DAY 1 of our Taipei Trip 15-21 June 2013.
In May 2013, Angry Smurf decided to bring me to Taipei to celebrate my birthday since i had always wanted to go Taipei ever since we went there for a tour on 2010.
We booked our trip 1 month before departure date on Expedia.com as it is actually the cheapest among all after i compared various airlines air tix and hotels...
We book a package on Expedia.com which includes Scoot Air tickets and 6 nights of hotel stay @ Amba Taipei Ximending Hotel for $1600 in total. Its considered cheap at the time i booked as Air tickets on Budget carriers are as high as $600+ per pax for air tix ALONE!. Booking your trips on Expedia is so convenient, all you have to do is click on your destination, and there will be a whole list of Airlines for you to choose from. You can choose your preferred time of departure and arrival before choosing the hotel you want.
We chose Scoot as i never took Scoot before, despite the many reviews abt flight delays, i still chose Scoot to try. The hotel we decided on is Amba Taipei Ximending as it is a relatively new hotel, and the photos looks great, MOST IMPORTANTLY the rooms have windows (alot of hotel rooms in Taipei got no windows in the room, which makes it feels spooky to me.). LOL.
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As usual, chilling at SATS Lounge at Changi Airport Terminal 2.
After travelling a few times, i find it bored to walk around the airport upon checking in as there is really nothing much to shop for except buying Cigarettes and sometimes things from the DFS shops so its great to actually just chill in the airport lounge while waiting for boarding time. somemore got Free food and drinks. haha. Can even bathe there if we want to.
Prior to our trip, i bought a Taipei Guidebook and did alot of research on where to go!
Upon arrival in Taoyuan International Airport @ 650am, we collected our luggage, went to apply for the Youth Card before going to the bus counters to buy our bus ticket to Taipei Main Station.
The Youth card can be exchanged for by showing your passport at the Customer Service counter. You will see the counter on both left and right when you exit from the custom clearance area to the public arrival area.
The youth card is for Youths aged between 15 - 30 years old.
It offers discounts at many participating locations / shops.
After collecting luggages and youth card, turn left and go all the way down via the travelators and you will see a whole row of Bus ticket sale counters. Remember to check the timing of departure before buying the bus tickets, we bought ours from 大友巴士 for only 90NT per pax and the departure time is only a 10min wait at 745am. The bus is like a public bus which stops at a few bus stops to alight and pick passengers before stopping at the Taipei Main station bus interchange which is right beside Taipei Main Station MRT station.
At Taipei Main Station MRT, we purchased our 5 day MRT pass which allows us to take unlimited MRT rides for 5 days upon first usage and free bus rides on buses with the Taipei Pass stickers too. We bought the 5 days pass as we will be spending all 7 days only in Taipei and not travelling to other areas of Taiwan.
There are actually 4 different type of days passes tickets.
1 day pass - NT180
2 day pass - NT310
3 day pass - NT440
5 day pass - NT700
Click HERE to check out their website for more information on the Taipei day Pass.
After purchasing our 5 Day Pass ticket, we took the MRT to Ximending Station where our hotel is located.
Ximending Station is only 1 stop away from Taipei Main Station so its pretty convenient. Their MRT lines are quite easy to refer to if you are taking train to somewhere else.
When we are at Taipei Ximending, its around 10plus in the morning, the sun is already shining bright and VERY HOT lo. we had a hard time finding our hotel as its around a 10 minute walk from the Ximending MRT station. Had to ask around for the location as we did not have any data connection so cant use GPS.
The check in time is at 3pm strictly as we arrived on a Saturday and the hotel is full, so we left our luggage with the concierge since we are too early and went out for a movie and lunch before coming back.
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| Hotel Lobby |
We are too early, shops are not really opened yet, went pass a cinema (they have many cinemas in Ximending) and Angry Smurf suggested to watch Fast & Furious 6. I agreed since we have to wait for 3pm to check in and my lunch reservation is only at 1pm.
After our movie, we went to look for Modern Toilet Restaurant for our lunch.
Located at Simending Modern Toilet restaurant : 2F, No 7, Lane 50, Xi-Ning South Road, Taipei Taiwan. Tel:(02)23118822.
The restaurant is nothing fantastic except for their toilet theme.
But i think everyone that comes to Taiwan will at least eat ONCE at Modern Toilet. haha
I made a reservation with them 1 month before so that i can secure a table without having to queue.
Its actually recommended to make a reservation so that do not have to wait, just need to go to their website HERE and reserve online.
Cute Toilet Bowl Seats in the restaurant. All the seats have different toilet bowl cover.
Waiting for the food patiently.
Hungry liao. hehe.
Their Utensils are packed in such a cute paper bag.
Their drinks are all filled in Urinals. haha.
Pumpkin Soup with 大便 for appetiser.
haha
the 大便 is actually a chocolate flavored bread.
Not very nice though both the soup n 大便.
My main Course - Sausage and Vegetable Spaghetti.
Not nice at all cos the sauce is too watery.
No choice, hungry liao and food expensive, so at least finished half.
Angry Smurf's Fish and Chips
Ordering Fish and chips could never go wrong as fried food always taste good!
As all the meals are a set, it comes with 大便 shaped soft-serve ice cream.
Even ice cream also not very nice. zzz
Somebody touch 大便 also so happy.
Modern Toilet Restaurant is really only a must-go to take pictures of their toilet themed food and decor.
The food they serve there really CMI and its expensive lo...
But nehmind la, like i said, go Taiwan must sure at least try them once, LOL. ONCE ONLY !
After lunch, its already 2 plus, we decided to head back to Hotel to see if our room is ready! AND IT IS! yeah, can bathe liao.... i always yearn to bathe after a flight.
Our room is at the 6th floor, quite low as the hotel is above a shopping centre, so the lobby is located on the 5th floor. so even though our room is on the 6th floor, literally it's actually on the 2nd floor of the hotel. haha.
We booked their Medium King room so that we have more walking space because the Standard Single room is more suitable for One person stay.
Once we enter the room, on our left is the toilet, further up is the bathroom (YES, the bathroom and toilet is separated.) we have to go pass the washing area before getting to the sleeping area. There's a curtain that we can draw to block out the washing area lights at night when we slp.
One thing special about Amba Hotel is that they promote recycling, so instead of cotton bedroom slippers, they provide flip-flops instead which we can bring back with us when we leave. YEAH, FREE FLIP FLOPS and the size fits us both perfectly.!
Our sleeping area, spacious and big enough to put both of big luggage and still have ample space to walk around.
They replaced the standard 'Do Not Disturb' Cards with Magnets, so can keep reuse and reuse and reuse.
After checking in and settling down, we both took a bath to freshen up and rested a while in the room before heading out! Come holiday where can keep staying in room right?! haha
Went to Roam around Ximending for their street snacks.
This chocolate waffle sold along the streets not nice. Don't try... Very hard and does not taste like waffle at all.
My all time favourite snack! i eat one stick daily at least!
烤鸟蛋 !!! i wonder why they don't sell this in SG.
Luckily they don't also, otherwise i will end up with high cholesterol very soon!
Darling's Favourite snack - Deep Fried Ribs
Taking some time off while shopping to appreciate their fundraising performance. JIAYOU!
After having enough of street snacks for our high tea, we made our way to the Ximending station to take the MRT to Hou Shan Pi stop. Wu Fen Pu & Rao He night market are within walking distance from Hou Shan Pi MRT station.
Arrived at Hou Shan Pi station after a few stops. only around 10 minute ride!
We went to 五分埔 first as they closes early, take Exit 1 from HouShanPi MRT and cross the road at the junction at YongJi Road, its just a 5min walk away. 五分埔 opens til around 10 plus 11pm. Its a super big area for us to shop at, but after a few hours, it gets boring as all the shops are selling similar goods.
After WuFenPu, we made our way back to HouShanPi station and began walking to RaoHe Night Market.
We followed the instructions i googled but we couldn't find it at all, after much asking around and around 15-20 minutes walking, we finally arrived and im appalled that there's actually a Song Shan Train Station (not MRT but Train) right in front of the entrance to the night market, only a 2 minute walk!. Walau eh...
Read on the guidebook that the first stall at RaoHe's entrance selling pepper buns is a MUST TRY! i nv try cos queue too long.
RaoHe night market is extremely big, its only one stretch of street all the way down but i cant seem to see the end of the street. its very long, with stalls selling clothes and food on both sides, can walk downwards on yours right, den uturn at the end of the street and walk back up.
When walking in, on the right hand side, there's a shop selling Seafood broth and Fried Vermicelli! this is a MUST TRY in my opinion! the Fried vermicelli is superb! Not to worry about having to hold hot soups on your hand in the crowded Raohe as this shops have plenty of seats inside for you to take a rest and enjoy your food. yummy!
Night markets is all about street snacks, so even though i ate my Fried Vermicelli and Seafood broth once i reach RaoHe, i still have aplenty of space for my favourite 鸡扒. This stall is different from the usual fried chicken chop stalls as they have many many flavors for you to choose from.
After filling our stomachs with street snacks (no time to take too much photos cos eat more important. haha), its time for dessert, along the streets you will see this crowded and squeezy stall selling Shaved ice mango. You will not miss it when you walk pass as the auntie keeps shouting 芒果冰， 芒果冰， 芒果冰！！！Its only 100NT i think for a big bowl big enough for 2 to share, but me and Angry chose to eat one each! something to beat the hot environment! hehe!
After our Dessert, we continued to shop and shop and shop down Rao He night Market until we saw this authentic Foot reflexology, its not your typical foot massage where they just anyhow press press you leg... This foot reflexology focused on your foot acupoint. Every different acupoint they press represent a part/organ in your body, so if a particular area hurts badly, it means that certain part of your body it represents is not functioning healthily.
I think Angry Smurf whole body got problem, just look at his face when the master pressed on certain acupoints. hahahha!
After our foot reflexology, i made an appointment at the same shop for face threading, never tried face threading before so decided to give it a try. i regretted right after i did it. i always know my face is sensitive, but i nv expected it to have so so much rashes right after my threading. i had to lower my head and walk the rest of the night cos i felt sooooo inferior with those rashes on my face. :(
But still it doesnt deter me from having fun!
Went to Kiap bear bear inside one of their many UFO catchers shop.
Kiap finish bear bear, saw this fishing pond stall outside and decided to give it a try.
We have to net the fish up using the plate like thingy on the right in the pic, the net is made of tracing paper i think, it tears after a few seconds in the water... i paid 100NT for 5 nets, and i kept tearing my net while trying to scoop up a 'not swimming fish', after i ended my game, i was wondering why the same fish doesn't swim away when i tried to scoop it up. DEN, I FOUND OUT THAT ONE IS A DEAD FISH... LOL
After playing various games they have in Rao He Night Market and buying some clothes n gifts, we Buy one stick of curry fishball to eat before heading back to the hotel for the night.
Its only around 12midnight, but we are both tired already s we only slept for 2-3 hours on the plane the night before. shall head back to the hotel to have an early rest so that we can have more fun the next day!
AND, must go back hotel early cos need to put cream to get my stupid bloody rash cured!
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