Niu Tien Beef Noodles
After having a really great nights rest, I slowly get myself ready for the day ahead. My first stop, given the time I eventually leave my hotel is Niu Tien Beef Noodles. This is a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand rated restaurant and very close to my hotel. So this is to be my first proper meal in Taiwan. Upon entering the store, the friendly wait staff seated me and got me an english menu because I’m a terribly “unasian” Asian. After making a selection and waiting a few minutes my meal arrives, along with a handy dandy instruction card on how to eat beef noodle soup! Sufficient to say, the food is really enjoyable and the experience (with the card) is fairly unique too. Highly recommend this spot!
Taipei 101
After satisfying my appetite, the next stop on my Taipei itinerary is Taipei 101. Taipei 101 was once the tallest building in the world but has since lost that title to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai (Which I visited in 2016!). Once you exit the metro station and look up at the tower, you get a sense for how tall the building is.
Once inside, a majority of the bottom few floors are shops. I make my way into the lobby for the observation floor. This is where you buy tickets to get to the top and get some amazing views of Taipei. You also get to ride on on one of the fastest elevators in the world which takes you from the 5th to the 89th floor in under a minute.
Taipei 101 – Observation Deck
Once you arrive at the observation floor, you can walk around the entire floor to get a 360 degree view of Taipei. The view of the sprawling city is pretty awesome. There’s also a post office box up there which you can buy some post cards, write and send it from there. There’s also access to an even higher floor via the stairs which leads to an outdoor observatory area. From here you can see that you’re only a few more floors from the very top of the building and also get great views of the city without a piece of glass in the way.
Taipei 101 – Wind Damper
One other cool element of the observation deck is “exposed” wind damper. It’s essentially a huge weight that’s suspended in the middle of the tower and sways with inside the building. This is supposed to negate the wind against the building to prevent the building itself from swaying. Normally tall buildings don’t have things like this on display, so its a cool opportunity when you can see something like this.
NTCH Arts Plaza
After leaving Taipei 101, my next stop is at the NTCH Arts Plaza. This is a huge open space which houses the National Theatre (The ‘NT’) and the Concert Hall (The ‘CH’). The Liberty Square Arch is also in this area and so it makes for a very impressive space. What also makes it really neat is that while the buildings look quite historic and prestigious one would think that there’s a particular “decorum” when around them. However, this isn’t the case and it truly is a celebration of art. on the steps of both the theatre and the concert hall were tons of young people with their blue tooth speakers practicing hip hop dances or going through their pop and lock routines. I think it’s a really cool contrast and makes the whole plaza a very welcoming and collaborative space!
National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
Further away and at the other end of the plaza is the National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial. This is a memorial that’s been erected for the former president of Taiwan. It’s a very elaborate memorial and very grand. I would almost compare it to something like the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.
It just so happens that right when I get there, I stumble upon what looks to be a “changing of the guards” ceremony. So I progress to watch them go through the guard change at the memorial and then also follow them back towards the plaza where they change the flag that is in the middle of the plaza. I feel pretty lucky to witness something like this given I didn’t plan it at all!
With the ceremony over, I make my way back to the hotel to chill out for a little bit before heading back out in the evening for dinner.
Ningxia Night Market
Taiwan is known for its night markets and tonight I decided to go to the Ningxia Night Market. From what I’ve read its a pretty good one for food and may not be as “touristy” as others. When I arrive, it is certainly bustling with tons of locals hanging out and having dinner.
I am mainly after one thing. Yuan Huan’s Oyster egg omelette. This is another Michelin plate rated location and so why not try it? While there I also ordered a meat sauce on rice since it is another Taiwanese staple. Both are extremely tasty and I wouldn’t hesitate to get it again.
After dinner and exploring the night market a little more, I decide to walk home instead of take the metro. Its not super late, nor is it very very far, so maybe it’s a chance for me to “walk off” some of the food today. It’s a pleasant 45 min walk and before I know it I’m back in my hotel room. After a nice shower, I jump into bed ready for what the next day has in store.