Taipei Days
September 2025
In November 2009 as part of my university’s Model United Nations club, I helped organize a lecture on Taiwan-US relations by the Director-General of the local Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO). Translating that from the careful language required when speaking about the Republic of China’s international standing, this was a talk given by the head of the local Taiwanese consulate office.
Dating to Nixon’s 1972 visit to China, American presidents have a long history of vacillating (charitably) on diplomatic recognition of, or backstabbing (uncharitably), Taiwan. The United States does not recognize an official Taiwanese consulate/embassy, hence the name “TECO” instead of “Taiwanese Consulate.” The US also generally avoids references to “Taiwan,” preferring instead such mouthfuls as “Chinese Taipei” in an effort to stay in the good graces of the People’s Republic of China which is somehow still maintains the charade of claiming sovereignty over the Republic of China in the year 2025.
All that to say, in November 2009 the not-consul of not-Taiwan gave a great lecture on Taiwan-US relations. A few months later, the consul’s secretary emailed to ask if I would like to attend the 2010 Taipei Cultural and Study Tour, consisting of 60 college students from around the world participating in a four-day Global Initiatives Symposium on international development followed by a month-long tour of Taiwan. Airfare, hotel stays, and local expenses would be covered.
Of course I applied to the program, and forwarded the application to a close friend. We were approved and our plans were set: A full summer together in Taiwan.
The trip was incredible. Our hosts, students from National Taiwan University, gave a fantastic locals’ tour of the island from Taipei to Kaohsiung. The GIS itself was fascinating and we even spoke with then-president Ma Ying-jeou. We met people from all around the world, many of whom I still count as friends today.
As a program sponsored by the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, its real purpose is to propagandize youths with futures in politics into supporting one particular view of cross-strait relationships. It was effective, as one may infer from the first few paragraphs of this blog. But joke’s on TECO/MOFA: I don’t work in politics at all!
That summer did expose me, however, to the beauty, history, and flavors of Taiwan. I have longed to return to the island since boarding the plane back home. Instead of carrying a hastily drafted poster on the meteoric economic rise of Dubai, I returned with a camera and fifteen years of perspective to capture Taiwan with older eyes and a sharper lens.
We started in Taipei, which is more relaxed and approachable than other Asian capitals. It has the energy of a dense megacity with its night markets, scooters, and towering Taipei 101. Compared to Hong Kong, Taipei is less frenetic and commercialized, with more greenery woven into the city. Unlike Tokyo and its dazzling hyper-organization and futurism, Taipei blends modernity with traditional temples, abundant street food, and a proud grittiness.
This photoset documents our four days in Taipei. We started Day 1 at the sprawling Chiang Kai-shek Memorial and National Theater/Concert Hall complex and saw the dapper changing of the guard. We visited Longshan Temple, Bopilao Historic Block, and Ximending (“Taipei’s Harajuku”). We enjoyed a Kavalan whiskey tasting, explored the Huashan 1914 artists’ colony, and watched the sunset from Taipei 101 before dinner in the Tonghua/Linjiang Night Market (set #3).
On Day 2 we explored the National Palace and Shung Ye Aboriginal museums (set #2), then took a day trip to Jiufen, Shifen, and Yehliu (set #4).
On Day 3 we made our pilgrimage to a Mr Brown Coffee store (long story) and visited the Dalongdong Baoan and Taipei Confucius Temples, Lin An Tai House (the oldest building in the city), and the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (set #2).
We next spent a few days in Taichung (set #5) before returning to Taipei where on our last day we hiked to the top of Xiangshan and then attended a Chinese Professional Baseball League game (set #8), which was the highlight of the trip.
Recipes: Reggie’s Portra, Classic Cuban Negative
Taiwan Photosets:
Taipei Days
Taipei Museums
Taipei Nights
Jiufen/Shifen
Taichung
Sun Moon Lake
Food
Baseball
