taipei

I really liked Taipei.  It was cheap, a lot smaller than Seoul, and easy to get around.  The people were also really friendly, although it seemed like not many people spoke much English.  Everywhere we went, people would just talk to us in Chinese (maybe assuming Tae understood them even though he doesn’t look remotely Taiwanese or Chinese), and I would start laughing because the language just sounds so silly to my ears, like cats talking.  But I would go back for sure, and would love to see more of Taiwan.

Anyway, pictures:

Confucius Temple

Baoan Temple

The Taipei 101 (tallest building in the world) is hiding behind all the pollution.

Finally, food!

It’s ugly at night.

After going up the fastest elevator in the world (they were very proud of that fact, and made sure to remind us many times), we got a view of the city and some crappy pictures.

This is what prevents the building from swaying with the wind.

This place was all kinds of cheesy.

The mall connected to the 101

Snake Alley night market did not have many snakes.

Because Taipei was approximately 300 degrees all weekend, we tried to avoid the heat and went shopping.  This is part of the alleged largest mall in Asia.  COEX is much better.

There are lots of night markets in Taipei.  This was at Shilin, the biggest.  It was probably my favorite place in the city.  There was a huge section of food stalls, then another for games, then clothes… so much going on.

In Ximen, another big shopping area.

taiwanese food

Of course, a post dedicated to the FOOD.  So good.

Our first meal was at a famous dumpling shop, Din Tai Fung.

Dumplings, pork-filled buns (I don’t know the name, but I ate them on several occasions—my favorite), and pork fried rice.

All kinds of squids.  Reminded me of home.

Breakfast: beef noodles.

Ham and cheese Pocky?

“Lonely God” snackies

At the Shilin night market

More beef noodles

We also drank a lot of Boba tea, as it was apparently created in Taiwan.  I remember I drank it all the time in college, thinking I would be able to continue to consume it in mass quantities in Korea, only to find that they don’t have it anywhere.  So I was very happy to see it everywhere in Taipei.

cute taipei

Taipei reminded me a lot of Japan because the people dress similarly and it’s filled with super cute things.  I always thought that Korea and Japan had mastered cuteness, but I think Taiwan might be the winner so far.

Dumpling restaurant

I felt like Hello Kitty was somehow more prevalent there than in Japan.

I actually regret not buying one of these.  It crawled!

“Thank you!  I’m embarrassed.”  ”That’s reassuring.”

1 USD ≈ 33 Taiwanese Dollars

Definitely the least convenient exchange rate I’ve ever had to use (I have leftover USD from my last trip I’ll be converting).  I anticipate I’ll spend this weekend never knowing how much I actually paid for anything.