MONDAY MARCH 25:, 2019
PORT 10: TAIPEI (KEELUNG), TAIVWAN
This is our second time in Taipei. We docked in Keelung which is about a 40 minute taxi ride from Taipei. Keelung has almost 400,000 people and we walked around it a little at the end of the day. I assume we docked in Keelung on our first visit, but on that occasion, we got on some Oceania tour, something like “The Highlights of Taipei, so we paid no attention to where we docked. We saw the “usual” highlights and returned to the ship.
This time, knowing how inexpensive taxis are, and being with our friends the Farrens, we decided to do our own thing. It rained most of the day, at times quite heavily, but it never hampered us. We went back to what I have to admit is one of the great museums of the world. It was our intent to rent audio guides, but when we tried to get them, because we did not have our passports with us, we would have had to leave a deposit of $300 per person which was ridiculous. We just walked around for a few hours, running in to many of the ship’s passengers on organized, very expensive tours.
We then went to the very famous 101 building, one of the tallest in the world, maybe the tallest. Another great food court including a branch of the great restaurant we had eaten in the day before. However, there was a 45 minute wait even after 2 p.m.so we found another very good place selling barbecue chicken, pork and ribs.
One can eat very well, and very cheaply in Taiwan and get around by taxi for a very reasonable price.. There is great shopping, and a lot going on. Most of the people speak some English. There is no reason to take expensive tours. Paul and I each converted $300 to Taiwan dollars and spent about $175 a couple in the country over two days going everywhere we wanted, when we wanted, and eating (including quite good beer) both days.
HOT TIP: IF GOING TO MUSEUM, WHICH IS REALLY A MUST, EITHER HIRE A GUIDE OR BE SURE TO BRING YOUR PASSPORTS SO AUDIO GUIDES CAN BE OBTAINED.
Did a lot of walking, 19,315 steps, 7.7 miles, but not as much as the day before when walked 8.6 miles (21,506 steps).
In preparing for this cruise, I had done a great deal of preparation for many ports. I did nothing for either of the ports in Taiwan, the first port because I could find out nothing meaningful about it, and the second port because we had already been there. I was not particularly looking forward to either of these ports, but we did have a great time. BGM did a great job and Paul and Pat Farren were a total pleasure.
We give our experience in the port an A.
Asapt Sein, Photographer (Upsplash)
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