Rainy Taipei

I just got back from my short vacay in Taipei. It was raining for two days. Good thing there was sun on the last day!

This trip was scheduled sometime in February and as usual the airtickets were so cheap.  We got them on sale!  Originally, there were three of us but then the other one had to migrate to Australia in April. So that made just the two of us on this trip.  And this is my first time to go with someone in my team on a holiday trip outside the country!  Anyhow, the good thing about this new travel companion is that he is also a travel buff and goes for inexpensive stuffs on travels ie food and accommodation.

The 3 day trip in Taipei consisted of the following places:
 Day 1 - Chiang Kai Shek Memorial
              Martyr's Shrine
              Confucius Temple (but was closed)
              Shilin Night Market

national theater (?)

Martyrs' Shrine

Chiang Kai Shek Memorial

yummy lunch!

Day 2 - National Palace Museum
             Longshan Temple
             Taipei 101 at the observatory

Longshan Temple

Longshan Temple

Taipei City view from Taipei 101

Taipei 101

Taipei 101

Day 3 - Taipei 101 by day
             Lunch at Din Tai Fung in Taipei 101
             Taipei Zoo
             Maokong Gondola
             Taipei Main Station Underground Mall shopping

Taipei 101 by day with slightly gloomy sky

the zebras at the Taipei Zoo

a tea house in the Maokong Station

Taipei has a lot of Japanese influences. But it is Mandarin speaking. Very few people understand or speak English.  Good thing my companion had a few Mandarin words, enough to survive!

If given the opportunity to come back, I would! And I want to go shopping! And yes go to Jiufen which is really old Taiwan.  Unfortunately, I only realised it is one of the must-go places in Taiwan when we were headed back home. Oh well, there will always be a next time!