Taiwan Trip 2024 - Week 3

 03.06.24

We booked a van again for the North tour, this time with Jennifer Chang, who speaks English very well as she studied at a university in Canberra a few years ago. 

Our first stop is Shifen Waterfall. Thanks to the heavy rain the day before, the waterfall looks quite impressive.

From the waterfall, we continued our trip to Shifen Sky Lanterns. Here, we wrote our wishes on the lanterns and then released them into the sky, hoping they would carry our dreams aloft.

Our next stop is Shuinandong, renowned for its stunning two-coloured sea. This charming old mining town also features a Gold Museum, which, unfortunately, is closed on Mondays.

Our next stop is Jiufen. I was a bit worried about this destination, as Jiufen has many steps, which can be quite challenging for David and my Auntie. Cleverly, Jennifer dropped us off at the top, so we only needed to walk down and meet her back with the van at the bottom.

Along Jiufen Old Street, we sampled some street food for lunch. We also stopped at A-Mei Tea House, a popular tearoom that serves oolong tea with delicious desserts and offers windows overlooking Keelung Harbour.

On the way back to Taipei, we stopped by Houtong Cat Village, but we didn't see many cats. It was quite disappointing because, according to Nick Kembel's blog, Houtong Cat Village, is home to hundreds of cats.

Back in Taipei, Xiao Gu Gu invited us to Dimsum Kitchen, an all-you-can-eat restaurant with hundreds of various dishes. We wanted to try everything, but we were so full. Thanks, Xiao Gu Gu, for the delicious dinner!

04.06.24

Early in the morning, my aunt took me to the bank to close my savings account that I opened in 1999 while studying Mandarin in Taiwan. The bank where I opened the account has since been taken over by another bank. Fortunately, they still recognized my account and helped me close it. It took a while because I no longer have a Taiwanese resident card, and my passport details have changed. Luckily, Taiwan recognizes the Chinese seal (印章 yìnzhāng), which is often used to mark important documents and my aunt had kept my yìnzhāng and savings book very well. Thank you, Auntie!

In the afternoon, Janice came with us on a gondola ride to the Maokong tea plantation, known for its awesome oolong tea. The gondola ride gave us a great view of Taipei city below, so we decided we didn't need to go up to Taipei 101 anymore to see Taipei from above. 

We visited a couple of teahouses to try some tea and bought some for friends and family in Adelaide. David made friends with one of the shop owners. The boss lady even invited David to try her expensive Kaoliang liquor and honey hornet liquor.

We then returned to Taipei and stopped at the underground shops in Taipei Main Station to find a teapot for David’s friend. After walking for a while, we found the perfect one and decided to call it a day. After taking David back to the hotel, I went back to Hsin Tien to see my brother and sister-in-law, who would be going back to Indonesia the next day.

05.06.24

This morning, we had brunch with Janice and Glenn at the Second Floor Cafe in the Breeze Nanshan Shopping Mall. We enjoyed a nice meal and had a window seat with a view overlooking Taipei 101.

After brunch, Janice and Glenn took us to find a NET store because David wanted to get a couple more hats for himself and Dad.

After shopping, Janice and Glenn had other commitments, and we needed to start packing since we were flying out tomorrow morning. We agreed to meet again for dinner at a night market near Glenn's dorm. 

In the afternoon, Xiao Gu Gu came to the hotel to drop off some pineapple cakes that my cousin, Liu Xiang Yin, had spent 40 minutes queuing for. Xiao Gu Gu then joined us to the night market, but Glenn was too tired to come, so it was just the four of us.

We were delighted when one of my cousins offered to pick us up from the night market and take us back to the hotel. When we arrived, two other cousins were already there, waiting to catch up with me one last time. We went to KFC and talked until almost midnight.

06.06.24

Finally, it was our last day in Taiwan. We hired a car once more to take us to the airport. With our flight scheduled for 8 PM, we made a stop at the X-Park Aquarium in Taoyuan on the way. X-Park Aquarium, located in Taoyuan, Taiwan, is a modern and interactive marine life attraction that offers visitors an immersive experience of the underwater world. Janice and Glenn joined us for this final outing. 

Since we still had a little time after exploring X-Park, we stopped by Gloria Outlets, Taiwan's first and only open-air mall. However, we didn't buy anything.

So, our 2024 Taiwan trip has come to a close. There are still so many things we want to see and experience here, so we might plan another visit in the future. A heartfelt thank you to my Taiwan family for your exceptional hospitality, the delightful meals, your generosity in showing us around, and your remarkable patience with our numerous requests. We’ll miss you all, and we hope you'll come visit us in Australia one day.

Taiwan Trip 2024 - Week 2

 27.05.24

Ting and Jack invited us for lunch at SuHang365 in the Eslite Spectrum in the Sindian District of New Taipei City. The Eslite Spectrum branch in Sindian which opened recently and is the largest in Asia, features various retail brands and themed restaurants. SuHang365 is one of the notable dining options available in this extensive lifestyle complex.

After lunch, Ting and Jack took us back to our Airbnb. They helped us bring my two big suitcases to Da Gu Gu's place since we were taking the train to Kaohsiung tomorrow and wanted to avoid taking the large luggage with us.

28.05.24

We travelled to Kaohsiung by High-Speed Train, which cost us NT$1,490 (about AUD 75) per person one way. The distance between Taipei and Kaohsiung is approximately 350 kilometres. With the HSR, the travel time can be as short as 1.5 hours. In contrast, Taiwan Railway services take between 3.5 to 5.5 hours, and buses and cars have similar travel times of 4 to 6 hours, depending on traffic. So, I think it was worth it. 

It was raining when we arrived in Kaohsiung, and unfortunately, we couldn't check in until 4 PM (we stayed at Yam Lagom Hotel). By the time we were finally able to check in, we didn't feel like doing much until dinner. Closer to dinner time, we decided to take a short walk around the hotel and find a night market for our meal.

On the way back to the hotel, we discovered the Dome of Light at Kaohsiung MRT Station. Since its inauguration in 2008, the Dome of Light has earned Formosa Boulevard a spot at the top of multiple "Most Beautiful Metro Station in the World" lists.

29.05.24

The next day, we explored Ci Jin Island. We took a ferry from Gushan Ferry Pier Station, which only takes 5 minutes and costs NT$30 per person. We were able to use our EasyCards for the fare.

Upon arriving at Ci Jin Island, we saw a bus and decided to hop on for a ride around the island. We stopped at a magnificent temple and spent about half an hour exploring it. David was particularly impressed with the intricate rock carvings on the walls. It was truly amazing.

When we got off the bus, we saw that we could rent a scooter for NT$500 (about AUD 25) for 2 hours. We decided to do that and continued exploring the other side of the island.

Back to Kaoshiung, David wanted to rest, so I walked to Pier 2 Art. This area is a collection of abandoned shipping warehouses that were converted into an arts hub in 2006. These warehouses have been transformed into shops, cafes, artist studios, music venues, and bars. It should be quite beautiful in the evening, but we were too tired to go out again.

30.05.24

After spending two nights in Kaohsiung, we moved to Taichung. Our original plan was to visit The Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village near Sun Moon Lake, but we couldn't find suitable transportation. Here, we stayed at the Inhouse Hotel Taichung, where check-in is at 3 PM. After completing the check-in process, we took some time to rest before heading out to explore the night market for dinner.

31.05.24

David had seen a video about Second Market before we came to Taiwan, so we took a bus to find it. Taichung Second Market is famous for its traditional breakfast foods. However, these were not the types of breakfast David wanted to try, so we just looked around and had mango smoothies.

On the way back to the hotel, we discovered Miyahara Ice Cream, a popular dessert shop and restaurant in Taichung's Central District. The place reminded me of a library from a Harry Potter movie.

In the afternoon, we returned to Taipei by HSR. This time, we stayed at the New California Hotel in Bi Tan, which was recommended by Xien2. The hotel is not far from Hsin Tien, making it convenient to catch up with the family.

Da Gu Gu had arranged for us to have dinner together, and this time we enjoyed Japanese barbecue.

After dinner, we went back to Da Gu Gu's place to pick up our two large suitcases. While we were there, David observed how the Taiwanese dispose of their rubbish every night. Interestingly, the rubbish truck sounded more like an ice cream truck than a garbage truck.

01.06.24

It was Enrico's turn to have his graduation day, so we visited his university to take pictures with him after the ceremony. Afterwards, Xien and Jason invited us to a hot pot lunch at the Giguo Taipei Hengyang Branch.

02.06.24

This Sunday, we hired a van to visit Hsinchu, where Xien2 and Ting live. Hsinchu, located in northwestern Taiwan, is known as the “Silicon Valley of Taiwan” and is home to over 400 high-tech companies based in Hsinchu Science Park.

As promised, Xien and Jason took us to the fish market for lunch. We bought fresh prawns, fish, pipies, and crabs from the first floor and took them to the restaurant on the second floor, where they cooked the seafood to our liking for a small fee. It was a fantastic lunch, with the Giant Atlantic Crab being the highlight. 

After lunch, we visited Ting’s house and then went to the Far Eastern Department Store. The store is inspired by elements of Hakka culture, featuring a dome building, traditional houses, and a street reminiscent of olden times.

Since we were still quite full from our big lunch, we declined Ting and Jack's dinner invitation. Instead, we chose to sit at the food court, chat, and have a drink. We didn’t stay too long, as it would take around an hour to get back to Taipei

That wraps up my second week in Taiwan. It's been quite busy, but we still have another week to go.

To be continued...

Taiwan Trip 2024 - Week 1

 After nine years, we returned to Taiwan to visit our families. This trip was primarily about reconnecting with loved ones and celebrating my niece and nephew’s graduations, with a bit of sightseeing in between.

After a long flight with Cathay Pacific, including a layover in Hong Kong, we arrived on the 23rd of May at noon. We stayed at an Airbnb near Shi Ta University with Anning’s family. The house, conveniently located on the first floor, had three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Within walking distance, there were convenience stores and a bustling night market, making it a perfect and strategic location for our stay.

After resting and taking a nap, having had no sleep on the plane, we visited my second uncle. Although his sight and hearing have deteriorated, his memory remains sharp. He remembered that I live in Australia now and used to work in Jakarta, which is why he didn’t see me often when he visited Bandung to care for my grandma many years ago.

Take care, Asuk. I hope you stay healthy, and we get the chance to see you again next time.

From there, Da Gu Gu took us out for dinner.

After dinner, we went home and rested.

24.05.24

Hero and his family visited us at the Airbnb and brought some souvenirs from Indonesia for Ting and me. We then had lunch at a nearby Teppanyaki restaurant. After lunch, we did a bit of shopping around Pei Men. We then returned to Shi Ta Night Market for dinner.

25.05.24

It’s Janice’s big day—her graduation day. We accompanied her to NTU and took pictures before she entered the ceremony venue. She got so many beautiful photos that I said I might make a scrapbook for her. However, she might need to wait a while with my busy schedule.

Since we couldn't attend the ceremony, we decided to explore Di Hua Jie, the oldest shopping lane in Taipei with its rich history and vibrant atmosphere. We found a charming photo corner here to capture some memories.

From there, we went to Ning Xia Night Market. Our first stop was the Oyster Egg Omelette, a famous dish that has achieved Michelin status several years in a row. After that, we strolled around and tried foods from stalls with shorter lines, which might not be the best food according to locals. However, unlike the Taiwanese, we don't enjoy queuing.

After Ning Xia Night Market, Xien invited us to have dessert, but David wasn't in the mood. Since we had done a lot of walking today, we decided it was best to head home and rest.

26.05.24

Since it was a rare opportunity for all of us to be in Taiwan at the same time, Xien suggested hiring a photographer to take a family picture at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. I loved the idea, as we didn't have a complete family picture yet. So, here they are.

At noon, we had a family gathering. We rented a bar that is closed on Sundays and available for private parties. Everyone brought something to share, and the bar provided plates, cutlery, and drinks. I think that's a very smart idea. Having the whole place to ourselves made it easy to mingle and talk to everyone. And of course, we took a lot of pictures again.

That was my first busy week in Taiwan. To be continued...