Photo Friday: Taipei, Taiwan

We were supposed to end our honeymoon in Vietnam. That didn’t happen, for reasons I’ll detail on another day. Instead, we found ourselves in Taiwan’s bustling capital for the final few days of our Southeast Asia follies.

Truth be told, I’d never had a burning desire to go to Taiwan. I’d connected through the airport a number of times, and that was good enough for me. But, nevertheless—and with no time to research what we’d be doing while there—both SVV and I found it delightful all the same.

The weather didn’t cooperate, though given the stifling summer heat maybe the rain and cloud coverage were the respite we needed, so on our final morning there, we went against our better judgment and ascending the famous Taipei 101, the world’s second tallest tower after Dubai. Having been in Dubai in April and not getting to go up the Burj Khalifa—thanks to the fact that a ticket price day of is ONE HUNDRED FREAKIN’ DOLLARS, and also that the elevator plummeted 20 stories just a few weeks before my arrival…good times—when I found out 101 was a mere $14, I was in. And, while there are few things I hate more than elevators, this one shot straight to the top—1,500 feet and 90 stories—in less than 45 seconds.

Despite the haze, the views were pretty stellar, and you really got the full effect of how the city is fully flanked by mountains from every side.

There were features and exhibits on the three open floors—88, 89 and 90—like this crazy haunted house-like room where an aerial hologram of the city lights up beneath your feet as you walk across it. It was cool—if not a bit eerie.

The nicest thing about 101 is that you can see it from virtually anywhere in the city; considering we were staying at the adjoining Grand Hyatt, we never even needed a map to find our way home at night.

And, boy oh boy, is it pretty all lit up like so at night.

(Kudos to SVV for getting this last shot, my favorite from our time in Taipei.)

*All photos taken with a Canon T1i, 10-20mm lens, housed in a LowePro SlingShot.

**For more Photo Friday fun, visit Delicious Baby.