Sunday 20 May 2007

Taipei 101

Today we leave the hostel early to find a better place to stay before check out time at 11am. We decide on the Delight Hotel and move all our bags over.
After getting work out of the way we decide to visit Taipei 101 which is the tallest tower in the world (at the moment). 509m is rather high!
Our first impressions of Taipei are correct. This is probably the cleanest city we have ever been in. No litter anywhere and all the sidewalks are very tidy.
The MRT metro system is very easy to use so we have no problem getting over to the tower. It really is very impressive and has a five floor mall with ultra posh shops inside and everything is perfectly kept as if it's all brand new but in fact opened in 2003. We head over to the lifts that will take us up to the top wondering how much we will have to pay for the privilege imagining something similar to the Eiffel tower. Surprisingly it is less than £10 for us all to go up. The lifts are actually the fastest in the world. They travel at 1010 metres per minute and our ears pop as we go up in no time at all up to the 89th floor which is the indoor observation deck. It really is amazing being so high up and there are lots of very interesting facts around about the building of it and the new records it has set. It is rather a cool feeling to have been to the top of the world's tallest tower.
After seeing everything we want we send a postcard from the 'world's tallest postbox' and realise we need sustenance in the form of Starbucks next door. We take our time wandering back over the city just enjoying the sights. Non of us feel like Chinese food for dinner and we spot an Italian that looks good so we decide to go there after a quick shower. Good choice as it is fantastic! Great day had by all is the general consensus.

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