Taipei 2010: Day 4 (and a little of day 3)

(click the photos to enlarge)

So yesterday i pretty much just worked all day and didnt really take any photos, apart from this one of the Shihlin Night Market Entrance for my second visit. really quiet compared to the first visit there.
this time i bought some really cool pants for Grace. and some pink joggers.

yesterday was just a little bit smoggy and polluted. this pic was taken from the balcony of my room,

but on a clear day, the view is much nicer!

and this is the view from just outside the room that is my temporary office here.

Tonght we worked late again but the Taiwanese goverment had a surprise for us, and tool everyone out to the Silks Palace. its located at the National Museum of Taipei, and is considered the most exclusive restaurant in all of Taiwan. i hate to think how much it cost.
the other highlight of the night for me, was that getting there involved driving (on the bus provided) through a 3.2 km long tunnel that cut straight through the hill to the other side. very cool

before the meal, they had arranged a band, and them some traditional Taiwanese dancers (i think they were the same 4 girls!)

this is a short video of the band

and then they danced...

Dinner was 12 courses of a huge variety. but the most interesting one by far was the special Cabbage with insect.

Basically, there is a famous HUGE sculpture of a cabbage with two bugs on it, made from Jade at the Museum.
my hotel also has a scaled down version of it, and sells miniature ones as souvenirs.
it really must be the worlds most famous and worshipped cabbage!
anyway, one course of dinner was a genuine replica cabbale, complete with insects.
and yes, they really were little cooked bugs. Crunchy too!!!