Taiwan Trip (14 -20 Nov 09)

Day before the holiday.
Came back from BKK business trip with lots of shopping – clothes and shoes. Unpack the large luggage and then pack the small one ready for the Taiwan holiday.

Day 1
Reached the airport in the afternoon. Tried Popeye chicken for the first time. Not too bad but I still prefer KFC. 4+ hours of flight on Jetstar. Should have tried to smuggle some water on board coz a small 300ml bottle of water cost $3.

Finally reach Taipei. Weather was quite cold at around 20 deg. Took an airport shuttle to the Lilai hotel. Cheap and good location but I must say it really sucks. The place is really old and being quite a cleanliness freak, I am glad I am only staying for a night. Was about 10pm when we settled down and went out to get some dinner as well as to get the HSR tickets to Taichung for the next day.

Found a supposedly award winning beef noodles shop near the Taipei Main Station which cost NT$260 but only tasted so so.

Day 2
Got up early in the morning, took breakfast served by the hotel and off we are to the Taipei Main Station to catch the HSR at 9+am. Took about 1 hr to get to Taichung and then we took a Nantou bus to Puli outside the station. From Puli, we had to transfer another bus to Cingjing Farm. We actually had to wait for 1.5hrs for the bus to Cingjing. Puli is a small town. Tried to get some food while waiting and I saw a familiar name, Yong He Da Wang but there was no food left. The shop owner recommended us to try the handroll at the stall nearby. It’s seaweed with rice, pork floss, corn and mayo. Tasted quite yummy and cheap.

Finally got to the destination at about 3+pm. But the bus didn’t stop at the minsu. We had to walk for about 5 mins to get there after alighting. The minsu is really nice with a cottage like feel. Took many photos and had afternoon tea provided by the minsu.

Wanted to walk to the Green green grassland but the minsu lady told us the grassland close at 4.30pm and we are too late to get there. And it was quite a distance away and we had to go uphill if we walk. So we walked to the town center instead. But we realized that it wasn’t friendly for pedestrians. There was no pavement walkway and we had to walk on the road beside the cars. And we also realized that there are no street lamps so we had to get back before dusk.

It was cold at night but we braved the cold for 5-10 mins of star gazing at the garden outside.

Day 3
Visited the Green green grassland. The minsu provided a one-way transport for us uphill. It was a very hot and sunny day. Did lots of walking today. Tried some local food – Yunnan delights (feels like we are in china in fact but I think they say one of the first immigrants are from Yunnan and that explains the Yunnan cuisine. But we both had tummy ache after that. So we suspect the food wasn’t clean.

Day 4
Back to Taichung by arranging the transport with the minsu at NT$300 per pax. Decided that it is more time-saving this way and hassle free.

Checked into City Inn near the Taipei Main Station. The hotel is new which is a far contrast from Lilai but very small. Took the MRT to Danshui when was raining heavily. Decided to wait for the rain to stop but it didn’t after 1 hour. Decided not to wait and went back. Visited Shi Da Night Market (at Taipower Buidling MRT station) but was still raining and I think many stalls weren’t open.

Day 5
Took the railway train to Ruifang then transfer to the Kee Lung Bus to Jiufen. Continued to rain today. Was really troublesome as we had to carry umbrella to walk around. Tried the Yu Yuan which I didn’t quite like and also “Ru rou fan” with fish balls which tasted not bad.

Return from Jiufen by taking the Kee Lung bus to the Zhong Xiao Fuxing MRT. Found our way to the Hello Kitty Sweets Café. Quite nice with hello kitty decorations and the food taste not bad although it was quite ex. Walked around Dong Qu (stretch from Zhong Xiao Fuxing to Zhong Xiao Dun Hua MRT).

Continued to Wu fen pu by MRT. Didn’t get any clothes except for a pair of shorts. Really very disciplined this time J. Visited the Raohe Night Market but most of the stalls are not opened as it was raining. Had “Ru rou fan” at “Hu Xu Zhang” on the way back.

Went to Ximending for a walk as the night is still young. Tried the mango snow ice at the “San Xiong Mei” which is a big bowl with lots of mangoes.

Day 6
Took the MRT to Xindian station and then transfer 1601 XIndian bus to Wulai. Stop at the Wulai bus terminal and walked around the Wu Lai Old streets. Then took the Lover’s Trail uphill to the Wulai waterfall. Nice scenery on the way. Took a tram downhill for a different experience. Then took a nice hot spring bath in the cold weather.

Went to Danshui after we didn’t managed to walk around the other day. It was still drizzling. Took a ferry to the Fisherman’s wharf but didn’t managed to catch the sunset coz it was already dark when we got there (it was only 5+pm) and moreover it was too cloudy.

Took mrt to Shilin Night market next and tried their “Qing Wa Xia Dan”, “Hao Zai Jian” (I still prefer the one we have in Singapore coz it’s crispy compared to theirs which is soft and starchy and with sauce added), “Hao Da Da Ji Pai” and “Da Bing Bao Xiao Bing”.

Day 7
Finally time to go back home. Continued to rain today but we stayed indoors and did last minute shopping at the underground malls near the Taipei Main Station. Got a cheap pair of boots. The shoes are also very cheap but after having bought 6 pairs of shoes, I didn’t look at any in case I get tempted. Took the airport shuttle from the Guo Guang Bus Station to the airport ready to head home.

End of the 7D6N Taiwan holiday and one of the trip which I did the least shopping :)