Our family’s recent trip to Taipei was nothing short of amazing. Taipei is a clean city that is easy to navigate. The metro and bus system make it easy to get around. The garbage trucks play Für Elise to let residents know it is time to bring out their trash. In many other countries we visited, the garbage sits on the street. There are clean public toilets in the metro station and all attractions.
We had a three-bedroom Airbnb. Lucas and Henry were excited to have rooms and beds of their own. They spent a month in the Philippines sleeping in a small double bed together.
We found pickleball again after a short hiatus. We played several times with locals in parks and indoor sports arenas. The language barrier is never a problem because we communicate through our shared love for the game. It is a fun and lighthearted way to connect with the local community and make new friends.
After one of our 4-hour pickleball sessions, we went to Spring City Resort, where we soaked our sore muscles in the soothing warmth of the natural hot springs. A night at this resort offered a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. The mineral-rich waters worked wonders on our tired bodies, and we left feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
We kept up our step count with a hike to the top of Elephant Mountain. It is a moderate hike up a lot of stairs. The hike takes about 30 minutes, but it is worth the view of Taipei. Luckily the weather was not too hot on the day we hiked. We are enjoying the cooler temperatures in Taiwan compared to the Southeast Asian countries we recently visited.
Next on our itinerary was a visit to Taipei 101, one of the most iconic landmarks in the city. The towering skyscraper offered panoramic views of the cityscape below. The most interesting part of the trip to the top of the tower was learning about the wind-dampening ball that keeps Taipei 101 from swaying so severely. It is the largest wind-damping ball in the world and the only one that is open to the public. The diameter is 5.5 meters, and it weighs 660 tons. When an earthquake or typhoon hits the island, the reaction force of the ball counterbalances the vibrations and shaking caused by the strong wind and movement of the Earth.
We could not resist stopping for a snack at Modern Toilet. It is, as you can guess, a toilet-themed restaurant. The food is tasty, but the delivery vessels and presentation are disgusting. Food is served in toilet-shaped dishes. The food itself looks like something that would come out in the toilet. Henry could barely look at the food. It was funny.
The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a massive national monument and tourist attraction erected in memory of Chiang Kai-shek, former President of Taiwan. We walked around the grounds before finding Mexican food for lunch.
We met up with another worldschooling family at a rock climbing space. Lucas and Henry enjoyed climbing.
We explored the National Taiwan Science Education Center on our last full day in Taiwan. It is an 11-floor science museum with hands-on exhibits. We watched a show about liquid nitrogen. It was in Chinese, but it was still fascinating watching balloons freeze and shrink in the liquid nitrogen and then return to normal once taken out.
We ate well in Taipei. There are a variety of restaurants. Vegan options are not plentiful, but they are out there. We ate a lot of dumplings and noodles. Yum!
From relaxing in the hot springs to exploring the city streets and playing pickleball, Taipei is a memorial place. We left with full hearts and a sense of gratitude for the wonderful experiences we had shared. Until next time, Taipei!
Oh! Also, Lucas and Henry are growing up!
