Missing Hsinchu, Taiwan

I once lived in Chupei City, Hsinchu. Taiwan. That was 8 years ago and I have missed those good places I have visited, and of course those nice memories too.

Hsinchu is located in northern Taiwan, which is known as “The Windy City” for having a windy climate. I have worked in a wafer fab located at Hsinchu Science and Technology Industrial Park, which is home to 360 high tech companies including TSMC, Philips, United Microelectronics Corporation, Holtek, AU Optronics and Epistar. Indeed, the city is base for high technology industry in Taiwan. And this makes the city as the highest income level in Taiwan.

MOS Burger in Taiwan

There are many restaurants in Taipei serving authentic food, whether it is American, Italian, Greek, French, etc. In fact there are lots of MOS Burgers in Taiwan. It seems more like a Japanese style burger with a rice patty with a slab of grilled meat in the between. Also, I like the taste of the onion. The good thing is that we can actually select drinks among common Asian. And it is open 24-hours too.

Like most places in Taiwan, at MOS burger, we eat on the upper floor, overlooking the street. As common for Asians, they also provide a small rack of magazines such as about fashion. Most of the time, local students do homework here. Sometimes they hang out if they are looking for a place that isn't crowded, loud, or expensive.

Taipei 101

The Taipei 101 Tower was constructed and was completed in 2004. It was officially became the world’s talles in October, 2003, when the final section of the spire was put into place. It holds three of the world’s tallest building titles. They are, tallest to structural top, tallest to roof, and highest occupied floor.

Why the tower is called Taipei 101? It is named Taipei 101 since the tower has 101 stories above ground and has five underground.

The building is the most technologically advanced skyscraper constructed to date. The building features fiber-optic and satellite Internet connections allowing speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. The tower includes a six-floor retail mall with shops, restaurants, and other attractions. The indoor observation deck is located on the 89th floor while the outdoor observation deck is located on the 91st floor. They are all open to public.

Taipei 101’s architecture is inspired by traditional Chinese buildings. Ancient coins were firmly attached to the exterior of the 26th floor and a Feng Shui master was consulted as part of the design process. Both the building’s interior and exterior incorporate the Chinese pagoda form and the shape of bamboo flowers.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial, Taipei

The memorial was built to commemorate the life of fomer president of R.O.C., Chiang Kai-Shek (1887-1975). Chiang Kai-shek, Chinese statesman and military leader, who was a pivotal figure in the history of modern China, was born in Fenghua, Zhejiang Province.

The park covers 62 acres with nicely landscaped gardens, ponds, walkways and exercise areas, with a wide open plaza. The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is located in Taipei City's Chungshan South Road.

Memorial Hall

The Memorial Hall, in bright white marble is topped by an octagonal roof of brilliant blue-glass covered tiles that reaches a height of 250 feet. The memorial statue and hall is on the upper level while the lower level of the structure contains an exhibition center and a library. The architecture of the memorial itself is modeled after the pyramid-like top of Tiantan in Peking.

National Concert Hall and National Theater
The National Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center consists of two buildings: The National Concert Hall and the National Theater. Both halls are important centers for the performing arts in Taiwan.
The National Concert Hall capacity crowd of 2,070 people can gather here.
The National Theater is extremely well suited for musical shows, opera, ballet and modern dance.

The Plaza
The plaza in front of the memorial is often used for large scale shows, fairs, public activities and folk performances. International groups also frequently perform here.

This photo was taken during my stay here in Taiwan. It was Chinese New Year in Taiwan when I go to this place!