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Taiwan and Korea 2024

March - May 2024
An open-ended adventure by Tim Read more
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  • TravelerTaiwan and Korea 2024
    Day 1

    Hello Taipei!

    March 23 in Taiwan ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Arrive into Taoyuan airport to a massive queue at immigration. But thankfully the processing was quick with no verbal communication, only hand gestures.
    Tried our luck at the lucky draw but no game fish.
    Took the express MRT service to Taipei Main Station, then 400m walk to Rich & Free Hotel. Affordable and clean hotel, with decent people at reception. Free small packet snacks also.
    Went to Liu Shandong Beef noodle, ordered clear beef soup and braised beef soup. Nice and can taste the difference between the two. Also had salty vege to put into soup. Had boiled peanuts (yum) and pickled Cabbage also (weirddd). Had peach black tea with yakult afterwards, very nice.
    Then walked to Bopiliao Historical Block to explore a bit of the history of Taipei, the people and the architecture of the buildings. We passed by yongfu ice cream accidentally on the wah, so had longan, limei and taro ice cream. So so la. Longan was probably the nicest.
    Then went to Bangka Longshan temple, one of the biggest and most famous temples in Taipei City. There were pillars with small Buddha icons and names of peoples ancestors on them. So many!! And saw people trying to discern the will of the gods with the red moon blocks.
    Went to Guangzhou and Wuzhou Street night market after. Had:
    Taro balls
    Stinky tofu(!)
    Aiyu jelly drink
    Oyster omelet (disappointing)
    Bought some cut fruits
    On the way back stopped by at Carrefour to buy a bunch of local beers for the week
    At the night market saw some uncles playing tetris on the sidewalk on Arcade machines. Very cool la! And old uncle got young auntie girlfriend.    Read more

  • TravelerTaiwan and Korea 2024
    Day 2

    Taipei Day 2 - Maokong

    March 24 in Taiwan ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Got up at 6, went for Taiwanese soy milk breakfast at 7.30 near the hotel. No English name to the place, but very nice! Had soy milk (just nice not too sweet), fried stick, pancake with pork Floss, scallions pancake and turnip cake.
    Went to Palm Sunday mass at St Anthony's near Taipei 101, at 9am. Very long winded, but good we made it. Procession from a small park, around the block back into the small church in a shop lot. Didn't leave til 10.30 (took communion but the mass still wasn't over then)!
    Went to Taipei 101 and luckily even though we booked for 10am, we arrived at 11am and they still let us go up.
    The Taiwanese are pretty chill I think.
    Went to the food court to get lunch, had pepper lunch style sizzling beef and rice, and sizzling sotong rice.
    Afterwards we were planning on going to Taipei Zoo but because we were a bit late already, we decided to go up to Maokong on the Gondola instead. Stopped at Zhinan temple station first, and explored the cliff side temples which were very majestic and used by locals. Had a few cats around which we enjoyed with.
    Then another Gondola ride up to Maokong which is a tea farming area, so we had the popular tea ice cream and bought some local loose tea to bring home.
    Took the Gondola back down to Taipei Zoo Station, and a couple of MRT hops later, we were in Ximending walking the pedestrian walking area and night market.
    Went to The Red house, and bought a few souvenirs. Went to the bar area behind and also the underwear shop, but did not go in. Pai seh. Saw some dance performances of aspiring teen idols, had Taiwanese fried chicken hot star style, then accidentally came upon Ay Chung flour rice noodles so had it, and it was pretty good.
    On the way home stopped by at family mart, bought onigiri, pao, yoghurt drink and tea.    Read more

  • TravelerTaiwan and Korea 2024
    Day 3

    Taipei Day 3 - Jiufen and Shifen

    March 25 in Taiwan ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Had breakfast at Tim Ho Wan. They didn't have any sauces for the dim sums, and gave us chop chillies.
    Took the bus from Taipei direct to Jiufen.
    Walked Jiufen Old Street, and had peanut ice cream roll (yum) and taro balls in ice (no taste, weirdddd). Bought some souvenirs, an Taiwanese ocarina being the more interesting one. Passed by A-MEI Teahouse which is the famous one. Nothing to write home about but took a few photos la.
    Tried to look for the kite museum but could not locate.
    Had a coffee at Hima Cafe which is a Cafe that had high clear windows looking out towards Youxin and Fanzhou coast which was minimalistic but very nice and cool to get out of the mad heat.
    Was supposed to go to houtong Cat Village but did not, went to shifen instead so we save a day later on.
    On the way to shifen we had to pass through ruifeng which is like the hub for going from Taipei to juifen and shifen. Had Lu Rou fan (25ntd only, small bowl but still, so cheap!) at a small side stall that reminded me of klang old town curry mee. Simple food but satisfying for a snack.
    Had a sarsaparilla at family mart, sat overlooking the ruifeng old street.
    In shifen we went to the waterfall (man made, nothing to write home about) walked shifen Old Street which is where the train literally runs through next to the street. Interesting and must go la, but very touristy, plenty of people sending big lanterns (with their wishes written on them) into the sky when evening comes, only for them to end up in the surrounding hills and rivers. Beautiful pictures, and commercially winning for the locals, but a big sad for the environment.
    On the way back from the waterfall had a bit of time til the train to Taipei (via ruifeng), had fried small crabs and tap beer.
    Arrived back in Taipei and felt tired and maybe a bit tired of eating, but we walked Taipei Main Station underground malls and found a Taiwanese hot pot place at K underground mall. Ended up eating well and a lot; welcomed the 'proper' meal of vege and meat, after a lot of snacking the past few days. Had the milk cheese soup which was interesting and the winter melon lemon slushie was super.    Read more

  • TravelerTaiwan and Korea 2024
    Day 4

    Taipei Day 4 - Yangmingshan NP

    March 26 in Taiwan ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    Had breakfast at a sandwich shop - kimchi, beef and cheese sandwich, peanut butter sandwich and pork fillet and egg sandwich.
    Took bus to Yangmingshan NP and saw rows of cherry blossom, caila lily walking trail, flower clock, a pavilion covered with wysteria, azalea and camellia garden and more.
    With the weather being crappy, we ducked into a Chinese restaurant and had lunch of stir fry mushrooms and steaming hot clam & chicken soup.
    Didn't manage to go to a few of the sites as the bus times were very off and weather was cloudy, foggy and drizzling.
    We took the bus back to Taipei and then went to Orissic hot pot restaurant for dinner. Choose a soup, choose a meat, and each person's soup is served individually. All veges and sides, drinks and dessetts are free. The lemon and winter melon slushie was the bomb. After the last few days of mainly snacking and not having a proper balanced meal, this one felt so satisfying.
    On the way back to the hotel we had a foot and shoulder massage, and rejuvenated we walked to Ximen to see if there were dance performances happening for entertainment purposes but unfortunately not. We did see a girl with a wedgie for a pants. Bought brown sugar milk pearl drink for the wall back to the hotel.    Read more

  • TravelerTaiwan and Korea 2024
    Day 5

    Taipei Day 5

    March 27 in Taiwan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Had Fu Hang soy milk for breakfast, it was about 40 mins wait before we eventually got up the stairs into the food court-like area to order and eat. The salty soy milk with spring onions was weird, the soy milk and everything else was regular. The yu tiao was nice and crunchy.
    We then took a bus to Liberty Square and on the way there we stopped by at Nanmen market where we bought some jerky, Floss and sweets.
    We walked Liberty Square, pass the arch, into the Arts buildings and saw the changing of the guards at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. We stopped by the pond to have the snacks and had an isotonic drink called Super Supao from a vending machine, wtf.
    Then took a train and bus to Shilin and on to the National Palace Museum. In the train we were falling asleep so we had bottled coffee from 7-11.
    National Palace Museum had some really cool pieces from China, from the BC era til the mid 1900s. Some really intricate and delicate workmanship and curio artefacts. The carving and polishing of some of the material is just mind blowing, like the Jade Cabbage, meat piece, multi layered carved ivory ball, carved fruit and olive pits, hair pieces and decorations, sandalwood carved furniture and screens. Too many to list.
    Afterwards went to Shilin Night Market for dinner and had corn and Sausage dog, grilled chicken thighs, large meatball dumpling, green mango, grilled Sausage, papaya milk.
    We then went to TaipeiEye to watch a stage petrormance of Monkey King and Monk Tang vs Rat Spirit. Captivating entertainment. They also let us wear robes ala noble style for pictures, and then pictures with the performers.
    After a long day we returned to the hotel, but not before grabbing hot dogs from Mos burger and drinks from 7-11.    Read more

  • TravelerTaiwan and Korea 2024
    Day 6

    Taipei Day 6 - Wulai

    March 28 in Taiwan ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Breakfast of Mushroom noodles with egg, soy milk and ham in pancake. The condiment of ikan bilis, Chili padi and pickled radish was fire!! Made everything taste extra nice. Probably the tastiest breakfast so far.
    Took the bus to Wulai, 1.5 hour ride all the way. Visited a cliff side Temple, crossed the suspension bridge, walked Wulai Old Street, bought white water jambu and guava with pink flesh. White water jambu nice and sweet, the guava tasted like... Guava.
    Had coffee at 7-11 before the hour walk to and from Wulai Falls.
    Took the bus back to town and then jumped off to catch the train into the city, but first, bought a slice of cheesecake.
    Walked Q Squared mall, then had Sukiyaki style hot pot.
    Did laundry, then walked to Ximen to try to catch some dance performances. Was a bit late as the performances were over. Only a few people singing.
    Bought some clothes from NET (3 red tags, 50% off each), then on the way back stopped by family mart for snacks: onigiri, caramel pudding and yakult.
    Tomorrow: off to Kaohsiung!    Read more

  • TravelerTaiwan and Korea 2024
    Day 7

    Kaohsiung Day 1

    March 29 in Taiwan ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Took the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Taipei to Zuoying (just outside of Kaohsiung City) which took only 1h 40mins, then the MRT into Kaohsiung main station, drop luggage at Riverside Hotel. A quick breakfast of sandwich and bun and coffee for breakfast.
    Din Tai Fung for lunch: fried rice, braised beef noodles, won ton in Chili oil, crab roe and pork xiao long pao, vege and Mushroom dumplings, hot and sour soup.
    Cabbed to church nearby to attend mass but they only had way of the Cross. Then walked nearby to the Kaohsiung lake where the summer and autumn pavilions and giant statue of guan yu. Bought sugar cane juice to drink.
    We checked in to the hotel and had a snooze.
    Liuhe night market for dinner : grilled squid, grilled corn, chicken hearts and ribs, Shitake, brown sugar boba, oyster omelette (better than Taipei), and dumpling (with peanuts, a bit weird but tasted like usual otherwise).
    Went to Formosa station but missed the dome of Ligjt show.
    Early night to bed.    Read more

  • TravelerTaiwan and Korea 2024
    Day 8

    Kaohsiung Day 2

    March 30 in Taiwan ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Woke up a bit late, went to Duck Zhen for duck rice lunch. Duck rice was duck breast pieces with taucu pork mixed in as sauce. Ordered spare parts soup, vege and duck leg as sides.
    Then ferried over to Cijin Island (10mins only lol) , walked up to the lighthouse, down to the Cijin tunnel, along the beach and to Cijin market.
    Back to mainland we snacked on nougat and sweet meats from Namsan market (Taipei), then to the Love River boat ride. Short and nothing to write home about.
    Back to the hotel to snooze, but along the way a yakult milk drink.
    Out to FE21 for some browsing, bought some things from GU and a small collectible, then a simply dinner of steak+pasta and rice+ braised pork.
    Packed all our things in our bags - tomorrow mass then Korea!    Read more

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