Life's Little Pleasures....and those that are not.: short but fulfilling trip to Taiwan...

I went on a very short and last minute holiday to Taiwan the past weekend...it was short but very very fulfilling in many many ways...

Things went badly from the beginning actually - i lost my luggage. Yep! The first time in my entire traveling history..AND the only time that I did not get any insurance for that matter..I arrived at TaoYuan Intl airport..went through customs and went to collect my lugguage..something was not right when there were only 4 items left on the belt..haiz..went to report to the China Airlines CS and they were so comforting and friendly..* i had thought about this situation every single time i traveled* while waiting to fill in the forms the phone rang and I felt like God was shining on me..the person that took the luggage was outside at the arrival hall...we immediately rushed out to get my bag..the couple was Singaporean..their luggage was similar to mine with green ribbon (theirs had 2 ribbons actually and their luggage was blue..mine's black =P)..she kept apologising and I was only glad I got it back..hahaha...this was like the scariest thing that happened to me but at least I've learnt how to handle it..

My friend asked me..how to guarantee ppl won't purposely take away others luggage..I told this friend that that person would be you..since you are already thinking about it...

Anyway..we took a cab to TaoYuan High Speed Railway station..about 15 mins I think (too shocked to pay attn)...took a 750+pm rail to Tainan...it was really on the dot..even the arrival time into Tainan was on the dot too...I was amazed..it was like timed down...anyway..we met a Taiwanese lady..so nice..asked her to get tix for us and she was talking to herself that the 'reserved' seats were 1250ntd - she felt it was too expensive..she bought the 'non-reserved' ones - 1105ntd (..the whole journey she was apologising as it was pretty full and it was expensive (after 8pm there's a discount i think)..she was so cute..and she was 28 or 29..with 2 kids!! on the train she received a call..she told me that her friend working with her at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi 新光三越 was fired (they say ' fire diao le') and was told that becoz her sales wasn't good enough..she need not go to work the next day..this is how serious the recession is..

anyway..I didn't take much photos there as it was really short and I was going from place to place..here's some photos as well as minimal descriptions:

Day 1: arrival lor..than took train to Tainan..I was too shocked to think or even take photos..we had dinner from 7-11..alot of microwave-able food that are really tasty..next time..I will remember to eat 1 meal from their 7-11...also must remember to wei po it..or something..hahahaha...

Day 2: Shin Kong Mitsukoshi [lunch and shopping for Lush and Jill Stuart =) ] night was spent at Flower garden night market (花園夜市) as it was open on Sat night..there were so many games there..I was telling my friend that these games will flop in SG coz ppl here think about winning % that the game will not work..hhaha..no one will spend the money to try lor...haiz...

My lunch at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi 新光三越台南新天地 it was beef ramen I think..so much that I could not finish it at all..only managed 3/4 I think..

Day 3: Went back to Taipei. Lunch was Sushi onboard...

There's english words - so still quite safe...this time we took the 'reserved' seating..was about 100+ntd more than 'non-reserved'.

Our seat no...like aircraft hor?

My lunch..8 pc sushi..only 100ntd about (S$4)..bought from the station..

ME! first picture of me..hahahah.....

=0>The view of the train ride..nothing like SG..all the mountains and greenery..just relaxing...and somewhat romantic too...the ride from tainan to taipei station is about 1 hr 30min I think...

Tainan's weather is similar to SG..rather warm I feel (was wearing T-shirt and jeans) in Taipei..its different..it was much much cooler..and with the wind..it was like air-coniditioned room..

Also, since taipei is city..high-rise buildings are inevitable..I tried to capture this..the light a-top the building seems to be a heart-shaped..but obviously my camera can't capture lor..

Checked into Burgary Hotel - this was just outside Ximenting area..about 3000ntd per night...
IV>After that it was shopping time..went to WuFenPu and Shilin Night Market..since it was a Sunday..it was pretty quiet..so advisable to go to the markets on Sunday..

'MRT' line...

MRT tokens..looks like carpark tokens hor?

My dinner..went back to XiMenTing..a japanese restuarant that I realised came to SG already (Azabu Sabo or something)..I was missing the dessert so I sort of insisted going back there...becoz...we wanted to eat xiao chi along the street..after ordering the chong you prata..i think the health officers or police came and the pushed the cart away..we went to get a drink at the 7-11 and when we came out we can't find the auntie..so I say to go eat at the restuarant...but...i think I am suay or something..the dessert I wanted was oos..haiz..so I still never got to eat it..think this Sat I want to go to Marina Sq to eat le...

Day 4: Burgary hotel offers breakfast delivered to your room..so why not..I woke up at around 8am to wait for breakfast although I slept at around 330am..was wondering what they'd deliver..the door bell rang and I opened..the auntie gave me 2 brown paper bag..I was like huh...it was KFC!!!

Very nice and yummy..its pita skin with sausage and egg..hehehe...very filling too...and came with a cup of orange juice (Aside to Ami n Mic - this was much much better than what we had in Rainbow..hahaha)

Entrance of the hotel..lobby..it is small..and alot of ppl stay there...alot of couples..I think due to the Vday weekend...

just outside the hotel...to the left will be XiMenTing's entrance....very cold day...maybe coz I was going back...the building in the photo is partyworld!!and its the whole building!!!Ami, Mic..we know where to go le!!!

Went to NYNY for coffee..ahaha..our flight was at 630pm and checkout was at 12noon..so we decided to go 101..but..it was drizzling and it was foggy....

This was one of the clearer photos that when the fog/clouds cleared for 5 seconds that I captured..other than this it was like walking to a glass that contained smoke from dry ice??similar la..what I mean is you can't see anything lor..hahaha...oh..this was 89th floor..the lift took about 20sec???!!!damn cool and they turned off the lights in the lift..the CS there can speak like all sorts of language..english not that good la...EG:

This was a display..suddenly my friend saw the warning and I was like..hahaa..so evil that I took a photo on the spot and post it here...

The device that was giving us a free tour..but becoz we couldn't see the horizon that it was asking us to..it was kinda useless...nonetheless..it was good info...=)

101 was really tall so this was the damper that sort of stablises the building..I find that it looks like a honey container..the one that pooh has..we wanted to go 91st floor which is the outdoor observatory but due to the fog..it was closed..haiz..sad....

Outside 101..hiding from the freaking cold wind...it was drizzling actually...felt like it was snowing..hahaha..i think too much sometimes...we were deciding if we should head back to have lunch or eat there...decided to head back..just in case...

Lunch at XiMenTing's Fish House/Nest...my hot bubble tea!!!!I've been missing this for 2 years!!!!

Looks good right??my last lunch there...this was so freaking filling...

IV>Lastly, my loots from this trip..I spent alot..but mostly on Jill Stuart and Lush..not much clothes... and I did not even step into Watsons...hahahah