Hey, better finish up this report before I forget what I did...
I will write in a simpler format this time..
[Day 3, Sep. 24th] (Pics #72 to #151)
This day was the most enjoyable day since most of my friends could come out for a one-day trip together. We had two cars and travelled with a total of 7ppl up the north coast. This time, we went all the way along the north coast of Taiwan from the east to the west.
Things I/we did:
-Join Eric on his car with Stacy & Hermosa. Ray's car had some trouble but got together later with his car carrying Lance and Yvonne
-Breakfast; I think 蛋餅(near Stacy's house, Pic #72) and 胡椒餅(thx Yvonne for buying this! Pic #73)
-Chill out on the cliff near 基隆, take group pics (Pics #74 to #83)
-Eat seafood for lunch! It was delicious! (Pics #85 to #93)
-Hang out at the beach near 金山, fool around like little kids. I flipped Lance, Stacy, Yvonne, and Hermosa over my back!! I wish I could post the videos here. (Pics #95 to #115)
-Stop by a famous coffee house for some drinks at a terrace overlooking the beach. Great view and nice coffee! It was romantic as well. (Pics #118 to #128)
-Go to 淡水. Walk around the area; eat lots of food (55cm tall ice cream!!, 臭豆腐, fried food, 阿給, etc.), take purikura with all my friends, buy souvenirs. (Pics #131 to #151)
-Head home by MRT, chat with a former AIESECer who my friend from Purdue introduced me to.
[Day 4, Sep. 25th] (Pics #152 to #206)
I basically went sightseeing for half a day by myself, then ChiaWen showed me around, then I met an AIESECer who also showed me around. I'm being treated so well!!
Things I did:
-Have 蛋餅 for breakfast again near Stacy's place
-Go to Taiwan station, walk around a bit and head for 総統府 (President's office) (Pics # 153-155)
-Take a walk in ニニ八和平公園 (Pics #156 to #160)
-Take a tour at 総統府, the tour guide could speak Japanese, but he was an old man and it was hard to make out what he was saying.. (Pics #161)
-Check out the protesters demonstrating around the government district (Pics #162 to #164).
-See 中正紀念堂 (Pics #165 to #169)
-Go to 西門町, walk around to check out some shops and places to eat. (Pics #170 to #173)
-Lunch: eat some goose meat and noodles at
鴨肉扁(Pics #174 to #175)
-See 龍山寺, nice place! It reminded me of 東照宮 in 日光 in Japan. (Pics #176 to #180)
-Walk through 華西街観光夜市, but nothing to see since the night market wasn't open.. (Pic #181)
-Visit and enter
Taiwan Storyland(台湾故事館) near Taipei station. It was a very cool exhibit resembling the atmosphere of Taiwanese life in the 1960s (Pics #182 to #187)
-Meet up with ChiaWen. She shows me around the National University of Taiwan, the best university in Taiwan!! Like Todai, hehe. ChiaWen treated me some chicken and beer:) The facilities there were so much better than that of Todai. Especially the library and the sports gym. The gym was HUGE!!!! (Pics #188 to #197)
-Crazy eat out: shaved ice, go to night market in 師大 and eat tons of stuff (胡椒餅、水煎包、滷味). This night market was very local, so I enjoyed it. Stacy joined in later on to do some shopping in the night market. (Pics #198 to #205)
-Meet AIESECer, she took me out on a motor bike to a nice quiet park with lots of street ballers playing at midnight. She also took me around the 忠考敦化 station and showed me some cool cafes and a night club (too bad I couldn't go this time!! I better go there next time for sure!). (Pic #206: picture of club)
[Day 5, Sep. 26th] (Pics #207 to #242)
Did some sightseeing and souvenir shopping alone till evening. Then Ray took me to a great night market and we sat down for drinks at his place. He let me stay at his house on the night before my flight back to Japan.
Things I did:
-Breakfast: Beef hamburger near Stacy's place (Pic #207)
-Go to National Palace Museum (故宮博物院). Though it was still under construction, I really enjoyed the exhibits (Pics #208 to #211)
-Walk around 林森北路 (kind of like a red light district, check Pic #214, hehe) (Pics #212 to #214)
-Lunch at
好記担仔麺. Delicious!!! (Pics #215 to #216)
-Eat some 葱油餅 (Pics #217 to #218)
-Walk around 迪化街, where they sell tons of dried foods. I bought some souvenirs there. (Pics #219 to #221)
-Eat 割包 at
石家割包. Oh man, this was one of my favorites in Taiwan! (Pic #222)
-Meet up with Ray. Ray took me to a very local market near his house. Fruits and vegetables there were sold soooo cheap!! (Pic #223)
-Go to 饒河街観光夜市 (night market) with Ray. Eat like a pig here as well (two types of 臭豆腐、蚵子煎、chicken fingers, 排骨), play the lottery (won 200元 for 2 games of 100元 each, no gain...), played some basketball game (Pics #224 to #237)
-ChiaWen and Stacy joined us, and we headed to Ray's house with some drinks from the supermarket (Ray has such a gorgeous house!). (Pics #238 to #242)
-Ray and I drank and talked with each other till we had to go to bed.
[Day 6, Sep. 27th]
Had to leave really early since my plane was at around 9am. Even though Ray had to work on this day, he insisted on seeing me off at the airport. I was so happy and thankful to him. He did sooo much for me, thanks Ray!!
To wrap up this report, I would like to thank all my friends who did so much to let me enjoy Taiwan. If it weren't for them, I am definitely sure that I wouldn't have had such a great experience and learned so much about Taiwan.
Special thanks to.. Ray, Stacy, Hermosa, Yvonne, Lance, ChiaWen, Eric