My wife and I visited Taiwan 台湾 in 1982 (28 years ago). It was indeed a long long time ago. After my 2 months overseas assignment, we joined the conducted tour from HongKong. Now we decided to revisit Taiwan. This time we included our daughter 三人行. Since we wanted a more casual trip this time, we opted for a free and easy tour. My daughter did all the planning and booking of hotels and airline tickets on line. Going through all the options and it was near to the time of travel, we decided to book the air tickets from Cathay Pacific 国泰航空. Cathay Pacific plane is required to transit 过境 in HongKong 香港. The transit will stop over at HongKong airport for 2hours.This will give us time to shop at the HongKong airport. We bought the favourite HongKong wife cake 老婆饼 at the transit lounge shop.
During our stay in Taiwan, we got the news on TV that there was a Megi Typhoon 梅基台风that hit Philippines 菲利檳. The Typhoon had caused heavy rain to the eastern part of Taiwan. There was land slide and some China tour groups were affected. The coaches were stuck at the mountainous high way. We were considered very lucky. We only encountered slight drizzles 下小雨 when we were in Taipei 台北. Our returned flight to Singapore via HongKong was also on schedule.
Taiwan had given me some good impression 好印相 for this trip. Here are my positive comments :
.1 Good Public Transport System
We made enquiry from the hotel staff the way to go to the National Palace Museum 国立故宫博物院。We were told to take the MRT from Ximen 西门 to Shilin 士林 station then take a taxi to the destination as it was quite a distance to walk from the MRT station to the museum. We took the MRT to shilin 士林station as told. When we reached the Shilin station, we were greeded by a senior lady asking us where were we heading to. We were not sure if she was the full time staff or she was a volunteer. She told us to take bus 304 or R30 at the Watson 屈臣士bus stop. The bus fare was NT15/pax (S$0.65/pax). We were told to pay the exact amount as the bus driver does not have change. We appreciate her kindness.It was an OMO - one man operation bus. The commuters board the bus at the rear door and dropped in the bus fare to the coins collector before alighting at the front door. All buses are equipped with a LED information panel at the front part of the bus which shows the the next arriving destination and then the actual destination when the bus arrived at the bus stop. It accomanies with an automatic announcement to inform the commuters. This feature is user friendly. The bus driver can concentrate on the road without being distracted by commuters for making enquiries. This is the feature that I wish the Singapore Bus Service Co (SBS)新加玻巴士公司can look into and learn from Taiwan. I remebered a Korean 韩国 PR 永久公民 has written in the news paper recently that he had overshot the Botanical Garden bus stop due to lack of information on board the bus.The LED panel infront only shows BUS STOPPING. He only realised his mistake when he troubled the poor bus driver. I do not blame the Korean PR for making the mistake. I believe many Singaporeans are just as ignorant as me as far as taking buses in Singapore is concerned.
.2 Graciuos Society
We boarded the MRT for Taipei station. Two teenage girls gave up their seats for my daughter and I. We returned the kindness with Thanks. Both of them also alighted at the Taipei station. Giving up the seats for the seniors on our public transports are rare in Singapore. I guess we still have a lot to catch up with Taiwan.
.3 Good manner from the sales staff
I belived the Taiwan people had picked up the well manner behavior habit from the Japanese. Taiwan was once ruled by Japan. The sales people (whether they are from the shopping malls or the road side stalls)will greet and welcome customers 欢迎光临. The sales staff will offer thier samples for tasting without obligation. They still show their smiling faces even you had decided not to buy the product.
.4 Good service from the Taxi uncles
We took taxi twice with all our luggages. The first time was from Kaoh siung高雄，ZuoYing 左营speed train station to Wen Pin Hotel 文宾饭店. The second time was from Royal Hotel 成都饭店 to the Taiwan International Airport 陶源机场. On both occassions, the taxi uncle volunteered helping us to load and unload the luggauges to the taxi booth without request. I remembered there was an incident in Singapore concerning the loading & unloading of luggauges to the taxi booth between the taxi driver and the commuter. The dispute had ended up in court. On 01-11-2010, the Straits Times published a taxi driver treatening to punch a Korean lady commuter for some fare dispute. Perhaps the Authority should look into the matter and have some control to preserve Singapore good reputation.
Our intineraries were as follows:
17 October 2010 Sunday - drizzling
We reached Singapore Changi International airport 新加坡樟宜国际机场 terminal 1 第一终站 at 7.15am. We took the flight CX710( 8.30am to 12.30pm) transit in HongKong. Then CX546 to Taipei (1.30pm to 2.55pm)airport 陶源机场. We took the Taipei airport bus Free GO 飞狗 for NT160 / pax (S$7/pax)to SunWorld hotel 黄朝饭店 。Taxi will cost NT900 (S$39). We reached the hotel at 5.00pm and had a short rest before taking a stroll to the Liao Ning night market 寮宁夜市.We tried the road side local food 街边当地小吃 like beef noodle牛肉腼,stew duck wings卤鸭肢膀, dumplings 饺子. The dinner was cheap & good.
18 October 2010 Monday - drizzling
Enjoyed the self service buffet breakfast 自助早餐 provied by the hotel. We took the MRT 快铁 from Nanjing East station 南京东路站 to Zhong xiao Fuxing station 中孝复兴站. We visited the SOGO departmental store. Lunch was at the near by eating store. We had dumpling noodle soap 水饺麪. After lunch, we took the MRT to Taipei City Hall 台北车站 then walked to Taipei 101. Paid NT400/pax (S$17.40/pax) taking the shuttle lift to the 88 storey viewing gallery. As it was drizzling, the view from Taipei 101 was not very clear but still managed to have a glimpse of the surroundings. After Taipei 101, we took a taxi for NT215 (S$9.50) to Taipei main station 台北车站 to collect our speed train ticket to Kaoh Siung 高雄.We then had dinner at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi新光三越departmenal store food court 食阁。The food servings were big. It was value for money. We bought some pine apple tarts 凤梨酥before we took the MRT back to hotel.
19 Oct 2010 Tuesday - drizzling in taipei but sunny day in Kaoh Siung
Checking out of SunWorld Hotel 黄朝饭店 with our luggages, we took a taxi for NT150(S$6.50)to Taipei main train station 台北车站. We took the 10.30am speed train 高速火车 to kaoh siung 高雄 zuoying 左营 station. The speed train made 2 stops on the way to zuoying 左营. The journey took 1 hour & 30 minutes. The train reached a maximum speed of 295km/hr. We decided to take a taxi for NT265 (S$11.50)to the hotel. It was 12.30pm and was too early to check-in to the Wen Pin 文宾hotel. We left our luggauges at the hotel and went for lunch. We had beef nooddle soup 牛肉麺 at Lao Sung restaurant 老宋餐馆.The lunch cost NT520 (S$22.60) with fried vegetable & 3 bowls of beef noodle soup. It was delicious. After lunch, we went to the Love River 爱河for a stroll. This place is similar to Singapore Clark Quay. We later dropped by the Talee's 大立departmental store for afternoon tea before we checked-in the hotel.The hotel was in fact near 盐呈埔 MRT station. Dinner was at 六合夜市night market. We had fried rice and fried noodles.We bought some goodies from various stores. The black ground nuts was one of the items worth mentioning.We bought 5 packets for NT470 (S$20.40). The black nuts 黑金刚 tasted very nice.I came to know that this is the 2nd best grade peanuts produced in Taiwan. I have not tasted this peanut in Singapore. Shiok 爽 !
Afetr shopping at the night market, we went back to the Love River 爱河for the beautiful night scene.After the walk and taking some photos, we took the MRT back to the hotel.
20 Oct 2010 Wednesday - fine weather in Kaoh Siung but occasional drizzling in Taipei
Breakfast provided by the hotel was a simple sweet potatoes porridge with Chinese cooking dishes like salted eggs, fried mix vegetables, long beans. We took the MRT from 盐呈埔 to Zuoying 左营then boarded the 10.30am speed train back to Taipei station台北车站.At the same station, we took the MRT to Ximen station exit 6 西门站六号出口. Exit 6 is near the Cheng Do Road 成都路. The Royal Castle 成都饭店was 5 to 10 minutes walk from the MRT station. We were allowed to check-in early(1.00pm). We went to Ximen Ding 西门町trying out the famous Ah Zong Mian Xian阿宗麵缐. The rice vermicelli tasted alright but we do not like the pig intestine ingredient 猪肠配料. Ah Zong Mian Xian store does not provide table. You either stand or seat on stool to eat. We had coffee break at the Golden cafe 金府咖啡厅. In the evening,we went to the fashion whole sale market at Wu Fen Pu 五分埔 night market for a stroll. There were many stalls selling the latest fashion wears.We had our dinner at Hu Xu Zhang eating house 鬍鬚张。We had the stewed pork knuckle ,stewed pork meat ,fried vegtable and white rice 猪脚卤肉饭. Very delicious 非长好吃. We cancelled our trip to Raouhe night market 绕河夜市 due to rain. Before sleep, we went for cold dessert 冷甜品 at the dessert shop near our hotel.
21 Oct 2010 Thursday - heavy rain
Took the MRT to Beitou 北投. Beitou is the place with many hot spring hotels. We planned to have hot spring 温泉 & spas 沐浴 at Beitou but changed our mind when we reached there because of heavy rain. Moreover we had experienced the hot spring when we visited Japan Hokkaido 日本北海道 before. We decided saving the money for something else. From Beitou, we took the MRT to Danshui 淡水.We had lunch at Danshui. We cancelled the trip to Fisherman Wharf 鱼人马头 due to bad weather. After walking in the rain at Danshui, we took the MRT back to Taipei main station 台北车站 and shopped at the underground shopping mall 地下购物商场.We had our tea break at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi food court 新光三越食阁.We had the Taiwan popular bubble tea 珍珠奶茶.
22 Oct 2010 Friday - occasional drizzling
Breakfast was at the near by Dante cafe then proceeded to the National Palace Museum 国立故宫博物院. We took the MRT from Ximen 西门station and alight at the Xilin 西林station then transfered to bus 公车 304. We spent the whole day at the museum.It was just like attended a histry class lesson. It made us understand the China histry better. We took the bus R30 from the museum to Shilin night market 士林夜市 without fuss. We had the famous Hao Da chicken chop 豪大大鸡排, Spicy dumplings麻辣云吞,fried oyster 蚝煎.
23 Oct 2010 Saturday - fine weather
After breakfast dashed to Ximen Ding 西门町for last minutes shopping. We went to the Lao Tian Lu Lu wei shop 老天禄卤味店 to buy the stewed duck wings, duck tongues and pig leg tendons. Taiwan stewd food stuff are delicious.We had lunch at Ximen Ding Macdonald before we catched a taxi to airport. We reached Singapoer Changi International Airport passed mid night. My son drove my M3 (Mazda 3) , Mu Tuck Deng 无得顶 and picked us up for Home Sweet Home.
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