I arrived quite late, it took 4-5 h to fly from Singapore to Taiwan's capital Taipei. I slept most of the time. I chose a budget airflight, Aussie Tiger Airways, I don't think I'll use them again unless that's my only choice. It's like Ryanair in Europe however one good thing was that I got 3 seats for myself and slept on all of them. ^^ The plane was quite full still I had no one beside me!!
I managed to get my bag and come through immigration quite early. however when I came out I couldn't see Sangbong-unni anywhere, to be honest i started to panic abit since I don't know mandarin language (except a few words) never been to Taiwan before.
After 15 min I got a text saying she was on her way, finally when we met i got so happy!
I havent seen her for 1 year and it felt so good seeing each other again.
Unni said we were going to take a bus then change for another bus etc to get to her house. However I asked how much a taxi would cost and she said around 200 swedish krona. bus would have had been maybe 50. but being exhaused i said i'd pay, since taxi sounded better in my ears!
The taxi ride took maybe 1 h and we were dropped off right infront of unni's house.
I had to carry my heavy bag up 3 floors...i almost fell on my back but managed to stay up.
After greeting her parents, put my bag in unni's room we went out for a late dinner ^^
We ended up at Mos burger! I had a rice burger. instead of bread it was rice rapped around the burger! totally awesome and only in Asia ^^
I also spotted a very funny thing - when there is a green light the "green man" is walking,however when it's only a few sec left he starts to run like crazy ^^;; so funny!! and probably ONLY in Taiwan.
After a quick stop at 7eleven we went home, took a shower then went to bed!
Rice burger
Next morning we headed out, first we walked abit then had breakfast at a local place, i had some kind of tuna omelette. it was very nice. And I also bought a milk tea! (Taiwanese milktea is AWESOME)
Then we headed to Maokong cable car. in order to get to the top we took a bus, it was a bumpy ride!
we took a all glass car, so i could see everything, unni was scared, she hates hights!
After maybe 20min we came down, it was a long ride but very fun! I could see much of Taipei!
View from the cablecar
Afterwards we went to Taipei Zoo. First we went to the Taiwanese animal section, it was very interesting.
I think we spent half a day in there. I think I saw 50 different kinds of turtles!! not so fun after 20 of them.
Anyway I also got to see pandas, i think we stayed where the pandas were for over then 1 h. not my plan but the rain kept on pouring down! however at 5pm we had to leave since they closed. lucky enough the rain stopped after 5 min we went out.
Found this inside the Zoo.. XD
We ended up in downtown Taipei, close to City hall.. First we checked some shopping in a shopping mall close by then met up with unni's friend Emma-li and had dinner at a Taiwanese restaurant! All dishes were Taiwanese styled food, it was different from chinese food, I've always thought it was similar but it's very different!! I was happy that they took me to such a great restaurant!! SangBong unni said that Emma-Li knows alot of great restaurants in Taipei!
After dinner we went to a bookstore, i bought a magazine from Anna Sui, one of my fave brands, and also a dvd with Japanese singer Ayaka.
Later we headed to Wu-fen, a night shopping district. I found many cute clothes and accessories. I also got discount, my bargain skills are awsome even though I do not speak any Chinese!! :P
Stinking tofu
Next morning we went to "Stinking tofu street". I've wanted to try the stinking tofu for quite some time, and finally I managed to find it and actually eat it. And not only did I find it.. it even have a whole street of its own!! XD
First I managed to find tofu icecream, and I have to say it was yummy!
As for the stinking tofu, it's extreeeeeeeeeemly popular among Taiwanese people and the taste wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. People have kept on telling me stuff so I thought it was going to be even worse. Taste was kinda okay however the smell - I have no words!! I thought I went in to a barn filled with animals and their feces... (^^;;)
I was brave enough to try two different kinds of it, cooked and BBQ stinking tofu, I think I liked the BBQ one more... I wouldn't say yummy but better!
Well back in downtown Taipei people gathered around a tent so we had to check it out, 1 meter infront of me actor Mike He popped up! At first I didn't recognize him, he looks way better on tv :P Still cool to see him close up! I don't think it will EVER happen again XD
Afterwards we dodged the fan girls went to the movies, and saw the final HARRY POTTER movie in 3D. Unni asked me to speak in English when buying the tickets and snacks and to both of our surprise they were good! Normally they have 1 or 2 people who knows English somewhat. You rather say words than a whole sentence! Anyway we got good seats and enjoyed the movie!
When we came out we headed to the annual manga convention, I was in chock! there were so many people lining up, and inside even more!! We spent several hours inside, it was really something I have never experienced before!!! Some things they sold there were (O_o;;) I mean the ones who bought those things were children! My parents would have beaten the crap out of me or my brother if we bought things like that! (For you to get a picture.. imagine a pillow as big as a human being and on the cover a young girl is dressing up in very sexy lingerie!!!)
Anyway I found some clearfiles, Skipbeat and K-on, a One Piece bag and a NANA paperbag ^^
In the evening we went to another night market, a very popular one. it was so crowded!
I bought a helmet, strawberry "shaped".. totally AWSOME!! we also tried some delicious food, mango bingsu, Taiwanese styled sausage...and finally REALLY REALLY Stinking tofu.
The really really stinking one was too much for me, I tried several bites but no. the taste and smell was too much to handle! I thought I was gonna throw up. So in the end I just took some mushroom soup ^^
On our way home we passed many petshops and so cute puppies and kittens!!I wanted them all. After a few meters we passed what I thought was a café, however it was a dog biscut shop!!!
At 7eleven I found some funny drinks, and i bought myself a chocolate milk tea drink!! strange yet tasty!!
Next morning we headed to church.
After church we had breakfast/lunch at a mall in Taipei main station. we had taiwanese beef noodles, and some dumplings. it was really nice, and so cheap!!! I wish we could buy food this cheap in Sweden too!!
Since for some reason ASIAN people do not drink much WHEN eating, i had to buy something after lunch, I bought a green tea bubble tea with "sakura" bubbles!! so awesome. I also found other yummy things but too full to be able to eat any of them.
Soon we headed to Ximen ding, a popular shopping area, however as soon as we arrived the rain started to pour down!! so we tried to find stores to walk in!! soon the rain stopped and we could walk outside again!
Once again a fameous person popped up in front of me, Jam (2nd winner of Taiwanese superstar) and Jolin Tsai!! My friend was like: I'm born and grew up here in Taiwan but I have never seen these people in real life before then you show up and see all of them! What can I say..I'm lucky!? (^0^) however I wish I could have had seen JJ Lin, Jerry Yan or someone else..I like ^^
In Ximen they also had a ABSOLUTE vodka exhibition, but taiwanese styled! So cool...Swedish still changed into Taiwanese! ^^
They also had a Hawaii Five-0 promotion thing where u should test your balance! which I did.. and I also got a price, a towel! (always useful)
On our way back I stopped at a travelbag store and found a really cute bag, perfect for my week trip to Japan! and the price was so good that I had to buy it! ^^
Unni just laughed and said that I buy new stuff every day and now a bag!! ^^
I said that I have saved all my money in order to buy things in Asia!! besides it is so cheap in Taiwan compare to Sweden!!!
Soon we headed up to the Miramar ferris wheal! The thing you ALWAYS see on Taiwanese dramas! Before going up we had a PUDDING milk tea, they seriously put a whole pudding in the bottom of the "glass". I asked unni how to drink it and she said: suck it up! (^^;;)
Pudding milk tea
The night view of Taipei was just like all other Asian countries, filled with lights! And 101 could of course be spotted!! (the Taipei 101 can be spotted from most places in Taipei)
For my final dinner we met up with Emma-Li and had a taiwanese hotpot/shabushabu similar dish. very nice and great company.
Before heading home we went to a 24h bookstore. I found a learning "chinese characters" book for a good price! I have no idea when I'll learn but some time will hopefully come my way ^^ What was good with this book was that while you study each charater it lets you know why the characters look just like they do. In my opinion many of them look too complicated :P so I hope this book will make it clearer!
I were surprised that so many people were gathered infront of the store, just hanging around, talking, playing games etc!
On our way back to the underground I was captured by a light and stopped and walked backwards! it was bank..and the interia was ALL in PINK!! I wonder if they have any male customers (^^;;)
Wonder if they have any male customers ^^
Back in unni's neighbourhood we went to a supermarket and I shopped lots of food, candy and some drinks. (all to send home to Sweden) To walk around in supermarkets and markets for that reason in other countries is always fun! And this time I had an expert with me on what's good etc ^^
Next morning before heading to the airport we went to the post office and sent most of the stuff back home to Sweden! (^^;;)
For final breakfast I had a Taiwanese omelette again ^^ and some milktea. In my mind I thought "I'm so gonna miss Taiwanese milk tea".
We took a taxi to a hotel downtown, where the airportbus went from. At the airport I checked in fast then bought some souvenirs for my "aunts" in Japan and posted my postcards that I had forgot to do earlier at the post office.
It was finally time to say goodbye to unni. we only had 4 days togetheer. I wanted to cry!!
When I passed immigration the lady told me: You really have a long name. (I have 3 names, first names and middle names..)
checked duty free then boarded the flight for Seoul, S. Korea.
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