It was quite a hot day last week, when I decided to see the famous Office of the President of the Republic of China (中華民國總統府). I took a walk from the Taipei Main Station and first saw the Shin Kong Life Tower, took some photos of it and moved on. A very kind young Taiwanese guy helped me with the directions. It was a long walk, but when I finally saw the building from afar, I was very happy. The closer I got, the more impressive it was. The roads around the buildings are wide and huge, like real boulevards. But they're not as full as elsewhere. Traffic is smoother there.
There's a lot of security around the area. Police on all corners, there were even some military vehicles parked nearby. Young men are guarding the building, they're armed and in uniforms. But there are also another kind of security, which look like secret service agents. They are positioned on many crucial points around the building and wear casual clothes with ear phones (just like in the movies). They look at everyone very suspiciously, but that's their job. I felt like a spy with my camera and frankly a bit intimidated. Firstly because of the impressive building and secondly, because of the huge security and how they looked at me. They're definitely serious, keep that in mind. When I saw all that, I thought it must be the most secured building in whole Taiwan and I wondered, how many snipers were pointed at me. I walked slowly with my DSLR and snapped only few photos. There weren't many tourists, I only saw one Japanese man. I soon went away from the building, walking down south, because I wanted to take photos from afar.
See my photos of the Presidential Office Building:
The Presidential Office Building of the Republic of China today is the former Governor General's Office during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan (1895-1945). It was designed by the Japanese architect Uheiji Nagano (長野宇平治). The construction began in 1912 and ended in 1919. During the WWII the building was heavily damaged. Since 1950 the building houses the President of the ROC.
The flag of the Republic of China: Long live its democracy and freedom!
I'm truly impressed with what Taiwan has accomplished so far, not only in terms of economical development, but also in terms of democracy, freedoms and human rights. It's a small country, but a very vibrant democracy. People, especially in the West, should not forget, how awesome Taiwan is. I hope my blog can be a little contribution to a better understanding between the West and Taiwan.
I hope you enjoyed my photos and impressions.
[Part of Zhongzheng][My TAIPEI page][My TAIWAN page][All photos by MKL, 2010]
[BUILDINGS in TAIWAN][Links: Presidential Building WikiTW]
[BUILDINGS in TAIWAN][Links: Presidential Building WikiTW]
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