Asia Mega Tour II - Heights, Mountainous and Man made

Amazingly today started as a nice day. It's the first time we've seen blue sky since we've been in Taiwan (though thankfully it hasn't rained even though it was predicted to). We decided to put two major attractions on our list for today. They were visiting the Maokong region and the Taiwan 101.

Maokong is a region that is known for tea plantations and the area has become a mecca for tourists and locals who come up to access the hiking trails, the scenery, taste tea, and get out into the countryside. One of the notable things about Taipei is how much nature is close at hand.

To get to Maokong you can take a bus, taxi or drive...BUT the preferred way is the Maokong Gondola. It is a part of the mass transit system and you can use your Easy Card to access it.

As we were taking the Metro to the Gondola and were changing trains I saw this vista which caught my I. It is interesting that the locals were oblivious to it which is how things are everywhere.

The Gondola Experience

This is a design made out of some kind of small windmill devices

Tea Culture

This area is about tea!

Country and City

Temples

HAH! You thought you were going to get away from me without pictures of temples didn't you. 

Listen remember this when we go to Europe next and you have 3,482 consecutive posts about cathedrals. You'll beg, beg for a post on Asian Temples. 

Tianen Temple

This is somewhat unique among the temples we've seen as it is dedicated to the Maitreya Bodhisattva, considered eternally happy

Zhinan Temple

This is dedicated to all three of the major spiritual paths - Buddhist, Tao, Confucian. However it is considered to be most sacred to the Taiwanese Taoist sects.

However

I believe it is really sacred to the Gods of Construction

Please note the Temple of the Holy Scaffolding

And the Temple of Divine Bags of Construction Materials

Other Temple like pictures

Wife protecting herself from a shower of blessings and wishes

Taipei 101

Then it was off to the Taipei 101 building one of the tallest in the world. It used to be tallest until a few years ago and had the fastest elevator too until just a few years ago. That's life in the tall building/fast elevator lane.

Seen from afar

The top seen from the 91st floor outside viewing deck

The building's tuned damper to protect it from typhoon winds and earthquakes

The promo hype is this is the best place for views of the city.

However it was very hazy and grey. I'm posting these shots because they give you an idea of Taipei even though they are questionable photos.

There were a couple of cool buildings you could see from the 101

Yesterday was a zero gastronomically so on to...

...SIGNS OF THE WORLD

Guess how many of these rules Wife and I broke

This sign makes no sense at all. I think it is supposed to be a recreation of the Tower of Babel