Taipei, Taiwan

Taipei, Taiwan

The political and economic center of Taiwan is a restless city. People appear to be marching like ants to and fro, never stopping to listen to the music of the grasshopper. But like any big, international city, one can find all manner of life and habit within the concrete jungle. Dreadlocked musicians and elite jet-setters share the mosaic of humble noodle stands, trendy cafés, old temples and high fashion department stores throughout Taipei. The assortment of life and the jumble of the city offer endless exploration in a place where the traditional and the modern shake hands on every street. And if the constant mixture of rain, heat, pollution and crowds wears at you, you can always find refuge in the beautiful mountains that surround the city.

The symbol of Taipei and maybe even Taiwan, Taipei 101 dwarfs all other buildings in the city.

Taipei 101 at night.

Taipei 101 seen from Renai Circle.

Taipei 101 is visible from almost anywhere in the city and throughout the surrounding county.

Shin Kong Life Tower (Teipei's second tallest building) tops the sky above some common, ruddy apartments.

A typical apartment block.

10 to 20 story buildings tower over most streets.

Some trees find a way to keep thriving in the concrete jungle.

The MRT crosses fashionable Zhongxiao Fuxing.

A rundown bit of classic Taipei architecture in the down-at-heels Longshan Temple area.

In the tradition of Fujianese shop houses, Taipei's sidewalks are usually covered and unruly.

A man leads his children past a Starbucks.

A happy child sprints down a florescent-lit sidewalk.

A man carries a box of goods in a dark alleyway.

An old man on an old sidewalk in an old part of the city.

Shida Road.

A rainy alley in the Shida area.

Restaurant signs light up Shida.

People shop and eat in the Gongguan area.

Street vendors in Gongguan.

Active street life in Gongguan.

A woman shields herself from the sun as she observes a traditional market.

Zhongshan North Road in tree-lined Tianmu.

A back alley eatery.

A back alley barber shop where one could likely get more than a haircut.

Students walk on the sidewalk outside of prestigious Taida University.

A man cycles outside of Taida.

Men playing xiangqi in a park.

One of the most important temples in Taipei, Longshan Temple is high on the tourism list.

People praying, Longshan Temple.

A woman lights candles, Longshan Temple.

An incense burner, Longshan Temple.

The decore adorning the walls and ceilings at Longshan Temple are amongst the best in the country.

Bao An Temple is one of the most important Taoist structures in the city.

Large paper lanterns hang above the prayers at peaceful Bao An Temple.

Bao An Temple dates from 1805.

Wall murals at Bao An Temple.

Red lanterns line the way to a typical neighborhood temple.