Day 2: Bird's View from 101

Travel Date: October 20, 2009

I started my morning by going out at around 9am for National Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall (9am - 6:30pm), take Exit 5 from the MRT Station.

C.K.S. Memorial Hall Station

Find your way to the main entrance, to take a snapshot of the huge gate. I spent around 2-3 hours to take shots of the National Theater, Memorial Hall, Democracy Boulevard and Concert Hall. If you are lucky, you can also watch the exchange of guards at the Memorial Hall.

National Chiang Kai Shek Memorial (http://www.cksmh.gov.tw/eng/index.php)

Open: 9:00 AM TO 6:30 PM

Address: 21, Zhongshan South Road, Taipei (100)

National Theater

Memorial Hall

I planned to go to NTUniversity in Gongguan Station, but decided not to proceed with that plan. I’d rather spent more time in Taipei 101.

From CKSM Station, I moved to Sun Yat Sen Memorial Station, Exit 2 to look for Mr. J. Restaurant. This is owned by Jay Chou where the theme is inspired by his movie The Secret. There is nothing special in the location, it seems like it is in a street together with residential area. I was not able to see the grand piano, but the walls are full of Jay’s memorabilia. I ordered for vegetable salad and pasta, and it was good.

Mr. J. Restaurant (http://www.mrj-tw.com/)

Address: No.43 Lane 308, Guangfu St., Da-an District, Taipei City 106

Lunch Set (12:00 - 14:00): starts from 150NT

After lunch, it started raining, I forgot to bring my cap so I had to buy one from NET. I walked towards SYS Memorial, and I did not bother going inside the Hall. I’m after taking photos of the actual Hall itself.

Dr. Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

Address: 505, Jen-ai Rd, Sec. 4, TaipeiE-mail: sun@yatsen.yatsen.gov.tw

Hall Attraction: 9am-9pm (Part of exhibition rooms only open from 9:00~17:00)

Then, I find my way to Shifu Rd., I did not expect to see the tent that was often used on “Girls Marching On”, a series broadcasted by ABS in 2000.

From the Taipei City Hall, it is almost 20-30 minutes walk before I reached Taipei 101. If you are looking for the branded stuff, this is the Mall for you.

After roaming at the mall, I looked for the Observatory Ticket Booth located at the 5th floor of the Mall. Thanks to Youth Travel Card, I paid my ticket for 350NT only and got 50NT discount. The elevator will take you then to 89F (indoor observatory). Be sure to use their audio guides, it is very easy to use and it will explain to you every section seen from the observatory.

During my visit, there is an Art Exhibit and I found few entries from the Philippines.

I also sent out postcards from Taipei 101.

A small museum is also found inside, it contains a replica of the famous cabbage found in National Museum. Expensive jars are also for sale on the same floor.

Try to finish the indoor observatory before night fall, they do limit the area to be visited in outdoor obersvatory when it comes to be very windy.

Taipei 101 Observatory: (http://www.taipei-101.com.tw/en/DB/p_01.asp)

Operating Hours: 10am - 10pm (Last ticketing: 9:15pm)

Address 89F No.7, Hsin Yi Rd Sec 5, Taipei 101

Visiting Route: Entry 5F (take elevator -> 89F [indoor observatory] ) -> 91F [outdoor observatory]Exit 88F (take elevator -> 5F)

As I leave the building, I’m nearing the most awaited spot I’ve been wanting to see, the LOVE sculpture. Too bad that it was so windy that I can’t leave my tripod to take a personal shot.

Before crossing the street to see New York New York mall, I was surprised when a loud music started and when I turn around, the water fountain started dancing. I’m so happy that I was able to experience again to watch that kind of water show. (Last was on Wynn, Macau on Feb 2009)

When I reached NYNY, I had sudden flashbacks of DMS and SC’s date, this is the Mc Donald’s used on the last episode of Meteor Garden.

Upon the main entrance, I was welcomed by VZ Yu Min, he is the endorser for Sony Alpha.

You will pass by Viewshow and multiple Shin Kong Mitsukoshi malls before you can reach Taipei City Hall MRT Station.

I dropped off at Taipei Main Station, and called it a day!

Day 3: Day Tour at Taroko Gorge, Hualien

Travel Date: October 21, 2009

My 3rd day is a guided tour in Hualien. This is the cheapest tour I found from Taipei, because they offer it via train. Most of the Hualien tours are using airplane.Try to understand your train ticket. Get into the station as early as you can, so will have enough time looking for your waiting area.

Merry Travel Service (Taipei)

Phone：886(2)25652780

Address：8-2F, No. 54, Songjiang Rd., Taipei, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

Web: www.hunters-tour.com.tw

Ticket below shows the time of departure and arrival. Take note of the coach number (2) and seat number (25). Along the way, a ticket inspector will check if you have the correct ticket.

Upon arrival (10:41am) at the Hualien Station, find your way to the Visitor’s Information counter. Get some maps that will still help you on the tour.

When the bus arrived, I got frustrated that I booked for the Mandarin tour. I checked it online that it was an English tour. Good thing that my co-tourists were accommodating and generous to translate to me important information along the way.

The tour includes pass at Cihmu Bridge, stroll on Tunnel of Nine Turns Trail, look at Changchun Shrine and stop over at Cisingtan Beach.

The tour guide also sent us to a Jade shop and souvenir stores. I love the chocolate mochi I got from Hualien.

I arrived at the Hualien train station few minutes before the departure time, but I felt like I really need to run to find the train. I’m not able to take a photo of the bullet train from outside because I’m afraid that I might be left behind. So I just stay inside the train and wait until it depart from Hualien.

When I get back to Taipei proper, I immediately go to Ximending to find Modern Toilet (this will be my third, I had my first and second at Mongkok, Hong Kong). I ordered for the seafood pasta meal, thus, I was able to taste the ice cream that looks like a poop.

Restaurant: Modern Toilet, Ximending Store, Taipei (http://www.moderntoilet.com.tw/en/store.asp )

Address: 2F., No.7, Lane 50, Sining S. Rd., Wanhua District, Taipei City

Weekdays:　AM11：30 ~ PM10：00 (Last order by 9:00PM)

Near Ximending MRT, Exit 6, I was lucky enough to watch a mini concert which also features English songs.

Day 6: Meeting Hello Kitty and Rainy Visit at Museum

Travel Date: October 24, 2009

I woke up late due to the weather, cloudy skies and scattered rain showers. After a light breakfast in bed, I went straight to Zhongxiao Fuxing Station. I have visited some malls in the area before going to Hello Kitty Restaurant.

Hello Kitty Restaurant

Location: No. 90, Da An Road, Sec. 1 (near intersection of Da An Road and Zhong Xiao E Road, Sec 4) Zhong Xiao/FuXing MRT

Hours: Sun- Thurs 11:30 AM - 10 PM; Fri- Sat 11:30 AM - 11 PM

As expected, everything is marked with Hello Kitty. The chairs and tables are pink, the walls are painted with Kitty faces. I ordered here tuna and tomato with kiwi shake.

At the lobby, cakes were sold from 120NT to more than a thousand NT.
After my lunch there, I went back to the hotel to meet my friend. In the afternoon, we visited the National Palace Museum, it’s the biggest museum I’ve visited so far. Almost 3 floors of artifacts, old vases, paintings, and mini sculptures. My favorites are the intricate design of a cabbage and small vessels. Picture taking is prohibited inside the museum.

NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM 国立故宫博物院
Entrance: 160NT
Transportation: Take the MRT Danshui Line to the Shilin Station and take bus R30 (Red 30) or 255 to the National Palace Museum.

We almost spent 2 hours in the Museum. After dinner, we walked to Shilin Market. That place is just a crazy world, it is like in every square meter there is 10-20 people at least. Yes, it was a Saturday night and you should be avoiding this place. If you can visit it on some other time, try to do so. Being there on a weekend night is a big no no.

After a long day and since this is my last night at the hotel, I was thinking of tasting either Heineken (KZ Xiao Tian‘s endorsement) or Taiwan Beer. And this action is not advisable: either you will wake up late the next morning, you’ll missed packing your things, or simply will have a not so good mood at the airport.

Day 7: Goodbye Taipei!

Travel Date: October 25, 2009

I tried to wake up early to finished packing my stuff. After a quick breakfast, I decided to checkout and left my baggage at the hotel. I’m doing this so fast cause I need to rush to the same church I visited on my first day for the Sunday mass.

After the mass, I don’t know where to go. Simply because, I did not prepare for this day. I should be going home by lunch time per the previous flight schedule. So I just grabbed the map and search for places where I can go to.

I’ve seen Yamingshan National Park on television. After taking bus R5 at Jiantan Station, for few minutes you’ll feel getting colder as the bus is going up to the mountains. Quiet like a Baguio trip in less than 30 minutes. I walked for a few meters, then decided to go back to the bus station. Why? It would be a very long if I proceed further. So I advise that if you really want to see the bunch of trees and flowers blooming at Yamingshan, just join the group tour.

Next stop, Yuanshan Station for the museums. I decided to go inside Taipei Fine Arts Museum. But what the! People are in queue, it was a very long line - for the Pixar exhibit.

Instead of that, I headed to Taipei Story House, even though just a very small place, I enjoyed it a lot.

From here, I transferred to blue lane for Ximending Station. I visited street market and the Red Playhouse. It is a museum, coffee shop and souvenir shop at the same time.

Then, I went back to the Main Station. Inside the K-Mall, I visited Taiwan Storyland. It shows how the old Taiwan village looks like. It has the old bicycles, old phones, a sample store of old cameras. It looks like seeing Taiwan in the past.

After dinner, I went back to the hotel to get my stuff.

I boarded the bus going to the Airport. Terminal 1 is simply boring. Good thing that Gate B9 is just close to Terminal 2. Below is a telephone booth and coffee shop at 12 midnight.

After having a hot chocolate, I slept and still waited for my 1:25am flight back to Manila.

Thank you to my "calling" alarm clock for keeping me awake during the last minutes of my stay on your place.

I trully appreciate my family for allowing me to visit this country - alone! Thank you again to the drivers, guides, individuals who helped me during my stay, finding the right directions and giving me tips.