An article in a Belgian weekly lifestyle magazine has called Taipei the most underrated city in the world.
“It’s time to take a trip to Taipei!” writer Jesse Brouns told readers in his story carried in the latest version of the Flemish-language Knack Weekend.
EXQUISITE
Taipei, with a population of 3 million, is a capital city that is exquisite and just right, Brouns wrote.
It’s difficult to identify the real spirit of Taipei from its outward appearance, as the life of the city is hidden in small alleys, waiting to be tapped into, he wrote.
Brouns explained that people around the world may not have a clear impression of Taiwan, but he came to realize that it is a gourmet’s paradise and a mecca in Asia for people in the music industry.
INTRIGUING
Brouns described Taipei as full of intriguing places, including famous dumpling house Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐), night markets, department stores and shopping centers.
Calling the National Palace Museum “the Chinese version of the Louvre,” he said there was nothing to compare with it in China.
Brouns also pointed out the Grand Hotel, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall as other landmarks.
In China, traces of history can be destroyed in minutes, but in Taiwan, historical structures are retained, he wrote.
MODERN
Yet the city that has preserved some of its older buildings is also operating the world’s most successful modern rapid transit system for a mere 0.5 euros (US$0.70) per ride, he wrote.
He also lauded Taipei’s rich cultural diversity, ranging from Longshan Temple (龍山寺) and the restaurants on Huaxi Street selling snake meat and soup, to the Red House theater.
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