Day 8: Kaohsiung --> Singapore

And finally, it's home sweet home.

After ORD, I single-mindedly just wanted to leave Singapore and go on an overseas vacation to give myself a breather, and a respite from the monotony that was Singapore. I had felt stifled throughout my NS stint, and so I thought a holiday was imperative. Not only to reinvigorate, but also to start myself off this new chapter of my life on a happier footing.

At the end of this trip, I'm not sure if I acheived that aim, because the trip wasn't as leisurely as I'd hoped for. We were rushing to complete the itinerary, the coach rides were long and sometimes bumpy, the provided meals were generally disappointing, and the nights ended late because of visits to all the night markets.

That is not to say I did not enjoy myself. I chose Taiwan, and more specifically this itenerary because it has a good mix of natural and man-made cultural attractions, as well as shopping opportunities. For the most part, it has fulfilled its promise, but perhaps I was just expecting a little bit more.

In many respects, Taiwan feels like a lesser sibling of Japan, and I guess that's a nagging misgiving I had throughout, and perhaps even before the trip. In fact, Japan would have been my choice if not for the much colder winter climate. The problem might also have been that it was never going to be easy to top New Zealand, my previous holiday destination that had left a splendid, lasting impression.

Nevertheless, judged on its own merits, Taiwan is a beautiful country with an interesting aboriginal culture (if only it wasn't so shamelessly exploited for tourism), great shopping and fantastic food - both courtesy of the ubiquitous night markets.

I intend to return one day on a F&E trip, though most likely not in the near future as there are many other countries and cities I'd like to visit. And now there's the backpacking trip to Australia to look forward to, provided it does materialise..


Epilogue
Phew, I can't believe it took me one whole month to finish posting about an 8-day trip. Busy schedule aside, I wanted to spend a little more time chronicling my experiences and thoughts on this trip. It's as much about reminiscing, and jotting down the noteworthy, fond memories as it is about sharing, and perhaps some of you might think, flaunting. To put it plainly, those are pretty self-indulgent posts. Regardless, I hope you've enjoyed them.

Day 7: Taichung --> Kaohsiung

Today, we left Taichung for Alishan. It took a 2-hour coach ride via the highway before we reached the Alishan National Scenic Area, and another 2 hours on the winding roads to the top. We enjoyed great views all the way up, and had a chance to taste the tea brewed from the famous tea leaves of Alishan.

Tea crops

After lunch, we embarked on a 1-hour trek through the magnificent forest. Taking in the sights and sounds while inhaling the sweet, crisp air made for an incredibly therapeutic experience. It was, without doubt, my favourite stop on the entire itinerary.

Many shades of greenHeart-shaped family portrait森林隧道世外桃园

三代木
An elementary school on the mountain!

A temple, one of many we visited in Taiwan.

The wasabi plant, another famed produce of Alishan.

Very reluctantly, we left behind Alishan and got on the coach again for another butt-numbing, four-hour ride all the way back to Kaohsiung.

Determined to make the most of our last night in Taiwan, we took a cab to Dream mall after dinner for some last-minute shopping. The 6th largest shopping complex in Asia, it boasts nine storeys with three basement levels, featuring a rooftop Ferris wheel, department stores, gyms, a cinema, and exhibition galleries.

Photo courtesy of http://www.dream-mall.com.tw/

够坏？(sorry, couldn't resist..)

Day 6: Hsinchu --> Taichung

We set off in the morning for Sun Moon Lake, the largest lake in Taiwan. There was nothing really scenic or pretty about it, and it's a pity the views are marred by construction sites on the periphery. But the weather was great and we enjoyed the leisure cruise, after days of coach rides.


Our next stop was the Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village, established to preserve and showcase the cultural heritage of the nine aboriginal tribes of Taiwan. Situated on the mountains alongside expansive lush forests, the cool, fresh air and the serene atmosphere immediately perked us up.

View of the expansive compound from the cable car

Entertaining song and dance performance

Aboriginal house complete with wax figures
A native demonstrating her craft

There was also a theme park with thrill rides in the village, and the best thing is that there was no queue! A strange thing to have in a cultural village, but it does add to the fun quotient.

My heart literally dropped at >g with the UFO Gyro Drop (you can see it in the backdrop of the first picture), which also offered breathtaking views of the landscape from 85m high.

The Looping Coaster. It's my first time being suspended on a coaster with legs hanging free and kicking around as the coaster loops. Way cool!

Surprise sighting! The Victorian-styled building in the background is the filming site for many idol dramas, as the residence of the uber rich. It was in Meteor Garden, and also 公主小妹! It comes complete with fountains, pavillions, a huge garden, and a long, red-carpeted driveway leading to the front of the castle-like house.

We then made our way to Taichung, where we dined at the famous Five Cent Driftwood. Everything about that place was exquisite - the architecture, the decor, the tableware, the food, and of course, the price.

After dinner, we headed for the Feng Jia night market, which is pretty large scale (just after Shihlin amongst all those we visited) and combines retail outlets with streetside stalls. I (finally) did some proper shopping and managed to snag a few bargains. If only such trendy and reasonably priced clothes were more readily available in Singapore.

Day 5: Taipei City --> Hsinchu

Our first stop was the Martyrs Shrine. The sky was overcast, but fortunately there was only a slight drizzle.

The changing of guards' procession

We then proceeded to the National Palace Museum, which houses the world's largest collection of ancient Chinese treasures. Our guide told us these awe-inspiring treasures only survived the Cultural Revolution because the KMT brought them to Taiwan when they fled China. The visit provided a cultural and historical overview of China and the Chinese through the ages, and it was pretty interesting for a museum. Unfortunately, photography was not allowed.

Next, we stopped by the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall, which was more well known as the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall before Chen Shui-bian renamed it earlier this year, and started "renovation work" around the compound, in effect closing its doors to the public. Courting even more controversy, he recently ordered that the inscriptions on the main gate be changed from "大中至正" to "自由廣場" to commemorate the democratic movement. Fortunately, we were there before the change.
Our next stop was Ximenting, a shopping district for trendy youths. But because our tour group was made up mostly of older folks, we only had one hour there. I left empty handed, and fuming.

I was hoping for more luck shopping at Taipei 101 but it housed mostly luxury boutiques so it was all window shopping, again.
We left early and made our way to Hsinchu for the night, settling at a resort. I love the Victorian-themed buildings!

Day 4: Hualien --> Taipei

Today, we journeyed by rail from Hualien to Chiufen.

Hualien train station

After a comfortable 2-hour train ride, we arrived at Ruifang, the AP for tourists making their way to Chiufen. As it was a Saturday, Ruifang was buzzing with activity and we decided to take a cab up the hills to Chiufen, instead of squeezing on the overcrowded public buses.

Ruifang

Chiufen proved to be even more crowded, as locals mingle with tourists along narrow streets lined with stalls selling souvenirs, local snacks, apparel and accessories. It almost felt like Chinatown during CNY.

Great view on the hill

After Chiufen, we made our way to the peripherals of Taipei city, first visiting Yeliu Stone Park, where an amazing array of rock formations sculpted by the sea was on display.

Whale! (and an unknown old man...)

Fishing on the rocks

We then stopped by Tamshui, an area which used to be a bustling fishing port, but has now been converted into an equally bustling tourist attraction.

Lover's Bridge

Tamshui Old Street

We then took the Taipei Metro System (Taipei's equivalent of our MRT) to Shihlin Night Market, the largest and most famous of them all. It was incredibly crowded, and we were in no mood to shop, though we had a taste of the renowned XXL chicken cutlet and 大肠包小肠.

Metro Station

Guess I was too tired to take a pic of Shihlin, and the crowd was really scary. You get pushed along the "human ocean" and there were long queues for everything. Not for those with ochlophobia, and pretty girls.