Taiwan Trip 19th Sept 12 to 26th Sept 12; Day 3 - Yangmingshan, Beitou, Shilin

Yangmingshan (陽明山)
Okay third day! Yangminshan (陽明山)!

I woke up feeling really delighted. Cuz Sissy was going to meet me that day! It's also a TGIF! hehehehe. We headed to Macdonald's for breakfast!

I topped up an extra hash brown. Really love mac's hash browns <3 

So, we decided to take a bus to Yangmingshan. We went to the bus stop at Ximending and waited. Then I forgot whether we asked someone or we came to a realisation ourselves that we were supposed to wait opposite. At the first bus stop which we waited, a local uncle even came up to us and asked for directions. Hahaha. 

cross the road to the opposite end to reach the correct bus stop

So after what seems like forever, I finally asked a local if the bus to Yang Ming Shan was going to be here. He says yes but it only leaves the bus terminal after 8am or something, so more waiting is to be done. If I am not wrong, we took Bus 20(something).

The bus fare costs NT$24. The scenary along the way was truly beautiful. We even passed by a university. Yangmingshan was the last stop.

Many tourists from China

I got Car to pose with the buses in the background

We decided to follow the aunties in front. There were many old folks trekking around. How lucky they are. We only have our Bukit Timah Hill. In Taiwan, Yangmingshan offers a much more spectacular view. What great exercise every weekend for its people.

The scenery is really awesome! You HAVE to be there to take it in ~ 

 We found this group of old folks playing mahjong! Even have table and chairs! I guess they must have come here every weekend! What a great life man. Such beauty in front of them, against the backdrop of running water.

So, we saw the sign saying that some waterfall was just 0.3km ahead, so decided ok we want to see the waterfall! After walking for a long time, it was still nowhere in sight. But since we have already started the trip, we just continued our search. After what seems like eternity, we finally found the paradise! It was worth every effort! Just breathtaking!

There was also this lake in the mountain. And I bought fish food for the fishes in the pond. There were 2 ducks living with the fishes and they seem to nibble on whatever I have thrown for the fishes. Bad ducks hehe.

After walking for a longer time, we found this pavillion where an elderly couple was resting inside. They were really friendly. Typical taiwanese. They told us to sit with them; i could hear his heavily Taiwanese dialect accent. So nice of them! Asked them how to get back to the original spot we came from in the shortest time and he said it was another 2 hours trek back. Then he asked where wanted to go and gave us directions. We did not know there was such a route from Yangmingshan to Xin Beitou! It really helped us to save a lot of time. So we went in search for that bus stop..

Caroline was so happy when she saw the "小八". What a cute name as well! We were really worried that buses may come only after an hour or so, and there was no Ask Iris. haha. thankfully, we didn't waited for long. i think the "小九" brings you to shilin. hehe.

Ride out of Yangmingshan again.. Magnificent again. Many old folks on the bus with us. We told the uncle to call out to ask when he reaches our destination. We do that for all our bus journeys actually. And so we reached our next destination in no time. Way too ahead of schedule!


Xin Beitou (新北投)

So finally! The hot spring haven in Taiwan!

When in doubt, turn left. Haha.

First, we visited the library. Too lazy to rip the photo of the building off Car's facebook. So it looks something like that. This is the so called balcony on the second floor. So cool right? Surrounded by the trees.

It looks like one of the scenes in Jay Chou's Secret haha.

Next, we went to the Hot Spring Museum.

It looks something like that. Of course there were many floors exhibiting different things. It was only when we were at the section showing the history of hot springs, did I realise that I FORGOT TO BRING MY SWIMMING COSTUME!!!!! no swimming costume means no hot spring!! I did bring additional set of clothes but why did I leave out the most important piece???? Didn't want to buy at the hot spring place since they would surely jack up the price and there are limited designs. So decided not to go for it.


Hell Valley (地熱谷)

Our next location!

Smell of sulphur is really pungent. Immediately reminded me of my chemistry lab experiments back then. Smoke was coming up like a volcano eruption was in the making underground.

Finally the hot spring for Car! I remembered researching online that there was this long stretch where it was unmanned and there were many people soaking their feet. So we decided to do just that first.

While we were enjoying ourselves in one of the spots away from the crowd but still as shady, this auntie suddenly called out to us, asking us not to soak anymore. Heard her telling another person at the opposite end that she lives here and she knows that these unmanned mini hot spring is actually discarded water from the hotels nearby. Used water that others have used to soaked themselves. So gross. Immediately we packed and left.

There was also this small souvenir shop near Hell Valley which sells drinks at affordable prices and other souvenirs as well.


Millennium Hot Spring

The cheapest public hot spring there. I waited for Car outside the hot spring.

Her verdict: Can't be compared to Korea's. It is simply not hot enough. Hehe. Perhaps the next time we go, should get more people and get one of the hot springs in the hotels. 2 for a private room is really not worth it.  hehe.

And then I just kept texting my sissy who is on her way from Kaoshiung! The train journey will take 5 hours and we would be go to Shilin with her at night! :D

As we were way ahead of our schedule, we decided to go back to our hotel and wash up :)

At Ximending, we went to the 85 degree cafe that I have researched online and tried their specialty sea salt coffee. Yup awesome :) We also packed  some cakes for breakfast the next morning.

Shilin Night Market (士林夜市)

I was dying to go Shilin! But was truly disappointed at my first night market experience.

Firstly, we were ripped off. Fruits were freaking expensive. Kept giving us to try. Then when you feel obligated to buy, they charged a really high price for it. Much more expensive than Singapore!  But the fruits were sweet tasting.

Second rip off came from the corn. One corn for NT$60 and he said it was the cheapest in the whole of Shilin? Sissy told me she got one for NT$30 in her Kaoshiung Night Market.

So I was a little unhappy for the rest of the tour there. Kept thinking Taiwan was not as interesting as what I made it up to be.

the all time favourite! but i wasn't crazy over it at that point

I REALLY LOVE MUSHROOMS!

it's a pity we were too full and didn't have room to try

didn't try this in this market.. sissy said it was too dry also..

Hui Jun told me it's a must to try braised meat with rice (滷肉飯). Not bad. This small bowl costs SIN $2.

Oyster omelette. But truthfully speaking, I prefer Singapore's :x Sissy and Car both like Taiwan's..

We also tried the honey bitter gourd which has a lot of benefits. But it was really bitter! And the auntie selling it tried to cheat my money by acting blur. Tsk tsk.

So that basically concludes our trip for Day 3!

Signing off!