Taiwan has had a complicated history. It was controlled by Japan for over 100 years till the end of World War II when it was given back to China. As China recovered from the war, the Communist Party took over and many fled to Taiwan. Chiang Kai-shek, the leader through the war and until this change in power, lead this move and brought many cultural relics with him in an attempt of preservation. Fast forward a few decade later and Taiwan is an independent state under the Republic of China. You can see the influences of these two cultures in many parts of the city. We went to the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall to get a brief overview of the changes in power in Taiwan. The memorial is a huge structure with 4 floors. Inside houses memorabilia of Chiang and his time as President of Taiwan as well as some Taiwanese art. On the hour, there is the changing of the guards ceremony at the base of the bronze statue of Chiang. Our personal favorite was the view down Democracy Boulevard. 
Taking in views of the city as a whole can be done from two main places. Taipei 101 has an observatory on the 90th floor. We appreciated the 360° view even though it was a little hazy. One interesting feature of Taipei 101 is the huge wind damper in the center of the building. The massive ball hangs from cables and helps the building not sway so much in high winds/ earthquakes. 
We also hiked part way up Elephant Hill, which is a few blocks from Taipei 101. There was luscious green foliage on each side of the walk way with beautiful flowers and butterflies flitting about. The hike wasn’t too steep but it sure was hot. Even though we went at around 9:30 the temperature was pushing 30°C. Once at the top, the view allows you to take in parts of the city and the slope that creates the elephant’s trunk.
Taipei is an eaters paradise. Almost anything you could dream of is available and much of it is on the street. We had the best eats at the Shilin Night Market and Addiction Aquatic Center (part of the Taipei Fish Market). Both options were pretty affordable and delicious. Seafood and chicken are amoung the most popular treats.
Taipei is also a great city to grab a drink. It houses many microbreweries and cocktail bars. During our travels we visited Le Zinc, Driftwood, Geography Bar and Cafe, and Hanko 60. Each had its own unique vibe and specialty. 
Overall, Taipei was a great choice for a two day stop. We look forward to returning to explore more of what the island has to offer.
Smithberrys Abroad 