<Travel><Taste>Tainan, The Oldest City in Taipei

Most people may think Taipei is the oldest city in Taiwan. Actually, it's Tainan. Started from 17th century, Netherlands used Tainan as a base to trade with China. The Dutch East India Company or VOC built some buildings in Tainan like Fort Zeelandia and Fort Provintia. You still can visit them nowadays and it's quite a touristy spot. However, the Ming dynasty soon collapsed and a General led the armies to Taiwan and made Netherlands handed in Taiwan.

Because this General in Ming dynasty fled to Taiwan and tried to fight back, Qing dynasty soon conquered Taiwan in late 17th century. Then, Taiwan became Qing dynasty's territory in late 17th century. This wasthe first time that Taiwan belonged to China. At that time, the capital is Tainan. Immigrants from Hokkien province started to move to Taiwan since then and made Tainan into a propsper city. If you lived near the harbour, you would see many foreign companies and businessmen.

However, the typhoons and the rains washed down the soils and filled the Tainan harbor. In late 19th century, the economic center changed from Tainan to Taipei. In 1895, Qing dynasty lost the war against Japan so Taiwan again changed its identity. A rebellion organized by local Taiwanese started from Tainan and soon many people from other cities followed up. Many people were killed and put in jail. Taiwanese people scared to death so behaved like sheeps after that.

During the WW2, Tainan was bombed by the US and most of the buildings were destroyed. After WW2, Japan lost the war and Taiwan was then under repulic of China's(ROC) control until now. ROC rebuilt most of the historical sites in Tainan so that people nowadays still can see many "old" temples and buildings.

Because Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan, the food there is also most decious and traditional. Food like beef soup, rice cake and bread bowl are amazing and must-try in Tainan. People there still keep the tradition that eat rice for breakfast and you won't see many people eat noodles there. People started to eat noodles when the ROC came and the US aid.

Tainan becomes a cultural and historical city now. It also boasts for its tasty food. If you travel to Taiwan, don't miss this oldest and awesome city!