Taipei, the 4th Asian Dragon

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The capital of Taiwan is located in the north of the island, and is a very pleasant mixture of a traditional Chinese Heritage with modern architecture. One of the emblems of the city is Taipei101, one of the tallest towers in the world, and located in the center of Taipei. Although the city is one of the four dragons of Asia, one does not feel the overwhelming activity of cities like Hong kong, nor see the modern touch of cities like Singapore. Taipei is of a slower pace than both, but retains a unique traditional Chinese atmosphere, perhaps mixed with some Japanese Zen-attitude!

 

In the north of Taipei, easily reached by Metro and bus, the park of YangMingShan offers nice views on the city and shelters a very nice natural reserve. It is possible to visit the ZhongShan Building next to the park. This very traditional set of halls was built by Chiang Kai Shek to honor SunYatSen.

 

 

Back in the center of Taipei, one of the main activities in the evening is to enjoy all the local night-market, which are amazing centers of activity, with thousands of people out in the streets to enjoy the cheap street-food, a delicious specialty of Taiwan!! Some of the best night Markets are found in Shilin or Yansan, although I am sure locals would have much to say about that!! The best is to just stroll around, and let sounds, smells, shows and activity guide you!

 

 

A very nice day-trip to be made from Taipei is to reach the old traditional village of JiuFen, on the north coast of Taiwan. It can be a hassle to reach the village from Taipei, especially on weekends because it is a local's favorite destination. To avoid unnecessary waiting time, I recommend taking the train to RuiFang, and then the bus to JiuFen. The bus route is a nice ride, winding between hills and coast. JiuFen has alot of traditional houses, little cafes, and it is possible to hike and enjoy the beautiful coastline landscape!