7th day 臺南 Tainan

It was our second day in Tainan and we decided to have breakfast (fish soup and a plate of fried something I cant remember) at a shop near the 赤崁樓. We asked this lady who was sweeping the floor outside the bridal shop how to walk to 安平 but she was quick to point out we were going the wrong direction.

After while we decided to take a cab to 安平古堡. The taxi driver was confused with our instructions and ferried us to the navy. Thankfully he was kind enough to charged us a discount when we finally reached. At 安平, there is the old Fort Zeelandia which was built in 1620 by the Dutch. Like Sentosa, it had many fake cannons which attracted a lot of sua gu tourists like us and some school children. They even had a free photography-cum-insurance card session where a free photo was taken and made into a card. It was essentially an insurance card so if we fall sick in Tainan, we re insured. If not, then it is a souvenir gift. Very very thoughtful!



After this, we went to Zhou's famous prawn roll which the taxi driver say die die must try. So we went in for lunch and then after that continued to tour the area a bit, ending up in a "tree house" which we thought was a house on a tree, but no, it means - a tree on a house (i.e. the roots grow around the house). We decided not to see the old trading establishments, preferring instead to return to Tainan city centre where we went to Confucius Temple next.




There we took some pics for facebook and then started walking to other areas passing by the old gate:




And moving on, we reached the five-concubines temple. Accordingly, when the last Ming emperor died in Taiwan (by way of suicide), his five concubines demonstrated their loyalty by ending their lives. Such was the devotness that the temple is also a site for their tombs. Passing by many other exquisite temples, we ended up in a shrine (鄭成功祖廟)devoted to Koxinga (or 鄭成功) who tried to restore the Ming dynasty but failed.



Inside the 鄭成功祖廟.

Nevertheless, he was revered for driving out the Dutch. The name Koxinga is a Dutch's bastardization of guo xing ye, a title conferred to 鄭成功. Interestingly, 鄭成功 was born to a Chinese pirate father and a Japanese mother.

With our tired legs, we decided that we should start looking for a place to sit. So we ended up in this cafe where we ordered a set of coffee and toast (with egg). There was this boy beside us with an English Grammer book and we were thinking whether he might just turn his head to us and asked us a few questions since he was glancing at us when we conversed in English earlier!

As the guidebook said this meatball in glutinous rice is a must try, we walked across the road to try it. They were only so so, and SL LLG quickly lamented how ang moh's fascination of Asian countries really leaves much to be desired. We continued out food pilmigrage to Slack Season's 擔仔麵 which we eventually found.



At least the interior was picturesque as the man made the noodles on the spot upon request.


Determined not to let the previous failed attempt of 花園夜市 search where we walked for at least an hour, we made sure that it was opened by asking the lady in the 擔仔麵 shop. It was a horrible walk the day before so we decided to cab there today. But since we were still too early, we walked for a bit and then passed by a shoe shop. There was 50% discount so we got ourselves a pair. Realising that we had quite a bit of stuffs with us, we returned to the hotel first to put our stuffs down. After watching a TV programme showing how the first Ming dynasty emperor came to power (SL LLG said it is a potential National Education video for the Taiwanese/Chinese), we left for the 花園夜市.

At 花園夜市, I had my first chance of 臭豆腐 which is not for the faint-hearted including SL LLG who refused outright to try.



I love them with the pickled cabbages!

We also ate some other 小吃 including duck wrap and oyster omelette with SL LLG. Soon we were just too full and our cab returned us to the hotel. We spent some time trying to figure out which bus stop was the most appropriate to take the bus to the train station for tomorrow. To which, SL LLG had to ask this jewellery shop auntie, but she was kind enough to offer.

Unlike yesterday where we had drinks at the Japanese outlet, we decided to miss night drinking a miss.

情非得已-吉他

SL LLG, once you have mastered C, G, F, Am and then Em chords, you can then play this song - typically four months. As for timing, that depends on how talented you are. Hmm... maybe for you, six months?

8th day. Back to Taipei

We took the train from Tainan to Taipei. But this was no ordinary train. It was the 高鐵 (high speed rail) that promised to get us back in 2 hrs, rather than 4 hrs. So in the early morning we took the cab to the station, and then proceeded to Mos Burger for our lunch. The menu was decidedly different but it was fabulous nevertheless! Then we went to Seven-Eleven to get our origini (or Japanese rice filling wrapped under seaweed).

Apparently, on the train SL LLG challenged me to open the origini without breaking apart. He FAILED big time, big shit! I was laughing my head off and he asked me to show him instead. I must admit that it was my first attempt but as you all know, good habits are cultivated since young, and so I have this instinct of opening things in a wholesome manner. With that triumphant air to his wide-eyed incredulity he exhibited when I finally did it, SL LLG was certainly very miffed.

Reaching Taipei, we welcomed the familiarity, though that meant the faster pace of life had returned. We arrived in the hotel, this time pleased with the new room for it had a window!! At the service counter was these 2 girls who over-bought, and one girl was bossing the other girl to "Take out that $100 Sing dor-lah nOW!! We need it for excess baggage!" A scan of her things showed they bought a semi-giant winnie da pooh soft-toy (duhhhh you mean we dun have this in ToyR Us Singapore??), multiple boxes of (I assumed 土產 which is really fine BUT BOXES AND BOXES as if a famine is about to hit Singapore) and bags og dunno what. Anyway that's her problem.

So we went to 孫中山 memorial hall and were quite delighted to find ourselves in the next schedule for the change of parade guarding Mr 孫 statue. As I was taking down the video of the whole thing, this guy (I shan't say he's from PRC) was most inconsiderate. He was trying to stay a few steps ahead of the incoming guard and getting his friend to take pictures of him. This earned the ire of the in-charge who had to repeatedly tell him to stand back. My video cam was blocked a couple of times by this zealot! But SL LLG who saw the screen of camera said the photos weren't well taken anyway despite hs efforts.

We landed ourselves next to the shopping centre beside the famed Taipei 101, but we did not go up as it was too expensive. Still we got to the mall nearby and had a sumptuous lunch. If you don't believe, you see:



Then we proceeded to get our facial wash, though SL LLG couldn't find his favourite Japanese imported milku milku. Feeling very sleepy, we contemplated of returning to the hotel, but decided that we should just go straight to 淡水.

This we did and we stopped over at Fort San Domingo, ex-British consulate and Aletheia University which included a small Oxford college, and founded by the Canadian George Leslie Mackay. Apparently, the night view made the red-bricked buildings very spooky ...



...and we were taking some "scare pictures"

Then we decided to go to 漁人碼頭 (fisherman's wharf). We met an old couple along the way and asked them for the general direction. The old lady was kind enough to tell us that we should not be walking but rather take a cab or at least a bus. This fell on deaf ears as we were soon to find and we must have walked for another hour before reaching! But the journey was fraught with life's most unearthly temptations. No I am not taking about the spider spirits of 西游記 which tried to seduce the most innocent 唐僧, but the object of our temptation was no less powerful - 檳榔 (betel nut)! Stopping by a shop that had a sign screaming 檳榔, our curiousity killed the three-legged cat and nine-tailed fox. The owner was most amused when we popped the ever interesting question as a virgin would for the first time - 請問怎樣吃??
Well, just chew it as if you would to a chewing gum! This we did but without gleefully taking some pictures of popping it into our mouths.

But we regretted it shortly after. Our heart palpitated and we knew that would be the last time. Pity, there were still many of them in a packet (which incidentally showed a scantily cladded women on both sides), and we were thinking of giving them to a friend who we hated! Evil..

Finally reaching 漁人碼頭...




....where a beautiful bridge even attracted a couple to take wedding shots there, we went straight to have our hot steaming 阿給, which is essentially 東粉 wrapped in beancurd skin and served with peanut gravy. I tell you.. it was so windy that we ate like refugees. Realising that the cold wind had caused many stalls to remain closed, we had fried shishamo in the next stop before deciding that enough is enough. We took a bus back to 淡水. As we passed by 永福豆漿, we decided that we should try ti to see if it lives up to its name. Verdict, pretty decent.

Then we stumbled upon a live performance by 卓文萱 near the MRT.



So we stayed for a while watching the performance - 愛的城堡 and other songs she belted before returning back to 西門 and our hotel.

9th day. Very urai

烏來



That is how the place was named after the 原住民 there saw bubbling steam coming out from a place and deem the place urai (or poisonous in their native language). Nowadays tourists throng the place for its famed hot springs and aboriginal culture.

We happened to see a tour package being sold at the bus station when we reached the Xindian MRT station. It cost us NT600 for a day tour including a mini bus to 內洞 where there is a climb up with the 導遊 to see the famous 瀑布, and then a performance by the aborigines. The climb was quite a work out but before that we were advised to get some food to toughen our stomach and muscles.

This group of "picnic aunties" (as SL LLG called them) seemed to be very "ex-pe-ren" as they got tonnes of sausages, fruits and noodles during a stopover and they were having a palace feast when we finally had a break halfway our climb. Well, we were discussing that should the bus break down and we were trapped in the mountains, SL LLG and I would have no qualms robbing these aunties of their food to stay alive! That was especially since SL LLG and I shared only a sausage and a stick of three small lean meat!

In one of the mobile toilets, there was a sign on the door
"請輕聲關門"
I almost died when I saw the English translation -
"Please close the door with a soft voice"
Unfortunately I did not take a pciture of it!



The waterfall which was part of the rewards for the climb.

As the climb got higher, many started to stay put and only a few tough ones (including two of us) stayed ahead. Eventually, the 導遊 declared that we should begin our descent and start bringing those who stopped halfway waiting down. After a few inquisitive questions by another Taiwanese female 導遊 who asked where we were from and so on (SL LLG said that he would have no problem accepting her as his gf if she only slightly indicated interest), we were shuffled on the bus to watch tye aborigine dances.

Now, there were only four of us who signed up for this dance performance. Besides SL LLG and me, there was also this Taiwanese young couple sitting in a big hall. Accoridng to the Guide Book, the dance comprised of a few performances and it always ended with a marriage dance. So we knew we would be called. After all, what was the chances we wouldnt since there were so few of us! So I told SL LLG, if we got called, he would go up and dance and "marry" one of the girls while I will take pictures! We agreed with this arrangement.



Who would have thought that when the dancers came in, they chose all EXCEPT SL LLG! What was that supposed to mean huh, I asked SL LLG later. Looks like even if I wanted to be left on the shelves, I couldn't! As for you, look like they found your face too unmarriageable! Of course, he felt very very b!tched.

Though later, he was called into the dance, but that was because they wanted to take pictures of us and then charged a hefty sum. This they did, and the Taiwanese couple knew too well, so they must have expressed some displeasure when they sid 500 NT at first, only to quickly dropped to 300 NT. We were happy that it worked out this way.

When it was finally time for us to go, we went to queue up for the famous 山豬香腸. It has more 野味 and some people may not like it.




Notice how the seller looks like a mascot to the 山豬香腸! Ok, very bad.. Haha

Then we went for dinner - the place was famous for their bamboo rice. After some walking and picture taking of the picturesque place:





We decided that we should do our hot spring. It was an all-men indoor one and since I had gone onto one many years before when I was in Taiwan, I had to teach SL LLG the etiquettes of it - first de-robe down to your birthday suit. Then scrub yourselves real clean before going in. Try various pools of different temp to improve the health enhancement effects, and of course dun stay too long in a hot one or we would have problem having babies!!

There was nobody there when we entered so I took a picture



We had the whole place to ourselves for half hour before an ang moh came in next and he plunged straight into it! No no.. he did not bathe. tsk tsk

After the whole experience which causes SL LLG to eat back his previous avowment - "I don't foresee myself going to Taiwan hot spring more than once", made during the beginning of the trip. He was so enamoured with the whole experience that he looked forward to the next one when I told him Beitou also has hot spring. I was incredulous that in all his past 3 times to Taiwan, he had never been to a hot spring before! Now he's a hot spring convert!

Back in the hotel, I asked, "SL LLG, if you were the emperor what would you do to China", to which his most earnest and quick reply was "Education and decentralization. That would make China a most agreeable country to govern compared to other dynasties. What about you leh?", he asked me.

"Well, first I would make sure that they pump hot spring water into my palace everyday. Then I will ask the court girls to dance while I soothe my muscles. Then I would order the finest food to be sent to my table after the soak and sleep on silk beds that shall be made by a thousand delicate hands"

He almost died.

10th day. Punishment before enjoyment

陽明山.



The mere recalling of how SL LLG did it with consumption king in their last trip to Taiwan where they scaled 1000 km still brought a shudder to him. That said, since we had a limitation of time, we knew that we had to finish the mountain of 陽明 before moving on to 北投.

So we cheated.

Well sort of. First we climbed quite a bit to the information centre where the kind lady immediately smelt the Singaporeanness in us and advised us to take a bus to a few poplar destinations and then climbed from there. After realizing that the bus was perpetually crowded, we decided to climb a bit of our own (still that "a bit" took us 45 min) before we took a bus from a more favourable location.

When we alighted, what greeted SL LLG sent a chill down his spine. "Yes" he muttered. This was the one consumption king and I climbed for 4 hours.
Determined not to repeat history, we decided to climb only a bit and then take some pictures







Take bus (#230 across 7-11) straight to 北投. Alighting, we went striaght to Hell Valley. According to the Guide Book, after a man fell in and scalded to death from the 90+ degrees celsius water, they have fenced up the whole place. Essentially, it was a lake but a boiling one at that



After that, we were on our hunt for our hot spring. There are many hot spring hotels there and were were ready to settle for a more atas one when something told me there are better deals up the slope. So we climbed a bit and entered this hotel which is beside a lovely quaint looking Catholic church. We were happy to hear that each of us only have to pay NT250 for 1.5 h of soak. And the best was yet to come. We were told we have the WHOLE area for ourselves and let me show you the pictures why were almost led to ecstacy when we saw what we had:




There are two pools all designed as if they were outdoors. The inner pool is warmer and the outer one is really nice to sleep in for an hour.





A bamboo hut and washing up area for changing and cleaning.

After that we were on our way to KFC for a quick dinner as were were interested to see if there was any differences in the chicken. SL LLG claimed the chicken is more juicy. I felt there wasn't much.

As we were making our way to the train station to catch our train to meet Serena, our new found Taiwanese friend we met in Wu Lai a day before, we bumped into this poised looking auntie.

"這位同學, could you tell me the direction to this......" Well SL LLG's heart apparently fluttered. Perhaps I had just taken it for granted that people would call me 同學 that I did not realise that, but one could easily imagine how that 稱呼 was most coveted by the decrepit and aged, that obviously SL LLG's ears caught it almost instantly. In an almost dazed manner, he couldn't remember the street name that the auntie was asking for, and I was the one who in a matter of fact manner, fished out the guide book and start figuring out the direction. After which, the auntie was so grateful that she said, 來,我給你們一點東西. SL LLG thought it was some rewards or something but she took out two namecards instead. Ah lish to miooo, she's actually an Member of Parliament for the KMT, and also a lecturer of a university!

After this interesting encounter, we returned to Taipei to meet Serena. She gave SL LLG a Cape 7 original CD and that stunned SL LLG considerably since his friend Bro Ong had asked him to get but the CD is still not yet out in Taiwan. She was kind enough to take us to Taiwan's MOST FAMOUS beef noodle house and I tell you, once you try it, beef noodles will never be the same again!

11th day. A day of culture and consumerism

九份 is a must see.



And that was what every guide books rave about. Since the movie City of Sadness 悲情城市 by Hou Hsiao-hsien's film came out, 九份is hardly sad. What with bus loads of chattering Hong Kong and Singapore aunties flocking the place, one might just feel so sad that the place is becoming just another tourist trap. Thankfully the aged streets still retain some bit of charm and not a lot of development has taken place there to make it look like our own Chinatown, which even my Chinese friend commented "這裡還比中國中國"


One of the stalls with the man in action - shaving away rock sugar to be wrapped later

For all that, SL LLG and I took a train and then transferred by way of a bus to 九份. Dark clouds were looming and being the agrophobic of me, I murmured that it might as well have rained and chase away all the tourists. To which, SL LLG swerved to look at me, and with some dramatic actions of saying prayers, asked the Great God to forgive what I said.

Apparently not. Before long, it started drizzling and everyone, including us was getting rather wet. But not before we had our fair share of sampling the various 小吃 including 紅糟豬肉, yam balls, etc. Knowing that we need to leave some stomach space for yum cha, we chose a tea house with a picturesque view overlooking the sea and the hills.


We chose this tea house! Yeh!

茶道 is our way of 修身养性 in Taiwan, so after the lady showed us the proper way to do it, SL LLG and I got down to tea business of 沏茶、赏茶、and of course 饮茶. With the drizzle advancing into a downpour, we could only count our lucky stars that I had wished for rain to come not another day. With warm tea on our hands replete with tea cakes, and the chilling weather outside, it was all just so relaxing. C'est la vie.



We were mindful not to leave the place too late as most 土產痁 would be closed by then. So despite the rain, we had to get our 鳳梨酥 and the famed 太陽餅 before the shutters came down. Of course I ended up buying more than those and we had quite a bit of a bag to handle when we board the bus to 基隆 where the Miao Kou 夜市 is Taiwan's largest and most famous.


We passed by this department store where there was a sign that highlighted how two thieves made away. Keep a lookout for them!

Unfortunately, that it being a Monday and a rainy one at that meant most stalls are closed and we just had to content ourselves with oysters/big intestines mee sua, smelly bean curd (for which SL LLG steadfastly refused to eat), 蠔煎, 蟹羹 and culminating in a bowl of 豆花 that had many stuffs going into it.

With a heavy heart, we took the train back to Taipei where we had our last 泡泡drinks (quientessential of Taiwan) in a stall near ur hotel. I had coke with milk, quite an ingenuous mix before we returned to our room to sort out all our crazy barang barang.

12th day. Home sweet home

At 3.30 am in the morning and having slept for 2 hours, we were decidedly tired, but went ahead with making our instant beef flavoured noodles adding ready made hard boiled eggs and coffee.



It is time to say goodbye to this city that is full of 博愛.

Thankfully we were travelling with SQ, which allowed us to doze off (unknowingly). Somehow SQ breakfast was not really a big deal, but our thoughts of dining at the airport probably was.

Despite me telling Great Friend upteen times not to 接機, I had a gut feeling that I had better call her upon touch down. Indeed, the voice from the other line confirmed that Great Friend had been waiting just outside. After lunch and a few updates of the trip, Great Friend insisted on sending me back home (in the North) and then taking another bus back to the East. Sigh.... this silly girl.. just won't listen.

I wished I could just plonked down to bed and catch up on my sleep. The knowledge that I still have final theory driving test in the evening did not allow me to take forty winks with ease. With an hour sleep, I was well on my way to take my test and as you could imagine,

I flunked.