Taipei/台北
I arrived in Taiwan on September 25, 1990 after a long flight. There were many reasons I came to this place -- some positive and others negative. On one hand, I was refugee from graduate school but on the other, I wanted to take the chance to see the world while I was still young. My arrival was drammatic: I had quit my PhD and come here on a one-way ticket with just $1,000. Things worked out well for me. I ended up working as a teacher, TV actor and stock market analyst. This portfolio is filled with photos some of my favorite places form my first stay in Taiwan.
-- Eric Trachtenberg
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial/中正纪念尝:
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall （中正今年堂）was built to honor Chiang Kai-Shek (将中正), who led the government of the Republic of China on Taiwan after it was defeated in China in 1949.
The Memorial was built in the style often reserved for emperors of China in the past. This grandiose architecture lead some critics in the late 1990's to call it, "Chiang Kai Shek Temple" (中正廟).
Street Scenes of Taipei:
Taiwan National University/台大 is the most prestigious college in Taiwan. To enter, students must pass a punishing series of entrance exams. In the background, is the rapidly growing skyline of the "new" Taipei.
Typical Taipei Street Scene. The motorcycles were murder to get around.
A coffee bar in Hsimending/西門町, an area known for its night clubs.
Another photo of Hsimending.
The Chinese have an interesting way of saying Happy Birthday!
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Pictures: Eric Trachtenberg
Copyright ©1998