Hand-Painted Travel Books

By Josie Wu　Translated by Ann Lee

Book title: Traveling through Central Asia: Uzbekistan & Kyrgyzstan
Author: Peiyu Chang
Publisher: Linking Publishing Co., Ltd.
ISBN: 978-957-08-3407-9
Price: NT$380　
Total number of pages: 252

Peiyu Chang is a high school geography teacher who is also an enthusiastic painter and traveler. She's been traveling on her own since 2001 and her favorite pastime is hand painting, drawing things she finds interesting in a scrapbook everywhere she goes. For this book, Peiyu made a trip to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, and spent close to two months in these exotic, mysterious places. The trip itself turned out to be quite the adventure. This started with some issues when applying for her tourist visa, followed by an explosion one night on her trip, a visit to a puppet-making carpenter, savoring Uzbek beauty, and discovering scissors that look like the Bukhara (bird). She also enjoyed a lamb feast, took a nap in a mosque, went horseback riding into the mountains, and was interviewed by local newspaper reporters. She was mesmerized by scenic views of the sandy Silk Road from ancient Central Asian towns, and the high, foggy mountains and clear lakes. Peiyu uses her painting tools to carefully detail traditional architecture and walls, as well as the colors and patterns of clothing and accessories worn by local people. In addition, she also used colored paper and her unique talents to cut out different patterns, presenting her own ideas regarding town culture and decor. This book is truly a page-turner, and you'll find yourself wanting to continue exploring Central Asia with her as you study her rich and colorful artistic works.

◎ This book incorporates a collection of specially-made paper-cutting art and a number of water-color works. Your purchase also comes with 400 scenic photos of Central Asia on a CD disc.

Book title: The Beauty of Taiwanese Snacks—
Temple-Entrance Snacks in Keelung (New published version)
Author: Cao Ming-zong/text, Shi Zheng-ting/illustrations
Publisher: Linking Publishing Co., Ltd.
ISBN: 9789570832945
Price: NT$380　
Total number of pages: 34

You might be curious about where the best tempura stand is among Keelung's famous "miaokou" (temple-entrance) eatiers, or where to find the best side dish to complement a bowl of minced-pork rice. In this book about Keelung temple eateries, every shop the author mentions in the book has a reputable name. However, the book also shares places that offer readers the most authentic, traditional flavors and ambiance. A long-term Keelung native, the author still lives in that city today. Like him, most locals believe that going to the miaokou area for a meal is "just like cooking in your own kitchen". The author also interviewed a good number of senior citizens who know about the long history of the miaokou area. He even conducted personal interviews with about 70 food vendors, discussing issues such as the town culture, its real history, and the special features and flavors of the food. Consequently, this book offers a comprehensive introduction to everything you need to know about finding Keelung's most popular Taiwanese-style delicacies, which are all portrayed with hand-painted illustrations. The best thing about using this method is allowing readers to use the pictures to easily find exact locations for savoring these tasty items. However, be sure to also take note of the author's warning that "you can get fat by browsing through the book"!