Taipei 101 (台北１０１)

Urban sprawl. Quiet. Beautiful.

Thoughts that ran through my head as I took a gander down on Taipei.

From certain views, Taipei reminded me of the Kowloon Walled City, something I’ve only seen in pictures (Photo 1, this is Taipei). From another glance, the glow from the street lamps seemed to run like molten lava towards Taipei 101 (Photo 2). Looking into the sky, it seemed like you could almost be floating in the air because there isn’t any (completed) taller building in the world (Photo 3). Back on the ground, the whole Xinyi district (信義區) reminded me of home’s downtown (Photo 6).

How I got to be looking down on Taipei on a beautiful “winter” day was quite an accident. I didn’t have any plan to go up to Taipei 101. My only plan for that day was to find the movie theatres where the Golden Horse Film Festival was being held so that I wouldn’t be lost for the day after next’s showing of Lost in Beijing (蘋果).

After going about 20 minutes in the wrong direction (after asking for directions) and finally finding the correct theatre, I glanced at the sky and decided to go up to the top of Taipei 101.

On a side note: the mall is just wow. If you’re a name brand shopper, you’d go crazy with happiness inside Taipei 101.

So, 350 NTD poorer, I ascended to the top in a very cool elevator. It reminded me of those elevators in the Minority Report or anything futuristic like that because it took us to the top so fast. I don’t even think I had to pop my ears.

Inside the 89th floor observatory, Taipei 101 is a very touristy area. I walked around the circumference a few times trying to figure out how to get outside until I found that at the entrance to get to the outdoor observatory on the 91st floor, you had to pay another 100 NTD.

So, out I went. (Ambiguous, no?)

Outside on the outdoor observation deck was glorious. Just the day before, it had rained, so the skyline was particularly clear. As I was up top just as dusk was settling over Taipei, I had the opportunity to watch the city painted in a multitude of colours. Ranging from a green-blue to an orange beginning to be punctuated by lights, so many beautiful hues gradually gave over to darkness where the lights, not the sky, gave the city its colour.

Up top, you can only hear the whistling of the wind through the metal guard rails and feel the whipping of the wind around you. It’s so quiet. And when you’re looking out and seeing the city laid out before you, it feels as if you can achieve anything.

I say that going up to Taipei 101, probably one of Taipei’s biggest tourist attractions, is well worth the 450 NTD. Although, most people don’t spend that long up there, it is one of those things where you go to say that you’ve been there. Also, even if you’re afraid of heights, the metal guard rails are high enough so you’ll feel safe. If you just stay within the indoor observatory, it feels even safer because it’s like you’re inside a bubble. So, go to Taipei 101 when you come/go to Taipei! (Free Taiwan tourism promotion.)