This morning I had an early start as I had a lot to get thru again and with time deadlines. I left at 8 and started at the bakery again. I bought a multi grain loaf for 40 TWD ($1.25) and a honey french toast for 22 TWD (.75 cents). The first destination was the National Palace Museum. This is reached by bus from either of two metro lines. I was told my 5 day tourist pass only works on certain buses. The station and bus line the booklet suggested meant I would ha...

I was now tired of walking all morning and wanted to take it easy so thought this would be a good time to take the gondola. The gondola is the end of a subway line in the south end of the city so I could sit and ride the subway all the way there. You have to take the blue line across from downtown to the brown line, then take the brown line in the direction of Taipei Zoo which is the last stop. Also the brown line is an elevated driverless monorail so good for si...

Leaving the National Museum I walked thru a parrot market till I came to the Longshan Temple. These are elaborately decorated temples with many painted carvings and figures all across the roof. The temple was full of worshippers and overpowering with the scent of incense sticks which they held as they bowed forward in prayer gestures. There were also plates of flower petals which can be used during prayers. Then I took the metro one station over to get to the Pre...

Today was my first full day in Taipei and I set off early as had lots of exploring. First at the metro station was a bakery selling a variety of fresh breads made onsite. I bought a raisin loaf for 30 TWD ($1) and a melon bread for 28 TWD ($1). I love bread and bakeries, but koreans dont. I wasnt going to miss up on my chance to eat as much baked goods as I could. The train ride from my terminal station back downtown to the memorial park was about 35 mins. For th...

Having checked into the hostel I now had some time to check out the old town where I am staying. The metro line terminates at Tamsui but the neighbourhood also called Danshui somewhat confusingly as there are two spellings from the original chinese. This was the original colonial settlement founded by the Dutch and the Spanish when they came in the 17th century. There are forts and colonial homes from this period. The guy in the hostel had given me a map of the l...