It’s another early start - like really early. I would like to think that because it was our last day in Taiwan, the tour was scheduled to maximise the final moments (ehhh half right). Our early start was mainly to beat the peak hour traffic at the National Palace Museum (故宮博物院), home to hundreds and thousands of artefacts dating back thousands of years.
Now, our tour guide did say that the palace can get extraordinarily packed, but that was a gross understatement. The doors were barely opened for the public and reception was already full of people everywhere. The space was largely dominated by tour groups but there were the odd solo travellers squeezing through any tiny gaps available.
After a scrutinising security check, we proceeded to check out the many, many displays that I didn’t reeeaally care about. I mean it’s definitely interesting, I just wasn’t in the mind space to find it so. Except for when we stumbled into the meat rock display, or “meat-shaped stone” (肉形石) to be precise. This was hands down the best thing in the museum, and dare I say the best thing Taiwan has to offer. Though, the jade cabbage wasn't far behind in wow factor.
The sole photo taken in the museum
As per usual, our visit didn't last long, but I didn't mind as there were better things to do - not really. We covered a lot of ground in those hours, but the place was just so massive and it felt like we walked in and out in a matter of minutes. Not to be hyperbolic, but you could spend an entire day here. And that’s just browsing the museum on its own.
Leaving the history vault, I was curiously hungry for some meat... What I got instead was a visit to the jade store booo~ Reeling back my interest, we had our fortunes read. Surprisingly, it was quite accurate. According to the matrix of characters and numbers, the lady eerily described each family member's qualities to a tee. She then proceeded to inform me of things I ought to look out for. Unfortunately for me, it all went through one ear and out the other.
Lunch finally came around and my wish for some meat was granted in the form of beef noodle soup (牛肉麵), at the chain of Chef Hung Taiwan Beef Noodle. Different to that of phở, I enjoyed the chewier, thicker noodles and found the broth nuanced in such a way that it makes the two dishes comparable only by name. On the whole, it's aight. Average as it was, it's offset by the free noodle refills but I knew better than to be a glutton. Flashback to Japan 2016...
Content with our meals, we moved onto one of Taiwan’s most iconic landmarks - the Taipei 101, an architectural marvel and one of the tallest buildings in the world. Not in the mood for long waits and high entry fees, we stuck to staying outside and enjoyed the surrounding city life instead. What’s there really to say about the building that hasn’t been said. It’s an absolute wonder to look at. I mean, look at all that glass…
With no time to spare, we hopped on the coach and zipped over to the National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall (國立中正紀念堂). If the name hadn’t given it away, this sizeable building is home to displays and exhibits dedicated to the historical figure: Chiang Kai-Shek. Personally, I lost interest once we stepped inside. It was a whole lot of nothing.
Finishing off this unwanted visit, we headed to a spacious hall to watch a military march performance. Stuck behind crowds of people, I had to exert way too much effort to catch a proper glimpse. If you're planning to watch it, don't. It's snoooooring. Everything was so slow and the moves performed were extremely underwhelming. Yeah, it shows great control and finesse but who caaaares. Give me explosive flashy extravagances leaving me in awe.
Unenthused with that experience, the next location didn't win me back with a meh visit to the Lungshan Temple (龍山寺).
Of course sth interesting happens after we leave…
Our final dinner was followed by our final night market tour. That night, we found ourselves in Ximending's Night Market (西門町). Different to the previous night markets thus far, Ximending felt more like a shopping/foodie district than a market. Larger than both Liuhe and Fengjia combined, this “market” spanned many streets with a colour coded system designed to waste your time. With yellow, green and red marked avenues, the system aimed to make my Ximending experience ever so slightly annoying. In the yellow lanes, you have food/drink, shops and entertainment. Down green, you have food/drink, shops and entertainment. And in the red corner, you have food/drink, shops and entertainment. Nice.
Setting aside my gripes, Ximending was a nice place to spend the evening with its vast offerings to keep you coming back.
It's been fantastic from start to finish (though, you know it’d be infinitely better if I spearheaded the trip). Like any other country, the place is full incredible experiences and my short snippet has me craving for more. I mean I already have a long list of destinations for my next trip back.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this short series. Thank you for reading and see you next time.