Taipei Escapade

TAIPEI ESCAPADE

23RD JAN TILL 28TH JAN

First day in Taipei!! Many memories! Memories of the days during NS when I roam Taipei with my bros during R&R. Xi Men Ding, Wu Fen Pu, Shi Lin Night Market etc....

Visited Xi Men Ding. Did not take much pics as this is my 3rd trip back here. Proceeded to Taipei 101 but due to the rain, it was not worth to go up. Hence, as advised by the friendly ticketing staff we decided to go back another day.

Went to Hua Xi Jie Night Market. Did not took any photos because it was drizzling. Can't wet my camera. Was really jet lag and fatigue from work, we ended the day early and headed back to rest for the day.

Here I am at Dan Shui on Day 2. It is a beautiful place with nice scenery but... the rain have to spoil it all. Unable to take much pics but it was still fun and relaxing to stroll around Dan Shui. Proceeded to Mordern Toilet at Xi Men Ding for lunch, shopped around and went to Shi Lin Night Market.

Shi Lin Night Market have shifted. Again, the rain refrained me from snapping more photos. ~Big Sigh~ Anyway the relocated Shi Lin was really not a good and safe one. It is underground. Too packed with many rude and uncivilised China tourists squeezing and snatching for food ~pisses me off to the max~ Unsafe because if any mishaps or fire hazards were to occur, it is damn hard for one to escape in such a squeezy and small area. I still prefer the old Shi Lin. =)

It's Day 3 and something new!! This is a MUST go! Great food, ambience, decor and service. It is called Wu Jiao Chuan Ban. If you watch variety shows, this place is often being recommended. Really love the superb interior decor and dining beside a BIG koi pond simply just adds on to the mood. Price is reasonable and food was good!! Especially the capuccino and the muah chee that comes with it.

As the weather starts to clear up, we headed back to Taipei 101. Quite misty though but the view is indeed awesome. The lift is SUPER fast. Within less than 2 mins you will reach level 89 from level 5. Bought some souvenirs and went to walk around Zhong Xiao Fu Xin station after visiting Hello Kitty Streets Cafe where we were told that we need to do advance booking. Saw a great local dinner place and was salivating over the Cordyceps Duck Vermicelli. BEST!! Visited Lin Jiang Night Market thereafter for more food and shopping before we call it a day. Well, Lin Jiang is just too packed for me to whip out my camera to take pics. I was also busy munching away the good foodies there too. HAHA!!

Today we visited Chiang Kiak Sek Memorial Hall. Enjoyed the exhibitions there and amazed by the structure of the Memorial Hall. Really big!! Saw the change of command parade for the guards too. Indeed I have to say that the marching steps and weapon holding is just too complicated and difficult to master. I put my hats off these Taiwanese. Men in Singapore.. you are lucky we were not asked to march the way the Taiwanese did. It is just too tough!

OK... I believe all those Hello Kitty fans out there have been waiting for very long..... HELLO KITTY STREETS CAFE. Nice desserts, decent price, delicate pastries and beautiful decor! All Hello Kitty fans will be sworn over. My aunt did. Haha!!! To me.. it's really unique!

We went back to Xi Men Ding for STAGE!! Well, if you do travel to Taiwan, do visit STAGE! It is really so damn much cheaper than Singapore. I bought a Tee for myself at only SGD$50 plus. Worth it huh!! Thereafter, we went Shi Da Night Market. It was crazy! The crowd there is just sooo packed. Full of students from Shi Da University. Many great shops around selling very fashionable clothes. Too packed again and the drizzle forbids me from camera whoring.

Day 5!! Time flies... Visited Sun Yat Sun Memorial Hall after breakfast at a local snack bar selling great pancakes and sandwiches. =)

Love the exhibitions in there telling us about the lives of the Taiwanese since the olden days till today's Taiwan success today. Felling of nostalgia too as I view many of those antiques and stuffs that I have ever seen my granny used when I was a little boy.

This is my favourite and most excited of for this whole trip! JAY CHOU'S restaurant, Mr J. French Italian Restaurant. Damn nice sia the place plus he serves great pasta and italian cuisine! I am like a little fan walking up and down the restaurant with my EPL1 snapping happily away. I'll never forget and the next trip, I want to visit his other restaurant! =D

Lastly, I visited the shopping paradise, Wu Fen Pu. If I do visit this place in summer, I will go bankrupt! Great shopping here. Bought many clothes too. Had very nice cuttlefish, papaya milk bubble tea and beancurd there too. Lastly, we visited the most crowded night market for this trip, Rao He Night market. It was so crowded until we hardly have time to eat the food there. Nonetheless, it is still a very nice place to visit.

Last day lo!! Last look of this beautiful and vibrant city. Some last minute shopping before I head home. I would definitely want to visit Taipei again. It is a place for you to eat, shop, relax, chill and rejuvenate. Taipei, hope to visit you again soon. =D