Day 3 - After a whole lot of sleep yesterday, we must have caught up because we woke up a bit early. Our key to the city lies in the little plastic Metro cards we purchased. They will last for our entire trip and open up the system to us. We first found our way to the Red Line and got out at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The area encompasses the National Theatre and the National Concert Hall.
I think I first learned of the 'Long March' in a special course taught by Mrs. Rude in high school. Little did I know that 45 years later I'd be standing on the ground of a memorial dedicated to the leader. Wouldn't you know that the building itself was closed for just two days but those are the ones we're in Taipei? We did not get to see the changing of the guard as many tourists do. Still, it was a place I'll remember.
After getting back to Metro we decided to take one line nearly to its end.
Of course, Taipei has its share of temples but Jay had done a bit of research on the Guandu Temple, which was also known as the Lingshan Temple. I'm impressed with how far the Metro goes out of the city center. As soon as it went above ground we could see how we were winding into the mountains.
It reminded me of a Chinese Buddhist Temple in Penang from last winter. The construction is always amazing but how the area becomes so peaceful more so. We spent quite a bit of time exploring there and then ate lunch in a small restaurant in the town as we were getting back to the Metro.
After a nap, we went back out in the evening to see Taipei 101 in the dark. We paid too much for some groceries in a great supermarket found in the mall there.
