Up until the moment I arrived in Taipei, I knew almost nothing about the city. The only thing I knew was I didn’t have to learn a new language. I had no idea what I would see or find in mega-city.

This Monday, April 21st, marked one month since I’ve been back home since my trip to Taiwan and Japan. I’m still recovering from the trip but it will be a long while until I take a trip like that.

Anyway, this shot was taken from the 89th floor of the Taipei 101 building. It may sound odd but I feel like the best way to get the feel of a city is to see it from high up. I didn’t know just how big it was until I saw it from this vantage point.

From the ground, it reminded me of the version of my hometown in China that only exists in my childhood memories – the old-style 2 or 3 story apartments, scooters and bicycles lined the sides of the streets – it’s so reminiscent of my hometown in the late 90’s. Alas, with these old-style apartments being replaced by high-rise apartments, my hometown is no longer what it used to be.

Walking around the streets in Taipei, I found a foodie paradise. You can literally get every kind of food in Taipei. I tried Japanese bento, pork chop noodle soup, Taipei’s famous beef noodle soup, and Cantonese duck with rice while I was there. All were so good.

What do I think about the city now that I’ve been there?

I feel, contrary to all the other international cities I’ve visited, Taipei may be my favorite, simply because it feels like it’s a complete city. It has food diversity, I have no language barrier, what more can one ask for?

Theme: Places

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