| Mt. Fuji and Ms. God Place. Started with lucky. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Lucky to see Mt. Fuji !! |
Her name is "Place of God" |
Everything is China :The Grand Hotel |
Big garden and a big tree |
- March 12 - 15, 2001 in Taipei. I had preoccupation for weather. I
have been there twice and they were in hot season. I thought Taipei is
as hot as Singapore or Manila, region of everlasting summer. When
I start Narita, I wore sweater and I thought I may change to T-shirt. It
was 18 degree C on arriving. Unexpected coolness made me cold from
the gap between reality and thinking. Preoccupation is not good.
- Airplane bound for Taipei passed by northern part of Mt. Fuji. Mt.
Fuji over clouds could be seen clearly. February season is good weather
and plain passed by just near and it is possible to see clearly see. However
Mt. Fuji over clouds was good for me as well.
- I sat just in front of flight attendant. I just looked up at her
and her name is Living place of God. Amazed!! I heard her name,
and amazed too. Her name is daughter of Sun. She said this
Surname name is just found in Miyazaki of Kyusu Island. I wonder
the origin of the name. Interesting. Miyazaki has myth of God?
- I was guarded by Mt. Fuji and living place of God and then weather was
always clear on staying.
|
| Hotel name is "The Grand Hotel", wow. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Splashy typical China !! |
Ceiling is also splashy |
Terrace is gorgeous too |
Moon and lighted-up Hotel |
- The hotel is a little far from the center of the city. State guests
such as Clinton stay in the hotel. Because national guests stay in
this hotel, it has genuine Chinese dynasty atmosphere. It actually
is different from hotels of business.
- Chinese people like "Gold and Red" really. Therefore we
see red and gold around Asia.
|
| Impression of the town is bikes, bikes and bikes. Most of them are
scooters. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Rest seconds of signal : 58 seconds |
tremendous of bikes |
Main street Nakayama, beautiful trees |
Bike parking around town |
- Regular points of Taipei sightseeing tour are 1. National Palace Museum
of storing 6000,000 products and always exhibiting 20,000 and contents
are more variety than Beijing, 2. National Shrine which if famous for standing
stiff-backed guardsmen, 3. Chiang Kaisheck Memorial Hall which is constructed
on vast 260,000 m2 ground, 4. Old Chinese style Liushang Temple over 260
years. And last one is our hotel, the Grand Hotel which is gorgeous
Chinese style.
|
| Catching eye scenery is Seven-Eleven and Banks. 2500 seven-elevens
at the moment.Banks shows Chinese people are interested in money. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Wide cross-section |
many small size 7-11 |
Always banks in prime location |
Entrance of Taiwan electric town |
- Taiwan electric town seems like Akihabara in Tokyo. It is under highway,
1st floor handles mother board, hardware such as CPU and lower ground floor
sells software such as video CD. Many CDR disks. Cost starts
from 5 NT$. I bought TDK disks by 530 NT$ of 50 disks. Parts
cost of motherboard CPU and memories are almost same as in Akihabara in
Tokyo.
- Typical system of picture is Video CD and that custom spreads every where
in Asia. If picture quality is not so bad, then cheap is attractive
because of easy manufacturing.
|
| Zero minute walking distance from the hotel is little garden named Northern
Park. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The hotel is up from the garden |
well-groomed garden |
The park is not that splashy red |
relieved by the compact style garden |
| most tour stars from Chiang Kaishek Memorial Hall. Huge memorial
with 260,000m2 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Entrance of the memorial hall |
This is left side |
Chiang Kaishe |
Left Opera house, right theater |
- I suggest to visit with tour guide because guide may explain only main
points effectively such as ivory sculpture with 16 balls inside. However,
next time, you can walk or use subway because the city is not so big. This
time, I walked from the hotel to the center of the city around Taipei station.
Walking distance is about £“Km. Subway is also very convenient because
many famous places are near subway station. It costs £²£° - £³£°
NT$. Taxi is painted yellow and we can use it everywhere. Basis
cost is £·£° NT#.
|
| Here we are, in the national museum. Photos are prohibited in it.
I was impressed by the 16 balls inside ivory. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| theater and gate |
feel big on closer looking |
Gate of National Palace Museum |
Welcome to the museum |
| Liushang Temple was constructed in 1738 and oldest Chinese temple. Principle
image is Goddess of Cannon and famous for accomplishing every wish |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| colorful sculpture, architectural beauty |
God of everything-accomplish |
Burning of artificial money |
Convenient subway 20 - 30 NT$ |
| Chinese Palace style of the National Shrine is close to the Grand Hotel
of 10 minute walking distance |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Guarding the gate |
right and left green roof house |
Two lions guard main shrine |
Two guardsmen in the shrine |
| Change of every 3 month, army navy air forth. Stand-up over 1 hour
without blink””Famous for trained guardsmen rather than original Buckingham
Palace. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| continuously looking hall way |
without blinking |
with! blinking |
guard change starts at entrance |
| Ceremony of once an hour guard change famous night market selling convenience
goods and cloths |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| 1 hour change |
tick-tack, tick-tack, walk with sound |
Food shops in the night market |
difficult of walking by crowded people |
- I eat McDonald hamburger because it is kind of benchmark. Big Mac and coffee
is 79 + 30 NT$ including fried potato
- Another food is beef bowl Yoshinoya, 70 NT$ and taste was as same as Japanese
Yoshinoya
|
