by Peter Nelson
Do not — repeat — do NOT go to Taiwan without allowing yourself at least two days to spend in the National Palace Museum. I’ve been in art galleries and museums around the world, and there is nothing even remotely close to the National Palace Museum in Taipei. And two days is an absolute minimum. Many people go every day for a week.
We’ve all seen a fair bit of Chinese art and lots of Chinese antiques, but the immense number of pieces — almost 700,000 — and their unearthly beauty will take your breath away.
But I hope by now the country has its currency system figured out. When we were there, in 1974, the largest bill available was worth all of $1.80 U. S. Go into a bank to change a couple of traveller’s checks, and they give you so many bills that you have to carry them in a paper bag! I’m serious.
