Bucket List: Celebrating the New Year at Taipei 101

What everyone came here for

I've always wanted to celebrate New Year's Eve at Taipei, specifically for the festivities at 101. Recently, I was lucky to have been able to do so with family. 

There must've been hundreds of thousands who attended. I was expecting it to be crowded, and I was surprised to see the number of foreigners who were there. Naturally, there were plenty of snack stalls set up. It would not have been Taiwan without them and I especially love the fact that they were selling food at normal prices, when they had the chance to sell them at inflated prices. Gotta love Taiwan! There were also some stalls where you could play a game and win prizes, similar to what you can see in a fair or a circus. It was a really festive ambiance. 

I would later find out that my Taiwanese friend, a fellow couchsurfer who I met in Singapore, was also there. Although everyone was disappointed by the lack of a countdown this year, the fireworks were spectacular. What struck me the most was how the local government seemed to have everything under control. The subway that was normally open until 12mn seemed to have been open until everyone got home. Their crowd management was flawless.

(Sadly, during the same time a few people died after a stampede at a NYE celebration in Shanghai. Mainlanders should really learn to be orderly.)

As if I needed more reasons to love Taiwan. To more travels in a prosperous 2015!

SMARTPHONES EVERYWHERE. I found us a perfect spot with a great view and a few steps away from the subway entrance/exit.

Despite the hordes of people, oddly enough it didn't feel suffocating.
I give credit to the nice locals of Taiwan.

Delicious squid (NTD 90 or USD 3) bigger than your face and a wok bigger than yo mamma.
I also loved the curry chicken barbeque (3 sticks for only NTD 50 or USD 2 if my memory serves me right).

Check your luck this 2015 with some games