Taipei, Taipei

In Taipei, you can see construction sites everywhere. Old, low buildings got torn down and replaced by new, skyscraping ones. This is why few historical buildings are still around in downtown Taipei, unless an old building is giant or politically important.

Taipei used to be surrounded by 4 walls and guarded by 5 gates: North, East, South, Little South, and West. The walls and the West Gate got torn down during Japanese Occupation; the area around the old West Gate became today’s Xi Men Ting. Of course, Taipei used to be way smaller and was located near the Dan Hsui river on the west. This one on the right is the Little South Gate.

Just noticed the cute fire hydrant on the way back from the botanical garden. But once I noticed one, I found that they were everywhere, even in front of the Little South Gate.

UPDATE (8/8/2006): Added a close-up of the fire hydrant.

Taipei Botanical Garden

This gigantic botanical garden isn’t just a beautiful place for Taipei citizens to relax, but also a place for people (most elders) to exercises and socialize. Every early morning, different groups occupy their own spots and take on Tai Chi, aerobics, and various types of dance. Each group has its leader and (loud) music; people can freely choose what interests them at that particular morning and join the group. My mom used to join one of the dance groups until her surgery 2 years ago. Now she’s into swimming at a local swimming pool, because it’s more athletic and has fewer memorable movements.

Every July and August, the main attraction of Taipei Botanical Garden is its giant and stunning lotus pond. Coincidently, this was my first time visiting it at the right time and I was taken aback by its beauty. I did my best, but no photos can do it justice.