One of the iconic sights in Taiwan is the Taipei 101 tower. The 101 floor, 508 metre tall building is definitely worth seeing. We were very lucky the day we went up, as it was clear and we were able to take in all of the city and surrounding area. Very impressive.For me the coolest thing about Taipei 101 is the Tuned Mass Damper. This 660 metric tonne steel sphere hanging between the 87th and 92nd floors protects the tower from typhoons and earthquakes. Watching videos of it swinging during recent typhoons is simply amazing. The building also showed no effect after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake in 2024. Science is pretty cool.
We have had a couple of people ask us, why Taiwan? Initially my answer was, why not? Politics and the ability to access different areas changes over time and as we were in the area I simply felt it is wrong not to explore a new place while we had the chance. After being there, my answer is different. It is an amazing country with a complex and interesting history. It needs to be better understood.
On our first day in Taipei we went on a free walking tour. The guide, Leo, is a native of Taiwan and his parents and grandparents have lived through some of the most dynamic times in the history of this country. The passion Leo communicated as he explained the reason for the 228 Memorial literally choked me up. I won’t start a history lesson, but on February 28, 1947 a popular uprising occurred and the government with the army under Chiang Kai-shek responded by firing live ammunition into the masses of people, killing thousands.The country of Taiwan has grown and worked its way through many challenges, with plenty more to come in the future. However the attitude toward a positive future is wonderful. This artwork represents the history of the Chinese Qing Dynasty and the Japanese colonial rule discussing the way to build a future for the young of Taiwan. It wasn’t all history. We also were introduced to some delicious refreshing beverages in one of the day markets.We also spent some time walking around the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The park, monument and museum are beautiful and very well done. Interestingly, I don’t recall seeing anything about the massacre and oppression he was involved with. Every bit of history has two sides and it takes some effort to understand both. This is a reproduction of Chiang Kai-shek’s office when he ruled the country.The National Concert Hall is a beautiful building in the Memorial Hall Park.Karen scooped the great shot at the Concert Hall when she spotted the monk walking by.I returned after dark to redeem myself with some nighttime shots. A bit of competition is healthy.
To encourage ourselves to do more exploring and touristy stuff we purchased a three day Fun Pass for Taipei and area. It was great as we were able to take the Metro and buses all over as well as check out the obvious tourist sights.
One of those sights was the Maokong Gondola. Of course the trouble with these passes is you only have 3 days so you take what you get. It was a bit creepy going up.It did clear up at times and it ended up being ok. The pouring rain only came down when we happened to have cover which was very nice.Karen was very patient as I took photos at the Zhinan Temple gondola stop.They do love their dragons at these temples.What I love about exploring is you can travel all over the city looking at neat stuff, then at the end of the day as you are tiredly walking a block from your hotel the most lovely street scenes just seem to appearDue to the rain and the sun, umbrellas are an indispensable part of life here. Whether to keep you dry or provide some shade to help prevent heat stroke they are everywhere. We saw these dispensers in nearly every Metro station. You simply pick one up at a station and you can return it at any other station, for a small fee.There are literally hundreds of night markets in Taipei. We chose to check out Raohe Night Market as it has the best reviews.We were there early so it was relatively calm. It was hopping by the time we left though.Watching the food preparation was fascinating.And rest assured there were some booths there I definitely was not going to try. Some comfort zones are ok to stay in. Feel free to zoom in on those signs.Our dinner being prepared. A type of vegetable pancake where you pick the filling.Two of those were ours. Quite tasty.These people work long hours. I do hope they make a reasonable wage.We returned to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to see the changing of the guard. These fellows put on a great show. I love the random signs that just make you smile. I was glad I hadn’t brought my duck with me on the bus.There are temples everywhere here. They always look best at night I think.
We truly enjoyed our week in Taipei. Even with the 30ºC heat and brutal humidity it was worth it. This tiny country plays, and will continue to play, a more pivotal role in the future of our world than most people have any idea of. I tip my hat to them and wish them the best.
Enjoyable to read as always. Didn’t realize Kai Shek was a bit of a baddie as well. Guess it continues to prove the old saying Absolute power corrupts absolutely!
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