Taipei: Beyond money and appetite

When most people think of Taiwan, or its capital city, Taipei, the image that comes to mind is a bustling city of cheap electronics, mid-brow fashionable clothes, and great food. To some extent those representations are correct. Laptops and smart phones are cheaper here, and there is a plethora of cheap fashion items and delectable goodies in the night market. But a traveler’s consumerist side must make amends with the city’s other assets.

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Taipei is the gateway to Taiwan, and every island tourist has to stop by the capital city. There are plenty of decent hostels and hotels here for every budget. I stayed at the Amba, which is a modern-looking hotel in Ximending. A couple of bus rides later, I found myself looking at the Taipei 101.

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The Taipei 101 is a modern technological marvel. At 1,671 feet (509 meters), it used to be the tallest building in the world before being surpassed by the Burj Khalifa at 2,722 feet (829.8 meters) in Dubai. The tower’s first five floors are filled with designer stores, while the rest are rented out as office spaces to some of the largest international companies headquartered in Taiwan. An indoor observatory occupies the 88th and 89th floors, and an outdoor observatory the 91st floor.

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My peers know me as a history buff, so a troop to the National Palace Museum was a given in my itinerary. The museum showcases a collection of rare artifacts and artworks from the Qing Dynasty, the last imperial dynasty to rule China. Being an ardent lover all things historical, I found this place very interesting—and ended up staying for a whole day just immersing myself in the country’s rich history and culture.

I never thought that I would find Taipei interesting, but I did. I would love to come back some day.

Traveling the world is a Louis Habash kind of life. I am constantly on the prowl for the next destination. My Twitter page documents some of my travels.