Taiwan Revisited 2019 , Day 1

My second visit to Taiwan was a solo trip. I missed my travelmate and am sure my partner is always with me in spirit.

I went to places which we did not visit the first time we went to Taiwan.  Like the first time, I used mostly the MRT, TRA and HSR to reach well known places. I got my wifi and easycard which are part of my travel essentials.

Hello Kitty Edition of Easy Card @NTD100

NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM
I was not able to get inside the museum because there were tons of tourists and I felt unpleasant jostling for position to view the exhibits. I wandered outside and gazed at the beautiful facade and courtyard of the museum

How to get to National Palace Museum

Take  MRT Red Line and alight at Shilin Station (士林). Exit and walk towards the highway, look for the bus stop and ride Bus R30 to National Palace Museum.  Fare is NTD 17

CHIANG  KAI SHEK MEMORIAL HALL
This sprawling complex consists of Front Gate, National Concert Hall, National Theatre and the Memorial Hall.
The Memorial Hall structure is white with four sides and has an octagonal blue roof. There are two stairways with 89 step each, the number of which is the age of Chiang Kai Shek when he died.

How to get to CKS Memorial Hall

Take the MRT green or red line and alight at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial station. Follow the direction upon exit to arrive at the side of the National Concert Hall

FISHERMAN'S WHARF & LOVER'S BRIDGE 

Located at Tamsui District , this place is very scenic spot situated at the Tamsui river.

The Lover's Bridge is so called as it was started on February 14. The white cabled bridge is about 196 meters and it is a great spot to watch the sunset. The bridge changes its color at nighttime. There are restaurants along the boardwalk and there is a boat cruise  for a fee.

How to get to Fisherman's Wharf

Take the MRT Red Line to Tamsui Station ( last station)  and then transfer to Bus Red-26, 836, or 837.

Morwing Hotel - Culture Vogue, Taipei

Morwing Hotel - Culture Vogue is conveniently located near the Taipei Main Station. It is  on Nanyang Street, one of the lively streets in Taipei. It is easily reachable by public transportation .
It is just 5 minute walk from Taipei West Station Building A.

If you arrive late at night,  take Kuo-Kuang Bus (1819) from TaoYuan Airport Terminal 1. At the last stop, locate the Shinkong Mitsukoshi Building which is the highest building fronting Taipei Main Station. You can cross the pedestrian lane and turn left to Caesar's Hotel then turn right and you will find the Morwing Hotel.

If the Tao Yuan Airport MRT is still open you can take that up to the last station. Exit at A1 fronting Taipei Main Station , turn right and you will see the Shinkong Mitsukoshi Building.

The lobby reception is located at the 5F and check is is fast. Staff can speak English well.

The double room is a bit small. However, the queen bed is nice, firm and clean. The toilet and bath are clean as well. Amenities are provided - small ref, safety deposit box, electric kettle, cable tv , telephone and free WIFI.

There are so many shops around the hotel and you will find so many food stores to choose from. There is Starbucks, several bubble tea shops, japanese restaurants, street foods, Uniqlo, H&M and other foreign franchises.

Generally, this hotel is nice.

Morwing Hotel - Culture Vogue

Tel：+886 2 2312-3661 (24hr)
FAX：+886 2 2312-3727
5F., No.8, Nanyang St., Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei City 100, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
morwinghotelculture@gmail.com

Taipei 101 - An Engineering Marvel

Formerly known as Taipei World Financial Center, Taipei 101 is an engineering marvel.

The building was the world's tallest in 2004 until it  was overshadowed by Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2009. It has 101 floors. It was awarded the LEED platinum certification in 2011, which is the highest award according to the  Leadership in energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. It is the tallest and largest green building in the world. It is designed and built to withstand the typhoon winds and earthquake tremors that are common in the area east of Taiwan.

It holds Guinness World Record for having the fastest elevator going from the 5th floor to the 89th  in 37 seconds.
 

The indoor observatory is located at the 89th floor where one can have an unobstructed view of the city in all directions. There are refreshment, souvenir shops, and photography services available.

jar made of jade at the jade souvenir shop

A huge tuned mass damper is located at the 88th floor. The damper is suspended within the building which will offset the force of winds and help 101 stand upright.

how a damper works

An outdoor observatory is located at the 91st floor and can be accessed via stairs from the 89th floor. It is well fenced to prevent any accidental fall.

At the basement of 101 is a market place and the famous Din Tai Fung restaurant. The market place has a supermarket and food court. 

 Should you want to sample the famous xiao long bao, be early to line up at DTF . Otherwise, the line gets long at lunchtime.

How to get to Taipei 101:
Take the MRT red line going to Xiangshan and alight at Taipei 101 station.
Tickets are available at the 5th floor of the mall for NTD600 for adult, NTD540 for student with ID and free for children under 115cm.
Reserve your ticket online to get a discount and avoid long lines.

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