Tidbits about Taiwan

On our last stop to Taiwan. I would like to talk more about its weather, food, people and whatever that comes to my mind.

Do you know that the Taipei airport  offers free half day tour for tourist? Here is the link: http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/tour/index.htm

And if you are staying over nights, I would suggest to stay at the W-Taipei hotel. Its location is next to the MTR, which is very convenient for train rides and their service is outrageous!

Welcome gift is awaiting in your room ...

Summer is always hot and humid and depending on the timing, you maybe meet by typhoons. If you are not on the center of the typhoon, consider yourself lucky but still you can't escape the rains. I heard December is the best time to travel there.

Despite the hot and humid weather, Taiwan has a lot to offer especially if you are up for an adventurous. And their foods! They have quite a number of night markets and you would find a lot of snacks. All kinds, from mushrooms, seafood, soup, mango shave iced and more.

Places that I would recommend:
- Visiting the Night Markets (http://journeyofmylifendestiny.blogspot.com/2012/11/night-market-in-taiwan.html)
- Taroko National Park (http://journeyofmylifendestiny.blogspot.com/2012/11/journey-to-taroko-national-park-taiwan.html)
- Sun Moon Lake (http://journeyofmylifendestiny.blogspot.com/2012/11/journey-to-sun-moon-lake.html)
- Watching Sun Rise at Mount Ali (http://journeyofmylifendestiny.blogspot.com/2012/10/journey-to-mount-ali-taiwan.html)
- Ximending shopping area, clothing here are really inexpensive and you can try them on as well. Eventhough this place is not the wholesale markets but their prices are not that far off. I also went to wufenpu, garment wholesale market, which literally 1000 shops selling all kind of garments. But the problem with that place is you can't try on which I found it a bit cumbersome.
- Taipei 101, high rise luxury shopping area. We didn't get to go to the top since it was cloudy on the day when were scheduled to go. Oh ... well :-)

- If you love dumplings, you must visit this place and they are de-li-ci-ous! http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g293913-d1013319-Reviews-Din_Tai_Fung_Chung_Hsiao_Road-Taipei.html

Just like when I was in Italy, I found Italians are very very heart-warning, same here in Taiwan. Taiwanese would go out of their ways to help you whenever you ask for it and they are very friendly. Our experiences throughout was nothing but fun. And we can't wait to go back for more delicious delicacies.

Until next stop,
Journey of Life

Journey to the Night Markets in Taiwan

One of the many reasons we visited Taiwan was due to their cuisines. For some of us, they are so irresistible and not to mention beyond affordable. Taiwan's night Markets used to be called “Ghost Markets,” in the ancient time. You can find night markets in most Asian countries, namely, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. In Taiwan, there are a long list of night markets. The most popular ones in northern Taiwan include Shihlin Night Market, Keelung Night Market and Tonghua Street Night Market. Fengchia Night Market and Liuhr Night Market are respectively the most well-known night markets in central and southern Taiwan. 

As the sun sets over in many Taiwanese towns and cities, people are heading for the Night Markets, where a number of street food stalls, sidewalk vendors and small canteens are flooding in some streets in Taiwan. The streets are closed from traffics, only pedestrians are allowed. The idea is you can stroll around while enjoying some inexpensive food. Some of the night markets have live entertainments.

In the night markets,stuff are on sale vary from fresh food ingredients to electronic goods and clothing-but one thing is for sure- you'll always find something good to savor. Typical Taiwanese snacks can be found everywhere, but each night market has its own traditions and characteristics. Known for their low priced, freshly cooked and fast food meals- a night market is great place to taste local cuisine while taking in the their culture and nightlife.

Night market in Kao Xiong, Taiwan

Hope you enjoy today's stop, looking at the Night Market in Taiwan ..

Until next stop,
Journey of Life

Journey to the Taroko National Park, Taiwan

Let's take the train to Hualien, home of the Taroko National Park

A visit to Taiwan without a stop at the Taroko National Park is like visiting Northern California without touching the Golden Gate Bridge. Taroko National Park lies in the Eastern part of Taiwan. Taroko's natural beauty was made possible by the wonder of the highway builders. There, the highway penetrated through mountains, winding stone caves and tunnels. In fact due to its winding route, the tunnel is known as the Nine Turns Tunnel, means forever tunnel. (Chinese loves number nine, the sound of the 'nine' signifies forever.)

A suspension footbridge

Tunnel ...

The tunnel and I :-)

Liwu River

Due to its natural setting where the Liwu river is constantly having friction with its marble mountains, it is fairly common to spot marble surface rocks, like the one below ...

Can you spot me?

The bridge--dedicated to all mothers

The Eternal Spring Shrine was built to commemorate those who died building the Central Cross-Island Highway . This scenary captured the beauty of the water is flowing down into the river and behind the shrine are some stone steps, called “The Heavenly Stairs”, leading up to Guanyin Cave--Guanyin is one of the goddesses in Chinese beliefs--and Changuang Temple. .

Eternal Spring Shrine, Taroko National Park, Hualien on the east coast.

Guanyin Cave

 

Swallow's Grottos (Yanzihgu) are natural cave caused by erosion of the Liwu River . During late spring and early summer, this is known to be the nesting place of thousands of swallows.

 Until next stop,

Journey of Life

Journey to the Sun Moon Lake

Come with me to the Journey of the Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan ...

Sun Moon Lake is located near the center of Taiwan and it is also Taiwan's largest lake. The name derived from its shape as the western side is shaped like a crescent moon and the eastern part is shaped like the sun.

As we arrived at the Sun Moon Lake vicinity, we were met by the rain. And after checked into our hotel which has the lake view, we met our tour guide at the hotel's restaurant where our tummies were satisfied.

On Cloudy day from our room's verandah ...

Another view ...

See ... how well we treated our tummies :-)

We strolled on that very street that night ...

After being controlled by the cloud for a night, the sun decided to take over and the scenery was simply lovely ...

Another look at the view from our verandah the next morning

Love how this photo turned out ... simply gorgeous :-)

Similar but not quite the same ...

Let's board on this boat ...

The Lake and I :-)

And that concluded our journey for the day ...

Until next stop,

Journey of Life

Journey to Mount Ali, Taiwan -Searching for the Sun...

Watching sunrise and sunset have always been activities that most of us love to do when we are traveling. Despite the old saying that there is only one sun in the world, and it looks the same regardless of where you are. But then, why does the sun look incredibly amazing when we are somewhere away from home?

Perhaps it is due to the setting, the atmosphere, the feeling that it has created, making us feel the difference... making us feel its beauty ...

In fact, that was exactly what we did when we visited Taiwan lately, my hubby and I were up at 3:00 AM (yes, you read it right? 3:00 A.M :-)) And it was cold out there despite being in the middle of the Summer. It was chilly and rainy outside. At 3:30 AM, we stepped outside of our hotel and guess what?! We weren't the only people, they were myriad of folks out there, young and old.

Fearing that train tickets may be sold out, we ran like crazy. As we arrived at the ticket booth and purchased our tickets, our excitements surged to the roof but worrisome seemed to creep in--we may not make it to the first train. The train didn't arrive for another hour or so, but the line was already jam-packed like our typical lines at the amusement parks, Disney Land or Disney World. Standing inside the ancient train which climbed about 2000 meters upward gave us the excitement--made it to the first train-- yet puzzling feeling --whether we would be able to see the sun in that weather.

It took about an hour or so before we found ourselves standing at the top of the mountain. To our amazement, there were already many stalls of food vendors, selling warm soup, tea, noodles and breakfast. And lucky us, we managed to snatch a good spot for our camera to snap some potential sunset photos and the indescribable scenery at that moment...

Me, buying ticket at 3:30 am in the morning

A proof that I lined up ...

Check out the crowd!

The train and I

That guy was quite an entertainer --keeping us from looking at our watch and feeling at ease while waiting for the sun to peek out ...

And the sun?

Where was the sun? The question that was asked by thousands of tourists on that day. The sun didn't manage to show her face but instead she was hiding behind those thick cloud sending the rest of us home with disappointment. Perhaps the sun had decided to play a joke on us by playing 'peek-a-boo' game... Perhaps that Mount Ali wanted us to come back to uncover more of his hidden beauty ...

Whatever the reasons might be ... I hope you enjoy this journey with me and ...

Until next stop,
Journey of Life

Egypt's Past and Its Unknown Future ...

When I read the prompt of the day from our very own BlogFest's host, Jessie Williams of A Crazy Beautiful Disaster, Dear Past Me/Future Me. I was bit puzzled as what to write. Especially Friday is my 'travel day.' As I was constructing my thoughts, all of the sudden, my mind traveled back to Egypt to visit its past and the unknown future ...

There are still couple more places that I like to take you all to in Egypt, such as the Kom Ombo Temple where the inscriptions on the wall have proven that medical practices that are still valid today has existed since 3000 years ago in Egypt as well as the 365 days and leap years that you and I know.

On this wall, there is a proof that the calendar was invented as well as the leap years was calculated 3000 years ago

Can you spot the medical instruments?

Then there is this Karnak Temple, which is considered the largest temple in Egypt. And what set it apart from others temples and sites in Egypt is that it took about thirty pharaohs to make the temple what it is today.

The avenues of the Sphinxes

Hypostyle Hall--134 enormous columns

The Obelisk of Thutmose I, one out of four original obelisks that are still standing today

Those temples and Obelisks have represented Egypt's past glory, where the greatest civilization was once stood tall. When the archaeologist found the unfinished obelisk, they were left in conundrum. They can't understand how the ancient Egyptians were able to move the huge rock, shaped and carve it then let it standing for thousand of years. And the question --why was the obelisk was left unfinished-- still remains mystery.

 

Unfinished Obelisk

Perhaps, the ancient Egyptians wanted to leave this Unfinished Obelisk behind for their future generation to complete. Perhaps they want the future generation to unfold its unknown future ...

Until next stop,

Journey of Life