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Sunday, June 10, 2007 Yo peeps,here i am blogging abt my grad trip since i've reached spore on the 28th May.Delay cos i need to collate all the photos first,select them and upload them to photobucket.Taiwan is seriously a very nice place you all should go,especially QingJing farm.That's the place which left the deepest impression on me despite that it has been raining when i was there.So sit back and enjoy this ONLY entry...I'm not going to break into diff parts though i've been there for 12 days cos it's quite a hassle =P Met up with Eileen b4 going to the airport together.Took the MRT cos i insisted in doing so though it was at two opposite ends.I love going to the airport by train and coming back by the taxi cos u can see pple u carrying the luggage like u going overseas.Heh heh but we made a very big blunder!!!Supposed to meet my frens at 1030am for check in at terminal 1 but we simply assumed that the first airport we see after coming from the MRT is terminal 1.So we started searching for the counter which we can checked in.Obviously there was no such counter so we walked till the very end and waited since we were 1/2 hr earlier.Got very suspicious when we were finding the flight no. at terminal 1.But Eileen claimed that we were too early that's y cos the flight takes off at 1pm.So we din bother to find out whether we were at the right terminal.Then Huiling called to ask where we were.The blunder continues... She said that she's at counter 4,so we went forward and no one was there.Called again and Huiling claimed that she's there.By this time,i'm becoming so confused and agitated cos we are now late!!!It's already 1035!!!Then the feeling came again...I asked Eileen if we were at the right terminal???And so we realised the stupidest mistake made.And at this time,Huiling called to say that we may be at the wrong terminal...Dunno whether to laught or to cry.Then Eileen wanted to take the skytrain to terminal 1,while i insisted on walking there cos it's really quite fast.But we took the skytrain at the end...Bad luck continues... We missed the skytrain when we got there and had to wait for another one.15mins passed b4 another one came and guess what???There's a technical breakdown for the skytrain!!!What luck???Then i suggested walking again but Eileen said that since we are late we'll wait for the other one,it may be coming soon.5 mins passed,i asked again,and FINALLY we decided to walk there!!! Anyway i'll try to jot down everything i can remmber her for the benefit of those wanting to go to taiwan in the future and for my own remembrance as well :) Day 1  There were 12 of us but we splited after that.Followed my JC clique instead of my Uni frens.  Reached Taiwan airport at 6pm,collect youth pass and ready to take Guo Guang coach to Taipei Main station, which is located at the LHS after u come out from the custom.From tp main station,can collect the Chiayi train tickets NT600/pax for 8am tmr(book thru online in order to get seats)And of course we have to take a cab to our hotel since we have so many luggages.For those of you going to Taiwan,Rainbow Hotel is really a highly recommended one.(Details:street no. 36 of Hanzhong of tp. tel:886-2-2311-9193)And it's located at Ximengding!!! NT2980 for 4 pple per night.  our hotel room (in a mess),big mtv screen @ ximen,the special keyboard taiwanese use   ximen station and do u know at taipei,when they board the MRT,they really QUEUE!!!they wait for pple inside to alight first and they queue to board.It's so amazing.and though the MRT door is closing,they dun rush cos it wun close until someone who is guarding the train ensure that everyone gets in the train.Even when u miss the MRT,the next one will be coming soon.Seriously i think spore should learn to be like this since the fare is always increasing and if the freq increase,pple may not have to rush in especially during peak hrs. Besides,taiwanese keep to their right when they take the escalators.Cos we were still un-used to their culture,my fren actually ganna someone whispered to her that "in Taiwan,we stay to the right".Very well disciplined! Bought the jie yun card (our ez link,can get refund @ end of day)and headed to Jiantan MRT,where we can take a free shuttle bus(walk straight after coming out,keep right) to Miramar Entertainment Park in order to take the ferris wheel ride.U know why it's the 2nd highest structure in the world???cos it's built above a building! *at this point in time,i would suggest that after u came out from the airport just take a bus straight to hotel,cos when u take to Jiantan MRT,there's a need to change at Taipei Main station.So you can still can collect ur Alishan tix then.But u will have to noe when the tix counter closes!  The surrounding is not very nice,but treat it as an experience for NT150/pax.Then we went to shilin night market for our dinner/supper!   eat the oyster omlette from the stall shown at the bottom right hand corner.It's damn nice!!!Very different and Xiao Zhu learn the cooking skill from this stall for his drama (zuan jiao yu dao ai) and then pay NT30 for a big cup of bubble tea!  At shilin,there's 2 sides where u can buy ur food.So please explore!!!Some recommended food includes chicken cutlet,fried oyster,niu she bing,xiang chang(gigantic size!).Try to share the food,so that u have chance to try more variety.u can only find food at shilin!Clothing wise,not an ideal place.Rush off to take the last train back to ximen 12am. took a bath b4 we sleep,and cos it's the first day there,none of us can get to sleep and we had to wake up at 6am! Day 2 Set off for Alishan and we saw Mingdao and Xu Meng Zhe filming the moment we step out of the hotel.Too bad,Wu zun is not the one.From tp main station we took the train for 3hrs (8am-11.22am)and head towards Chiayi train station,where we meet up with Huiling's fren from Taiwan.She bought us some chui bing,which is Chiayi well known delicacies.Had our lunch at 3 royal,3 house (if i din rem wrongly) and the food is splendid for 7.50sgd/pax.Very nice fren and a pretty gal :)  At Chiayi train station,there will be pple who offer to take u to alishan but dun bother abt them!Look out for an old granny,she will sell u tickets to alishan for a reasonable price(forgot how much)Cos we decided to stay at a ming shu in Fengqihu,we have to alight there first before we go to Alishan. Reach Fengqihu at abt 4pm,abt 2 1/2 hrs ride.The host of the mingshu is already there to welcome us and bring us for a tour.It's a package for NT2200/pax 2D1N.(details:xianyun ju ming shu tel:0932-981803-Mr Chen or Mdm Goh)  More photos @ fengqihu lao jie...must try the tomato juice,very tasty and diff.The Bian Dang taste a bit horrible,maybe cos we were not used to the food.  Went to tour at the jungle too b4 we head back to the ming shu.From the photo below if you could just observe the trunk of the 2 trees.It grow side by side and grown differently in front of a temple.These 2 trees are believed to be tu di gong and tu di po...    we took photos with Mr Chen & his wife...our room and of course the surroundings.Very fresh air!!!At night,his son took us to see firefly.Too bad we din take photos cos it wun turn out to be nice either,u will only see spots of light in a plain bkack background.Hahaha.We even get to catch hold of them,no feelings de and we learnt that firefly has a short lifespan of 12 days.Poor thing... Day 3 Have to get ready @ 11am for breakfast.Cancelled our sunrise tour cos it has been raining since we left taipei :( Then we drove up to Alishan for a jungle tour again.Till now you should have guessed that we chose the jungle tour package instead of the other one.Hahaha.This time round there is more trees with special designs...Mr Chen let us walk on our own and he tot we went missing cos we spent so much time inside the jungle =P   The 'love' tree is very beautiful :D Mr Chen brought us for lunch first before he drove us down to Chiayi for NT1500-4 pax.Then bought train tix to Taichung and stayed at rui jun (zaw jung) business hotel,located very near to the station.Walk thru the underpass to the "behind' train station.It's at the opposite side. (details:100,Fu-hsin rd,sec. 4,taichung 401 tel:04-2223-5838)  We shared this room.you can see two extra matress on the floor.I forgot the amount but it was a last min thingy cos we intended to stay at Florance Villa for 3D2N initially but there was a need for deposit and we have prob doing that.By the time we called,they left the VIP room only.so yea we decided to rest at Taichung first b4 going there.Luckily there's also a place for us to visit @ night.We took a cab to feng jia night market and there is where i go crazy over shoes.It's cheaper than any night market u go to.Cheaper by NT100.Cheapest being NT299 for high heel shoes.I bought 11 pairs of shoes from there.It was total madness!!!    Took cab to our hotel and get ready to wake up at 4.30am! Day 4 Since Florance Villa stay became a 2D1N stay,we had to leave early in order to make full use of our time there.Went to Taichung bus terminal in order to take a bus to Puli and from there take a bus to Chingjing Farm :) Forgot the amount cos i forgot to take the tix from my frens. We reached Chingjing farm @ abt 8am and Florance sent someone to drove us to their Villa.      I love this place cos first time stay in a cottage.There are many other cottages there of diff themes and we chose the Victorian style one.The stay costs abt 70-80sgd/pax i think. (tel:04-2803820 or 2803832) They got dogs!!! I'm very scared of all animals but the doggies in Taiwan are diff from spore too!!!they hardly bark and i'm so love with those two dogs in Florance-da xiong & mei mei :D  Despite the rain we went to visit the farm, NT80/pax.    As u can see from the pix we took,there are many umbrellas,which spoil the whole damn scene.In spite of the mcee trying to ask pple taking umbrellas to stand behind and those with raincoats to stand in front,these pple remained inconsiderate!Outside taipei is a diff thing altogether!And we had our lunch at the Lavendar restaurant.The food is expensive and not as nice as we thought it would be.Outside,they sold squid,which you smell it from miles away.it was yummy!!!   We also went to the nearby garden for NT80/pax (show ur youth pass in order to get this discounted price) Day 5 After having our breakfast at Florance,another Mr Chen (tel:886-937-167-779) arrived @ 9.30am sharp and he will be in charge of our Hualien tour for NT7000 for 2 days (exclude food). Mr Chen,a taxi driver,introduced us to tai lu ge.Hualien's got the sweetest peach and biggest caabage!    And we stop at a special tree in which it has a 'liu' (tumor) which is believed that it will bring good luck to whoever touches it :)  Then we headed to have our seafood feast! Lobster and sashimi for NT500.Fresh ones!Hualien is full of seas and rocks!And Mr Chen drove us to our ming shu at Hualien-stone house (mdm liu's tel:0933-485552 or 0932-345151)NT2200 for 4 pple per night.Before that,we bought fireworks so that we can take them @ the ming shu!!!    At night,Mdm Liu brought us to have our dinner NT25 or NT50 for 9 dumplings.I forgot the pricing again but it's really cheap! Then we headed to watch the free aborginal dance performance b4 we go back and start putting fireworks :) 1st time,so very excited :D Day 6 For our 2nd day tour,becos Mr Chen is in charge of my Uni frens tour,he sent another taxi driver for us,Mr Huang.He's damn nice.We all felt he was better than Mr Chen.He's so fatherly.He will open the door for u,take umbrella to cover u to the cab while he stood in the rain etc.Mr Chen is more knowledgable.Overall,both of them are still nice pple :) Mr Huang (tel:0928-298472,03-8576156) took us to the most expensive hotel for our first stop.It's expensive due to the location,facing sea and jungle from all four sides.From there we could also see the Ocean Amusement Park but we din enter to play those rides.We continued our Hualien journey to the beach :)       It was lunch time so Mr Huang brought us to a shop to fill our stomach.    Went to look at the rainbow bridge b4 going to the hotspring @ Hualien for NT200/pax.Then go eat ice cream b4 heading to Hualien university.And becos Mr Huang told us his daughter works as a hairstylist we decided to patronage her when we get back to tp. Doris tel:02-2508-1658. Mr Huang drove us to Hualien train station where we can take our ride back to Taipei Main station and then back to Ximen.  Day 7 One thing bad about Rainbow Hotel is that their breakfast sux!But cheap so not much to complain abt.Oh ya,for most toilets in Taiwan,you cant throw toilet paper into the toilet bowl cos it will be stuck if it's thrown consecutively.Their pipelines are small! U have to throw it in the dustbin!!!Just imagine when u are doing big business in a toilet which someone has just done her business in there. *puke* Take MRT to Beitou station and then change to take to Xinbeitou station.Visited the hot spring museum (10 min walk from xinbeitou,cross road & walk towards zhongsan rd). Along the way,we went to the culture museum...    and to the hell valley (5 min walk from museum,along zhongshan rd).All entrance free!  Back to MRT station and take to Danshui station.From there,we walked to Fort San Domingo(Hongmao cheng)-NT40/pax if u show ur youth pass.Very long walk, u can take red shuttle bus 26!  We cannot take photos inside the building,just the surroundings.After u exit turn left and look for the bus stand.Take the bus and drop along danshui lao jie,u can find yummy food there,especially the fishball.it's damn delicious.I ate 1 1/2 bowls.hahaha.Then walked to danshui fisherman's wharf.   Dun have ur portrait drawn there cos it's so ex NT400! Wanted to catch the sunset since we couldn't see the sunrise @ Alishan but dark clouds came so we took a ferry NT50 back to danshui and have our portraits drawn there :) NT200 which comes with a frame!  Day 8 Took MRT to CKS station and go to exit 5.The station is specially designed & u can see police officers guarding that place! In the CKS memorial hall,in the main hall,u will see exhibitions that are against Mr Jiang,whereas in the other room,you will see documents which speak good of him.The clock showed the time Mr Jiang died.I was just thinking whether some drama idea came from this..hahaha think soo much :P There's no changing of guards cos riots keep taking place and by the time we walk out of CKS,there's TV car stationed outside and after a few mins,a group of pple came.The whole scene is ....     Our next stop is Sun Yat Sen station...the mentor of Mr Jiang...We managed to catch the changing of guards here.But it was only a pathetic few,not a troupe.Better than nothing :)  After visiting these 2 places,i get to noe Taiwan history better.Seriously a geography student going there will be quite fascinated by their history and y the politics came abt. From there we take to Taipei City Hall station and then a shuttle bus to the tallest building-taipei 101 NT350.    Dun pay another NT100 to get to the 91th floor!!! Total waste of $$$ cos there's nothing to see besides how they built the building.The circumference was all fenced up which means u cant get a closer view of the outside as well.After that we went to Raohe night mkt & Wufenpu to begin our shopping.Frankly speaking,i think the best night mkt is Feng Jia followed by Wufenpu (houshanpi station) and Shilin.The rest is pointless.But at Raohe,u can get to shop for some cheap necklace.  Day 9 Took a coach from Taipei Intercity Bus Terminal (exit 1), behind the Taipei main station.Counter 19-NT92.Ask pple how to get to Yehliu NT25 using youth pass!Cos we spent quite some time getting there.Some pple like there,some pple like me dun,cos it's hot and perhaps we din explore the place well enuf.We missed the candle look-alike rocks.We were too shag after all these days.This grad trip has turned out to be a training camp for me!!!     From yehliu,we took a bus to keelung(stop when u see a building that has starbucks & Burgerking,near a harbor) for abt 30mins and changed bus to Jiufen.  At jiufen you can buy the suncakes and pineapple cakes from here.Look out for li yi bing dian cos they sell the best ones in taiwan!And of course the fishball is also very nice.Only two stalls which i think serve the best fishball in Taiwan.One in danshui another one here in jiufen. There's also a night market in Keelung.But one word of advice.Dun go cos it's damn far and nothing much to buy but of course personal preference & taste.Wanted to go partyworld @ ximen.But it's too ex for a fri night.My uni frens went on a sun night NT330 for 3 hrs and i heard the room is damn big with many facilities!Too bad for us :( Day 10 Today's highlight will be to Long Shan Si temple (Longshan station) and taiwan storyland :)  Then take MRT back to Taipei main station look for exit 6,walk for 25mins.Have to ask pple along the way how to get to Taiwan storyland-NT150 with youth pass.And u will be given a coupon worth NT150,where u can spent inside for food & other souvenirs.Which means it's like a free entrance.However i heard it is going to be closed down soon cos it's not profitable.Sad case sia...         Day 11 Another one of the best places of interest in Taipei will be the miniature musuem-NT180 located @ Nanjing East road station.10mins walk,u will have to ask pple how to get there too.Hahaha.Remember the photos below are taken with zoom in effect.While in fact they are all mini size!!!         Day 12 Have to check out of our hotel at 1pm so we packed all our bags and did our final shopping and food hunting @ ximending.   The ah zhong mian xian and the snow ice served @ san xiong mei are damn nice.Beside the san xiong mei store,there is a stall selling some snack.the octopus is nice!!!Can try :) Anyway i had steamboat buffet the previous night @ guo da ye near our rainbow hotel.They open till 3am!!!And what's more???Besides those normal food they serve hagen daz,fondue and meiji ice cream for just NT399!!!Super cheap!!! *Hongwei,for goodness sake,the whole wall is filled with signatures.How to search for urs???My god.Anyway that's the end of this entry.Hope u folks enjoy it :) ShiQi left a mark on 1:14 PM (0) mark(s) Wednesday, May 02, 2007 Been ages since i've last blogged.MIA due to the hectic sem that has justed passed.Totally miserable life i had.But it's all over, so shall not lament about it. Before i start another chapter of my life, i have been reflecting alot and a conclusion was made. I really need to grow up.A big body but pea brain will not allow me to survive.In my 22 years of life,met many pple and i'm glad i've made frens whom i know will stand by me whenever things go downhill.Friends as this blog is themed are very important to me. I've absolute trust in them and this supposedly good point will also prove to be a great fallacy for me in the future.Not that i will learn not to trust,but i have to be more vigilant to things that are happening around me and not simply take things at face value without evaluating the truth about it. I want to learn how to be more ambitious-like crystal, learn how to priortise and be vigilant like huang dian, learn how to be independent like ying ying, learn how to keep cool like weiling,learn when it's the right time to play and when to be serious like hongwei,learn how to be open minded like most of my friends,learn how to think with my head and not feel with my heart-like wat jiasheng always commented,learn how to do things fast with quality(not haste with no QC)learn how to pick myself up from where i fall, learn how to learn from my mistakes like my wonderful mom. Those not in the list, not that you are no good, just that at the moment these are of more critical areas which i should improve on :) All of you, my friends has impacted me one way or another.And i'm really greatful for that. However things are not always the same.So i have to learn how to grow up before i bang the wall and hurt myself.Ever since i left Ij,i seem to be alone.Met pple who are really brainy and it sets a really depressing tot on myself.I always hoped that i can still be together with my fellow Ij mates,in school or at work.However now i am happy that they are not going to be taking the exact same paths as me because these are the pple who knows my weaknesses.And it'll be terrible if things turns out awful if we are in the same occupation. This entry does not mean to shoot at anyone,just a tot of mine and a reminder for myself. GROWING UP is never easy,but i will try :) ShiQi left a mark on 2:01 AM (0) mark(s) Wednesday, March 28, 2007 I've got ten mins to get this entry done before i go for my 2nd last quiz. As usual,school work has been really hectic which will only ends on next thursday.Damn tiring,i just hope the end of april could just come fast.Right here in Design School library.Very conducive environment and it's so accessible for me since it's just across my hall. I'm so looking forward to my Taiwan trip now and of course the Convo ball that follows which will be held at Fullerton.I'll probbably start work in August,so i'm very free after that to have any gatherings. Crystal when will you be back???To all the people mugging right now,Keep Fighting!!! ShiQi left a mark on 12:24 PM (1) mark(s) |
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