http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/03/02/travel/0302-36HOURS_index.html
 


   TAIPEI, the vibrant capital of Taiwan, distills the best of what
   Asian cities have to offer — great street food, crackling night
   life, arguably the world’s best collection of Chinese art, and
   hot springs and hiking trails reachable by public transport. With
   interest in mainland China surging, Taipei — one of the most
   underrated tourist destinations in Asia — offers a look at a
   different side of China, one that escaped the deprivations of
   early Communist rule and the Cultural Revolution. Here is a
   Chinese culture (some contend that it is uniquely Taiwanese) that
   practices bare-knuckled democracy and has preserved traditions
   thousands of years old in a way that was impossible to do on the
   mainland.

The public hot springs in Beitou, a Taipei suburb. More Photos »

   Taipei Travel Guide
   Where to Stay
   Where to Eat
   What to Do
   Go to the Taipei Travel Guide ?
   Multimedia

   Slide Show
   A Weekend in Taipei

   Map
   Taipei, Taiwan
   Friday

   3 p.m.
   1) ANCIENT WAYS

   The National Palace Museum (221 Chih-shan Road, Section 2;
   886-2-2881-2021; www.npm.gov.tw/en/home.htm) is considered by many
   to be the finest repository of Chinese art in the world; it houses
   artifacts dating back to the earliest days of Chinese
   civilization. The collection includes oracle bones, which have the
   first known written Chinese ideograms, as well as ritual bronze
   vessels, Ming Dynasty pottery and jade sculptured into the shapes
   of cabbage and fatty pork.

   5 p.m.
   2) TOP OF THE WORLD

   But enough of ancient culture, at least for now. Immerse yourself
   in modern Taipei by going deep into the belly of the tallest
   building in the world, the 1,670-foot Taipei 101 (7 Xinyi Road,
   Section 5; www.taipei-101.com.tw/index_en.htm). The first five
   floors, with stores like Armani, Louis Vuitton and Sogo, should
   satisfy any shopping urge. Take a high-speed elevator to the
   indoor and outdoor observation decks, starting on the 89th floor,
   for unparalleled views of Taipei and its environs. In every
   direction lie city blocks and avenues winding among
   concrete-and-glass towers, with verdant hills rising in the
   distance. Wisps of cloud float past the windows. Beware of
   vertigo.

   7 p.m.
   3) OYSTERS IN THE SKY

   Dinner is only a few floors away. Go down to the 85th floor of
   Taipei 101 to feast on traditional Taiwanese dishes at Shin Yeh
   (886-2-8101-0185). Try the deep-fried oysters and rolls stuffed
   with taro and shrimp. Set dinners start at about 1,600 Taiwan
   dollars per person ($50.40 at 31.75 Taiwan dollars to the U.S.
   dollar). Be sure to make reservations well in advance, ideally
   several weeks before arriving.

   9 p.m.
   4) MARTINIS WITH MOOD

   Lounge bars have popped up all over Taipei. If you’re in a mood
   for dessert with your drink, try the bar in the consciously hip
   People Restaurant (191 Anhe Road, Section 2; 886-2-2735-2288). The
   attitude starts even before you enter: the double doors have no
   handles, nor do they open automatically. Figuring out how to get
   in is only part of the fun. Once inside, walk through the shadowy
   industrial rooms and take a seat at the bar or in the lounge,
   where cocktails are served in large glass globes. Next, saunter
   down the road to Rewine (137 Anhe Road, Section 1;
   886-2-2325-6658), whose head bartender has won international
   awards for his unique cocktails.

   Saturday

   6 a.m.
   5) CHANNELING INNER ENERGY

   If you’re heading back to your hotel at dawn, or need some fresh
   air early in the morning, stop in at the largest public park in
   the city, Da An Park. It cannot compare to New York’s Central
   Park in size — the width and length each stretch only a few city
   blocks — but the smattering of tropical foliage, along with paths
   meandering across a level green field, endow the park with a
   serene air. You can watch Taipei’s dedicated tai chi
   practitioners going through their moves or perhaps an elderly
   woman doing a sword dance.

   9 a.m.
   6) STEAMY MORNING

   After a quick breakfast at one of Taipei’s many corner bakeries,
   hop on the subway, called the MRT, to the New Beitou stop, about
   40 minutes from downtown. The northern town of Beitou is renowned
   for its hot springs resorts, some modeled after those in Japan.
   Walk up the hill to take a soak at one of the newest of the spas,
   Villa 32 (32 Zhongshan Road; 886-2-6611-8888; www.villa32.com). It
   has all the atmosphere of a luxury spa in a uniquely Taiwanese
   setting, with outdoor pools of different temperatures shielded by
   wooden awnings and the shade of leafy trees. Rent a room for
   several hours or spend the morning with other bathers in the
   outdoor pools, separated by gender.

   1 p.m.
   7) READING TEA LEAVES

   Taiwanese are discerning tea-drinkers, and going to teahouses is
   popular here. One local favorite is De Ye Cha Chi, near the
   Shandao Temple MRT station (3-1 Zhen Jiang Street;
   886-2-2351-1002). Jars of tea leaves sit against a wall in the
   quiet dining room, and guests can brew their tea in traditional
   pots. Try Oriental Beauty, an oolong tea with a naturally sweet
   taste that was supposedly given its English-language name by the
   Queen of England after she had a sip. Prices vary, but a pot can
   cost less than 300 Taiwan dollars.

   3 p.m.
   8) PLACATING THE SPIRITS

   To get answers to weighty life questions, or just to observe
   traditional Taiwanese religious practices, head to Longshan
   Temple, on Guangzhou Street in the venerable Wanhua neighborhood
   of western Taipei. Built in 1738, its main altar houses a statue
   of Guanyin, the goddess of compassion, but many other gods — some
   red-faced, others long-bearded — also have their own shrines and
   worshipers. In the courtyard, Taiwanese burn incense and cast red,
   crescent-shaped pieces of wood to divine their fortunes.

   5 p.m.
   9) CINEMA OBSCURA

   If your energy is flagging about now, sit down for coffee at the
   Spot, the favorite art-house cinema of many a Taipei resident (18
   Zhongshan North Road, Section 2; 886-2-2511-7786). The white villa
   that houses the screening rooms, restaurant and bar was once the
   official residence of the American ambassador. It is one of the
   most atmospheric buildings in Taipei, redolent of colonial life in
   the tropics, with lush grounds that shield the villa from the street.

7 p.m.
10) ALL WRAPPED UP

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/travel/02hours.htm

   
 


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※ 編輯: ott 時間: 2011-05-09 12:59:11 來自: 匿名