Saturday, April 5, 2014

Karen in Taipei 2014: Day 1 Ximending and Gong Guan Night Market

It has been a month since I am back from Taiwan. This is the first time I travel oversea, together with my lovely daddy and mummy. Truly appreciate those who help me throughout the journey. I don't want to join any tour but plan it myself, I get terrible in planning in the beginning as I plan to travel the whole Taiwan in 10 days. I laugh at my statement after coming back from Taiwan. Cause I spent 7 days in Taipei, and I still didn't manage to travel all the to-go-place. Taiwan is a beautiful land with beautiful cultural and I got the advantage in this piece of land because my mother language is Chinese. 

Once I reach Tao Yuan Airport, first thing I do is to go and purchase the unlimited 3G online and calling service. Every brand works fine, the one I choose is "IF" that cost me NT600 for 10 days including 25 minutes phone call. You know young people like me cannot live without internet connection, is like maroon in an island. Not that serious, but I still wish to keep in touch with the news and information and most importantly my friends in Malaysia and Taiwan.


Next get your bus ticket heading to Taipei.

国光客运 Guo Guang Bus Service
Bus No: 1819
Cost: NT 125 per person (One Way)
Around 1 hour depend on the traffic, from Tao Yuan Airport to Taipei Main Station
(桃园机场---台北车站)


You got to wait here for the bus.

Take a nap and when you open your eyes you will reach Taipei Main Station. For me I prefer to enjoy the view of Taiwan infrastructure along the journey. Cause I am staying in XI MEN FAN DIAN 西门饭店, there is free shuttle to Xi Men Ding 西门町. So it's kind of convenient, you just walk into Guo Guang Bus Service Station, wait inside there will people calling you to go to bus, when the bus is ready. 


西门町 Xi Men Ding
Must Eat: 香香鸡排 Xiang Xiang Ji Pai (Fried Chicken) & 阿宗面线 Ah Zhong Mian Xian (Ah Zong's Noodles)



香香鸡排 Xiang Xiang Ji Pai (Fried Chicken)


阿宗面线 Ah Zhong Mian Xian (Ah Zong's Noodles)

Get one of the Easy Card to travel using the MRT is superb convenient specially during the peak hour, you need to not queue up. You may reload NT500, no worries about the balance that is not used, you going to get it back upon the return of the card. As long as you remember to return the card before you left. 


Settled my lunch with those small snacks that you can get in Xi Men Ding, next got to settle my dinner in Night Market. Taipei is famous of Night MarketS. Yea you notice the "S" I got after the night market. There are lots of Night Market you can reach within MRT. If you favor in eating then you follow the right blog, cause I am more to food, place and people. Not shopping in the mall type. That makes no different I shop in my own country, just different currency and price tag. 

OK I am heading to 公馆 Gong Guan Station.
So when you wanna take the train, find the notice board state going to 新店 Xin Dian 


公馆夜市 Gong Guan Night Market
Must Eat: 青蛙撞奶 Qing Wa Zhuang Nai (Milk Shake with Pearl) & 割包 Ge Bao



 There is reason people queue up for this, and I must say whenever you saw people queue up for the food, make sure you check it out. Even local queue for it, can you imagine?
青蛙撞奶 Qing Wa Zhuang Nai (Milk Shake with Pearl)



My daddy like this very much, so just to share with you guys, you can get economy food with economy price. I bet you can eat a lot in Night Market. Even small snacks can keep your stomach full and happy.

No cultural shock ok, people are standing on the right side instead of left (Malaysia). 
So let's follow the cultural of Taiwan. Fast land is on the left.

After hours spend in the Gong Guan Night Market, is time to go back to my hotel.
When you want take MRT, check for the notice written to 中正纪念堂 Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall/ 西门 Xi Men.

Xi Men Ding is definitely a great place to stay as for tourist, cause walking distance to MRT and there is a lot of happening in here. It's like Penang in Malaysia. 

I am lucky to witness performance by a jazz drummer in Taipei.
李科颖 Ke Ying
He got a lot of FANS. I mean a lot.


You may watch his video below: 


Special Thanks:

Thanks to Jackson intro and guide throughout the journey.
Thanks to my parents for sponsoring me for this trip. 

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