On our last full day in Taiwan, we went to the top of Taipei 101, an enormous building in downtown Taipei with sweeping views of the city. We saved it for the last day because it was close to our hotel and we could do it at anytime. Of course, the day we chose was very cloudy and the views practically nonexistent. Oh well! Travel.

After Taipei 101, A and I hit ZARA (score!) and then we all went back to the hotel to meet up with M, who had coincidentally been at Taipei 101 the day before with her group. (Equally cloudy.) We then went to eat at a restaurant called Din Tai Fung, which is very well known and quick requires a very long wait outside. Dad went and got in line, and then about an hour later we came and met him, a few minutes before they called our number. Was it worth it? Yes, the food was great. We got a lot of traditional dishes – soup dumplings – and some other things. Dessert was amazing – dumplings filled with chocolate or red bean, and then a taro dessert. Delicious.

M and A went out with some friends from M's program. M especially was very tired and didn't feel well on Saturday. 🙂

Saturday we went back to the lavish expensive buffet at the hotel, and A got us to try the bitter gourd juice that she drank the first day. It was disgusting, as she described. Then we met her host family downstairs. They brought their dog, Congee, so they couldn't come in, so we stood outside and talked, with M translating. They are very kind and clearly like M a lot! Especially her host mom.

Then it was time to leave for the airport. M came with us so we could hang out with her til the last possible moment. It was very hard to say goodbye to her, since we now won't see her for 5 months. 🙁

We flew to Tokyo on an almost empty flight – I think there were like 15 passengers on the whole huge plane – and landed in an empty airport. I guess no one travels on New Year's Eve. We took a long train to the city and then got a cab to our hotel. The hotel is lovely, but on NYE the restaurant was closed and room service was closed and there was a party going on that was sold out, so we ended up getting dinner from the convenience store in the building. Dad did a good job of foraging and we had noodles and other food that the convenience store warmed up for us. Plus beer and some peach drink A liked.

Our room looks west, away from the city but at Mt. Fuji. We are on the 33rd floor.

Yesterday was our first day in Tokyo. We went to the Meiji Shrine and waited in line with thousands of other Japanese people to see the temple. After an hour of waiting, we cut our losses, walked around the Harajuku neighborhood, and then over to Shibu.ya Crossing, which was very busy even on New Year's Day. We then took a cab to the Nori Tower in Roppangi, where our hotel had made a reservation for us later that night, and went to the City Tower which has AMAZING views of the city. It was magical. We were there so long, thanks to a little refreshment break, and were able to see the views in the dark too. 

Then we walked to dinner, which was a traditional sushi dinner where you sit on mats and your legs go under the table. We had yummy sushi and headed back to the hotel, where we did some faux gambling at the roulette tables that were set up for New Years Day. N learned to do roulette, which is a great game for him since it's all about probabilities.

Ok, that catches us up! We love Tokyo – so different from Taipei, so modern and just ENORMOUS. It goes on and on. We miss M's trip planning.

Pics: