Taipei

On the way back from Canada we had a stopover in Taipei in Taiwan. We only had 18 hours between landing and takeoff, but it was enough time to get into the city and see some sights. It was a great time and I would go back in a heart beat.


The first place we visited was the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial complex. On the left is the National Concert Hall, on the right is the National Theatre, and in the center is the CSK Memorial/museum.




This style of monumental architecture is amazing. Standing before it you can't help but be awed, which I guess is the whole point.




This is one of Chiang Kai-Shek's sweet bulletproof cars.




This is in the top of the memorial, with the honour guard in the foreground.




A Taiwanese vending machine. Note the asparagus juice and the milk peanut soup. We didn't try either.


This big fish had a bunch of writing on it and a coin slot. I didn't know what would happen but I knew I had to give the fish money. In return we got a little canister of pellets with which to feed the fish.


Longshan Temple, built in 1728 in an older section of Taipei.




We called this the lovecat, but like so much Taiwanese art, we have no idea what it signifies.


The National Palace Museum, a massive gallery of Chinese and Tibetan artifacts. Depending on the narrative you listen to, the pieces in this museum were either stolen by Chiang Kai-Shek and the Chinese Nationalists, or saved by the same from being destroyed like so many other artifacts in Mao's Cultural Revolution.




I'm pretty sure a Taiwanese hobbit lives here.


The Taipei 101, the second tallest building in the world.




The Super Big Wind Damper inside that helps the building maintain stability.


The city from the top of the Taipei 101, approximately 400m up.


Figurines in the little shop at the top of the Taipei 101.


We were heading back to the airport by the time the sun set, but even in the short time we saw Taipei after dark it was clear the city changes clothes every evening.