Of all the stores I’ve visited
in my life, from Auckland to Zurich, my favorite is in Hong Kong.
Shanghai Tang is now located around the world, but the original is in the
Pedder Building. The prices descend as you make your way down the narrow
building, from custom imperial tailoring at the pinnacle to gift items in the
cellar.
My husband insisted we couldn’t shop 24/7, so I agreed to take a break and ride the Peak Tram. The most
popular tourist activity in Hong Kong, it’s a quick, steep ride up the mountainside, providing panoramic views of the
city.
Since the comfortable Langham Hotel was our home away from home, we only had to
walk five minutes for Rich’s next request, a ride into the past on an authentic sailing junk through the
Victoria Harbour. Typical of boats that sailed 150 years ago, The Aqua Luna,
with its distinctive red sails, is the perfect spot from which to watch the
nightly Symphony of Lights, a laser music show bouncing off dozens of
skyscrapers and reflecting off the water.
After the adrenaline rush of Hong Kong, Taiwan is a great place to slow down and
get in touch with nature. We caught the MRT commuter train for a twenty-minute
trip outside the city to bike along the riverbanks. The country long known for
manufacturing bicycles is finally putting its products to use. The government
has spent millions of dollars on trails crisscrossing the country; you can even
arrange for a bike tour around the island.
Following our trek, we rewarded ourselves with a soak in a hot springs. These
bubbling natural Jacuzzis are seeing resurgence in popularity by healthy-minded
residents and tourists. Rates can be as little as $25 for a half day, and
residents swear you won’t require medicine if you immerse yourself in these warm waters.
One of the most popular natural tourist sites is the Taroko Gorge. Take a tour
bus to view the spectacular sheer cliffs lined with marble, granite,
waterfalls, and diamonds—now we’re getting closer to my idea of fun!
The countryside isn’t the only place to find Mother Nature. Taipei is making a name for itself as a
green city. When Taiwan was selected to hold the International Flora Exposition
(November 2010 to April 2011), civic leaders decided to make a statement by
holding the event in the center of Taipei. This is the place to stroll with
your sweetie and find ideas for an exotic urban garden that doesn’t require much water. The newly built expo hall is surrounded by four parks
where it’s common to see locals practicing tai chi.
Shilin Night Market in Taipei.
Taipei is also becoming known as the place to part with your green bills. In
2009, the luxury shopping center Bellavita (which means beautiful life in
Italian) opened next door to Taipei 101, which is one of the tallest buildings
in the world. If you want to reach the lookout point spot for Taipei 101, it
doesn’t take long—just thirty-seven seconds for the elevator ride from street level to the
observation deck!
These buildings are filled with European labels, which make for great
window-shopping, but I prefer discovering the local designers at the Shilin
Night Market. The market runs from 10 PM until near dawn, so we grabbed dinner
first at the Five Cent Driftwood House. Hsieh Li-Shian, a local artist, was
inspired to open a chain of restaurants after finding a coin embedded in a
piece of driftwood on the beach. Constructed out of found objects from metal to
oyster shells, many of her buildings resemble huge sculptures of females more
than restaurants. The architecture and the food garner rave reviews, so get
there early or plan to wait for dinner.
That evening we retired at the Grand Formosa Regent Taipei Hotel, located in
the city center, where the staff treated us like visiting royalty, and so came
the end of this vacation—a successful balancing act made possible by Asia’s tradition of blending east and west, old welcoming new, and natural wonders
coexisting with manmade triumphs. 
