Back in Taiwan, in search of some of their most beautiful biking and sightseeing areas. Hit the subscribe button (on the right) and get all the posts for the next week with slideshows of all the sights.

 

Our first stop was Taipei City where a network of bike paths ply all corners of the county. It was raining Taiwanese cats and dogs so we only got to walk a few of the paths, but I had experienced some of these same paths the last time I was here.

 

The bike paths take you to the seashore, fishing harbors and often parallel the rivers as they wend their way through the city. Here we stopped along the Keelung Riverside Bikeway with scenic paths on each side of the river, so your coming and going scenery will be different, depending on where you start.

 

You can also find your way across town to the major sites like Taipei 101 or the National Museum. Bicycle rental facilities are abundant, so there’s no reason not to ride – other than torrential downpours.

TAIPEI BIKING PHOTO GALLERY – Mouse over the lower right corner and click on the arrow to see full-screen version.

Ever eat dinner IN a piece of art? Our first evening meal was in the Five Dime Boathouse – the work of housewife turned architect Xie Li-xiang. Starting with no financial backing, she built her entire first restaurant with found items – driftwood and other construction demolition debris. Bringing a sense of style like no other, she was able to build fanciful environments that drove masses of customers to her operation.

 

Now, she owns a string of five restaurants across Taiwan, but this one in Taipei City may be the most architecturally unique of them all. Part museum, part experiental art, the view changes with every step you take inside the building. Oh, yes…and the food is fantastic.

FIVE DIME BOATHOUSE RESTAURANT PHOTO GALLERY – Mouse over the lower right corner and click on the arrow to see full-screen version.

 

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