Rues of Roo

YaoMingShan Park sunset next to the Arts College

I did manage to stumble to YaoMingShan park, with some friends telling the taxi driver to take me to the top so I could see the sunset. He took me to this arts college up there, which I swear, if I ever studied in Taipei, this would have to be the place to study. The view from the college is astounding, and the complex was very cosy. Being a foreigner of course posed some problems and I promptly got lost in the middle of the national park, but it was all good as I finally found a McDonalds and got a taxi all the way home.

Yoga women at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall

I must say, the real highlight for me was seeing Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and my second regret was that I did not get to spend more time here, or at some of the other grand Memorial Halls that exist in Taipei. In addition, I must’ve been the first tourist in Taipei not to see Taipei 101, which, while a bit of a cliché, I wish I had managed to see. But of course wedding timetables and things just didn’t like me very much, so that was that.

Arches at Chigna Kai Shek Memorial Hall

When I visited the Chiang Kai-shek Hall, I was really very impressed. The thing is absolutely huge, and the square in which it resides is even larger, with two more temples on the side and a huge gateway at the north (or was it east, I have no idea). Unfortunately for me, most of everything was under renovation, so a lot of the beautifully decorated facades of the buildings had scaffolding on them, but at least I had the treat to see about five thousand women practicing yoga, in bright orange tops no less, which was a sight in itself.

Curious, but crazy scooter people

Taipei is a fairly nice city, but it also seemed quite small. The drivers are totally crazy and there are so many motorcycles which provided ample entertainment during the day and night. However, he fact that I had pretty much got bored of the place after three or so days doesn’t say much, but again, I don’t think I have the appetite for what the city really has to offer, which is it’s food, which, apparently, is absolutely wonderful. It’s not that I don’t like good food, but I never could appreciate the Oriental cuisine, which has just been an irony of my entire life I suppose. Nevertheless, perhaps if I had spent a longer time there, and had a Mandarin speaker with me to take me through the motions, it would have been a more enjoyable time, or then again, it might just have confirmed everything I had already concluded, that it is a pretty old, historical city that didn’t really have much to offer in terms of being a blooming metropolis. Or maybe it’s just me.

Random roadworks (what does the sign say?)