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Longshan Temple is beautiful and historic and seems continuously packed with worshippers. It has its own stop on the Taipei Metro (MRT), which makes for an easy visit. I found it fascinating (although admittedly this is not a spot where you can easily entertain a child).

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Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (www.cksmh.gov.tw) is imposing and a bit stark. It has a large paved area all round it, houses a big statue of Chiang Kai-shek (complete with guards that change hourly), and a museum. The gardens around the monument are a cool haven in a hot afternoon. When I visited they were quiet and pleasant. I saw a Buddhist nun officiating a service there and lots of elderly people ambling around. The porticos against the fencing walls are equally cool and nice. Our son had a lovely time running around there.

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The 2-28 Memorial Museum (http://228.culture.gov.tw/web/web-eng/museum/museum-2.htm) documents a 1947 Taiwanese uprising and following repression. We found this interesting and helpful in understanding modern Taiwan a bit better. The exhibits are predominantly photographs, which makes the space reasonably child-friendly. Furthermore, the park outside (2-28 Peace Park) has a children playground and a café. The NTU University Hospital stop on the MRT has an exit directly inside the park, which makes transport easy.

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We really enjoyed having a stroll in the large gardens around the Shilin Official Residence (not far from the MRT Shilin stop). The city’s density led us to seek green public spaces and the Shilin gardens are spacious and offered us a real break from the city and its noise. When we visited, the gardens were housing an impressive chrysanthemum display and were packed with visitors. We rather enjoyed the experience.

Transport

The Taipei Metro (MRT) is incredibly handy, efficient and easy to navigate. We used it every day. Train stations and 7-11 stores sell transport smart cards, which are valid on trains and buses. They are incredibly handy; buy one!

Taipei Images (1)

Taipei Images (2)