Taipei, Part 2: Ascendent (Coffee, Tea, Leaders, Views, Moons)
- Karen Cristello
- Jun 15
- 6 min read
The best, the original, the influential, the highest, and the cutest.
An Award-Winning Buzz
There is no better way to start the day than with an excellent cup of coffee. So I headed to Simple Kaffa, a chain of three locations owned by Berg Wu, winner of the 2016 World Barista Championship — and the first Taiwanese person to do so! I had A-Bao Blend with beans from Brazil and Colombia. You get a little card that tells you about it: Dark roasted Bourbon/Caturra with notes of nuts, caramel, and chocolate. Paired with a thick slice of Japanese-style milk bread cinnamon toast, I was in heaven. The atmosphere was really stylish, too. I went to the Huashan Flagship location, which was pretty low-key. There's also a branch on the 88th floor of the Taipei 101 building. Of course, it comes with a fantastic view, but for a price: about $635!!! Wait, whaaaaaat?! OK, that's Taiwan dollars. In USD it's "only" about $21. The queue can also be hours long. I don't do waits.
An Influential yet Debatable Leader
I kicked myself because I wanted to stop by the Huashan 1914 Creative Park on my way to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, but I forgot! Chiang Kai-shek's legacy in Taiwan is a complex and controversial one. After his Nationalist government lost the Chinese Civil War, he retreated to Taiwan in 1949, where he ruled as an authoritarian leader for over 25 years. On one hand, he is credited with laying the groundwork for Taiwan's economic prosperity, implementing significant land reforms, and overseeing the country's rapid industrialization that led to it becoming one of the "Four Asian Tigers" (including Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea). He also preserved much of traditional Chinese culture, which was being destroyed on the mainland during the Cultural Revolution. However, his rule was also marked by brutal repression, most notably during the period known as the White Terror. Under martial law, his government suppressed political opposition, imprisoned, tortured, and executed thousands of people who were accused of being dissidents or communists. The two sides of his legacy are still debated today, with many crediting him for Taiwan's security and development while others condemn him for his violent human rights abuses.
The memorial hall is a white pagoda-like building. The two other buildings on the grounds that look sort of like temples are the National Theatre and Concert Hall. Inside the hall are galleries with artifacts from Kai-shek's life — documents, photos, clothes, cars, art, and an old crank phone, which I'd never seen before. There was also an exhibition by the Women Artists Association of Taipei. And as luck would have it, I happened to head downstairs right when the changing of the guard ceremony was starting. Woo-hoo!
Where Bubble Tea Was Born
Then it was lunch time, and how convenient that Chun Shui Tang was on the lower floor of the National Concert Hall! This is the restaurant (different location, though) where bubble tea was invented. So of course I got bubble black tea, as well as some super-satisfying black sesame oil noodles with tea egg, celery, broccoli, and wolfberries (aka goji berries). It was good, but not sure I'd go out of my way for it.
A Floral Interlude
It was soooo nice to be in an air-conditioned space, but alas, another historical figure called, by way of the Jianguo Holiday Flower Market. I'd expected lots of happy scents, but there weren't any (or very few) smelly flowers; it was mostly potted greenery, orchids, cacti, and gardening supplies. Thankfully, being under a freeway, it was shaded, but there wasn't much air circulation, so I didn't stay long. I imagined I'd come here often if I lived in Taipei, though.
Father of the Nation
So, on to the National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall. Dr. Sun Yat-sen is a pivotal figure in modern Chinese history, widely revered as the "Father of the Nation" in both Taiwan and mainland China. Born in 1866, he trained as a doctor but devoted his life to revolutionary politics. Sun played a leading role in the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which successfully overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing, and led to the establishment of the Republic of China. His political philosophy, known as the Three Principles of the People — nationalism, democracy, and the people's livelihood — became the guiding ideology of his political party, the Kuomintang (KMT). Though he served as the first provisional president of the Republic of China, his presidency was brief (only two months!), and he spent many years in exile and struggle, attempting to unify a fractured nation. His legacy is celebrated for his vision of a modern, democratic, and unified China, and his ideals continue to influence Chinese and Taiwanese political thought today. (Although no politician is without some controversy...).
Unfortunately, the memorial hall was closed! I checked a few days before I went and it was still open, so that was really a bummer. But the grounds were nice. There's a big reflection pool and a park with a pond, lots of statues/sculptures, and a view of the Taipei 101 building. I found a shaded bench and reflected on how dang hot and humid it was. :-D
Taipei 101: The World's Tallest Green Building
I have no idea why they had a Darth Vader display. Anyhoo, it was nice to see my father, LOL! It was also fun to see the view from the 101st-floor observatory, and to see building details up close. The gold ball was the mass damper, which was huuuuge! And super cool. (© 2025, Karen Cristello)
At 508 meters tall, Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010. It's now ranked as the 11th tallest, between China Zun in Beijing and the Shanghai World Financial Center. But it is the world's tallest green building, having earned LEED Platinum certification for its energy efficiency and environmental features. Located in an earthquake- and typhoon-prone region, its stability is ensured by a unique engineering marvel: a 660-ton tuned mass damper. This is a giant gold sphere, suspended between the 87th and 92nd floors, which acts like a pendulum to counteract swaying caused by strong winds and seismic activity, protecting the building and its occupants. Pretty cool! It took 37 seconds to elevate from the 5th to the 89th floor, going about 37.7 mph. There's a ton of interesting symbolism and architectural info about the building that you can read if you're a nerd like me.
A Boy, a Moon, and a Bus
Across from Taipei 101 is a very special bus. In 1999, Jimmy Liao published a children's book, The Moon Forgets, that became an instant hit. Jimmy's Moon Bus was created in 2014 as a piece of interactive art with lots of references to the story. It's pretty dang cute. Basically, the story is about a boy who adopts the moon after it falls from the sky. But it causes havoc, with tides, weather, and astronauts being affected, so the boy, though sad to part, does the right thing and helps the moon return to the sky. There's also something about toy moons being produced and discarded, which I don't get; I guess I'll have to read it!
Jimmy's Moon Bus. So cute!! (© 2025, Karen Cristello)
And that was the end of a very active day, reaching 18,000 steps. I was too hot and tired for dinner, so was satisfied with a small snack from the Family Mart (Japanese convenience store) across from my hotel. Zzzzzzzz...
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