Taipei, Taiwan

Riding towards Taipei from the airport, I was surrounded by lush green hills. As we approached the city, mid-level apartment complexes started to emerge. It was a typical modern urban landscape, other than a few temples in the hills and a giant red building with traditional architectural elements, which I learned is the historic Grand Hotel. The highway was elevated, which allowed me to see into the distance from the car. A peaceful river twisted its way through the city, surrounded by lots of green space and bike trails. From my initial back-seat perspective, Taipei looks like a beautiful city with a high quality of life.

My Taipei airport transfer

Once we exited the highway, traffic became heavier and pedestrians filled the streets. My hotel is located in the main shopping district and adjacent to Taipei 101 (the world's tallest skyscraper from 2004 to 2010, when it was surpassed by Burj Khalifa in Dubai). From my window, I got a direct view of the building and the surrounding hills in the background. I was really excited to explore this city.

View from my window, with Taipei 101 in the foreground

View from the other angle of the hotel

When I walked out the front door of the hotel, my attention was immediately drawn to live music playing in a nearby park. I walked closer and saw people waving flags that said “#HUG for Taipei”. I was confused by the message but I later learned that this was just an election rally (makes sense in retrospect, since it was happening right in front of the City Hall). I admittedly do not know much about Taiwan’s political environment (other than its contentious relationship with China), but I am a fan of any place that turns a campaign rally into a live music concert.

Pre-election rally in front of City Hall

I then walked to the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and arrived just in time to watch the changing of the guard ceremony. I always get mesmerized by the focused and precise movements, even though I’m not sure what they are actually guarding since Yat-sen’s body is not buried there. Adjacent to the main foyer, there is a small museum with various artifacts and clips from Yat-sen’s life as a beloved leader for post-Imperial China. I’m not a museum person, so I breezed through this exhibition.

Exterior of Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall

Guard at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

I could hear loud music as soon as I stepped outside, and I noticed that there were at least 5 different dance crews creating and practicing their routines on the landings. I felt like I was at the auditions for a Taiwanese “Battle of the Year” remake, but it was much more entertaining than the museum inside so I stayed around for at least 20 minutes to watch them. The Koreans may have emerged victorious in the "Battle of the Year" movie, but I think the Taiwanese dancers are poised to throw down a challenge!

Dance Crew in front of Memorial Hall

Everyone says that night markets are THE thing to see in Taipei, so I decided to visit one as the next stop on my agenda. I considered trying out the public transport system, but decided instead to grab a bubble tea and enjoy the sights and sounds of Taipei while I walk there. Walking proved to be an excellent decision because I stumbled upon a make-shift stage and theatrical performance on the way. I decided to stop and watch. Of course I couldn’t understand a single word, but it didn’t even matter. The colorful costumes, hilarious choreography, and over-the-top acting was enough to keep me thoroughly entertained until the end of the show.

Impromptu Theatrical Performance

Street performance in Taipei

In case photos don't do it justice, I also took a video clip:

On the other side of the road was a beautiful temple that also piqued my curiosity. I stepped inside and admired all the decorations for a few minutes. There wasn’t a single inch of unused space, which always provides a wonderful sensory overload. As much as I enjoy seeing temples and churches around the world, I feel like I always miss out on so much information by simply appreciating the aesthetic elements, rather than taking the time to learn about what everything means. I could not even determine which religion the temple is dedicated to. I may have ended up with more questions than answers after this stop, but these little discoveries are what make travel so exciting for me.
  

Outside of the temple

Visitors praying

Another scene inside the temple

Scene inside the temple

I finally arrived at Raohe Street Night market and I was instantly amazed by the sheer number of people there. Everyone basically moves with the crowd and no one gets anywhere quickly. However, with all the sights and smells surrounding you, there is really no reason to be in a rush. Most of the vendors in the center of the road were selling junk food, while the shops along both sides were filled with clothing and other inexpensive gifts. I started to build up an appetite, but nothing was appealing enough to try (street markets aren't exactly known for their healthy options). Even though I did not end up buying anything at the market, I can totally see why it is such a famous place for both tourists and locals. If you haven't been to a night market, you haven't seen Taipei.

Entrance to Raohe Street Night Market

Filling some dumplings

Large quantities of food for the evening rush

Meat on a stick

Deep Fried Goodness

Street markets may get all the attention, but I also found downtown Taipei to be a wonderful area for high-street shopping. The mall inside Taipei 101 anchors a pedestrian-only street that is lined with shops and restaurants for at least a half-mile. I was pretty impressed by the range of brands, some of which I had never even heard of before. Although it was not even Thanksgiving back at home, the Taiwanese people wasted no time in putting up Christmas decorations and getting all the shoppers in the festive holiday mood.  

Pedestrian shopping mall at night

Another view from the outdoor shopping mall

My hotel was also decorated nicely for the Christmas holidays:

The hotel is ready for Christmas

The next few days in Taipei involved a lot of food. I love the family-style atmosphere of Chinese restaurants, but I inevitably eat more than I need. As a foreigner, I feel even more obligated to try everything that is placed in front of me so I don’t offend anyone with the false impression that I may not want to try the local cuisine. Fortunately for me, I enjoyed it all.

My view at almost every meal this week...

Speaking of food… On my last night in Taipei, I had the pleasure of eating at the famous Din Tai Fung. This location is in the basement of Taipei 101 and I loved the unpretentious atmosphere that allows the high-quality food to speak for itself. Din Tai Fung doesn’t take reservations, so the lobby is always filled with hungry people who are anxiously awaiting their number to be called. Once inside, my eyes were immediately drawn to the show kitchen. The dumpling chefs were crowded around small tables, each wearing a mask and hairnet. They delicately filled each dumpling and placed it on a bamboo steamer. Din Tai Fung may not be a fancy restaurant, but it is an experience that anyone should enjoy in Taipei.

Dim sum chefs at Din Tai Fung

Taipei is a city full of contrasts...
Shortly after watching dance crews push the envelope with an international hip-hop beat, I stumbled across a traditional Chinese theatrical performance.

Taipei is a city full of extremes...
At the same moment that street vendors hastily fill dumplings from a giant vat of mystery meat, nearby restaurants serve dumplings that are made with surgical precision and only using the highest quality ingredients.

Taipei is a city full of surprises...
In a country where Christians comprise only 4% of the population, Christmas decorations fill the streets and hotel lobbies. I felt more in the Christmas spirit here than I did in Paris last December.    

In Taipei, you can walk through the streets without an agenda, but still end up with non-stop entertainment. Despite being a modern industrial economy, Taiwan still retains many cultural traditions. I think this variety is what made the city so exciting for me to visit.

Buildings in downtown Taipei are lit up beautifully at night