Travelbuff

Still as bustling, vibrant and fascinating as ever, the morning markets in Taipei play a major role in most ‘ordinary’ people’s daily lives. Taipei’s markets are highly organized, the produce is local and fresh, and the sheer volume and variety of things for sale is remarkable. Once you’re in the embrace of one of these markets you leave the modern façade of the big stores far behind, and enter a more colourful, friendly, and personal world.     Here you will find some of the friendliest, liveliest, most convivial people in the city I often have friends asking me whether it is convenient to locate a market easily around the city and if they would be able to find everything there. And this is what I always tell them -Yes it is! E very district in Taipei has a morning or an evening market. Some small - some big!  But a multitude of products are available for purchase including: vegetables, dried fruit, meats, spices, sweets, candies, herbs, pickled vegeta...

"When you ride your bike, you're working your legs, but your mind is on a treadmill. When you play chess, your mind is clicking along, but your body is stagnating. Climbing brings it together in a beautiful, magical way. The adrenaline is flowing, and it's flowing all the time." -- Pat Ament Beautiful Pathways We (husband + moi) along with some friends decided on exploring Mt. Qixing in the month of July (year 2013). We headed to Yangmingshan National Park to climb Mt. Qixing (七星山). Also known as Seven Star Mountain, Qixing is located in the center of the park and is the highest mountain at the rim of Taipei City and Taipei Basin. It is also the highest (dormant) volcano in Taiwan. Its main peak is 1,120 meters (3,675 ft) above sea level.  Established in 1985, the park features unique volcanic landscape which no other national park in Taiwan bares and abundant fauna and flora species. M ainly three major trails head towards...