Shi Lin MRT (Metropolitan Rapid Transit) Station

Taipei has a modern transit system similar to the DC Metro or the BART in San Francisco. In suburban areas it travels on elevated track and the dips underground to serve the busy downtown areas. This is the Shi Lin station on the line which goes out towards Tien Mou, then Pei Tou and ends up in Tamshui. Tamshui, which used to be a little seaport village is now a bustling bedroom to Taipei. There is no smoking in the MRT system and everything is spotless. No watermelon seeds on the floor!

MRT from the Grand Hotel to downtown

MRT Adverts Look Familiar

Taiwan is connected. Nearly every poster and advert refers to a URL address for a web page. All over Taiwan you see people talking on cell phones under billboards filled with HTTP this and HTTP that.

MRT Station Downtown at the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial

This is the station at the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial downtown near the old East Gate. The CKS memorial is a huge plaza containing a blue tiled memorial building similar in scope and concept to the Lincoln Memorial in DC, but with a museum on the lower levels. At the opposite end of the impressive mall sit the National Theater and Symphony Hall. These massive buildings in classical Chinese style are the venue for performances by many famous artists who perform in Taiwan.

Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Building

Museum on the lower level. The National Theater and Symphony Halls are behind the camera at the end of a long mall. The perimeter is surrounded by a tranquil Chinese garden and a classical Chinese Wall topped with memorial blue tile.

National Theater and Symphony Hall with Undergound Parking

Chiang Kai Shek's Limousine

This is on display in the lower level of the memorial along with a re-creation of Chiang Kai Shek's office and other aritfacts.

Reproduction of Chiang Kai Shek's Office

No, this isn't like Lenin's or Mao's tomb. He's reproduced in wax.

The Din Tai Fung Dumpling Restaurants

Often in the list of the world's ten best restaurants and surely the tastiest and most interesting dumpling restaurant in China. These 'Jyau Tze' are the real thing! There are people crowded outside trying to get in. You get a small menu on a clipboard from the maitresse d' and fill in how many of each dish you want. She keys your meal in on the touch screen and gives you a number. The number being served is displayed on an LCD display. When your number is up, you're allowed to enter through the ground floor kitchen and go up to dining rooms on 3 floors above. The restaurant, which is named after the owner, is located on Hsin Yi Road, 2nd district, a couple of blocks east of the Chiang Kai Shek memorial park. The business card is shown below. If you're going to Taipei, cut this out and take it with you so your taxi driver knows where to go.

Din Tai Fung Dumpling Restaurant Maitresse d'

Tons of Dumplings Steaming

The Chefs at Work on the Ground Floor

Each Floor has Friendly Staff

This is the serving station which is fed from dumb waiters. Note the order status board above.

Happy Clientelle at the Din Tai Fung

ATM Machines Everywhere

Don't worry about running out of money. There are ATM machines all over. And most of them don't ask whether you want Spanish, English or Chinese.... they see your card was issued in the US and just use English. Exchange rate is much better than using a money changer.

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