Absolutely agree with your comment about Taiwanese people being a big highlight of visiting. I recently spent a month there and that trip confirmed the positive impression two previous short trips had made.

Seems you got a lot done in only two days. The Maokong gondola trip provides great views as well as being surprisingly inexpensive, as you pointed out. Did you go in one of the glass bottomed gondolas?

I think 101 is best appreciated from Xiangshan, though given the humidity climbing the path up requires a certain amount of stamina.

Taking the red metro line to the final stop at Tamsui is another possibility if you want to get out of the city.

Thank you for sharing. Your trip notes are a great guide for people thinking of a short visit to Taipei.