Itinerary
7:00AM – Wake up and prep
8:00AM – Eat breakfast
10:00AM to 1:00PM- Historic Route Walking Tour
2:00PM – Eat lunch
3:00PM to 5:30PM – Golden Age Route Walking Tour
6:00PM – Eat dinner
7:00PM to 9:00PM – Modern Route Walking Tour
9:00PM – Head back to hotel and rest
Unlike in our first day which required us to get out of bed early because of a strict tour call time, our second day in Taiwan had a more relaxed pace.
We started our day by dropping at Starbucks near our hotel to wake up our still sleeping souls and cure our budding homesickness. We also stopped by at Ningxia Night Market again to take some pictures since we weren’t able to do it last night and since it was also along our way to the train station.
Basically, we did a lot of things outside our itinerary before reaching the train station that when another delay happened, this time, because one of my friends realized that he left his money in the hotel and needed to go back, we have decided to ditch our first walking tour for the day and just visit the places by ourselves. Good thing that the tour is free otherwise, we’ve obviously wasted money.
First stop for the day was Longshan Temple which is a popular Buddhist temple located in the heart of the city.
Personally, the temple was the most intricate one I’ve seen in terms of design. It’s hard not to take notice of the details of each design because of its striking colors. Kept my awe to myself though as the place can be really quiet.
Few blocks from Longshan Temple is Bopilao Historical Block. This was one of the times when I wished we have a guide to give us the history of the place because it really looked interesting. But based on research, this tourist attraction is actually an important historical place in Taipei as it played an important role in the city’s commercial development during the Qing dynasty era.
The whole place looked like a set of a war film with its destroyed red brick walls and visible foundations. In one of the windows, I’ve also seen a room with pieces of paper scattered on the floor with matching overhead spotlights as if it is a set of a play. In other rooms, galleries featuring various paintings and dioramas representing Taiwanese life are open to public for viewing. Add up the sight of wall murals and local film posters and I am definitely convinced that the place is related to something creative–which I was able to prove because the place is actually a museum with some commercial operations.
After ending our visit at Bopilao we found ourselves walking and being stunned as we recognize a familiar sight ahead of us–Ximending district! It turned out that our next destination was Ximen Red House which was located across the famous commercial district.
Another one of those moments which made me want to have a guide to explain to us the place’s history, Ximen Red House was actually a government-ran public market that was eventually turned into a theater to hosts creative and cultural performances.
We were able to go inside its lobby and experience it for a brief time until someone approached us and said that sitting in its chairs requires one to order for food so we quietly exited the place and headed to Ximending to grab lunch.
Tired from eating fried foods which we’ve been doing a lot during our first days, we decided to look for another Taiwanese food that isn’t fried and found Sanshang Qiaofu 三商巧福 serving beef noodles to locals.
I remember having my first sip of their noodles’ soup and experiencing heaven after tasting it because (1) at last, food that isn’t fried and (2) the noodles was actually delicious with its soup having the right amount of saltiness and the tender meat that comes with it. Completing the meal was a complementary serving of kimchi and a cold beverage of your choice.
After an hour of eating and resting, we all decided to continue our DIY walking tour and ditch the other two remaining walking tours since we believed that it will be better to have more control of our time. Not long after this decision, we found ourselves walking to the Presidential Office Building where we were welcomed by a grand piece of Western-inspired architecture and some uniformed guards.
Following our quick visit at the Presidential Building, was our visit at 2/28 Peace Memorial Park which –as it name implies– is a memorial park dedicated to the thousands of Taiwanese massacred during February 28, 1947.
Staying true to its name, this public park is really quiet that will allow one to relax and probably regain some peace of mind in the middle of the bustling city. Various symbolic structures can also be found in the place as well as the National Taiwan Museum located in the northern part of the park. It was also here where we saw a squirrel for the first time and where a bird shit on my hand –how peaceful.
After some couple of minutes of resting and washing the bird’s shit on my hand, we then proceeded to our next destination which is the iconic Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
A must-stop for travelers to seal their Taipei visit, this famous Taiwanese landmark sits on a 240,000-square meter complex in the heart of the city and is dedicated to the late and former Republic of China president, Chiang Kai-shek. Aside from the memorial hall which houses Chiang Kai-shek’s massive statue, the complex also includes the National Concert Hall and the National Theater located on the front left and right of the place.
I was in a state of disbelief when I saw the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall’s main gate in person. This was the time when the idea fully sank in that I was in Taipei and I am seeing a scenery that I only see in photos. The gate’s design and massive size were also very amusing to observe. The National Concert Hall and Theater were another sights to behold because of its striking and beautiful Chinese architecture. Add up the blue and white motif of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall between these two and you get a complete panoramic view of the entire square.
We were also able to get the chance to ascend and descend the 89-step stairs going to the memorial hall’s main chamber and saw Chiang Kai-shek’s statue. Too bad that during our visit, the place was crowded with tourists that we weren’t able to get a full view of the whole chamber. Instead, we just took advantage of the view outside which gives an overlooking view of the entire complex below and its neighboring buildings.
By riding the MRT, we went to our seventh destination for the day and got off at Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall Station to visit the tourist spot named after this train station.
Another memorial place built in honor of the of Father of Modern China, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is named after Republic of China late founder, Dr. Sun Yat-sen and houses the statue and various accomplishments of the latter. The place is also a popular meeting ground of Taiwanese for their social, educational and cultural activities.
Upon reaching the place, I was personally struck with the beauty of the tourist spot’s traditional Chinese architecture particularly its roof’s exaggerated size. The view of the nearby Taipei 101 also makes the place a good spot for taking a photo of the famous skyscraper. Aside from these, we also got the chance to witness changing of guards and the lowering of the Taiwanese flag which eventually reminded us that we should proceed to our last destination for the day before the sun starts to set.
It was during our walk going to Taipei 101 when I started noticing some of the unique architecture of Taipei. Particularly catching my eye were Taipei City Hall, Grand Hyatt Taipei and the Taipei World Trade Center Post Office. Nothing can beat, of course, the amusement I’ve felt when we reached the foot of Taipei 101 and the neck-breaking looking up when I glanced at it.
Recognized as one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world, Taipei 101 prides itself with its 89-floor height and an overlooking view of the whole city in its observatory found in the topmost level of the building. Aside from sight seeing, there is also a connecting shopping mall beside it which caters to shoppers in the area. This was also where we exchanged our US dollars when we were in the city.
We reached the vicinity of Taipei 101 during a Friday rush hour so everything around us was a chaos. From the street, food spots up to the train and station, everything was packed with people. Hence, we decided to end our walking tour so we can head back to our hotel and grab dinner and rest our tired bodies and feet as well.
Few hours later, we found ourselves outside again walking towards Yanping Riverside Park which was a good walking distance from our hotel.
One of the things that made me amused with Taiwan is its noise control. Unlike in the Philippines where noise is almost present everywhere, Taiwanese seems to have a designated area for merrymaking and this was what we’ve seen when we visited Yanping Park.
Contrary to the quiet streets we’ve passed by on our way, Yanping Park is very alive and filled with both young and old locals singing, drinking and some even playing in the basketball court found inside the area. Biking is a popular activity in the place with rental bikes available for use. Backdrop of this whole scenery is a view of the nearby city’s lights and the reflecting water of the river which when combined makes up the perfect way to end a whole day of walking.
After taking in all of these things and getting ample experience of the park, we decided to call it a day and head back to our hotel to get rest for our Taichung tour the next day.
Tips from a First Timer
- Bring a bottled water with you during the tour to stay hydrated.
- Wear lightweight and light-colored clothes for a comfortable day of walking especially if you plan to visit during Taiwan’s summer time as it can get really hot outside.
- Do wear a comfortable pair of shoes good for walking.
- Don’t forget to bring an umbrella in case it rains (or shines).
Any thoughts?