Taipei: Okay, I Guess?
right, so. i’ve been in taipei. it’s…a place. i’m still processing, honestly. the uuid at the top? don’t ask. i have no idea. it just appeared. and then another one at the bottom. seriously.
okay, let’s start with the basics. it’s the capital of taiwan, apparently. who knew? it’s in a basin, surrounded by mountains and rivers. feng shui, they say. city walls aligned with mount qixing and the xindian river. sounds… intentional. it used to be a tiny town, like, 100,000 people. now it’s got almost 30% of taiwan’s population crammed in. that’s a lot of people. i can feel it.
it’s humid. seriously humid. i just checked and it’s 23.88°c, feels like 23.45°c, pressure’s 1015, humidity’s 43%. hope you like that kind of thing. and apparently, typhoons and mudslides are a thing. climate change, you know? lovely. they’ve got this metro system, the mrt, which is actually pretty good. makes getting around… manageable. they also have high-speed rail. fancy.
apparently, it used to be inhabited by the ketagalan indigenous people. then the chinese came along and built stuff. now it’s a mix of old and new. they’re really trying to sell the “blend of traditional and modern architecture” thing. i’m not entirely convinced. it’s… dense. very dense. 7,500 people per square kilometer in the metro area. that’s a lot of people trying to share the same space.
food. okay, the food. they’re big on night markets. shilin and wanhua, apparently. someone told me the street food is amazing, but i didn’t really get a chance to try much. i mostly just wandered around feeling overwhelmed. they emphasize the “vibrant food culture,” but i didn’t really experience it. maybe i missed something. i’m sure there’s good food somewhere, i just didn’t find it.
and the neighbors! if you get bored, new taipei city and keelung are just a short drive away. new taipei city is huge, apparently. and keelung is to the northeast. there’s also yangmingshan national park nearby, which sounds… nice. i didn’t make it there either. too much humidity.
there are landmarks, of course. longshan temple, chiang kai-shek memorial hall… the usual tourist stuff. i saw some museums and parks. lots of parks. and apparently, there are hiking trails. i’m not a hiker. i’m more of a… wanderer. a slightly lost wanderer.
apparently, there are no “notable people” from taipei. that’s… disappointing. i was hoping to find some interesting gossip. i’m not sure what to make of that.
overall? it’s… a city. a big, humid, crowded city. it’s got history, it’s got food, it’s got a metro system. it’s also got typhoons and mudslides. and a lot of people. i’m glad i went, i guess. but i’m also glad to be leaving. i need a shower. and maybe a vacation from my vacation.
okay, i’m done. i need to go lie down.
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