Walking Taipei (part I), Taiwan

The exterior of the Taipei Xiahai City God Temple, one of the “Top 100 Religious Sites of Taiwan”, Taipei, Taiwan

 

Capital and largest city of Taiwan (Republic of China), Taipei lies just 110 miles / 180 kilometers across the Taiwan Strait from mainland China.  First-time as well as returning visitors find a dynamic, cosmopolitan metropolis, notable for its welcoming residents, livability, excellent cuisine and vibrant night markets.  Less than an hour from the pier in the port city of Keelung, Taipei counts the treasures at the National Palace Museum and the imposing Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall among its “must-sees.”  Visitors can “take it all in” from the 360-degree observation deck at Taipei 101, one of Asia’s tallest buildings, and the tallest in Talwan – with the world’s fastest elevator.  Beyond the city, verdant tea plantations, Chiufen Village and the striking scenery along the rugged northeast coast lie within reach.

 

The Matchmaker Diety helps single people find their suitable partners and is one of the most famous marriage deities in Taiwan, Taipei Xiahai City God Temple, Taipei, Taiwan

 

The “Top 100 Religious Sites of Taiwan” encompass a hundred iconic religious sites and activities that were chosen via public vote and announced by the Ministry of the Interior on Nov. 22, 2013.  These sites embody the history of Early Taiwanese settlers and illustrate both the diversity and the island’s religious landscape.  “Taipei Xiahia City God Temple and Welcoming of the City God on the 13^th day of the fifth lunar month” is Northern Taiwan’s foremost religious procession, while the Temple itself is the most popular shrine for worship of the Matchmaking God.

 

This was our favorite Buddha – one who blesses visitors to have wisdom, peaceful minds and good fortune, Taipei Xiahai City God Temple, Taipei, Taiwan

 

At the request of one of our readers, we are including a map of our ship’s route from Japan to China to Taiwan (and then on to Saipan and Hawaii), centered on Taipei’s port city of Keelung, Taiwan

 

One of the entrances to a food shopping district full of small shops with a wide variety of local delicacies, Taipei, Taiwan

 

This shop specialized in dried seafood, with scallops in front and lots of sharks fin (loose and in transparent plastic packages on the wall), Taipei, Taiwan

 

Deluxe packages of the Chinese delicacy sharks fin (used for soups), Taipei, Taiwan

 

Loose sharks fin, Taipei, Taiwan

 

This kitchen and housewares shop had beautiful, locally made tea sets; this set of metal tea cups were double walled, providing an insulating (“Thermos”-like) cup, Taipei, Taiwan

 

The bakery next door had excellent home made pastries – mini curry pastries on the left, and delicious shredded radish pastries that we tried, on the right; Taipei, Taiwan