Taiwan Day 2 - 9 Dec 2010

So day 2 continues...

The hotel breakfast ends at 9.30am daily. For our case, it is pretty early in the morning as we normally wake up in the noon. But nevertheless, we managed to drag our lazy ass out of bed. Lucky us, the breakfast was delicious! Surprisingly, it was good for a small scale hotel. There was Chinese and western breakfast available. The scramble eggs were so yummy! I kinda miss it now! :(

After breakfast, we walked out to JianTan Station (劍潭站). It was only a 7 minutes’ walk, relatively near to our hotel. Below is a map for your convenience. However, there is really no real need for it as the station architecture is quite distinct.

This is this station; keep a look out for it, though it is quite hard to miss.

At the station, we purchased our Easy Card (悠游卡)from one of the machines there. The machines allow you to select English, so there is no need to worry about not being able to read Chinese. 

The adult Easy Card cost NT$500(SGD$21.70), NT$100(SGD$4.30) is the deposit which you will be able to get it back when you return the card at the end of your trip. The remaining value can be used for trains or buses and even boat rides!! Top up of the card is readily available at all the stations. Transfers between the metro and bus systems offer 20% discounts which are automatically taken when the card is scanned. 

Website for more details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EasyCard 

This is how the card looks like.

The train is quite clean actually. And unlike Singapore, they are very particular about the priority seats! Those seats are normally in blue and even when the train is super pack, no one will take those seats unless he/she is old, pregnant, handicap or mother with child etc.

We were very impressed by their system and that everyone is so disciplined. Even when you are waiting for the train or bus, people queue up for them. This really makes Singapore pale in comparison.

Okay, enough of the comparisons talk. The stop we are alighting at is called the XinBeiTou Station (新北投站). That is where the famous hot springs are located. Journey takes around 15 minutes.

 

When alighted from the train, follow the sign board to the Beitou Hot Spring Museum (北投温泉博物馆). Here is a map for you to get your bearings right.

A: XinBeiTou Station (新北投站), B: Hot Spring Museum (温泉博物馆) /Public Hot Spring (千禧汤)

Once again, when you are out of the Station, you will come to this big junction, head straight up the hill towards the apartment and on the right, will be the Hot Spring Museum. It takes approximately 10 minutes to walk up there. 

You will walk pass this weird looking building along the way. It is actually a library. We didn’t go in to take a look, maybe you can. :)

Our initial plan was to visit the Hot Spring Museum (温泉博物馆), then soak in the Public Hot Spring (千禧汤), followed by the Hell Valley/Geothermal Valley(北投地熱谷).

 Hot Spring Museum (温泉博物馆) was boring like hell; we didn't even bothered to take any photos. But if you are the kind that is into history, maybe that is the place for you. 

Entrance fee: free.  

Opening hours: Close on Monday and public holidays, 9am-5pm.

Public/Millennium hot spring (千禧汤) is next to the museum. Probably another 3 minutes walk downwards. Once again, there was a change of our plan, we decided to go for a private hot spring session in one of the hotel around that area instead. Anyway for your info, here is something to take note for the public hot spring.

 

Admission: NT$40 (SGD$1.60), Locker: NT$20 (SGD$0.80)

Operating hrs: 8.30am-11.15am, 12pm-2.20pm, 3.30pm-6.15pm, 7pm-9.45pm

Tel: (02) 28937014

The gap in the timings are the washing session, plan properly if not you will be wasting time waiting there.

This map summarizes the places you might want to visit in XinBeiTou. 

We headed down to the Hell Valley (北投地熱谷) first like what I had mentioned earlier. Here a map to guide you.

Hell Valley (北投地熱谷) also known as the Geothermal Valley is a natural sulfur hot spring where water temperature reaches 100 degrees!!!! It is very beautiful there. And despite the cold weather, we can actually feel the warmness for the steam coming out of the water.

Opening hours: 0900 to 1700 hrs. Closed on Mondays/PH

After we finished snapping photos, we left for our private hot spring session. I cannot remember the name of the hotel we went to. But there is countless number of hotel you can choose from to suit your needs and requirements. So just look around if you are not rushing for time.

For ours, we took up this package where we paid around NT$500(SGD$21.70) for it. The room has a little living room and a toilet when the soaking will be. You will be able to use the room for 2 hrs. From the next two pictures below, the room is quite nice. Although the money we paid is so much more then the Public Hot Spring, we thought that it is still quite worth it.

Even toiletries are provided!

For your info: Avoid bathing in hot springs 30 minutes before eating a meal, and one hour after a meal. Each session of soaking be also be 30 minutes, as you will get very dehydrated from it.

Do check out this website for dos and don't s: http://www.go2taiwan.net/product.php?pid_for_show=24

We left XinBeiTou for Danshui (淡水站), which is only a few stops away.

As we were feeling very hungry and BF had cravings for ramen, we stop at this ramen shop for lunch.

Remember the name of the shop clearly, or how the bowl look like or whatever. Just don't step in!! The food is reasonable prices, but the ramen sucks! Seriously, it is so plain, even instant noodles taste better.

 

 We kept changing our itinerary, but that's the good point of hanging a free and easy trip. We are not tied down to anything. We are supposed to go straight to the Ferry Pier (淡水客船码) to take a boat over to the Lovers Bridge (情人桥) to catch the sunset. But as we are so freaking so sunset, we took a short walk in the Old Streets of Danshui (淡水老街).

Just bear in mind one time, if you are going accordingly to what we are doing, do not buy anything from the old streets first. As later, we will be taking a boat ride; you wouldn't want to be carrying so many things.

So anyway, this is how the old streets look like.

As we had some time on our hand, we visited the Believe It Or Not (搜奇博物馆). 

It has unique exhibitions for specimens of extraordinary creatures, animals and human such as the largest mouse, tiniest human skull, chicken with four-legs etc.

Entrance Fee: NT$90 (SGD$3.70)

Place is pretty small, nothing much to see also la. But since the entrance fee is still quite cheap, and since you are there, might as well.

We took some funny photos from inside.

We left for the Danshui Ferry Pier (淡水客船码) after that. Just walk along this street by the river and you will soon be able to locate the pier. Maybe about a 5 minutes’ walk perhaps.

We came across this Fish Ball Museum which apparently BF finds it very hilarious and insisted to take a photo of it.

 

This is what you should see to be sure that you are at the right spot. 

Head over to purchase a ticket to go to Fisherman Wharf (渔人码头), that is where the Lover Bridge (情人桥) is. You can actually pay for the ride with your Easy Card, but we only realized that after we bought the tickets. It cost the same anyway. 

 

Boat ride: NT100(SGD$4.20), Two way trip

Operating hours: 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-10pm Sat & Sun

Or take Bus Red-26, 836, or 837 over to Lover Bridge, cheaper than boat ride but less exciting.

The Lover Bridge!

   Bf looking all nice and warm! It’s very windy there, so bring along a windbreaker, gloves or beanie or whatever you need to keep you warm if not you will be shivering like nobody business.

As sunset is around 5pm in winter season, we still have some time to kill. So we ended up in this little cafe which turns out to be very nice and cosy. And the view is spectacular!

There are many nice cafes around that area, you can either choose to have tea there or spend some money to have some expensive seafood by the river!!!

I don’t know how the cat got there, it’s all rocks behind!! :~

Our tea, which cost us around NT$300(SGD$13), I cannot remember the exact price. Not the cheapest food we have tasted, but it is still alright.

The sun is really beautiful.

We went back to the bridge shortly after as the sun is starting to set. Enjoy the beautiful photos and also our camwhoring pictures! :D

Hohoho! The mask man!!

We took the boat ride back to Danshui, where crazy shopping begins!! If you really enjoy the cold breeze, stand outside of the boat instead of seating down. Its more fun that way.

Goodbye bridge!!

Once we are back at Danshui Old Street, we were attracted by this talented guy. He was drawing portraits of others, and he is really good!

We waited for our turn and had ours drawn for NT$500(SGD$21.70), all he takes is 20 minutes! So impressive. The drawing comes with a frame too! You will get to see the drawing in the later part of the post, so read on!!

Please go try out their local delicacies even if you are not hungry. These are some of the must try food.
1) Grandma Iron Eggs/TieDan
2) A-Gei, deep fried tofu with crystal noodles and surimi
3) Tamsui fish balls, fish paste stuffed with meat and garlic served in alight broth
4) Fish Crisps, crispy fish snacks
5) Ah Xiang Barbecued Quail Eggs
6) Ah Ma’s Sour Plum drink

We actually didnt eat much also la. We tried the quail eggs. 16 quail eggs for NT$50(SGD$2.10), cheap right!!

This steamed pork dumpling (珍珠包) is the best! 8 for NT$35($1.50), 12 for NT$50(SGD $2.10). It is somewhere similar to Xiao Long Bao (小龙包)! It is so juicy and the skin is so tender! Best of all, it is so damn cheap!

 

We left Danshui after all the eating and buying. However if you do have some time or if you are interested, you may visit the Fort San Domingo (紅毛城). It was originally a wooden fort built by the Spanish in 1629 at Tamsui on the northwestern coast of Taiwan. It is a historically site with a beautiful sunset. 

Entrance Fee: NT$60(SGD$2.40)

Opening hours: 9am to 5 pm, close on Mondays/PH

Website: http://www.tshs.tpc.gov.tw/fore/en1-1.asp

Here the map to lead you from Danshui Station (A) to Fort San Domingo (紅毛城)(B).

This was initially in our itinerary, but we cancel that as we realized we are just not into any historical sites. Our aim purpose is just to shop and eat. :p

We head back to our hotel and here are our purchases from Danshui. 

Here is the drawing I was telling you about. Does it look like us?

As usual, Bf was feeling hungry, and I was feeling the urge to need to go to Shilin Night Market(士林夜市), we head out of the hotel after we drop off our stuffs. 

So here is our supper!!!! We are really growing fat at this rate!!

 So pie thingy with meat and cheese! NT$45(SGD$1.90) each! Very delicious!!

Chicken wings going for NT$11(SGD$0.40) each!

 Sausages which I forgot how much it cost.

 Oyster Mee Sua! NT$35(SGD$1.50) for a small bowl!

 Bubble tea! Must try to see the difference between Singapore and theirs! Of course theirs is better! NT$45(SGD$1.90) for a medium cup. 

My favorite part of the post. Such a strong sense of satisfaction!! Our combined purchases from Day 2 part 1! So happy! The shirts i bought cost me only NT$390(SGD$16) for TWO!!!! It is such a steal!! :D

Day 3: Miniature Museum (袖珍博物館), Guanghua Digital Plaza (光華商場), Taipei 101 (台北101), WuFenPu (五分埔)!!!