Wednesday, December 24, 2008
6 Dec 08
Day 2
Early in the morning, my parents were supposed to wake up early to attend his church in Taiwan.
My dad called my hotel room and told me that he had decided to go for the 10am session as he was not able to make it for the 8am session.
I went to wash my face, had my breakfast and left the hotel. I lead them all the way to his church. As I did not know that it was a long walk (about half an hour) from the nearest mrt station（中正纪念堂） to his church, therefore he was late for his 10am session.
After which, i walked back to the station and took a train back to 西门町 to print my itineraries that I had planned before going to Taiwan. Next, I went to meet my sis and her friend. We did some shopping and took a train to 中正纪念堂 station to meet up with my parents. We took some pictures of the memorial hall and lake and visited the nearby book store and took a train to 北投 station.
Arriving at 北投 station at 3pm
We took the bus 小9 to Yang Ming Shan (竹子湖）. We boarded the 3.40pm bus.
It took about one and a half hr to reach there. Along the way up Yang Ming Shan, the bus past by a hot spring which has a high content of sulphur and the smell was unbearing. Initially, I did not know that the smell came from the sulphur, thinking it was the smell of the drain water.
小9 bus schedule
Upon reaching 竹子湖, the weather was even colder, the wind was blowing even more strong than in 西门町. It was so cold that smoke could be seen coming out from our mouth as we talked.
Along the way up the mountain, my sister bought her Calla Lilly flower (海芋） and we had our dinner at a restaurant. Most restaurants were almost selling the same food. We had sweet potato soup, 土鸡 （the restaurant speciality) and some kind of fried yam pasteries. The yam pasteries looks nice but do not taste great. After which, we walked up and saw people selling all sorts of fruits. They gave us sample some of their fruits and we bought some. Next, I happened to chanced upon a house which have a sign saying: people were allowed to pluck those calla lillies at their own free will. We went into the backyard and were happily plucking them. Upon leaving the place, an old lady reprimanded us for entering the backyard without asking any permission. We did not know what to do and say and so we apologised to the old lady quickly and left the place as soon as possible and took the 小9 bus back to 北投 station.
On our way back, we met the waiter who had served us just now on the bus. We exchanged conversation and found out from him that we can plucked the calla lillies but we had to give an admission fee to the tender of the backyard in order to do so.
the white flower which my sis was holding is the Calla Lily.
That how Calla Lily looks like.
土鸡 looks ordinary but the meat is very tender.
the yam pasteries looks delicious but was not.
(fake yam fillings)
place taken: at the Calla Lilly farm backyard.
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Upon reaching 北投 station, we alighted the bus and took a train to 淡水 Station.
We walked to 淡水老街 to buy the 铁蛋 and 鱼酥. Along the way, we caught a glimpse of he fireworks up in the air and we took a photo of it. Next we went to tried the speciality there called A-Gei (crystal noodles stuffed in fried bean curd, served with a mild hot sauce). It was so delicious that we ordered 5 bowls as my mum liked it very much. What to say, the sauce was a very special and delicious sauce that goes well with the crystal noodles and beancurd.
Those tiny colourful dots were the fireworks that we had snapped.
the lighted reindeers were the xmas deco at Dan Shui.
Delicious speciality in Dan Shui - A-Gei... Hmmm.. yummy!!
At first, we planned to visit the Fisherman wharf (渔人码头） at Dan Shui to watch the sunset at 7pm (the best place and time to see the sunset). However, we arrived at Dan Shui at 6.30 so it was too late. After eating, we took a train back to 西门町 and went to hunt for Xiao Zhu boutique shop (Stage) together with my neighbour Wei Qi, while my parents went back to the hotel and rest. We asked directions from the people over there and managed to find the shop. Unfortunately, it was too late and the shop has already closed so we shopped around awhile at other stores and head back to our hotel and rest.
Taken outside 西门町 mrt station.
♥ the world will turn WILD.
2:19 PM
