Things to do in Taipei and Shanghai

[heifeng]

for Taipei you can visit Hung Chong Gallery (恆昶藝廊) for pictures of 槟榔西施 or just leave the city for the real thing...

[Ian_Lee]

If you hate the summer hotness in Kyoto, ride the train for 3+ hours to 飛騨高山 in Gifu. The temperature in Japan Alps is not too bad in mid-June.

[skylee]

Ian, thanks for the suggestion. But I've been to Hida Takayama too. Will be taking the train to Kanazawa this time. What I have problems with is the time in Kyoto. I guess I will just wander around.

[HashiriKata]

"I guess I will just wander around"...the famous temples & their gardens, etc. That's what people do when visiting Kyoto. Just tell yourself that this really is what you want to do, then you'll enjoy it.

[Ian_Lee]

Actually there is a quite famous onsen resort town close to Kyoto -- 雄琴. Before the mid-'90s when the economic bubble hadn't bursted, it was really crowded with guys in the night time.

[skylee]

Thank you. Actually I went to Kurama (鞍馬) and Kibune (貴船) this time [blog]. I did not particularly like trekking but spending the time in the mountains/forest was unexpectedly enjoyable. I also strolled around Higashiyama and the Philosopher's Path (again). I think the time was well spent.

For my next trip, I am thinking about a day trip to Tainan taking the high-speed train from Taipei.

[skylee]

I have just booked a ticket to Taipei (again !!!) during X'mas. Will be there between 25-27 December. I am thinking I might try the Maokong cable car. Also, someone I know told me that she went to the zoo (??) and I think this might be interesting if there is nothing else to do.

I've been on a new job for about one month now. Here tt looks like I won't be able to go on as many vacations as I would want to. Very short trips during public holidays seem to be the most I can have now.

Any suggestions on where to go in Taipei will be much appreciated.

[Lu]

The cable car is quite nice, but check what the latest news is in how well it is working these days. It takes you to Zhinan temple, and then up the mountain, where you can drink tea with a great view over all of Taipei.

I'm no longer living in Taipei, so unfortunately I don't have any new recommendations. Enjoy your stay there!

[chrix]

Did they finally get around to fixing it ?

[Lu]

I'm not sure, haven't followed that story since I left, that's why I suggest to check before getting aboard :-p

[Daan]

The cable car was still not fixed when I was in the Maokong area a month ago, so don't bet on it. But you can take a bus at Taipei Zoo MRT station, which is incidentally also where the cable car would depart from, so that shouldn't be a problem. I can also recommend just visiting Zhinan Temple itself. It's a beautiful area. Oh, and have you been to Beitou's hot springs?

Furthermore, I can also wholeheartedly recommend the Museum of the Institute of History and Philology, if you are at all interested in such museums. It's at the Academia Sinica. A bit far out, but worth your while! Open only on Wednesdays and Saturdays, I think, though. If you decide to go there, let me know, I might want to come too! In fact, if you'd like to meet up, send me a PM. I'm not sure I'll be available during Christmas, but haven't really made any plans yet.

[skylee]

The Museum of the Institute of History and Philology seems interesting. Thanks for the suggestion. I might go there on boxing day (Saturday).

What is wrong with the cable car? It seems to be even worse than the one in HK.

[Daan]

It's just broken and it seems no one knows how to fix it. They're now blaming it on "safety inspections after the earthquake", I think, even though there haven't been any serious earthquakes for months. Perhaps they've just given up on it

[skylee]

These exhibitions also look good ->

http://www.nmh.gov.tw/zh-tw/Exhibition/Content.aspx?Para=0|21|523&unkey=20 (though I've been to the Kroller-Muller Museum before)

http://www.tfam.museum/03_Exhibitions/Default.aspx

So many musuems, so little time.

[jbradfor]

I don't think it's been mentioned yet, so I'll add a plug for the

Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines. It's just down the street from The Palace Museum.

If you're interested in culture and history, I found it very well done. It's a bit sad, of course, as the story of Taiwan's Aborigines is not a good one (pretty much like every other story involving aborigines throughout history). While I know nothing about the history, it felt balanced to me. I think it's good when a society can squarely face aspects of its past that are dark, a sign of maturity.

[Daan]

Yeah, the Van Gogh exhibition sounds really good, and that's coming from a Dutchman who's never been to the Kröller-Müller museum himself

[skylee]

Daan, thanks very much for your suggestion. I went to that museum in Sinica Academy last Saturday and I enjoyed it very much. I went to three museums/exhibition that day and it was the best. The one on Cai Guo-qiang was surprisingly good (I hadn't expected myself to like anything called "installation"). And the Van Gogh exhibition was a bit disappointing. The crowd was a problem, and the paintings were not the the most exciting ones. Plus I had been to many Van Gogh exhibitions before.

I happened to see the advertisement at Taipei Station on the the Yong Zheng exhibtion of the National Palace Museum. And when I saw the words "朕就是這樣漢子，就是這樣秉性，就是這樣皇帝！" I had to stop myself from getting on the train to rush to the museum. It sounded so stubborn, so 剛愎, so real. Too bad I simply didn't have enough time.

[Daan]

Glad you enjoyed yourself and hope the short trip was a welcome break in other ways as well I was actually at the NPM last week, and was a bit disappointed, though I have to say I didn't quite check out the entire Yongzheng exhibition, as those rooms were chock-full of visitors.

Which would you say is the most interesting museum in Hong Kong for a history and language buff? I will be there for four days next month, so I would appreciate any pointers

[skylee]

Hong Kong museums are quite boring, I think. You can visit the Arts Museum in TST, which is ok. I don't really go to the others so can't comment.

When you are in HK you should shop and eat and party and go to cinemas. And you should go to enjoy the hills and beaches, if you like these things.

[Daan]

Thanks