Over four days, this city shared its spirit with us, from tranquil temples and museums steeped in tradition to its vibrant natural wonders. Join the Kitty Family as we take you on an incredible journey that brought us closer together.
Landing in Taipei felt like stepping into an exciting new world. We checked into the Beauty Hotels-Star Beauty Resort, a cozy spot around the city center. It was just a 5-minute walk away from the Ximending night market and a few MRT stops away from Taipei Main station so traveling around was convenient. The peaceful night air was clearly buzzing with anticipation for the days ahead.
First, we visited the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial. The sun was at its peak. The steps to the memorial were even steeper. We decided to walk around the garden and admire the National Theatre roofs. My brother, an architect, gave us a lecture on how these “Dougong bracket roofs,” a traditional Chinese/Japanese architectural woodwork technique not only reduces the strain on the roof beam due to the distribution of force, but is also believed that the slope reflects bad energy and evil spirits. It reminded all of us to look up from our phones, and observe the small details and beauty surrounding us.
After an hour or so, we made our way to “Yehliu Geopark.” Skip the queues and buy a ticket ahead of time and find yourself face-to-face with the “Queen’s Head.”
By late afternoon, we drove out to “Jiufen,” a town that inspired Ghibili’s animated movie “Spirited Away.” We had to hike hundreds of steep and tiny steps across alleyways and almost lost our way in search of a teashop. When we made it, sadly, the fog obscured the sunset. Either way, we enjoyed our Oolongs and stopped to embrace the moment.
I was reminded of a quote from the film:
“Sometimes you have to face your fears to realize what truly matters in life: family, friendship, and finding your way back home.” – Chihiro, Spirited Away.
Day three was all about sightseeing. We visited Taipei’s famous Beitou hot springs. Due to the scorching heat, we didn’t go in the water and opted to just meditate on their hot stones instead.
Then we were off to the Yangmingshan National Park. Luckily, we arrived at the right place and at the right time. We found ourselves lost in a hydrangea festival. Fun fact: they’re my favorite flowers. So, it was a picture-perfect spot, wandering through a rainbow of flowers.
After a long day of exploring nature, we wrapped the day at the National Palace Museum. There were rumors that a delicate hand-carved “Jadeite Cabbage” was laid here. And who are we to miss the “most famous masterpiece” in Taiwan?
Well, this is real life. And indeed, we were those people. Because this crystal cabbage was temporarily moved to another exhibition in the Southern branch of this same museum.
We hope your luck is better than ours!
Our trip ended at Lungshan Temple, a place of peace in the city’s heart center. Here, people pray for love and happiness in front of Goddess Guan Yin. It was a moment for all of us to reflect, feel grateful, and wish for more happy trails and tales in the future. It was the perfect way to wrap up our trip.
