Most people didn't believe that that was my inaugural trip to Taiwan as i appeared as if i was totally Taiwanese-cultured.
Well, all thanks to the years of Taiwanese-drama fanaticism, i didn't have problems with their language and communication indeed.
I managed to pick up the accent rather instantly which could easily feint my way through the locals. *proud* :)
As much as i thought Taiwan has a character of its own, i was a little taken aback by how underdeveloped this tourists-popular city is. Or perhaps not as developed as i had expected previously. The infrastructure was bad enough to dampen my mood with the airport-city-airport transfers. With an airport at the border, transportation could have been more thoughtful.
Same problem for some of the world-famous tourist attractions in the country when J and i were stuck in a cab at the dead end of a one-way street of Jiufen for a good 30 min in the downpour.
But i guess from the Taiwanese' perspective, they most probably didn't want to lose its heritage and run in the risk of being another commercialized product. So it'll just be another come-if-you-like-our-offerings kinda situation. Ok fine.
All thanks to the excessive exposure of Taiwan variety shows, i got to learn about the extensive range of Taiwanese local snacks which were enough to make me drool by just watching from the screen. I went with high anticipation but only left disappointed most of the time.
But i guess i'm one of the rare ones who detested the night markets and i'm glad to realise that i can be quite picky with food! Hurray! I'm not a glutton after all!
The worst of all was the smelly tofu of which if i could rank, top of the world's grossest food.
I totally cannot understand how on earth can a person shove a drainage pipe into their mouth.
Ok personal sentiment ya. Don't be offended if you are a fan of
Well, having said that, there were definitely very positive places which sort of neutralized my disgruntlement. :)
Taipei 101
Instead of awing at the scenery from the 82nd floor, which is nothing much as compared to Seoul, my attention was drawn to the architecture of this state-of-the-art building. Standing 101 floors above ground and 5 floors underground, Taipei 101 clearly presented an evolution of technology Asia could offer. I was most captivated by this gigantic damper which was hung in the middle of the building to withstand the typhoons and earthquakes which Taiwan is highly exposed to. It serves as a pendulum that sways to offset the large movement of the building caused by strong winds. Very impressive!
淡水 (Danshui)
A little town at the north of Taipei, only 45 minutes away from the city by train, it clearly exuberates the tranquility necessary for a congested city. Don't get me wrong. The place wasn't deserted at all, in fact pretty crowded. But overlooking the coastline which seemed uninterrupted by the buzz, it's just peaceful. Of course, the bonus was when we could waste an afternoon at 榕堤水湾 (Rong-Ti Shui Wan) restaurant with a secured table by the sea. All thanks to J, the true blue fan of the 就想赖着你 (Down With Love) drama, who hunted down this restaurant that was featured in the show and making the reservation one week before our trip. I particularly liked 渔人码头 (Fisherman's Wharf) and 情人桥 (Lover Bridge) even when we couldn't catch the most-talked-about sunset with the cloudy sky. Still as beautiful. :)
阿妹茶馆 at 九份 (Ah Mei Tea House at Jiufen)
It was revived after the filming of an award-winning movie directed by the famous director, Hou Hsiao-Hsien. The chilling rainy day (like every other days) at the scenic mountainous area made a perfect setting for tea appreciation. I didn't realize i could appreciate (expensive. it cost closed to SGD50 for one kind of tea leaves, four pieces of small bites and one small dish of preserved plums) Chinese tea that much. Well, all thanks to the waiter who mistakenly gave us the table which should be reserved for the Japanese tour group too. Heh.
乾杯烧肉居酒屋 (Kanpai Yakiniku Restaurant) at 敦化南路
This was one of the, if not, most memorable dining experience i've ever had. The atmosphere was made so vibrant by their lively (and lovely *grin grin*) servers and their renowned kissing game (whichever two persons who can hold their kiss for ten seconds, they will be rewarded with a free plate of sliced pork) which was happening like any other moments. OMG. It was crazy and the noise was deafening! The images i vaguely saw in 败犬女王 (another drama, heh.) were far milder than the actual thing man. Considering the excellency of the "software", the "hardware" was not at all compromised. The cow was so succulent and well-marinated which i could safely say it's one of the top five best beef in my list. Heavenly! And of course, the bonus of the bonuses were the cute and warm servers! My favourite was Lu Lu and here's a pic of him (the one behind)! Hohoho... I'll sure to return some day!
花莲 (Hua Lien)
Located southeast to Taipei and approximately 2.5 hours train ride away, Hua Lien county is perhaps what Taipei was like fifteen years ago. No trace of skyscrapers and commercialism, we went back to simplicity in the heavily tribal-influenced civilization. The lunchboxes which have been their daily affair became a fascination to us and it was so tasty that i felt like having a second one. Taroko Gorge was pretty self-contained, by which i meant it has the sky, the sea and the mountains so by just visiting that, i felt i've covered the "nature part" of Taiwan. But having said that, i've to disclaim that i am not at all a nature enthusiast, so what i deemed as sufficient might not apply to the majority. And to further prove my point, it was almost to the point of eruption when the over-enthusiastic tour guide-cum-driver made us go up and down his cab for umpteen times and instructed us to walk through numerous caves and narrow pavements. "都来到这里了 (since you've come all the way - literally)" has never been such an irritating phrase than before. But the beach-side bed-and-breakfast made up to any complaints that happened earlier. Apart from being new and clean, the warmth that lingered in the chilly after-rain air made us just wanted to laze around and do nothing. If the waves were less threatening and the sky less cloudy, it would be perfect. Oh and i've also tasted the best mua-chee ever!
Stay Real at 敦化南路 (Dun Hua Nan Road)
This was one of my POVs for visiting Taiwan. Stay Real is a fashion boutique opened by Ashin (Mayday) and being an ardent fan of him, i've been yearning to pay a visit and hopefully to be able to brush shoulders with him. Obviously the later didn't happen since this didn't appear at the beginning of this entry. But i had a wonderful time
Mr J 北医店 (Bei Yi Dian)
Jay Chou's first movie that he directed 《不能说的秘密》 (Secret) became a hit three years back and seeing it as a business opportunity, he started a themed F&B outlet. The museum-inspired restaurant that displayed the antique piano, which was the biggest highlight in the movie; and wall posters of classic scenes, created a great ambience which brings the diners back to the movie. You just wanna watch the movie again after the meal. Since its opening three years ago, it has drawn curious visitors around the region, all eager to want to be part of the blockbuster. Of course, i was one of them. Heh. It was really pleasant.
Hello Kitty Sweets Cafe
Another themed cafe which i wouldn't recommend for the faint-hearted or if you are adverse to excessive pink stuff. Otherwise, i can't guarantee that you won't be nauseous after the experience. Heh. Personally, i'm not a HK fan but i won't decline anything that's pink either. Upon observation, i have to say that they have really put in a lot of effort to the slightest details to ensure authenticity. As much as i might be skeptical towards the quality of "pretty foods", especially cakes and desserts, they had somehow proven me wrong. J and i were quite pleased with our cakes and the cafe being wifi-enabled was a bonus to our dining experience. :)
Alright, these kinda summed up my memories of Taiwan.
I'm quite sure i will return some day, after Japan, Australia, Korea (again), Hong Kong (again) and.....yeah just some day. :)
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