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| Taipei
Sightseeing |
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Attractions
Botanical Gardens
When the commotion gets a bit too much, Taipei has a few leafy
green sanctuaries. The Botanical Gardens is located on Nanhai Rd just south
of the central city area, featuring an outstanding lotus pond, making it
a pleasant retreat from the earsplitting city.
Lin Antai Old Homestead
In the rush to develop, Taipei has destroyed most of its very
lovely old residences: Lin Antai Old Homestead is one of the few
to have been conserved, and for this only reason it is just memorable.
Constructed in 1783, the building was torn apart brick by brick when
a freeway was made through its original situation in 1978. 6 years
later the graceful old structure was rebuilt in its current
location in Pinchiang Park. It's the oldest of the few remaining
traditional residential buildings - the others are mostly run
down.
National Palace Museum
This astonishing collection began during the 10th century, when
Chinese Emperors started to take control of art treasures. In the 20th century,
many artworks were shipped in
large boxes
from city to city, and finally
to Taiwan, to run away from invading armies. Inexplicably, most of the
collection remained.
The huge collection remains a testament to Chinese tradition,
culture, ingenuity and packing methods. From 960 the growing collection
spent 500 years moving between Beijing and Nanjing in anticipation
of being housed for another 500 years in Beijing's Forbidden City.
In 1931 this collection was sent to Nanjing, and then to Shanghai to avoid getting controlled by the Japanese. Avoiding
the Japanese invasion of Shanghai by only few weeks, the collection was
moved back to Nanjing. By 1939 it was hidden in the isolated village
of Emei. 10,000 crates were kept in a boat secured on the
Yangzi River until the war ended and the collection was reunified.
Back again and on show in Nanjing, it was all packed up once
more in 1949 and ferried to Taipei to avoid the Communists.
This final move was so rushed that about 700 crates were left
behind.
Snake Alley
The tourists have moved in and the prices have gone up but it
is still worth visiting the Huahsi Night Market to see the snake
handlers playing with live cobras, to sample snake soup or a cup
of snake bile, or to pick up an aphrodisiac made from powdered
cobra's gall bladder. |
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