You are currently browsing the monthly archive for September 2010.
Taiwan’s very own High Speed Train (modified from Japan’s Shinkansen) running from Taipei to Kaohsiung. We took from Taoyuan to Taipei which took us merely 20 minutes to travel 30+ km… wow impressive and it has not even reached its peak speed yet at 300km/h.
Eating at high ground is expensive indeed, especially on the 85th floor of Taipei 101 World Building, though food are exquisite and nice.
Ximending – the youngsters playground and a stage for artistes. Famous for food too, especially Ay Chong Mian Sian. Other food: Xue Hua Bin is nice, Ya Zui Bian is disappointing, just normal duck mee fen soup.
An usual a very crowded night market: Shihlin Night Market. Heard from my tour guide that in the morning before the night market opens, this place is a wet market, so it is rather dirty and he warned us against eating here. Anyway, it’s up to individual. To come here, you could take the mrt to Jian Tan MRT.
Finally back to hotel… Grand Hyatt… looks really good on the outside and lot of fengshui gadgets around the lobby. Best is that it directly linked to Taipei 101 2nd floor. Nothing much at Taipei 101 shopping centre, just imagine it is like Singapore Ion Orchard with all the branded goods boutiques.
Had a wonderful last night in Taiwan. Next day is the last day and we woke up so late until the counter called us to check out… haha. Anyway, Taiwan is an interesting place to visit and a very good place to get fat… eating and eating great stuff everyday… really as advertised… haha.
Drop by along the expressway for Taiwan Home-Brewed Coffee. And coffee sausage… nice.
Next… the Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village details the nine Aboriginal Tribes in Taiwan. It has a small amusement park too. We took a cable car ride to the highest point and walked downhill to visit all the nine tribes.
Haha fertility rocks
Into the 9 tribes…
The famous Sun Moon Lake. Taiwan’s first president, Chiang Kai-shek even built a mansion here called Hanbi Building, which was later renovated into a hotel. Most of the buildings here are new due to 921 Earthquake.
Lalu island situated right in the middle of Sun Moon Lake was split into half after 921 Earthquake. So wasted… it was so beautiful before 921, and couples used to go there to pray for good marriage because of the Matchmaker God there. And it was said that the Matchmaker God Statue jumped out of his own shrine when the shrine is destroyed during the Earthquake. Evidence is in photo, fact or fiction… who cares…
Next Wen Wu Temple… what can i say… Taiwanese is really so creative… even develop a SOP standard procedure to pray and bring wealth back to your home, no matter which country you came from. Anyway donation is for a good cause because this temple still owe bank money due to rebuilt fee caused by 921 Earthquake.
Another crowded night market: Feng Jia Night Market. Famous for its Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang… meaning glutinous rice wrap sausage. Anyway we wanna find some air condition area so we ate burger king that night.
And we went back Maison De Chine Hotel… the most luxurious room I have lived for this trip… even better than Grand Hyatt on my last day here. Watch me slumber in the comfortable bed… haha
Doraemon!!! We are at Dream Mall, largest mall in Kaosiung, which is themed under Doraemon and also has a Hello Kitty Ferris Wheel.
Next we move on to Fo Guang Shan Monastery.
Went to the highest building in Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung 85 Building. The high speed elevator is so pretty!!!
And the famous Love River…
Dinner time at Leo Ho Night Market. Famous for… guess what… Papaya Milk haha… even Taiwan President Ma said Good. Of course there are others… Guan Cai Ban, Rou Yuan and finally saw the exotic cubic watermelon.
Today we head to another ranch called Chu Lu Ranch, which shows us how milk is obtained from cow, processed and packaged into packets. And they also house some poultry.
Next we went to some historical sites: Hengchun West Gate, Fu-An Temple
And scenic sites: Maopitou, Sail Rock
When we reached Kenting, it’s already raining so heavily due to the incoming typhoon, so din get the chance to see the beach babes, so disappointing… haiz. After dinner at the nearby restaurant, we walked through Kenting Street and bought street food such as bbq octopus, chicken chop for our supper. Though is only 15min walk along Kenting Street to our hotel, even with rain coat, we are drenched. Luckily did not fall sick next day haha.
We have a morning fright when we travel through the Taroko Gorge National Park because due to heavy rain, there are land slides the previous night, so the narrow road became more tedious to travel… so shaky… but the view is still beautiful and the mango ice, made from the mountain water here.
Next, we went to pick pebbles at Chi Hsing Tan (Seven Star Lake) under big hot sun haiz…
Finally we reach Shin Kong Chao Feng Ranch and Resort, which we will be staying overnight.
Never knew the hotel we lived in is so beautiful, probably is because we are too tired yesterday night. Wow look at the beach scenery and the church by the coast… and my windmill again of course… marvellous!
After leaving the hotel, we went to Yeliu Scenic Area to see some strange shaped rocks including the famous Queen’s Head.
Next we went to Chiufen Old Street, which is on top a hill. Because today is on weekend, our coach could only reach the hill bottom, so we took the public bus up the hill. Delicious food await us there: Lu Rou Fan, Meat Balls Soup, Yam and Tapioca Balls Desert, Grounded Peanut Ice Cream Wrap… yummy…
Next we experience a local train ride.
And we end the day at Nanbin Night Market, which has nothing much except lighting up some fireworks illegally haha…
Singapore to Taipei is around 4+ hours flight. I managed to finish a meal and watch 2 movies on plane. Was quite scary on plane, especially nearing taipei… the plane is jerking so seriously due to the unstable air turbulence over the South China Sea… or maybe is the typhoon. Checked with our fellow tour mates who took the Singapore Airlines, they experienced the same jerking, so probably not due to our China Airlines problem.
Luckily we reached Taipei Airport safely and were directed to our coach by the local tour guide. The coach is designed to carry luggage on the lower deck and passengers on the higher one, so to let us view the scenery more clearly. Took photos of the famous Running Green Man of Taiwan and also the Ji Che on the road.
Dinner Time at Taiwan Voted No. 1 Night Market in 2010 – Keelung Miao Kou Night Market. It is so called because it is situated just outside a temple. There are a few recommended dishes by the tour guide: Tian Fu Luo, Pao Pao Ice, Butter Crab. Tian Fu Luo is actually like fish cake in Singapore with some special sauce. Pao Pao Ice looks like Sundae but taste amazingly better with all kinds of flavour to choose from. Butter Crab is best but I feel there is too much onion inside. Too bad the night market is too crowded, so we din took any photo of the food. Next we headed straight to hotel to rest.
Alan's Travel Blog 