24 Hours in Taipei

En route to the USA, we arranged a brief stopover in Taipei, Taiwan. It was hot, humid, and we blew threw like a hurricane. 24 hours to see everything we could! Armed with 2 phrases in Mandarin (hello and thank you), a few yen to spend, and our smiles, we were able to cover much of the city. People were extremely helpful and public transportation was a breeze. Compared with traveling in NYC, Taipei was an absolute pleasure! I was hoping that during our time in Asia we would have a chance to visit China to learn about how the world is changing in the twenty-first century. Although we didn't have time for China, I am so grateful for the quick trip to the semi-democratic island of Taiwan.

Like Thailand, the markets in Taipei were incredible. I was amazed to see a beautiful selection of fresh tropical fruits and vegetables, so CHEAP compared to what is available in Japanese grocery stores!

Like many outdoor markets all over the world, you can buy anything there. Beans. Vegetables. Clothes. Chicken with their feet still on. Here you see a shop selling fresh seafood (some still alive) near a shop selling ladies undergarments.


Next stop was Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall, built in the early 20th Century. Spectacular.

Inside was an impressive museum display of China's war history in the past 100 years.
Interesting (and truthful) commentary on Japan and China. (Click on the picture to enlarge the image for reading.)

And really pretty traditional puppets!


Next we visited Longshan Temple, an essential tourist stop and religious pilgrimage site. There appeared to be surprisingly few tourists and many people there to pray.






And last, the famous Night Market! Delightful, if you don't mind chaos. I was hoping that clothes "Made in Taiwan" would be inexpensive, but they were about the same price as in the US. That didn't stop me from shopping. It was the first time in a year that I could shop for clothes that fit me!


Lessons learned: Go to Taipei. Don't fly China Airlines. Get a hostel NEAR public transportation. Eat, shop, enjoy!