TAIPEI TRIP 2012 ! DAY 3 ~ 4 MAY 2012 !!
It was the day for our 10 hours day tour~ Our initial itinerary was to Jinguashi , Yehliu Park, Jiu Fen, Shi Fen and lastly Pingxi.
Our tour starts at 9am in the morning, went down and hopped in the car, it was raining very heavily.. So the driver told us that we might have to cancel going to pingxi, because we were going to put up sky lantern.. And we agreed on it..
So our first stop was to Jinguashi, its a place where people used to dig for gold? ( I think so.. =X )
We passed by this river, it was this colour because of the chemical contamination when they used to have factories up there to produce gold and copper..
We went out to take pictures and trust me, we were FREAKING COLD!!
It was raining heavily, the temperature was bout 19 degree Celsius.. Mary was freezing so I lent her my jacket.. I was wearing T-shirt and Shorts! So yes, I was really cold as well..
It didn't look like it was that cold, but yea I was shivering away!!
Look at the peak of the mountains! It's beautiful but it just meant that it was really cold..
Jinguashi waterfall~ It was beautiful!
That expression of ours meant we were cold!! We were like, come on FASTER!! I need to get on the car!!
We hopped on the car right after our pictures and the driver drove us up to Jinguashi~
So we were high up right? So it meant freezing.. T.T
The floor was wet and both me and Mary were wearing SLIPPERS! Might fall anytime..
Make our way in to EXPLORE!! =D
Basically we just hired a driver to bring us to these places and we were on our own to explore the whole area~ Cool! But we can't exceed more than 10 hours for the day, extra charges is applied.. Its not expensive but we just wanna save that amount and try not to exceed~
Holding on to the map that the driver gave me~
He told us that there was a gold bar that weighs 220 KG inside ~ So I was determined to take a look at it!
See those haze behind me? I believe it was the clouds.. Because of the rain and cold weather~
It felt like we were in Genting? =X
Erm, its been 10 years since I have been to Genting, So I am basically comparing with the memories that I had for Genting to this..
It used to be very cold and yea, full of cold air~ Just that it didnt rain..
Lots of old houses thats like Japanese style~ Didnt get the chance to go in and explore though.. oh well..
Felt like I was in Japan~
This place used to be the house of Crown prince's ~
We weren't allow to go in.. We could only take pictures from outside..
We were heading up to take a glance of the GOLD!! =D
Before going in, we walked pass this Beancurd stall~ We stopped by and get ourselves some bean curd!!
Buying for us~
CANT WAIT TO EAT THE BEAN CURD!! HURRY!! =X
Serving HOT!! =D
It was really tasty!! Esp to warm up our bodies~ I felt so much better after having the hot bean curd! Full of happiness!! =D
Finish it ALL!
Happily slurping away!! *Wink*
That good aite? =D
So continue our walk to find the GOLD!
You can actually go in and explore but we didn't because I heard it was nothing much? =X So didn't wanna waste much time on it~
Kind of like a museum, showing us how people used to produce and dug up gold..
A small theatre inside~
A gigantic plate with gold papers on it, heard it was over 1000 pieces of it! Wow!
We went up and finally we found it!!
The 220 KG of GOLD!!! Not only we can see it, we could TOUCH IT!!
I was molesting that gold away!! =D Come on, I wasn't the only one who was doing that u know~~ =P
I wanna get this baby back!! Hiahiahiak!! *Evil laugh* !
After taking a glimpse at the gold, we headed back to our car~
The view was amazing right outside~
The driver drove us to Jiufen ~ Even gave us a map to guide us~
He even circled some of the place that we should go .. And just the start of going in, we just keep eating our way in!! =P
We were hungry~
The first stop was their fishballs and lu rou fan~
The uncle circled this place for us, which the restaurant was very full! Luckily we managed to get ourselves seats! Their tables and stools were so old school!
See! So packed!!
Tofu with Century egg and their famous fish balls~
Their fishballs and meatballs were really good! Very good to bite, the texture was there and so did the taste!
And as for tofu with century egg, it was cold tofu and it was with terriyaki sauce~ One thing I liked bout this dish was , the century egg didn't have that strong smell..
It just tasted like a soft boiled normal egg~ But it was more of a chewy version? I LOVED IT! =D
Remember to check this store out when you are at Jiufen! =)
We just shopped for snacks and intended to bring them back for family and colleagues.. I didnt expect myself to actually buy any tidbits or snacks BUT after trying out the samples, I JUST HAD TO GET THEM!
It was yummy!
We even passed by this store with candies and chocolates with SPECIAL PACKAGING!!
Like above, it was marshmallow that has a Girl's sanitary pads outlook~ While chocolates with Condoms outlook~
Sis said the Chocolates wasn't that nice BUT I tried the marshmallows and I liked it! =)
Got some tidbits from this store~ I LOVE THEIR SNACKS!! I brought some back to Office and I was nomming away !! =X
One thing bout Jiufen that you HAVE to check out is this dish! Yam balls?? If you checked out at Jiufen and people will ask you, "did you try their yam balls?"
Yep, thats how famous it was.. hmm.. The direct translation was Yam balls because I am not sure whats the English version of this.. Basically it was a bowl of yam balls, sweet potatoes balls etc in a bowl of green bean soup..
I don't really like the taste of it even thought I LOVE Yam.. Because it didnt have that strong flavor in it.. All I could taste was cooked flour in my mouth with green beans..
It tasted like Mochi in soup? =X Yea, thats the best I could describe, I don't like Mochi, so let alone mochi alike in a bowl of soup.. =X
Carry on to our journey~ We were told to go to this old cinema exhibition~
We were told that we could capture great photos~
Making our way down~
Because of the hiking session the day before, I was exhausted! And now, I have to be extra careful not slip and fall down the stairs, but when coming back up to where we were was a TORTURE!
The stairs were very steep ! I was out of breath when I reached the top.. T.T
Found this cute shop near the cinema ~
I took a peek inside of the shop, they sell soaps and shower gel I think? Mainly with Lavender?
The old cinema exhibition! =D
It was sooo retro looking!!
A small place to sell their snacks before watching movie !
The show time! =D
Isnt it retro?!
We even went in to watch the movie for like 5 minutes? We can't take pictures inside, so we could only experienced it~
Last few pictures before leaving the cute store ~ =X
We continue to go up and found a great view! =)
It was really great by viewing it with your own eyes! Awesome! =)
Pictures pictures~~
After this, we went back to our car , and bought some snacks and tidbits before we leave Jiufen~
I get to try these!! =D
It wasn't fantastic because I still can taste the sand.. BUT the sweet sauce goes well with these, it does have the freshness ~
We got on to our car and we were supposed to head to Yehliu park BUT it closes at 5 pm and we finished our shopping at bout 4 plus.. So... we didnt have enough time plus the rain got smaller.. hence we decided to go shifen for the waterfall and pingxi for the sky lantern! =D
This was the small one just beside the bridge~
Seeing a waterfall with my own eyes has always been in my LIST.. You know like a list to do before you die or before the age of something, and being able to see a NIGERIA FALL was in my list YEARS ago.. I think it was the time when I studied Tourism bout 4 years ago~
Pictures above is the Nigeria Falls, which I believe that it is located in Canada~ I hope I was right.. =X
And Shifen Waterfall has a name and it's called "small Nigeria falls" .
Since I can't get to see the REAL Nigeria fall, I don't mind seeing the small one? =)
Another small fall around the area~
Still on our way~ I had to use the umbrella to balance myself.. =X
Train tracks!! =D Call me a frog in a well , I have never been so close to a train track! Which there was train still running on that track! =)
Excited much! =D
SEE!! We were SO CLOSE TO IT!!
The train even made that "CHOO" sound!! =D Like a child being so excited!
We walked along the track and we found the entrance to the waterfall!
You have to buy a entrance ticket in order to get in~ NT80 is worth the watch! =D
When we went in and heard the sound of the falls, I was soo fired up and my ass to the viewing area ASAP!
And when I really SAW it with my own eyes.. My eyes were in tears.. But I held it in.. I was WOW-ing the whole time!!
WE WERE SOOO CLOSE TO IT!
Looking at how magnificent it is! I think it will look even greater if the sky wasn't that gloomy on that day..
But I was happy enough to actually see it~ I am contented!
I was sooo happy that I can see it with my own eyes! It was such a surreal feeling! How great the mother nature can be! And we the city people don't even have the chance to get near to the nature!
This is when I felt so blessed and grateful in life.. I felt that everything bad in this world just throw behind me..
I just wanna stand there and enjoy this moment..
To some people, this is NO BIG DEAL! but to me, its a moment that I am very grateful for in life~
Going down to look at the whole view! And yes, it was very steep and slippery, Mary nearly fall too, so we gotta be extra careful~
The front view of it~ Mini Nigeria fall I would say~ And yes, viewing Nigeria falls is still in my list! =)
After viewing the falls, we headed back to the car and made our way to Pingxi for sky lantern!
Us on Train tracks! =)
Reached Pingxi and we went to this stall~ Ah ma no Sky lantern~ =D
We decided to have two sky lanterns, all 8 colours! =D
Of course wishing my parents and friends being healthy, money rolling in, and Familiga stay happy and healthy always! =)
After all its done, we waited for the owners to prepare the sky lantern for us! =)
The lanterns were ready to take off!! =D
Some people placed some fire crackers at the end of the lantern and it will be loud when it flew, we didn't put any, so we were told to clap our hands real loud~
Kinda meant good luck I guess! =)
We decided to put some fireworks~~ I LOVE FIREWORKS!! hehe~
This big one costed us NT700 ~ We shared the cost of course~ It will be better if the sky was darker BUT because we were kinda rushed.. So we had no choice~
And the small firework that the owner gave us for FREE! =D So nice right?
Remember to go to them if you wanna put up your sky lantern~ They were nice and friendly! So why not? =D AND it wasn't crowded so you don't really have to wait for too long! =)
Vincent found this old school soda! That u had POP it to drink it! =)
We headed back to our place and rested for a while before Mary and me went out to get some food at Ximending~
We decided to get some Fried Chicken cutlet!! =D
It was fried on the spot when you ordered!
So it was crispy on the outside , soft and juicy on the inside~ AWESOME TEXTURE AND TASTE!
While walking around Ximending, We were approached by this random young boy.. He came up to me all so friendly and saying how he meant no harm..
So I just stopped there and listened to what he's got to say, apparently he was asking me to help him. To buy those designed pens of his, claiming that it was a school competition and was trying to get people to help them ..
And so... I believed.. Just wanted to buy one set from him only which cost NT199 , which is bout S$8.60? BUT I didnt have small note , so I gave him my NT500, BUT he went on saying that I should help him to buy another set..
I admit, you can just say that I am stupid ! At that moment, I didnt think much at all! So I bought another set, so he gotta give me back NT100 right? But he still wanted to get NT100 from me! I snatched it back and said no..
These were the pens.. Just the sight of it made me so boiled up!
I didn't realize it was a scam till Mary mentioned it.. And I was like, DAMN !!!
I got the chance to ask one of the stuff in a cosmetic shop, mentioning to her while I was shopping, and there she went confirming my doubts, THEY WERE SCAMMING ME!!
Okay... I shall just forget it and just be careful...
So guys! Please be careful! I heard from my friends that there were a lot of scammers in Ximending.. Young boys and girls..
We even saw one girl just push the item that she was selling to the person.. Like FORCING them to get it..
Whenever you see people selling stuff on the street and also giving u stuff for FREE.. Beware already!
I get scammed so easily!! T.T But I learn my lesson and I won't trust people so easily the next time!
Alright~ Shall continue my next blog post~~ See ya!!
No comments:
Post a Comment