Taipei 台北
April 26: It's been nearly a month since we set foot in South Korea on April 1, and today we embarked on a flight from Seoul to Taipei. After checking out of our hotel in the morning, we arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare. Before proceeding to the gate, we enjoyed noodles and steamed dumplings at the airport restaurant. While contemplating how to make the most of our time, we suddenly remembered having access to the Priority Lounge. The lounge offered plenty of food and drinks. Since we just ate, we decided to skip all the delicious food items and take a break in the lounge with just a cup of coffee. Hours later, we finally indulged in some light snacks before departing. We came to the gate, and when we lined up for boarding, we encountered an unexpected obstacle – we were asked if we had tickets to leave Taiwan. Our initial plan was to purchase tickets to Shanghai after arriving in Taipei, but we were not allowed to board the flight without tickets. Consequently, we had no choice but to purchase two tickets from Taipei to Shanghai on the spot, at the gate, then proceed with boarding.
Upon arriving at Taoyuan Airport in Taipei, we took the airport metro to the city center, which was fast and convenient. After getting off at Taipei Station, we took a taxi to our hotel, the Taipei Garden Hotel. Though the flight from Seoul to Taipei was only a little over two hours, the journey from leaving the hotel in Seoul to checking into the hotel in Taipei took almost twelve hours.
Since we didn't eat anything on the plane, after a short rest at the hotel, we quickly went out to the nearby Taipei Huaxi Night Market, also known as Longshan Temple Night Market, one of Taipei's most famous night markets. It's located near Longshan Temple and is a popular spot for tourists and locals. This night market is renowned for its long history and abundant variety of delicious food. The atmosphere was lively, brimming with unique Taiwanese culture and flavors. Huaxi Night Market has many authentic Taiwanese delicacies, including snacks, barbecues, seafood, fried chicken cutlets, tofu pudding, and pastries. We noticed a long queue outside Yuanfang Guabao, a shop that claimed to be listed in the Michelin Guide. We joined the crowd and waited in line to try their guabao, a traditional Taiwanese dish called "pork belly bun." It consists of a tender pork belly, crushed peanuts, and pickled vegetables sandwiched in a soft and chewy bun—a truly rich and delicious flavor. We couldn't resist trying stinky tofu, a beloved Taiwanese delicacy. The distinct aroma permeated the air as we wandered through the night market. While the taste was enjoyable, it didn't match the flavors we fondly remembered from childhood. We then headed to the seafood area, where various stalls displayed an assortment of seafood and vegetables cooked right on the spot. We chose a relatively clean stall that offered pea shoots and clams, which we ordered. It had been a long time since we had such delicious garlic pea shoots and stir-fried clams.
April 27: We woke up early and craved salty soy milk and fried dough sticks, our favorite Chinese breakfast. We selected a nearby breakfast shop based on online reviews. The shop was small and old, but the salty soy milk and fried dough sticks were decent. After breakfast, we called a taxi and went to the National Palace Museum. The museum houses a vast collection of precious Chinese cultural artifacts, including paintings, porcelain, jade, and calligraphy, all brought to Taiwan by the Kuomintang. Many valuable items were on display, and we simply enjoyed the spectacle since we were not experts. It was a pity that the most popular Jadeite Cabbage was on exhibit in Tainan, but the Meat-shaped Stone, a jade carving resembling braised pork belly, was still there.
We had our lunch at the museum's restaurant. After the meal, we took a taxi to the Shilin Palace, which was the official residence of President Chiang Kai-shek during his time in Taiwan. The garden landscape surrounding the Shilin Palace was gorgeous. It was adorned with meticulously trimmed flowers, plants, and picturesque small bridges with flowing creeks, making it a perfect place to unwind and relax. Especially noteworthy was the well-maintained rose garden inside the park. The palace building itself might be considered relatively simple by today's standards.
When we arrived, the ticket office staff was on their lunch break, so we first took a stroll around the park. Inside the Shilin Palace, visitors can explore the interiors of the presidential office, drawing room, banquet hall, and other official residences, gaining valuable insights into Taiwan's history and politics. However, it's worth noting that the entire tour seemed to revolve around trivial aspects of Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Meiling's love affair rather than delving into their profound influence on Taiwan. Despite this, the experience provided a unique glimpse into the past.
Then we took a taxi to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Inside the memorial hall, there was a changing of the guards' ceremony. After watching it, we visited Liberty Square outside the memorial hall. The Memorial Hall and the entrance archways on Liberty Square combined Western and Chinese architectural styles, characterized by white buildings with blue roofs, exuding a sense of solemnity. In contrast, the National Theater and Concert Hall on both sides of the square were completely Chinese-style, with yellow tiles and red columns, representing a vibrant and lively atmosphere, contrasting with the dignified and clean Memorial Hall.
Dining in Ding Tai Fung when in Taipei is a must-do thing. This world-famous chain is known for its steamed dumplings, and Taipei is its birthplace. We went to the Ding Tai Fung near the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, which was packed with people. We got our ticket, waited for more than an hour before being seated, and tried the steamed dumplings and other items. The taste was similar to the Ding Tai Fung in the United States, so it was a satisfying experience. Afterward, we returned to the Memorial Hall, which had already closed for the day, so the Liberty Square was empty and serene. We walked around a small park nearby, where the bridges and flowing water looked stunning in the evening glow of the sunset.
We went to Ximending Night Market in the evening, which was bustling with people. We couldn't miss trying the famous Boba milk tea from the Happytahn tea shop. After watching how they made the tiny Boba, we had our Boba milk tea. The freshly made ones tasted different and delicious. Then, we tried to get an egg pancake at another popular shop, which also waited a long time. The Ximending market was filled with young people.
April 28: We started the day by visiting the Presidential Office Building near our hotel. As we went early, there were few tourists, but many primary school students were on field trips. Next, we went to the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and explored the exhibition about Sun Yat-sen's life, learning a lot from it. The hall also had several exhibitions of calligraphy and paintings by locals, from experts to school students, and we admired the artistic talents of Taiwanese people.
Next, we went to Taipei 101 but didn't go to the top. Instead, we had a simple lunch there, trying the famous one Michelin star Oil Chicken Rice. It tasted decent. After just a few days in Taiwan, we noticed that there were quite a few Michelin-rated small shops in Taipei.
Guangzhou Street is not far from our hotel. Behind Guangzhou Street is a lane known as the Bopiliao Historic Block. During the Japanese colonial period, this area was called "Bopiliao" because it was filled with leather workshops, and "Bopiliao" means "peeling leather." It is one of Taipei's best-preserved and most representative historical neighborhoods, featuring rich historical buildings and cultural heritage, including old houses, shops, temples, and community facilities. What caught our attention was a display about healthcare workers and volunteers fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. It deeply moved us to see that people were preserving these unforgettable memories. Although this place might not be on the top tourist destination list, we found it to be a very worthwhile place to visit.
Longshan Temple, also known as Huaxi Temple, is a famous Buddhist temple in Taipei and one of the city's oldest and most representative temples. It attracts many tourists and devotees for worship and visits. The temple's architectural style combines Southern Chinese and Fujian styles with exquisite decorations and elaborate carvings. Devotees were seen purchasing bags of rice and fruits to offer. When we arrived at Longshan Temple, we were lucky to witness the faithful reciting scriptures in a loud and synchronized manner, creating a profound and touching experience in the temple.
Shilin Night Market is Taipei's top-ranked night market and a tourist must-visit spot. We took the metro to the night market and tried fried fresh milk, spicy cold noodles recommended by Michelin, and Shanghai-style pan-fried buns. After exploring the night market, we took the metro back to the area near the Presidential Office Building, passing through the 228 Peace Memorial Park and enjoying the nighttime scenery.
After returning to the hotel, we felt we hadn't eaten enough tonight. We sneaked out and found the same restaurant we had visited a few days ago at Huaxi Street Night Market. We ordered the same dishes, garlic pea shoots and stir-fried clams, and also had a bottle of beer, celebrating our soon-to-end Taiwan trip.
April 29: The day has finally come. Today, we are leaving Taipei and flying to Shanghai to reunite with our family. Our hearts are filled with excitement. After breakfast, we called a taxi to Taipei Main Station and took the airport express to Taoyuan Airport. We still had some time to spare upon arrival, so we went to the Priority lounge, had a latte, some snacks, and rested while closely watching the flight information, but the boarding process was delayed. Finally, the announcement for boarding was made, and we hurried to the boarding gate. As we were rushing to the gate, we heard the announcement for the final boarding call, making us anxious. We quickly made our way to the gate. The boarding gate was empty except for the two of us. Whatever the reason was, we hurriedly boarded the plane. Once on board, we discovered that the aircraft had only around twenty passengers, and in the back section where we were seated, it was just the two of us and one more passenger. The flight attendants were very attentive and had little to do. Two hours later, we successfully arrived at Shanghai Pudong Airport and quickly passed through immigration. We could sense the impact of the pandemic, as there were few planes and even fewer passengers, with very few foreign tourists.
We were going home, finally. Chenggang wanted to give his parents a surprise. Unfortunately, the driver did not accept cash when the taxi arrived downstairs at his parents' apartment because he had no change. Without other payment methods, such as WeChat Pay or Alipay, Chenggang had no choice but to call his parents to come down and pay for his taxi fare. What a true "surprise." Separated for over three years due to pandemic restrictions, we had longed for each other and were also filled with regret. Finally, we could embrace each other with joy and touching emotions, hoping the relentless separation would not happen again.
4月26日: 来韩国已近一个月，今天从首尔飞去台北，上午退房后就早早去了机场，先在机场的餐厅吃了点面条和蒸饺后，就去了侯机厅。离飞机起飞还有好几个小时，正琢磨着怎么打发时间时，突然想起我们还有贵宾休息室的票。来到休息室，里面有吃有喝的，可惜我们刚在外面吃完，那就先好好休息一下，直到离开前才稍微吃了点零食。到了登机口排队登机时居然被拦下来，问我们有没有离开台湾的机票。我们原本准备到了台北之后再买回上海的票，结果没票不让上飞机，没办法只好在登机口临时买了两张台北飞上海的机票这才让我们登机。
到达台北桃园机场后，乘坐机场到台北城中心的地铁，又快又方便。在台北车站下车后，叫了辆出租车来到我们的酒店 - 台北花园大酒店。其实从首尔飞到台北才二个多小时，但我们从离开首尔的旅馆一直到入住台北的酒店，前后总共花了近十二个小时。
在飞机上我们没吃任何东西，入住台北的酒店，稍微休息一下后， 就赶紧外出去了附近的台北华西街夜市（Taipei Huaxi Night Market），又称龙山寺夜市，是台湾台北市最有名的夜市之一。它位于龙山寺附近，是游客和本地居民喜欢光顾的热门地点。这个夜市以其悠久的历史和丰富的美食而闻名。夜市非常热闹，充满了独特的台湾文化和风味。在华西街夜市，你可以品尝到各种道地的台湾美食，包括小吃、烧烤、海鲜、炸鸡排、豆花、糕点等。看到在源芳刈包店外排着长队，门口挂着牌说这店上过米其林榜，我们也凑热闹排队来一份。刈包是台湾的传统美食，也被称为割包。它是用软糯的包子皮夹着红烧肉、花生粉、腌菜等配料而成。口感丰富，味道的确鲜美。台湾的臭豆腐也是不能不吃的，一路走着都能闻到香味。味道不错，但总觉得与记忆中儿时那种味道相比较，还是少了点什么。接着来到海鲜区，每个摊位将各种海鲜以及各种蔬菜摆放在那里，旁边放个炉子，现点现做。我们选了家稍干净的摊位看到有豆苗和蛤蜊，便坐下各叫了一份。真是好久没吃到这么好吃的蒜茸豆苗和炒蛤蜊了。
4月27日: 一早起来想吃豆浆油条，便去附近找早餐店。看了网上的评论，来到一家又小又破旧的店，各要了一碗咸豆浆和油条，味道还算可以。之后叫了一辆出租车前往故宫博物馆。博物馆收藏了大量珍贵的中国文物，包括绘画、瓷器、玉器、书法等，都是当时国民党来台带过来的，好东西不少，当然我们是外行看热闹。很可惜最热门的翠玉白菜正在台南展出, 没看到，但肉形石, 一块外形酷似红烧肉的玉石雕刻, 还在那里。
午餐我们就在博物馆里的餐厅里解决了。饭后坐出租车去了士林宫邸, 是蒋中正总统在台湾时期的官邸。士林宫邸周围的园林景观非常优美，有精心修剪的花草植物和小桥流水，是一个放松身心的好地方，特别是里面的月季花园修的不错。宫邸建筑按照现在标准的话，算是比较简陋了。我们到那里时票房工作人员正好午休没在，我们就先在公园转了一圈。在士林宫邸，你可以参观总统办公室、会客厅、宴会厅等官邸内部，了解台湾的历史和政治。但整个参观过程都围绕蒋介石和宋美龄夫妻相爱琐事展开的，避开他们夫妇俩对中国台湾的影响。
看完士林宫邸，又坐地铁去了中正纪念堂。进入纪念堂大厅正好碰上换岗仪式，看完之后来到纪念堂外面的自由广场。中正纪念堂及自由广场牌楼都是中西融合的建筑，白色为主体加以蓝顶，非常的庄严肃静。而在自由广场上两侧的国家戏剧院和音乐厅就完全是中国式的黄瓦红柱，华丽活泼，与庄严洁净的纪念堂有着明显对比。
都说来台北一定要尝尝这里的鼎泰丰。这家以卖小笼包享誉世界的连锁店，台北是它的发源地。来到中正纪念堂附近的鼎泰丰，慕名而来的人真不少。拿号等座，足足等了一个多小时才入座，味道与美国的鼎泰丰没区别，反正也算是了却了一个心愿吧。吃完又走回到中正纪念堂，因为纪念堂已关门，整个自由广场空空荡荡。我们在边上的小公园里走走，小桥流水在夕阳映照下非常漂亮。
晚上去了西门町夜市，那里是人山人海。幸福堂珍珠奶茶店门口人挤人，我们先是看一粒粒小珍珠是怎么做出来的，然后再买上一杯奶茶。现做的小珍珠就是不一样，味道好极了。接着又在另一个网红店要了份鸡蛋饼，也是等了好久。这里是年轻人的世界。
4月28日: 今天先去酒店附近的总统府，因为早去，游客不多，但有很多小学生在那里参观。然后就去了国父纪念堂，仔细参观了孙中山生平事迹的展览，了解了不少。纪念堂大楼里还设有不少书画展览，我们在那里欣赏台湾同胞们的艺术才华。
接着去了台北101，没上楼顶，就在那里吃了一顿简单的午餐。尝试了一下号称世界首家米其林一星小贩的油鸡饭，味道还行。才来台湾几天， 感觉台湾上米其林榜的小店不少。
回到离住的酒店不远的广州街，在广州街后面，有一条巷子是剥皮寮历史街区（Bopiliao Historic Block）。在日治时期，这个街区被称为“剥皮寮”，因为当时有许多制革作坊，而“剥皮”指的是制革的过程。这是台北市保存最完整、最具代表性的历史街区之一，保留了丰富的历史建筑和文化遗产，包括古老的街屋、商铺、神庙和社区设施等。最有意思的是，在这个历史街区中，还展示了当时台湾医护人员和志愿者们抗击新冠疫情的情景，让我们深受感动。这是我们第一次看到人们已经开始将这段涉及到世界每一个人的难以忘怀的历史以实体方式保留下来。尽管这个地方不在那些首选旅游目的地的榜单上，我们觉得这是一个非常值得一游的地方。
华西寺（又称龙山寺）是台湾台北市著名的佛教寺庙，也是该市最古老且最具代表性的寺庙之一。它吸引着众多游客和信徒前来参观和参拜。寺庙的建筑风格融合了南洋与福建的传统风格，装饰精美，雕刻华丽。信徒在寺庙里购买大包小包的大米和水果供奉。我们到龙山寺时，恰好看到全寺庙的信徒们在大声朗诵经文，那宏亮且齐声的声音在寺庙中回荡，非常震撼和感人。
士林夜市是台北排名第一的夜市，是来台北观光必去的地方。我们坐地铁前往夜市，尝试了炸鲜奶，品尝了米其林推荐的麻辣凉面，还试了一下上海生煎包。夜市逛完后，坐地铁回到总统府附近，还顺便穿过228和平纪念公园，欣赏了一下夜景。
回到酒店后，总觉得还没吃够。晚上我们又溜出去，在华西街夜市里找到了前几天去过的小店，点了同样的菜——蒜茸豆苗和炒蛤蜊，再加上一瓶啤酒，庆祝一下即将结束的台湾行。
4月29日：这一天终于到来了。今天要离开台北，飞往上海与家人团聚，心情非常激动。上午吃完早餐后，我们叫了出租车去台北火车站，然后乘坐机场专车前往桃园机场。抵达机场时，还有一些时间，于是我们前往贵宾候机室，喝杯拿铁，吃些点心，稍作休息，同时一直密切关注航班信息，但登机却迟迟未开始。终于宣布开始登机，我们赶紧前往登机口。急匆匆走着，才几分钟就突然听到广播喊着最后登机，让我们非常着急，飞快赶到登机口。登机口空无一人，只有我们两人。不论原因何在，我们匆忙登机。上了飞机后才发现整个大飞机只有二十多位乘客，我们所坐的后半部分飞机只有我们俩和另外一位乘客。乘务员们闲得没事干，非常热心，不停地问我们需要什么。两个多小时后，我们顺利抵达上海浦东机场，很快过了海关。能感受到疫情的影响，飞机少，乘客少，外国游客更是寥寥无几。
终于要回家了，成刚原本想给爸妈一个惊喜，可出租车到了楼下，司机却说不收现金因为没零钱找，而成刚又没微信支付或支付宝，没办法只能打电话让他爸妈下楼帮忙付车费， 还真是一个”惊喜” 了。由于新冠疫情的限制，三年多的分隔，有着无丝的思念牵挂和遗憾。终于能再次团聚，给爸妈一个深情的大拥抱，充满喜悦和感动的时刻，也希望这无情的分隔不会再来。
