I got lost in Taipei City

Travel Taiwan Travel
1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMVkf9XEuvQ

I decided to get lost today, to take the Metro and get off at an unplanned stop, walking from there, in a random direction.

I turned off my phone and packed a $100 NT bill ($3.20 USD)

Leaving my house, I headed to the MRT, where I took the yellow line to dongmen. From there I could transfer to the Red Line.

I chose the red line for two reasons:

Part of the line goes above the ground, and also because its one of the few lines that leaves Taipei city.

I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, so I was going to get off at a station I had never been to before.

When the train pulled into Zhishan station, I suddenly decided it was time.

I made my way for the exit. I was hoping to find something extraordinary today, to record something special, to do this I needed to lose myself here.

I turned right and headed to a 7/11, to buy a drink. (-$25)

Leaving 7 I took a sharp right through a small alleyway, and began to explore the neighborhood. I turned right and left, until I spotted the main road.

From there I continued to walk, trying to get as far away from the MRT as I could. I came upon a small footpath, which led to a small temple and park. Nearby the park they were building a set of large apartment buildings.

I had accidentally wandered into an active construction site.
(I guess this is why people don’t just randomly explore)

The guard told me the only way out, was back through the way I came.

Once I returned back to the city, I wandered more.

I eventually found myself back at the MRT station I had been trying to escape.

I crossed to the other side, hoping I wouldn’t end up in another construction site.

The other side of the tracks were very different. There were more shops, restaurants and people. I turned down one of the streets.

I strolled down a few alleys, trying to get lost in the neighborhood, hoping to find the real Zhishan. Instead, I ended up finding myself in the middle of the most developed part of the city. I was face to face with an eight story department store.

I gave up my search for a moment, in exchange for air conditioning. I also hoped to get a view from the top floor.

I rode escalators up through the different stores.

I disappeared into machinery.

on the 8th floor There wasn’t a rooftop view, only delicious looking food that I couldn’t afford on my now $75 ($2.49) budget.

I nearly gave up for a moment, when I spotted a hallway behind the restaurants.

It wasn’t the most gorgeous view, but it gave me my next target, perhaps there I could capture the extraordinary moment of this video.

I took an elevator down to the first floor, and headed to the Carrefour that I saw from above.

Theres a Carrefour grocery store in Taipei as well, but it feels different than this one.

There was more movement and life in this store, the smaller space and shoppers made me a maze to navigate.

I didn’t find my extraordinary moment there, so as quickly as I came, I left, trying again to get lost in the alleyways.

Streets, turns and a skiddish grey cat, led me a park.

I passed the park and took the stairs on the other side.

From there a bridge to another park.

I spent a moment by this park, looking at the structures that surrounded it.

They all appeared to be abandoned houses, now crumbling and rusting back into the ground.

Back now across another bridge, heading back towards where I came.

A few more alleyways and streets found me back at the department store.

I cooled down in the air conditioning that seeped outside.

Zhishan was a harmonious contradiction. As I found my way back I was pinned between the old and the new. On my left, bricks from an age passed, on my right, glass and steel from the age to come.

Feeling hungry now, I bought two pork buns.

I walked back to the MRT station, where I ate on the stairs.

I wouldn’t explore anymore today.

I headed back into the MRT, ready to go home.

It was an anti climatic ending, to an interesting adventure.

I didn’t find my extraordinary moment today. That one thing that would make this video exceptional.

What I found, is more sincere to life as I’ve come to know it.

Life isn’t defined by any one singular moment.

It’s defined by collections of seemingly insignificant instants.

These blur together to form the tapestry of life.

If I am searching for any one thing to define my life, I’ll always end up disappointed.

Find worth in the trivial seconds, I told myself.

The train took one last breath of fresh air, before diving back underground.

See you guys tomorrow.

5 Likes
2

All really cool, this random exploration is awesome, leaving the usual areas, and getting to know the city by foot. Taipei is a very walkable city.

However, you were not in New Taipei city. Zhizhan is still in Taipei, as a matter of fact, it is the area we know as Tianmu, which used to be a foreigner ghetto. As you discovered, however, the new and the old mix, the traditional and modern live side by side.

To get out of the city you would need to be beyond Peitou on teh red line, beyong Jinmei on the green, beyond Banciao or Xinzhuang… I’d recommend to get off at the last stop of ecah line and work your way from there. Surprises abound.

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You can still get lost in the city and not be anywhere near an MRT. My definition of lost in the city is being over 30 minutes walk from an MRT station.

Get off at Shuang Lian MRT and start walking north west. If you went the “right” direction, you’ll end up on the duck head (SheZi) and realize you got some distance to the closest MRT.

You can also consider…wait for it…Wan Hua district. Get off at Long Shan Temple MRT and walk south. Without a map or GPS, I would expect anyone new to the area to get lost for at leas half a day.

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Peitou? Banciao?

Seriously though good for TS if you’re new to Taiwan/Taipei. I walked all over the city when I first got here as it was a few months before I got a job. Would just go to random stops sometimes and get off to wander.

5

Taipei is a meh place for getting lost because you can’t really get lost and it’s just too new, mostly.

Try any of the old towns in Hsinchu, Changhua , Yunlin or Chiayi county. Places like Douliu, Lugang, Yuanlin. Chiayi city.
Infinitely more interesting :).

Tamshui and Keelung are also good for a walkabout.

The towns initially look like a bunch of crap but they always have some fascinating old stuff.
Caveat: there be monsters haha

6

He says he wants to get out of Taipei City and into New Taipei. Technically speaking, that would be outside Taipei City borders.

As to nice places, you can get off at Hsinpu station, for example, and walk up that cute hakka temple surrounded by gorgeous tung flowers.

Or find where they keep the water buffalo in Xinzhuang.

I second the idea of Wanhua. Seriously, it is a treasure. See if you can walk up to No man’s Land. You’ll know when you see it.

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as has already been said, this isn’t new taipei. not that i really find that much difference between both. there are rough and nice areas in taipei and new taipei. wanhua is pretty rough, and so is jian tan area, couple of places i’ve explored. i think the main difference is the main part of taipei is on a grid while xinbei has zero planning. try exploring zhonghe thats pretty fun. also your meaningful point about the old contrasting the new can be seen on just about… every street?

i think exploring taipei is great actually because every neighbourhood has a different feel. none of them are really only residential. most have a shopping street and food everywhere so each neighbourhood feels like a town in its own right.

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If we’re talking about the same place, you’ll also know it when a guy who seems to live there appears and tells you you’re not welcome. :hushed:

Also, the dogs start getting frisky by early evening, and the gates/stairs are far apart. No man’s land indeed. :anguished: :dog: :dog2: :dog: :dog2: :dog:

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I enjoy getting lost OUTSIDE ANY CITY in Taiwan, the further away the better… :slight_smile:

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I am intrigued. Where is this no man’s land. Having trouble imagining any “up” or “land” in Wanhua in general.

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I was referring to the old pinyin. :joy:

12

Me non comprende

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Oh no dear. No Man’s Land I mean an expanse that will open all of a sudden… it appears in a film made by a Forumosan…

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THAT got me interested! I wonder how lost must I be in order to find it…

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its the orange line…anyone else call it yellow? I have a couple of French friends who insist its yellow

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The French are… a bit different? It says Orange Line everywhere. Buses connecting to the line show a big fat “O”, no “Y” anyway

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Where is this “No Man’s Land?” I live in Wanhua, near the Longshan Temple station and well, I’ve seen lots of things at night. Things that don’t make me want to go out past 12AM hehehe.

But where is this expanse? I was thinking this might be the parking lot near Wanhua train station.

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Oh no, it is far, far from there, more like, Dihua side.

There are some pictures around here, I am sure…

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Just when I thought I’ve seen it all…:joy: Thanks for the tip! :banana:

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Th ething is we found it by accident one day my pal and I got lost, really lost, in Taipei, while riding a scooter. We got really spooked. Then I saw it in that movie. Oh, that was it!