A Taipei Layover

If you have to be stranded somewhere waiting for a flight home, you wish it was in Taipei. I learned that when we got "stranded" in this fine city waiting for a flight to Bangladesh (via Bali) and I mentioned it here once. Now I am going to show you photos of that layover.

While in Taipei we scrambled to find a flight out. Somehow, we managed to find a doable solution, temporary at the moment, and knowing we cannot do any more from our end and that we were at the mercy of the airlines, we decided the best way to spend the limited time we have in Taipei is to at least see a little and perhaps taste a little of what this foodie paradise has to offer.

This is where Taipei 101 came into the scene. We have heard of this landmark skyscraper from travel shows. Taipei 101 has 101 floors. The lower levels are for restaurants and shopping. We went to the grocery store and the food court to satisfy our cravings.













Then, we found out there is an observatory at the top, in the 89th floor. In order to go there, we have to get on to the 5th floor to get the tickets and the elevator. This is not any ordinary elevator. This set of elevators have been named the fastest elevators by Guinness Book of World Records, setting the record at 37.7 seconds from 5th floor to 89th floor. It was really fast. You blinked and you're there.









It was twilight when we got up there and did not get good photos. But we still tried. The observatory was packed at that time and it was spacious. My fear of heights sneaks in and so I tried not to get close to the glass window.







Exit through the gift shop. Although there's a gift shop on the observatory, they have us exit through a exhibit of coral jewelry and coral pieces by Chii Lih Coral. The pieces are exquisite, both small and big ones.























OUR WORLD TUESDAY