Friday, October 07, 2005

Taiwan (Part 3)

Hi, yesterday didn't post... Cos the blog dunno service down or what... Load damn long.. so i give up....

Hmmm... where have i stopped... Oh yeah... Last Day....

On day 3, at night the typhoon pass by Taiwan but Taipei is ok... Juz that the wind veri veri big... Can hear it howling from my hotel.....

In the morning, we wake up at 10am plus... Cos the curtain close... Den veri dark.... So we thought it is still early...

We look at the news, all domestic flights were cancelled and international flight either delayed or cancelled... So we were concerned if our flight got delayed..... We ask the hotel girl to call and checked for us... But the line cannot get through... Hmmm... staying for another night in Taipei sounds good.... :P

We didn't eat in the hotel, we ask the hotel guy whether there is a eatery near... Den he directed us down the street which sell "tou jian, yu tiao" their traditional breskfast... I like it veri much... cos i try b4 when i visited Taiwan like..... 10 years ago??? lol.....

So we walked down the street... The wind was veri big... It seem like someone is pushing you from behind.... We finally found the eatery... But, it is closed due to typhoon....

Almost all the shops were closed, den we saw a shop opening... selling noodles.... Therefore, we went in and ordered the "yang cui mian" and pig's intestine and dumplings..... The noodles was tasteless...... But overall ok lah....

Den we went back to the uncle, my uncle say he wan to go walk around since we still got time (flight 6pm) ... Initally, he wan to go to the Taipei 101 there to shop around... Buy something to eat on the plane since it is a 4hrs + flight...... But, the guy say Taipei 101 need to take abt 20mins there from taxi and we onli have 2-3hrs left.... Den, my uncle say wan to c the soldiers matching at the "Zhong Lei Zi"... We were unsure if there is in this weather.... But we try anyway... since it is not far....

The taxi driver is veri friendly.... He say that if he will take us there to take a look, if dun have, den he will take us somewhere.... It turned out, the gate is locked.... (there is a brunch of tourists standing in front of the gate taking photos) So, we went to "Xin Guang something" shopping centre.... Unfortunately, it didn't open too... The driver also felt weird that a departmental store never opened... And guess wat??? They have Takashimaya there too.... So we went there....

Alot of stores had masking tape their glass doors, to prevent the glass door from breaking when the wind is too strong... it is like a X pattern.....

The Takashimaya there quite small... unlike ours... I bought a jacket there for ard S$30... It is veri nice... I can wear it in the plane.. cos the aircon is quite cold there....

Next, we went to "Tian Mu", a town name... To the departmental store there..... The things they sold there is veri veri exp..... We eat at the food court... Order noodles... The soup is veri veri salty.... I ordered a bowl of yam and sago dessert.... The yam at "San Xiong Di" taste beta.....

After that, we went to look for a supermarket to buy some bread, drinks...... Den when we want to go off, i saw a mini mart and went in.... I saw the cup noodles!!! Got pork ribs one... So i grabbed 4 (2 for mi, 2 for my colleagues)... I also bought some magazines to read in the plane.... A fashion mag and a gossip mag (Yi Zhou Kan)....

We went back to the hotel and... Airport here we come....

Our flight was not delayed or cancelled... Cos the weather was beta now... So can continued.... We eat in the airport, i ordered chocolate smoothes and seafood bread soup.. The kind where by the bread covered the opening of the soup bowl.... Ok lah.. not veri good... The chocolate too dilute le.....

Finally!!! On board Jetstar.....

I am sooo tired that i fall asleep almost immediately.... I tink i slp for an hr plus... When i wake up, i tried to read my mag as i can't get to slp again.... But the plane was shaking awhile, so i cannot concentrate..... So i give up... Feeling a bit hungry so i dug into the bread and get my sandwich... When i look out of the window.... WOW!!!!! Stars... Lots of Stars!!!!! So many.... It covered the whole sky... And it looks so near..... I dun see such a scene in Singapore.......

Reach Singapore.... Going home to slp... Tired......

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Taiwan Trip Part 2

Actually i wanted to go to Rao He Night Market after my Wu Fen Pu... But there is no time (remember to go there next time i visit Taiwan).....

Day 3

My colleagues tell mi that the cup noodle in Taiwan is veri nice.... Cos they got meat in it.... Meat!!! real pieces of meat!!! So, i decided to try.... They recommended the brand "yi du zang"... Pork ribs one.... So on my second day night, we went to the 7-11 to buy.... But i didn't see the porks ribs one.... There are beef, pork and those fat meat.... So i choose the pork... We also buy papaya milk shake (in a carton) and yakult... The Yakult there cheaper den Singapore..... I tink there 1 packet (5 Yakult??) cost ard $1+ to $2??? While Singapore cost $2.70.... So my mum buy... She say put in the hotel... Can drink to help digestion......

Did i mention that the breakfast sucks there???? Oh well..... Therefore for day 3 breakfast, i decided to eat my cup noodle with papaya milk shake instead of eating the hotel breakfast..... The cup noodle isn't really that fantastic...... Maybe the pork ribs one is beta....

After breakfast, we proceed to Ji Long Miao Kou for our lunch.... We took a cab to Taipei Main Station, then from there, we took a train to Ji Long... It took abt 40mins.... When we reached there, we asked ppl for directions...... We walked abt 10 mins to Miao Kou... Ji Long Miao Kou is a food street... While we were walking there, i saw 4 eagles flying near the sea... (catching fish???)

Finally, we reached Miao Kou..... As we walked along the street, we saw stalls selling seafood, noodles, etc..... We bought a bbq cuttlefish and squid... The cuttlefish veri nice... Cos they got put some sweet sauce.... The squid so-so onli..... We decided to eat the "lu rou fan" with pig's legs, eggs, intestines and beancurd.... The rice with the sauce veri nice... Their rice diff from us.... Veri tasty.... Actually i wanted to tried their butter crab... But too bad it wasn't opened then.... We were eating half-way (almost finish) when it started to rain.... We grab our things and ran indoors.... The rain stopped after a few minutes.... But we didn't continue eating... We procced back to the train station for our next stop....

Niu Fen... We took a bus from Ji Long to Niu Fen... It took ard 45mins.... Niu Fen is up in the mountain.... So the bus went up and up.... We can see the mist.... I believe is because there is a typoon "Long Wang" coming.... It is say there the typoon will reached taiwan northern part den cross over to China that night.... So the weather is veri cooling and looks like it it going to rain anytime....

Niu Fen is also a street, with shop facing each other and all the way up den down.... The scenery is veri beautiful, breathtaking.... The wind is realli big.... And the mist, like i can touch them... I shopped around for things to buy for my colleagues... I finally settle down to some glass cute little pigs,monkey and owls figure..... I also bought a packet of plum jelly "mei zi dong" for them..... (Now regret there should have buy more) We also try their famous yam ball.... I dun really like it... They put the yam ball, green beans, red beans together and put some ice with soup.... The yam ball taste like our traditional "tang yuan"..... Inside nothing de.. that type our grandmother makes......

Next, we took the bus down to Rui Fang train station, ard 15mins.... den from Rui Fang train station to Taipei Main station... Den we took the mrt to Taipei City Hall.... To look at the Taipei 101... (Oh... did i tell u that my uncle join in on the day 3... He say he want to look at the Taipei 101 at night.. cos veri nice... (-_-)" ) So we proceed there and took some photos (will upload some pic when i collect my photos from the shop)...

After that, we took the mrt to Dan Shui.... The ppl there even queeue while waiting for the train to arrive (unlike singapore, the aunties keep on squeezing)..... But on day 2, a taiwanese step on my shoe from behind... den cost mi to almost fell down... She didn't even say sorry and walk away.... i was like #$#Q%#@^.....

In the mrt, we ask a lady for direction to fisherman's warfer from the mrt station..... The lady staying at Dan Shui, so she say will take us to the bus stop... My mum want to eat dinner first before going there... So we ask her at Dan Shui Lao Jie where got things to eat.... She recommended a seafood restaurant and according to her, their crab is veri famous and the price quite reasonable.... So, when we reached there, we proceed to find the place.... Which is veri near....

We ordered the famous crab, 2 types of clams and a fried fish.... The crab is veri veri nice.... I think the fried it first, den cook with eggs and some vegetables...... The other dishes so-so.....
The meal cost abt $60 in S$!!!!! I thought it will be cheaper there????

Den we walked ard but the shop is closing..... It is onli 9pm.....(maybe it is because of the typhoon... Cos Dan Shui is near to the sea...) I bought 1 packet of "tie dan", metal eggs???? lol.... I like it... It looks like "pi dan", black black one... And quite hard....

My mum decided not to go to the fisherman's warfer as it is quite late le and we need to take a bus there... troublesome juz to take some photos.... And the lady juz now asked us to go off early as the typhoon is coming and it also looks like raining.....

Actually we are already tired from all the walking... But i still want to go to Shi Lin Night Market... Since this is our last night there.... My uncle decided to return to the hotel first while my mum and i went to Shi Lin..... When we reached Shi Lin, it began to rain after awhile and all the small stalls closed.... Haiz..... Planning to buy some accessories, clothes or shoes... Cos still got money left...... But i onli manage to buy 1 top as my mum say she is veri tired le... wan to go back.... So i stopped to buy the Hao Da Da chicken (still cannot forget it) and to the San Xiong Di dessert stall to rest..... I ordered our favourite, yam, Lian Zi and beancurd......

As i walked pass a shoe stall, i stopped to take a look... Cos they are having sales at NT$100 for a pair.... I try 1 and looks not bad.... So i buy it... Onli left the display set but NT$100 onli.... Ok lah.... After that, my mum is grumbling... So we took a cab back to the hotel.....

(Continue tmr)

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Back From Taiwan~

Hey.... I'm back.... Actually Sunday night reached le... Den yesterday not feeling well.... Headach and fever... Tink cos of the weather... Singapore is really hot and humid.... In Taiwan although the sun is hot... But not humid.. so no sweat...

For the first day, we took Jetstar Asia, our flight was delayed for 3hrs!!!! From 12.40pm to 3.40pm....So we shopped ard Changi Airport....

Jetstar Asia seats are soooo squeezy..... The seat can onli go down by a bit...... 4hr plus flight.... Veri hard to sleep... den no entertainment like movie.... Veri boring.... The flight is not full... so some ppl go to the empty seats and lie down.... Three seats by one side... So they take up the handle and lie down....

I tried too.... But cannot... So i sleep sitting up.... Onli can sleep for 1hr.... When i wake up, i look around, eat some thing (Jetstar foods are soooo expensive.... 1 meal cost about $10 including drinks.... They even charge for mineral water at $2)... Luckily my uncle bring some bao to eat on board......

Finally.... We reached Taiwan!!!!!

My mum and mi went straight to the hotel, Imperial Hotel (it is near to Shi Lin night market :) ), to check in...... By then, it is already 10.30pm.... We decided to take a cab to Shi Lin for our dinner..... The cab fee is onli NT$100 (S$5.18).... Shi Lin is a shopping and food paradise!!!! We went into a shop which have some racks seeling clothes at NT$100!!!! I bought some clothes from there.... We saw some familar brand like Hang Ten, Bossini, Giodano, Samuel & Kevin, etc..... They are so exp there..... I tink onli Hang Ten is ok.... I saw the disney land t-shirt from Giodano, Singapore selling ard $16??? There selling for $20+.....

They also have some stall in the middle of the road.... When police come, they will pack up and run into the small alley... Veri funny.... Den when the police went away, they came back again.... But one thing veri irritating is that the motor bikes and bicycles... We need to look out for them....

The shoes there also not bad.... from NT$190 (S$9.84)... Mostly selling at NT$390 (S$20.20).... I tried the Hao Da Da Chicken..... Similar to the Shi Lin chicken in Singapore... Except theirs are much much more nicer..... Eat it while hot..... cos when it is cold, it becomes dry...Not so nice le... When it is hot, the chicken are veri juicy.... And veri veri big.... They give you one big piece... Never cut.... If i never remember wrongly, it cost abt NT$45 (S$2.33) cheaper den Singapore $3.....

Den i also try the San Siong Di, it is a dessert store.... I try the beancurd and black pearl... My mum try beancurd and lian zi.... Their beancurd is different from us... It taste a bit like almond... Veri tasty..... I saw Tian Bu La and try cos alot of ppl say that it is nice... But it is ok for mi.....

After shopping for awhile, we decided to go back to hotel.....

Second day, we wake up at 8am..... Went for breakfast at the hotel.... The breakfast sucks!!!!! There are scrambled eggs, sauages, fried noodles, dim sum, etc......

Next, we took the mrt to Xi Men Ding... From our hotel to the mrt, it took more den 20mins of walking!!!! The mrt is quite cheap.... From Minquan West Road to Xi Men Ding, NT$20 (S$1.03).... We reached ard 11.15pm... The shop are not fully open yet.... so nothing much to see.... And the things there are more expensive den Shi Lin.... So we decided to look for the famous Ah Zong Mian Xian....... When we are giving up, we finally saw it...... People are standing outside of the shop eating!! (there are not tables or chairs there) So, we bought a bowl and share.... It is not bad.... There are pig intestine inside.... nice.....

After that, we proceed to Taipei City Hall, where the Taipei 101 is..... Juz nice, there is a shopping centre opening.... So many people!! (muz be taking off to shop) It is something like Takashimaya.... Selling branded stuffs......(Not for mi) We walk ard and went to our next stop, Wu Fen Pu!!!! A wholesale place (and shopping paradise!!!)

It is onli 2 stop away from Taipei City Hall... When we reached, it is onli 1.30pm...(it opens at 1pm) We stopped at Hou Shan Pi which is the mrt station for Wu Fen Pu.......

Wu Fen Pu is veri big, you need to go inside the alley..... There is a rack outside most of the shop, the racks are selling mostly at NT$100 (S$5.18) so cheap!!!! (dunno whether it is because they are having season change sales??? from summer to autum) I also bought some clothes from there... You can also go inside the shop to have a look... It is more expensive... But still ok the price..... I onli look at the rack.. cos it is veri ma fan to go inside the store... But as you walk, you will notice the shops are selling similar stuff... Too bad my mum cannot walk for long..... So we stop for some dessert, again, i saw the San Siong Di dessert store, this time i try the cold yam soup... Wow.... The yam there taste different from Singapore... Veri Veri nice.....

After dessert, my mum say go le...... (the clothes there dun suit her...) Haiz... Goodbye Wu Fen Pu... I WILL BE BACK!!!

Next stop, again Taipei City Hall.... Cos my auntie ask my mum to buy some Ta Yang Bing for her... She even gave us the address... It is located at a shopping centre basement..... After buying the things... We went back to Xi Men Ding and have another round of Ah Zong Mian Xian... :)

The shop are fully open now.... So we walk around... Actually Xi Men Ding nothing much..... But i bought 1 sunglass... We bargain from NT$390 to $250...... Actually i tink can be cheaper one... But never mind lor....

For dinner, we went to Shi Lin to buy the Hao Da Da Chicken (can't forget it), fried oyster and smelly beancurd!! (actually not that smelly lah) back to the hotel and eat..... Cos my mum tired le....

The Hao Da Da chicken bring to hotel not nice le...... Cold le.... Haiz... But the fried oyster is nice... different from Singapore, they got put a kind of sauce.... veri nice....

End of Day Two..... Continue tmr.......