Travel Blog: December 2009

9D/8N Taiwan Trip Dec 6-14 Summary/Itinerary

ITINERARY:

Day 1 - Lunch at Airport,Flight to Taipei, Check in Dandy Hotel(Review), Dinner in Taipei at 肥前屋

Day 2 – Breakfast at Dandy, Martyrs' Shrine 忠烈祠, Shinlin Residence 士林官邸
Yangminshan,Beitou Sulphur Valley, 烏來内洞囯家森林 Neidong Forest Wulai Old Street

Day 3 – Breakfast at Dandy, Journey to Hualian by Taroko Express, Review of Quality Inn Hualian, Hualian Town - Food Sampling, Dinner at Hualian

Day 4 - Breakfast at Quality Inn, 清水斷崖,池上便當,Lunch outside Tourist Centre, Taroko Gorge,七星譚, Hualian Town/蔥油餅/Dinner, Review of Hotel Bayview Qixingtan

Day 5 - Breakfast at Hotel Bayview, Qixingtan area around hotel, Journey Back to Taipei, Lunch at囯賓大腸煎, Check in Dandy Hotel(Review), XiMenTing, Dinner at Shilin Night Market

Day 6 - Breakfast at Dandy, 野柳 Yeliu GeoPark, Shifen 十份放天燈, 九份老街, 金瓜石 Gold Ecological Park , 陰陽海, 黃金瀑布, 鼻头角, 南雅rock formation, 基隆廟口夜市

Day 7 - Breakfast at Dandy, National Palace Museum, 天母, Lunch at Xin-Beitou, Danshui, Fisherman’s Wharf, Dinner at 梅江韓溝囯淡水店

Day 8 - Breakfast at Dandy, Experience HSR to Taichung, Shopping at 新光三越 Taipei Station,
Taipei Underground Front Station, Pass by CKS, Lunch at 高記, Taipei 101, Dinner at foodcourt

Day 9 - Breakfast at Dandy, Daiso, Lunch at Taipei Breeze Centre, Taipei Milk King, Home Sweet Home

Review of Dandy Hotel – Dec 6-7
Review of Quality Inn Hualian Dec 8
Review of Hotel Bayview Hualian Dec 9
Review of Dandy Hotel – Dec 10-13

SUMMARY:

Weather was very nice - no rain, thank God. Looks like Dec is a good time to go Taiwan. We just worn T-shirt and bermudas and sometimes light jacket, if required.

Places we love:
來内洞囯家森林, Yeliu, Shifen, Hualian town, 清水斷崖,Taroko Gorge, 七星譚, Fisherman's Wharf, xin-Beitou and Nanyang Rock

Food we love:
Hand made muah chee (Hualian & Taipei Breeze Centre)
池上便當, 蔥油餅 (Hualian)
和田steamboat, 高記小龍包, 肥前屋,Small fishes/nut (Taipei)
野菜（陽明山）
Sausage (Wulai)
Sausage, spring roll, 營養三明治 (Keelung NM)
peanut 豆花 (Anywhere in Taiwan)
The iced tea at 和田 - tasted very special and fragrant, not like ordinary tea.

Taiwan Trip Dec 6-14 Day 9 - Home Sweet Home

Took some pictures of the airport before collecting our free gifts from the duty free shop.

Our free gifts: Got 3 of these and 2 packets of mushroom titbits. Guess what these are? These were sold at Jiufen. My hubby wanted to buy them there and what a surprise to see them being given out as free gifts!

You might be interested in the itinerary:

Day 1 - Lunch at Airport,Flight to Taipei, Check in Dandy Hotel(Review), Dinner in Taipei at 肥前屋

Day 2 – Breakfast at Dandy, Martyrs' Shrine 忠烈祠, Shinlin Residence 士林官邸
Yangminshan,Beitou Sulphur Valley, 烏來内洞囯家森林 Wulai Old Street

Day 3 – Breakfast at Dandy, Journey to Hualian, Review of Quality Inn Hualian, Hualian Town - Food Sampling, Dinner at Hualian

Day 4 - Breakfast at Quality Inn, 清水斷崖,池上便當,Lunch outside Tourist Centre, Taroko Gorge,七星譚, Hualian Town/蔥油餅/Dinner, Review of Hotel Bayview Qixingtan

Day 5 - Breakfast at Hotel Bayview, Qixingtan area around hotel, Journey Back to Taipei, Lunch at囯賓大腸煎, Check in Dandy Hotel(Review), XiMenTing, Dinner at Shilin Night Market

Day 6 - Breakfast at Dandy, 野柳 Yeliu GeoPark, Shifen 十份放天燈, 九份老街, 金瓜石 Gold Ecological Park , 陰陽海, 黃金瀑布, 鼻头角, 南雅rock formation, 基隆廟口夜市

Day 7 - Breakfast at Dandy, National Palace Museum, 天母, Lunch at Beitou, Danshui, Fisherman’s Wharf, Dinner at 梅江韓溝囯淡水店

Day 8 - Breakfast at Dandy, Experience HSR to Taichung, Shopping at 新光三越 Taipei Station,
Taipei Underground Front Station, Pass by CKS, Lunch at 高記, Taipei 101, Dinner at foodcourt

Day 9 - Breakfast at Dandy, Daiso, Lunch at Taipei Breeze Centre, Taipei Milk King, Home Sweet Home

Review of Dandy Hotel – Dec 6-7
Review of Quality Inn Hualian Dec 8
Review of Hotel Bayview Hualian Dec 9
Review of Dandy Hotel – Dec 10-13

Taiwan Trip Dec 6-14 Day 9 - Lunch at Breeze Centre/Taipei Milk King/Home

It rained in the morning. When the rain stopped, we went to Daiso. And after checkout, we went to walk around in Breeze Centre, Very huge with many eateries/food stalls. Very interesting to just look at the stalls. No photography allowed. Took noodles from 1 foodcourt and 豆花dou hua from 小南門. Found a very delicious and fresh hand made muah chee from 一之軒 bakery. It costed NT15 each. Costed less if purchase more than 10. The red bean and penanut are nice. Bought 10 to bring home. Also bought sandwiches/bread papa from another bakery.
Took Train back to Zhongshan and went to Taipei Milk King.

My collegue recommended the papaya milk so I ordered that. Tasted quite nice.

Ordered pasta for lunch

After that, went to collect our luggages from the hotel, rested a whole and it was time to go to the airport. Took the toward You bus outside Farmosa Regent Hotel. Cost NT90/person.

You might be interested in the itinerary:

Day 1 - Lunch at Airport,Flight to Taipei, Check in Dandy Hotel(Review), Dinner in Taipei at 肥前屋

Day 2 – Breakfast at Dandy, Martyrs' Shrine 忠烈祠, Shinlin Residence 士林官邸
Yangminshan,Beitou Sulphur Valley, 烏來内洞囯家森林 Wulai Old Street

Day 3 – Breakfast at Dandy, Journey to Hualian, Review of Quality Inn Hualian, Hualian Town - Food Sampling, Dinner at Hualian

Day 4 - Breakfast at Quality Inn, 清水斷崖,池上便當,Lunch outside Tourist Centre, Taroko Gorge,七星譚, Hualian Town/蔥油餅/Dinner, Review of Hotel Bayview Qixingtan

Day 5 - Breakfast at Hotel Bayview, Qixingtan area around hotel, Journey Back to Taipei, Lunch at囯賓大腸煎, Check in Dandy Hotel(Review), XiMenTing, Dinner at Shilin Night Market

Day 6 - Breakfast at Dandy, 野柳 Yeliu GeoPark, Shifen 十份放天燈, 九份老街, 金瓜石 Gold Ecological Park , 陰陽海, 黃金瀑布, 鼻头角, 南雅rock formation, 基隆廟口夜市

Day 7 - Breakfast at Dandy, National Palace Museum, 天母, Lunch at Beitou, Danshui, Fisherman’s Wharf, Dinner at 梅江韓溝囯淡水店

Day 8 - Breakfast at Dandy, Experience HSR to Taichung, Shopping at 新光三越 Taipei Station,
Taipei Underground Front Station, Pass by CKS, Lunch at 高記, Taipei 101, Dinner at foodcourt

Day 9 - Breakfast at Dandy, Daiso, Lunch at Taipei Breeze Centre, Taipei Milk King, Home Sweet Home

Review of Dandy Hotel – Dec 6-7
Review of Quality Inn Hualian Dec 8
Review of Hotel Bayview Hualian Dec 9
Review of Dandy Hotel – Dec 10-13

Taiwan Trip Dec 6-14 Day 8 - Dinner at foodcourt

Had dinner in the foodcourt of 新光三越一舘
Curry Rice - real huge

魯肉飯

Wanton noodle

Taiwan Trip Dec 6-14 Day 8 - Taipei 101

Took the 信義新榦綫 bus to Taipei 101. The bus stopped directly opposite 101. Last summer, we took a different bus and had to walk a distance before reaching Taipei 101. Here it is.

My second boy taking a pose.

Around Taipei 101

Inside Taipei 101

Bought tickets to go up the observatory. NT400 for adult. NT350 for youth card holders.

There was a very long queue waiting to take the lift up. But we did not have to wait very long since the lift up was super fast.
Gift Shop

Weather was not so good. So pictures were blurred.

Xinyi Road

Some exhibits on display too

The ticket included 91st floor observatory now besides 89th floor.

Xinyi Road after dark

Due to the huge crowd, we need to wait for another 15-20mins for the queue down.
Taipei 101 food court but we did not eat here.

Taipei 101 after dark

Taiwan Trip Dec 6-14 Day 8 - Pass by CKS Memorial Hall / Lunch at 高記

Bought 2 sets of pills from a phamarcy across the hotel. They costed NT100 but they were very effective. The phamarcist said tummy ache is very common. Amazingly, my son's tummy ache recovered and he was ready for lunch. So, we took train to CKS Station and walked by CKS Memorial Hall to get to Xinyi Road. We intended to go to DingTaiFeng for lunch. We came to CKS last summer. This round, just wanted to let the boys have a glimpse of this majestic hall. There were many people here today. Very crowded and full of young people.

The last time we came, we did not see this water fountain.

My son's sharp eyes caught the CKS statue from afar. Yup, son, it is CKS statue.

Xin Yi Road - There is a new bus that runs from near Taipei Station, CKS, Yongkang St and then to directly opposite Taipei 101 called the 信義新榦綫。 It runs very frequently.

Reached Yongkang St but there was still a queue and waiting time of 40mins at DingTaiFeng so we went to 高記 Gao Ji instead. No queue here. The peak hour is over.