台北101大楼 (Taipei 101)
Tallest building in the world
Ticket comes with a $15 off for ice-cream, which cost $160 each
Beautiful galaxy lights on the roof of the fastest lift in the world.
View of Taipei on top of 101. Very congested, and rather polluted.
Another touristy thing I've done. At the observatory, they rent out DVD camcorder at only NT150 (S$7.50). 30 mins of filming and a DVD for souvenir. What a deal! Of course I have to rent it. But frankly, there's nothing much to film besides the scenery.
The mini DVD I got from Taipei 101
So both me and Cheryl decided to self-narrate various of boh liao video clips. At one stage, I had the camcorder pointed at myself while I start blabbering nonsense, something like this "You may realise that my face look really big. No choice, my arm is too short that's why I can't hold the camcorder further than I would like." Yeah, nonsense like this. Or else, it's totally impossible to finish the whole of 30 mins! I have yet to watch the clips. Frankly, I don't have the courage to. I think it's quite funny to watch yourself on film. But the whole filming thingy was super fun!
I bought some souvenirs there as well, 2 mugs, 1 bag, 2 decks of poker cards and postcards, which I sent one home to Bob and Tara. It's really cute, they have those nice little stamps like "Love from Mom", "Love from Taipei 101" which you can use on the postcards. Postage cost NT12 (S$0.60) and you can post it into those cute little mail boxes there too. I was too busy holding the guide phone (a phone like thingy where you press buttons to receive info of the Taipei view), the camcorder, my camera, my shopping bag to take more pictures of the observatory, quite a waste.
I even had those superimposed picture of myself against the Taipei 101 scenery taken at the photo studio there! The photo comes with a certificate as well. Very touristy indeed.
We took too much time filming the video and the gang left without us. By the time we were done and went downstairs for food, the gang already finished theirs and shopping around. They told us to meet again at 3.30pm. With another 1 hour to spare, Cheryl and I decided to cheong to another famous memorial hall a short distance away. My feet on 2 inch heels finally decided to surrender and I had to buy a pair of cute pasat slippers (S$2.50) from Watsons. I don't care it's very auntie-ish, and it doesn't go with my outfit. It's s..o... comfortable!
国父纪念馆 (Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall)
We get a nice view of Taipei 101 from here. Besides that, there's nothing else. We went inside the hall to see another guard changing ceremony and since we were there, we decided to walk around. We enter the museum and saw this table, with a lot of rubber stamps.
I whipped out a photocopy of my passport and start stamping the back page. Cheryl suggested going into the souvenir shop to get a postcard to stamp instead. Typical tourists again! Glad she suggested that, cos we found this in the shop.
The booklet for those stamps! Another 2 sets of stamps are located in different parts of the museum, so instead of looking at those meaningful displays, both of us are going around searching for the stamps! We had to call the gang and tell them to go ahead with their plans cos we are having so much fun with the stamping.
It's only when we almost finished stamping the book, did we realise the small print at the bottom of the booklet.
It's for kids. Bleh...
The gang had went back to the hotel, so both Cheryl and I decided to explore on our own. Both of us felt quite safe to go around on our own. Cheryl even told me she felt like she's finally home. Haha. That's how much she love Taiwan. Me too, I felt totally comfortable. The rest of the group lamented on how boring Taipei, but both of us enjoyed ourselves tremendously.
鼎泰丰 (Ding Tai Feng)
How can we miss this restaurant famous for it's 小笼包 (Xiao Long Bao). But frankly, the 小笼包 tasted exactly like Singapore's. The beef soup too. The dumpling, however, was super yummy! Just the way I like it.
After the meal, Cheryl went to the ladies, when she finally walked out after what seems like hours, she got this cheeky and amused look, and told me I have to go and see the toilet and bring a camera as well.
High tech facilities. Sensor activated water sounds to hide your embarrassingly loud peeing and warm water to wash your butt, and even a dryer! I stayed inside for quite a while too, must try mah and I haven't cleared my bowels for 2 days. Hiak! Suaku Singaporeans. Well, both of us haven't been to Japan, and this is the closest encounter we had with high tech toilet facilities!
I'm berating myself for not reading the threads at TSL, cos someone told me that there's a scrap supplies shop in Taipei and it's around the same area!! Too late..
I suggested to Cheryl that we should try their public buses too! She was skeptical at first, worried that we will get lost, but we checked with the waitresses at the restaurant and the best way to go to our next destination is to take a bus to the MRT station to take the MRT. Yeah, we get to try the public buses!
Very clean, very organized and the driver even annouced the stops! Taiwanese get on the buses at the back door and alight at the front door. And they only pay when they alight. So no one can cheat! Smart!
五分埔成衣批发区 (Wufenpu Garment Wholesale Area)
The paradise for the trendy chicks! It's quite big and there were rows and rows of garment shops! Here you can find the lastest trend clothes. But it's not for me. Not because the style is too trendy. It's because the clothes look so small, I think they can only fit my thigh. Besides, they don't allow trying, so in the end, even though I managed to find loose fit clothes, I dare not buy, I only managed to get a hairband, yes, hairband. Well, my head size is still normal mah. Only body size got problem. Hehe.
We gave up after walking a few rows cos there's nothing that suit us. We went back to the hotel to "offload" our shopping bags, and I changed to a comfortable, tummy camouflaging t-shirt top cos our next stop is surrounded with food streets. Yeah, food again.
龙山寺 (Longshan Temple)
Cheryl, the buddhist, just had to visit 龙山寺. It's just another temple that's very nicely decorated, to me. But I heard it over 100 years old.
华西街 (Huaxi Street)
Across the temple, it's Huaxi Street, or so we thought. The streets was buzzling with activities! And Cheryl saw this. Scratch and win. It's quite easy to win NT100 or NT200. I bought 3 tickets for NT200 and won NT100.
I managed to grab a set of clothes for Shermaine and some pants and tops for Tara at NT100 (S$5) a piece.
Yeah, another food paradise!
We ate a bomb here. It's super duper yummy! It's just like those Japanese ball ball thingy we have in Singapore, but here, it's much bigger, loaded with ingredients and so much more yummy!
Dessert with 粉圆 (pearl), 豆花 (soya beancurd), 红豆(redbean). Refreshing and delicious.
蚝仔煎 (Oyster Omelette) Singapore one taste so much better. Theirs pretty yucky. Blurks...
We were at the end of the street where we ate the oyster omelette so both of us wonder how come the Huaxi street is so short so we decided to ask a couple on the next table if there's more of the Huaxi street we didn't explore.
Cheryl asked the couple if this was the end of Huaxi street, the couple gave us a puzzled look and said this is not Huaxi street, but 广州街 (Guangzhou street) or 广东街 (Guandong street) or something. And Huaxi street was further up. Wah lau, both of us walked on the street for an hour and it's actually the wrong street!
We walked over the Huaxi street and within 10 mins, we were out. It's a totally touristy street and specialized in snake dishes, where they will kill the snakes right in front of you. Freaked both of us out and we couldn't wait to get out.
西门町 (XiMenDing)
Yup, we went back to Ximending. Cos it's so near to our hotel. Tried the famous 阿宗面线.
Shopped around a bit more, but there's nothing to buy. When most of the shops closed, we went to the massage center again. This time, I opt for the intensive 1.5 hour full body massage cos my back was aching so much.
I really miss the massage there, cos it's s..o.. good! I even add in another 40min foot massage cos my legs are also aching terribly. I got another 师夫 this time, and he's super duper good! After the massage, I felt I could run a mile!
We reached the hotel at 2am. Both of us chilling out and watching Taiwan variety show. At 3am, I came out of the toilet, Cheryl went all perky and asked "Guess what time is it now??!". Tired and sleepy, I said "3am loh." and she said "No!! It's present-giving time!!" And whipped out a present for me. She actually brought the present all the way from Singapore and waited till the day of my birthday to give to me. No wonder she was quite secretive when opening her luggage. I was so surprised and very touched! She told me I will like the gift a lot.
And she's totally right man! Scrapbook supplies!! And I've been wanting to get the flower foam stamps for so long! She also bought a baby girl kit for me. I'm so happy! Hehehe...
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