Spectacular Experiences within Easy Reach in Taipei
The Cultural Experience
Walk in to Dihua Street, the oldest street in Taipei, and you will find yourself in the presence of a row of old Minnan and Western style buildings. Strolling around on this street is like a taking a walk into the past. You will see stores selling woven bamboo utensils that were widely used in the past, while others offer a variety of traditional dried goods for sale. If you visit during the Chinese New Year holidays, you will find yourself in a bustling street filled with the sound of merchants hawking traditional goods for the Chinese New Year, along with people shopping and wishing each other Happy New Year. It is truly a jolly, festive scene.You can then take the metro to Longshan Temple, which was built nearly 300 years ago, and lay your eyes on the temple’s exquisite wooden carvings, stone sculptures, and paintings. In the front hall of the temple, you can find the one-and-only, not to mention exquisitely sculpted, cast bronze dragon pillar in Taiwan. There are many deities worshiped in the temple - whether it is your career, love you want to ask about, or a blessing of safety and wellness you seek, the temple has you covered.
For a relaxed cultural excursion, you can also take the metro to the Huashan 1914 Creative Park. A brewery in the past, the park now hosts numerous exhibitions and concerts of various sizes every month. It also hosts flea and art markets on most weekends, making it a must-visit destination for treasure hunting aficionados. If you need a break after so much walking, there are many cafés in the park where you can sit, rest, and chat about art.
As interesting as that is, the most incredible cultural experience, however, would be a visit to the National Palace Museum. Take the city bus to the museum, and you will find Taiwan's largest museum standing in front of you. With a collection of nearly 700,000 pieces of art and cultural artifacts, the rare and precious pieces the National Palace Museum houses are the best representation of thousands of years of Chinese culture. The Jadeite Cabbage with Insects, the museum's most treasured piece, is a masterpiece not to be missed.