Taiwan's prime metropolis and business powerhouse, Taipei is a mixture of the old and the new: from the narrow alleys festooned with paper lanterns and neon-lighted boulevards to the tranquil Buddhist temples and bustling malls selling the latest fashion trends and gadgets. Walking around, one will catch a whiff of the ubiquitous scent of burning incense and steamy noodle soups and hear the noisy market streets filled with chattering vendors and buyers and Taiwanese hip-hop music played on loudspeakers by teen-agers. With all its offerings a mere train or taxi ride away, Taipei is a playground of the senses.
Arguably one of the capital's most popular landmarks is the Taipei 101, the world's highest skyscraper. It was designed to resemble a bamboo shooting upwards from the heart of the city. In Asia, the bamboo is known for its flexibility and fast growth, traits associated with a thriving commercial hub. Despite the development, Taiwanese still kowtow to their revolutionary leaders Sun Yat-Sen and Chiang Kai-Shek, who are still fervently honored in their respective mausoleums.
Taipei may be packed with sky-soaring office buildings, but its sprawl of temples and heritage architecture is not to be ignored. Like the rest of its brothers, the local Longshan Temple is a famed sanctuary for the troubled Taiwanese, where they can seek help and guidance from the gods. The shrine is a fine example of lavish Asian design, with its intricate dragon detail sticking out from the stiff and nondescript backdrop. One of Taipei's oldest communities, Dalongdong features a modest spread of heritage sites, notably its worship places like the Confucius Temple and Baoan Temple.
The area's cultural heart, Dadaocheng takes pride on its variety of well-preserved customs reflected on the traditional street bazaars, such as the one in Dihua and Gui-De. A favorite destination of shoppers especially during Chinese New Year, these streets are crowded with souvenir shops as well as food stalls that sell local delicacies such as the tianbula (sweet and spicy Taiwanese tempura) and the pungent choudofu (stinky tofu).