This is my first post here, and I am going to write about last week's trip to Taiwan. I loved it there! Enjoy the detailed itinery! :D
.
1st day: 4th Dec 2007Daddy, Mummy, Shirin and I left the house at around 12pm to catch the 3.15pm flight to Taipei Taoyuan airport. We met our uncles ,aunties and cousins.There were a total of 12 of us and 22 people in our tour group. This is more than half of the tour group! We boarded our flight CI-662 to Taipei at around 3.40pm and reached at around 8pm. We found our local tour guide and went off to check-in to our hotel for the first night, Paradise Hotel, which was located near the Xi Men Ding （西门盯）area. We had some shopping there at night and went to the hotel. Both of us could not sleep that night and woke up at 4am!
..
2nd day: 5th Dec 2007We went to 中正纪念堂, at that time we took a picture with the 大中至正sign. However, a few days later it was changed to 自由广场.We were very lucky! Woohoo! There were even reporters! Next, we went to 野柳(Yeliu), where they had cool stones that are being shaped through years of waves, wind, etc. The most fascinating and significant stone is the Queen's stone, where it looked like a queen with the nose, hair, etc. Then the exciting part came. We went to a hot spring hotel where there were different hot springs. For example, the HOT HOT spring, the freezing cold spring, rosemary hot spring, greentea (my favourite), pepper hot spring, mixed fruit, etc. The place was near 阳明山: magnificent splendid view! :) These places are at 宜蘭(Yilan), and we went to 九份(Jiu Fen) next. We tried their famous fishball noodles. Their fishballs are bigger than ping-pong balls! We also tried their 芋圆which were fabulous! Too bad Singapore doesn't have them. I miss it now! We then stayed at 香格里拉(Shangrila) hotel for the night. Cool place but lots of mosquitoes. End of day 2.
.
.
3rd day: 6th Dec 2007Looked around the Shangrila Leisure Framing the morning then proceeded to Taipei city again. We went to Taipei 101, the tallest building in Taiwan. Shopped in Taipei 101 then went to the Discovery Center of Taipei (台北探索馆). It talks about the history and developments of Taiwan. We then went to Taichung (台中) Tofu Street and tried their famous 串烧臭豆腐. It was nice: not so smelly. We then had a 'Tofu feast' for lunch. Next, we went to Fengjia night market to shop, then had dinner at a 'personal steamboat' shop/ restaurant. We stayed overnight at Jinhua hotel, where Shirin and I each had a double Queen-sized bed to sleep in. There was even a sauna in our room! Slept perfectly for the night.
.
.
4th day: 7th Dec 2007
Left for Nantou(南投）in the morning for the famous sun moon lake（日月潭）and wenwu temple(文武廟). The scenary there was great! One of the islands at 日月潭 submerged below because of the 921 Earthquake. 文武廟 was also damaged and hence with the help of the tourist,the government, etc, the new 文武廟 was rebuilt. Next, we went to 埔里, where wine-making was famous for. We even tried alcohol/wine ice-cream and pancakes! Lunch was at a restaurant in 埔里, serving up their famous dishes like the 埔里面. After lunch, we went to a very modernised temple called the 中台禅寺, where Taiwan and China opened to build a 'special' temple. We then went back to our super big rooms in Jinhua Hotel and rested for a while till the night. We then went to 中正road where there were many stalls, and tried their smelly tofu. We wanted to walk to Sogo department stall, but it was too far away. Hence, we went zhong yong(中友) shopping center to shop and have some food. We then went back to our cool hotel rooms to sleep!
.
.
5th day: 8th Dec 2007
The tour guide (wanted to earn extra income I guess) brought us to center where they sold huge Lingzhi, royal jelly, deer's dead baby, etc, which are from the 原住民 living up in the mountains (A-li shan to be exact). However, they were really EXPENSIVE!! Well, we spent the morning there, and went to 点水楼 to have lunch which was their famous 小笼包. Next we went to the Martyr's Shrine, where they commemorated 烈士, or people who sacrificed their lives for the country. There were four guards, actually the navy(海军) people, and they could not move as they had to stand on guard! We took photographs with them and observed the guard change-over(every hour). It was quite boring actually... Haha. We went to 淡水 Fisherman's Wharf and the "couples bridge". I think Daddy caught a cold here. Next up was shopping at 淡水老街 then shopping at 士林夜市. The snacks and shopping at 士林 were great! The famous 鸡排stall had a very very long queue! Anyway, we checked-in at the Taoyuan Chuto hotel for the night.
.
.
6th day:9th Dec 2007
In the morning, we went to Gugong Museum then to a fengshui place where they talked about names, life, country, etc. We then went to Miramar Entertianment Center for lunch. After lunch, we went to vigor bakery for shopping/buying pastry. We then went to check-in to Gala hotel where there was a business room for us to discuss where to go. We then went to Mirammar Entertianment Center again and the surrounding area with Carrefour and Geant, both hypermarts to shop. We bought stationery, books, stickers and various items cheaper or cannot be found in Singapore. Lastly, we went back to Gala hotel to sleep.
.
.
7th day: 10th Dec 2007
After waking up, we checked in to Paradise Hotel, and walked to XiMen station to take the train to the Taipei Main Station. Lunch was chicken rice for me, noodles and others for Daddy, Mummy and Shirin. We then shopped in the surrounding malls and went to their Daiso stall. As 9 as the 12 of us felt tired, they went back to the hotel to rest awhile. Mummy, my uncle and I went to 五分埔 to shop. We took a train to Hou Shan Pi and shopped there. Sad to say, we only bought a cap and a long sleeved top for me. The clothes there are quite unsuitable for us as most are for winter. Hence, we went to the nearby Raohe night market to shop and snack. We bought a 胡椒饼 and it was freshly made.We also bought two bags at NT100 each so each bag cost around $5 (Even lesser!) and total it was less than $10. Worth-it buy! After that, we took a train back to Xi Men station and rested in Paradise Hotel before dinner. We left after resting for dinner at the Xi Men Ding area. It was our last dinner there. Haha. Well, bought another 2 bags, one for Shirin and the other for me. I chose it for her and she liked it! Haha. We then spent our last night in Taipei sleeping.
.
.
8th and last day: 11th Dec 2007
This was a fast day. Shirin and I woke up at 5.30am, and we went to seven eleven located next to our hotel to do some last minute shopping. [Did I mention that the seven elevens there are all so cool? They even have cafes in there!] At 6.15 am, we(the 12 of us) took a 20 seater bus to the airport. Breakfast was prepared by the hotel so that we could eat it on the bus. Upon reaching the Taoyuan airport, we found out that our flight had been delayed till 10.10am due to the foggy weather. Hence, we shopped around the airport, trying to finish our Taiwan currency. I bought a Swatch watch and Shirin bought two cute dancing toys of Chip and Dale. :D We practically shopped the whole place till we didn't want to shop anymore. Well, we boarded the plane CI-661 to Singapore and reached Singapore at around 2.45pm.
.
.
This trip to Taiwan has made me realise:
I love 芋圆 so much! Too bad Singapore doesn't sell it. :(
I am in love with Liu Ding too! (These are small oranges)
I bought too little gifts- Should have bought more!
I love love love the book stores there! They are MEGA BIG and sell lots of notebooks [my favourite!]
I miss Taiwan's weather.
I miss Taiwan's people.
I miss Taiwan's shopping.
I miss Taiwan's night markets.
I miss Taiwan's sceneries.
But most of all,
I miss Taiwan's serenity.
How great would it be.. if I could live in the not-so-stressful life in Taiwan.
This has been a very long post. Enjoy! :D
Cindi
