Longshan Temple 龍山寺, Taipei

The famous Dragon mountain temple

The Mengjia Longshan temple 艋舺龍山寺 is one of the most popular sights in Taipei, which is mentioned in every brochure and travel guide about Taipei City. It was built in 1738. That's very old for Taiwan. I decided to head there on a very hot day, it was nearly 30 degrees. Because it was still Chinese new year, there were many people. To my surprise, I didn't see any Western tourists. I was there around 1am, maybe it was too early for them? I don't know. Most of the people were locals. This is what I saw:

The area around the Longshan temple (when you come out of Longshan MRT station).

Former red light district in Taipei.

My girlfriend told me, that this street used to be Taipei's red light district. Yep, I was surprised, too. You wouldn't assume there will be one near a prominent temple, but apparently that's was problem until the late 1990s, when they banned prostitution here. So if she and I would walk here hand in hand, people would assume I am XXX and she is xxx. There's been some talk about legalizing prostitution again (read here).

A fountain nearby splashed the water and refreshed me. Well, not really.

The temple from closer.

The craftsmanship was exquisite here.

Wish I could read all this.

When I went inside, I was a bit hesitant to take photos, but then I saw others taking them and I made few myself. The temple is not too big, but not small either. It's very colorful and full of ornaments, most noticeable the dragons on the roof.

There was a lot of people and some women looked very beautiful.

A woman praying, while another is lighting candles.

The courtyard was really lively that day.

People holding joss sticks.

When I walked around the area I saw a lot of old people.

Longshan area is probably the place to be for elderly Taiwanese.

I've never seen so many old people at one place in Taipei. They hang out and rest there all day, I guess. And it's funny, because the Longshan temple is located very close to Ximending, the most trendy district for young people. The whole area around the temple is one of the oldest in Taipei. And very close is the famous Snake Alley at the Huaxi street as well as the Guangzhou Street Night Market, where local people like to eat. If you come to Taipei, you definitely need to see this temple and the whole area.

[My TAIPEI page][My TAIWAN page][All photos by MKL, 2010]

Taipei 101, Taiwan's landmark skyscraper

My photos and impressions of the former world's tallest building

Taipei 101 in July 2010 on a hot summer day.

I love skyscrapers! I've always been fascinated with high-rise buildings and when I got the chance to see the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur (or KLCC) in 2005, I was really excited, it felt like a dream came true. And I have to say, I was totally amazed, my jaw literally dropped (hey, I'm from Slovenia, we don't have skyscrapers!). Those famous twin towers will always remain the first mega-structure I saw and all the other buildings have to measure up with them. Of course I knew then, that KLCC was just surpassed by Taipei 101 and I always wondered how Taipei 101 might look in real. And few days ago I had the chance to see this building in real for the first time. And you may wonder now: Is it as impressive as KLCC? Is it as breathtaking?

Taipei 101 is very close to the Taipei City Hall building.

Taipei 101 is changing colors every day. It's yellow on Wednesday night.

Taipei 101 on a Sunday night, indicated by the violet lighting.

Taipei 101 on a Thursday night.

A very posh shopping mall is located inside the lower floors of Taipei 101.

FIRST IMPRESSION: Compared to KLCC, Taipei 101 doesn't feel as monumental, because it's just one single tower. And the main part of the building is actually 390m tall, actually it's that smaller thinner part on top (with the antenna), that makes the structure 509m tall. But when you see the building from below, you feel like that part doesn't really count, you can't really see it. Feels like they just added it to surpass KLCC's height. But all that was my first impression.

Taipei 101 is formerly world's tallest building and the pride of Taiwan.

SECOND IMPRESSION: Taipei 101 looks much better at a second glance. I love the color, the design and the symbolism behind it. When you walk around the area below the building, you feel safe, you feel like you're part of something extraordinary and revolutionary. Let me tell you: You are part of that. I love the way the building lights up at night, the way the colors change every day of the week. One day I will take photos every single day of the week from the same location just to get the whole color range. My most awesome experience with Taipei 101 was when I celebrated my 30th birthday on the 85th floor of the building and enjoyed a great view of Taipei City (check the link below). Looking out of that window at over 370m was for me, a passionate skyscraper fan, the best day of my life so far. If you have the chance, go up there, you will never regret it.

Taipei 101 is located in Xinyi, which is full of shopping malls.

AROUND TAIPEI 101: I love Xinyi, the area around the building. It's modern, it's full of architectural gems and a very quickly growing district. It's one of my favorite parts of Taipei City. I usually take the subway to the Taipei City Hall MRT station and walk around the whole new area, full of shopping malls and cafés. The area (see photo above) lights up beautifully at night. And they're still building here (as in 2010), which means it will become even more awesome.

PARTS OF TAIPEI 101:

Taipei 101 is full of symbolism and deep meanings. Pay attention to the details.

SYMBOLISM: When you see Taipei 101 from close, you notice the interesting symbolism. The main part is made of 8 segments, because 8 is a lucky number in Chinese culture and symbolizes wealth. The whole building resembles a Chinese pagoda or a bamboo stick. On each side of the four cardinal directions there are a huge discs resembling ancient Chinese royalty money. So it's all about money and good luck, a very common theme in Chinese tradition (source). And since I'm a big fan of symbolism and details, I saw the whole building with different eyes. The more often I go near Taipei 101, the more it grows on me. It has a certain magic, it calms you, but it doesn't intimidate you. I love it!

Read my other posts about Taipei 101:

✰ My supersized Taipei 101 photo, high-definition
✰ My best Taipei 101 at day photos, high-definition
✰ My best Taipei 101 at night photos, high-definition
✰ Taipei 101 Mall, my photos and impressions
✰ My 30th Birthday on top of Taipei 101, amazing
✰ Taipei 101 and Petronas Twin towers, comparison
✰ Taipei 101 through the seasons, three photos
✰ Taipei 101 in summer 2010, a photo
✰ Love in Taipei sculpture, photo and info
✰ World's most expensive garden, found near Taipei 101

What's your impression of Taipei 101?

[My TAIPEI page][SKYSCRAPERS][Sources: Wiki, Article][All photos by MKL, 2010]

Liberty Square, Taipei

One of Taiwan's most famous squares

On the photo above you can see one of the most popular tourist attractions in Taipei City. The big Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (國立中正紀念堂), a huge 70m tall hall located in the Zhongzheng district, is the most dominant building at the Liberty Square (自由廣場). The whole area is full of colossal buildings, but this memorial hall is the most prominent one. It was completed in 1980 and dedicated to former president of the Republic of China: Chiang Kai-shek (蔣中正). In case you want to visit the square, exit at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall MRT Station and you're there. It's very easy to find.

He is a prominent, however not always cherished and liked historic political figure in Taiwan (actually important for all of China). Along with Mao Zedong and Sun Yatsen, he's probably the most influential Chinese political figure of the 20th century.

Near the CKS Memorial Hall are also the National Theater (國家戲劇院) and National Concert Hall (國家音樂廳) of the Republic of China, as well as the monumental Gate of Great Centrality and Perfect Uprightness (大中至正門). Liberty Square is huge and important and one of the main tourist spots of Taipei City. If you travel to Taipei, you surely need to see this amazing place.

Liberty Square from the air (from Google Maps).

The National Theater of the Republic of China in February 2010.

The Gate of Great Centrality and Perfect Uprightness at Liberty square in May 2010.

Read my posts about the buildings on Liberty square:

✰ My photos of CKS Memorial Hall, Feb 2010>>

✰ My photos of CKS Memorial Hall, May 2010>>

[My TAIPEI page][My TAIWAN page][All photos by MKL, 2010]

Taiwanese cuisine 台灣菜

This is a collection of Taiwanese dishes

Taiwanese food, where to start? One word: Abundance! I've been around Asia, I've seen Singapore, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Kowloon and many more places with famous food, but what I've seen in Taipei and the small surrounding towns in just few weeks was beyond my wildest expectations and can't be compared to any other places I've traveled before. There's a hawker literally on every corner or every free spot, if it's not occupied by scooters. And I'm not even talking about day and night markets here, but just regular streets. Taiwan is food paradise and that's felt everywhere you go. I decided to make a list of all the typical and less typical Taiwanese dishes I have tried so far. They will be listed by the sort or main ingredient and in alphabetic order. My intention is to show you what kind of cuisine to expect, if you come to Taiwan. I will also add a brief introduction and the price, but keep in mind, that prices change through time and vary based on the region. This post will only focus on main dishes and non-sweet snacks, drinks and desserts are listed here.

Click here to be redirected to photos of particular types of food:

• BAOZI • BLOOD • CRÊPES • DUMPLINGS • EGGS • FOOD MIX • MEAT • MEAT BY-PRODUCTS • NOODLES • POTATOES • RICE • SAUSAGES • SOUPS • SPRING ROLLS • TOFU

Taiwanese cuisine in photos starts here:

BAOZI

Fried baozi.

BLOOD

Duck's blood.

CRÊPES

Common Taiwanese crêpe.

DUMPLINGS

Steamed dumplings.

Dumplings in soup.

EGGS

Iron Eggs from Danshui.

FOOD MIX

Pig's skin, broccoli and tofu in the mix. A popular snack.

MEAT

Famous chicken cutlet from Shilin.

Pork with rice eaten in Kaohsiung.

MEAT BY-PRODUCTS

Pig's skin.

NOODLES

Noodles with seafood.

Ah Zongs flour rice noodles.

Beef noodles.

Famous noodles in Taichung.

OMELETTES

Oyster omelette.

Typical Taiwanese lunch: Oyster omelette, vegetables, fried noodles, fish ball soup.

Omelette in Kaohsiung.

POTATOES

Potato on a stick, a popular snack.

RICE

A bowl of rice.

Glutinous rice.

SAUSAGES

Fried sausages.

SOUPS

Sour soup, usually served with dumplings.

This is sweet soup.

Soup in Tainan.

Also in Tainan.

Oyster soup.

Frog soup.

SPRING ROLLS

A Taiwanese breakfast.

TOFU

Cooked stinky tofu.

Tofu in a sauce.

[My TAIPEI FOOD page][My TAIWAN FOOD page][All photos by MKL, 2010]
[My LIST OF NIGHT MARKETS IN TAIWAN page]