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Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village (九族文化村) - A Theme Park That was More than Just a Cultural Village @ Sun Moon Lake [Taiwan]

May 4, 2014, 8:50 am
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Before i physically stepped into the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village at Sun Moon Lake, i was honestly confused by all the information on the world wide web talking about an aboriginal village deep into the mountains that also has a European garden and an amusement park.

My first thought was" Ha? A bit of a stretch for a place named collectively as Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village (henceforth FACV) and it seemed lost in fulfilling its core duty to promote the aboriginal culture. Might likely be a boring place built by a conglomerate that has too much money to spend".

I was so wrong and you shall see in the following over fifty photographs of the place (trimmed from a few hundred if i may add); let's begin with yet another cable ride (known as Skyline) within the village which shall bring us to the "Amusement Isle" section.

There are two main entrances to the village and the one easiest for visitors not on a tour was via the Sun Moon Lake Ropeway (look HERE for more information). Upon disembarkation, the section nearest to the entrance is the "aboriginal villages" which we didn't manage to visit due to insufficient time!

We were pretty focused on what we wanted; the amusement park! You may find above a picture of the aboriginal villages that were seen from the skyline ride.

Despite the day being Taiwan's public holidays, the entire area looked deserted and we were secretly happy that we had made the right choice. Having said that, i am not in the right position to comment how good or bad the "aboriginal villages" is since i didn't even enter to check out what was in store for visitors.

Anyway, we were also glad to have the skyline bringing us to the amusement isle; if not, it would definitely be a long walk resulting in more muscle ache for the both of us! The whole area sprawled across 62 hectares; for comparison purposes, USS is only about 20 hectares.

Layout as above so that you can roughly gauge the expansiveness of the place. I would share another clearer map towards the end of this post even though that would only be in Chinese.

Unlike the cable cars for sun moon lake ropeway, the cars for the skyline were of a uniformed colour. The key differentiating feature was the teddy bear sticker covering the back side of each cable car.

Yes, it's once again the publicity stint for the teddy bear exhibition in the cultural village and likewise for the skyline, there was one human-sized teddy in every cabin!

The amusement park section!!!! The water ride seemed very exciting right? Wait till you see the video i took and be amazed by how fun it was!

From far, the phallic structure was a landmark denoting the position of the amusement isle and i was telling myself this would be one key attraction i must take to take fabulous aerial pictures of the surrounding mountains!

Frankly, i was literally hopping to the "UFO" with my heart filled with anticipated excitement.

And to find it closed for maintenance!!! :( super sad woah! But as i said before, Sun Moon Lake is a place i would revisit in the future and i guess a follow up blog entry (with inclusion of the "aboriginal villages") would take place (hopefully) in the next year or so.

Shopping and dining street - as you could see, there wasn't much crowd despite it being a national holiday and i am not complaining as it would mean a shorter waiting time for the other attractions i want to take!

That centerpiece painting depicted a scene of the cherry blossom season in FACV which was touted as a seasonal attraction in Sun Moon Lake. We missed it as the blossoming season for Taiwan is usually from January to at most March!

First up - the Maya Adventure (馬雅探險); Taiwan's first suspended roller coaster!

The structure did seem pretty dated to us and we were expecting it to be less of a thrill compared to the about-to-be-dismantled Battlestar Galactica in Universal Studios Singapore.

Boy was i wrong again! There were the usual corkscrews, 360-degree turns and rapid acceleration (4.5 G-Force) but what made my heart palpitate faster was the fact that there were sudden moments when i thought the whole structure would be giving way, drawing haunting references to the movie Final Destination! And it also started drizzling when the car i was in shot out of the sheltered facility!

Well, i did escape unscathed; albeit a bit shaken. Fun!

Had our lunch as it started pouring soon after. One of the worst meal i had in Taiwan as far as taste is concerned; how can deep fried chicken drumstick taste so bland?! Customer service, on the other hand, was damn impressive, as one can expect from most, if not all, all Taiwanese!

Time to wander again after about twenty minutes later. FACV started with only the "aboriginal villages" and the "European Palace Garden" themed areas in 1982 (yes, more than thirty years ago) and the amusement park was added only ten years later.

Out of nowhere, there were suddenly displays of aboriginal statues. Weird right although it contributed to a sense of surprise and non-conformity that i personally preferred; just like finding a pile of dog shit on the patch of green turf.

Guess they were the original structures built in 1982 when FACV first started and this was in fact a short distance away from one of the themed tribal villages.

European Palace Garden - a totally different atmosphere as we stepped in; one of relaxation highly regarded by the royalty in ancient European monarchies.

Tracks for the miniature train ride!

Ruru, the teddy bear, welcoming us to the garden with open arms. I am unsure if he / she would be a permanent fixture since i believe the teddy bear exhibition would likely be temporary.

Befitting its European theme, there was even a palace in the vicinity! I am unsure if it was a replica from some famous palaces in Europe although it might interest you to know that it is known as Ritz Palace.

Plastic / fibreglass copies of life-sized sheep dotted the open space, providing many photo opportunities for trigger happy individuals! The pavilion lookalike structure was only for show and has no step for you to get into the shelter.

View from the Ritz Palace - hints of Taiwanese aboriginal culture could in fact be seen from the patterns of the beautifully designed flower beds.

Roman style water fountain surrounded by lavender flowers! Across the lawn were the words "lavender d'amour"; French enthusiasts can help to translate what it means; if not, check out google translate.

This quaint little house, almost cartoon like, was located directly opposite the Ritz Palace. It housed a cafe, a retail outlet and served as the station for the miniature train.

We missed the train and didn't want to waste our precious time by waiting twenty minutes for it to complete a full loop! However, you may check out the above picture for a back-end picture of the miniature train.

Enough relaxation and it's time to go back to the amusement park for some adrenaline charged activities!

This must be constructed at a time when Star Wars / Star Treks were really popular.

Among all the attractions in FAVC, this "Space Race" ride (星際旅遊) had the longest queue and was the most disappointing! I expected a lot more than just three-dimensional video that was unrealistic and lame.

Aladdin Pavilion (阿拉丁廣場) - this would be a favourite for younger children.

Essentially, it was a huge warehouse with a lot of classical rides; i should have made full use of my time to check it out when it was raining cats and dogs an hour ago!

To rekindle our childhood, we joined the queue for "pirate ship"!

There were also retail shops, food and beverage outlets and even game stations. I still remember the big tiger i had to lug back from Genting Highlands; so, no games for us!

The 'Space Mountain' roller coaster ride in Disney theme parks was famed globally and we had to take this just to see if the Taiwan version was any good.

Okay only. I have never been to Disneyland so i could not compare but it's obviously similar to the indoor ride i had in the demolished Downtown East theme park; the one that brought riders to a pitch dark building.

This would be the gold mine adventure (金礦山探險); a water ride surrounded by these life-like stone pinnacles. Beware, being soaked is a guarantee and i would strongly recommend placing your items in the lockers and donning a disposable raincoat!

Don't have any raincoat with you? Buy one from the retail outlets at Aladdin Pavilion! Don't worry about the cost; unlike retail shops in Singapore's attractions, prices were pretty affordable in FACV with a raincoat costing a mere NT$30 (less than S$1.50)! 

Oh! Coming back to the gold mine adventure ride, it was as enjoyable as that amazing ride in Haw Par Villa at the time when admission was chargeable at $16 per adult. By the way, the ride is no longer there and admission is now free.

Time was 3.14pm and we only had a little over an hour to cover the rest of FACV before leaving for the ropeway which closed at 4.30pm. It didn't take us long to make the decision to abandon the idea of going through the humongous "aboriginal section"! 

Caribbean Splash was more important! 

When you search for blogs dated a year ago on FACV, you would come upon entries that talked of the "one piece" exhibition. Sadly, the popular Japanese manga was longer in the picture although there were still structures related to piracy. 

Faced with hostile civilian forces, your job as a pirate is to ensure you could take over the city and pillage it! Be assured though, you would definitely "win" the battle. Just sit back on your rickety boat and prepare for the absolutely enjoyable invasion!

There were casualties but it would never be YOU. 

The climb up the over 30-meter platform was slow although your mind would likely be with the natural scene of mountains half covered with mysterious fog on the charming island. A vortex would then spin your boat (in slow motion) till your back is facing a downward slope. 

Down you go! There would be another vortex shortly that would bring your boat to the right position. This is the point where you have to brace yourself for the final plunge! 

It would be fast and the force would be strong. Cover yourself well if you don't wish to get very soaked (getting wet is nonetheless still a given)! 

See! How not to get drenched!?!?!?!

It was so entertaining; a man next to me on the boat had continuously played it seven times! If not for the limited time i had, i would have sat on it for a few more rounds! 

Check out the above video i took!


On our way back to the Skyline Cable Station where we could take our bear bear cable back to Sun Moon Lake Ropeway. Time checked: 3.46pm.

Still got a bit of time to check out the teddy bear exhibition along the way! Anyway, my interest was piqued because of this Singapore fibreglass teddy bear! Notice the merlion and the Chinese characters translated as "i love the little red dot"!

Location map of the teddy bears in the theme park. Oops! Just realised from this map that the exhibition is till 20 April 2014! Not sure what else is in store after that...

Entrance to the teddy bear exhibition.

Frankly, i just took a glance and nothing really caught my fancy except for this exquisite looking bear with a forlorn expression that made me want to give her a loving hug! Her name is Snow Angel and i am sure she is expensive!

Photo opportunity time!

A new attraction is already slated for completion in 2014 / 2015 which means i have something to look forward to in the future; besides the nine aboriginal villages that i have yet to visit. 

Taking a picture with a stone-looking bear in the cable car. The unstoppable camera flashes he has to endure during this period must have been too much to bear! Haha.

Rode past the Mayan Adventure ride; i missed out the details for this! The roller coaster will attain a height of around 33 meters and run for a satisfying 740 meters! 

We left at the right time; it started drizzling again.

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Location
Near Sun Moon Lake.

Map of FACV
As above that would give you a better idea of how the themed areas are segregated.

The original map as above. Note that this is in Chinese.

Website
Check out the website for ticket prices and other information. You may also find the layout map in English, which would be very helpful for those who don't read Chinese. 
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Penang Fried Kway Teow @ Upper Boon Keng Food Centre [Near Kallang MRT Station]

May 6, 2014, 7:50 am
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When funds are running low, i know it's time to attack hawker centre food! And this known revelation shall bring us to a little known hawker centre in Singapore, the Upper Boon Keng Food Centre that is nearer to Kallang MRT station rather than Boon Keng MRT station.

After circling the hawker centre one round and not finding many stalls open for business, it was a while of observation before i finally made an order with the above stall that sells only Penang char kway teow (and some traditional biscuits).

With a steady stream of customers ordering from the auntie who was single-handedly manning the stall as an order taker, chef and cashier, i believe her kway teow should not turn out to be too bad. I have been through national service and nothing can be as bad as the food in army. 

To put it on very safe ground; this would be one hell of a char kway teow i would go for if i ever feel sick yet want to have something a bit unhealthy (for the flavour). It wasn't sweet (of course not since it wasn't the Singapore's version of char kway teow) and seemed like it was stir fried with just a light sprinkling of soy sauce. 

Nevertheless, i still quite enjoyed the texture of the kway teow (a type of noodles) with its generous amount of beansprouts and eggs even though i personally doubt the Penang authenticity of it. Well, i would have to make a trip to Penang to confirm my doubt. 

Maybe it's time to plan for a Penang trip! 

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Location
Block 17, Upper Boon Keng Road,
#01-08, Upper Boon Keng Food Centre

Location Map
As above

Pricing
Penang Char Kway Teow - S$3
Minimum order is S$2.50

Additional Information
p.s. the hawker centre is more famous for its mutton soup!
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Taiwanese Stinky Tofu - The Best of the Lot @ Shenkeng 台湾深坑徐家臭豆腐 [Taiwan]

May 8, 2014, 7:15 am
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I had to be honest here. 

The main reason for planning my virgin trip to Taiwan is attributed to a dish that many of my personal friends abhor (often by pinching their noses); the smelly tofu!

I don't understand why people hate deep fried smelly tofu so much! If you can take in stuff like congealed pig blood and innards that actually transport real waste materials, why not a few pieces of soy based food?! 

Whatever the case, i was determined to have a true plate of authentic Taiwanese stinky tofu and hence, intentionally planned a trip to Shenkeng, the undisputed capital of tofu!  

There were quite a number of stalls / restaurants / eateries offering smelly tofu and i was in a headache inducing dilemma on where to have it! Rescue came from the nice lady manning the fragrant tofu skewers and it was eventually Hsu Chia (徐家) that was picked.

Nestled right at the start of Shenkeng old walking street, Hsu Chia (or Xu family)'s shop would be hard to miss, especially when it is right next to the immensely popular shop selling the fragrant tofu skewers i mentioned in the paragraph right above. 

Besides selling smelly tofu in the deep fried version, Hsu Chia also has it in other styles like spicy (mala), duck blood and (yucky) intestine. If that's not your cup of tea, you can further consider their braised meat rice and braised pork skin! 

I shall not have anything except for my deserving deep fried smelly tofu (truth is, i was too full for anything else)! As far as smell was concerned, it was comparable to the stench aroma at pasar malams in Singapore whenever a Taiwanese smelly tofu stall is present. 

The taste was a different matter altogether; that acrid stink literally caught me by surprise when i bit into the crispy cube! The expulsion of hot oil and the dense, silky texture insides coupled with the special, unforgettable fragrance were pure bliss to my taste buds! 

Even Alex could not help stealing a bite and he was immediately hooked!

Despite our full stomach, we could not resist ordering another plate! Throughout the rest of our Taiwan trip, i had to endure Alex's constant harping on the smelly tofu in Shenkeng!! It's a pity though that we didn't have sufficient time or i would have made another trip down to Shenkeng for the best stinky tofu i ever have! 

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Location Map
As above. 

Price
Smelly Tofu - NT$50 (roughly S$2.00)

Additional Information
Pssst, i received reliable information that the best in that area is supposed the one two shops away (next to the fragrant toasted tofu) but it was sadly closed for business that day when i visited. 


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.
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Cherng Yuan Hotel @ Sun Moon Lake (日月潭澄園渡假旅店) [Taiwan]

May 9, 2014, 8:30 am
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When faced with a whole list of accommodations on the web, i am often stuck in the quandary on which one to select as my designated choice for an overseas stay. 

Budget is definitely high on my priority but i would still require an air-conditioned room with attached bathroom and service that does not piss me off. Online reviews help somewhat although i have to admit you could never confirm anything until you are physically experiencing the hotel yourself.

Accessibility is another critical factor i consider and that was probably the main reason why i eventually clicked on the "book it" button of Cherng Yuan hotel (Sun Moon Lake) on Agoda.com; it was only a few minutes' walk from Itashao Pier!  

Friends have asked why i didn't chose Shuieshe Pier, which is the main gateway to other parts of Taiwan and definitely more vibrant than Itashao. Honestly, i just wanted a place that wasn't too crowded and noisy. Anyway, back to Cherng Yuan hotel.  

The immediate thought i had when i first stepped into the hotel was how different it was from conventional hotels! 

Its setup was almost like a tea house and the decoration exuded a sense of familiarity and calmness. Hell, even the gentleman manning the counter had an almost peaceful disposition.

It's heartening to note that there were loads of international fans; judging from the many round discs of various sizes filling up the wall facing the lift! It was only much later than i realised this is a minsu! 

By the way, check in, as usual for hotels in Taiwan, was at 3pm. We collected the room key (room 302) after a few hours of fun at Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village. Time to check out the room and have a badly needed shower!

It was huge for two persons! No complaint about the bed although i had to comment that this was the only hotel in Taiwan where i managed to get a really restful night! Maybe it helps that the temperature in Sun Moon Lake wasn't as chilly as Cingjing Farm. 

The dressing table was pretty small and there wasn't a study table for me to blog! I am a traditionalist and would prefer a table to place my laptop rather than risk having neck and back pain by blogging on the bed! 

Decent sized television with cupboards on the sides that didn't serve any purpose for two men planning for just one night stay in Sun Moon Lake. If i bring my teddy bear, i might just put it on the glass display area right above the television. 

Love the remote control that has the divine ability to control the lights in the room! 

Free in-room wifi that wasn't very stable, resulting in frequent search and switch to a wifi network on a different level. Something to do with too many users accessing the same network. 

Bathroom was at a standard comparable to many good starred hotels and mom would have no problem blowing her hair using the hair dryer provided (her pet peeve whenever she is overseas). 

I was more excited to see the rain shower! 

Online reviews for the hotel often mentioned about the fabulous view of sun moon lake from the room! The view i got was of two persons kissing in the hotel room right opposite us. Oh well, having a free show might not be so bad after all! 

The next morning, the lift took us up to the top level where we shall have our complimentary breakfast. When the lift door opened, we were greeted by the above scene that could only be described as so Zen!

There was even an outdoor section where guests can appreciate a cuppa freshly brewed tea while enjoying the scenic waterfront lake view! My dad would have loved to spend a few hours there! 

Coffee House with both indoor and outdoor seating.

With such great scenery and nice temperature, it simply didn't make sense for us to stay indoors! Contrast this to our breakfast at Misty Villa where we were adamant that nothing, absolutely nothing, could entice us to eat our bread and toast in the freezing outdoors! 

Itashao pier was right in front of us! This picture is testament to the proximity of Cherng Yuan hotel to the area where you can take your ferry back to Shuieshe pier.  

Coffee and toast station! 

Breakfast choices weren't elaborate and there wasn't any description on any of the dishes. From the ingredients, i could roughly gather what they were and none really appealed to me. 

I had to rely on basic rations then; toast with jam. :(

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Location
No.117, Wenhua Street,
Itashao, Yuchi Township, 
Nantou, Taiwan 555

Map 
As above.

Website (in Chinese)

Price
S$110.75 via Agoda.com


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.

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Day Two [Cingjing (清境) -> Sun Moon Lake(日月潭) and Ita Thao (伊達邵)]: Taiwan Trip 2014

May 10, 2014, 6:41 am
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The sleeping bug hidden in my body was relentless in its persuasion for me to forgo the NT$400 Hehuanshan sunrise tour when my phone alarm started ringing at 3.30am but i am not one to waste money like this!

Maybe i should when the chill hit my spines as soon as i pulled my blanket away. Nevertheless, we did go for the tour (as some of you might have recalled from the post here). After breakfast at Misty Villa, it's time to check out and proceed straight to Sun Moon Lake! 

I must have been too shagged as there wasn't any picture i took during the short journey of around ninety minutes! The mini shuttle, arranged at the minsu and cost around NT$450 per person, dropped us right outside this Sun Moon Lake Service Station for Bus & Boat at Shueishe Wharf (水社碼頭)!

Well, not literally by the pier though and we were required to go round the corner after buying a one-way boat ticket to Ita Thao Wharf, where our choice of accommodation is located. 

Sun Moon Lake was way more crowded than Cingjing and i bet it would take a while should we decide to stop and go through all the shops along our way. We were focused; the humongous luggage we lugged along must be deposited at the hotel the sooner, the better!

Friends warned me before the trip that Sun Moon Lake wasn't as spectacular as it was claimed to be in many guidebooks and on travel programmes. My expectation of it was therefore lowered although i still find Taiwan's biggest freshwater lake to be a calm natural beauty that took my breath away momentarily. 

It could have been a perfect place to nurse a broken heart or calm your stressful nerves if the busloads after busloads of tourists can disappear together with their incredibly loud chatter!

Anyway, no point talking about it since tourism is one easy way to perk up the economy and judging from the towering hotels, some of which have yet to start their business, surrounding Shueishe pier, the tourist numbers would only increase in the future.

Note: when you buy the ferry tickets, do clarify with the person at the ticketing counter on the platform to wait for the boat and what to look out for (boat's name, the uniform of the operator's personnel etc) so that you know you are waiting for the right ferry!

By the way, there were quite a number of operators and it might be good to check around; i paid NT$150 for this one-way ticket to Ita Thao although another company charged us NT$100. There was an option for unlimited boat ride which i honestly thought is a marketing gimmick. There wasn't sufficient time to tour the attractions and if you really love to take boats, go and sign up for star cruise. 

The majestic Wen Wu temple (文武廟) from a distance! We didn't manage to pay it a visit due to the limited time we had in Sun Moon Lake. Shall do so in the future! 

This little island is called Lalu Island (拉魯島) and took up a much bigger area before the infamous 921 earthquake shrunk the size to its present state in year 1999. At the moment, only members of the Thao tribe can access the island; considering the fact that it is a sacred place in their culture.

Not too far from Lalu Island is another wharf known as Xuanguang pier (玄光碼頭). The structure right on top of the hill housed the Xuanguang Temple which we will visit on the next day. Another popular destination for this pier would be the store selling Ah Ma Tea Leaves Eggs! 

A traditional aboriginal style boat for the fishermen; one advantage of taking the ferry is that there would be a guide who picks up the microphone to explain the attractions / structures seen along the journey. For example, he explained that the boat appeared empty because the fisherman had already planted the net and would come back at night to check his haul.

Said to be highest lighthouse (planted at an elevation of 748 meters) in the whole world, it was also humourously labelled as the laziest since it has not been lighted for a long time!

Continuing our way to the next leg of the ferry ride and also the destination for us; Ita Thao Pier (otherwise known as Itashao pier, 伊達邵碼頭).

Closed up look - from the above picture, you would be able to see the hotel i booked; Cherng Yuan Hotel (澄園渡假旅店). For my review of this supposedly minsu, click HERE.

Saying goodbye to the ferry that took us on a ride (pun intended). It was supposed to a direct route from Shueishe to Xuanguang and finally to Itashao; the actual route we experienced was Shuieshe to Xuanguang to Shuieshe to Xuanguang and then to Itashao! Can't complain as it was damn worth it for NT$150 though.

Main street of Ita Thao was right ahead of us!

After leaving our luggage at Cherng Yuan Hotel, it's time to explore the street! I could hardly wait as i could see many snack stalls along the street and we were so famished!!!

See what i meant!?!!!?!?!

Bought two sticks of authentic wild boar Taiwanese sausages at NT$30 each. Not too bad but short of being amazing enough for further mention.

The red tea roasted bamboo chickens sold at the next stall were very tempting (despite the horrifying way it was hooked through its eye)! We didn't try it in the end as we wanted to reserve our stomachs for other things!

Aboriginal attire could be purchased if your company is known to host themed D&Ds! At least the design here has a more authentic feel and it's likely they would be more comfortable too!

Dehua Street (德化街) which connects the other two main streets at Itashao. This street has a monster-themed retail shop and also an open air cafe (shall come to the cafe at the later part of this post).

Balloon man! Seeing this sight reminded me of Jovyn who loves balloons! I missed her so much when i was in Taiwan, especially her two bubbly cheeks!!

Corgi on the street! In the past, Corgis count as one of my favourite canine breeds and i would have loved to get my hands on one if not for one serious problem; their shedding!

This shop sold rice stuffed in chicken wings and it displayed a lot of accolades! Didn't want any as i prefer not to have any carbohydrates; give me meat anytime.

Actually, we were rushing for time to take the Sun Moon Lake ropeway! Before that, let's go through the short cut; Ita Thao Lakeside Trail. Walking the many trails is a must as it would give you a clearer insight to the lake's beauty and ecosystem.

For example, the crystal clear emerald water near the shore and the numerous yellow fishes swimming underneath the surface!

Took the cable where we were rewarded with a magnificent view of Sun Moon Lake! Click HERE for more information on this journey.

Highlight of our Sun Moon Lake stay; the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village (九族文化村)! I would strongly recommend visitors to pay a visit to this affordable multiple-themed park! Want to know what to expect? Click HERE.

Making our way back to our hotel via the lakeside trail again after having a damn shiok time at the culture village. There wasn't any step on the trail so the walk wasn't as bad as the above photograph might infer.

Wah! A truck selling fresh produce and meat like a mobile market! This would have resulted in a hefty fine by NEA should it be seen in Singapore! Vegetables would be fine but the environment agency is very touchy when it comes to fresh meat, given the hot and humid climate in Singapore.

After a two-hour rest at the hotel (on Alex's insistence as usual), it's dinnertime at Fuyuan restaurant. This time round, we were looking forward to having a local meal! For my review, click here.

Although many shops around our hotel have closed and the street seemed dead, the scenario was different on the adjacent Dehua and Yiyong streets (义勇街).

Money Coming Souvenir Shop - this would attract the attention of pundits (like my mom, if i may add). Quirky items, many of which i have never seen before, were for sale. Prices were pretty steep in my opinion and i have already attained the "travel" enlightenment; buy only if there is a use for it.

Saw quite a number of stalls offering this tau kwa dish known as happy tau kwa!

100% vegetarian, i asked Alex if he wanted to share this carbohydrate-rich snack with me. He shook his bloody head and i have to miss the opportunity! If only my mom was with me....

Owl Workshop - rest assured that alive and kicking owls are neither being tortured nor committed to illegal slavery. Owl lovers (many of whom are likely Harry Potter fans) would, however, love to get their hands on the many owl-shaped, owl-faced, owl-related merchandises in the shop!

Cute woah!

On one hand, i was saying how much i missed Jovyn when i was in Taiwan. On the other hand, i was commenting to Alex if we should buy a cane from the above shop for my naughty niece and nephew. The quality was really good and the swipe; clean, quick and smooth.

Street view of Yiyong Street; quite crowded right?

A parrot in one of the shops facing the waterfront. We initially thought it was fake and was about to grab it by the neck when it started moving its eyes! Haha.

Night view of Sun Moon Lake View and right opposite was Shueishe! With so much light, i know why the lighthouse was never put to use for such a long period of time.

As we were strolling back to Dehua street, a nice whiff of freshly toasted sponge cake (雞蛋糕) stopped us in our tracks. We looked to our left and there it was; a makeshift stall designed as SpongeBob SquarePants.

We could not resist and ordered a box as they don't sell by pieces! :( I could not remember how much it was even though i didn't remember paying a lot for them.

Shall have Patrick Star! Piping hot, they were seriously delicious and definitely comfort desserts in that cool weather at Sun Moon Lake. Before long, we cleaned up the whole box!

What would you need after all that sponge cakes? Drinks! Hence, we returned to Dehua Street and paid for two cups of hot drinks; hot chocolate for Alex and latte for me (late night coffee doesn't really give me insomnia)! 

As many shops had started to pull down the shutters, we relaxed in the open air seating area behind the tea 18 cafe. p.s. ask for their wifi password!! Their data speed was way faster than the hotel. 

Feline lovers would enjoy the appearance of a number of cats! The one in the picture was the most affectionate and it even had its own bowtie! So kawaii!! The rest of the night was spent watching movies in the hotel room! 

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Location Map
As above. Hope this would give you a rough idea of where the places are. It isn't comprehensive but the town wasn't big and very easy to navigate. 


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.
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Yaki Yaki Bo Teppanyaki Restaurant @ NEX Mall (Serangoon Central)

May 11, 2014, 7:17 am
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For a grilled meat / seafood lover, i have great affection for teppanyaki but the prices are a tad too expensive, especially when i feel that the reason for the high pricing is attributed to the interesting "show" of the chef rather than the food.

Hence, my last Teppanyaki was easily more than five years ago and i would not likely have stepped in to Yaki Yaki Bo at Nex if not for Stella and Matt, who gave Alex and myself a treat for our birthdays! 

There were so many types of meat, seafood and other ingredients to choose from, not to mention there was the delicious looking okonomiyaki too! The premium set was suggested as it provided a wider variety for us to indulge in.

Seafood Set
With salad, beansprouts, salmon, prawns, scallops, squid, chawanmushi, rice, miso soup and fruits at a price of S$25.90++, let's talk about the salad first. The vegetables were cold and fresh even though the dressing used could have been less zesty and salty. Anyway, i am here to eat meat, not vegetables! 

Salmon was alright although i am more impressed with the sauce that went very well with the Japanese rice whereas the portions for the scallops and squids seemed a bit small. Stella vividly remembered the scallops were huge the last they visited so i guess it must be either they were not in season or i didn't have the luck for them! 

Pan-fried with a dash of pepper and onions, the beansprouts were cooked just nice. 

Star of the meal was this chawanmushi in a real onion! It didn't have fanciful ingredients like ginkgo nuts etc yet the taste of pure steamed egg with nicely scented onion flavour was enough for me to scrap it clean from the edible bowl! Note, i am an onion lover! 

Fruit of the day was orange. I am not sure about it but i absolutely detest to having oranges as fruits when i am dining outside. They are usually not sweet and there is a high tendency for me to spurt the juice all over me or on others!

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In all, everything was alright and i think the variety would be one major factor attracting me to patronise the place again. Service could have improved, at least start with a smile across the face. 

Location
23, Serangoon Central,
#B1-78, NEX Mall

Price
Seafood Set - S$25.90
[Subject to GST and Service Charge]
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火焰骰子牛 - Flaming Beef Dices / Cubes @ Taichung (Yizhong Market)

May 12, 2014, 8:58 pm
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You know Singaporeans; we have to stop whenever a queue is sighted and it's highly probable we would check out to see what was on sale and what the big hooha it was all about. 

No, i didn't join the queue then as i had just finished a serving of smelly tofu myself, a big portion of chicken cutlet, a jumbo cup of milk tea and many little items bought and ingested along Yizhong street at Taichung (Taiwan).

Twenty minutes later - i was standing at the end of the queue. The aroma of nicely flamed beef, said to be Angus, was simply too irresistible and i could not manage to rein in the craving!!! 

In all honesty, the raw beef placed on the grill didn't look very appetising, unlike those expensive ones found in the supermarket with beautiful marbling, and appeared to be taken out straight from the freezer. 

Apparently, they were not hard frozen and the "chef" was able to cut it up into small little thick cubes that resemble gambling dices (hence the name).

Using tongs and a flaming burner (yes, that dangerous equipment used in welding), the guy in charge would proceed to ruffle the cubes while ensuring the level of done-ness was about 50-70%! 

The high temperature of the flame was said to ensure an external texture that was a bit crispy yet locking in the delicious meat juices. I am not sure how true that was (i read it from the signage) but i was so looking forward to having a bite at this point, given the critical juncture; the tempting smell emitted from the about-to-be-ready beef cubes! 

Before you collect your order, note the condiments that could be requested and sprinkled onto the beef. My poor grasp of Chinese means i didn't know what half of them mean. Nevertheless, being the boring person i always am, i selected basic sea salt. 

This box cost me NT$60 (roughly S$2.50); there was an option for a bigger box which i didn't ask for since i was already very full on that time, as explained in the beginning of this post.

So was it good? For S$2.50, it was definitely a fantastic deal (especially if it is indeed Angus beef) and the meat was juicy (the spurts of sinful deliciousness never fail to impress me). Eat them while they are hot; the texture would become a tad too tough after a while! 

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Location
Juncture of Yucai and Zunxian Streets,
Yizhong Market, Taichung, Taiwan

Map
As above.

Price
NTS$60 for small.

Additional Information
There was another branch in Taipei, at Raohe Night Market!

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Taichung Yizhong Street / Yizhong Market (臺中一中商圈 / 一中街) @ Taiwan

May 13, 2014, 7:58 am
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Unlike Fengjia Night Market, i could not find much information (in English) on Yizhong Market, whether online, travel guidebooks or blogs. My interest was piqued as i remember reading that this market was voted as one of the most popular shopping areas in Taichung!

Hence, despite our hectic schedule, we decided to pay it a visit and nothing's better than to walk there in the cool, windy weather. Our friendly hotel receptionist told us it would take us no more than twenty minutes, provided we didn't lose our way. And we did lose our way. 

Nevertheless, we reached Yizhong Street in one piece! 

Return of the platform shoes?! As the fashion district of Taiwan's second largest city, quirky dressing would not be uncommon and to me, it does add on to the visual appeal in the atmosphere, for better or for worse.

Spring has arrived, which means stocks for winter and autumn wear would be undergoing massive discounts! Guess i would have to make arrangements to visit Taiwan in autumn / winter the next time so that i could stock up on spring attire.

There were loads to see, plenty to hear but we were more keen to check out the numerous food stalls along the street! It was over 2pm and our last meal was breakfast at Cherng Yuan hotel in Sun Moon Lake! 

Our first stop - 明帥蛋餅 (NT$30 each) which was like a cross between egg crepes and roti prata. It wasn't that memorable although it did manage to fill up our stomach, somewhat. 

巫记青蛙下蛋 - translated as the frog lays eggs, this was on my itinerary as a must-try in Shilin Night Market. Since it has a branch in Yizhong and i was feeling thirsty, why not try it earlier?! The so-called eggs were the pearls used in milk tea and after taking a few sips, i thought i should have ordered milk tea instead. Taste was alright; just that i don't quite understand what the hype was. 

金牌巨无霸香酥臭豆腐 - my very first smelly tofu in Taiwan! Not the first one that i chanced upon though but i was selective; it must smell horrendous before i would even fork out my money! This supposedly famous stall, judging from the accolades, met my criterion! 

At NT$50 a box, you would be allowed choices like the level of spiciness and whether you would prefer to have a vegetarian smelly tofu. The sauce had a savoury tinge that worked very well as delicious topping for the crispy tofu. My only complaint was that the stench, which should have intensified as i ate the tofu, was still relatively mild. 

Alex could not resist this as it was only NT$10 a piece (approximately S$0.40)! The owner was very generous with the red bean filling and i bet you could hardly find anything like this in Singapore! Surprisingly, it was also rather tasteless! Pity, a great pity. 

I wanted to try this deep fried chicken cutlet as the shopfront was jam-packed with customers making / waiting for their orders! Didn't get any as i didn't know when would be my turn!

一中8兩碳烤雞排 - whatever the case, i must have chicken! This stall had a queue in place and i did what many Singaporeans love to do, i queued up in an orderly fashion. 

Each piece of chicken weighed roughly 8 taels (equivalent to 300 grams); hence the name. Its cooking method was also different from the others in night markets; in addition to deep frying, there was an extra step to grill it over charcoal for 2-3 minutes! 

Sprayed with a layer of oil (i think), the final step was to chop it up for easy feeding! I was secretly very excited as the aroma smelt too good and i could not wait to give it a bite!!! 

Portion was good enough for a number of persons! With the exception of the aforementioned statement, i found the chicken meat to be too dry, texture of the skin was a bit soggy and the marination a tad too salty. 

Now's the time to hit the shopping! Note that Yizhong street is mainly flanked by shophouses although there are lanes in between where you can enter. Those narrow lanes are in fact the interesting ones! 

Step in and be blown away by the many shops! Okay lah, i exaggerated a little as the lanes could not be compared to what i have encountered in Bangkok Chatuchak market. Nonetheless, do keep in mind that it can get very crowded! 

Prices at Yizhong were said to be more economical than other places even though i could not confirm as most items sold were more suitable for the ladies and i am a bad at bargaining. 

With the National Taichung University of Science and Technology as Yizhong's next door neighbour, i believe the claim should more or less be true. 

Surrounding Yizhong Street were a few other streets worth checking out; for example, Yucai Street and Zunxian Street. Don't know where to go? Follow the crowd! 

Tarot card reading seemed quite popular! People who know me well would be aware i don't enjoy getting my fortune read. It can be quite disturbing to know your supposed future when you should be the one managing and deciding your own fate. 

Could not help queuing up for this flaming beef cubes! 
For my review, click here. 

Rainbow hair?! Cool sia!

Lady Paradise - further explanation would not be required as to why. Next shop should be renamed Children Paradise to be more in sync with each other. 

Taiwan is renowned for being a motorcycle nation! The riders were actually very careful / alert but as pedestrians, we should also be mindful, especially in lanes that appeared to be for pedestrians only. 

50嵐 - Singaporeans should not be a stranger to this brand as this is the mother company of the immensely popular KOI bubble tea shops in Singapore! Maybe it was the overseas syndrome; the Oolong milk tea tasted way milkier and nicer in Taiwan! 

Holding on to a cup of ice milk tea, it was definitely one relaxing walk! 

Cafe hoppers would guarantee have insufficient time in Taiwan as there were just too many themed cafes! Fortunately, i prefer to spend my money eating at street stalls instead of checking out cafes that would likely serve mediocre food. 

The main hype and activity of Yizhong Street should have tapered off from this point but being a curious cat, i had to check out what lies beyond! 

A gaudy looking building loomed ahead of us; the King's Palace, said to be an American style restaurant and bar. Well, i am in Taiwan, so i am not that interested in Western cuisine. 

A related shopping district known as Yizhong New City! The shops laid out in a more organised fashion like a shopping mall although i would still prefer the messier Yizhong Street anytime.

There were numerous photo-spots where you can indulge in some selfies for your instagram account.

Including a section with hundreds of panda plushies! Pandamania seemed to be big business in Taiwan and this was likely due to the birth of Yuan Zai, the first panda cub born in Taiwan! 

Even the dog was excited by her grand arrival (kidding of course).

Street view of a cross road near Yizhong Street - the reason for taking this photograph was because of the jewellery store with the name of 今生金飾 (the pronunciation sounds like a romantic Chinese idiom; 今生今世 which means this lifetime).

Ending the post with a panoramic view of Taichung city from Chung Yo department store (中友百貨公司). If you are bringing your kids along, they would likely enjoy themselves on the upper levels of the big complex. 

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Location Map
As above. Click and save to zoom in for better clarity.

How to go there?
If you are staying near Taichung Train Station, it is within walking distance of around 20-30 minutes. For those staying around Fengjia night market, save some time by taking a cab. 


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.
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Changi Village Cendol Melaka - Your Unusual Chendol in Singapore with Nice Nice Green Worms

May 14, 2014, 7:56 am
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Many a times, i have strolled past this food outlet opposite Changi Village hawker centre that had two striking banners hanging from the awning; one claiming to be the number one mee rebus and the other declaring the traditional Malaccan roots of its chendol. 

I could not help but wonder how often the word "traditional" has been misused by many food operators in their crusade to drive up sales. Frankly, i usually snub at such claims. As i mentioned before, authentic food doesn't really translate into better food. 

Whatever the case, i decided to take up the opportunity to check out the shop, named aptly as Cendol Melaka, when i visited Changi Village yesterday. The first thing that caught my attention was this gigantic container holding the item i called "green worms" when i was (much) younger. 

Now, i know it is the ingredient that gives cendol its name although in the tastes buds of many, gula melaka always plays a much bigger role that outshines the rest of the ingredients. 

At first glance, this bowl of chendol failed to appeal in the visual category; too much coconut milk, too little gula melaka on the surface and shaved ice that wasn't smooth and powdery enough. 

I gave it a few stirs. Alright, the thick layer of gula melaka was all hidden at the bottom! Took a full scoop in my mouth and my conclusion was swift; wasn't very sweet and definitely not as addictive as the original gula melaka in Malacca.  

What caught me by surprise, however, were the seemingly homemade "green worms"! They were not the tasteless strips of jelly i had been feed with for the last few decades and were in fact terribly palatable with traces of the alkaline flavour similar to kee zhang (鹼水粽)! 

Frankly, i might just be back next week for the "green worms"! 

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Location
Block 1, Changi Village Road, 
#01-2046 [Opposite the hawker centre]

Map
As above (red star).

Price
Cendol Melaka - S$1.50 nett
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Sun Moon Lake Xuanguang Temple [日月潭玄光寺]

May 15, 2014, 8:01 am
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Some of my loyal readers would be pleased to know that i didn't cover many temples in my recent trip to Taiwan, unlike my visit to Ipoh with my parents. I did schedule a few in my itinerary but eventually only manage to achieve one. 

Xuan Guang Si 
[玄光寺]

Even though this might sound a bit disrespectful for the religion, i was actually looking forward to trying out the Ah Ma tea leaves eggs rather than praying at the temple! To find it still not open for business meant it's the right timing to check out the religious abode instead! 

This place is definitely not wheelchair friendly with quite a number of steps before reaching the temple. Well, it wasn't as torturous as there was the breathtaking scenery of Sun Moon Lake and sights of the followers for Falun Gong (法輪功) which is classified as a cult and banned in mainland China. 

From far, the branches did seem like they were bandaged. Only when we were nearer that i realised the purpose was to reduce the impact the low lying branches has on our heads!

Almost reaching! 
Notice the position of the lady in black?

That is the place where you can get the first view of the scenic lake! During peak hours, it would be hard to stop and take this photograph! Fret not; there is another vantage point outside the temple that provides an equally good view! 

The only problem is that many people would be taking pictures beside this rock with the characters "日月潭". You know how some tourists behave; one picture is never enough, there must be ample poses before they can satisfy their narcissistic personality. So, it's a matter of patience and patience usually runs low when your time is limited. 

Oh yes, how could i ever forget about the temple?!

This small temple pays homage to the holy monk of the Tang Dynasty (the same man who was featured as Tang Sanzang in Journey to the West; one of four greatest classical novels in Chinese literature). Key question: History put his origin in China and India, rather than Taiwan. So why the focus on him?

Because of a relic of the holy monk was honoured originally in the temple. This relic was brought in from Japan and was said to be a goodwill gesture by the Japanese government in exchange for Taiwanese support after the devastating World War 2. Note: the relic is now housed in the nearby Xuanzang Temple, which is much much much bigger than Xuanguang temple.

See the above building? That's the only one for Xuanguang temple! Bloody tiny right? And there wasn't anything really architecturally interesting for me to linger longer.

Frankly, visitors were more interested in the beautiful surroundings and the stone! 

More and more visitors started streaming in at this point. Not sure if anyone of you could remember my picture posted in Day 2 of my Taiwan trip; the queue to check out the temple can stretch all the way down the stairs i climbed up! 

Walked to a quieter area next to the jetty.

It was free of visitors and i could quietly take some pictures, including one of a kingfisher (i think). As we were still waiting for Ah Ma to pull up its shutter, we walked back to the bus stop on the upper level where i remember seeing another rock with the "日月潭" characters. Must keep some photos as memory mah!

Again, tourists were hogging the rock. Alex was literally hopping mad as they could not grasp the "queue" system and so long a split second exists, they would barge in and take over the spot, often taking picture after picture after picture! I am usually quite accommodating but it was really very frustrating!

I didn't manage to my picture taken with the rock, which was okay with me. However, the actions of this group of tourists from China left a really bad taste in my mouth! 

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Location
Drop at Xuanguang Si pier.

Admission Fees
None but be prepared to pay for the boat / bus ride to the temple. 


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.
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Mei Guan Yuan (美觀園) - Japanese Food at the Heart of Taiwan Since 1946

May 17, 2014, 9:40 am
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Taiwan is famed for their street markets and after my trip to the amazing country, i can confidently tell you that there is absolutely no need to dine at restaurants as street food would be more than sufficient to fill your stomach.

Having said that, i did plan for some meals in restaurants and one of them was Mei Guan Yuan, which started business in year 1946 (shortly after the defeat of Japan in World War 2) and came strongly recommended in a quite a number of Chinese travel guides!

Entering the vicinity - it's definitely not your conventional Japanese restaurant with tatami mats and paper lanterns and decoration was limited to the mirrors and the placement of food / drink posters. Anyway, food is more important and here's what we had.

茶碗蒸
Chawanmushi
Notwithstanding the simplicity of this hors d'oeuvre served in a metal cup, the egg was steamed to a taste of near perfection with the exception of it being a little bit too wet.

Dig further for the surprising find of a clam, one prawn ball and a piece of chicken meat; the flavour was more eggy at the top but it intensified tastefully with a meaty seafood infusion nearing the bottom!

鲑鱼生鱼片
Salmon Sashimi
For a Japanese restaurant that have thrived for so long (over 65 years), i was utterly disappointed with the salmon sashimi. Presentation wise, each slice was thick and chunky alright even though the slice was bit uneven (which didn't quite bother me). What depressed me was the obvious touch of frozen fish as i chew halfway through. 

天婦羅
Mix Tempura 
I often lamented in the past that no tempura dish had ever impressed me enough for me to crave for it. The dipping sauce, known to be a common companion for tempura, was either overly salty or too bland or my liking.

Not this one here! The tempura was as normal as the rest; it was the dipping sauce that i totally enjoyed! It was light yet with a sweeter aftertaste that completely enhanced the salted batter! Yum; craving for it now actually. Hah!

親子丼
Oyako Don
I know, i know; this was entirely different from the oyako don we have long been accustomed to in Singapore! For one, where was the generous layer of gooey golden simmered egg?!!?!?

Taste wise, it was nothing comparable to the oyako don i know of! To put it succinctly, it was like eating mixed vegetables rice with rice, deep fried chicken and some vegetables and eggs simmered in sauce. Disappointed? Absolutely.

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Location
Number 36, E'mei Street, Ximending, Taipei 
(along the same street as Ah Zhong Mian Xian)

Map
As above

Website (in Chinese)

Price
Could not remember as i have lost the receipt but i recalled it wasn't as pricey as Singapore! You may have some gauge on the pricing from the menu i have appended below. However, do note that prices are subject to changes, as always.

Menu (in Chinese)
As above. As mentioned above, prices are subject to change.
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Fengjia Night Market (aka as Feng Chia Night Market) 逢甲夜市 @ Taichung [Taiwan]

May 18, 2014, 6:35 am
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If Shilin Night Market is known as the father of all night markets in Taiwan, Fengjia would no doubt take the esteemed position as the mother given its popularity. 

Here's my take on my first official night market in Taiwan.

The hotel i stayed in was nearer to Taichung main station which put it at a further distance from Fengjia. Taking a taxi, hence, would be the most efficient way to get to the night market established back in 1963.

It wasn't easy to pinpoint the exact 'entrance' but following the crowd might be the best course of action in the event you are not very sure if you are on the right direction!

For a person who enjoys the local Singapore-style pasar malam, the atmosphere in Taiwan was way more vibrant with loads to see (including eye-candies) and plenty to eat!

The enticing aroma of food filled up the streets and you need only to use your sense of smell to dictate what to have for dinner! Bad sense of smell? No worries; have your eyes do the choosing for you!

Fortunately, there were many things i didn't dare to try; for example, the congealed pig's blood cake and pork knuckles. I could not imagine my weight upon my return to Singapore should i be adventurous enough to give everything a try!

Crowd as seen in the above picture. People normally stick to their imaginary dual-lane direction and i don't remember hearing / seeing any erupted skirmish resulting from overcrowding and human jam.

Dustbins! Friends have recommended reusing plastic bags for rubbish as one could not readily find rubbish bins as easily as in Singapore. I took a step further by buying a pack of plastic bags in Singapore and bringing them along for this trip! So eco-unfriendly!

There were many things you could spend your money on, like the realistic animal-head backpacks. For me, i have gone past the age when i would go into every store to check out the good buys. Unless something intrigues me (usually out of curiosity), i would just walk and cover as many streets as i could.

Claw machines! Knowing Alex's affection for them, i had to avert his attention so that he would not spend hours trying to pick up a useless toy that we would have to haul back to Singapore.

Food was everywhere! And they often display eye-catching signboards with claims and accolades that imply you would definitely regret it if you don't try out whatever they are selling! Some even took the step to install LCD screens showing variety programmes that gave rave reviews to their stalls!

As a true-blue Singaporean, always be skeptical; any claim is only hearsay if there isn't any queue! Haha, no lah, i would feel more confident to check out the food if there is a queue formed outside a stall.

Furthermore, i am weak when it comes to aroma; of course, things that smell delicious do not translate directly into taste. A classic example was the carrot cake in Jonker Street, Malacca.

Our first food stop - the lazy prawns with a logo of a bearded man (逢甲鬍子哥懶人蝦)! From the signboard, i deduced it was the store that came out with lazy prawns. Why were the prawns lazy by the way?

Because you don't have to peel the shells! So its correct meaning should be prawns for lazy people! Barbecued over an electric grill, the prices were very affordable!

4 sticks for NT$30, 8 for NT$60 and 15 for NT$100 (less than S$5)! Notice the "night markets" notice on the bottom left? This means you could pay using the NT$50 coupons collected from the Taiwan Tourism Bureau in Singapore (address: 30 Raffles Place, Chevron House, #10-01, Singapore 048622; call 6223-6546 to check out what freebies are available for redemption).

I am a small eater - the smallest serving (original flavour) would do. To be frank, i didn't think the prawns were good; they were overcooked and the meat was too dry for my liking. Prawns should be sweet and succulent, which obviously wasn't the case here.

Wanted to have my second serving of smelly tofu for the day. Looked at Alex pleadingly to share the carbohydrates. That bloody ass said no! :(

Another seafood stall; this time selling grilled scallops!

1 stick for NT$40 and 3 for NT$100 - you would be given the option of the type of sauce / topping for the scallops; i chose original sea salt, Japanese flakes and pepper lemon!

Original was still the best!

They do look a bit like snails; shall give them a miss as i am not into snails. Such is the hypocrisy of humans; i take shark's fins, drink swallow's saliva yet i could not handle a small snail.

I believe i have a similar picture of the LED lights for my post on Malacca Jonker Street! They were markedly different in Taiwan as they could be rotated and the material used was a plastic component said to be removable for ease of cleaning.

Did you know what these are? I didn't think too much of them until the owner took a liquid bag and started turning a metal piece inside. A chemical reaction in the liquid soon followed and voila, it turned into a heating pad! You should see our reaction; i bet our jaws were wide open by this amazing revelation!

My first thought was we would have no use for this in Singapore given our hot and humid weather! Who in the right mind would put this on their body and go to sleep?! However, a heating pad has more uses than just a mere bed warmer; you can use it on areas affected by rheumatism, joint pain, sprains and even relieve the menstrual pain for the ladies.

For those who want to know more, click the above! To my cousin, Meixin (Joie), please print a copy of this for your mom! By the way, i think my mom loves this among all the presents we brought from Taiwan!

It's people everywhere! As the Chinese saying goes, people mountain, people sea (人山人海). Taiwanese people are so pleasant and it is this exact reason that i guess Taiwan has become such a 'hot' destination for local Singaporeans.

With so many lanes and little streets, even i (a navigation specialist, apparently) was confused on where exactly i was. Having said that, i am aware this picture was taken along Wenhua road and we were quite near to the main entrance of Fengjia University (逢甲大學).

See, i was right! Some history about Fengjia night market - it started along Wenhua road and was initially known as Wenhua Night Market. The present area covers Fengjia, Fuxing and Xi'an roads; making this night market the biggest in Taiwan as some have claimed!

台灣大哥大 (Myfone) - i didn't read up on the available mobile plans for travellers and wasn't sure if this service provider was recommended. Nevertheless, our legs needed a rest and i required a data plan! The lady was damn helpful (as most Taiwanese are) and i got an NT$800 plan that came with 7 days unlimited data usage plus NT$200 worth of talk time (a call made to Singapore was only NT$8.50)!

Spotted a makeshift stall offering traditional sweets and toys!

On the street again when Alex was once again drawn to a vendor selling neck pillows! Quality was pretty good and the feel was comfortable; being Alex, of course he didn't mind spending on this purchase!

Many stalls were selling insoles that would increase your height by quite a few centimetres! I might have been tempted to buy a few when i was younger; now that i am 34, heck care lah! Put it this way, i might appear "taller" when i am outside but once i remove my shoes, i would still be the shortie i really am.

Sleepy kitty with a big bell hanging from the neck! I read in a book before that bells should not be placed on animals given their acute sense of hearing which would inadvertently affect them psychologically.

I wanted to eat my dinner here!!!!!! Known as the Tengu (天狗; a mythical creature in Japanese folk legend), it was said to serve smacking good steaks!! It was already closed for business when i arrived at around 9.30pm..

Well, late night dinners are a no-no for those conscious of their weight anyway. Not for this group outside a restaurant known as Pudage! Didn't know what the hooha was although you may wish to note that Korean fried chicken was indicated as the store's specialty. 

Want something unique? Try stir-fried snake meat! 

Uh-oh! Alex spotted the claw machines and as expected, he exchanged some coins to try out his luck. And you know what, he got it on first try!!! Now the cute little chicken in a strawberry suit is with Jovyn! I am just glad he didn't attempt the gigantic toys within the store.

Metal plate toasted squid!!! The jumbo size one was only NT$100! Pity i was mindful of my cholesterol level and that it was already quite late at night. 

I might be a glutton but my stomach does have its limit; it's not a bottomless pit, as some of you believe it to be, and i am also very conscious that i need to lose some weight! So, no more eating for the rest of the night; i shall however post some photographs of stalls that might be worth a try in my next visit.

For example, this century egg stall with various toppings and there was even a lobster salad with century egg combi! Hell, i have always thought century eggs as a traditional ingredient for rojak and porridge! Lau sisters and Ms Tan, we should consider century eggs for our salad fest, if it takes place. 

Korean rice cakes (topokki); the cool, windy weather must have played a part as it would be so shiok to bite into a piece of hot rice cake dipped in chilli!

Red tea smelly tofu with Korean kimchi! Yet again, i was tempted even though i am fully aware that this would spike my carbohydrate intake if Alex didn't help me with it. Nope, he wasn't keen. 

Golden right leg (黃金右腳); essentially, this is chicken drum and thigh and was recommended by quite a number of bloggers. 

大腸包小腸 - the birthplace of this little sausage in big sausage is right here in Fengjia. I am a lover of sausages yet i didn't fancy this snack; all because the big sausage was actually glutinous rice, a carbo heavy grain! 

Oyster lovers should get their fix of live oysters in this stall with prices starting from NT$50.

With countless food stalls in the night market, it's unavoidable that rubbish is an issue! No matter what, i still find the place relatively clean and people usually try to put their trash in plastic bags before throwing them in designated rubbish bins. 

Cute dog prowling the street again! I guess every visitor from Singapore who visits Taiwan would upload picture after picture of pet dogs openly seen on the streets and lament how good it would be if Singapore is like that. Yes, i personally thought this would be nice although we must always be mindful of our Muslim friends and other non-Muslim friends who are scared of dogs. 

This brand of spectacle shop was everywhere in Taiwan! 

10pm and people were still waiting outside this vegetarian restaurant for seats?!?!!? Damn, with so many places that i have yet to check out in Fengjia, i guess it would be beneficial to allocate two nights in my future visit. This time, i shall stay near Fengjia night market!

As i have always advised, do walk into the small lanes where there might be quaint little boutiques peddling unique house brands! Well, unique comes with a price. 

Colourful underwear for sale! Honestly, i am the type of customers who prefer to buy undies without people crowding around me! So embarrassing lor! 

Said to be a legendary fruit juicer, it claimed to serve super duper delicious papaya milk! Given the size of my chest, i declined Alex's offer to buy me a cup (p.s. for those who are unaware, papaya milk is said to increase the bosom). 

This section is along Wenhua Road towards Section 2, Xitun Road and you would find even more food establishments! This was already close to 10.30pm when some have closed for the day. 

Big headed prawns!! Guess how we ended our day before returning to the hotel?

By going for a massage at 蘭夏養生館! At NT$600 for a 45-minute foot massage and a 15-minute shoulder and neck massage, we were treated to a very comfortable and professional session that relieved the soreness on our legs, neck and back.  Check out their website here! 

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Location
Fengjia Night Market, Xitun District, 
Taichung, Taiwan


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.
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The Ice Cream Shop @ Simpang Bedok [Singapore]

May 19, 2014, 8:15 am
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Nothing's more appropriate than to name your company using the main item that you are selling; in this case, you would totally expect ice cream to be sold in the premise of The Ice Cream Shop! If i ever open a restaurant, i am just going to call it "here's food"!

Anyway, the Gang of Four was driving aimlessly after an excessive meal at Cheng Mun Chee Kee pig organ's soup and decided to check out this ice cream parlour that opened less than a year ago at Simpang Bedok. 

With more than fifteen flavours for us to choose from, we left the eventual decision to Alex even though i did request to have waffles! His choices were Blackie (Oreo & Malt), Ferraro (Chocolate Hazelnut), Vanilla Bean and the premium Durian King (which is basically Mao Shan Wang durian).

Kind of overwhelming to have four scoops of ice cream sitting rather tightly on a single slab of waffle! Remember i mentioned about the bland tasting waffles at Creamier? Even though this thickness was not as generous, i honestly enjoyed its more buttery infusion! Ice cream wise was more of a letdown.

Not all the flavours though; out of the four, ferraro was the most disappointing and as Kon put it most accurately; it totally lacked direction! Blackie tasted like Oreo with a horlicks aftertaste while i have had better vanilla ice cream in Creamier. On the best seller (Durian King that is), i prefer the one from Daily Scoop! 

Before i end this post, let me share with you an incident. Take a look at the above pricing board and guess how much we would have paid for our waffles plus four scoops of ice cream. The way i look at it, it should be two scoops of classic (S$5.50), two scoops of mix (S$7.00) and add a waffle at S$3.00 which should bring everything to S$15.50.

Nope, we were charged for each individual item and the total bill came up to S$17.80! Of course, we were curious as to why! The waitress was kind enough to explain that for waffle, a bigger scoop of ice cream would be given; hence the combo would not be applicable. Thanks but frankly, i thought the pricing board should be re-designed to give customers a better idea of what they are in fact paying for!

In any case, all's good and both Kon and i managed to clean up everything!

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Location
312, Bedok Road
[Simpang Bedok]

Map
As above

Operation Hours
12 noon to 12 midnight

Facebook Website

Additional Information
I am no fan of ice cream milkshakes but if you are, you might want to customise your own milkshake! Do note that the shop bears no responsibility for the final taste of the custom milkshake! 

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53 Hotel @ Taichung [台中寶島53行館] - I am LOVING it!

May 20, 2014, 8:47 am
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With numbers making up its unique brand name, i was honestly half-expecting 53 hotel to provide only basic, comfortable service that commanded a price above my budget (i am a cheapo when it comes to overseas accommodation) simply because of its proximity to Taichung Train Station. 

How wrong i was! 

Except for the rather tight space, i was immediately drawn to the mosaic tiles and the pleasant fusion of east meets west decor. The cheery greeting from the friendly yet professional staff at the front desk was another sign that things were looking good for our one-night stay. 

Connecting the reception was a much bigger waiting area in front of the lift where one can read some magazines while waiting for friends who seem to take forever in the bathroom!

You can also surf the web if the magazines / books don't interest you.

The size for our standard room was literally half of Cherng Yuan but i understand this is usually the norm for hotels in Taiwan's cities unless you are willing to pay top-dollar for your stay. Anyway, amenities like free wifi, bottled water, refrigerator, television, safe, slippers etc, were included.

I especially love the bed which was so inviting! However, time was of essence as we needed to check out both Yizhong Market and Fengjia Night Market! In addition, we required lunch after the almost two-hour bus journey!!!

Service was personal enough for me to even know who my housekeeper was; that also reflects the pride one has for the job! See that alarm clock? I actually hate it when receptionist gives me a morning call; alarm clock for the win! 

My best surprise came in the form of.... the toilet bowl which has an electronic bidet!!!! That clean sensation of you-know-where has never felt so satisfying since i stepped into Taiwan! 

It would have been a double satisfaction if there is a rain shower. Well, i am still grateful that the water pressure wasn't low and i didn't get yellow water coming out from the shower head (p.s. it did happen to me once in Kuala Lumpur).

Shall talk about the rest of the facilities later. 
Let's touch on breakfast in the next morning! 

Unlike Misty Villa, the breakfast setup was more hotel-like; ain't complaining. By the way, i had a really restful sleep (which could also be attributed to the foot, neck and shoulder massage i had the night before). 

There were quite a number of dishes (i think around 6-8) but as you are probably aware by now, i usually stick to boring toast and jam as i would prefer to reserve my stomach for local food outside! 

Healthier options like cereals (OMG, they served Post Honey Bunches of Oats) were available. However, i am lactose intolerant (cereals without milk are just snacks; not a meal) and i hate to be out doing 'business' when i am travelling! 

And i never trust raw vegetables when i am overseas; blame the mother! She had shared ample stories of vegetables that were not washed thoroughly in her course of work in the F&B industry and i thought it would be best to ignore them! Furthermore, i can't deny i am more a meat person. :P 

What i eventually had for breakfast.

A cozy corner on the lower floor that looked like the concept i would love for my home! It was also a waiting area (the actual term used was mediation room); albeit of a different nature.

It's for those who were waiting for the washing machine / dryer, either to wait for their turn or for the cycle to complete! Washing powder (at NT$30) can be purchased from the front desk. 

Instructions as above!

Didn't want to waste your time? Check out the small fitness centre and work off the fats accumulated in Taiwanese! With so much to do in the city, it's no wonder no one was using the equipment! 

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Location
No 27, Zhongshan Rd, Central District, 
Taichung, Taiwan

Map
As above

Website 

Price
S$104.32 for a standard room with breakfast and internet access. We booked our room through HotelClub.com; do check it out for the latest deals!

Additional Information
Remember to take this in-house map from the front desk as it would give you a better idea of what are available in the nearby vicinity! 

Those who wish to have a day-trip (around NT$1,500-1,700; inclusive of lunch and insurance) to Sun Moon Lake, Cingjing Farm etc can also make arrangement with the front desk personnel! 
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Scholar Cake (狀元糕) @ Guangzhou Street Night Market 艋舺夜市 (Near Long Shan Si Temple) [Taipei, Taiwan] - Best to Have on a Rainy, Cold Night!

May 21, 2014, 8:10 am
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I was about to make a U turn before reaching the end of the Guangzhou Street Night Market near Huaxi Street (note: it is different from the Huaxi Street Night Market) when my sensitive nostrils caught a whiff of something familiar. 

Having a sensitive nose akin to a canine does have its benefits and it didn't take me long to smell out the source of that wonderful aroma which was similar to our local Tutu cakes! 

It was freezing that evening and knowing how tutu cakes can miraculously warm our tummies on a rainy day back in hot and humid Singapore, we decided to have just two pieces of the cakes known as Scholar Cake (guess it has to do with the hat-shape of the final product).

The way it was handmade and then steamed was almost the same as tutu cakes even though it was individually steamed, meaning you would likely have to wait a while when business is good. 

Its wooden holder was also very unique with a design that enabled the owner to "push" it upward. It's hard to describe but i guess i could draw some comparison to the way the chwee kueh aunties scoop out the content from the tiny aluminium holder. 

Unlike our local version, the fillings were limited to peanuts and sesame seeds which were not deliberately hidden from sight; honestly, i felt this really enhanced the presentation of the snack as they all looked so palatable! 

My verdict? 

Amazingly delicious! The texture was much denser than tutu cakes yet maintained a moist consistency that didn't flake off (this often result in me making a big mess of myself). The peanuts were freshly grated with a touch of sweetness and there were two layers of peanuts! 

We bought another two and Alex, being Alex, pestered me for the next few days to revisit the night market just for the scholar cakes! This might be another Taiwanese product that could make it in Singapore! Localise it by adding our local favourites; coconut shreds and gula melaka! 

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Location
At the end of Guangzhou Street Night Market

Map
As above

Price
NT$25 for 2 pieces

Additional Information
I saw the same product for sale in Shilin but i can confirm it wasn't half as delicious as the ones from Guangzhou Street. Thankfully, i only purchased one piece! 


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.
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What's That inside Pokka Osmanthus with White Tea?!

May 22, 2014, 7:33 am
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Singaporeans would not be strangers to the Pokka brand and most, i believe, would likely be aware of this osmanthus white tea that seems to be gaining a lot of popularity locally. I tried it before and didn't like it.

Anyway, it's not about me today. 

Alex happily helped himself to a cup of the 100% real brewed tea and placed it on the table. I usually wouldn't take a second look but this time, i had too because something seemed to be swimming in the liquid!

Aiyo! The tea has gone bad already?!?!?!?! Till now, i wasn't sure as my mum has the impression this was part of the osmanthus flowers! Really!?!?!?! I seriously doubt so! I swear those things look like disgusting phlegm in water! 

So who can tell me the answer? My opinion is that i should throw the whole bottle down the rubbish chute immediately and this is helped by the fact that the bottle wasn't refrigerated at all after opening!
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Shilin Stinky Tofu - Jihe (士林基河臭豆腐): Overall Second Best in My 2014 Taiwan Trip!

May 23, 2014, 8:41 am
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I have waxed lyrical about the most amazing smelly tofu i ever had in my whole life along Shenkeng Old Street. However, not many share my passion in travelling to far-fetched places for food.

Hence, i am going to bring all of you to a much more convenient area in Taipei; Shilin Night Market! Now, it's arguably the most famous tourist icon of Taiwan (besides the Taipei 101) and it's rare to find a tourist who has never been to the father of all night markets in Taiwan. 

Note the location: from Jiantan MRT station, walk towards Shilin Night Market. At the start of Jihe Road (基河路), you would see a 7-11. Locate the stinky tofu stall right in front! 

At NT$45 a serving, i would not have tried it if not for Alex who extended his massage by another fifteen minutes! I was kept waiting at the entrance when i saw the endless flow of customers who queued up and got their stinky tofu! And i could not resist the smelly fragrance that permeated the air! 

The thing that got many people obsessed was the sauce; there was a ginger-spiciness to it that was similar to the condiment that often drenched the stinky tofu sold in local pasar malams, albeit much nicer! 

Compared to Shenkeng smelly tofu, it didn't have that crisp, the texture was soggier and the flavour was just a tad short. Good enough, especially given the location, but for the real deal, you must travel to Shenkeng!

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Location
Refer to paragraph 3.

Map
As above

Price
NT$45 for a serving


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.

 
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Day Three Itinerary [Sun Moon Lake(日月潭) > Taichung (臺中)]: TaiwanTrip 2014

May 25, 2014, 5:19 am
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All rise and shine for a wonderful view of Sun Moon Lake (SML) after a good night sleep at Cherng Yuan Hotel @ Ita Thao! We could have slept in for a while longer but it would be a shame if i didn't step foot into any of the famous temples in SML!

Now, I Ta Thao (or Itashao) has in fact two temples that appeared very near on google map and i did have the intention to trek along the main road. Thankfully, the hotel staff notified us that it could be quite a long walk and his advice was to take the lake tour bus instead.

The town is very easy to navigate and you just have to remember to walk away from the lake and look out for the main road that could not be missed! Oh, the garbage truck (that yellow vehicle) in Taiwan was so cute; it chimed a chirpy morning melody that put a smile on our faces!

See, even the dog was mesmerised! Frankly, being a garbage collector is an honest job and we should always be grateful for their existence and respect their occupation, regardless of whether they are foreigners!

As Taiwan practices left hand driving, don't cross the road! I made that mistake and almost missed this bus; luckily, my sense of direction has yet to fail me! By the way, it's basic courtesy to let the elderly board first!

At NT$27 per ticket, it wasn't cheap for its rundown condition and a frequency that runs on a minimum 30-minute interval. However, please keep in mind that it covers major SML attractions along its route and should not be compared to a usual public bus service. Should you require to make multiple stops, do purchase the NT$80 one-day pass.

Bus journey to Xuanguang Temple took us fifteen minutes and from the way the vehicle navigated the road, i am extremely grateful to have heeded the advice of the hotel staff! The walk could have taken us at least 45 minutes and that's a conservative estimation!

Picturesque view of Shueishe town from Xuanguang pier! For my post on the teeny weeny temple and the ah ma tea leaves egg, please click here and here.

Map of Sun Moon Lake attached for your reference. I would strongly suggest you visit the official SML website (in English) at http://www.sunmoonlake.gov.tw/English/ which proves to be very informative for my trip!

Too lazy to take the tour bus; hence, we bought ferry tickets which would have brought us back to Itashao to check out of our hotel, pick up our luggage and ferry us from Itashao pier to Shueishe pier! Per trip ticket cost NT$100 and day trip ticket (which allows for unlimited ferry rides) was NT$150; it's a no-brainer which one we chose. p.s. ticket indicated NT$300 but we only paid NT$150 per person.

Aboriginal street performers belting out songs in Hokkien! Are you aware that i love to sing Hokkien songs? And singing does help to improve your grasp of this dialect!

Maltese spotted at the pier.

After two days in SML, i am somewhat more seasoned in checking which platform to take the ferry and what to look out for to ensure i am boarding the one belonging to the right company.

Saying bye bye to Itashao!

Wenwu temple is another famous temple in SML; pity i didn't have enough time to check out the complex which looked vast even from the ferry! Well, praying for 4D or even better, TOTO winnings so that i could bring my parents for a trip to SML. I bet they will love it!

Reached Shueishe in less than 12 minutes! What we needed to do then was to walk back to the same place that our shuttle from Cingjing dropped us. That's the place where i could buy the coach tickets to Taichung; our next destination!

By right, i should have walked this way. By left, i thought we should explore Shueishe a bit since we never did get a chance to check out the gateway of Sun Moon Lake.

The dissuasive look on the golden retriever's face didn't deter me at all. My apparent lack of conformity could sometimes lead to greater discovery, for better or for worse.

Let's have an example; an unimpressive looking robot that attracted our attention simply because it wasn't your usual cardboard, metal, cement, pottery, plastic model.

It was literally made up of hundreds of mobile phones! Darn, i could even identify some of the older models; in fact, the LG flipped phone is still in my possession!

One mode of transport in SML is the bicycle and if time permits, this might be one good way to check out the nearby areas. I didn't ask but it did seem that per usage (despite the duration) is priced at NT$100 (less than S$5).

Our coach tickets to Taichung were purchased from this Nan Tou bus counter in a building opposite the SML police & fire station. There are other "public transport" ways to get the second largest city in Taiwan although you may wish to note that you are required to transfer at Puli, a major town that connects to Cingjing and SML.

Map as above for easy reference.

We were just in time to board the double-decked coach! We were pretty lucky as i think we got the last two tickets; the coach was in full capacity!

Almost forgot to inform the price of each ticket; NT$190! There is definitely a faster way to get to Taichung; private shuttle which might set our budget back by at least two to three times the amount we paid for this coach.

I understand from online information that the journey would take us around an hour plus, which should be bearable for my pointy ass. Anyway, i love double decked coach which would allow me to see more things on an elevated 'platform'.

Furthermore, i can take unflattering pictures of others with a much reduced risk of being spotted! From the above picture, i bet you would have spotted the words "檳榔" (which means betel nuts). 

Many Chinese would have remembered the news quite a number of years ago on the betel nut beauties (檳榔西施) who would wear revealing attire in order to attract the largely male clientele. From the many pictures i took of the betel nut stalls, i can only say the trend of employing 檳榔西施 has declined TREMENDOUSLY.

From a distance, the many tall and slender trees may be mistaken as coconut trees even though the high altitude would render that quite impossible. These trees are areca palms but they are more known as betel nut trees as the seeds are commonly wrapped in betel-nut leaves for chewing. 

Profits must be good, judging by the huge areca plantation that filled up the entire hill!

Trees don't interest me as much as tombs! It happened that the period i went was during Qing Ming festival and likewise in Taiwan, many families would arrange for a visit to clean the tombs of their ancestors.

There were notable differences in the tombs, i noticed. As you can see, only yellow paper was used when it is more common to have coloured paper in Singapore. Many headstones didn't have a photograph and there was strong emphasis to indicate the surname of the deceased. 

I guess i have to borrow this book i chanced upon in the Chinese library at Chinatown Point (Singapore) where there was quite a bit of discussion on the issue of funeral in Chinese history and its changes in this contemporary times.

Yellow blossoms! It's unfortunate i didn't manage to see any widespread blossoms in Taiwan yet back home, Singapore was facing an unprecedented blossom boom after a long spell of dry weather! 

Reaching Puli, one of the few stops in our journey, which is a key town connecting Taichung to places like Cingjing, Sun Moon Lake and even the Eastern part of Taiwan. 

It might be worth a visit in the future although from what i understand, Puli is renowned in Taiwan for its wine production, a refreshment i don't particularly fancy. 

Having said that, i am excited by the mere thought that i could do tandem paragliding! Yes, i am afraid of heights but we should always challenge ourselves! And i believe the adrenaline rush would be worth the feat that comes along! 

烏溪 - the 119.13-kilometer river that was rated the 6th longest in Taiwan. Once you see this and the appearance of high rise buildings, it means that you are reaching Taichung! 

Another tell tale sign; the high speed rail! Shall be blogging soon on the business class tickets that we purchased for the trip to Taipei. Do look out for it. :)

Pink blossoms this time!

After close to two hours, we finally arrived at Taichung Railway Station (臺中車站)! Nice architecture that hailed from the era when Taiwan was still colonised by the Japanese. 

Timetable for Sun Moon Lake -> Taichung. I found it a bit weird as the coach left around 20 minutes before the departure time of 11.40am. I could, however, attribute it to a bus that had already filled up. Moral of the story? Arrive earlier to buy your tickets as the bus would depart upon reaching full capacity. 

I timed; it took us less than three minutes to drag our luggage from Taichung station to 53 hotel! For those interested to read my review on 53 Hotel, please click here! 

We were allowed to check in before the mandatory 3pm! Yippeee! After checking with the super duper friendly counter staff on the actual location of Yizhong, it's time to check out the city!

Saw a freaking long queue right outside an atas looking patisserie even though we didn't attempt to queue up. For your benefit, everyone was eating ice creams on waffle bowls and from my internet search, the place is funnily known as Miyahara Ophthalmology (宫原眼科) even though it was obvious only desserts were served. 

I might love food yet i was more intrigued by this eerie-looking office block right opposite. Games like Left4Dead really screw up our minds and it's hard not to imagine that this would be a great place for a zombie horde. 

As i mentioned in my 53 Hotel review, having the map provided by the hotel would be very helpful to get around places around the hotel. Do note that Fengjia is out of the way and would require the help of public buses or taxis. 

Okay, a billboard advertisement for 53 Hotel! Damn, i must have liked my choice of accommodation so much to have advertised it so often in this post. Haha.

青草街 - there was no green grass in that area. The only product that i could relate to was the 青草油 that my mom loved to use on my wounds when i was younger! Don't laugh; the oil stings the wounds as if they are tearing apart! 

繼光商店街 - a pedestrian-only shopping street dated back to the Japanese colonial period, it was said to house many heritage shops that make it very popular during the Chinese New Year season. 

This banner was hilarious!!! Pants Kingdom - "even the biggest of birds can fit in our pants". Sorry, you mean the cage or the bird? 

Such adorable helmets!! How come we don't see them in Singapore? Well, bet it has something to do with safety regulations. Do you know that the Taiwanese government used to be quite relaxed on the need for bikers to wear helmets? 

Yizhong Street Market! For my lengthy post on this vibrant market, click here. 

Finally, the humongous Fengjia Night Market which I doubt i have covered all the sections! For an even longer post on the night market, check out http://cavinteo.blogspot.sg/2014/05/fengjia-night-market-aka-as-feng-chia.html. By the time i reached the hotel at the end of the day, it was already 12.30am! 

Yawns... 
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For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.



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Guangzhou Street Night Market (艋舺夜市) near Longshan Temple MRTStation @ Taipei [Taiwan]

May 26, 2014, 8:36 am
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To be totally honest, my real intention was to get to the first night market (Huaxi) officially endorsed for the tourists but the one ahead of me as i stepped out of Longshan temple MRT station was 艋舺夜市! 

I thought it should rightfully be pronounced as Mengjia (Monga) night market although internet sources generally refer to it as Guangzhou Street night market. Anyway, when your feet are tired, convenience is often the deciding factor. 

From the very beginning, i got the impression this wasn't the kind of night market that teens would enjoy. It had a very nostalgic atmosphere surrounding it; one that maybe could only be found when i was a child. 

Nevertheless, there were modern buys even though that should not be the focus for visiting Guangzhou Street. At NT$100 per cap, i am now wondering why i didn't grab any!! As Lavinia once pointed out, an obsession to take as many photographs as possible can make one myopic to his/her surroundings. 

Let's proceed to check out this place.

Get a free sampling cup of sweetened yet spicy ginger tea. It would absolutely warm you on a cold night and make the stroll down the street much more enjoyable.

Near the entrance of the night market were a few stalls right smack in the middle of the street that offered a delicacy that gluttons like me would find it hard to resist; cuttlefish of various styles!

I have no idea what they were looking at; the older ahjumma on the left seemed to give a disapproving stare while the boy had a cheeky glint in his eyes with the mother giving a loving look. Hm.... mating dogs maybe?

Coming back, there were easily four to five stalls and i literally circled around them two or three times before deciding that the one with the queue shall the one who will get my business!

NT$80 for the same cuttlefish on the right side of the picture. 

It had a more pungent aroma that some people would label as smelly. However, it had a saccharine flavour that i like and the fact that it was lightly toasted over charcoal totally enhanced the taste! Note it can be a bit too sweet for some of you.

There were ample food choices for those who have yet to have dinner. For me, a heavy meal at Mei Guan Yuan made it difficult for my stomach to digest more food other than snacks (like the cuttlefish).

Some of the food disgusted me by the way. I may be Chinese but i don't adopt the saying that anything with their back facing the sky is edible! For one, i don't really like braised dishes, especially those with ingredients like intestines! 

Including cute pork trotters! 

More weird stuff - eunuch chicken (太監雞)?! Basically, the male chick would be castrated when it is about two months old and fed herbal products for another five to seven months before it is sold to the market. The eventual product was said to be much healthier than typical chicken. 

Love phoenix claws and yet hate to chew its many tiny bones? These hollow chicken feet (空心鳳爪) should appeal to you!

Porn addicts would enjoy checking out the wide array of pornographic films openly sold in the night market and prices were dirt cheap! A disc cost only NT$20 (less than a dollar) and if you buy twenty discs, each one would cost less than fifty cents! 

Alex, ever the gamer, was more interested in the games! 

The game play was very simple; just think of it as bingo but exchange the numbers with the symbol on the mahjong tiles. Alex could not resist because mahjong was his favourite game at all times! 

You can only choose fifteen tiles from the stack.

Now's the time to rely on the picture on the table. It was there for a purpose and for those smart enough, you are right; it is the bingo paper where you draw your circle for the number that was picked. 

Except you are the picker now and you shall be responsible for what you have chosen to match the mahjong tiles on the picture. A no-brainer! 

8 games for NT$100; Alex paid for 16 games and got nothing back in return. A waste of money if you ask me although in the case of Alex, it's a matter of trying something new! 

In a way, i was extremely glad he didn't win anything as some of the items would be a hassle to bring back to Singapore! Not to mention our luggage was severely overweight when we left Taiwan for Singapore.

We often see bidding for products relating to Fengshui in Singapore's pasar malams but here in Taiwan, i saw a different phenomenon; people were bidding for toys!!! Yes, playthings for children! 

Prawning! Unlike Singapore's big pool concept, i can see the number of prawns in each plastic tank and this kind of motivates the "fisher" to be more patient to wait for their catch. 

Pachinko for kids?!?!?! That's a really early start for a gambler's life. 

Back to my treasured topic - food! I believe the many edible items sold in Guangzhou street night market would bring back fond memories for the older generation in Singapore. For example, you would not be able to get any pig blood, chicken blood and duck blood gelatin products in Singapore whereas they are in abundance here in Taiwan! 

I prefer less "controversial" food. Japanese pancakes sound good and look at that generous pile of filling! I was in fact contemplating if i should have an order of the pancake.

The aromatic scholar cake was eventually selected though. For my review, please click here.

Besides the night market on the street, there are shophouses on the side that you can explore if time permits. If it doesn't, you could always pop by in the daytime! 

We didn't have enough time to check out the many shophouses even though we did manage one; that of a foot massage parlour after our feet protested by refusing to walk any further! 

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Location
As you stand right in front of Longshan Temple, turn to your left and Guangzhou Street night market would be right in front of you! 

Map
As above (night market highlighted in orange).


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.
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Fu Shan Seafood & Tze Cha (富山海鲜) @ Chong Pang [Yishun]

May 27, 2014, 8:34 am
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It's the annual mother's day but our family decided not to have it on the actual day as we all know how crowded all the eating establishments would be! Seriously, if you are that filial to your mom, every day is mother's day! 

Rest assured that I am not going to talk about filial piety today (doubt i am qualified anyway) as the yardstick can be hard to measure. So, let's continue with the makan we had at Fu Shan Seafood!

The matriarch of our family and the star of mother's day mentioned that many of her Chong Pang friends were regulars of this tze char stall and thought it should be a good and affordable choice for the celebration. 

Notice the price of crabs (S$5.50 per 100g)? It seemed to be exorbitantly priced but i understand Sri Lanka crabs are usually pricier species. 

Sambal Kangkong
马来风光
This plate of malay glory was a tad too wet for my liking even though it did not dilute the much needed spiciness signature of this dish. As i was eating it, i could not help missing the pork-lard version i had at S99.

Snowflake Beancurd
雪花豆腐
Said to be the gem of beancurd dishes, i beg to differ if we are just going to rely on taste. It sure didn't amaze me although i had to admit that besides the beancurd, there was a pretty wide mix of ingredients.

Honey Ribs
密汁排骨
An utter disappointment - this style was more braised than honeyed which would be my taste buds' preferred choice. Nevertheless, it was quite nice for a braised pork dish with meat that easily fell off the bones! 

Chilli Crab
辣椒螃蟹
When it comes to chilli crab, my first action was to take a scoop of the chilli sauce for tasting purpose. The sauce in this instance had way too much tomatoes. I only realised later that mom has specifically requested for less spicy for Jovyn and Jerald's benefit. 

Oh well, they tasted great when mixed with plain rice. Not that i am enjoying it totally as i should be cutting down on carbohydrates during dinnertime! 

Meat texture of Sri Lanka crabs never disappoints! The claw appeared to be very small because Mom had asked for smaller-sized crabs, knowing fully well that most of her family members (the lazy ones) didn't like to peel off the shells. 

Crab Bee Hoon Soup
螃蟹米粉汤
It has been a long time since i last had crab bee hoon soup! You know how many of us identify soup with diet; the more the merrier! Of course, we understand the good old advice that moderation is key to good health.

A little too peppery i think; which wasn't really a major issue. However, i didn't get that overwhelming satisfaction and there were two reasons; a lack of robust flavour and a consistency that could have been richer and thicker. 

Barley Soup
This was free and you know what is the ironic thing about this normal looking warm barley soup? Among all the dishes we had that day, this was the best surprise! It wasn't choked with sugar yet tasty enough for me to down two bowls! 

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Location
Block 101, Yishun Avenue 5,
#01-93 [within Chong Pang]

Price
Sambal Kangkong (m) - S$9.00
Snowflake Beancurd (m) - S$18.00
Honey Ribs - S$16.00
Chilli Crab and Crab Bee Hoon Soup - S$87.50
Barley Soup - Free
Rice - S$0.60 a bowl

Menu
As above.

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