As soon as we stepped foot off the plane, we were hit with the intense Taiwan heat and humidity in the jetway—a taste of what we were about to experience in our walks through Taipei. We had about one more hour of air conditioning as we went through immigration and baggage claim and made our rounds to the bathroom before we got on our tour bus. I made the unfortunate decision to wear jeans without packing a change of shorts in my carry-on bag, so I savored the cool air it while I had it.
At arrivals, we met with our tour guide, Peter, who told us that this morning we would be touring the city, visiting Taipei 101, and finally checking into the hotel at 3PM. It was 7:30AM when we met him. At first I was appalled that we were already starting on activities before getting a chance to settle into the hotel. However, once we were on the tour of the city I became appreciative of it. We were maximizing our time in the city and the walking around minimized the jet lag!
Our first meal in Taiwan was at a little street restaurant. Amma and I got a few things that we split—pan fried dumplings, soup dumplings, a pork bun, and a Chinese donut—and we each had a cold milk tea. Not a single dish was lacking and by the end of the meal I was so full and so content. A big thank you to Professor Young for paying for all of our meals! It was so delicious—thank you so much!
After our breakfast meal, we explored the MRT system to get to the next location on our schedule, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The first thing that struck me was how massive and majestic the white building is, rising at the end of a long and beautiful courtyard. The intricate roof design and the sweeping staircase felt almost cinematic.
Inside, the giant bronze statue of Chiang Kai-shek reminded me of the Lincoln Memorial, as Peter said it might. It was bustling with tourists from all over the world. There was one Korean couple who I overheard debating on asking someone to take a picture for them. I offered to do so and we had a short conversation about how I am a Korean-American here on a study abroad program! The husband coyly asked if we were from Harvard which I found hilarious.
There was also a museum downstairs that gave me a more complicated picture of who Chiang was — leader, authoritarian, modernizer. I left feeling conflicted but thoughtful. History isn’t clean-cut, and it was interesting seeing how Taiwan memorializes someone so central to its past.
Next up: Taipei 101. Did you know Taipei 101 is called that because it has 101 floors? Amazing! Here, we took a high-speed elevator to the observatory on the 89th floor. According to Peter, it took us only 37 seconds to get there! When we stepped off the elevator we were met with a beautiful view of the city. The entire floor had windows around the perimeter so we were able to see every angle of Taipei. Honestly, I was quite nervous for this activity, as I’m afraid of heights. Others walked up to the windows to look below us, but I stayed a few feet away from the windows so as not to get nauseous and shaky. Still, I was having a great time! There were lovely photo areas set up with adorable animals and gorgeous greenery and (real) flowers. There was an interactive map of the city that labeled some notable locations to visit—I’m planning on going to the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and the Yuanshan Park Area of Taipei Expo Park.
We also got to see the damper at Taipei 101. It’s this massive golden ball—like, really massive—that hangs between floors high up in the building. It sways to balance the tower during typhoons and earthquakes, which is wild to think about. It made me appreciate how much thought goes into making skyscrapers in a place like Taiwan, where nature is constantly reminding you who’s boss.
After lunch, we were finally able to check in to the Hotel Riverview Taipei. Joelle, my roommate, and I each took a much needed shower and changed into lovely outfits for our buffet dinner at The Grand Hotel. Peter had hyped it up throughout the day and we were so excited!
When we arrived at The Grand Hotel, we were all mesmerized—it felt like stepping into a palace. The hotel itself is this stunning red and gold structure with sweeping roofs and intricate carvings, and even though we weren’t staying there, just walking through the lobby made me feel like royalty. The buffet was insane—in the best way. Everything from Taiwanese specialties like xiao long bao to fresh sashimi, roasted duck, and even Western desserts. I tried way too many things and definitely ate too much, but no regrets. I also got to take some cute pictures for the ‘gram! It was such a memorable experience—felt like a little escape from the bustle of Taipei. Definitely one of my favorite meals of the trip so far.
