Taiwan's capital city; Taipei, houses more than 2,7 million people. Being the main hub of the Taiwan island, high speed railways, highways, airports and buslines connects it to the rest of the island. The public transportation is highly effective and precise. They say that Taiwan is a mix of China and Japan, which doesn't seem to be far from the truth.
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| New Year's Fireworks at Taipei 101, Taiwan |
A great time to visit Taipei is during New Year's as the now ninth and once tallest building in the world; the
Taipei 101 is being lit up with fireworks on the 31st of december at midnight. Concerts, funfairs and people in cramped up in the streets are just some of the events happening on this special day.
1. Sightseeing in Taipei
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| Gate of Great Centrality and Perfect Uprightness in Taipei, Taiwan |
The Gate of Great Centrality and Perfect Uprightness. What a name. Leads to the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial which holds historical exhibitions. The area is surrounded by gardens, temple buildings and fish ponds. Besides the Taipei 101, this is the most impressive structure in Taipei.
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| President's Office in Taipei, Taiwan |
President's Office in Taipei is guarded by military and snapping a photo has to be done from a distance. At night time the building lights up which gives a beautiful view of the structure.
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| Tao Temple in Taipei, Taiwan |
Taoism is well-represented in Taiwan along with Christianity and many other religions. It's one of the biggest signs that Taiwan was connected to China and the many-God'ed faith throws off some quite interesting temples. Draw a fortune or simple enjoy the incredibly detailed artwork put into these houses of prayer.
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| Miramar Ferris Wheel in Taipei, Taiwan |
The
Miramar Ferris Wheel is integrated into a shopping mall in Zhongshan District. The area is a well-known shopping area and also home to the main cinemas of Taipei.
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| Taipei Skyline seen from Xiangshan, Taiwan |
Xiangshan meaning Elephant Mountain is a short hiking trail within Taipei. From there you'll get a great view over the city skyline with Taipei 101 reaching taller than anything else.
2. Shopping in Taipei
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| Ximen area in Taipei, Taiwan |
Ximen is the main shopping area in Taipei. Here you'll find all the larger brands flagship stores along side local hairdressers and commercialized fast food chains.
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| Gongguan Shopping District in Taipei, Taiwan |
If you head to Gongguan Station and leave at Exit 4 you'll end up right in the middle of
Gongguan Shopping District. Reowned for their bargaining prices on brands like Nike, Adidas, North Face and so on. Warning: you won't leave this area empty handed.
Besides the obvious shopping areas in Taipei, there are endless amounts of night markets offering well-tasting street food and cheap "Made in Taiwan"-stuff. I could never list them all, but I'll recommend
Linjiang Night Market.
3. Food in Taipei
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| Dumplings at 737 Food Lane in Taipei, Taiwan |
Dumplings is a Japanese influence in Taiwan, but that doesn't mean the Taiwanese can't make them. The dumpling in Taiwan are super delicious and compared to Japan super cheap. The
737 Food Lane is a great place to shop around for Taiwanese snacks. The street is mostly active after dark.
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| Boiling Pot in Taipei, Taiwan |
Probably the most famous dish in Taiwan; the
Boiling Pot comes in many varieties. The whole process of self-cooking and searching for your lost piece of meat with a set of chopsticks is quite entertaining.
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| Seafood in Taipei, Taiwan |
Seafood in Taiwan is super tasty and they have many specialeties. Make sure you try something you've never had before. Tasting food is half the experience of visiting a new country.
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| David, me and Lasse enjoying Bubble Tea in Taipei, Taiwan |
Chug it all down with some
bubble tea. The jellies at the bottom will fit through the thick straw. I'm not gonna say you'll like it, but give it a try at least.
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