Taipei 101

After the meetup with a friend at a nearby mall, going back to my hotel, Taipei 101 was along the way.

I was walking to that end (after those people) where the stairs down to MRT Station R03 are located.

But I asked my self "why not check out the evening views of Taipei". Okay. I did. Just like that hahaha!

The easiest way to the observatory - enter the mall then take the escalators to the 5F ticket counters.

You can roam the 5th floor before or after the observatory. This is, after all, still part of the mall!

I noticed this part of the mall sell very high-end Taiwan products. Souvenirs yes, but the prices, OMG!

But if you're like me, wala pambili ng souvenir, and want to get ahead of the crowds, fall-in-line agad!

That's their way of ensuring that all who go up are ticketed - since there's no more checking up there!

There's always a line of folks waiting for the elevator. It could get crowded and chaotic at peak hours.

Note that there's something written by the elevator buttons - wonderful mementos about this tower.

The letters are small, so let's say that here. CNN says "the journey that'll change your life". Aru! O sya!

And it held a spot on Guiness World Records - as the fastest passenger elevators from 2004 to 2015.

That blue thing on the collage above is the information displayed on the elevator wall, which changes (updates) in real time as you zoom up. That red rectangle indicates elevator 'location' in the building.

And when you're up at the observatory (viewing deck).., you see amazing views of Taipei from above!

It would be best if someone or something was telling you what you see down below, for a meaningful visit. Otherwise, that's just it, amazing views of a night cityscape, of places and things you don't know!

Mas maganda if someone was saying "iyang building na yan, munisipyo yan", "yun doon ang pier"!

Anyway, even at those high floors, there are souvenirs too, then you can walk down to the 'damper'.

What is a 'wind damper'? Patay tayo dyan hahaha! Basta it minimizes the effect of high winds. Ito yan!

It has has something to do with Physics, but sorry, I didn't always listen to Sir Climaco in high school!

Nose bleed tayo dyan! But here is something I copied from their brochure:
"The wind damper absorbs slight swinging motions of the building at all times to reduce discomfort of the people in the building. In the event of earthquakes or strong winds, the wind damper can suppress the brunt of any violent swinging to ensure the safety of all tourists and workers in Taipei 101, while reducing discomfort caused by vigorous shaking".

It's a gigantic (18 feet in diameter) steel ball, like a pendulum, hanging from 92nd to the 88th floor.

Don't worry, if you go there, there will be a lot of information that you can read all around that thing - everywhere is like a museum! You don't just read all about how it functions, photo-op at selfie na rin!

There are even scale models of the building and surrounding areas with corresponding information.

Aw, you don't have to be at the 89th floor observatory, for the Taipei night views. Any window is great!

Note that the walls - even at the stairs area - also have a lot of directional (advertorial) information!

You may be tempted to go and visit (andoon ka na rin lang), but 91st level is an outdoor area they call the Sky Deck. But, are you properly dressed for that (maginaw doon ha)? Ako hindi! I did not go. Ayaw!

In short, I opted to go down and head home without going to the 91st or 101st levels. Ayaw nga eh!

That is the wall as you head to the elevators going down. Basahin mabuti ang mga nakasulat sa kanan ng gusali! Iyang nakasulat sa ating sariling wika ako lang naglagay nyan. I edited my own pic, bakit ba!

I learned that evenings are the busiest in this tower - whether going up or down. Long lines!

So prepare to line up before you can ride the elevator. But it is one of the fastest in the world anyway.

I was down in a jiffy. Aw, this is the escalator between 4th and 5th that I told you about earlier.

And as I said too, the first 5 floors of this tower is Taipei 101 Mall. Temptations everywhere!

Just a few steps from the mall's door are the stairs and escalators going down to the MRT Red Line.

That would actually be the first 2 pictures at the top of this story. Oh yes, let us stress that, the official name of Station R03, as you can see on that entrance, is Taipei 101 / World Trade Center Station. Well for me, it is easier to just remember the codes, such as R03: meaning Red Line 3rd station. English pa!

So I went about, just reversing the way I earlier came from Taipei Main Station. Well, this time, I made sure not to get lost, by not touching my phone hahaha! I was riding from R03 to R10 only and not R23!

In exactly 32 minutes, I was already at Taipei Main Station, transferring to the Purple Line to Taoyuan.

I like the signage - look at that one above the escalator, it's a violet-colored train - surely, Purple Line!

O ayan, pati loob ng tren, kulay ube rin! Purple Line kasi eh, di ba?! That's the Taoyuan Airport MRT.

For this purple line, Taipei Main Station is A1, Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1 is A12, Terminal 2 is A13 and where I was going (Novotel) is A14a. Bakit me little 'a' as in 14a? Oh A14 is their (future) T3.

FYI too, there are two kinds of MRT trains from Taipei to the Airport (and a little beyond, although still considered airport areas). The Express Line (Purple Line) that has just a few stops, and the Commuter Line (mas mura, colored blue but not "blue line" kasi meron nang ganun) - that stops at all 22 sations.

Anyway and okay, in about half an hour, I arrived at my hotel - let's talk about that next!