Welcome to Taipei – airport that is!
After 13 hours on a red-eye flight, the idea of a 5 hour layover in Taipei was not making me happy. I just wanted to arrive in Bali! But there was no getting around it, so I loaded up my backpack and bad attitude and I surrendered.
The first thing that caught my eye wasn’t a crowded waiting room, or an overpriced book store, it was a ‘chill out’ room, complete with massage chairs. Now there is a good concept in customer service. I quickly deposited my things and crawled into the oversize lazy-girl chair. Bliss.
After shedding the crick in my neck and stiffness in my legs, I felt my bad attitude slipping away. This airport was pretty cool! Instead of an abundance of souvenir shops (although they exist of course, this is Taiwan, there has to be souvenirs), there is an art gallery, a museum, orchid garden and several high end boutiques. They have incredible artists and where better to show them off to the world?
After drinking in the ambience of the sophisticated stores and learning a bit of the history, I was hungry. To make the souvenir shops more enticing, there is a wonderful custom of displaying samples of all the sweets that are typical of Taiwan. Brightly colored, strangely textured, unidentifiable goodies – all delicious!
Upstairs is another dimension. The entire floor is dedicated to a food court. More brightly colored, strangely textured, unidentifiable food and I was ready to try it all! I wasn’t disappointed; everything I tasted was exotic and scrumptious.
The time flew by. Before I knew it, it was check in time for my connecting flight and I was still having fun exploring.
Maybe they should make the layover longer in Taipei!
Inquisitive Spirit 