Taiwan is a lovely island rich with Chinese culture. My recent visit to Taipei helped me experience this lovely place. I was there for a week, which allowed for more than just the high tourist spots and time to explore.
Taipei City Wall
Taipei is the capital of this Island, and has been for more than 100 years. It once had a simple city wall surrounding it with four main gates. However, during the Japanese occupation during the late Qing era, the occupiers modernized the city with wider roads. They torn down the walls at the same time. Luckily, a wise official decided to preserve some of the history by keeping some of the gates.
Taipei Grand Hotel
On a hill on the northern side of the city is the Taipei Grand Hotel. I marveled at this building during an episode of “Fresh of the Boat” when the family visits Taiwan. It truly is a grand hotel. The colors and style are very Chinese and exactly what a modern version of the traditional style should look like. The exterior is lovely and the lobby spectacular.
My walk from the subway to the Grand Hotel took me through Taipei Expo Park with its Eco Ark. This building is made of 1.5 million recycled bottles. I also walked by some lovely sculptures and a small neighborhood temple and park. It was a great introduction to everyday Taipei.
Night Markets
Before going to Taipei, everyone told me to go to the night markets. I found several during my time there. One was a permanent market. The others were pop-up markets that shut down streets each night. Mostly they have food and snacks, but there are other vendors too. I didn’t see all of them or probably even the biggest or best ones, but that’s okay. I got the experience, and I’m good with that. Eating and shopping aren’t really what I travel for.
Historic Remnants
In addition to the old gates of the wall, there are other historic landmarks throughout the city. Bopiliao historic district preserves a street of old brick architecture. It is a bit like a museum since it is only open during the day. The lovely buildings provide for some great photo ops. The Red House is an old theater in the Ximengding area. The building is lovely, and the neighborhood is very lively. It is also near the old film neighborhood with lots of walking streets.
I also found some remnants of an old Japanese school. A lovely old bell tower crowns a little hill next to the old brick school building. It is now surrounded by a lovely park.
My time in Taipei was overly wonderful. I saw and experienced some spectacular things. I did eat some good food. I met some good people. And, I spent time in the House of the Lord. All in all, I enjoyed my time there. I would recommend a visit and would return again myself. My next several posts will highlight the adventures I had in and around Taipei.
