MY TAIWANdering STORIES

What I know about Taiwan? Ofcourse, Meteor Garden and F4! hahaha..

Going to Taiwan was never included on my bucket list (kuno)… but because I’m taking advantage of the visa free privilege to Filipinos (from November 1, 2017 – July 31,  2018), I booked my flight last January. Who knows I get to see Dao Ming Se (Gerry Yan).. actually, mas fan ako ni vic zhou… haha… (so anong feeling ko? Pakalat kalat lang sila sa Taipei para makasalubong ko? Charot).

Anyway, our flight to Taipei via Cebu Pacific supposed to take off at 10:55pm and not so surprising, was delayed almost an hour.

My travel buddy, who will soon to be married, which means baka huling beses ko na syang makakaladkad sa mga gantong trip ko . haha

Our another friend got there (in Taipei)  ahead of us, because her flight was rescheduled (sabay kaming tatlo dapat, but I don’t know what happened to Cebu Pacific, maybe overbooking? That she needed to be separated). Anyway, it was a blessing in disguise because the reception in our Hostel will close at 10pm, so our friend checked in first and sent us pictures of the hostel since we will arrive there past midnight we might had a hard time looking for it especially the train will no longer operational at that time.

Day 0

We arrived at Taipei past 1 am, we rode the BUS 1819 and alighted at Taipei Main station, then from there we took a Taxi. As expected, the Taxi driver couldn’t understand us. I gave him our accommodation address written in English and yet he couldn't figured it out. Then I remembered the nearest MRT station, thank God , dun lang kami nagkaintindihan. When we reached the Gonguan station, we we’re just looking at the buildings along the road using the picture our friend sent us..

Tadann! Glad we found it.

 

Day 1

Breakfast in our Hostel.

Our room was okay, we had our own T&B. The kitchen is so lovely despite the small area. We had bread / butter & jam.

Our first on the list that day is the National Taiwan University a.k.a Yengdi University in Meteor Garden ( hindi naman halatang fan ako? ;) ), this is just walking distance in our Hostel.

spare my so baduy posture.. Hindi talaga ako marunong magpose.. haha

Lakas maka F4, pero tatlo lang kami.

Ganto pala feeling ni Shan Chai!

I wish I had watched again the Meteor Garden so I could refresh and find the exact area they shoot their scenes.. hahahaha

After exploring the University, we  went to Gonguan MRT Station. Our Hostel is also just 5 to 10 minute  walk to this station.

                        

Chiang Kai Shek. This is very much accessible to MRT (ofcourse, the Chiang Kai Shek station). This was built to honor the late President Chiang Kai-Shek.

We climbed the Main Hall and fortunately we had witnessed the changing of guards.

sign of aging, ang dali ko ng mapagod. ;)

Presidential Office. As per google, this is originally built as the office of the Governor-General of Taiwan during the Japanese Colonial  Period. (ang astig ng mga hapon na 'to, lahat na lang sinasakop. hehe). This was just restored after it sustained damages during the World War II. I wasn't sure if it's still functional, though there are plenty  of guards surrounding the area.

napagod nanaman ako... :)

After resting a while, we searched the internet where we can have our late lunch. Anyway we rented a Wifi device thru KKday as well (I'm not sure how much exactly my friend paid for it, I just gave her 100TWD for 4 days na ).

The internet led us to Ximending. On my itinerary, we’re supposed to visit the Ximen area the next day . But because we intend to eat at the Beef Noodles resto the internet suggested, we walked all the way to Ximending. We got lost a little (despite following the locator on my friend's phone), and we when we finally found the place, it was closed for renovation.. (yes, after we sweat a lot, aching legs, hungry stomach, sarado pala sya!!). Then we looked for another.

                           

We had our lunch here. 

Grabeh, ang sarap ng Coke sa mga oras na yan... promise. haha

Taipei 101-- In 2004, this was tagged as the tallest building in the world. But after it was surpassed  by other skyscrapers nowadays, it is still the largest green building in the world. We didn't get to enter the Observatory Deck as we planned to see the better picture of Taipei 101 and the rest of the city in Elephant Mountain, not to mention, (but I'm mentioning it.. lol) that we don't want to spend almost a thousand as entrance fee (bakit pa? when we can have it free in Elephant Mountain.. practical lang hehe)

Just one more station from Taipei 101 station is the Xiangshan Station, this is where you should alight going to Elephant Mountain. Pero, If there’s one place I regret for including it on my itinerary is The Elephant Mountain,why? (nakalibre nga pero bakit nga ba???) Because I thought I’m gonna die in hiking! Hahaha… we took hundred stair steps, I was catching my breath, mga 1 year na pawis ko yung  pinaligo ko, medyo malamok pa, di ako sanay maghike on elevated areas!! (magjogging nga, pagod na ako after mga 10 meters lang.. haha exaggerated though, pero promise di  na ako uulit umakyat sa mga ganito dito).. 

Then we reached this place,

                                      

It wasn’t the highest spot, coz I can’t take one more step, if I would try to climb more then I might not catch my breath anymore... lol..  yeah, what a poor endurance. But despite the mosquito bites, the exhaustion, it was eradicated as soon as we saw that view. We waited to get dark so we could see the city lights. 

(Photo by Sheryl Claridad, basta pag maganda yung kuha, sya daw kumuha nun, nakakahiya naman ginagamit ko yung picture nya, but she was using my camera, so quits lang naman hehe.)

Maybe it was almost 7 pm when we started to descend. At least mas madaling bumaba.

From Xiangshan station, we traveled to Jiantan Station (not shilin Station) so we could get to Shilin Night Market. Had our dinner there and got some refreshments. The place is packed with food vendors, people are lining up to most of the stalls. But we we're not able  to explore much of their foods.

Day 2

Tamsui Fisherman Wharf. From Tamsui train station, we took the Red 26 bus going to the wharf (the last bus stop). It's beautiful here, they said the sunset here is the best. But we arrived there late, about 11am, the original plan of waking up early was not achieved , we were so worn out the previous day. 

"Kunwari di ako nakatingin ha".. hehe

We could have taken the ferry boat back to Tamsui proper, but one of my friends refused to, so we took the same bus #.

Next thing, we were looking for the Well known Tamsui Old Street.

We had our lunch at Tamsui. (not exactly at the old street, pero sa tabi lang ng MRT Tamsui Station). The Old street was on the other side, we didn't have enough time so we skipped that.

At past 3pm. We decided to go to Yangmingshan National Park, I know during that time, we’re too late for the Cherry Blossoms. I haven’t read so much about how to go to different part of Yangmingshan park (ang lawak pala nya, at ang layo, I underestimated the distance of 15TWD fare, kala ko malapit lang). The last stop of the Bus S15 we took at Jiantan station is the Qingtiangang Grassland Trails. The scenery is so breathtaking, but we didn’t stay long lest we’ll sleep on the middle of the meadows overnight.. haha. We’re supposed to see the flower farm, the Calla Lilies but it’s getting dark and already closing as what the staff at Qintiangang station informed us.

MRT going home. Tired but happy (char!)

Day 3

Breakfast again.  Same food!

On our 3^rd day, we joined a day tour package via KKDay, for Jiufen, Yehliu and Shifen Tour. Our met up place was in Taipei Main Station.

Our tour started at 9am. And our first stop is the Yehliu Geopark. The rock formations are astonishing. We had an hour here, so everything was quick. There are plenty of people lining up to take a photo with the iconic Queens head.

Then we headed to the quaint village of Shifen. We released our lantern, wandered along the  old train tracks, and ate Chicken Wings (which was criticized by our tour Guide as not so delicious, and yet we bought one for each, gutom na kase.)

Captured the passing of the train.. parang PNR lang eh. :)

I am  trying so hard to take an astig shot on the middle of the railway... pero look at the  outcome, para akong zombie na naiwan ng Train to Busan, so lifeless! haha

Then just  3 minutes by our tour bus (20minutes by walking daw), we we transferred to Shifen Waterfall. Fair enough, I think our Water falls here in Philippines are way much majestic than this one..

Too many people I couldn't find a spot to take a selfie

And when I finally had the spot, na conscious na ako.. kaya ganyan yung pose ko... terrible! haha

Then finally, we explored the Jiufen. This place is famed as the inspiration of Miyazaki’s ‘Spirited Away’ (ano ba yun? diko rin napanuod, narinig ko lang, papanuorin ko na lang para makarelate hehe). Before we entered the old streets and Buildings of Jiufen, we passed into this spectacular  view (makaspectacular naman o haha).

Then as we entered the crowded old streets of Jiufen, our Tour guide instructed us to be on our bus after one hour and 15 minutes, I was listening to her attentively ( after we separate ways) not knowing my two friends left me behind (excited? Iniwan ako?). I’ve walked here and there, back and forth, just to find them, I think I’ve been doing that for almost 30 minutes until I gave up. I told myself, I need to do this on my own, I’ll get to see them on the bus anyway (hoping I’ll find my way back.. haha). We’re supposed to take our lunch there, but I don’t know where to eat all by myself, so I decided to bought a piece of bread with chocolate filling. (masarap sya, pero diko masyado ramdam, feeling ko kase para akong batang naliligaw na binigyan lang ng tinapay ng good Samaritan haha).. Then while walking and eating that bread, I bumped into my missing friends (or ako ba yung missing?)… I expected that they had eaten already accepting also to go on with their lives without me (charot)… that they might be thinking to see me in the bus too, But they have not eaten yet, kelangan daw muna nila akong mahanap.. (so wala silang tiwala na kaya kong mag –isa haha). So we had our late lunch here.

We need to consume our food as fast as we could, so we won’t get left by our travel group. 

The day tour is recommended if you only have limited days to explore Taiwan. The KKDay bus is convenient you don't have to transfer from one public bus to another & transfer to  local train. I don't think you could get into those 4 places when you do it on your own in one day only (considering the possibility of getting lost :), pwede siguro if you wake up real early and travel back to Taipei very late) But if you have enough days in Taiwan, then you better DIY it, para sulit.)

Then we’re back to Taipei. We roamed around the night market near our Hostel. Had some dinner at noodles restaurant (again).  I had my first bubble tea on our last night too. 

My last night in Taipei..

Day 4

10:45am is our Departure back to Manila, so we left the hostel early. We we’re instructed by one of our Hostel Staff to take the Airport Train in Beimen Station to avoid the queue in Taipei Main Station. 

The Express Purple Train.. pero di naman sya mabilis, few stops lang. You'll reach the airport for about 40minutes.

To sum this up. Traveling to Taipei is a worth remembering experience. I know this country is not included on the common travel list of the Filipinos, but I want to change your mind coz aside from the trial free visa, and the two-hour flight only, there are more to see in Taiwan, so it deserves a try.... I wish we had more time so we can go to Taichung and Alishan... 

Notes:

The train system is so easy and efficient. It can lead you to some iconic spots of Taipei. Buy the EasyCard.

Food. Too many food choices, but not my taste or we just didn't focus much on that. 

People are nice... but the language barrier can be nose bleeding. hehe

Pasalubong. Medyo mahal. actually mahal talaga compare mo sa ibang bansa. Ref magnet lang nasa 90TWD na. We exchanged our TWD in one of the money changer in Antipolo for Php1.9 = TWD 1.

Expenses. On my previous travel posts, I don't really indicate my expenses...ayoko kase isipin yung expenses... but for Taipei.. here it is in Philippine Peso, in case you want to know.. in case lang naman. haha

Airfare Dvo-Mla RT 4k (promo syempre, ommit this if you're not coming from Mindanao)
MLA to Taipei RT - 5k (promo din)
Travel Tax - 1620
Accommodation - 12,100/3 = 4,033
1 Day tour KKday - 1,606
Pocket money (transpo/food/shopping ng slight/pasalubong) - 10k (pero pwedeng may sukli pa)
Total = 26,259.00

That's it. If in the case, you reached the bottom of my blog... congrats! di kita nabore... haha

Thanks for reading. A frustrated Travel Blogger here. ;)