Tag Archives: Taipei

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Lungshan Temple in Taipei

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I visited Lungshan Temple in Taipei in September 2016

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Lungshan Temple was only a few hundred meters from the metro station. Just walk past a park and you were there. The park was full of old men sitting around, playing games between themselves, or just talking. I walked past them. Towards the temple. It was easy to spot. A huge crowd was gathered in front of it, people passing through the gates constantly. And a massive neon sign was flashing above the entrance. I crossed the road and passed through its gates.

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The Sunflower Movement

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I visited Taiwan and learned of the Sunflower Movement in September 2016

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‘Oh yeah,’ he said as I showed him the picture. ‘There is always some kind of protest going on now. Many people oppose the stance the government has taken towards China’ he continued. His English quite good for a Taiwanese. Sometimes he searched a little for what to say, sometimes he had to ask his girlfriend for a word in English, but most of the time he had no problem conversing.

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National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine in Taipei

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I visited the National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine in Taipei in September 2016

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The rain was pouring down as I approached the shrine. Rain like we never have in Norway, never downpours like this. A deluge of water coming from the skies, not a dry spot to be found. Except under my umbrella. Under here it was still nice and warm. The rain did not make the temperatures drop, it was still just over 30 degrees. The trepidation only increased the humidity, making it feel even warmer. I wasn’t 100% dry under my umbrella. I was sweating heavily.

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Beautiful Tamsui in Taiwan

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I visited Tamsui outside Taipei in September 2016

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One of the most popular things to do whe visiting Tamsui just north of Taipei is to watch the sunset. It is supposed to be very beautiful here, setting over New Taipei, the light creating a spectacular horizon. The day I was visiting had been a rainy day, massive rain showers all day followed by some minutes of sun and blue skies. The last hour it seemed as the rain had quieted down a bit. Quicker showers, not so intense. As the sunset approached I seriously thought it would clear up. Not just for some minutes but for the rest of the evening. As the sun started falling towards the horizon there was hardly a cloud in sight. But that would all change. Just as the sun touched the horizon you could not see it anymore, dark clouds were in the way. A few seconds later the rain started pouring again. I missed seeing the sunset in Tamsui.

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Night Markets in Taiwan

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I visited several night markets in Taipei, Taiwan in September 2016

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I started with the mussels. Perfectly cooked in a spicy sauce. They tasted amazing, and the whole portion for only TD 60. A scoop. They were so tasty I wanted to finish them all, but I couldn’t. There was so much to try here, for such a cheap price, I could not fill my stomach up on the first few dishes. I threw over half of my mussels away.

I followed up with Taiwanese sausage, oysters, various meat grilled on various sticks. Then a beef noodle soup. The stalls offering food were spread out all over the street. All the food looked delicious. Further down the street the stalls offered various games for kids. Shoot balloons, throw darts, fish for presents. I was mostly focused on all the delicious food.

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The Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei

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I visited Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei in September 2016

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I had seen the building from the Observation Deck at Taipei 101. A large, traditional Taiwanese building. A shrine or a museum or memorial to something I guessed. It was not far from the tower, it was still early in the day. I had plenty of time to go and see what it was and decided to do so. I love to travel without plans, just do what I feel inspired to do in the moment. This time my inspiration took me to the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

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Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

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I visited Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei in September 2016
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It was hard to miss the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. A massive building towering over the park around, clad in shining white stone that sparkled in the sun shine. The Memorial Hall shone like a beacon, beckoning me to come closer, come inside. It would be cooler there as well. The heat was almost unbearable by now. Way too hot for a Norwegian.

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The 58 Bar in Taipei

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I visited Taipei and the 58 Bar in September 2016

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It became sort of a haven for me, a base, a place to relax in between experiencing Taipei. I would stop by for a beer almost every day, after sightseeing for hours. I would relax for a while, chat with the bartenders, write some in my journal, before heading to a new night market. To feast on all the delicious street food. Bar 58 was a cool place. I liked it. good music playing, nice and friendly bartenders. Lots of Taiwanese craft beer. A great place to wet my throath, rest my legs, digest the events of the day so far.

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When my flight from Taiwan to Japan got cancelled

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I flew from Taoyuan Airport in Taiwan to Narita Airport in Japan in September 2016

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It was the day after Typhoon Megi, yesterday all flights to and from Taoyuan Airport outside Taipei had been cancelled. Today the typhoon had passed, no more rain, the winds had calmed down. A perfect day for flying. I still anticipated some chaos at the airport. Lot oftravellers, long lines. People who could not fly yesterday looking for a new flight. Planes needed to be redirected, planes not where they should be, having to get to Taiwan before being able to depart from Taoyuan Airport. Things could be slower and more chaotic than usual. I left Taipei with plenty of time, I did not want to be be in a hurry at the airport.

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When Typhoon Megi hit Taiwan

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I visited Taiwan during Typhoon Megi in September 2016

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Branches were falling off trees, down to the road below. Blocking traffic, being in the way of cars. One huge branch fell down just a meter or so in front of a car. The driver just managed to break, saw it as it came falling down. He sat still in his car seat for a long time after coming to a stop, taking deep breaths, before finally driving again. This is crazy. Driving in these conditions is crazy. And there were people out on their scooters as well! Shop signs were falling down from the walls, crashing into the street below. Any loose object could suddenly come flying through the air. And it seemed the wind was picking up. It had stopped raining, but the winds were getting stronger and stronger.

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