Taipei, Taiwan: A day of Chinese Art and Fine Dining at National Palace Museum & Silks Palace Restaurant


A FEAST FOR THE EYES AND FOR THE STOMACH: CONSUMING THE WORLD’S GREATEST COLLECTION OF CHINESE ART AT THE NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM & SILKS PALACE RESTAURANT IN TAIPEI, TAIWAN


My first impression of the gargantuan yellow and white Chinese-style building topped with green roofs was that it looked like a mountain sentinel. Rising from and sprawled out across the verdant hills of Taipei, the National Palace Museum is indeed a guardian - of the rich history of one of the world’s greatest civilisations. At a cursory glance, the Northern branch of the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan is the very image of stability, power, and longevity. However, this impressive complex belies the close call of its collection’s near-desecration and destruction at the hands of those who would have wiped out nearly ten millennia of history in the name of their so-called Cultural Revolution. The National Palace Museum in Taipei spoke to me, not only as a lover of art and history, but also as one of the greatest achievements of my great-grandfather’s party who sought to rescue and safekeep their beloved country’s legacy after it fell to the Communists. I spent a day in the National Palace Museum one of the most famous attractions of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and then an evening eating a tribute to some of its more precious artefacts at its luxury restaurant, Silks Palace. My idea of the perfect ways to take in art and history.


July 08, 2018

Taipei, Taiwan: My Review of 5* Luxury hotel, W TAIPEI


WHEN AN OLD SOUL MAKES AN EXCEPTION FOR A MODERN HOTEL: MY REVIEW OF 5* LUXURY HOTEL W TAIPEI

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of W Hotels - on Posh, Broke, & Bored alone I’ve reviewed W Amsterdam, W St Petersburg, W Hong Kong, and dipped my toes into the the pool of W Barcelona. My gravitation toward their brand of ultra-modern cool may however come as a surprise knowing that my personal taste in hotels leans towards the classic, the traditional, and the historical. So for me to happily go out of my way to stay in a hotel that is as unabashedly modern, cutting-edge and futuristic as W Hotels, what they have to offer must be truly above and beyond. Read on to learn what distinguishes the W TAIPEI from its foreign counterparts and why this luxury hotel should be the site of your stay in Taipei, Taiwan.





July 04, 2018

Taipei, Taiwan: My Family History & Connection to the Kuomintang, founders of Taiwan


BLUE-BLOODED: MY FAMILY HISTORY & CONNECTION TO THE FOUNDERS OF TAIWAN, THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA


The saying goes: History is written by the victors. If you ask The People’s Republic of China (PRC, commonly known as China) they'd tell you that the Republic of China (ROC, commonly known as Taiwan) is not its own country but rather a rogue state that, if the PRC has its way, would be unified with the Mainland despite the ROC’s audacity to break away from the glorious path of Communism. As for me, I have sympathy for the devil - I have much empathy for the struggles of Taiwan, the founders of which were on the losing side of history. This comes as no surprise given my family connection to the Kuomintang (often translated as the Nationalist Party of China), the Blue Party who have almost exclusively ruled modern-day Taiwan ever since the country's inception in 1945. My desire to delve deeper into Taiwan literally runs in my veins, and so, I recently travelled to Taipei to learn more about my illustrious ancestors, and explore the country born of their blood, sweat, and tears.

Today’s story, my take on one of the topics of this month’s #TRAVELLINKUP: PEOPLE THAT HAVE MADE AN IMPACT ON YOUR TRAVEL, is a brief introduction to Taiwan, the places to visit in Taipei to get a feel for the history of the country; and the remarkable story of a man whose passion, struggle, and sacrifice led me to visit the Republic of China.



July 01, 2018

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