Showing posts with label Taiwan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taiwan. Show all posts


I thought it would be nice if we can spend 4 days in Taipei as our last stop so I changed the itinerary, to give it an extra day by skipping Yilan. Later the same night I'm deeply regret with my decision. T__T There's nothing really special about Taipei unless you love the hustle and bustle of a city. I dislike city and long for home every single day because I'm staying in a capital city called Kuala-la-la Lumpur.
Taipei City welcomed us with a stiff breeze and high windchill on our first day. The rapid change of temperature each day made it hard to adapt. EK had fever on the first night and Joe on the following night. Thankfully our room equipped with lots of TV channels while the lobby offered unlimited drinks and breads, with washing machine and dryer at the back. There's a 7-11 just opposite us. So it won't be a problem to stay in most of the time.
I left Taipei city with mixed feelings. I don't do airport farewell & I hate saying goodbyes more than anything. Joshua and wifey insisted to send me off at the airport. They walked me to the departure hall where we bid our last goodbye. We gave each others a big warm hug before I walk in.
Ahh.. 'til we meet again. x


I thought it would be nice if we can spend 4 days in Taipei as our last stop so I changed the itinerary, to give it an extra day by skipping Yilan. Later the same night I'm deeply regret with my decision. T__T There's nothing really special about Taipei unless you love the hustle and bustle of a city. I dislike city and long for home every single day because I'm staying in a capital city called Kuala-la-la Lumpur.
Taipei City welcomed us with a stiff breeze and high windchill on our first day. The rapid change of temperature each day made it hard to adapt. EK had fever on the first night and Joe on the following night. Thankfully our room equipped with lots of TV channels while the lobby offered unlimited drinks and breads, with washing machine and dryer at the back. There's a 7-11 just opposite us. So it won't be a problem to stay in most of the time.
I left Taipei city with mixed feelings. I don't do airport farewell & I hate saying goodbyes more than anything. Joshua and wifey insisted to send me off at the airport. They walked me to the departure hall where we bid our last goodbye. We gave each others a big warm hug before I walk in.
Ahh.. 'til we meet again. x


It had been raining since the group left Taipei city. It was so @#$%^&*() nice to snuggle up in bed of fresh sheets during rainy period like this. I thought it would be uneasy for me to fall asleep at night(in a capsule hotel) but I woke up 30 mins before check-out time & I am not surprised.
There goes my precious morning T__T




I ended up spending half of my day at Huashan Creative Park cos it's the nearest from my station, which so happened to be the best decision I've ever made. ヽ(^o^)丿



HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE!
You see what I mean here? I felt like the artsy cells inside of my right brain is trying to burst outta my head.
There's a few ongoing flea markets selling all the artsy crafty stuff got me really excited. I wish I can show support to the local artists but I'm only left with not much $ that's just nice for my last day. The least I can do is to purchase some postcards with cute illustration to send some loves back home—the recipients love it!
How I wish Joe was here with me, as I supposed seeing me happy makes him happy too. :o) I'm pretty sure he's gonna love this space, hence I kept sending videos to him.


It was still drizzling so I made my way to this cafe that caught my attention earlier. It's just stones throw away from the market hall.



I ordered sandwich set that comes with a really nice iced coffee. I'd always opt for hot coffee cos it's more aromatic but this was the best iced coffee ever. Let's just make sure I will come back with more cash next round then.


It had been raining since the group left Taipei city. It was so @#$%^&*() nice to snuggle up in bed of fresh sheets during rainy period like this. I thought it would be uneasy for me to fall asleep at night(in a capsule hotel) but I woke up 30 mins before check-out time & I am not surprised.
There goes my precious morning T__T




I ended up spending half of my day at Huashan Creative Park cos it's the nearest from my station, which so happened to be the best decision I've ever made. ヽ(^o^)丿



HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE!
You see what I mean here? I felt like the artsy cells inside of my right brain is trying to burst outta my head.
There's a few ongoing flea markets selling all the artsy crafty stuff got me really excited. I wish I can show support to the local artists but I'm only left with not much $ that's just nice for my last day. The least I can do is to purchase some postcards with cute illustration to send some loves back home—the recipients love it!
How I wish Joe was here with me, as I supposed seeing me happy makes him happy too. :o) I'm pretty sure he's gonna love this space, hence I kept sending videos to him.


It was still drizzling so I made my way to this cafe that caught my attention earlier. It's just stones throw away from the market hall.



I ordered sandwich set that comes with a really nice iced coffee. I'd always opt for hot coffee cos it's more aromatic but this was the best iced coffee ever. Let's just make sure I will come back with more cash next round then.


We arrived at Jiufen around 6pm which is really late because most of the shops close at 7pm. So we quickly take a stroll down the streets and buy some souvenirs. Jiufen feels a lot like Genting back in Malaysia, but smaller.
I wish I could spend more time here at some of the vintage looking cafes. I know there's a few nice homestay around with really nice view but there's almost nothing you can do here after 7 when the shops are closed, so Joe was kinda against the idea of a stay here. Quite frankly, I prefer peaceful nights with nothing to do over happening one. A camera is all I need, I can entertain myself all day.


We arrived at Jiufen around 6pm which is really late because most of the shops close at 7pm. So we quickly take a stroll down the streets and buy some souvenirs. Jiufen feels a lot like Genting back in Malaysia, but smaller.
I wish I could spend more time here at some of the vintage looking cafes. I know there's a few nice homestay around with really nice view but there's almost nothing you can do here after 7 when the shops are closed, so Joe was kinda against the idea of a stay here. Quite frankly, I prefer peaceful nights with nothing to do over happening one. A camera is all I need, I can entertain myself all day.




When Taiwan trip first being brought up, this is the one place that came into my mind.
I'm in awe. The view of the vast and borderless Pacific Ocean along Suhua highway is simply magnificent. The ocean has different shades of blue, it looks very inviting and dreamy. I spontaneously wind down the car window to hear the sounds of waves. Just like any other mountain road, the highway is noticeably narrow, it's almost as if we're gonna fall off the cliffs anytime. However, there's a speed limit of 25km/h on this highway, which is great because you can take time appreciate the raw beauty of Qingshui Cliff.
We made a brief stopover at the observatory deck for photos. The scenery is particularly beautiful on this sunny day. We were in a rush plus the blazing sun so we made our move to the next stop.




When Taiwan trip first being brought up, this is the one place that came into my mind.
I'm in awe. The view of the vast and borderless Pacific Ocean along Suhua highway is simply magnificent. The ocean has different shades of blue, it looks very inviting and dreamy. I spontaneously wind down the car window to hear the sounds of waves. Just like any other mountain road, the highway is noticeably narrow, it's almost as if we're gonna fall off the cliffs anytime. However, there's a speed limit of 25km/h on this highway, which is great because you can take time appreciate the raw beauty of Qingshui Cliff.
We made a brief stopover at the observatory deck for photos. The scenery is particularly beautiful on this sunny day. We were in a rush plus the blazing sun so we made our move to the next stop.


Taroko National Park is our last stop before we check in to our stay at Hualien. There are few sights here to check out: Jiuqudong (Tunnel of Nine Turns), Cimu Bridge, Yanzikou (Swallow Grotto) and Changchun Shrine (Eternal Spring Shrine) and more. I didn't take a lot of pictures here because I'm paying most attention to the history and info told by our hired driver such as the formation of Taroko Gorge.
Taroko Gorge road is made out of carving out rocks by hand tools. It's roughly 20km long and namely one of the most dangerous roads in the world. Not only the skill of driving is being tested, the courage to pass through every blind corners, sharp turns and narrow pathways leading through cliffs is also a challenge. The crazy car ride was well worth it. The road alongside Taroko Gorge offers an undoubtedly spectacular view of the marble-ous canyon walls.


Amidst the breathtaking natural beauty there lurks the risk of rock falls. We were told there was a collapse in the past week so they had to close down that area for reconstruction. So for safety purpose, we had to wear safety helmets to go in because the park is always in an unstable condition.

I got to take a picture with iconic character—Duncan here at Hualien! I happened to like Hualien a lot, it's a quaint little city packed with lots of local delights. We only stayed there one night as a stopover from Mt. Heshuan to Yilan/Taipei. I'm amazed by how clean & organised their night market is. There are tables for eat-in if you prefer to sit down and enjoy your food. The taiwanese people are very courteous that they'll clean the table for next group as they leave.


Taroko National Park is our last stop before we check in to our stay at Hualien. There are few sights here to check out: Jiuqudong (Tunnel of Nine Turns), Cimu Bridge, Yanzikou (Swallow Grotto) and Changchun Shrine (Eternal Spring Shrine) and more. I didn't take a lot of pictures here because I'm paying most attention to the history and info told by our hired driver such as the formation of Taroko Gorge.
Taroko Gorge road is made out of carving out rocks by hand tools. It's roughly 20km long and namely one of the most dangerous roads in the world. Not only the skill of driving is being tested, the courage to pass through every blind corners, sharp turns and narrow pathways leading through cliffs is also a challenge. The crazy car ride was well worth it. The road alongside Taroko Gorge offers an undoubtedly spectacular view of the marble-ous canyon walls.


Amidst the breathtaking natural beauty there lurks the risk of rock falls. We were told there was a collapse in the past week so they had to close down that area for reconstruction. So for safety purpose, we had to wear safety helmets to go in because the park is always in an unstable condition.

I got to take a picture with iconic character—Duncan here at Hualien! I happened to like Hualien a lot, it's a quaint little city packed with lots of local delights. We only stayed there one night as a stopover from Mt. Heshuan to Yilan/Taipei. I'm amazed by how clean & organised their night market is. There are tables for eat-in if you prefer to sit down and enjoy your food. The taiwanese people are very courteous that they'll clean the table for next group as they leave.

This is when you can totally break into dance singing to "I'm on the top of the world looking down on creation..."
♫┏(・o・)┛♩


I wouldn't mind to include Mt. Hehuan again on my next Taiwan trip. I'm sure there's some other spots we have missed out. It was so cold I was shivering like crazy. We'd be able to catch the snow if we were there a week ago. We still managed to see some leftover snows on the ground.
It's quite dangerous as the route to Mt. Hehuan is not only long and narrow, it's also winding. I know that we've paid for it, but I think it's super uneasy and stressful for our hired driver to drive us up with a 8-passenger SUV. It definitely takes lots of patience and energy to go up and come down.


We stopped by the border(the peak that lies on the boundaries of Nantou & Hualien) for a cup of hot choco before we embark our journey to TianXiang for a quick lunch.

This building and textured wall caught my attention as I was walking towards 7-11. I quickly grabbed Joe over to help me with a shot over the colourful tiled walls. Then I look around for signs, only to find out that it's a post office. According to informations gathered from Mr.G, it's also the "highest" post office in Taiwan. Why did everyone not notice this building as they walked past numerous times especially the wall? It's too eye-catching to be missed.

This is when you can totally break into dance singing to "I'm on the top of the world looking down on creation..."
♫┏(・o・)┛♩


I wouldn't mind to include Mt. Hehuan again on my next Taiwan trip. I'm sure there's some other spots we have missed out. It was so cold I was shivering like crazy. We'd be able to catch the snow if we were there a week ago. We still managed to see some leftover snows on the ground.
It's quite dangerous as the route to Mt. Hehuan is not only long and narrow, it's also winding. I know that we've paid for it, but I think it's super uneasy and stressful for our hired driver to drive us up with a 8-passenger SUV. It definitely takes lots of patience and energy to go up and come down.


We stopped by the border(the peak that lies on the boundaries of Nantou & Hualien) for a cup of hot choco before we embark our journey to TianXiang for a quick lunch.

This building and textured wall caught my attention as I was walking towards 7-11. I quickly grabbed Joe over to help me with a shot over the colourful tiled walls. Then I look around for signs, only to find out that it's a post office. According to informations gathered from Mr.G, it's also the "highest" post office in Taiwan. Why did everyone not notice this building as they walked past numerous times especially the wall? It's too eye-catching to be missed.







What better way than to wake up to this view, besides beaches?
I miss the silence and cold fresh air when we stayed at the highest point of Cingjing. Everyone was satisfied and contented with the steamboat dinner & breakfast that comes along with the price we paid. It's cold up there but it's also the "warmest" night of the trip as 8 of us shared a room together for this one night. We can catch sunrise just outside of the balcony, and even stargaze at midnight. Too bad it was very cloudy that night, as much as I love stargazing(I was hoping to try some milky way photography) but I'm not disappointed at all. The weather couldn't have been better for our 10 days in Taiwan, it only started to rain on the last day when we're about to leave to airport. I have absolutely no complaints. :o)







What better way than to wake up to this view, besides beaches?
I miss the silence and cold fresh air when we stayed at the highest point of Cingjing. Everyone was satisfied and contented with the steamboat dinner & breakfast that comes along with the price we paid. It's cold up there but it's also the "warmest" night of the trip as 8 of us shared a room together for this one night. We can catch sunrise just outside of the balcony, and even stargaze at midnight. Too bad it was very cloudy that night, as much as I love stargazing(I was hoping to try some milky way photography) but I'm not disappointed at all. The weather couldn't have been better for our 10 days in Taiwan, it only started to rain on the last day when we're about to leave to airport. I have absolutely no complaints. :o)



Apart from the long car ride everyday since early morning until the end of it, I must say it's definitely worth a few minutes stopover at each places just to take photos even the weather is so hot outside(poor Joe got sunburnt from it). I'm a total floral fetish. But it was quite disappointing not seeing these flowers appeared in big and full bloom. :( It's also very sad that tulips festival ended a day before I arrived in Taiwan.





The weather was good and chilly that morning. However we didn't manage to finish til the end of route because we should be leaving to next destination at that time. It was exhausting too as we don't usually workout LOL so.. auto bike? Take all my money please




I came home with the deepest regret that I didn't try to eat as much as I can. I had at least 2 pearl milk tea every day. I've been craving for the very juicy & tender flame-grilled beef cubes sprinkled with rose pink salt ever since. It's so heavenly it literally changed my life! (FYI I don't take beef) To be honest it looks like some stall you would just skip it because the raw beef on the grill looks very unappetising, not until you try it in your mouth; There, you have my word!



Apart from the long car ride everyday since early morning until the end of it, I must say it's definitely worth a few minutes stopover at each places just to take photos even the weather is so hot outside(poor Joe got sunburnt from it). I'm a total floral fetish. But it was quite disappointing not seeing these flowers appeared in big and full bloom. :( It's also very sad that tulips festival ended a day before I arrived in Taiwan.





The weather was good and chilly that morning. However we didn't manage to finish til the end of route because we should be leaving to next destination at that time. It was exhausting too as we don't usually workout LOL so.. auto bike? Take all my money please




I came home with the deepest regret that I didn't try to eat as much as I can. I had at least 2 pearl milk tea every day. I've been craving for the very juicy & tender flame-grilled beef cubes sprinkled with rose pink salt ever since. It's so heavenly it literally changed my life! (FYI I don't take beef) To be honest it looks like some stall you would just skip it because the raw beef on the grill looks very unappetising, not until you try it in your mouth; There, you have my word!
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