Struggling to upload photos here so will put them on facebook and add here later...
25th December 12.30am
25th December 12.30am
Arrived Taipei Airport. Slept on our sleeping mats in the
Taipei Airport departure hall. Woke up at 5am when the security staff arrived
and announced it was morning. Had some coffee and croissants – great. Picked up
by the shuttle with our name on a sign at 7am. The three bike boxes fitted
perfectly! Long drive into the city to Hotel G7 Taipei. All good. Left bags
there and headed to the St Ignatius metro – bought three day metro passes. Had
coffee and dumplings at the first metro change. Then explored the Huashan
Creative Precinct with great sculptures, art and design. Then went to the
Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall and gardens – fabulous. Watched the Changing of
the Guard there. Wonderful. Stopped at a café on the way back and a local
market where we had amazing bananas. Went back to the hotel and out for dinner
where we had Hotpot – local style – cook your own ginger duck in the middle of
the table. Very authentic experience! Great Christmas Day. Very memorable start
to our trip.
26th December
Went straight to the National Palace Museum where we spent two hours exploring the treasures before having coffee and cake in the café. Looked for and eventually found the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines after that. Lucy and I went in and later the others joined us. It was smaller but really interesting. Lots of discussion about the links between the Austronesian languages and really amazing displays and photographs. We spent about an hour there and then went into town again and out to Beitou thermal village. It was later in the afternoon by then and gorgeous. Went to the Beitou Hot Spring Museum which was a lovely restful place. Strolled back through the beautifully lit paths to the train. Later we went to the Shilin Night Market where we had dinner at a Japanese restaurant and strolled through the streets of the market.
27th December
We got up and headed to the Digital Mall! John and I had coffee first and then met the kids inside. Never had I seen anything on the scale of that. Endless digital shopping! Then we headed right to the other side of town to Decathlon – bought up lots of outdoor gear and returned back over the Rainbow Bridge. Very cool. Had a nice coffee and then went to the giant Ferris Wheel at twilight which was amazing. All a bit fraught and tired later and dark by the time we returned so just ate noodles at the corner café which were good. All a bit nervous of the trip ahead and getting through and out of Taipei.
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