Random Thoughts on Taipei

Taipei does not have supermarkets.  Plenty of 7-eleven, Family Mart and other convenience store like Tokyo.  Specialised food shops that offer braised food items or youtiao and dou zhiang(soya bean drink).  The walking cum cycling path is wide and it is safe and easy to walk about.  Motorcyle is a common, very common which many women also use.  The helmets they used seem to be flimy.  I am not sure if they offer much protection.  However, I don't see lots of motorbikes on the highway either.  So there must be less deadly accidents unlike Singapore.  A lot of the residential buildings looked old and rundown.  This is where Singapore does a good job by requiring the facade of all residential building to be painted every five years.  The tables and chairs are very low and meals are served along the five feet way outside the shops. 

The terrain is hilly and plenty of building on the side of the hills.  Must be stable.  I wonder about the plumbing and toilet.  How can they be done without costly infrastructure.  The food culture is strong and the women do not seem to be as pretty as those in South Korea.  So plastic surgery is not popular with the folks here. 

Taipei 101 is a brilliant idea and engineering marvel.  It is an easy landmark to look for when walking about town.  The Eslite bookstore not sells books but have design and lifestyle products.  I am not a collector of junk other than books.  So I enjoys window shopping to see all the beautifully designed products and not spending any money.  Plenty of expensive brands and labels in Taipei 101.  So there must be lots of rich and wealthy people in Taiwan willing to spend on boutique stuff.

Also there is I am not sure if it is a protest but everyday there is a group who will be meditating and an old man on loudhailer yelling out something I do not understand.  It does not seem to be a political protest.  I like the Barista Cafe.  It is warm and cozy. 

Overall, Taipei is a nice city to visit.  However, I never even consider a long tern not to say a place to retire unlike Sydney or even Auckland.