jalon q. zimmerman

I am finally catching up from my second trip to Taipei in April. This trip involved a lot more jet lag than the first for some reason, so I didn’t get to go to night markets as much as before.

I did get to spend a lot of time walking around and exploring the city. There is a section of town which is nothing but camera shops. However, the prices are slightly higher in the US and the Nikon international warranty isn’t easy to deal with in the US.

I also got to spend an afternoon at NOVA, a huge computer mall full of everything you could ever want related to computers. What was interesting is the amount of customization present in computers and cell phones. There are many, many cell phone models, in a rainbow of colors. There are also computers, phones and peripherals marketed specifically to women. Much more variety than in the US.

While at the Taipei central railway station, it was very special to see the new government’s courage in showing the UN banner. Many people in Taiwan are serious about independence from China, while others are in favor of a more balanced approach. This issue has split the country politically and is a defining belief in people’s lives. It’s much more serious than Republican versus Democrat. A couple of years ago it would not have been possible to show a sign like this in public.

I got to spend some memorable time at the top of Taipei 101 at night. The wind was quite strong and I didn’t have a tripod. However, I did manage to get a few good photos. What is hard to comprehend is that all of the small buildings in the photos are actually tall from the ground!

On the way home I got to spend some time in the China Air lounge, which is a great experience. There is some incredible interior design going on and a free noodle bar!