Ok I have some free time now (not going to sleep anytime soon) so I will blog more about my trip to Taiwan and Hong Kong. I'm not going to upload a lot of pictures here since its quite tedious, so I am going to upload them all on Facebook.
Taiwan (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=23714&id=729194159&ref=mf)Day 1:Arrived at Changi Airport at about 5 to 6 am to check-in our luggages. Though it was super early, I guess the thought of going Taiwan was enough to inject some more energy into us. And so I took my first flight since Primary 5.
We arrived at Hong Kong first and then took another flight straight away to Taiwan. Upon arrival at Taiwan's Airport, we were surprised to see that their supposedly "new" airport was like an airport of 15 years ago. We took a chartered bus by our travel agency to our hotel after that. We stayed in Royal Castle Hotel (成都大饭店) which was just beside 西门丁 and its MRT station. The people there are super considerate! Just like Singapore, they have the "Stand aside on escalator" thingy, just that they stand on the right side. The Taiwanese people obeyed the rule considerately (not that there are fines or what). Also, they don't block the train entrance + they queue up in a straight line outside the train and don't push about even if they would miss the train (unlike Singaporeans, who block the train door and squeeze into the train like sardines).
Another good thing about Taiwan, is that the temperature there is just like us switching on air-cons in Singapore! Natural air-con!
We made 士林夜市 as our first destination. Ate the 牛排 there plus a big piece of 鸡排! They are really huge and cheap! The stalls' competition there is really amazing. Rival stalls side by side selling the same things and the owners will try to literally drag you to their stalls as you walk past them. The smell of the 臭豆腐 there is uhm.. amazingly smelly as well. As I type now, I can still smell it somehow -.-
Next was shopping at the 夜市. The 夜市s in Taiwan are like the Pasah Malams in SG. Clothes and accessories are cheap and they sell food along the way as well. Sometimes you'll see arcade shops with lots of soft toys for you to grab using the machines. Not to forget the basketball machines.
Day 2:Day 2 was kinda bad day for us. We went to Yilan (宜阑) by train to see dolphins out at the sea and also the Turtle Island. The train (not MRT, but 台铁) is quite slow and it took us almost 2 hours to reach Toucheng (投城)! After which we still require a short cab journey to the harbour. Then the bad thing came. Upon boarding the ship, or boat, or whatever you call it, it shook so violently thoughout the entire journey that most of us got seasick and had to rest inside the cabin for the journey of about 3 hours. It took us around the Turtle Island. The worst thing is, there isn't any dolphins or whales in sight! We wasted the entire afternoon feeling sick and not being able to catch a glimpse of the dolphins.
That is not all to this "eventful day". We then took a ride offered by the super kind uncle (whom we bought fish floss from at the harbour) back to Toucheng train station and saw 2 cab drivers fighting in public. One man got punched so badly that he fell to the ground and left a pool of blood on the ground (I think he lost a few teeth or what). However, I noticed that the ambulance service in Taiwan is super efficient and in less than 3 minutes after the man fell on the ground, an ambulance came and sent him to hospital.
The only good thing that happened on Day 2 was the dinner. It was at 西门丁 in a Japanese restaurant. Buffet dinner! Ate lots of good food there and Haagen Daz ice cream was offered in the buffet menu as well. All for less than S$20 per person!
Day 3:
This wasn't a really good day as well. We took the MRT to Danshui (淡水) station to visit the 淡水老街 there. Its just a street with shops on both sides. It's like Bugis Street with motorbikes and cars travelling in between the narrow street. Imagine Bugis Street with bikes moving through it!
The lunch was free. We ate at this Japanese Restaurant (not a big one but it has a nice shop). First we saw the chef smoking in the kitchen, then a fly was trapped inside my rice (poor fly, lucky it moved, if not I'd have treated it for a black sesame and ate it). Last but not least, the highlight of the whole lunch (maybe the whole trip), was the cockroach inside the chawanmushi (yes, Ning ate a bit of it until she saw a leg and a bit of the head or back of the
cockroach sticking out of the chawanmushi). I rose my arm a bit and called for the waitress and then pointed the chawanmushi to her without saying anything. She said 对不起 and took the chawanmushi away to the kitchen. Shortly after, she came back and said that the 2 meals we ate will be on the house and that they will definitely improve in the future (like I'd care to come back again). Anyway the photo of this shop is posted in my Facebook album too.
For dinner, we took a ferry to the 渔人码头 for the seafood there (supposedly). We took some photos at the Lovers Bridge as well. The dinner was at a kinda cosy restaurant beside the sea with a 猛男 singing and playing the saxophone and keyboard, wearing sleeveless shirt in the strong cold wind. The waiters there were super friendly as well, and their service charge was well earned, unlike SG's service in restaurants. One waiter even had a nice short chat with us about Singapore and Taiwan in general.
Day 4:We went to Wu Fen Pu (五纷埔) for the shopping. Again its like Bugis Street, this time narrower but still with motorcycles passing through. Bought some clothes there. After eating the so-so beef noodle at Raohe Night Market (绕河夜市), we went back to 西门丁 and I bought a bag there for about S$32.
Day 5:This is rock-seeing day at Yeliu (野柳). Took a bus there which took us 1+ hours to reach. NTD50 to go into the area to see the rocks and I guess its worth it. Since Singapore doesn't have any natural scenery to look at. Ate at a little restaurant and its the only day we ate so many vegetables in Taiwan. In the evening we went back to 士林 to do our last minute shopping as we will be going to Hongkong the next day.
Hong Kong (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=23716&id=729194159&ref=mf)
Day 6:
We woke up at about 5am again as our plane is scheduled at 8am. By that time we were already really tired out. Hong Kong is quite different from Taiwan in terms of the people. Apart from the language, Hong Kongers are less friendly than the Taiwanese. We tried the wanton noodles as our first meal in HK. Quite disappointed, maybe only because we ordered dry noodles, because we saw other people ordering wet noodles. The auntie in the shop is also blur. If you go to their tea restaurants, remember to look closely how they collect the money (the aunties always forget what they sweep into their cashier and then say that you never pay). That was what happened to us but we didn't pay extra coz we just walked away after some 5 minutes of arguing with the auntie.
Did some shopping at Temple Street and Mongkok later in the day. Same as Pasar Malam again -.-
The mango deserts at 许留山 is super tasty!! Must try!
Know cantonese first before going to Hong Kong next time!!
Day 7:
Went to Esprit Factory Outlet, the clothes there are quite cheap I'd say. Had some deserts at the Sweet Dynasty. Again mango was the main attraction there. I picked some random red bean and chin chou jelly dish. Was ok, but I think the mango was good.
Day 8:
On this day we went to the Peak and to the Madame Tusaads up there with the waxed figures of famous people. Took lots of photos there. From superstars, to politicians and to sportsmen. Even our LKY is there! The night view on the mountain was nice, less the heavy mist with the drizzling.
Then its return to Singapore already. Quite a long post, but I'll edit it with more details later if got time. Needa go off now. Bye!
busy
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