Lavender and tea on the outskirts of Hsinchu

One of these specialties is "lei cha" (累茶) a tea ground with a pestle that includes many more ingredients than ordinary tea. Through the winding streets and past countless historic shops selling local crafts and specialties is a teashop. The interior is all shiny, reddish wood, and all customers have to remove their shoes before sitting at a table.

The waitress then brings a tray of ingredients including tea leaves, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and other nuts. The guests take turns grinding each of the ingredients to a fine powder. Though it initially looks simple, it takes some time and can get tiring, as indicated by the name.

Once everything is ground, the waitress takes it away to add hot water to it. The finished product looks like a bubbling, green witch's brew. It is ladled into cups to which a mixture of dates, raisins, and unidentifiable chewy sweet things are added. Although the mixture looks a bit strange, it tastes delicious.

Another attraction of Beipu is some of the architecture left over from the Japanese occupation. An imposing mansion which belonged to a Japanese official is an impressive sight, and is occasionally opened to visitors. Finally, there are the ubiquitous temples, always a work of art, though similar almost anywhere you go.

Neither of these places can be easily reached by bus, but both of them are only about an hour and a half from Taipei. For directions and more information on the Lavender Cottage, call 03-5841193 or go to their website, www.lavendercottage.com.tw (unfortunately, it's only in Chinese). To get to Beipu, take Expressway No.68 to Zhongfong Road, exit at Provincial Highway No.3, and make a right turn onto Beipu Road.

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