Taiwan is known to be the heart of Asia because of the warmth of the people.
My first trip to Taiwan was 2004 (study abroad in university) and this particular trip was in 2013 (mother-daughter bonding). I was based in Hong Kong and brought my mom to Asia for a month. Taiwan was a weekend getaway for us to be indulgent. I wanted to inspire mom and she ended up inspiring me. It’s virtually impossible to ignore the little things when your travel buddies are experiencing something for the first time! Magic is an understatement!
We stayed at a business hotel near the city center. Mom really enjoyed the mobile phone (provided by the hotel) and the bathroom. The toilet had about 10 different buttons (similar to Japanese toilets). The bathtub was also a sunk-in bathtub (felt like a spa).
The plan was to walk around and just get lost in the hustle and bustle of the city. We had some of the best food in our neighborhood walks. We learned Taiwan history at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial. We spent an afternoon at a spa (it was a lunch and pamper session after all that walking). Most importantly, we laughed… we laughed A LOT.
We made friends with Chinese tourists on a gondola ride THEN experienced a fancy tea ceremony in the mountains. Indulging in street meat (sausages) was a must whilst we made our way back down the mountain.
The night markets were busier than the day markets. The air smelled of stinky tofu and suckling pig. Vendors were selling just about anything you can think of! A friend from Australia was visiting his family in Taiwan and made time to meet us at the market.
Mom still talks about her mango monster shaved ice dessert. I’m pretty sure it was the highlight of her trip. This dessert was at least a foot tall. Shaved ice with various forms of mango! Fresh, crushed, syrup. It was delicious and well deserving of the moniker MONSTER MANGO!
#Taiwan #Taipei #ChiangKaiShekMemorial #Travel #Family