Maokong Gondola

It is worth the trip. It is worth the waiting in line for hours. The Maokong Gondola doesn't win its fame and popularity for nothing in Taipei. It is the longest rope way that I have ever ridden in my life. I would highly recommend it to my family and friends to feel the long lasting thrills flying in the air.

Golden ladies originally planned to take the Maokong Gondola to enjoy tea and spectacular apricot blossom yesterday afternoon. But Virginia talked us out of doing it, because of the long queue weekends and weekdays alike. Thanks to my college classmate Lily Huang, I had the chance to do it today.

The 20 some minutes ride from the Taipei City Zoo to Maokong was awesome, but it maybe a little frightening to those who have acrophobia, take Lily for example. She just flew back to Taipei from Tokyo yesterday evening. After our visit to the National Palace Museum in the morning, I persuaded her into taking the gondola with me in the afternoon. Her face turned pale, when the gondola started moving along the rope in the air, from one top of mountain to another.

There is a Chinese saying, 十年修得同船渡, meaning, "decade's praying could be rewarded with an occasion to travel on the same boat". Eight passengers at the same gondola became instant friends. We shared the excitements and we helped one another take photos. When the gondola passed over the mountains, we wowed the picturesque sights of the Taipei basin, and praised the smart decision to construct the extraordinary ropeway in Taipei.

Lily and I were fortunately to choose the perfect time to experience gondola ride. At 5PM, salary men in office, tourists gone, the queue was short, and we saw the sunset and we saw moonrise on top of Taipei. Lily was much at ease on her way back, because it became dark. She only saw the moon of 13th night (the 2nd lunar month of the year of the rat) illuminating in the sky in the east and the neonlights of Taipei flickering at far in the west.

Taipei is certainly proud to have more to offer. In addition to Taipei 101, Maokong Gondola is a must for city dwellers as well as foreign visitors. The longest cable car system in Taiwan began operations last summer in Taipei. From the Taipei Zoo Station, proceeding to the Taipei Zoo South Station, and the Chi-nan Temple Station, with the final stop at Maokong Station, the single journey ticket covering three stops only costs NT$50. It is super reasonable, isn't it?

With much energy injected from the exciting Maokong Gondola adventure, I won the in-house speech contest at Grand this evening. Isn't it a perfect end to a fruitful day? I am feeling grateful!