Thursday, April 30, 2009

23rd Birthday

My birthday celebration started on the 23rd where i went Pariss with my family for buffet dinner. The price is still expensive but the variety of food went down so does the standard of the food. The food are all so salty.
On my birthday itself, I went to D's place for lunch, he cooked lunch for me (^.^). And its union at night. haha. Had my bday dance. It was fun, though I sux. hahaha, but who cares, its my birthday.
The next day, I met C to go to KTV. She bought me a Oreo Cheese cake (^.^)\/ I haven cut a cake for a long time. Hmm...maybe not that long since I cut it during my 21st bday. Haven been to KTV for a long time, due to salsa and lost of KTV kaki. *sadz* The 2 of us managed (barely) to finish the Oreo Cheese cake, I was so amazed and bloated when we finished it. No wonder I am getting fat.

After KTV, I head down to Cityhall to meet RS, she bought me a blue color shawl and a top =) which I have not wear yet. I shall wear it the next time I am going to meet her..which is dunno when. hahaha. We went to Thai Express for dinner and I ordered the mini tomyam steamboat. It is quite value for money, but you have to cook it yourself. The only problem I have with the steamboat is the squid. Totally unfresh..eeew..Other than that it was not bad..Thai Express std.
Other than the steamboat which I had by myself, we ordered 2 side dishes to share. Nothing fantastic. I was so full when we left the place with the Oreo Cheese cake digesting in the system still.
Though nothing really special went on but I am still glad and appreciate that ppl make time to celebrate my bday with me (^.^)

Friday, April 3, 2009

Super Late Taiwan Trip Posting

I finally went for my Taiwan trip

Day 1: Singapore to Taipei
Nothing much on the first day, just flying from Singapore to Taoyuan airport and the flight was delayed for 45mins. After we reached and collected our baggage, we went to search for Freego bus that will bring us to our hotel, Future Star, in Xi Men Ding, and the funny thing is when we gotten our tickets, the staff did not collect money from us. Initially we thought we are to pay on the bus, but until we alighted, we still have not paid, so it means…we got a free ride. Haha.

After checking in and all, we went in search of our dinner, 天外天火锅!! We gotten a 鸳鸯锅, which consist of clear soup and 麻辣汤, and it is not spicy at all. Overall it’s good food are fresh (except the crabs), free flow of drinks. It cost about NT900+ for 2 pax and they gave a NT100 voucher for next visit.


(Their Signboard)


(The different type soup base)


(Drink all you want!!)


(Table filled with food!!)

Day 2: Leofoo Village and Shida Night Market.
Took MRT to our breakfast dstination Yong He Dou Jiang(永和豆浆) for breakfast. It was good but not as exaggerating as people made it up to be.



(Their train route)



Then off we go to our next destination Leofoo Village. The bus to Leofoo Village is painted with Doraemon, very easy to spot. What is difficult to spot is the bus stop. And it's Patapon time during the journey. Leofoo is a big amusement park with a few thrill rides, but it was not as fantastic as what the review said it is, but still enjoyed the thrill ride, and had my first ever Merry Go Round ride (^.^).


(Some of the parks in Leofoo)


Leaving Leofoo, we took the same Doraemon bus back to Taipei. Initially, we wants to alight at Gong Guan stop, but both of us blur blur alighted at a stop earlier. Since it is one stop we thought of walking to our destination. The walk took us nearly 2hours. Hahaha. I can still feel my feet aching just thinking about it. Nothing much to see at the Shida NM, too crowded.

Day 3: Heading to Alishan
Time to head to the next destination - Alishan
Took the HRS to Jiayi, the HRS is actually very comfortable. Once again we are watching movie during the journey. Reaching Jiayi, we have to take a shuttle bus to the train station and have to walk to the other end of train station to take the train towards Alishan.


(Alishan Railway Train Station)

It is a long scenic train ride towards Alishan, though most of the journey i was playing Patapon. In the middle of the ride, we have to get off the train and walk a short journey in the mountain trail to the other station due to closure of tracks. When the train is reaching Alishan, it will reverse and go forward in order to change tracks. It was a new experience, train reversing =)
Reaching Alishan, the hotel will send ppl to pick us up. We stayed
at 青山别馆, the room is quite small, and the bed occupies most of the space in the room.

We had 烧酒鸡 for dinner. I did not let the food boil enough and started trying the soup, and there is so much alcohol in it that has not evaporate yet. Dessert is ice cream from 7-11, due to my sudden craving for ice cream, and Supper is milk muah chee!!

Day 4: The Sun rise tour + Kaohsiung
Woke up 3+ in the morning, for the sunrise tour. Boarded the bus and went on the star tour. It was sooooo cold and I did not have anything thick enough. Was shivering most of the time. There is a guy explaining the different stars we are looking at. Due to some clouds, we were not able to see the milky way, after looking at the most number of stars I have ever seen in my life, we head to see the sun rise. We watch the sunrise at 玉山
from what the guide told us, it is the best spot in Alishan to watch sunrise as it is the highest point, and will be able to catch the first glimpse. After some waiting, I am able to watch my first ever sunrise. It is so remarkable

.


After the sun rise tour, we went to walk around the Alishan park. When I thought I am not able to see any Cherry Blossom, as all the Cherry Blossom trees we passed by are all becoming botak, we reached a spot which is full of Cherry Blossom. I was sooo excited, and again my first time seeing Cherry Blossom. Due to time constrain, we did not go too far into the park.
We took the express bus from Alishan to Jiayi and then the train to Kaohsiung.
After checking into the hotel, and did some freshen up and lazing around, we head out to 爱河.
Took the cruise along Aihe, it was quite boring. Hahaha, not as exciting or nice as what others said. After alighting from the boat, we head to 汉神 for dinner. It was not planned so we were walking with the map in hand looking for direction. Had Okonomiyaki as dinner, it is somewhat different from Singapore's Okonomiyaki, and tasted better. Next we head to Liuhe NM. Once again, food hunt!! Ate my 臭豆腐 finally, and we bought quite alot of food back to hotel for supper. We tried to walk back to hotel by taking another stop further on the MRT as it seems nearer on the map. But we were fooled, as alot of roads are closed, so we ended up walking a big round back to the hotel.

Day 5: Kaohsiung, Qijing
Slept till quite late that day, and head to 旗津. Once again, we are in for a long long walk. We managed to get to the canon tower and the light house before it closes, phew!! Nothing really interesting there, just that we are able to see Qijing from high up.


(The Canon tower)

Next we head to the Windmill park which i wanted to go. More walking. Until I can't walk anymore, we took a bus to our destination.


(The windmill park at sunset)

At the park, alot of ppl are flying kites. D bought me a kite to try as I was looking very excited when ppl are flying kite. And for the first time, I managed to get my kite up to the sky (^.^)\/ of course..after some coaching from D. And we managed to watch the sunset there, it was so beautiful. After watching the sunset is Dinner!! We went to a seafood restaurant for seafood dinner. The seafood there are so cheap and fresh. Yummy yummy.


(Just managed to took the pic of the crab, we swept the rest of the food when it came..hehe)

After dinner is back to Kaohsiung. Went to 城市光廊, nothing much there, so disappointed. And we went to Liuhe NM again, as D was thinking about the sashimi we bought the night before, so..more food. hahaha

Day 6: Kenting
We took the transport that the kenting hotel sent. And I slept most of my way there. (^(00)^)
Reaching the hotel, as we are still not able to check in, we leave our baggage there and went out for lunch. We had Thai food for lunch. The tomyam tasted more sweet than spicy and sour though, but the rest of the food was great. After heading back to the hotel and checked in, we once again laze around for awhile, watching TV. We stayed at 戀海126. It is the best hotel we have stayed in the whole journey. The room is big, bed is soft with a very nice view.


View of the hotel

After resting for awhile, we went to rent a motorised bicycle as the lady owner of the hotel suggested and off we go to 鵝鸞鼻. The place is quite far from the main of Kenting actually. Took us nearly half an hour to reach. The place is simply beautiful. It is a light house natural park beside the sea. We were managed to get to quite a height and look down at the sea.


And once again, Sunset!!

After sunsets, we headed out. I tried riding the motor bicycle around the carpark. It was quite disastrous. Hahaha. I was riding S course on a straight road, but it was fun. After going back to hotel and freshen up, we head out to the main street of Kenting to hunt for food. We bought alot of 小吃 from the street back to the hotel and eat comfortably. Kenting is definitely a place I would want to go again.

Day 7: Back to Taipei
After strolling down the beach in the morning, we head back to Taipei. Initially planned to do some shopping at 天母 where ppl are saying there are alot of clothings on warehouse price. But there isn't alot stores open when we were there. Had our dinner there, walk around abit and went back to 士林夜市. Shopping began. Bought some clothes and bags there. After some shopping, its food hunting time again. Once again we bought supper back to hotel.

Day 8: Wu Fen Pu
Initial plan is to go to the Zoo and 猫空 in the morning, but unfortunately, it was raining and 猫空缆车 broke down, so we cancelled the plan and continue to sleep. Went to KFC for branch, had their cheese pork cutlet burger, something Singapore don't serve. It is good. Next 深坑豆腐街, nothing much there. Just a street selling almost the same thing. Had the recommended toufu ice cream, it tasted like soya ice cream. But still worth a try.
After that is 五分铺, Shopping Spree. The clothes there are so cheap!! So I started buying alot of clothes. After buying clothes there, you will find shopping in Singapore is so expensive. After the shopping spree, we head back to hotel to put down my 'trophies' we went to 天外天 again for dinner, intending to use the voucher we got on the first day. After dinner, we went to walk around 西门町,shop abit, where i bought my thicker jacket, as I was freezing due to the heretic weather. then later we split up, D went to hotel and rest when I went to trim my hair. I am so proud of myself when I managed to get back to the hotel without getting lost(but i did a wrong turn initially). hahaha. We stayed in the hotel and watched TV and then we went to KTV!! I was being checked for age as below 18 are not able to go to the KTV after 12mn. The sound system is so good that Singapore can't compare. The room is big with toilet in them. The price is about the same as Singapore's weekend KTV price though. But it is definitely worth going for KTV lovers.




Day 9: Jiu Fen + Keelung
The plan of the day was initially to go 九份 -> 平溪 -> 基隆. Ended up we only went Jiufen and Keelung, as we woke up late again. I had my 粉圆 so happy!! Next we head to Keelung, which took us some trouble to get there. We took a bus from Jiufen to 瑞芳train station and from there we took the train to Keelung. There are alot of food store there. But mostly selling the same thing. So we tried some food. The 蟹肉羹 is very nice. The only food that I would want to eat again there.

Day 10: Hotspring!!
Once again, we missed our morning itinerary, 陽明山. Hey, it's rest and relax, so should relax more and instead of forcing yourself to wake up and rush itinerary.
Went to 新北头 for hotspring. There is a kiosk at the train station for a certain hotspring and spa, so we decide to save the trouble of looking for one and just book there. It cost I think $1600 for a private hotspring room for 2 inclusive of 2 high tea set.
The hotspring room is quite cool, it consist of a shower + suana and a toilet itself.
The best is still their english style high tea. We ordered an English style and an Italian style. Italian style is the typical pasta and English style is sandwich, desserts and fruits. The next

time I go Taiwan I will definitely stay in a hotspring hotel.


The English Style tea.


After soaking hotspring and tea, we head to 渔人码头, strolling down the street, hearing the waves enjoying the wind and sunset (again). The third I watch in the trip, but everytime the feeling is like the first, and all are wonderful.


The sunset


Next we went to Miramar shopping center and have my ferris wheel (^.^). My first ferris wheel ride.


Scenery from the ferris wheel


After the ride, we went for movie. Watched Watchmen IMAX there. A super big screen. Dinner is popcorn and fried chicken from the cinema.
After movie, we went on our bus ride adventure back to 劍潭station. We took a wrong bus and had to change to another bus. We went to Shilin NM to grab supper and back to hotel we go...

Day 11: Last Day
Did not do much that day, just went for last minute shopping. Bought some jeans and clothes. And back home.

Now I think back I am glad that I only added 3kg after all the eat, sleep and play. The trip is real wonderful and don't wish to get back to reality. Taiwan is definitely a place I want to go again, but it will be different states (^.^) Alot photos are yet to be uploaded, cos not with me >.<