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blue pin: visited; yellow pin: transit;

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Day 5: Taipei (Taiwan) - Singapore

Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall


The main gate




National Concert Hall


National Theatre


The Theatre from another angle






Guard changing ceremony


The statue of Chiang Kai Shek


The ceiling inside the Memorial Hall


View from the Memorial Hall

Ximending
We had our lunch at Tamago Ya, a cute Japanese restaurant specialized in omelette. Overall the food was ok.


Fried chicken fillet with omelette rice in Thai style


Grilled chicken fillet with omelette rice


Sparkling plum wine


Ice cream sundae with cereal

Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall












Anyone knows who is this?







Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Day 4: Taipei

Taipei Main Station Underground Mall
The merchandise were like those pasar malam stuff. It was a waste of time.

Zhong Xiao East Road
It is another shopping haven. I took the mrt to Zhong Xiao Fu Xing and then walked along the Zhong Xiao East road towards Zhong Xiao Dun Hua mrt. There are three Sogo department stores and a lot of small shops along the road. It was another great shopping day. :) Overall I felt that Taipei shopping is more affordable than Hong Kong. I don't mind visiting here again next time.

Taipei 101







The old Chinese coins made up the 101.


Can you feel the love? :P



We had our dinner here at Jiu Ru. The xiao long bao were so good. I didn't have chance to try the Din Tai Fung version here but this one was much better than the Singapore's Din Tai Fung.


It took us 37 seconds from 5th to 89th floor.


The view of Taipei from 89th floor.




The damper is used to stabilize the tower against earthquake, typhoon and wind.


Check out the date of birth. It was 101 too.


Damper baby with 101 as the eyes and mouth.



Monday, April 23, 2007

Day 3: Taipei

Since hubby need to work, I would be on my own for these two days. Yay, I could shop from morning till night without anyone complaining. :P


Taipei City Hall MRT station

Longshan Temple
One of the oldest temple in Taiwan. The temple has many engravings on its walls and ceilings.









Ximending
I was here from noon till six pm but only managed to go to Far East department store and a few small shops.

The items at department store were expensive, I think most of them came from Japan. But the clothes from the independent shops were quite affordable. I was so happy, had not bought so many items during overseas trip since the US trip a few years ago. I think it was because he was not around so I could shop in peace. :P







Later I met him for dinner at Din Tai Fung main restaurant. We ordered la mian, prawn dumplings, fried rice with pork chop and meat dumpling (bak chang). The bak chang was so good but the rest were just average.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Day 2: Taipei

Martyr Shrine













Guard changing ceremony


Inside the shrine

Yang Ming Shan National Park


The fumaroles at Xiaoyoukeng. It has been emitting smoke non stop don't know for how many years already.




Boiling mud

We went to Lengshuikeng to check out the hotsprings pools. It is free entry and the indoor pools are separated for male and female. Whoa, the pool was packed with so many naked aunties and amahs, feeling embarassed I just walked out :P He also had the same experience with the uncles hahaha...

After this we went to Beitou. There are many hotspring resorts here but since the weather was quite warm we decided to give it a miss.

Hell Valley at Beitou


This is not your typical hotsprings. The water temperature is around 80-90 degree celcius and we can see it boiling.

Dan Shui





Bought a stick of stinky tofu here. It actually tasted quite good and not smelly at all.

Shilin Night Market Part II



Small pancake wrapped in large pancake 大餅包小餅




The pancake was wrapped in the popiah skin and then crushed to pieces.

Oyster omelette 蚵仔煎


The omelette with peanut sauce. Not good at all.

Oyster mee sua 蚵仔麵線


This was different from the Ah Chung mian xian. Didn't like it too.

Grand Hyatt
We would stay here for the next couple of days. It is one of the most expensive hotel in town, but the room didn't really impress me. It was spacious but that was all about it.












View from our room