I am supposed to be in exam mode right now, but I just feel like I want to blog. I miss writing so much! :) It's the perfect way to relieve stress. So many things happened lately I underwent a lot of mood changes, good stuff and bad stuff adding up together.
Anyway, I do feel myself growing up and I have some positive changes to my personality weaknesses, and I'm glad of that. :) More confidence, and no more bullshits. ;))))
I have so much more stuff to write about but I'll leave it for another day. Today, I'll finish up the Taiwan post, brace yourself for a lottttt of nice food and fun stuff! :))))
I'm in Taiwan for a gig, but why am I free to travel around instead without going to rehearsal or concert? Well, here's the explanation. LOL. The company that hired us made a mistake and didn't get us working visa in time, so without working visa, it's impossible for us to perform on stage, but since they already booked us before-time (we practised the scores and made ourselves free for that 3 days just to come to this gig), they decided it was only fair that we still come, and they'll still provide us plane tics and hotel, because it's their mistake. BEST YET, THEY STILL PAY US THE GIG MONEY TOO!
Super professional company, thank you so much!!! So it means like we got a free trip to Taiwan!!! It was a world-tour concert actually, besides Taipei, they would be performing in Singapore and Shanghai afterwards too. I was only signed up for the Taipei tour though, and the others went for 2 or 3 trips altogether. So they were asked to go for the rehearsal just to prepare themselves for Shanghai and Singapore tour. And me, I got the reason not to join the rehearsal! Hahahhahaa! So... I get to spend the whole day travel around Taipei! Woohooo!!!
Btw I only brought a pair of shoes there, and it was new, so I got blisters all over my feet and it hurt so bad! The second day, I couldn't stand it anymore, and my friends asked me to get a new pair of flip-flops from some shop nearby. For the time being, I walked around the street in the super comfy fluffy hotel slippers hahahahaha! So embarrassing but really comfyyyyy! :D It's like I'm walking on clouds, so soft!
Embarrassing time didn't last long, thank god. There was a 7-11 right opposite the hotel, so I got my new pink flip-flops and gee it felt so good without squeezing all those painful blisters omg. Hahahaha!
Saying goodbye to these 2 babes, they had to go for rehearsal hahahahahaha poor girls, and I venture alone to explore Taipei! :)))
I checked out some tourist guide brochure before that and decided that I want to visit Jiu Fen（九份）, the inspiration of Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki! :)))) He drew the animation background based on Jiu Fen! :)
I asked the hotel staff for some directions. So I had to take subway to get to the train station, and get a train to somewhere before taking a bus to Jiu Fen.
HAH. Challenge accepted. :)
Tadaaaaa! Arrived!!! It looked something like Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. When I was in the bus, I looked out of the window and I realised, Taipei really reminded me both of China and Malaysia. It's like a combination of both. The buildings and environment resemble some part of Malaysia, yet with all the Chinese words and stuff it is very Chinese at the same time. Very interesting. :)
And here I present to you all! My lovely travelmate of the day, Annie!!!!!!
I must, Must, MUST tell you guys the story how we managed to travel together. You see, I boarded the train and was sitting down on my seat. Here came this really tall sporty-looking pretty girl looking for her seat. And it was like crazily coincidental, her seat was RIGHT BESIDE mine.
I saw her holding a travel guidebook, and I recognised Thai language, so I very thick-skinnedly chatted with her. She was also travelling alone!!! :DDDD I was like OMGGGG ME TOO!!! Let's go together if you don't mind!!!!!! And Annie was like, "Yeah of course, and you can speak Chinese! Yeay!"
Hahahahhaha! So both of us just hit it off like best friends and started running around Taipei. :DDDDDD Best yet, we are about the same height!!! I love girls of my height! hahaha!
Happy girls who found their "soul"/"travel"mate. Hahahhahaa!
Heading towards Jiu Fen Old Street! It has a really small entrance. LOL.
but, it is a longgggggg way inside, never ending! And so many stalls at both sides!
The most famous food there. Glutinous taro balls.
The very interesting peanut and ice cream roll! I wonder how it tastes like, it looks sweet and salty at the same time. Hmm. I didn't try it because I wasn't really hungry and it was such a big portion!!
Scary masks :(((
And Jiu Fen is full of stray pets. :) There are dogs and cats in abundance, and everyone are nice to them. :) I really like that. The dogs and cats are not afraid of people. :)
This little shop is really sweet. There is a donation box and if you drop some money inside, you get to take some cat food from this tupperware the cat is sleeping on, and feed the cats! :))))
It is a very clever way to get donation and take good care of the cats there. :)
Annie and I walked to possibly the highest spot of the old street and discovered this shop. We decided to try out the specialty there, the glutinous taro balls!
We got to see the view from the top of the mountain while eating the yummy dessert! :)))) Perfectly enjoyable!!
Before any dog lovers out there start scolding me, don't worry, it's just sleeping. Hahahahahhaa!
Next stop, the Golden Waterfall (黄金瀑布）.
This is the worst part of the day, coz we were pretty looking forward to it, the name sounds grand enough. Golden Waterfall.
And when we got there, all we saw was... THIS.
ONLY THIS.
You call this.... Golden.... Waterfall...?
*speechless*
I see better waterfalls anywhere else. LOL. And the worst thing of all, the bus only come an hour later to pick us up. Only one bus available every hour omg. T_T So we were stuck there looking at this boring waterfall and there was nothing else to do!!!
Luckily there was this snack-vendor and I decided to try out the famous 大肠包小肠 which I had heard so much of.
Basically, it is just a sausage wrapped inside sticky rice that shape like another bigger sausage. The rice tasted sweet and the sausage as well. Not bad, just pretty oily.
Took the bus back to the train station to go back to Taipei! :) Saw these political posters everywhere.
We rested for a while in the hotel, and continued to Xi Men Ding（西门町）, the famous shopping place in Taipei. :) It reminds me a lot of Shanghai's Nan Jing Road.
Annie and I shopped around, and it was really nice because we had the same taste in clothes, so we gave each other advices when we shopped. :)))
Annie had to go back when it was almost 9. Our last picture of the day!
Really happy to know her and I believe we will see each other again. :) It's not easy to find such a pretty and nice and TALL friend like her! yeayyy!! :)))
After bidding Annie farewell, I continued my own journey to Shilin Night Market.
Felt kinda sad traveling alone. T_T Everything just doesn't seem fun anymore.
I just buy the famous fried chicken chop and fruit juice and sat down taking selfie and eat.
The chicken chop was too oily so after 3 or 4 bites I threw it away. :(
That was the second day in Taipei. The third day was my last day, I had to catch the flight in the evening. Coz the company only provided us hotel until that day, if you want to stay for a longer time, you'll need to pay for your own hotel afterwards. I decided to go back since I had classes waiting and I didn't have that much money with me too. Hahahaha.
The rest of them (rich people T___T) stayed for another few days there, and they got to explore a lot of other places, so envyyyyy! Never mind I'll go back again someday, and next time I wanna visit Tai Chong and Tai Nan! :)
Pictures at the pool on the top of the hotel! :)
Si Le contacted her 2 Taiwanese friends she knew from AYO, and we joined them for lunch! They are both violinists! :) Super pretty and friendly girls. :)
They brought us to this shop, which was really famous for its beef noodles! :) Since 1963 okay, dun play play. LOL. :)
With the pretties! :)))))
No kidding, it is the best beef noodle I have ever tried! Shanghai ones are no match, totally.
LOOK AT THIS! T___T Omg I'm so hungry right now.
For now I'll go to sleep now, and when you guys see this it'll probably be morning. :) Ciao peeps! :)
