After my first day's journey to Nantou, which is located in central Taiwan, it was time to travel to the north of Taiwan, which is known to many as the island's capital, "Taipei". You can follow episode 1 here. https://th.readme.me/p/1729

"Taipei" Basic Information

Taipei is the capital of Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC). Located in northern Taiwan, it serves as the center of government, economy, and culture.

**Taipei, Taiwan** is a city with convenient transportation, making it easy to get around and explore its many attractions. The extensive public transportation system includes the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) and buses that connect to other cities, making it an ideal starting point for backpackers or those looking to build their confidence in traveling solo.

HSR TAICHUNG I TAIPEI

From Sun Moon Lake (SML), I am now on my way back to Taipei, which is located in the north of Taiwan. I booked the high-speed rail ticket in advance to save money. However, I made a mistake with the time of boarding the HSR. I booked it for 12:03 PM, but I remembered it as 12:30 PM. I took the bus from SML to Taichung HSR station at 12:00 PM and even helped a Taiwanese couple open the elevator. When I arrived at the ticket counter, I was stunned to find that the train had already left. Goodbye, HSR! After that, I was busy dealing with the problem and contacted the staff. The staff told me to take the 12:31 PM train, but I had to pay an extra fee and got a seat in the non-reserved area instead.

The atmosphere inside the THSR high-speed train, which is a Shinkansen sent directly from the land of raw fish, Japan, is the T700 model, the international version. I sat for a while, slept for a while, and woke up until I reached the final station, Taipei.

TAIPEI MAIN STATION: TAIPEI

The atmosphere inside Taipei Main Station when I went was December 1, 2015, which was also the last month of the year. The atmosphere in Taipei will see Christmas tree decorations everywhere, no matter where you walk in Taipei.

After wandering around Taipei Main Station for a while, almost half an hour, I randomly searched for the exit door until I found the train, so I took a picture as a souvenir.

After wandering around for a while, it was time to cross the skybridge to the hostel I had booked. While crossing the skybridge, I saw the Taipei 101 building in the distance, which meant I had officially arrived in Taipei.

Exterior of STAR HOSTEL @TAIPEI TAIWAN

STAR HOSTEL is located near Taipei Main Station. Take the elevator to the 4th floor and you will find the pavilion and the staff counter. The first thing I did was say "Hellooooo" and looked at the staff. Someone raised their hand and said, "Come this way." I followed the voice and said, "Check in," because my English is not very good. The female staff member greeted me with a "Hello" and asked for my passport. I handed it to her as requested. When the staff member saw that my passport was from Thailand, she raised her hand in a wai and said, "Hello." I was impressed from the first moment. I told the staff member that my friend had just stayed here in the middle of this month. They came together, but I came alone. Hehe.

Interior of STAR HOSTEL @TAIPEI MAIN STATION

This area is a lounge where you can bring food and drinks. You can also meet and socialize with friends.

This is the shoe storage area. Please remove your shoes and place them in the locker corresponding to your room number. Then, take a pair of shoes from the basket to wear inside.

After packing up, let's get ready to roam around Taipei for the first part. Let's cross the street.

From MRT Taipei Main Station, take the train to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station. While riding, I took pictures of the atmosphere inside each station and on the train.

Getting to Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

- Take the MRT to Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Station, Exit 5.

Exiting through Gate 5, you'll arrive at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial. The sky is clear now, thank heavens the rain only fell when the plane landed. Another day of survival.

Looking around, I saw something lurking in the distance. Taipei 101 was hiding in the middle of the gap between the buildings.

The atmosphere around the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall was captured while waiting for the time to watch the soldiers change guard. At the time of the visit, the venue was being prepared for the Frozen event. It was scheduled to open on Christmas Day, so we went to Taipei first and missed the opportunity to see the venue being built instead.

A majestic statue of Chiang Kai-shek sits prominently with the national flag of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Soldiers stand beside him, motionless, for a full hour.

After watching the changing of the guard, I went downstairs and met a group of students in black uniforms. At first, I thought they were Taiwanese, but when I heard the Taiwanese children greet me with "Konnichiwa," I thought they were just being playful. But when I saw the national flag leading the procession, I knew that they were children from the Land of the Rising Sun visiting our island.

Another photo with Japanese students in the evening, right?

From the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, I took the MRT Red Line to Elephant Mountain, also known as Xiangshan. The sky was clear at the memorial hall, but when I arrived at Xiangshan Station, it was cloudy and looked like it was going to rain. So I decided to postpone my visit to Elephant Mountain for another time. If it had rained, I wouldn't have had any protection from the elements. On the way to Xiangshan Station, the Red Line train I was on made an announcement, but I didn't hear what it was. I saw people still getting on the train, but then when we reached Daan Station, the train staff came and turned off the lights in the train, asking passengers to get off. They then put up a "NOT IN SERVICE" sign. Oh no, did I have to wait for the next train?

The distinctive bus, a work of art by Taiwanese artist Jimmy Liao, is located near Taipei 101. This book has been published in Thai under the title "The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon" or "When the Moon Forgot." Below is an excerpt from the book.

What is unseen, or is it because it does not exist?

What we keep hidden in our memories,

Does that mean it will stay that way forever?

Every evening, people are eagerly waiting.

The moon has returned to its hiding place... It is no longer visible.

A moonless night, the world like a cold winter season.

The darkest night must end.

The moon is rising...

Travel:

Entrance fee: Free of charge

Opening Hours: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM

After enjoying the view from the bus, a work by Jimmy Liao, I crossed the street to Taipei 101, a major landmark of Taipei and Taiwan. As I crossed to the Taipei 101 side, I turned to the bus and saw the big, round moon, but it was hanging very, very low.

As I visited Taiwan in early December (November 30 - December 3), various areas in Taipei were adorned with colorful lights and Christmas trees along the streets, making me feel that the end of 2015 was approaching. Another year older.

In the heart of Taipei's bustling Ximending district, the night comes alive with a vibrant energy that draws in crowds as darkness descends. Among the many attractions, a renowned fried chicken restaurant has opened its doors, attracting long lines of eager customers. Just like in Taiwan, where the queues snake around the block, here in Thailand, people patiently wait, either standing or sitting, for their chance to savor the delicious offerings. It's hard to say whether the people in line are locals or tourists, but one thing is certain: the allure of this popular eatery is undeniable.

Aside from the famous Taiwanese fried chicken brand, one thing that many reviews recommend trying is Ah Jong's noodles. At first, I thought it would be difficult to find, but I found it myself while zigzagging around (I'm the type of person who doesn't usually find things if I set out to find them, but if I don't set out to find them, I find them by chance. I'm surprised by myself too).

Before entering the shop, you have to take a picture as proof that you came to this shop. You have to stand and eat. Eat and enjoy the delicious food with the cool weather. It's so good!

When I went to order at the Mian Zhang stall, I saw the counter and told them I wanted a large or small one. I don't remember how much it cost, but I know that the difference between small and large was only 5-10 TWD. So I decided to get a large one. I paid at the counter and then went to get my Mian Zhang to eat.

The more crowded it gets, the more people come. They stand and eat, blocking the way.

After wandering around Ximending for a while to soak up the atmosphere, it was getting late and I didn't want to go home just yet, so I decided to head to this place next.

Then I went back to Taipei Main Station, but for some reason I walked out of the station and took some night shots with a single person's mood.

After taking some photos, I walked into Taipei Main Station. The Christmas tree backdrop, which originally featured two women on either side, has now been replaced with a poster of the movie Ip Man (I didn't even realize it was a movie until I got back to Thailand, so embarrassing!).

After wandering around for a while, I took the MRT to TAIPEI CITY MALL station. I can't remember which mall it was, but there were Breeze and other malls. I just followed the path.

The atmosphere around Breeze Mall and the evening in Taipei where I still walk around, like not too late, I haven't gone back yet.

As I strolled around Taipei City Hall, I couldn't help but snap photos of Taipei 101 from every angle. The once-tallest building in the world seemed to be lurking in every corner of Taipei, both near and far.

Instead of walking around, it's better to go to another night market. That's the Shilin Night Market, which is another famous night market in Taipei. If you come to Taipei, you must not miss it.

Traveling to the Shilin Night Market

• MRT Red Line, JIANTAN Station (The picture shows the wrong station name). Then exit from Exit 1. When you exit, cross the road and you will find the famous night market.

Shilin Night Market is a night market with a wide variety of food for many people to see and taste. There are also shops selling toys, clothes and shoes.

I walked around the Shilin Night Market and looked for something to eat, but I was already full, so I bought some squid to eat. The Taiwanese seasoning was Taiwanese chili powder, which gave it a spicy kick, but I missed the Thai seafood dipping sauce more.

As I walked closer to the exit of the Shilin Night Market, I came across a stall selling balloons and darts. It reminded me of temple fairs or Loy Krathong festivals in Thailand. I suddenly missed home.

As we approached the exit, we decided to grab some snacks. We bought some meatballs and sausages. The staff asked if we wanted it spicy, and we said yes, following the Taiwanese custom. They sprinkled a mixture of Taiwanese chili powder and pepper, which was so spicy it went straight to our noses. Let's take a look at the atmosphere of this market before we move on.

While walking and eating, I came across a famous Taiwanese fried chicken restaurant. After missing out on eating at the Ximending branch, I decided to come here instead. However, it was crowded again, so I decided to retreat.

The front of the Si Lin Market was not crowded when I arrived, but inside it was packed like sardines.

After walking around the Shilin Night Market for a while, I didn't feel like eating anything else because I had eaten a lot, including drinks, milk, etc. So I thought it was time to go back to my accommodation because I had a trip to the Golden Fulong Trail early tomorrow morning. Don't forget to follow this trip in the next review. For this review, I will end the first part of my Taipei trip because the Taipei trip is not over yet. Follow the last episode. With a summary of this Taiwan trip.

Because life is a journey, and sometimes the journey is the beauty of life, including problems, obstacles, help, and the journey to achieve goals.