Showing posts with label Taiwan 2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taiwan 2013. Show all posts

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Taiwan Trip Day 7 (Last Day) - Taipei 台北 > SOGO (太平洋SoGo -忠孝復興) > Taipei RailwayStation (台北火車站) - Taoyuan Airport (台灣桃園國際機場)

Day 7 










Taiwan (2013)

City Inn Branch 3 (新驛旅店台北車站三館) >
SOGO (太平洋SoGo -忠孝復興) >
Taipei RailwayStation (台北火車站) -
 Taoyuan Airport (台灣桃園國際機場) 

Last day at Taiwan, but that didn't stopped us from going out for more shopping. 
A quick breakfast, we proceed to checkout and had our luggage stored at City Inn while we go for shopping.

Travelled via the metro line again, we went to SOGO Zhong Xiao East Road (太平洋SoGo) which is within walkable distance from Zhongxiao Fuxing Station (忠孝復興站).

First of all, we went for a cup of coffee and tea @ Starbucks. Their tea varieties are all very appealing to me. In the end I had red tea latte.

Starbucks near Zhong Xiao East Road

After our short rest @ Starbuck, it was time for the shopping centre. A bit of time wasted as we lost our direction but we were guided to the correct building with the directions given by a security guard.

In the shopping mall, we were too surprised by the crowd that we only stayed for 1 min before head for the exit without much shopping. Instead, it was in Watson that I found some good deals and promotion for NARUKO products such as toner set and masks. 

I was also surprised with the service compared to Singapore's Watson, They have staffs who provided advice and current promotion for the products that I am looking at rather than pushing me for another product. Really prefer this kind of service!

With big bags in hand and time flies again, we proceed for lunch at a Japanese restaurant. 

Once done with lunch, we went back to Taipei main station and do a quick last minute shopping for gifts and snacks.

With our check in time @ 5pm, we left for airport at 4pm from City Inn Branch 3 where our driver, Mr Zhou picked us up. 

Lastly... 

It's a wonderful trip with wonderful encounters.

AND...

We will be back to Taiwan in another 2 weeks time! 
More post to come soon for our Taiwan 2014 trip!


Taiwan Trip (2014) Day 1  << || >>   Read Day 6
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Friday, September 26, 2014

Taiwan Trip Day 6 - Taipei 台北 - Dong Guan Danshui (淡水) - Shilin (士林夜市)











Day 6

City Inn Branch 3 (新驛旅店台北車站三館) >
Breakfast @ Taipei nearby >
Gongguan (公館)>

Started the day with hunting for breakfast. After finding my fan tuan for breakfast the day before, we went to look for more possible eating location. Quite glad that breakfast is not catered by the hotel, so we can have the opportunity to look for food elsewhere.

Anyway, just around a 15 mins walk round the corner, we found this shop that has a lot of sandwiches and puff pastry. 


Although only 2 person (assuming it should be daughter and mom), the wait is quite short. 
Third day in Taipei and I am feeling like I am at home already. No language barrier and easy to travel around makes me feel so comfortable and blend in with the people in Taipei.
- . + - . + - . + - . + - . + - . + 

After breakfast, time to go... Shopping!
At the suggestion of our Taiwan friend, we went to Gongguan (公館) in the day. Amazing find!
It was filled with a lot of sports shop. Reminds me of our Queensway Shopping Centre (but an entire street of it, not just a building). 

We all at least bought a pair of shoes and Porter! Well, there are also retail outlets at Xinyi District but somehow I feel for variety wise, this store carries more varieties (or maybe because it's less traffic, we were more comfortable in staying and shopping in this store)

.....

Time flies and we were (at least I were) looking for food.

.......

Been trying to try the authentic taiwan version of Tian bu la (甜不辣) but I think I don't really like the sauce afterall. After eating the Pai Gu Geng (排骨羹), I immediately regret never trying it when I saw it in night market. It's nice!! 

So after food, it was more food and shopping!
By the time we finished shopping at Gongguan, it was already 3pm+. Hurriedly, we took the metro line to our next destination, Danshui (淡水).

By the time we arrived at the station, we saw many people walking towards the station. And that's when I realized we missed the sunset time! Although we reach around 5pm, it was already too late. SIGH.. :( 
So giving Fisherman Wharf (漁人碼頭) a miss, we walked toward the Danshui Old Street (淡水老街)

Immediately, our stomach engine is turned on!!

Salt and Pepper Fried Mushroom - 
Hot and Crispy and SHOULDN'T be SHARED! Cos you will want MORE!!!

Hong Zao (紅糟素肉圓)
New thing to me and taste a bit like zhu chang fen + soon kueh

Mochi (Peanut, Red Bean) 
麻吉奶奶鮮奶麻糬 - MUST TRY!!

After our endless eating, we didn't want to end our last night in Taiwan so quickly, we headed for Shilin Night Market once again via Metro Line.

Back at Shilin again, it was food AGAIN! haha. We really had bottomless pit in our stomach because we were eating and eating. And because eating was more important, I only remember to take the photo of the popular "Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang (大腸包小腸)
Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang (大腸包小腸)

By 10pm, we headed back to hotel, exhausted and emo cause it's almost the end of our Taiwan trip!

Cont to Day 7 <<  ||  >>   Read Day 5 Part 2
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Monday, September 1, 2014

Taiwan Trip Day 5 - Part 2 Taipei 台北 - Jiufen (九份) - Shilin (士林夜市)











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Day 5

Jiufen Old Street  (九份老街) > 
Shilin Night Market  (士林夜市) >
City Inn Branch 3

Getting late, we arrived at Jiufen. The rain came and it just keep getting heavier! 
Our trip to Jiufen was a short one due to the rain. From the top, we hurriedly walk down the street.

At the top of Jiufen Old Street (九份老街)


A view from Jiu Fen

See the heavy rain!

Unable to stay longer due to the rain, we proceed to Shilin night market (士林夜市), our last stop with our driver). We were glad that we chose to go with a driver for our day tour. With the rain and little information of how to get around, it would be more tiring travelling and achieving all these places in a day.

Reaching Shilin night market (士林夜市), my only objective was eat and eat and eat!

Egg Omelette (Something new for me), Fried Squid, Fried Rice Dumpling, Ginger Duck Soup (姜母鸭) etc etc

Ginger Duck Soup (姜母鸭)

And after my non-stop eating spree, we took cab back to our hotel and call it a day.
It seemed pretty easy to get a cab in Taipei. Just that we have to be more detail in giving them the destination location (and nearby street names) for easy reference.

Cont to Day 6 <<  ||  >>   Read Day 5 Part 1


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Saturday, August 30, 2014

Taiwan Trip Day 5 - 1 Taipei 台北 - Yehliu Geopark (野柳地質公園) - Shifen Street & Sky Lantern (十分老街 & 放天燈)










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Day 5

City Inn Branch 3 (新驛旅店台北車站三館) >
Yeliu (野柳) >
Shifen's Waterfall (十分大瀑布)>
Shifen's Sky Lantern (十分放天燈)

After a shopping day, Day 5 is the exploration day.
Before anything, time for breakfast! 
Had the Sticky Rice Roll  (飯糰) + Soya Bean Drink (豆漿) breakfast (found out that the stall was just just nearby the cityinn hotel branch 3 street the day before)

Sticky Rice Roll  (飯糰) + Soya Bean Drink (豆漿) - LIKE!!

After breakfast, we spotted a cab driver with a list of tour places that we can select. Friendly person.
After telling him our itinerary, we proceed as plan in his cab.

Mr Zhou tel: 0928-518807

The ride to Yeh Liu was quite a distance from our starting point. Pretty amazed at the crowd there!


Yeliu (野柳) 


The Queen's Head (野柳女王頭)

The market @ Yeh Liu

Fried Oyster Omelette (蚵仔煎). 

The Fried Oyster Omelette was more starchy compared to Singapore version. I still prefer Singapore version

Braised meat rice (滷肉飯)


The way to Shifen's waterfall

The bridge to Shifen's waterfall

Given a 10/20 mins for touring around, we didn't manage to get to the waterfall. After crossing the bridge, we walked some distance and head back to the taxi to make our way for Sky Lantern

The railway where everyone flew their sky lantern

Up up and away!


Cont to Day 5 Part 2  <<  ||  >>   Read Day 4 







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Monday, August 11, 2014

Taiwan Trip Day 4 - Taipei 台北 Shopping Day












Our first day in Taipei is shopping day!

Day 4 
Taipei Main Station (台北車站) >
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Train Station (國父紀念館站) >
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國立國父紀念館>)
Taipei 101 (台北101)> 
Eslite Bookstore (誠品書店 - 信義) >
Shinkong Mitsukoshi (新光三越 - 信義) >
Taipei Main Station (台北車站) >
Ximending (西門町) >
City Inn Branch 3 (新驛旅店台北車站三館)

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Start of the day
Breakfast is not included in our hotel package, hence we went around to hunt for breakfast.
Seemed like shopping mall has lesser option or maybe we didn't explore further.
We went for the shophouses stall instead. (I was looking forward for fan tuan (飯糰) + soya bean drink but can't find)

Here's what we had for breakfast:


And it was shopping time after breakfast (with a short break). We headed straight to Taipei Main Station. Taipei Main Station  is actually Taipei Station (台北車站), and also called as Taipei Railway Station (台北火車站). We didn't know but it wasn't a bit problem. Anyway, so we walked (10-15 mins) to the train station. Taking the train is a breeze. What we didn't realize was we could have opted for the card which would have been cheaper since we had a bit of travelling via the Metro trains. Anyway, we used the RFID token instead.


Our first location was to Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國立國父紀念館) which is a walking distance from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Station (國父紀念館站). Just follow the sign and you will reach Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國立國父紀念館) . 
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國父紀念館)

It started drizzling a bit when we reach Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國立國父紀念館) . We were in time for the formal changing of the guards (sorry no videos taken as it was too crowded)

From the memorial hall, you will be able to see Taipei 101 (台北101). That day the clouds gathered around Taipei 101 (台北101) so half of it was covered.

We spend some time in the various shopping malls and bookstores, stopping by for some food and drinks all by foot.

Saw this along the way.

Found this oustide shin kong mitsukoshi (新光三越)

Food for lunch 



Cold Stone Creamery for Dessert

We went back to our hotel for a short break (and also refresh ourselves) before heading out again. 

We walked to ximending (西門町) from our hotel and the walk is tedious (for me). When we got there, I was already hungry and worn out. We had the Chicken Cutlet and continued walking around thinking of snacking for dinner. But after shopping a while, it was too much for the feet so we headed for a Japanese restaurant since we can't decide what to have.

(No picture for my dinner since as the photo was quite blur) After dinner, we continued exploring and found Rose Records. I finally found Joe Hisaishi's CD. At the end of our shopping, we hopped on a cab back straight back to hotel for a good rest for tomorrow long day.
Cont to Day 5 Part 1  <<  ||  >>   Read Day 3 Part 2
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Thursday, August 7, 2014

Taiwan Trip Day 3 - Part 2 Chiayi 嘉義 -> Taipei 台北











Finally after hours of rides, we reached Chiayi Station - HSR (嘉義站-台灣 高鐵). First time was to get our tickets before we hang around for some air.

Spending an hour plus to reach Taipei HSR Station. By the time we reached, it was already 6/7pm+.

The grey route is the way from Taipei Main Station to CityInn Hotel Branch III (新驛旅店台北車站三館)

We had some difficulty trying to find CityInn Hotel Branch III (新驛旅店台北車站三館). Although we manage to walk to Chang'an Street, but it was still not easy since it was dark (and raining) by the time we reach. It can be pretty exhausting when we are dragging our luggage around. Ended up at at this egg tart bakery and tried to get direction but I forgot to check the chinese name of the hotel! But despite that, the lady pointed us to the correct direction after trying a bit of assumption. Really had to give credit to her because she was doing her staff in the bakery when we asked for her help. Not only did she didn't show any signs of frustration, she was very eager to help! Although I don't know your name, but thank you!

With the raining coming in, we hurriedly proceed to the hotel. 

View of our hotel room

Toliet is so clean!!!
 


Can't wait to recharge our phone

I am very impress with the cleanliness of the hotel. Although there weren't any bathtub, I am more excited that it is clean and neat and the glass door helped to partition out water from the shower area.

After a short rest, we went out to explore what's nearby. Just across the streets are KFC and further down there is 7-11 and 50嵐 (bubble tea). I only drank once and it's been so long. So I can't remember the taste.

And further down, there is a stall selling a variety of Gyoza. Must TRY! Nice... (Sorry no photo cause too busy eating!)

After Gyoza for dinner, we went back to 7-11 (it's the umpteenth time to 7-11 if we include the 7-11 visits since Day 1. In Alishan, we keep visiting 7-11 for snacks, dinners and everything else)

After this, it's back to hotel and rest for tomorrow.

Cont to Day 4  <<     ||    >>  Read Day 3 Part 1
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