JASSYTRAVELS: TAIWAN (PART II - TAIPEI)

Wee, finally had some time at home to blog down the next half of my Taiwan trip! :)

DAY 5 - TAIPEI (DAY 1)

Took the HSR back to Taipei and cabbed to our hotel! For our accomodation at Taipei, I booked the standard room at Muzik Hotel (Xining Branch) and it's good! Cosy, clean, affordable & accessible from Ximen station too :)

First thing after we settled our luggage, we went to queue for 馬辣頂級麻辣鴛鴦火鍋 Mala Steamboat!!! There's a branch just below our hotel building but I think that one not the famous branch so there's no queue. We went to the another branch slightly nearer to the centre of Ximending. Queued for a while and it's our turn!! This steamboat buffet is suuuuuper good - those that never try before should totally come and try.. some more it's only about NT540.. it's damn cheap considering their quality and wide range of food choices. Oh, and they have free flow of beer, drinks, Häagen-Dazs/Movenpick ice cream!! WAH. I miss it so muchhhhh!

Walk around Ximending area and bought my first pair of Nike Hurashe :) Chilled at Starbucks for a while then we proceed back hotel for check in! Last stop of the day was Shilin Night Market.

DAY 6 - TAIPEI (DAY 2)

Breakfast for the day: Ay-Chung Mee Sua! Super popular in Taiwan. I think it's taste normal but after adding their garlic and chilli sauce, it's damn amazing. Some more cooling weather then eat hot hot stuff damn shiok!

Took the train to Tamsui station (about 45 minutes from Ximen station) and I queued 1 hour for this old school sponge cake and one of the alley. But so worth it cos it's so fluffy and yummy!!! Bought the cheese flavour one for NT100 (Original is NT80)

Ice creammmmm (First ice cream shop from the old street)

Next, we took a 10 minutes bus ride to Tamsui Valentine Bridge. Really nothing much there, just go there for the sake of taking photo with the "LOVE' sign. Haha.

Basic dog filter from snapchat LOL

Went to the first Din Tai Fung branch in Taiwan and it's sooooo good. I love their orginal flavour XLB. The wanton is damn good too. Decided to have some dessert after a good meal before heading to Wufenpu and Raohe.. So we settled for Smoothie House which is just one street away from DTF. Ordered 2 bowls - Mango Shaved Ice with Sorbet and Classic Taro + Peanut flavour Snow Ice.

Wufenpu is best known as the wholesale market but sadly I didn't shop cos it's mainly sweater and thick winter clothing kind. Walked to Raohe Night Market after that for our last station and we had the worst fried oyster meal there. LOL.

Day 7 - TAIPEI (DAY 3)

We booked a driver again cos we're heading to Yehliu Geopark (which is pretty far away) but actually it's not necessary so for those who want to go, you can just take public transport and walk a little bit more. So for the driver package, he brought us to 野柳》九份》北投温泉 and also to ChiaTe Bakery to get the famous 太阳饼. 1 day package for NT3500 :)

The weather not doing the place any justice but even though the weather damn bad, the scenery is still damn chio. The entrance for Yehliu is NT80 for adults and I bought a poncho for only NT20 right outside the entrance. Oh and I saw my childhood friend and his parents there also omg damn coincidental! :)

The rain and wind is crazy man!!! The driver brought us to have seafood zichar after we finish walking the yehliu but then the food so so only lor and so pricey $$$ - chop tourist money one. Head to Jiufen next and the weather got even worst. Heavy downpour and super cold wind! Ordered a few boxes of 太阳饼 & 芋泥酥 from Liyi Bakery before we walk further down into the streets.

Initial plan is to go Shifen for the lantern and waterfall but the weather not getting any better so the driver suggested that he can bring us to Beitou to have hotspring instead. We go ahead with it since we planned to go one of the days too.

My first hotspring experience and it was good! We went for the classic 2 pax package at 汤濑 (Tang Lai) but can't remember how much we paid per pax. It's not that expensive though :)

Kyler recommend this very nice braised pork meat rice at Ximending so we settled our dinner there after our driver drop us off at Ximending :) The shop name is called 天天利美食坊 Tian Tian Li and it's really nice and cheap!

Gab and I went to Babe 18 after that. It's Thursday which is their Ladies Night and we reach there around 11.30ish? They have free flow drinks inside and ladies is NT300, guys NT700. And guess what, I vomitted after my second cup of drink. HAHA. I ordered this Tequila Sunset - it's damn strong la wtf then go the dance floor a while I cannot already. Vomitted outside this pretty atas looking shop haha (SO SORRY) and it smells like the braised pork rice OMG.. I am damn gross.

Day 8 - TAIPEI (DAY 4)

Woke up around 10 plus then prepare to go for our second round of ma la steamboat. Off to Longshan Temple, Chiang Kei-Shek Memorial Hall and Ningxia Night Market for the day.

Streets of Ximen

Longshan Temple :)

Right outside Ximen Station (Exit 6) Preparing for the grand opening of H&M in Taipei the next morning.

Bumped into each other at the Ximending again! My childhood friend's mummy :)

Day 9 - TAIPEI (DAY 5)

Last full day of the trip. Initially wanted to go dye hair but the weather looking good so we decided to take train to Shifen. Reached there, started drizzling again but thank god not heavy downpour like that day!

Went back Ximending and

Day 10 - TAIPEI (DAY 6)

Woke up early to have breakfast at 永和豆浆. Yummy breakkie before we check out and head to the airport. Happened to saw this driver's company name card while buying my yakult green tea. So I enquire on the price from our hotel to the airport and it's only NT1200 (Mini Van). Most of the regular yellow taxis don't even want to fetch us cos we have like 7-8 luggage and hotel transfer service is NT1400 for 4 pax so of course we went ahead with it! More spacious too!