We started the day with a brief lecture by Dr. Peng about the history and economic development of Taiwan. We then boarded a bus and headed to Taipei. The coach buses are quite decorative including curtains with tassels!
Taipei Central Station
My first impression of Taipei Central Station is that it is very clean especially considering how many people pass through it during any given day. The bathrooms however leave a little to be desired. We have quickly learned to send someone to scout the bathrooms to see if the toilets are the "regular" kind or the "squat" type. Also, Chinese do not flush toilet paper and instead throw it in the wastebasket so the bathrooms do not smell pleasant.
We stopped for lunch at Taipei Central Station and it was mind boggling trying to figure out what to order. Fortunately there were lots of pictures and displays of food but nothing looked familiar except maybe the treats at Mr. Donut.
Confucius Temple
We were given an interesting tour of the Taipei Confucius Temple. Completed in 1939, the temple is adorned with many colorful sculptures and drawings.
Confucius said, "Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous."
Adorning each side of the walls of the Yi Gate and made of Cochin pottery, the figurine on the left is a military general holding a flag and Qing, which forms the meaning of good luck. The general on the right holds a flag and a ball which signifies praying.
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