August 28 in the Philippines is a holiday and it was on a Monday. It was another long weekend. EVA Air had a sale early this year and the roundtrip fare from Manila to Taipei was just $150. It was a good deal so we had to grab it. Well, Taipei is just 1 hour and 30 minutes plane ride from Manila. The flying time is just equivalent to a 22 kilometer drive here in Metro Manila.
We went to 3 Tourists spots in Taipei. We were able to see all of them in 1 day and just by riding the train and bus. It's really fun and exciting doing these activities not organized by a tour company whatsoever. We even got lost at one point and ended up in a school!
EVA Air flies from Terminal 1 of NAIA which is an immigration nightmare. Getting over immigration in NAIA Terminal 1 will take you 1 hour and 20 minutes. It was just terrible. I should write about that and take pictures next time.
It was a smooth flight to Taipei and we landed at Taoyuan Intl. Airport which is really a nice airport. Been here in transit several times and there's lots of things to do in the airport. Well anyway, once we got our luggage we went to the booth where they provide local sim for call, text and the most important ... DATA. I got a portable WiFi Router so I can link all my gadgets.
There is actually a train which connects the airport to the Taipei Main Station and we had to transfer train that would take us to Ximen Station which is super near our hotel. Train are very efficient in Taiwan. You wont get lost as long as you have your Google Maps with you. Trains take you to every part of Taipei. We actually got a card where you can use for trains and buses and I think you can use it to buy stuff from a 7-11. Trains and Train Stations are very organized and clean. How I wish, it was like this in Manila (i'm really hoping). You can actually go to the tourist spots in the city just by train or bus and it's cheaper. You just need to have a good sense of direction and plenty of data in your phone and a sense of adventure.
Waiting for the train to arrive that will take us to Main Station from TPE.
Taipei Main Station Central Hall. It's really big.
Small waiting area for trains that would take you to your destination.
The hotel where I was staying was had the best area there is. I stayed at Inhouse Boutique Hotel (will be in a separate review) in the Ximending Area and it is just few steps away from the shopping area. Ximending is a really busy area. Lot's of people walking especially during the night and shops and food stalls are open until midnight. I just love how the area is full of energy. Most of the young people come to this area because of the shops and bars. I can't believe I just live a few meters away from the happening. There are also street food in one section and it was good and cheap. I was able to do a little bit of shopping in the area.
The famous Modern Toilet Restaurant which is walking distance from our hotel.
Late night at Ximending and it's still alive.
Lot's of street food selection just very near our hotel.
It's better to walk when in Ximending. Traffic is heavy within the area.
Shopping is one thing to do in Taiwan. There are factory outlets in Taipei where you could reach by bus and train. These places get really busy especially on weekends. I don't think I have the patience where there's too many people in a specific area. But as long as there's food. I cannot complain.
Lots of people near our hotel. Shops are open until 12 midnight.
It's not actually fun getting lost in this heat.
Our first stop was the National Palace. It is a huge complex with a grand entrance. It is actually a museum where you can find ancient Chinese artifact from the Imperial Era. It has coins, paintings, pots, books and many more. Well, if you take the bus and the bus happens to drop you off in front of the entrance, make sure you have the energy to walk going to the main building because it's quite far and there are stairs where you have to go on to. Also, it was very hot the time we went so it was not helping at all. We just stayed for a short while and had some milk tea.
The Main Entrance of the National Palace Museum.
Enjoy the heat. Long walk from the arc to the main building.
Expect to have lots of stairs when you go to the main building.
Enjoying every moment.
Our Second stop was the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. This area is very important to the Taiwanese people. The Taiwanese Government built this Memorial Hall in honor of their beloved President Chiang kai Shek. You can see in this building how the people love him. It is a wonderful structure in the middle of a Park. You can feel the grandeur of the building just by looking at it. In here people would see memorabilia from CKS himself. His notes, his awards, photos with other leaders, his office and even the cars he used. There are also shops and food stalls inside the main building and I was glad it was air-conditioned because the heat outside was killing me.
One of the entrances to the Chian Kai Shek Memorial Hall.
This is the main building dedicated to Chiang Kai Shek.
Office set-up of former President Chiang Kai Shek.
I just love how majestic this building is.
Main entrance to the CKS. The Grandeur of this Memorial Hall.
Our Third Stop was the Taipei 101. I guess this building is one thing people would know when you say Taiwan. This is structure that defines Taiwan. Why is it 101? Because it has 101 floors. I just found out that time. It is actually an office building connected to a mall and it has an observation deck on top. We did not go to the top anymore because it gets really busy. You have to schedule going to the top. It was quite expensive as well to go to the very top. Well, having a picture with 101 as your background is already enough for me. We went around the mall and it was High-End. You get to see the expensive brands like LV, Hermes, Gucci and many more. It was not for me. We just went around because it was air-conditioned and we had snacks at Agnes B cafe. All the while I thought it was just a clothing brand. Again, plenty of people at this time especially at restaurants and fast-foood areas. They are food lovers just like me.
The famous Taipei 101
Mandatory picture
We ended our day by going back to Ximending and going around the busy area. It was really amazing to see how lively this area is. Despite of being tired from walking and accumulating 17,000+ steps (record breaking for me), we still had the energy to go around the area. I guess it goes into you.
The whole day was worth it. We did a lot of things with minimal expenses. The only problem is that it was too hot and humid. I guess August is not really the best time to go to Taiwan. It gets really hot and it drains all your energy levels. I guess it would be better to come like January or February. If you are not into the hot and humid scenario then don't go during August.
The whole day was worth it. We did a lot of things with minimal expenses. The only problem is that it was too hot and humid. I guess August is not really the best time to go to Taiwan. It gets really hot and it drains all your energy levels. I guess it would be better to come like January or February. If you are not into the hot and humid scenario then don't go during August.
From my YouTube Channel rrs425
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