My Taiwan Journey: Taipei City Adventure

Before i dive into my experience in Taiwan, allow me to briefly share some tips and guides of traveling to the country.

Language

Definitely Mandarin speaking. It was a challenge for me to communicate with them, what more bargain, with the most basic mastery of the language. But it was fun and ultimately, do not let your fear of the language discourage you from visiting the beautiful country. Some of the Taiwanese might know Hokkien, and if you are in luck, you might bump into some English speaking ones!

Weather

My experience in Taipei, Taiwan stretched over 6 days in the first week of December. The weather varies from chilly to cold- a jacket was fine for me. Possibility of rain is moderate to high (3 out of the 6 days were raining) so prepare raincoats or umbrellas when traveling. Sky may be gloomy and overcast. Day becomes dark earlier. Otherwise when sunny, traveling is easy.

Currency

The money used in Taiwan is the New Taiwan Dollar, NT- lowest 1 dollar to 1000 dollar seen in my trip.

Chairman Hotel

I would recommend this hotel. It is strategically located, where the Taipei Main Station MRT is a few blocks away on the right of the entrance and food stalls in walking distance from the hotel. The hotel is small and cozy, enough for me to rejuvenate after tiring days of traveling. Breakfast in the morning at 7 am which serves local dishes (porridge, minced pork, tofu, 'man tou' or bun, bread, fried egg with 'choi pou', etc) or you can walk around the hotel for greater choices of breakfast dishes. It has free Internet service (but i did not bring my device to get connected) and safe box, and every time you leave the hotel for traveling, you surrender the keys at the front desk- rest assured, you can tra vel comfortably until you return.

Public Transportation (Metro MRT and bus)

One word to describe- reliable! The public transportation is well organized and mostly on time. I bought the one-day unlimited pass whereby i could use the MR T service infinitely for one day at NT 200 (refundable deposit of NT 50). The MRT connects to various tourist spots and with English signage accompanied, there is no need to fear getting lost. The officers at the Information Counter can assist you if you are not sure. In short, using the public transportation service was rather convenient.

Toilet

I was impressed by the cleanliness of the washrooms in Taiwan. Those at tourist spots and shops are well kept, and the toilets in the rest houses along the freew ay are clean. For once, i don't mind stopping to use the public washrooms!

*****

Before going to Taiwan, i did plenty of research, especially since i do not speak Mandarin fluently (not proud being a 'banana'). I surfed through sites to help me get familiarized with the places and read reviews by members of those sites. I got the map prin ted in my head, get the directions to places, simply being prepared. And i can tell you now those hours of research was fruitful. It is always better to be prepared so the travel experience can be felt to the fullest- now i am returning the favour by sharing my experience with those who wish to visit Taiwan.

Taiwan shapes like a leaf and its capital, Taipei, lies somewhere in the northern region of the country. Previously known as Formosa- which means 'beautifu l island' in Portuguese, there are many things that came to my mind about Taiwan. Being a food lover, I made it my mission to try the dishes Taiwan boasts and serves, which placed food number one on my list. Next was the geological sights which i, in my coming paragraphs, will explain why it was my second.

We (my family) arrived in Taiwan late at night, checked-in to our hotel and slept with our stomachs calling for food. The next day arrived, brewing with anticipation and excitement, to discover Taiwan. We were introduced to our taxi guide for our scheduled half day tour. His name is Jacky (and if you need a taxi recommendation, i can give you hi s details. He speaks Mandarin, Hokkien, some Cantonese and English, is a pleasant and kind man, and his taxi fits seven people).

Martyr's Shrine
Our first stop after breakfast in the hotel. We briefly noticed a marching parade that ended as soon as we parked our vehicle. The crowd eased and we made our

way into the Shrine- going through the iconic arch at its entrance.

The arch at the entrance.

Inside.

Walking quietly in the Shrine, i found the visit comforting because of its tranquil surrounding. There are informative boards in English to read. The Civilian Martyr's Shrine is of one of the halls. It pays tribute to those who dedicated their lives in the earl y phase of the national revolution and martyr's who died after the founding of the Republic. It is called a Civilian Martyr's Shrine as those enshrined here held no military ranks in their l ife.

One of the boards wrote 'One Hundred Thousand Youths, One Hundred Thousand Soldiers', which captured my attention. It was quoted by the late President Chiang Kai Shek who summoned his fellow countrymen to join the Army- ultimately displaying patriotism and loyalty to the country and the leaders which led to their victory.

The next hour came and it was time for the change of shifts of guard.

Marching to their shifts, this change of guards is conducted every hour from 9 am. You can hear the loud crackles of their boots as they marched into the Shrine. Prepare your cameras!

Without noticing the time, i spent nearly an hour in the Shrine before moving on to our next destination.

How to get there: Take Wenhu Line to Dazhi Station then bus 208.

National Palace Museum
One of the top museums, i was looking forward to visit the museum. Unfortunately, i was there on Sunday and the crowd was massive! General admission fee is NT 160. No photograph permitted in the museum.

If you are pressed for time- as i was for two hours in the museum, be selective as it is a big museum (at least three hours would be good). I decided to go for the 'must-see' in the museum: Jadeite Cabbage Qing Dynasty, Jade Phoenix Pendant with Dragon Crown Late Shang Dynasty, Ivory Ball, to name a few.

Frankly, i would enjoy the museum more if not for the crowd.

How to get there: Take Tamshui Line to Shilin Station then bus Red 30.

Princess House
Claimed to be the fourth generation of princess, this visit is a place which sells Lingzhi and royal jelly, like honey, said to have health benefits. We were provided with samples to taste the items and whether on not to buy depends on us. We were shown the method to estimate the age of the mushroom- by the bark rings like of a tree.

Later we were stunned to be shown a sealed, dried deer foetus, also said to have health benefits. The foetus was obtained without killing its mother but due to 'abortion' by the mother.

Beef Noodles Soup
Hours of traveling, our taxi guide introduced us to a beef noodles shop. Taiwan, famous for its food, surely has beef noodles at one of the top in the 'must-eat' list- there is the Taipei International Beef Noodle Festival held annually too!

The beef noodle i had was succulent, tasty and flavourful. I have not tasted any better anywhere!

Packs a punch! A bowl costs NT 100 for medium size.

Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall
Impressive! The memorial hall sits in a large open area, surrounded by Chinese style gardens, an art gallery and a lecture hall. When i was there, the pathway leading to the memorial hall was decorated with adorable, black miniature figures. There were children practising dance at the recreational grounds outside the memorial hall.

Climbing up the flight of stairs to the memorial hall sits the late President statue. Spend an hour here to take photographs and simply enjoy the evening ambiance.

At the start of the flight of stairs leading to the entrance of the memorial hall.

How to get there: Take Tamshui Line to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall Station then exit by Exit 5.

Xingtian Temple
The most visited temple in the northern Taiwan. When i was there on Sunday, the practitioners were seeking blessing. The temple was crowded and the queue to be 'blessed' was long. This temple is also known as the En Zhu Temple dedicated to the Guan Gong.

Outside the temple, there is a lady who sells delicious vegetarian fried glass noodles 'tung fan'. Also, there are people outside the temple selling prayer items.

How to get there: Take Luzhou Line to Xingtian Temple Station then exit by Exit 3. Later walk towards Songjiang Rd-Minquan Rd intersection.

Shilin Night Market
Night markets are popular in Taiwan, as if at every corner there is one. And when one speaks of night markets in Taiwan, the famous Shilin Night Market comes to mind. On the Sunday i went, it was jam-packed with visitors. Drowning myself in the sea of people, i felt Shilin is overrated. Perhaps, my Shilin experience was marred because of the enormous crowd.

Dad and i in Shilin Night Market.

Undoubtedly, it has good shopping whereby your bargaining skills can be put to test- souvenir, bags, shoes. Prices are reasonably cheaper here that other places. Liking the Shilin Night Market franchise here in Malaysia, i was looking for the authentic versions of XXL Fried Chicken and the Oyster Noodles. Trust me, there were too many to choose from. Stop at those you see with long queues- because the reason is clear why people are lining up for it!

Dare yourself for a bite of the smelly tofu- you can smell them from a distant. And once you try it, you will never forget the smell. I tried- managed to put it into my mouth but struggled to swallow the tofu down. It was a memorable moment, nonetheless!

Others you can try: oyster omelette, bubble/pearl tea, Taiwanese sausage with rice bun.

How to get there: Take Tamsui Line to Jiantan Station and walk towards Shilin Night Market.

My Taiwan Journey: Taipei City Adventure

My Taiwan Journey: Go Geologic!

My Taiwan Journey: Northern plus Old Meets New