Taipei 101
While in Taiwan, I was able to go to Taipei 101, which is one of the world’s tallest buildings and a major landmark within Taiwan. Getting to the observatory at the top of the tower is an interesting experience since the elevator is quite fast, so much so that it even set a Guinness World Record. The view from the observatory was amazing, and allowed us to see the sprawling city of Taipei and the beautiful mountains surrounding it.
The viewing also included learning about the building’s design and seeing the damper – which looks like a giant metal globe suspended within the tower – and how this design protects against all kinds of potential damage. The observatory is only a small part of the tower, as the building also contains numerous businesses, shops, and restaurants.
Forest Hike Prior to Arrival in Hualien
he first of this day’s adventures was a hiking trip to a beautiful, jungle-like forest area. This was my first experience exploring a forest of this type, and it was amazing! The greenery was dense and full of life at every turn. I immediately noticed large spiders among the leaves, often motionless, resting upon expansive, intricate webs. I observed insects I have never seen before, beautiful, yet poisonous caterpillars, and snails slowly crawling along rocks and trees.
At one point, as I was standing near a rushing waterfall and gazing upward, I noticed that an area of trees almost seemed to be moving…because of hundreds of butterflies! On the way back, I snapped photos of beautiful plants with leaves in various shades of magenta.