Yes, I m finally back !!!

Hurray!!! I am back !!!

For those reading this entry: I warn you, this will definitely be a very long blog entry. Be prepared and don't complain. =P

Finally, I am back from Taiwan. Miss my blogging, anyone? *hiak hiak* Reached Taipei Int'l Airport at 1.00pm on 4 Aug 2004. Met Hsiping (my dear old sec sch frenz) at the airport with her mum. Shook our hands, uploaded our luggages and we set off to Song Shang Railway station.




Song Shang railway station is located in Taipei, one of the largest railway station. Reached the station at around 2.30pm and we headed to Xing Guang San Yue departmental store. If you are a Taiwan entertainment news fan, most probably you will heard of this departmental store because it's where many artistes and singers holding their autograph and hands-shaking sessions there!!




After our lunch at Xing Guang San Yue, we went to take our train ride at 4.30pm. The very 1st stop for this 6 days trip - Yi Lan. Once again, if you are a crazy fan of F4 (or, ONCE a crazy fan), you can definitely guess correctly who's the one from Yi Lan. Who? Correct! Zai Zai, Zhou Yu Ming!!!




Arrived at Luo Dong railway station at around 6.30pm. Should actually arrived earlier, but the fastest train in Taiwan (Zhi Qiang Hao) was fully booked. Thus, we took the 2nd fastest and this ride took us 2 hrs. Aniway, Luo Dong is like a village area. You can see plantation and village kids along the way. We booked a hostel and ride bicycles out to Luo Dong Ye Shi (Luo Dong Night Market) around 7.30pm. The whole bicycle ride took us 30mins as the whole journey was about 4 KM!!! Super tiring and the roads are filled with plenty of reckless motor vehicles!! Cuiping, the unfortunate one, slipped and fell on the road with her bicycle and her whole arm and legs are "decorated" with bruises, sigh.




The sky was dark when we reached the market. It was filled with lotsa people and lotsa lotsa food!! Yeah, my 1st dish was chou doufu (smelly fried beancurb). I've never dare to try such things in Spore, but since I m in Taiwan, I've to try out these delicacies. First bite on it and my reaction was, "wow, the doufu taste great with the sauce on it. No smelly taste at all!"

2nd dish, Ou'ah Jian (Fried oyster with egg). Pop the very 1st oyster of my life into my mouth. Woooahh!!! The egg, flour and oysters taste marvellous!! Especially the egg and flour really taste different from Spore's style because I will only eat these two normally. The sauce poured onto the Ou'ah Jian taste great too. Taiwanese are great with what kinda sauce to go with what kinda food.

3rd dish, Yao Dun Yang Rou (Herbal Mutton soup). Heard from Hsiping that it's the famous store in Luo Dong night market. Of cuz, I must definitely try one bowl, yumz yumz. Thou' the weather is already super warm, I still dun mind to "flood" my stomach with a bowl of mutton soup, hehe.

After all these sumptous dishes, a cup of fresh papaya milk really cools me down. *Burp* Time was around 10.30pm after we walked around. Nuting much to buy from Luo Dong night market. Ride back slowly and slept around 1.30am.

Woke up at ard 9am in the morning. Had our breakfast prepared by the tenants, teochew porridge with taiwan sausages, fish floss with seaweed, fried omelette and vegetarian food. Very family style, yet very heartwarming and delicious breakfast. Next stop, Guo Ji Tong Wan Jie (Int'l Children's Folklore and Folkgame Festival) at Yi Lan. Hsiping said that this children's festival is only held in Yi Lan from 3 July till 15 Aug' 2004. It's great that we are able to enjoy this occasion there. Packed my bag with swimming costume, towel, water bottle and my sunblock lotion and we ride our bicycles to Dong Shan He.






The sun was super bright and hot. Changed into our swimming costumes and we headed down to the water games with all the children and adults. It's quite cooling to wet ourselves under the super super hot sun. Good for those who loves tanning so much. Such a pity, I am already that "black", hahar. after all the games, had our packed lunch from 7-11. Did I mentioned that almost every 2 KM, you will be able to see a 7-11? All these 7-11 stores are all over Taiwan!! Especially Taipei, you can really get all the food and drinks whenever and wherever you are. S.H.E were once endorsing 7-11 cup noodles, drinks and ice-cream products, but now 5566 have taken over. So, can you imagine how many bucks these artistes are earning!! PLENTY!!!






Ok, back to our hostel was about 1.30pm. Packed and changed and we left Yi Lan to the railway station. Finally, we are able to leave that place. It's super hot and tiring in this kinda village area. You need to ride a bicycle for more than 30mins to get to the nearest night market!

Back to Song Shang railway station around 4.30pm. Found a huge locker to store my luaggage and its' time for SHOPPING!!! 1st stop, Wu Feng Pu. The cheapest and largest clothes supplier market in Taipei. All the hip and trendy clothes you found in Hsi Meng Ding are actually being supplied from Wu Feng Pu. For those who are planning to go for a cheap, yet trendy shopping trip, please go to Wu Feng Pu. It's those shops similar to Spore's Far East Plaza. Many youngsters with funky hairstyles dropped by there to bargain prices. Clothes there are definitely much cheaper comparing to Hsi Meng Ding and Spore. Clothes selling at around S$20 can actually be bargained till S$12 !!!










Next stop, Rao He Ye Shi (Rao He night market). Its' actually opposite Wu Feng Pu. You only need to climb up a bridge and crossed over. The food there are much delicious compared to Luo Dong night market. Ate Ou'ah Jian and Chou Doufu again. But this time round, we drank Yao Dun Pai Gu (Herbal Pork ribs soup). *burp burp burpz* Find myself eating alot of nice food in these few days, haharz. Crossed over the bridge to get our luaggages and crossed over again!! Hmm, maybe all those food stored in my stomach had already helped me to replenish the energy lost in my body, hehez.






Hsiping's cousin came around 10.30pm. Jumped into his comfortable huge Ford car and headed towards his house. Taipei's flats are quite small and crampy. But the advantage is that you are very near to all those famous shopping buildings and night markets and you can jolly well refer yourself as a Taipei citizen, rather than those "village-type" citizen.

Next morning at around 10.30am, woke up and get ready for our KTV session at Hsi Meng Ding. Took our motor ride to Song Shang railway station and it was my very 1st time taking a motor ride with Hsiping as the driver, haharz. Sang from 1pm till 5pm. Had our lunch in the KTV room. Walked around Hsi Meng Ding after our KTV session and the shops there are definitely much nicer than Wu Feng Pu. However, the similar type of clothes are really more expensive. Din bought a single thing at Hsi Meng Ding because most of the shops are very similar to what you can see in Orchard Road. Saw the top high school students, Bei Yi Nu Girls' School wearing their typical uniforms and strolling along Hsi Meng Ding. This reminds me of seeing all those Raffles Girls' students along Orchard Road too, haharz.

Took the MRT to Jian Tan station, and our next stop is Shi Lin Ye Shi (Shi Lin night market). Stomach was groaning at 6.30pm and we went to had our dinner before walking around. Ate the typical taiwanese dishes and the famous Shi Lin taiwan susagges. Walked around Shi Lin and clothes, shoes and other stuffs are almost the same as Rao He night market. Din bought anithing there too, cuz I've already bought alot from Rao He night market the previous night. Left Shi Lin night market around 10.30pm, but before we left, I went to buy a piece of deep fried chicken cutlet from the very infamous Hao Da, Da Ji Pai in Shi Lin. That piece of chicken cutlet can even covered your whole face!! It's almost as long as a 30cm ruler!! I am not bragging, it's true!! If you have ever watched those taiwan delicacies shows, you will know what I mean. Night markets are definitely famous for their Ji Pai too.




Took the taiwan MRT back to Rao He Night market because I wanted to go back to buy the clothes I've aimed the previous night. This time round, Hsiping's cousin came to fetch us with his motor bike. Took the ride to the night market and dashed our way into the heavy crowd. Immediately settled down at the store I wanted and started to bargain with that guy. Managed to save S$2 after bargaining. Bought a packet of mango milk ice back to Hsiping's cousin place.




Its' so tiring and warm after a long day. Bathe, changed into our cooling tee shirts, and time for mango milk ice. Hsiping's cousin and his wife were planning to watch a baseball match at 3.00am. It's a warm-up match for Taiwan as they will be participating in this yr's Olympics. Her cousin and wife went down to buy a few cans of Taiwan beer and some snacks back for us to stay up till 3.00am. Watched The Day After Tomorrow while waiting. Finally, 3.00am reached. My eyes were already half closed by that time. But I managed to watch for 30mins and I decided to play a game of chess with "zhou gong".

Time really flies. It's already sat when I woke up the next day. Hsiping's cousin drove us to a famous posh shopping building, Taipei 101 at around 11.30am. This time round, their cute little boy was going along with us. His name is Wu Pei An. Super adorable and smile with eyes shut closely. Hope he will grow up healthy, smart and dashing. Taipei 101 is a place for rich and wealthy people, like those F4's families or those tai-tai(s) whose husband(s) belongs to some kinda GREEN or BLUE sector (Political term in Taiwan). Of cuz, I am unable to afford anything there, thus I am only able to sit comfortably at the cafe located in Taipei 101. Had a very nice cup of Mocha blended ice and its' time to bide farewell to Hsiping's cousin and his family. Took a few shots with their little Prince An before we left too, hehe.









Took the train from Song Shang Railway station to Xing Zhu Railway station. This time round, Hsiping's sister was waiting for us there. Along the way, we bought a few fried dumplings and a bowl of suan la tang (sour hot soup - directly translation) and filled my stomach in her sis's car.

Next stop, Liu Fu Chun (Leo Foo Village). It's a famous amusement theme park and Hsiping said many taiwanese drama serials had scenes from there too. Tried many adventurous games that I dun even dare to try in Spore. One of the game is call the Da Nu Sheng (The Superior Angry God). It's where 16 people are seated in 4 different sides, each with 4 people on 1 side. These people will be elevated up to 53 KM from ground level !! In less than 5 secs, they will be dropped as fast as possible to the ground !!! This was the game I've tried and I was super nervous while queuing for around 30 mins.






The sky was dark once again, and its' time for us to head back to Hsiping's house. Reached her place around 11.00pm. All of us were very tired and we slept early on that sat night. Woke up at 10+am and its' sunday. The last day for us to spend in Taiwan. Cuiping was down with high fever, 38.5 degree celcius was what I heard from Hsiping's mother. Her mum brought her to a nearby clinic and she was told not to travel around for that day. Thus, we went for our spring bath without her.

Reached Nan Zuang Natural Spring at around 2.00pm. Thou' the weather is hot, there's still plenty of taiwanese people having their family bath. It's Father's Day! No wonder there's so many fathers with their wives and kids having such good time there. Enjoyed myself in the cold, hot and super hot spring bath. It's also my very 1st time experiencing a natural spring bath, with those mineral water that are being flow down from the hills nourishing my whole body, giving me a wonderful and relaxing feeling.






Went for our coffee session up the hill top after our spring bath. It's so relaxing and the scenary is marvellous. It's nice when you are actually enjoying a cup of hot mocha and looking directly to a whole stretch of hills, with the birds chirping and flowers blooming. Went down the hill around 6.00pm and went to buy our dinner back. Along the way, I was looking out of the car window and recalling all the activites and events we have been doing in Taiwan for these few days. Wonderful moments passed very quickly.




Back to Hsiping's house around 7.30 pm. Watched tv and had our dinner. When i looked up to the clock, 11.30pm reached. Need to wake up at 6.00am tomorrow morning for the flight. Unwilling to sleep, but my mind tells me I need to rest. Packed all my luaggage and lied on the bed at 1.30am. Cant bear to shut my eyes, cant bear to say goodbye, cant bear to leave Taiwan.

What has to come, will come. Woke up at 5.45am and get ready to prepare. Hop onto Hsiping's mum car and set off at 6.30am. Din talk much to all of them because I wanted some silence for myself to look at Taiwan. We were approaching the airport soon after the heavy morning traffic. Arrived at the airport at around 8.00am. Shook hands with her mum and Hsiping. Handed her two S$10 new notes for her to keep as remembrance. Tears din roll down my face surprisingly. Pulled my luaggage quietly and checked in immediately. Plane took off at 10.00am.

Reached Spore at around 3.50pm. Mum called and said that she has told Dad to pick me up from the airport. It's very sweet when you hear your mum's voice after so many days apart and it's sweet when your parents came to the airport to fetch you. At least I dun have to drag my super heavy luaggage and all the things I've bought from Taiwan up the MRT back to Bukit Gombak, haharz. Of cuz' I wont be so stupid to take the MRT after such long flight back to Spore and carrying loads of stuffs.

I am lucky to catch the NDP 'live on tv when I reached home. Dozed off after the show. Din manage to catch the very 1st episode of Spore Idol, sigh. Will definitely watch it next week.

That's ALL for my 6 days Taiwan trip. Will plan to go again next yr, maybe during end of June or beginning of July. This time round, will go with Winnie for a very huge shopping spree and we are aiming to conquer all the shopping areas in Taipei, haharz! Hopefully Gerald will be able to join us too. In this case, I dun have to go around, looking for toy figurines for him, hehe.

ps: Anyone care to join me and Winnie for a 3-4 days Hongkong trip during March or April next yr? Feel free to contact me @ 1900-9800-2588. Each call will be charged at S$10/min. *muhahahar*

Time: 10.39 PM.