Day 4 - 11 July 九份 / 师大

Today I woke up slightly earlier.. just a teeny bit earlier! *lol*

We left 'home' at 10am!! We were going somewhere far I heard! J planned this day further out of town. Besides I was craving for my usual EGGS for breakie! If you'd been following my travel journal, you'd know what my usual breakie on holidays were and for this trip, I haven't gotten any of those!

We walked over to 西门町 for MacDonald's!!!! Yeay!!!!!


I had wanted to order Big Breakfast but then I saw something on the menu that our own country does not carry.. I'd better try those! It's call Egg Burger! But what it really was, Egg McMuffin in a burger instead of a muffin! I liked it as I'd never really enjoy muffins as I have always felt muffins are tough to chew on!

J ordered Sausage McMuffin. WE order 2 meals + a medium fries as we chewed our food into 11am and it was time they intro the lunch menu and we got fries too! *drool* Our meal cost NT$182 (SGD8.30).

When we were done... we decided to do what the locals do best, SAVE THE EARTH! They are really into it!

it wasn't easy as J could not read their Chinese characters! It was a little complicated station. We were supposed to pour left over drinks into a funnel, separate the recyclables and the disposables! Then, we must find the correct place for the correct cup sizes.. YES, not just dumping all into a recycle bin but segregate them by size of the cups and all!!! We were slow at this but the locals... they are like pros! *kudos to them*

After the meal, we were going to take the 捷运 to the Rail Station and take the train to somewhere further out and up the mountain! We were going to 九份！

We took the 捷运 to Taipei Station and hopped over to the Rail. 2 rail tickets to 瑞芳 cost NT$180 (SGD8.20). It was exciting; the 2nd time in my life taking a real train! First time was our first trip to KL, we took a train!


Here we were, looking for the right platform. I must say it was a little complicated. There were many trains arriving on the same track but going to different places and we must make sure we get on the right one! While waiting, I've got a few good shots!

This mother-and-child stood at the platform for a brief few seconds and my camie snapped for that brief few seconds too. Happy with the turn out. It kinda tell the story they were anticipating for the return of their loved one... though nobody gets to wait for anyone on the platforms like the old times anymore. But I'd just thought these pictures were pretty cool.

When any train pulled into the station... everyone scrambled to hop on... I guess these are the rails that take them from different cities and towns. Most of them had their luggage and backpacks with them.

Our train was supposed to arrive at 11.40am but we were at the station at 11.15am. So we gotta wait.

I couldn't get any shot on the train as it was packed! The train took us to 瑞芳.. a little town somewhere and we had to catch a bus up. The bus worked with our 捷运卡 (like our EZ link) so I was not sure how much we paid for it. This bus ride took about 25mins uphill on a super narrow and scary curvy-dizzy road!

it was also packed with people.. mostly locals. I realised that in Taipei, there were many local-tourists! Meaning, they came from other parts of Taiwan on their first trip in Taipei. just like Malaysia and all.. not everyone gets the chance to visit the city their whole lives.

The entire town in 九份 was built on slopes! Amazingly breathtaking... nostalgic and romantic.

Where the bus dropped us, everyone was taking pictures of the slope-y town.

This is the entrance to the amazing street of fun, food and accommodation!

We also saw a couple of really cute, tiny hotel inside this beautiful town. I like it here because the streets were so cramped and thus, cooling as we were sheltered all the time by the different roofs of the buildings. Everything was on slopes.. up-slopes, down-slopes... all slopes. I must say.. this was probably the 'tourist' thing we did in Taipei.

Aha! A Kitty 麦芽糖! I got one of this! NT$20 (SGD0.90) and it was still in my fridge.. too pretty to sink my teeth into it!

These below are flavoured 麦芽糖！ I have loved them since I was a kid but what they have here were in different flavours! Gotta have one of these! NT$10 (SGD0.45).

Other pretty things....

Food we tried up here were awesome too. First, we sank our teeth into 花生捲冰欺凌。 A easy-to-make and delicious dessert-snack! First they spread crushed peanuts into a flour-skin (just like the Poh-piah skin we have in Singapore), then... they added a scoop of really light and non-creamy ice cream and rolled them up! NT$22 (SGD 1.60) each! It was good and refreshing.

The scoop of ice cream just melt away within the crunchy nuts... yummy.

Other stuff we saw! These looks scary but people were queuing to buy them! I felt they were like 'brains' in a cup! lol They were called 红潮肉。

I forgot what there were... :P

Then we saw giant monster mushrooms!!!!!!! Mushrooms are J's favourite!

Here's a cup of those monsters chopped up! NT$30 (SGD1.40) Was it good? YES!!!

But of course! 台湾香肠！ NT$30 (SGD1.40).

After a while.. we decided to chill out in one of those cafe with gorgeous view and air-con. But of course, we paid a price for being in their air-con premise!

We ordered some dim sum and the meal cost us tourist price too! NT$520 (SGD23.60).

Here's me toying with J's new sunglsses and indulging in some self-entertainment! *giggles* Chill!! It's a holiday!!!

Oh and this! J had his share of snacks and me.. I found mine! Everyone had a bowl of this in their hands!!!

It was a cold and refreshing bowl of dessert of yam 芋圆, sweet potatoes 地瓜圆, herbs 山药圆 and green tea 绿茶圆'balls'. All for NT$40 (SGD1.80)

They also have them packed for you to cook at home! :) I also love this picture -the lighting and also the expression on the nice elderly man's face.

Here.. everyone has one.. I have one too!

We walked around and decided to leave at 3pm as the bus will come for pick-up down hill and they come at specific times! We made it for the 3.25pm bus down to 瑞芳station for the rail back into the city.

We were back in the hotel by 5.30pm. All sweaty and tired... we need to freshen up for round 2~! POWER UP PEOPLE!!!

7.30pm, we left and took a cab to 师大夜市。 The taxi fare was NT$130 (SGD5.90).

Once there.. J was on the prowl again... for street food!

This 大肠包小肠 thingy is famous. Fragrance glutinous rice wrapping a true taiwan sausage inside! NT$50 (SGD2.30).

For me.. please give me a proper table and a proper hot soupy stuff!

Yeay.. i did it again! 牛腩面汤！NT$144 (SGD6.30). I found the food and snacks in this night market seemed more expensive than the rest.

After J gave me to my request.. he wanted to eat by the street! STEAK!!!


His steak with spaghetti that the whole world was waiting for seats, cost NT$140 (SGD6.30) too. But the man was truly satisfied despite all the grease and oil splattering everywhere!

师大夜市 is a trendy night market, in terms of fashion. I heard it is situated near their university, therefore .. attracts the students here for fashion and accessories. J loved it here too and purchased several items.

If you are looking for younger and trendier fashion.. this is the night market to visit!

And we saw a queue.... he did it again!!!! He went where his nose led him! :)

It was the 鸡排 to a whole new level! They deep-fried it, and then grilled it with a special sweet BBQ sauce! It was pretty good, I took a bite. J sure enjoyed his food-on-foot! *giggles*

We spent about 3 hours here and then took a taxi to 西门町 for a short round 3.

By the time we were back and ended the day, it was 10.40pm. I was tired but him, he was never tired! Ah Men!!!