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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Monday, August 4, 2014

Taiwan Trip Day 3 - Part 1 Alishan 阿里山 -> Fenchihu 奮起湖 -> Chiayi 嘉義











3rd day and last day in Alishan, I woke up at 7+am hoping for a clear sky for a nice sunrise or at least a nice sunshine and I got this in!

Beautiful rainbow that greeted me in the early morning

Grabbed my camera and start taking photos. With this, I woke up completely. Wash up.. check..pack.. trying to minimize the stuffs we need to pack into our luggage since we gonna check out in a few hours time. We headed back to the Alishan national forest recreational park (阿里山森林遊樂區) once again.

It is AMAZINGLY quiet when we reach at 8.30am/9am. Birds chirpings... nature sound... although it was quickly takeover by footsteps in a few minutes time.





After taking a few more shots that we wanted, we took a detour and walked out of the forest where the trail lead us to the somewhere near to railway station.




And it was time to go back to the hotel...
Pretty flowers and leaves on the way to the hotel.




And back in hotel... 

relax... 

wait... 

checkout... 

Back to the main tourist area, we waited for our driver.

Alishan hotel information board

 Alishan map information board
Goodbye to Alishan... 

On the way to Chiayi HSR via our pre-arranged transport, we stopped at Fenchihu (奮起湖). 

Fenchihu Train Station




Had the famous Railway Bento (铁路便当)!


Railyway Bento 

The railway bento consists of 10 dishes @ NTD $100 per serving. Very NICE!

After eating, we walked around for a short while...


Cont to Day 3 Part 2  ||     ||    Read Day 2

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