m y p a r t s: AWESOME TAIWAN TRIP 2011

完

美

台

湾

D A Y O N E

07.10 am flight, before flying off from Changi Airport Terminal One.

Taking Jetstar, but this time we are not so budget. We bought extra leg space at SGD$60. An awesome choice!

Introducing my travel mates!!!

Yvonne using phone & tagging all of us on Facebook...

Chris & Fennie!

ME & Yvonne!!!

W E . A R E . A L L . P R E P A R E D !

f l y yyyyy .

This is the amount of extra space we have! It's more than sufficient for you stretch the whole leg!

If you wonder why I have my sunglasses there, it is because I don't want people see my eyes/face when I'm sleeping. I'm afraid I will 翻白眼 when sleeping! Hahaha :)

Now, the CONS of having more space is...

More space = Emergency exit seats

So, you have to know how to use the emergency exit door and you can't have your bag with you while the plane is taking/landing even though it is just a small sling bag... You have to put your bag in the storage space. (can't put on the floor ok?!)

If I never remember wrongly, I carried my small sling bag with me or maybe I just have to put it under the seat when sitting at those normal seats.

Anw, the instructions on how to use the door is pretty funny! You are suppose to throw the door out in the air then Yvonne and I started saying what if dropped & hit people?! But I think the door is somehow attached to the wing of the plane if I'm not wrong (this is what I saw from the instructions brochures)

We were seated separately since it is in row of 3. The plane was quite empty on that day so we were having the whole row by ourselves! Shiok!

Finally reach after 5hrs of flying in the air!!!

Helloooooo Taiwan 台湾 !

All smiley! :)

You know why Singapore's Changi Airport is rank second in the world?

Compare it to the pictures below... Hahaha :)

The above two pictures looked more like budget terminal to me, but that's Taiwan Terminal One!

Don't be shocked to see this little dog around the baggage area. This dog is in charge of smelling drugs or whatever illegal stuff. A bit funny because normally should be those huge dogs doing the job.

Taking a cab to city area cost about NT1200 (SGD$52), we saved that money and took a bus instead.

You can purchase the tickets at the left of the customs exit at 国光客运.

The bus will send you to Taipei Main Station. Each ticket cost NT125 (SGD$5.40) only.

This is the kind of bus we took. Somewhat like those buses we take to Genting.

Anyway, this bus will stop at different places so make sure you don't get off at the wrong stop.

I'm not too sure if Taipei Main Station is the last stop, but most of the people will alight at that stop.

So, from Taipei Main Station, we took a MRT or should say 捷运 to Ximen Station.

Since we can only check in our hotel at 3pm, we left our luggages in the hotel lobby and went to Ximending (Ximen MRT Exit 6).

阿宗面线 is our first station! The highly raved 阿宗面线!

It is indeed yummy! The taste is just better than what we have in Singapore. Perhaps it is because they don't put oysters, they put pig intestine instead and their pig intestine is super clean, no smell and super duper Q! It is so Q until I don't really like the pig intestine! Hahahaha! Cause all of us find it so hard to chew and swallow it down... But I will still eat a few of it until my mouth get tired! Hahaha :)

Overall still very yummy! 值得！

After food must have drink right? Sooooo....

50岚 is the best choice!!!

But it is so damn hard to find where it is located. I asked a Taiwanese who is holding a cup of it and he said he got no idea where it is located because he bought it from other district.

Funniest part is we saw the shop like just 3 shops away from where we are standing!

Too many signage blocking our view...

Anyway just in case you don't know, 50岚 is the same as our KOI.

They having some different toppings like pudding and 粉条 (pearl but shaped like 'bee tai mak' or some called it 老鼠分). And, their 波霸 represents Big Pearl. Hahaha :)

Not too different from Sg in terms of taste but it is much cheaper! You can easily get any medium cup drink at below SGD$2!!! Cheap right?

And it's finally about time for us to check in our hotel!

I'm so worried that the hotel is not what I expected...

Anyway our hotel is City Inn Plus Hotel located at Ximen Exit 3.

Easily spotted as it is just across the street and you can cross 2 roads and you will reach Ximending!

YES, the orange signage is the hotel & till now I don't know how to pronounce the hotel name in Chinese! 新 don't know what... Hahaha :)

Bright and nicely decorated lobby.

Take note, there is only one lift so might have to wait quite awhile for it but I'm perfectly fine with it!

Lift door opened and greeted by cute bear telling us the directions!

We got the luxury room! Super sweet & pretty room!

All the wall decorations are stickers but I think it is kinda innovative to do it this way cos the whole room looks nicer and not just having only plain walls!

The room doesn't has a wardrobe, so make do with the hangers and hooks at the 'clock'.

The TV is awesome! Got soooo many different channels. From movie to entertainment shows. I'm watching either Korean dramas or listening to MTV channels. Not only that! They have built in Blu-ray movies! There are choices like Green Hornet, Black Swan, Roommate and many more latest movies.

Clean toilet with all the necessities. Yvonne says their shower gel smells damn nice and I joked about bringing a bottle back by filling it into your own empty bottle! Damn Singaporean! Hahaha :)

In Taiwan you are not suppose to throw toilet paper into the toilet bowl! You have to throw it into the bin. Anw, we didn't do that and Yvonne created a joke! I'm not going into details over here, but anyway the toilet bowl got choked and water level in it was filled to almost the brim!!!

Anyway if you like the room above, please choose Room 805! Hahaha!

There are a few different themes so you might be given to other theme rooms.

Just 2 photos to show you Fennie & Chris room! Bear theme?! Hahaha :)

A special hideout in the hotel is the Basement!

Going for a trip as long as a week or even a month? No worries about the amount of clothes you need to bring. There are washing machines & dryer for you! And basement is the level where you can do your laundry.

While doing your laundry, feel free to use the computers to surf net, or watch tv and drink coffee or tea with your friends/family. All for FREE!!!

Please yourself to the drinks or you can buy food back to toast or microwave it!

2 washing machine and dryers. Don't need fight! And detergent provided as well!

Okay, that's all for my intro to the super awesome hotel I stayed in for 7 nights!

If you are interested and want to book when going Taiwan, please click here for more details!

The hotel is newly opened in Sept 2010 and the staffs are super friendly!

Prices? I paid about SGD$250 for 7 nights.

Luggages all settled and about evening time we headed to Shihlin Night Market!

Alight at Jiantan Station 剑潭站 and just ask around for directions (this is what we did most of the time)

Super common seeing ladies in scooter or whatever you call that. Hahaha!

We are here at the Food Paradise! 士林夜市!

First thing, 豪大鸡排! We reached at around 6plus and there is already a queue...

NT55 (SGD$2.30) each. Super cheap can?! Plus it is much more yummy than SG ones! Only bad thing is it comes with bone.

Yvonne comparing the size of the 鸡排 with her face. Hahaha :)

Next, 大肠包小肠！

Supe huge sausages!

Different flavours sausages like black pepper, garlic and wasabi!

大肠包小肠 is actually glutinous rice wrapped with sausage plus some vege and sauce.

Ok, I know this is a very bad picture and super not tempting but this stall's 大肠包小肠 really not nice!

I will show the nicer one in other Taiwan posts.

Stinky Beancurd 臭豆腐. Yvonne spit it out but I actually swallow it! Hahaha! The smell is really terrible. Yvonne described it as shit smell! Hahaha! Maybe we just bought from a not so nice stall?!

This is what you will normally see inside Shihlin Night Market (Food).

Fried Oysters with Egg 蚵仔煎

蚵仔煎 and 虾仁煎, NT50 (SGD$2.10) each. It tastes very different from SG. Below the egg, there is a layer of translucent thing, don't know what it is, but just very Q.

Spicy Cold Noodles 麻辣凉面, quite yummy! Nothing too special.

I'm going to introduce my favourite drink in Taiwan!!!

王记青蛙下蛋

Please buy Fen Yuan plus Ai Yu 粉圆加爱玉!

I've tried Fen Yuan plus Fresh Milk 粉圆加鲜奶 as well. Both are good but Fen Yuan plus Ai Yu combi is nicer!

Anyway 粉圆 is pearl but it is super duper Q and yummy pearl! Nicest pearl ever! Hahaha :)

Plus the Ai Yu 爱玉 and some shaved ice, the drink is super refreshing and perfect!

I wish to have a cup of it now!!!

Anyway, the above Shihlin Night Market is the place where it sells just food!

You have to cross a street to get to the part where all the clothes are! Follow the crowd, follow the lights!

After taking the below picture, I kept my camera in my bag all the way and shopped until food shows up!

Not very awesome Muah Chee. Something special is there is black sesame or peanuts fillings in it but the peanuts are not sweet enough to my liking! I prefer SG ones! :)

Pepper Bun/Biscuits 胡椒饼, a bit like 'tau sa piah' but wrapped with meat and vege. I don't like leh, a bit weird.

胡椒饼 are all kept deep inside the big pot!

Cheese Potato 起司马铃薯, NT55 (SGD$2.30) each. It is fried potato with cheese and you can choose what type of toppings you like. Toppings for example, ham, bacon, sotong...

By the time we ate it in the hotel, it had turned cold but somehow it tasted weird probably it is because of the pineapple. Overall still quite nice, but will intro another stall of Cheese Potato which is nicer in other post.