TGIF!

Back to work...
It was a struggle to get through the day though it's a Friday.

One good thing was that there isn't any class today! YEAH!
Anyway I was delighted to hear that our I2 class won the competition of the social event held on 20 March, last Thursday.


Davina~ You are the best! Bet our class wouldn't have won without your excellent culinary skills...

Here's our winning piece!

(l to r) 민 선생님 with my I2 classmates: Nicole, Davina, Brenda, Jean and Esther. John was absent for this event.

Pictures are courtesy from my classmate, Jean. For a detailed update and more pictures, you can visit her blog.

타이완 마지막 날

So sad... it's my last day in Taiwan and will be flying back to Singapore this evening...

I met 김 선생님 for breakfast at Mister Donut near her university. The green tea donut I ordered was yummy! I wish Mister Donut will open a franchise in Singapore too.



After checking out, it's more of last minute shopping, buying foods for family, friends and colleagues. Half of my luggage space with hand carry is filled with foods!


Terence brought me to this quite popular temple (I forgot the name) before heading for beef noodles lunch.

With a bit of time left, we visited the Taipei Story House. This centre provides information on historical-site preservation in Taipei and promotes artistic activities.


An English Tudor look-alike mansion

Taipei Fine Arts Museum is just beside the Taipei Story House

Cotton flowers blooming in front of Taipei Story House.

For more pictures of my Taiwan trip, please click here
Goodbye Taiwan... Til we meet again!

타이완 일곱째 날

I had Terence for company again today. We visited his university which is well-known for its 杜鵑花.


國立臺灣大學總圖書館 A wedding couple posing for a photo shoot just in front of the National Taiwan University's main library


台大椰林大道 Distinguished royal palms can be seen once you enter the main gate of the National Taiwan University campus.


杜鵑花 still in bloom!


No plucking allowed!


In the afternoon, I headed to 北投 for a hot spring treat. It seems a bit crazy because the weather was unusually warm and I was going for a hot bath!


Taipei Public Libray Beitou branch. Can you recognize the filming site/scene? 向左走 向右走 was filmed at the pond just in front of the library.


I met Ke Hao and Spring for dinner. Ke Hao is a bit flushed after a few sips of alcohol...

타이완 여섯째 날

Terence skipped work once again and brought me to several tourist attractions today.


Our first stop was Taipei 101 ~ Taipei's landmark skyscraper. Too bad it's now overtaken by Burj Dubai which is to be completed by 2009.


Bird's eye view of Taipei


Apparently A-Mei stays in this luxury condominium ^^


We then drove to 宜蘭 which is near the coastal area. Can you see a blurred view of Turtle Island from afar?


A dead sea urchin swept onto the shore


Seaweed!!!


We managed to spot a crab hiding in a corner...

It was evening by the time we returned Taipei. Terence decided we should go ride the Mao Kong cable car since it will not be that crowded. Indeed... there was no queue at all and we had the whole 8-seater cable car to ourselves.


Heading up to Mao Kong station for dinner.


Slow traffic on the highway...

타이완 다섯째 날

I met 김 선생님 today for lunch. She brought her Japanese classmate Yuka along and we went to eat 小籠包 at 杭州小籠湯包 which was located near the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Apparently the 小籠包 in this restaurant are tastier than 鼎泰豐.

While waiting for our queue number to be called...


맛있게드세요~


We stopped by the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall which was renamed to the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall last May. With President-Elect Ma Ying-jeou's election as the 12th term President of the Republic of China, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is expected to be restored to its original name.


Me with 김 선생님. With her short hairdo... she really looks like uni student!


Me with Yuka taking a shoot with the BW backdrop...

The rest of the evening was spent at 五份铺 ~~ shopping!! Was too busy shopping so forgot to take pictures :P

타이완 네째 날

Ke Hao's friend, Vincent drove us to 台中 today. Time was spent mostly on the road and it was rainy Sunday. My friends mentioned 台中 seldom rain... guess I brought wealth to central Taiwan that day.

And it was all about TV interviews that day. Earlier morning, I was approached by a TV station for comment on yesterday's presidential election. When we arrived in 台中 and were waiting for our lunch, we were once again approached by TTV to film a food program. Aren't we famous?


Our first stop was a visit to the National Museum of Fine Arts. It houses the world’s largest collection of Taiwanese art.


Next we went to Dong Hai University to visit the famous Luce Chapel. It was built in memory of Henry Winters Luce, who died in 1941. The chapel lies in the middle of an open lawn.


Entrance to the Luce Chapel.

Dinner was at the Dong Hai night market which was situated near Dong Hai University. We ended eating 滷味. I didn't know that eating chicken claws can be so addictive! LOL...

타이완 세째 날

Another friend, Ke Hao brought me to a little mountainous town called 九份 today. We took the public bus and kudos to the bus drivers as the roads leading to 九份 are mostly curving and narrow.


The bus was filled mainly with tourists


Ke Hao and me trying to stay awake throughout the 1-hour ride


Arriving at 九份! 基山街 is the most crowded and popular street, selling 小吃 like 芋仔蕃薯 and souvenirs


Mountains with a bit of haze. Many retro-Chinese style cafés, tea houses, and souvenir stores are located up on the hill.


We stopped by this art gallery and the artist is famous for his funny portraits.


Mocking EC...


Taiwan's first cinema ~~ 昇平戲院


A popular phototaking attraction which has drawn many tourists to 九份. Its downtown was used as a model in the animated movie Spirited Away.


We went to 金瓜石 but unfortunately as it was the voting day, the tourist attraction was closed and we couldn't visit the Royal Prince Guest House and gold mine museum. What a waste!


九份金矿博物馆


The Royal Prince Guest House from far...


Yin-Yang ocean.


On a clear day, the Yin-Yang ocean should look like this ^^&


After returning to Taipei, we went to ShiLin night market for 小吃 feast!


Finally get to taste 炸雞排!

타이완 두째 날

The weather in Taipei today was good. Apparently it had been pouring before I came. Terence skipped work and brought me up to 陽明山.

We first went to 2008 陽明山花季. I was pleasantly surprised to see cherry blossoms; some were still very much in bloom.

Though the 2008 陽明山花季 has just ended, the park was still crowded with tourists and visitors.


Cherry blossoms!!

Lunch was at 陽明山竹子湖. 竹子湖 was filled with 海芋 calla lillies. I was lucky to be in time for the 2008竹子湖海芋季 which will begin a few days later on 25 March.

We had a quiet lunch at this family run restaurant.

Calla lillies~~ all mine!


Blushing cheeks... This little girl is the daughter of the restaurant.

Next we headed to 小油坑 and I had a taste of hot spring within near distance.

Getting steamed... A small volcanic vent expelling a huge lingering cloud of steam

擎天崗 was our next stop. 擎天崗 is filled with lumpy hills of grass billowing in the wind and there were many couples sitting on the grassland, enjoying a quiet time together. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to hike very far along the trails across the grassland.

Can you see people seated on the slope of the hill on your left?

Terence had promised me earlier that I would get hands-on training in plucking the calla lillies so we got back to the place where we had lunch earlier. It's not that difficult though. Getting dressed up to be in action was considered more of a hassle ~~

Enjoying the fun of going into the field to pluck calla lillies.

Dinner was with Darren and 小倩 again.


We had nice pasta and pizza at this underground cafe cum boutique store.


Me with 小倩

Darren with his girlfriend, 小倩