After the early start yesterday, we turned in early and had some quality sleep. Initially though, we had to figure out the room temperature settings, as too much cold air was blowing. This is the coldest month in Taiwan, and we're having to get used to temperatures 10-15 degrees Celsius lower than we've been used to. Thankfully, we've brought appropriate clothing. Today is bound to be a bit of an adventure, but let's see what 'breakfast included' means.
Breakfast is served in the basement and proves quite an eye-opener. It's far more international than I expected, with plenty of warm food choices, grilled or fried, with cereal and drinks. It easily compensates for any misgivings I have about the room. Now with bellies full, we can have a full day exploring.
With no plans set out initially, a list of attractions soon grows, not only for today but also for the days ahead. We start off on the red metro line and head east.
Our first stop of the day is at the World Trade Centre Taipei 101. At the top of this massive building is a viewing tower. It's not for us today, but it's great for a photo shoot even at ground level.
Taipei 101 is one of the most iconic skyscrapers in the world, located in Taipei's bustling Xinyi District. It is a mixed-use building featuring luxury offices, a high-end shopping mall, restaurants, and one of the city's top tourist attractions: its observation decks. The building's height at 508 metres including the spire, made it the world's tallest building from 2004 to 2010.
After half an hour here, we return to the red line and head for its final station. This brings us out near Xiangsgan Park. This park is pleasant enough as it is, but it's where it leads to that has brought us here. It's Katoon's choice to find Elephant Mountain. Elephant Mountain is one of Taipei's most popular and accessible hikes, offering stunning panoramic views of the city skyline, especially the iconic Taipei 101 tower. It's a short but steep trail that's perfect for a quick city escape. It's about 183 metres high at the peak, and the trail is 1.5-2 km round trip (mostly stairs). Walking the trail takes 1-2 hours total with breaks.
We make it up to the start of the trail that leads to the peak, but that's as far as I'm happy to go. It's a stiff climb from here. With my partner having her mind set on the trip, I agree to wait for her, and that's made a big hole in the afternoon. The remainder of the attractions on my list are over to the west, and we have time to visit some of them but decide to defer them to the end of the week before we leave. At this point my list has gone out the window, and my partner wants to make things difficult. We return along the red line and switch to the brown line, which heads north around the city on a route that is mostly elevated. This trip adds a different perspective to the city we first found. Instead of the posh city skyscrapers and shops and offices lined along attractive boulevards, there is evidence of earlier times with buildings not looking so smart now. It's a bit of a hunch, but we find ourselves at Biha Park.
Bihu Park, also known as Green Lake Park, is a beautiful urban park in Taipei's Neihu District. It's one of the city's most relaxing green spaces, famous for its large central lake (Dapi Lake), which covers about 7 hectares and was originally used for irrigation before the park opened in 1987. The park spans around 13.1 hectares and offers a peaceful escape from city life, with scenic lakeside paths, seasonal flowers, and plenty of activities.
With it not looking its best this time of year, we head back towards the city centre connecting to the blue line. It's now late afternoon, and we've wasted opportunities to add more to the day's experience. There is definitely one more attraction on my list today, though, but it means yet more time on the metro, changing to the brown line again and then the green. Finally we reach the Raoke Street Night Market.
Raohe Street Night Market is one of Taipei's most popular and food-focused night markets. It's often praised as the best for street food in the city, with a high concentration of delicious eats (including several Michelin Bib Gourmand stalls), a vibrant atmosphere, and a more compact, walkable layout than larger markets like Shilin.
It's the weekend, and I guess I shouldn't be surprised to find it heaving with bodies. We need dinner, and in a street closed to vehicles, there are food stalls. We would rather have a sit-down meal than street food, but unfamiliar with the dishes being served and the lack of English on the menus, we are struggling here. The sellers are just too busy to explain what's on their menu list. To add to the confusion, my partner wants noodles, while I don't. Frustration kicks in, and we find ourselves at a Pho Vietnamese noodle shop, and I should have remembered how tasteless pho is and just pick at it. It's time to head back and leave the madness behind.
At least there's one thing I can rely on in Taiwan as I dive into 7-Eleven for something more familiar. It's going to be another long day tomorrow, so back at First Hotel, I race to bring these notes up to date. The day hasn't ended brilliantly, but at least I've learned how to get about in this interesting city. With a bit more knowledge gained today, I'm hoping to benefit from that in the days to come.

Source: Visit