival of foreign-style cosmet- ic products. The powder is also used in offerings to Qiniangma, the guardian spirit of children. Only one store, run by the Tsai Family in Julian Street, still pro- duces this powder. Although there are many stalls from which Hsinchu meat- balls can be purchased, many are concen- trated around the Chenghuang Temple. photo credit: http://eng.t aiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002108P hoto http://dep-tourismen.hccg.gov.tw/