Day 1
Arrived at taipei at around 1 plus, even before I begin my journey I've already bought laneige skincare at tw airport cause there's a promotion. Afraid that the promotion would have ended when I come back so I bought it first. I don't regret it, although I've a few thousand dollars less to spend. Took the next available bus (freego bus) to taichung, around NT134 if I'm not wrong. Bought 便当 from their convenience store, I really love their 便当, there's so many varieties to choose from. Reached galerie hotel at around 4 plus or 5. We were quite shocked by the size of the bed and the room, it's quite small. They provided us with free drinks everyday. Off we go to our first stop, maple garden park, few minutes walk from hotel. We didn't recognise the place when we reached, it looks different from the pictures we saw online. Quite disappointed, I expected it to be much bigger. Proceeded to 一中街, it's something like bugis street. Bought some food and 边走边吃边看．Bought some stuff back for my cousins and family. Didn't have time to go new banana paradise, we were too full by then to eat anymore. First day already spent over my budget, don't know how to survive for the next few days.
Day 2
Hired a cab to bring us around 新社 area from 9.30am-6.30pm, he quoted us NT3000 . It's easier to go by cab cause it's quite far in and I don't think buses go that far in. It's better to arrange for their service 2 weeks earlier, we forgot all about it until we reached tw. Thankfully, we were still able to engage their service. Cab driver was very friendly and kept talking to us. He mentioned that taichung is famous for their 太阳饼。We wanted to go 玉珍斋 but he recommended 一福堂, free delivery to our hotel if total amount exceeded NT3000. Bought quite a few for my family, relatives and colleagues. We went to 薰衣草森林 (lavender cottage) first because it's the furthest, up on the mountain. 山路绕来绕去转来转去，可能会晕车。The weather was cooling, entrance fee: NT100 each, the ticket will offset any purchases up till max of NT100, you have to top up the excess if the item exceeds NT100. The flowers are beautiful and there are even cute drawings on the toilet's walls. Even their ice-cream also has lavender flavour. 喜欢花花草草接近大自然的人可以来这里。There's a wishing tree at the top, made a wish by writing it down on a leaf-shaped paper and hang it up. Next was the highly anticipated princess annie's garden. Entrance fee is NT100 each, I'm a little disappointed cause I think it looks nicer on pictures. Pictures can be deceiving sometimes. While we were having finger food, there's this black dog which keeps staring at me whenever I eat. I think it's hungry but it's quite disturbing to have someone staring at you when you eat. Whenever people walk past, I feel like telling them this dog is not mine. It stays until we finished the food, I finally realised how loyal dogs are. After that was 百菇莊, I love mushrooms. The place is small, saw many different kinds of mushrooms there and tried their 百菇羹, 好好吃哦! Cab driver wanted to bring us somewhere where they served mushroom hotpot, I don't mind eating that but I think yx doesn't fancy the idea. What a waste. I wonder what it tastes like to combine 2 of my favourite things together. Next is my favourite place, 新社莊園, entrance fee NT250. I like the european style 古堡, the waterfall, basically everything about it. We wanted to go 心之芳庭 but cab driver suggested carton king instead. He said that 心之芳庭 is just a replica and smaller version of 薰衣草森林. Although we are going to carton king in cingjing, the one we went in taichung is much bigger and has loads more things to see, entrance fee: NT200. When you walked past some of the animals, there will be sounds coming out. I was pretty fascinated with the paper cars moving around in a fixed direction on its own. I came across another musical ferris wheel and was mesmerized by it, looked at it for damn long, really like it. It's so creative. We will receive a free gift once we have collected all the stamps from different shops, it's like a treasure hunt. All the places in 新社 are not really that big though. Went to fengchia night market, there's so much more stuff to eat than 一中街, I prefer fengchia cause the food is much nicer :) Street lamps weren't working so it's pitch black and there weren't people walking back to hotel with us which makes me a little scared.
Day 3
Spent a lot of time travelling to and fro, took BRT to taichung train station and changed to nantou bus. BRT makes travelling so much easier, bus fare is free if distance travelled is within 8km. Travelled to puli wine brewery and had lunch at 振松记米粉 which is just a few steps away. There's nothing much at the wine brewery. They just had a lot of stores selling alcohol-related products. The beehoon is nice and cheap though. Next, we walked to 18 degrees chocolate. The chocolates are nice, the ice-cream is just nice for such a warm weather. I was perspiring like hell when I reached. On our way back, we alighted at a stop near second market. There's shops selling clothes and food and further in, there's a wet market. Nothing that really interest me, I think it appeals more to people who are much older. Continued our second round of fengchia night market.
Day 4
Went to sweet woods, had bianca ice-cream and pause bonheur dessert. Came across 草悟广场 while on the way to find 绿光计划, had lunch at habitat. Nice and beautiful cafe, I like the interior decoration, makes me feel relaxed. Had a hard time finding fantasy story but we made it. There are greenery everywhere. I might enjoy it a little bit more if the weather wasn't so warm. Next was to 勤美术馆, for those who don't know how to appreciate art, this is not the place for you. For me, I like beautiful and creative things even if there aren't a lot of stuff there. We went miyahara to check out local produce, the place looks grand. We are not allowed to go upstairs unless we are dining in the restaurant. Walked to zhonghua night market, realised it's near second market BRT. 因为我们心系于逢甲夜市，所以走了一圈中華夜市也没买什么就回去了。Off we go to our favourite fengchia night market for the third round. Even I can't believe the pull that fengchia has on me.
Day 5
Goodbye Taichung, hello cingjing. Arranged for 共乘接駁車 to our minsu in cingjing, cab service where we had to share with other people so that the cost will be cheaper for each individual. We paid NT400 each, 第一次遇到警察临检, they asked us a few questions to ensure that we know where we are being brought to, they just want to make sure that we didn't pay more than the market rate for the cab service. When we reached, it's raining so it's freaking cold. I really like our minsu (euro country villa) cause they will send us to and fro to wherever we want to go, saves us the effort from walking too far. The room is more spacious and we have a nice view from our balcony. First stop was to carton king, I'm glad that we went to the one in taichung. The one in cingjing doesn't have much things. Had lunch there, as long as we spend a minimum amount of NT300 at carton king, we get free entrance to little swiss garden. We sat on chairs made of cardboard, initially I was afraid that the chair will break but it's quite stable. Since it's raining and the sheeps would be locked away in 青青草原, we decided to have lunch at carton king and went to little swiss garden. Pictures don't do justice to how pretty little swiss garden is. I took pictures with my ducks! It's really troublesome to take pictures while holding your umbrella. The place is quite small but we still walked 2 rounds, I like the musical fountain. Went to walk around the recreation centre. The minsu staff recommended us to have 甕缸雞, it's delicious but since it's night time, I felt really cold. The good thing is, they provide free transport service to and fro from the restaurant. Bought tickets from minsu staff to view sunrise at 合歡山 at 3.50am, it's so early so we slept earlier than usual. There are a lot of moths outside our windows at night.
Day 6
It was raining early in the morning. I thought I wouldn't be able to see it. I guess we are lucky to catch the beautiful sunrise. I couldn't capture a perfect picture of it, what a pity. It's really cold up there, had to wear thicker coats provided by them even if I already wore 5 layers of clothes. Went back hotel and watched some tv while waiting for the rain to stop. I was really upset cause I'm afraid that I won't be able to see my sheeps and horses. Luckily it stopped raining at noon, went to have lunch at recreation centre and off we go to 青青草原, entrance fee is NT160 on weekdays. The sheeps are all roaming freely on the grasslands, so carefree. They are so cute! Their shit is everywhere on the ground, witnessed one of them shitting, I'm amazed haha. Saw my handsome white horse and couldn't resist patting it. 有了白马，那王子呢？There's also castle at 青青草原. Didn't managed to catch sheep shearing show cause it's only available on weekends. I knew that before I went but our schedule doesn't allow us to reach there during weekends. Too bad then. However, I managed to catch the horse show. It's fascinating what you could do on a horse back. Took pictures with the horses and their owners, can tell that they are really greedy for food. I didn't even know that horses' favourite food are carrots. Recommendations for yunnan cuisine at 云舞楼 by minsu staff, it's just a 5 minutes walk from our minsu. By the time we walked back, it's dark. Stayed outside our minsu, sat at the swing and talked. The weather is cooling if it doesn't rain.
Day 7
Took 共乘接駁車 to taichung train station, the journey back cost lesser, it's only NT300 each. Poor little boy couldn't stand it, he vomited but luckily there's plastic bag on the car. We took guoguang bus to taipei main station and price is about NT200 plus. One good thing about bringing backpack is that I don't have to keep finding escalators or lifts, I can use the stairs, saves a lot of time and effort. Our hotel, yes inn, is in ximending, one station away from taipei main station. It's just beside the red house. Made our way to Mr J restaurant, it's a long walk from the station. It's situated in 台北医学院, envy the students there, they can go to the restaurant as and when they like. Food was normal, nothing really special. I like the piano, huge posters of secret and all the pictures. The staff are all wearing school uniforms, same as the one in the movie. Didn't have time to go inside taipei 101, so just stood outside and take pictures. Didn't have time to go songshan cultural park too (as recommended by jy) but I will go next time. Moved on to 忠孝东路 to find phantaci (jay's shop again). Went to stayreal too, actually I keep seeing stayreal, there's one outlet in taichung too. Chanced upon dazzling cafe on our way back to station, initially wanted to go to the outlet in taipei 101. I think we are meant to go that cafe, had dessert there, it's nice. I keep looking at the table beside ours cause their main course looks tempting too. I'll try it next time. Went wufenpu, although I didn't buy anything there but I like that place. Bought 胡须张 for yl and jy, ordered takeaway for ourselves, 又便宜又好吃。So sad we didn't have time to go raohe night market.
Day 8
Had breakfast at 永和豆浆 at ximending, had 汤包, 火腿蛋饼 and 豆浆，好吃！Bought 6 boxes of my beauty diary masks and left them in hotel before we go 淡水老街 and 淡水河。Don't have much money left to buy more. I really like 淡水河, it's so windy, cooling and relaxing with the sea breeze blowing. There are game stores for you to play and ice cream vendors. Took bus R26 to 渔人码头, crossed the lover's bridge. Before I went there, I was still thinking, I don't have a lover, can I cross that bridge? haha. Both places are ideal place for couples although I prefer 淡水 more. We proceeded to jiantan station and took R5 to reach yangmingshan. It's a long walk in to find the flower clock, we have been walking round and round to find the 喷水池. The reason we couldn't find it is because it's near to the flower clock and it doesn't even have water coming out from it. We were expecting to hear the sound of water and seeing something, but we just keep passing by it without realising. Disappointed. Don't have the energy to walk further in and see the waterfall. Last stop of the day was shilin night market, I love 豪大大鸡排! Have been wanting to eat this for many years back, finally tried it and it didn't disappoint :) So juicy.
《手写的从前》场景
Day 9
Took a train to ruifang and take bus heading towards 金瓜石 to 九份老街。You can take the same bus from taipei to jiufen directly. Waited one hour plus for the train. After walking around and having lunch at jiufen, we took train to shifen. I think we are really unlucky on that day. We missed the train by 10 minutes and waited 1 hour plus again for the next one. Even if it's just a few stations away, the train stopped at some stations for more than a few minutes. By the time we reached shifen, it's already 7 plus. I wrote down my wishes and I like to 放天灯, seems fun, probably because it's a different experience and we don't get to do it here. Managed to catch the 7.55pm train back, reached ximending at 9 plus. Had dinner at NT58 pasta outlet, not all are NT58 but it's still cheap and good. Supper was my 豪大大鸡排 again :) Ximending looks different at night, more crowded and alive with people. When we came in the morning, the shops are not even open at 11am.
Stickers collected when I bought masks, exchanged it for a free hello kitty 公仔
Day 10
Breakfast at mac, wanted to eat big breakfast but when it's my turn, they changed it to the lunch menu. Seriously, why am I so unlucky?! Somemore their big breakfast is way cheaper than ours. Managed to get the breakfast set but it's egg muffin, so sad can't eat big breakfast :( Had lunch at 牛公馆 near our hotel, yx had 牛肉面 while I had 炸酱面。Went for last minute shopping at ximending, why must my holidays end so fast? :( I bought 25kg luggage but in total I only used 10.7kg?! Ultimate failure, maybe because I handcarry all the 太阳饼。Those in my bag are much lighter, all clothes, shampoo and masks. Too bad I can't put all the 太阳饼 inside, insufficient space. Should have bought more masks, what a pity. Bought a lot of stuff for a lot of people, spent about S$1600-S$1700 for this trip. Towards the end of the trip, I was giving sing dollars to yx in exchange for her tw dollar haha. I believe I'll come back again, see you again tw :) 没有人送机，没有人接机，真令人难过 :(
