Saturday October 7, 2000
Got a better look at the hotel under bright daylight. It looks
pretty crummy from the outside. They obviously didn't bother to landscape the area.
We walked over to my parents and had something to eat. There were scooters
all over the streets and roads; both cars and scooters parked everywhere. We had to
walk around them to get to whereever we're going. We decided to pay a visit to
downtown Taipei for the day. Mama would be our unofficial tour guide.
Damn it's hot!
View of our hotel (there isn't even a lubby, just a drive-through window)
Taken at: 8:46 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
The "pedestrian" sidewalk packed with cars and scooters
Taken at: 8:47 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
One of those belongs to my parents' apartment
Taken at: 8:51 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
The view from my parents' balcony
Taken at: 8:52 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
This highway next to my parents' apartment was not here the last time I visited 10
years ago
Taken at: 8:52 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
We took the bus to downtown Taipei. On the way there we got a good view of the city
- pretty much the same as everywhere else, crowded with scooters and cars. The bus
ride was worse than a roller coaster; many a times I thought I was going to come face to
face with my breakfast.
On our way to the bus stop
Taken at: 10:04 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
Scenes like this can be seen on every street in Taipei; these motorists are
merciless
Taken at: 10:15 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
When we finally got to our destination, we decided to go up to the top of the tallest
building in Taipei City - the Taipei Observatory. Russ likes to get a view of every
city he visits by going on the city's tallest building. There was no one in line so
it took no time for us to get up top. The view of the city was magnificient,
eventhough it was a pretty moggy day (not unusual in Taiwan). We walked around, took
pictures and then sat down to have a little snack. I got pressured by a store clerk
into buying an outrageously over-priced T-shirt. Been the first day back in Taiwan,
I was not accustomed to nor strong enough to stand up to the tactics of Taiwan store
clerks. I caved in quickly and paid NT $490 for a T-shirt (approx US $15). My
mother exclaimed later that I could've gotten the same thing for NT $100 in the night
markets. Well, you live and you learn.
An award-winning photo of the Taipei Observatory (it's that thing sticking out in
the center)
Taken at: 10:38 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
Taken at: 10:41 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
Scooter, scooters and more scooters
Taken at: 10:46 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
View from the Observatory. The 228 Memorial formerly known as the New Garden
is square in the center
Taken at: 11:21 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
A closer view of the 228 Memorial from the Observatory
Taken at: 11:21 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
A view of the CKS Memorial square from the Observatory
Taken at: 11:21 AM, Saturday 7 October 2000
We went to the 228 Memorial garden (formerly called New garden) after the Observatory.
I vaguely remember coming here right before my father left for Libya back in 1980.
We took lots of pictures then. Not much of the original structures have
changed as far as I could tell. There was a new structure in the middle of the
garden built just a few years ago when President Chen was the Mayor of Taipei City.
He built the structure as a memorial for the 228 Incident happened in the
40's when Chang Kai-Shek and his followers cracked down on protestors and killed thousands
(or tens of thousands, I'm not sure). Ten years ago a memorial like this would not
be permitted. It's more than just a memorial for the people who died under the
oppression of the KMT, but also a symbol of changes in the Taiwan social and political
structures.
In the 228 Memorial garden
Taken at: 1:25 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
Russ smiling for the camera
Taken at: 1:28 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
Taken at: 1:29 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
This is probably the best picture of us from the entire trip
Taken at: 1:33 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
This funky looking thing is part of the new architecture built in recent years to
commemorate the 228 Incident
Taken at: 1:43 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
This thing was guarded by fences so I assume it's there just to look cute
Taken at: 1:49 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
We took a train in the brand new subway system to get to the CKS Memorial square.
Eventhough it was a pretty short walk from the 228 Memorial garden, it was just too
damn hot and humid to walk that distance. I would've been very impressed by the
subway system if I didn't know how much it cost and the beauracracy+corrupted officials it
took to make it happen. Democracy takes a long time to mature; beauracracy and
corruption takes about 10 times longer to eliminate (if that's even possible).
It was 3 days before the National Day and there were tons of people
rehearsing dances and acts that would be a part of the celebration.
One of the two red structures in the CKS Memorial square
Taken at: 2:18 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
The CKS Memorial square
Taken at: 2:18 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
Gate into the CKS Memorial square; I remember this gate from my childhood
Taken at: 2:31 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
I wasn't posing for the camera; I was merely trying not to go blind facing the sun
Taken at: 2:34 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
The structure behind is the CKS Memorial
Taken at: 2:35 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
We went inside the CKS Memorial and discovered there were alot more inside than we had
expected. There were rooms dedicated to paintings that had to do with the history of
KMT and CKS coming to Taiwan as well as cars that belonged to CKS. We didn't stay
long since Mama was waiting for us outside, so we decided to come back some other time and
take a better look
This is the view from the top of the CKS Memorial. It captured just about
the entire square, marvelous.
Taken at: 2:38 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
Mr. CKS way up top
Taken at: 2:39 PM, Saturday 7 October 2000
