Lonely Planet Six Degrees: Taipei

Traveller Asha Gill explores the fast-paced capital of Taiwan, a city shaping a new identity from its deep-rooted Chinese traditions, unique modern history and remnants of its aboriginal past. She meets: Shiuan Liu – a magazine editor who brings Asha face to face with a professional funeral mourner, a fashion shoot/animal sacrifice in the heart of an aboriginal community and a Chinese New Year Lantern Festival where Asha’s wishes go soaring into the night sky. Mayor Ma – Taipei’s top politician takes Asha for a ride to remember round the world’s tallest building—Taipei 101. Mia Hsieh – an experimental Taiwanese singer and dancer who unleashes Asha’s artistic spirit at Taipei’s iconic Red Theatre. Robin Ruizendaal – a Taiwanese puppetry connoisseur who ropes Asha into the world’s strangest TV commercial before cleansing her soul at Taipei’s City God Temple. Mina Chin – a shop owner revitalising an old Chinese army squatter camp turns out to be the world’s most well-connected grocery clerk when she hooks Asha up to Taipei’s traditions and its avant garde.