day 7 - taichung to miaoli to taipei

after we bade goodbye to taichung, we visited some fruit orchard in miaoli in the morning, and the place was really quite pathetic. we were all expecting a huge flourishing orchard with fields of green and healthy, robust trees brimming with fruits. what awaited us, however, was a netted enclosure, somewhat like a greenhouse, with rows of plants with pitiful, thin branches straining with the weight of half ripe, small and mostly still green fruits. it was a huge disappointment, so i didn't bother taking many pictures.

we took a trip to the martyr's shrine in the late morning, to view the guard-changing ceremony, which was held hourly. the place was very grand and rather pretty, but the sun, oh the terrible noon sun's merciless rays were beating down on us and making me quite miserable.





this is one of the young men doing their national service - standing and not moving an inch at various parts of the shrine. the poor things looked so hot in their starched, stiff uniforms, and the only body part they could move were their eyelids. they reminded me of the english guard. many people were taking pictures of them and with them, and trying their best not to giggle and tease them as well. i heard that if they moved, they would be punished...sent to detention or something like that.
see how this guy valiantly avoids my camera, preferring to simply stare resolutely ahead.

the guard changing ceremony.


we went to taipei 101 world building after that, taiwan's tallest skyscraper and one of the tallest buildings in the world. we passed on going up to the viewing gallery to see the cityscape from the highest floor, and just wandered around below. it's just like a huge shopping mall inside, nothing special. i want to go up to the top the next time i visit taiwan though...and at night, too, because that would give a nicer view.


we moved on to wu fen pu wholesale centre (i prefer to call it shopping heaven). there were thousands of shops with the cheapest clothes, and i went slightly crazy. we didn't buy too many things though, because the mothers were controlling the purse strings. never mind, there's always next time.