Solo Trip - Taiwan (July 2023) - Taipei Gondola Ride to Maokong

I was supposed to go to Yingge Ceramic Town on this day, but because the weather forecast says rainy, I decided to stay in Taipei, too tired to navigate the train stations and road to get to Yingge..... But that doesn't mean I was going to waste my day away in the hotel. At around afternoon, I decided to take a bus nearby to visit Maokong, which was an hour ride away just to reach the gondala station..... Above was a scene from the bus, running by some famous historic building... Sorry, I forgot what building it was....

I stopped at Taipei Zoo Station, and took the gondola/cable car up to Maokong. I was expecting a straight line ride up with a few stops in between like what I've experienced in my previous cable car rides in my life before, but boy was I surprised!

Here is the look at the cable car. Pretty darn cute. The price was rather reasonable too. Above looked pretty same as other cable station I've been to. They have two types of cable car, one is the normal type, the other is a transparent floor ones. The price is the same, but the transparent floor one has a longer queue. The weather was still holding up and the cable car will shop operating if the weather is bad. I didn't want to stick around for that, so I took the normal cable car up.

The ride was super long! Almost 30minutes! And it wasn't a straight line either. It was like going from valley to valley! Very stunning view! I think I was alone in the car up due to the weather. There wasn't so many tourist for the normal car.

Had a lot of dun enjoying the view and taking great shots.

I love the above, skyline shot, with the grey city below. It always reminded me of those doom day's movie. Everything was grey on the way up due to the rain cloud that was closing in on me.

Souvenir shot with Taipei 101 at the background.

And me! Happy silly having the whole care to myself! Love it!

Solo Trip - Taiwan (July 2023) - Taipei Shopping and Mala Noodles

What could be more cool than writing this blog while listening to Ah Yue singing in the background :)  Happy Weekend at home today, attempting to complete my Taiwan Trip blog. Almost there. So let's continue! 

Woke up the next morning and decided to walk to carrefour 24hr shop to see if I can get some souvenir. I love 24hr shops since I can go there super early when it's less crowded. We used to have Carrefour in Singapore, but it has since closed down...

After browsing and buying some stuff, I was really craving some mala. I was wandering around Taipei yesterday evening looking for Mala Fragrant Pot, but apparently, it's not a thing in Taiwan. When you say mala, it's the soup version. Anyway, I was hungry, so I waited for this mala shop above to open and was one of the few early bird inside. 

This was what I ordered, mala beef noodles with blood cube. Did you know, I only started eating blood cube when I ate it for the first time in Taipei? My colleague took me to a mala hot pot, and the soup came with complimentary duck blood cube. It was the first time I ate it (out of politeness), and loved it! But weirdly, the blood cube in Taiwan taste a lot nicer than those I find in my Penang Curry Mee. Why is that?

The bowl came with a very generous amount of gigantic beef blood cube! The place was not cheap though. More than 10sgd for a bowl. It wasn't that spicy either. But boy are those blood cube delicious1 They have a certain fragrant to it. I finished the whole bowl satisfied!

On my way walking back to the hotel, I came across an old building with the above display outside. It looked like railway station in Taiwan, historically.... I stopped to take some photos.

Mapped of Taiwan and it's railways. The size is almost the same as Peninsular Malaysia. Can you imagine if Peninsular Malaysia have high speed train connecting every part like this? I could go to KL in an hour! More people would travel, and economy would boom! Ah..... the potential that has not materialised.... Sometimes, I weep for my own country.....

Here are all the stations. I think I visited 4 of them this trip! I've also been to Hua Lian and Chiayi in my previous trip before. Not too bad!

Back in the hotel probably before noon. It was summer, so hotel with aircon was a good place to be. I collected the daily assortment of snacks from the lobby and went up to chill in my room. Love the snacks! Never know where to buy them though. It's those little touch of a hotel that I love. The currently hotel I was staying was called The Chairman Hotel. It was the most expensive hotel in my trip, yet the room was small and the hotel was harder to access than the very first hotel I stayed in. Personally, I prefer my first hotel. It was more like a hostel, and I felt safe staying there. It felt much more local. This hotel was more touristy business like.....Maybe it's just me. I either like luxurious hotel, or downright local hostel. I don't really care for business hotel. But usually business hotels are the one that is affordable and has all the amenities......

Solo Trip - Taiwan (July 2023) - Taipei Ximending

 

After settling into my last hotel of this trip, I decided to walk to the nearby hot spot, you know, just out of duty. The hotel was near Ximending. And to be honest, I already know I wasn't going to like it, but it's just something I have to do. Like going to see the Eiffel Towel on my last day in Paris, lol. It's just something you have to do to respect the place. Anyway, I have been to Ximending a few times before, mainly to meet friends for drinks or supper. I hate the place. And this trip, it was no different. It was like a mad house there, full of people, music blasting, neon flashlight everywhere! Ugh! On my very first trip to Taiwan, I've actually stayed in a hostel in Ximending since it was such a well known place. It was such a sad experience that I never really like Ximending after that. It was just a very depressing place to me. A facade of something sadder hidden underneath it. 

But I did wanted to find the rainbow crossroad! So pretty! How can people hate rainbow is beyond me! What a sad life they must live! After this shot, I walked back to the hotel side of the road, and went in search of themed convenient store. I used to love going into them when I was working in Taipei. Mainly cause I never have time to do anything except visit 24hrs book store and convenient stores! Lol. 

Here is a Hello Kitty themed one! Looks pretty, but there was a mad lady inside when I was there. And that kinda gives you a glimpse of what Ximending is like for me....

Found a Conan themed store too. Since a friend of mine loves this comic, I took a few photos for her.

I guess it makes a good fan pilgrimage spot. I went and I saw, but I didn't really spend any money there...

Last one.....

Saw this sign in the hotel door of the elevator..... Taiwan! I love your signs! You really do get straight to the point! Hahahahaha. 

Solo Trip - Taiwan (July 2023) - Taichung > Taipei via Train

On my last morning in Taichung, I went back to the same breakfast shop and ordered the toast sandwich and soya milk for my breakfast. The guy serving me actually remembered me :)  How sweet. The breakfast was again, delicious! And I do miss it after that. I tried a similar one in Taipei before I left Taiwan, but it wasn't as good, and was 3 times more expensive! 

After breakfast, I went to the nearby market, and bought some sun biscuit for my ex-colleagues in Taipei, as well as ex-colleagues in Singapore. I bought some individually packed one for myself to try to. Apparently Taichung is famous for it's sun biscuits! Of, did I mentioned that the hotel I stayed as provides tea bags and snacks at their lobby? I always take some whenever I come back to the hotel. Hence the different tea bags and snacks in the picture. I usually eat all the snacks, but keep the tea bag to bring home to drink. 

Checking out, I walked towards Taichung Train Station.

It looks kinda like Jurong Interchange Station if you are familiar with Singapore. Super huge! And lots of shops inside. You could dine there, buy food there etc. I saw this super cute bakery there with all these cute cat pictures decorating the window! Kawaii!

Inside the station waiting for my train....

It was a longer ride back to Taipei. As usual I always get the window seat, and took some time to take some photos. Here are some of the view from the train.

Rivers, streams, mountains, skies.... I love train rides!

Upon reaching Taipei, I was kinda late, so navigating my way through the maze of the Taipei Underground, I found my hotel. Above is what my single room looked like. It has an attached bathroom, but no windows! I kinda overlooked the no window part. Luckily the door connecting to the bathroom has a small window, so I left the lights on at night and it kinda looked like a window....

Reading materials in the room. I wonder if I can take these books? I was always too tired to read them!

My ex-colleague was waiting for me when I reached the hotel! So happy to see him. He came over just to take this photo together cause we forgot to take a wefie when we had lunch the other day! He stayed to chat a while before going back. Always nice to meet up with old friends! Thank you for entertaining me in Taipei!

Solo Trip - Taiwan (July 2023) - Taichung Last Day's Dinner

After indulging in the Miyahara ice cream, I was feeling happy with myself and decided to walk all the way back to the hotel, burning off the calories along the way. It was an interesting walk, and I went through a tunnel that was full of old Taichung photos. I just love the colour scheme of this photo. Who on earth designs all these things in Taichung? Do they have some kind of art school here or something? Everything is just so well done!

Went past Taichung University and took a souvenir shot.

And then I walked past a bento box shop.... Even the shop is beautiful. To be fair, I haven't had any proper lunch. And you can't really consider ice cream as a meal, right? So of course I got to have some dinner!

Looking at the menu, I tried not to order something too oily! But I knew I wanted a tea egg inside cause the tea eggs here are amazing and so full of flavoured!

I made my order. It wasn't even dinner time yet, so I was the only one in the shop. The lady packed it in a nice plastic bag for me. Above is what the plastic bag looked like. 

When I got back to the hotel, this was what the box looked like. So much details!

And this was my dinner. Tea egg, some sausages, a braised drumstick, and vegetables. So delicious! It has been a great end to a great day in Taichung!