Another night view of Taipei

<<Taipeinightview2.JPG>> This picture shows how the mountains weave in
and out of the city (or perhaps the city weaves in and out of the
mountains!) Look closely and you will see Taipei 101. It is, of course,
the tallest building in the picture. If you move to the right of Taipei
101, find the second tallest building. Our hotel is almost exactly
between these two buildings. It was quite a windy ride to the top of
this mountain (on a very narrow road!). Can you guess the distance
between these two buildings?

Taipei at night

<<Nightview.JPG>> Some views are so spectacular that pictures can't
quite capture the moment. This picture, however, gives a great glimpse
into the beauty of the city at night. It was taken on top of one of the
smaller mountains that surround the city. Andy Bear, unfortunately, was
asleep when this picture was taken!

Taipei 101 mountain view

<<Taipei101mountainview.JPG>> This picture shows the vast city as it
disappears into the mountains. You can also see the river that flows
through the city. Many bridges span this river in all directions. I'm
very impressed with the city planners who included paved bicycle paths
that run the banks of the river on both sides throughout the city.

Taipei 101 open view

<<Taipei101openview.JPG>> For those who are daring, the 90th floor
offers open-air viewing of the city. As you can see, this level is very
safe! It is, however, wind and loud!! We were lucky enough to visit on a
day when this floor is open to the public.

Taipei mountains

<<Taipei mountains.JPG>> From the top of Taipei 101, you can see the
topographical nature of the Taipei area. The city is situated in a
basin, and surrounded by patches of small mountains that gradually
become larger mountain ranges the further out you travel. These
mountains are very 'green' - similar to the Smoky Mountains of
Tennessee. I'm not sure if they are as old as the Smokies, though. That
would be a great research question. Does anyone want to find the answer
for us? Post it if you do! :) Also, these mountains rarely get any type
of snow.

Taipei 101 shadow

<<Taipei101shadow.JPG>> O.K. - I have to take back my statement about
which picture is my favorite. I have too many favorites to pick just
one! I love this picture, too. Do you see the shadow cast by the
building? The sun lined up just right!

Taipei 101 view - a different angle

<<Taipeiview2.JPG>> Here is another view from the top of Taipei 101!

Taipei 101

<<101view.JPG>> This is one of my favorite pictures! Andy is having a
grand time on top of the man-made world! The view is spectacular no
matter which window you pick!

The fastest elevator in the world!

<<101elevator.JPG>> While Taipei 101 can only say it is the 2nd tallest
building in the world, it can boast about its elevator! This elevator is
the fastest one in the world. Take a look at this picture and see if you
can figure out how fast the elevator is traveling. Can you convert the
speed into miles/second? It only takes 30 seconds to travel from the 5th
floor to the 89th floor!

Taipei 101 adventure begins

<<101shopping.JPG>> Taipei 101 is just a short taxi ride from my hotel!
You could walk the distance in about 25 minutes. This incredible
building is beautiful inside and out (and top to bottom)!! The first 5
floors (where I am standing in this picture) house a large shopping
center. These stores are not your everyday stores! I can say this with
certainty - if you are looking for a place to find the perfect outfit
that no one else in Jackson has, this is the place to shop!! Visit this
website to learn more about this architectural wonder!!
http://www.taipei-101.com.tw/index_en.htm

Take a break at McDonalds

<<youdeserveabreaktoday.JPG>> Throughout the city, you can find
American food. We have seen McDonalds, KFC, Subway, TGIF, Starbucks,
7-11, and Outback Steakhouse!! I know these prices look expensive, but
don't forget about the currency exchange rate!!

Street market

<<streetmarket.JPG>> Here is a picture of a typical street market. Most
markets are open during the daytime, but many throughout the city open
in the evenings and stay open late into the night. At these markets, you
can find just about anything. As you can see, each vendor has a small
space in which to sell his or her goods. These markets are set up like
American flea markets; however, they are more permanent in nature.

More of the Opening Ceremonies

<<DSCN0429.JPG>> Along with all of the athletes, coaches, and
supporters, was an army of reporters from around the world. Each country
had its own reporters to follow the athletes and their accomplishments.
Here is a great video of the Opening Ceremony highlights!
http://vimeo.com/6456734

An Opening Ceremonies article

<<openingceremonies2.JPG>> Thanks to modern technology, reporting on
the Deaflympics has been extensive, global, and immediate! This article
is from the CAN - Central News Agency - Taiwan's oldest reporting
agency. You can Google the Deaflympics and find many more interesting
articles about these events.
http://english.cna.com.tw/ReadNews/Detail.aspx?pSearchDate=&pNewsID=2009
09050024&pType1=SP&pType0=xSPDD&pTypeSel=0

The Deaflympics

<<Openingceremonies.JPG>> On Saturday night, Andy Bear and I went to
see the Opening Ceremonies for the Deaflympics. This is a time when the
host country, Taiwan, can show off it's talents to the rest of the
world. This show had 12 different acts that included Taiwan's most
popular singer, several of the deaf school children (of all ages) in
Taiwan, the worlds most renown deaf musician, Taiwan's most renown Folk
singer, and much more! Here is a video clip showing the Deaflympics
mascot and some of the countries involved and the sports that are played
(USA is the third mascot who is playing basketball)!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZT-RCOUfBw

Currency exchange

<<subway69$.JPG>> Wouldn't you like to buy a Subway sandwich for $69?
Don't worry - these are New Taiwanese Dollars. Converting this price to
US dollars (USD).........this sandwich would only cost about $3. I've
found a quick way to determine the American price. I cover up the last
digit in the price and divide the remaining number by 3. Try it yourself
-> My dinner cost me NTD$360. How much is that in USD?

American business in Taiwan

<<subway.JPG>> Not everything in Taipei is Taiwanese!! Throughout the
city, you can find evidence of a world-wide commerce system. In addition
to Subway, you can find McDonalds and KFC!! Some of the shopping centers
are very similar to the Renaissance and Northpark. Many stores are the
same stores you find in our malls. Because Taipei is such a big city,
you can be exposed to the full spectrum of economic levels. We have seen
everything from people living on the streets to apartments that sell for
$800 USD per square foot. Yet, through all of this diversity, this city
seems to run smoothly day and night!!

Mobile businesses

<<VWpinkvan.JPG>> This cute Volkswagen minivan will transform into a
dining spot once it is parked and opened up. This is another example of
how Taipei residents use their resources to provide for themselves.
These vans can be found parked on the sidewalk or in a park area. The
vendors that I saw all were selling food from these vans. The vans are
equipped to cook, store, and sell food items. Yummy!!!

Public mailbox

<<mailbox.JPG>> These mailboxes, like in America, are positioned around
the city for easy mail pickup throughout the day!! Notice the bilingual
labels.

Scooters on the road

<<mopedtrafficlight2.JPG>> At a red light, the scooters are allowed to
come to the front of the traffic to position themselves in the lead.
They will always be the first to leave when the light turns green. In
many intersections, the scooters cannot make a left hand turn. To turn
left, they get in the right-hand lane and position themselves in front
of the stopped cross-traffic. It is a very safe solution for left-hand
turn, eliminating the need to cross in front of oncoming traffic.
Needless to say, riding a scooter is the way to go (unless it rains)!