The Lin Family Mansion, W Hotel, and Eslite (The amazing!)

Saturday, we ventured to the Lin Family Mansion and garden, very close to where we live. It was a grand estate built in 1847 for the Lin family. When  we went, the grounds were full of children painting, and their parents guiding them. Everyone was also eating passion fruit popsicle which could be found in the gift shop. They looked quite delicious.

Banyan tree shaded main pond 

Lots of cool, old stairs

Decorative window

At night, we went to the area near the Taipei 101 to go to Eslite Bookstore, the most wondrous bookstore in existence. Five or so floors of books from all over the world, in many different languages, mostly Chinese though. The sections are huge! You can find anything you are looking for, and they have more magazines than a small bookstore has books. Because the cookbooks in America are not true to actual Asian cuisine, we decided to pick up a few authentic ones. Finally! 

The breads here are amazing. Light, not sugary, and just plain delicious.

A Hong Kong style dim sum book

Traditional Chinese cooking

We also picked up a snack book filled with recipes for all sorts of buns and scallion pancakes- yum!

Then, on to the W hotel. The Interior was very nice and people were gathering outside to take pictures with the Lambo trio. 

Front exterior

Front exterior chain decor

 Bamboo doors!

Lobby, complete with lit floor and changing light display on the back wall

Starbucks on the ground floor of Eslite. The baked goods look so much more delicious and less unessesarily calorie packed than those found in American stores. They also have lots of green tea and red bean drinks, with grass jelly too! Taiwan loves their Starbucks, but they have also added their own delicious twist to the menu!