Two days in Taipei

Before joining a group for a tour of Taiwan in May 2013, my wife, Jane, and I traveled independently for two days in the capital, Taipei, a city of six million people.

We found Taiwan to be a delightful, user-friendly country. All signs were in Chinese and English, the trains were fast and punctual, and the people could not have been more hospitable and helpful. 

Jane doesn’t walk well, but that was no problem, thanks to the kindness of the Taiwanese. The woman at the information desk escorted us by elevator to our train platform. When getting off the train, several people helped my wife with her baggage and going down the train steps.

Our room at the Royal Seasons Hotel (No. 326, 330, Nanjing West Rd., Taipei 103, Taiwan; phone +886 2 2555 4288) cost $94 per night and was small but comfortable. There were reading lights by the bed, CNN on TV, a Jacuzzi, free Internet and free newspapers in English. 

We listened to classical music during our breakfast of eggs, sausage, good bread and lots of Chinese vegetables and noodles. 

We stayed at this hotel three separate times during our trip and recommend it. It is beautifully appointed, with Greek statues. The staff was very friendly and helpful, especially desk clerks Abby and May, the porter Bill and the restaurant manager Sandy. The hotel had a free shuttle to the central train station and a couple of subway stops. 

For most of our stay in Taipei, the sky was cloudy, with the first two days being rainy. After that, we had some sunny days and breaks from the rain.

We went first to the National Palace Museum, which has a great collection of Chinese art. There was religious art, jade, ceramics, Chinese paintings and more.

On our second day, we went to the Holy Family Catholic Church to see how Mass was celebrated, then we headed for the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines. The museum was just the right size for easy exploration; the entire collection could be seen in less than an hour.

KEVIN O’BRIEN

Savannah, GA