Maokang Gondola and Ximan

Alex was in charge today, or at least for the first part of it. Back to the local place for a breakfast of dumplings and buns.

Despite the miserable weather Alex insisted we catch the Maokong Gondola, a cable car on the mountainous ouotskirts of Taipei. To get there we caught the MRT between Zhongshan and Nanjing Fuxi stations and then the Wenshan MRT line to Taipei Zoo.

There are some interesting views of the city and residential areas from out of the windows of the driverless rubber tyred Wenshan as it traverses the elevated tracks.

The gondola, cable car or ropeway, however you want to call it, runs for a little over four kilometres up into the mountains. Even with all the rain and mist the views were spectacular. We queued up for a more expensive glass bottomed "Crystal Car" which offered vision of the forest below.

Surrounding Maokong Station at the end of the line are tea plantations and tea houses. Unfortunately, we got stuck eating fried food at a covered food centre and had no stomach for the tea houses we walked past. The views from inside would have been magnificent.

It was too cold and wet to stay on top of the mountain, so we headed back down again and reversed our journey, only this time we caught the train all the way to Ximen.

The Ximen area is a happening place for the younger generation, full of trendy shops, eateries and bright neon.

Alex had no wish to do shopping, so we took him back to the Modern Toilet restaurant, decorated with everything toilet related.

Afterwards we found a shopping area selling hip clothes and hobby equipment, including space and railway models.

When we later visited the toy level of the nearby Mitsukoshi department store some of the models were double the price.

On the way back to the hotel B stopped for some last night local delicacies and me for some KFC egg tarts.

The Maokang Gondola is definitely a must do activity in Taipei. This city has a lot to offer. Sadly, we are leaving Taipei tomorrow to return to Singapore.

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