Before I went to Taiwan, I have already prepared my supposed itinerary for the whole trip; but when I arrived in Taipei, I must adjust most of it.
It was quite tiring and mind boggling
to think of a new itinerary but that is what makes it more exciting -- new plan
to fit my trip schedule.
So, for this day's plan, it's more on
a go with a flow kind and just see where my feet take me as I’m wandering
around the city. I tried to literally walk from one spot to another, so I just
visited the places that are nearby from the first place I visited.
Here goes my second day in Taipei.
It was quite a cool cloudy day when I
left my hotel and right after I had my coffee from the nearby Starbucks, I then
head to my first destination of the day, Longshan Temple.
Longshan Temple 龍山寺
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Located in the Taipei’s most historic neighborhood in Wanhua District and considered to be the most well known temple in Taiwan -- the Mengjia Longshan Temple was built in 1738 by settlers from Fujian as a gathering place for Chinese settlers.
Longshan Temple is one of largest and oldest temples in Taiwan and has stood the test of time and lasted through several natural disasters and wars.
How to Get There:
By MRT - Take the Blue Line 5 to Longshan Temple (龍山寺), the temple is located just north of the station plaza, Exit 1.
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Bopiliao Historical Block 剝皮寮Heritage and Culture Education Center of Taipei City
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Located one block to the east of the temple is the historic Bopiliao (剝皮寮), a walking street with Qing Dynasty architecture and a museum.
One of the best-preserved historic sections of Wanhua, Bopiliao covers both Qing and early Japanese-era architecture. Some of the buildings house art galleries (generally open from 9am to 6pm, Tuesday to Sunday) showing experimental works, mostly by young local artists.
Bopiliao was one of the busiest and most prosperous commercial areas in Taipei, home to various merchants and was one of the major areas for the coal trade. During the Japanese era, new urban planning relegated the thoroughfare to a back alley as new roads were constructed to connect various parts of the city together in a more cohesive manner. This new connectivity within the city diminished the relevance of the area and it fell into disrepair.
The Heritage and Culture Education Center was established by the Taipei City government in 2006 to complement the restoration of Bopiliao.
The museum has 2 levels of permanent exhibitions open to the public with free entry.
The Red HouseHonglou, 西門紅樓
I then visited the famous Red House which is located at the across the Ximending Night Market area. It was already raining when I arrived here, so I was not able to really explore more on what's around the area.
A Western-style building built in 1908 located at Ximending is home to Taipei's creative and culture industry, hosting exhibitions and performances daily.
Originally, the complex with built to serve as the first government-operated public-run market, and now is classed and preserved as a municipal heritage site.
The building features an octagonal entrance and cross-shaped floor plan where merchants could showcase their goods. Today the market has modernised to become a space for the creative and art industry, including an outdoor Market for Artists and Designers located within the North Square.
The square behind the main building is home to Taipei's largest LGBT district and a large number of outdoor bars (with great drinks and service) that welcome all patrons. (www.guidetotaipei.com)
How to Get There
By MRT - Take the Blue Line 5 or Green Line 3 to Ximen (西門), Exit 1.
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Huashan 1914 Creative Park華山1914文化創意產業園區_______________________________________________
Originally a winery, the Huashan 1914 Creative Park is now an important events venue and considered to be as Taipei's most retro-chic location. As a new cultural events platform and a multipurpose park, many large-scale exhibitions, installations, theater productions and performances now take place here.
The exhibitions in the area changes all the time, so you get to see a lot of different and unique things and do lot of awesome activities.
Braised Beef Noodle Soup
Since it rained so hard, I have decided to look for local noodle shops that served good braised beef noodles around the area, and I looked it up online and found these gems. Both shops are highly rated on yelp!
No wonder they are highly rated! The beef broth is amazing and very flavorful. Savory but not "umay". With the help of these condiments, it made the broth a lot richer.
If you are doubtful on how to mix these condiments, you can always ask them to help you mix or teach you on what to put in your bowl.
Ximending Night Market 西門町
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Considered to be the shopping district in the Wanhua District of Taipei, amd the first and the largest pedestrian zone in Taiwan. It's fancy, clean, and beautiful. There's a lot of areas you can roam around while shopping, and looking for something to eat as it has a variety of shopping centers, outlets, as well as delicious street foods. You'll surely enjoy every part of it.
It is the source of Taiwan's fashion, subculture, and Japanese culture. Ximending has a host of clubs and pubs in the surrounding area.
How to get there:
by MRT - Green Line alight at Ximen Station, exit at No. 6 for Ximending Pedestrian Lane
Huaxi Street Night Market華西街觀光夜市 - - Snake Alley_______________________________________________
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