Taipei Business Tourist

At the waterfalls of Longshan Temple in Taipei, Taiwan

When I started working lo, those many years ago, I never thought that I would get to see the world by way of my work. But as things have turned out, I have had the good fortune to do just that. Business travel has taken me to places where I have also been on vacation, such as Ireland and the U.K.; it has also allowed me to travel to places that I never dreamed I would ever visit, other than by way of National Geographic or the Travel Channel. Late last year, I shared some of my adventures and impressions of my visit to India. Never did I imagine I would ever see the Taj Mahal in person … but I did.

Most recently, I was able to visit the beautiful city of Taipei in the Republic of China (Taiwan) to cover

Taipei 101 dominates the skyline

Giftionery, the Taipei International Gift & Stationery Show. This was my second visit to Taiwan, and when one travels so far (it’s a 20-hour plane ride with one stop, each way), ideally you want to take advantage of the opportunity. Although I was not able to add on some vacation time to travel around a bit, I did use some free time to see some things in the city and experience more of the place than just the exhibit hall and the hotel (although the hotel where I stayed was really lovely and had a phenomenal garden!).

Taiwan is a warm and welcoming place to visit. The city of Taipei is a surprising mixture of the very modern and cosmopolitan blended with  traditional Chinese elements. Dominating the skyline of the city is Taipei 101, a modenn skyscraper that is the epitome of that blend of the modern and the traditional. Drawing its architectural influence from bamboo, it is, at least for the time being, the tallest building in the world. And like many very tall buildings, you can take a ride to the top to enjoy the view of the surrounding landscape that unfolds before you. Of course, the ride up is best taken on a clear, sunny day! But many also venture to the top at night to take in the view by twinkling lights. This trip, I did neither. The weather was changeable and having been to the top previously, I used the sunshine for seeing other sights.

Sun Yat-sen Memorial

Sun Yat-sen Memorial gardens	Statue with honor guard

Only a few blocks away from 101 is the SunYat-sen Memorial, which is patterned on traditional Chinese architecture. This memorial is a tribute to the founding father of Taiwan. The main hall is presided over by a giant statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. To the American visitor, the statue is reminiscent of the one of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. But here, unlike the Lincoln Memorial or more like the Tomb of the Unknowns, an honor guard stands watch and is ceremonially changed on a regular basis to the delight and awe of visitors; their movements so exacting in a choreography of military precision. The wide porches of the building provide a place for people to gather and socialize; youngsters get together to practice dance routines and others rehearse martial arts moves, while still others just relax and enjoy the fresh air. While I was there, there were groups of teenagers practicing swing dancing, hip-hop and cheerleading. The building is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens; it is an oasis of flowers and greenery in the middle of the city.

Longshan Temple

On a beautiful sunny afternoon, between appointments, one of the other journalists, Angelica Campbell from Germany, and I took the opportunity to visit the Longshan Temple, a multi-denominational temple that dates to 1738. We jumped into a cab together and rode to the older section of the city, where the temple is located. The ride took us past places that I had visited on my first trip (by way of a conducted tour), and I surprised myself at how much I remembered and was able to share with my colleague.

Visiting Longshan Temple is sensory experience. Visually it is awesome

Large incense burner at the temple

with its rich colors, beautiful carvings and artwork, and exquisite landscaping. The fragrance of the incense that is an integral part of the prayer ritual hangs heavy in the air; the waterfalls in front of the temple create a natural “white-noise” that blocks the din of the city outside the gates, while the worshippers prayer chants rise and fall in waves of

Waterfalls at Longshan Temple

respectful ritual. Even in the middle of a weekday afternoon, the place is a hive of activity with young and old alike paying their respects, presenting offerings, seeking guidance through prayer and answers to important questions through a toss of the Jiao and drawing a lot. This is the place that many Taiwanese visit, when they have an important decision to make.

I also got to ride Taipei’s subway this time too. It was something that I was not adventurous enough to try on my own. But one of our scheduled business appointments was a visit to a showroom on the outskirts of the city and our TAITRA hosts took us there via the Metro. Unlike New York City’s antiquated subway system, Taipei’s Metro is modern, bright and clean. And now that I’ve been shown it a little bit and have seen how clearly everything is marked (and in English!), should I have the opportunity to visit again, I just might try venturing out and about on it on my own!