Since the hour was late, I put my stuff down and then headed out to the National Palace Museum. It houses the world's best collection of Chinese historical artifacts and antiquities. It was established in Beijing in 1925 but was smuggled to Taipei in the 1940’s, under the noses of the Communists. Even today, China demands its immediate return.
Although I’m a museum guy and can spend days oohing and aahing in quality museums, the Chinese antiquity just doesn’t talk to me. I don’t understand the antique jade dragons, the calligraphy, and the paintings don’t do anything for me. Although I did appreciate some of the early ceramic stuff.
I wanted to visit the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, but time didn’t allow for it, so I went directly to Taipei 101.
Completed in 2004, the building is designed to resemble bamboo rising from the earth and was the world's tallest building until 2010 when it was eclipsed by the Burj Khalifa.