Sunday, March 30, 2014

Taiwan Day 11: Taipei


Our last full day in Taiwan....:(:(
Spend our day nua-ing.. relaxing instead of go sight seeing.
Headed to Beitou to do hot spring!
Chose Atami Hotel after doing some research... Spacious room!


This is personal room for hot spring. Cost is relatively cheap.  



After 2 hours of hot spring, we headed to Dan Shui for a tea break and leisure walk.
Weather was finally getting hot...
Ate this ice cream but it was meh only. Don't really like it. Quite blant.


Fried dumpling. Good!!!!


After that, the boy told me to go back hotel.... cause we were moving hotel..
I was like... didn't we booked TS hotel for 2 nights?!
But... he said no... cause he had a surprise for me...
So we went back to collect our luggage......
I just blindly followed him... And ended up at a very beautiful place.
It's called SATO castle. It's near Miramar.
It's really very beautiful, exactly like a castle. The entrance looks like one, and the hotel room is like wow! 
There's a real garage in front before entering your room. 
Apparently, car can drive up and park. Damn cool. 
The room was wow too! He chose mermaid room. 
I wanted to take photo but he don't let me ... say he want me to remember in my mind... hahaha... so not him. anyways, so I didn't take. 
But I can still remember. The room facilities is the best too. There's a bath tub with jacuzzi, and a TV in front of the bath tub!!!! 
The bathing is separate, with many functions too! 
I found the link, so check it out. It's exactly what you see in the website photos.  

Below was our last day photo. Outside Sato. 


Back to our last night, we went to Raohe Night Market for dinner!

Queued for this!



It's like Japanese food. Quite good.





Osyter for NT$40?!!! CHEAP!!!
 
 That pretty much sums up my last night in Taiwan.
We left late morning the next day back home.

This trip definitely is a memorably one for me.
Our first long trip together, and the beautiful surprise on the last night.
Not only that, this whole trip was planned by him. I was studying and also busy settling my stuff, so he did all the research by himself, only asking me occasionally on some matters.
Really thankful for him, for his patience during these times.

I feel so blessed, but at times, feeling so guilty, because he has been accommodating towards me.
So many things because of me, he cannot do, and there are limitations to what we have in the future.
I don't know how our future will be, but everytime when i think about this, I feel sad and guilty.

But, I will stay positive and happy, that's all he ask for.
Thank you for this wonderful trip, even though you don't read this.

Well, if you ever need any information, brochures, let me know, I hope I can help!






Taiwan Day 10: Taichung - Taoyuan - Taipei


Early morning we had to check out because today is a very packed day.
Well, that's also because I wanted to go Taoyuan. hehe..
My special request again.

Below is the building of where we are staying. Shutters are closed 24hrs. So not like hostel.



There's alot of travelling time so we quickly made our way to Taoyuan via the train.
For what?
Tashee Blooming Oasis!
This place is very popular among many taiwan dramas and MTVs... 
Like Jay Chou 花海 MTV was done here! And of course, it's a popular place for wedding shots as well.
Cause the flowers are all very pretty, but of course, depending on which season you go. The brochure they provide actually tells you which season has what flowers. Very informative!
Too bad, Sunflower is not in the season.. :(



Thankfully the sun came then my pictures would be so true to its colour!
Love this! Columns and columns of different colours flowers!






And they did the "2014" with all the flowers...


Of course, everywhere you go also got souvenir shop ..
And this pillow so cute! So colourful and it's actually a sleeping pillow with lavender. Helps you to sleep better.
The boy bought one for me! :):):)


After that, we headed to the Lao Jie.
We cabbed over due to time contraint and GGH wanna go all the Lao Jie in the areas we went.


This is apparently quite famous... many people queuing to buy... Muah Chee...
Not interested. hahaha..


Then over here, the Lao Jie seem to be famous for their Beancurd.
Almost every other shop sells beancurd, and even shops in Taoyuan sells Beancurd.
Maybe this state is famous for it?




So, we tried it!!! The sauce is actually quite good!!!
I prefer the brown beancurd than the black one.



So, that's the only place we went to at Taoyuan.
After that, we quickly head over to Taipei to check in our hotel before heading out to meet my ex-FD, Lim and our medical Director who moved to Taipei, Michelle.

Our hotel, recommended by Linx.
TS Hotel
Well kept!!! Very comfortable too and convenient to XiMenDing!
Way better than the one I stayed last year.


Their bathroom so sophisticated... Look at the shower area. So many pattern. Like can choose what type of water fall you want. quite shiok. but I didn't use lah. haha...


Lim brought us to a Japanese Restaurant which according to him, serves very good food.
It's at a very small shophouse units located near the Din Tai Feng flagship.
Of course,  we let the ordering to him. And this is the bomb!
Fresh seafood and the abalone is still alive, we could see it breathing! Yikes.
But really, it's damn shiok, and really very fresh!
Had a good long 4hours of chatting, catching up during this dinner.
They are both my favourite people in Abbott.
Good leadership, provides good guidance and no airs of a Director.
Too bad, both relocated to Taiwan.
Lim, my mentor, a very strict FD but really knows his stuff. Under him, I grew and learnt the hard way but unforgettable. Totally miss his leadership style.
Michelle, relocated late last year, was like a sister to me. Lots of peep talks even though I moved away from Planning, and we have common interest too. And she really does care for you.
Haiz.. typing away, I miss them...



Today was full of rushing here and there, and having a damn good meal with good company.
Totally dead tired by then.

Taiwan Day 9: Taichung

Settled for Yong He Dou Jiang for breakfast!!!!
We ordered a lot.. again... and couldn't finish.. haha..
It's actually near Fengjia Market before the entrance.


Cost only NT$100!!!

For today's itinery, we booked a driver for a whole day as the places are pretty far off.
Cost around NT$2,000 for a whole day. Actually for this cost, I think there were other places along the way you could have gone, but we only wanted to go 2 places and wasn't interested in the rest of them.


First stop - Summit Resort (新社庄园)
It's a very different feel when you enter. European feel, castle like structures. 
Very pretty, and very picturesque. 
Shall just show pictures cause really, you won't regret going. It's very pretty.
Can go there take tons of photos, or wedding shots if you like.










Their plants all trimmed until very proper.




For lunch, the driver brought us to a popular place to eat that's very nearby the Summit Resort.
Jen Hua - It sells all mushroom stuff. Well, that's because that area is very famous for growing mushrooms!
Along the streets, you will see MANY shops selling mushrooms... ALOT...



Our mushroom steamboat. Seriously, mushroom overload. But I like mushrooms so it's okay.
All very fresh and fragrant. They have meat but only a few slices.

Cost NT$620

Our 3nd stop - The Lavender Cottage (薰衣草森林(新社店))
This is MY PLACE. I specially requested for this place to be included in the itinery.
And that's why we hired a cab because to get to this place, the only way is to drive in. And it's a long way...  But I wanna come!!!
So sweet and calming place! and all lavender!!!!
Ticket Cost NT$200 for 2, with coupons offset as well.




The map looks big but actually quite small only. We stayed there for about 1.5hrs only.


The wishing tree. 



:)

There are many different types of lavender I realised. Different countries have different growth.
Sometimes I see bigger blooms, while some are skinnier...




A little lavender house setup. All purple.. I think Yuez will like this. lol. but maybe too sweet. hahaha!


That marks our whole afternoon. Got some souvenirs before heading back.
After that, we went to another well known night market in Taichung, Yizhong Street.


Yes, I heard this is famous here. So of course must try lah.
It's juicier than the Hot Star!


Because we weren't hungry, we just walked around the night market before heading back.
Fengjia is definitely more crowded, Yizhong has more shopping stuff and more atas clothes. Similar to Shi Da in Taipei.

So we went back to Fengjia to get his craving - Papaya Milkshake (NT$40). There was very long queue last night so we sadly had to miss it, but this time round, we queued for a while only.
I think they uses different kind of milk that's why it's so special.
He finished the big cup all by himself!

We got another round of scallop and sweet potato before heading back home to pack luggage.