Today was spent thoroughly exploring the “touristy sites” of Taipei. It started with a soy-filled breakfast at Yong He Dou Jiang Da Wang (Yong He Soy Milk King), where I ate a youtiao (fried dough stick), congdan (egg omelette with onion) and fantuan (Taiwanese onigiri/riceball, in this case with meat floss as a filling.

Mmmmmmmm so much soy…!

I then ventured out into wider Taipei, visiting the Chiang Kai-Shek memorial, walking around the park which also contains the National Theatre, Bao’an temple, before then getting the MRT (metro) and bus over to the National Palace Museum. What I found quite interesting was the nationalism so evident among everyone, the pride of having such beautiful works of art on display, but also interesting how they portrayed the war between the KMT and the Communists, which was quite different to the dialogue of the West.

After that, it was back for more street food (shengjianbao, my favourite!) and then out once more to explore the Harajuku of Taiwan, Ximengding. So busy, such a wonderful buzz to the place, with everything on sale from cosmetics and clothes to stinky tofu! Also the most bizarre street entertainer who was playing songs from A Little Mermaid on a flute, competing with the woman across the street who was advertising her shop’s wares with a loudhailer. This area also contains the gay district – it’s great to see such a vibrant lively LGBT community, although why one of the touts tried to drag me into a “bear bar” I still haven’t quite worked out…! Finally went to a craft beer bar back in Shida district and had a lovely local bottle of bitter, even if it was rather expensive. Hey ho, you only live once!

Tomorrow, off to Tainan in the south!