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Monday, September 8, 2014

Taipei Day 5 - Tallest building in Taiwan - Taipei 101


We visited the tallest building in Taiwan which is the Taipei 101. The queue was pretty long. We queued for around 20 minutes to take the elevator up the tower.
Taipei 101

City view from Taipei 101.
Taipei 101

Guess what this big pendulum is? It is actually for neutralizing the effects of the typhoon. When typhoon hits Taipei 101, this pendulum will sway and neutralize the vibrations.
Taipei 101

At the rooftop of Taipei 101, this is another beautiful night view of Taipei city.
Taipei City View from Taipei 101

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Taipei Day 3 - Xin Bei Tou (Ramen, Hot Spring Museum, Hot Spring Valley)

The metro easily takes us directly to Xin Bei Tou where all the hot springs are.
Xin Bei Tou

The guardian of hot springs.
Xin Bei Tou

Road signs showing all the hot spring attractions and hotels.
Xin Bei Tou

Since it is lunch time, we decided to have lunch at this ramen house.
Xin Bei Tou Man Lai La Mian

Do not be mistaken, the ramen is not cooked using hot spring water.
Hot Spring Ramen

The menu.
Hot Spring Ramen

The place is crowded.
Hot Spring Ramen

Excellent half boiled egg!
Hot Spring Ramen

My chaw siew ramen!
Chaw Siew Ramen

After lunch, we walked around. The water is actually warm. It is hot spring water!
Hot Spring

Tourist map to guide us around.
Map of Xin Bei Tou

Visited the Hot Spring Museum. Free entry.
Xin Bei Tou Museum

Bath tub.
Hot Spring Museum

A very large pool in the middle of the hot spring museum.
Hot Spring Museum

Friday, September 5, 2014

Taipei Day 2 - Shi Fen Old Street (十分老街)


Our last stop for the day which is Shi Fen Old Street (十分老街).
Shi Fen Old Street (十分老街)

Our Sky Lantern!
Shi Fen Old Street (十分老街) Lantern

Hope our wishes come true in coming year 2015!
Shi Fen Old Street (十分老街) Lantern

Night falls and there are still many people lighting up sky lanterns.
Shi Fen Old Street (十分老街) Lantern

Taipei Day 2 - 金瓜石 / 新北市立黃金博物館 (Gold Museum) / Golden Waterfall (黃金瀑布)


After Jiufen, the taxi driver brought us to the Gold Museum.

This is the Crown Prince Chalet.
"The Crown Prince Chalet is a residence built in 1922 for the proposed visit of Crown Prince Hirohito to the area (a visit that never materialized). Decades later it was used by Chiang Kai-shek as lodging in the area." - Extract from Wikipedia

Crown Prince Chalet

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Crown Prince Chalet

Crown Prince Chalet

Crown Prince Chalet

Crown Prince Chalet

Crown Prince Chalet

Some mining machinery.
新北市立黃金博物館

Big piece of gold!
金瓜石 (新北市立黃金博物館)

After the museum, on the way down hill, you will reach the Golden Waterfall (黃金瀑布).
黃金瀑布 (Golden Waterfall)

Taipei Day 2 - Jiufen Old Street (九份老街)

The second day in Taipei, we decided to visit Jiufen Old Street (九份老街).

Entrance to Jiufen Old street.
Jiufen Old Street (九份老街)

Map of the area.
Jiufen Old Street (九份老街)

Locally hand made flutes of various designs.
Flute

Excellent ice coffee!
Coffee

Golden preserved eggs.
Golden Preserved Egg

Some kind of red colored Kueh that is cooked in oil. It is filled with minced pork (Char Siew).
Kueh

My wife tried this but I didn't. A bit too oily for me.
Kueh

There are various stalls selling fish and meat balls. However we settled for this stall.
Fishball

Big and small mixture of Fish balls and Meat balls

Another of my favorite desert in Taipei. It is ice cream wrapped in popiah skin sprinkled with crushed peanuts.
花生倦 + 冰淇淋

Another of my favorite desert. Yam balls. This is the famous stall everyone is talking about.
阿婆芋圆

Not that fantastic. I still prefer the one at Shilin.
阿婆芋圆

Fantastic sea view from the end of Jiufen Old Street.
Scenic view from 九份

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Taipei Day 1 - Dinner at Shilin (Oyster Egg, Braised Meat Rice, Smelly Beancurd, Ice Soya Beancurd)

We decided to find dinner at the famous Shilin Night Market.

Taiwanese version of the Fried Oyster Egg. It is sweet and have a taste of ketchup. I still prefer Singapore version!
Fried Oyster

Braised Meat Rice

Cuttlefish soup. Didn't really like the rubbery texture of the cuttlefish. However, the soup broth was sweet and tasty.
Cuttlefish Soup

Smelly Beancurd that is not really that pungent. Freshly fried and delicious!
Smelly Fried Beancurd

After dinner, we bought 大饼包小饼 for supper.
大饼包小饼

大饼包小饼

Shilin Market

Ordered fresh fruit juice. One of the best highlights of Taipei is the fresh fruits you can find here. Look, spotted a durian!
Fruit Juice at Shilin

This is my favorite desert in Taipei. It is Soya Beancurd topped with red beans, grass jelly, yam or potato balls.
Shilin Soya Beancurd Shop

Shilin Soya Beancurd Shop

Many toppings to choose from.
Shilin Soya Beancurd

Spotted a old lady selling Muah Chee or Mochi. But I was too full already.
Old Lady Selling Muah Chee
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