22 May 09 – Day 6 (Taipei)

Left for Longshan Temple at 8am. There were many people there and they were chanting away. There was a corner where people can take the books and scriptures back for reading. As SWT is a Buddhist, so she was very interested in those books and hence spent quite a while in that corner. We then went to walk around the area to experience the wet market before taking the MRT to Zhong Xiao Dunhua Station. Went to look for Jay Chou’s Omni Shop but failed so we headed to the Eslite Bookshop instead. Again I had estimated the time wrongly coz SWT was really into books and we overstayed again.

Water feature in Longshan Temple

Front view of the temple

Lots of people praying

The books corner

Another water feature

Left for Taipei 101 about 1+pm. Bought our tickets on level 5 and then proceeded to take the lift. Was told that haversack was not allowed and hence I was told to deposit my bag in the locker before taking the lift up. Got up and spent a couple of hours there before leaving. As we needed to collect our orders from Lee Yi at the Main Station branch by 9pm so we decided to back track to the Main Station to collect our orders and headed back the hotel to deposit our stuff. Told SWT to ask the hotel staff about the closing time for the shops in Wufenpu and was told that they closed about 8+pm. So we dropped Wufenpu and Raohe NM and went to eat dinner at a Japanese fast food restaurant in XMD before going to Shida NM for a walk. SWT managed to buy a top coz her size doesn’t require trying on. Left for the hotel around 9+pm.

Some pictures from Taipei 101 :

Place where I sent my postcards

The Wind Damper

Taipei 101

My dinner

Thoughts: Longshan Temple is worth a visit, especially if you are a Buddhist. I didn’t get to see much of the temple that day coz there was a ritual going on. Taipei 101 is a must visit to everyone who visit Taipei. But of course weather plays a big part. The weather wasn’t good when I went and so didn’t get to see very far. Nevertheless, it was still worth visiting to experience the fastest lift. I actually posted out postcards to myself and my other family members while on the 89th floor. Shida NM is by far the best NM of all during my visit coz the things and food was cheap. A note for people going to Shida NM, the nearest MRT station is Taipower Building Station and need not transit at the Main Station.