Angela's Taiwan Trip 2019
A brief travel history of mine. This is my first travel blog that i have ever made but this is not my first travel to other countries. I have been to other countries like Korea🇰🇷, Thailand🇹🇭, Hong Kong🇭🇰, Malaysia🇲🇾, Singapore🇸🇬 and Taiwan🇹🇼.
🇹🇼Taiwan🇹🇼
In this tour I would say among the rest that I have
experienced this would be one the best because I was able to go on a trip with
your friends, well not all of them have joined but still it counts, and this is
the first time that I have encountered that sometimes I can be responsible in
other countries with your friends that always asked you on what to do in this
situation, sometimes I find it funny because they always ask me “angel ano bang
gagawin ko?” especially in the airport they will ask like “angel pano ba to
fill up an?” and sometimes they panicked because they put something wrong in
the paper and suddenly tell’s me “angel mali yung nasulat ko pano to?” and to
the point I will scare them but at the end I still helped them.
So our tour was on October 12, 2019 where we must meet at
the airport to receive the tickets, itinerary, and other things that we need in
the tour. They also gave us specific instructions on what to do and what not to
do in this whole tour to avoid accidents, and other happenings that will either
harm us or others.
After we departed from the Iloilo International Airport we
have arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at around close to
midnight which we find ourselves tired and hungry, so my friends and I decided
to eat at the nearby fast food chain which is Jollibee and bought ourselves
some burger. And after that we have to wait for looooong time before we can
ride on a plane so my friends and I decided just to hang out and chill, charge
our phones, by the way the gate that we have stayed at was mostly you’ll find
boring I hope they can make some improvements on it, the most crucial that I have
encountered was no Wi-Fi, which my friends and I find it hard because we mostly
communicate with our parents and friends on what is happening to us. One more
thing its not major but there are not much food stalls or other stores where
you can walk around and just see somethings. So while we wait for the plane to
arrive we met this foreigner he is a Japanese and he approached us asking if we
can connect to the internet in the airport and we told him no so he was
wondering in what way he can connect so that he can go online so we tried everything
but it didn’t work as planned so we just chatted along the way and asked him
about what he works and he told us that he has a restaurant where he sells
ramen and he also manages his own small accommodation, we also asked him
several things until his plane came going back to Japan. After that my friends
slept while I can’t sleep for some reason maybe because someone needs to be a
wake just in case, we are going onboard. So, I was like a guard to them. So
here comes the plane so we boarded the plane through Philippine Airlines, and I
thought it was a long flight, so we have arrived in TAIWAN!
So we have already arrived in TAIWAN, after we arrived we
take some pictures and some students went to exchange money for new Taiwan
dollars, and after that there was a bus waiting for us so we go in and just
chill since the ride was mostly an hour I think, there is also a Wi-fi in the
bus so I was like wow when will I experience this in my own home country but I
think there is already a bus that exist that has a wifi but ive never rode one.
There we meet our tour guide, Ms. Muse Veldez she told us things on what to do
in case we got lost she offered her phone number to be contacted and she also
warned us to keep our phones and other things safe in our bag at all times
since there can snatcher everywhere. She is a fun tour guide I would love her
to have her guide us again if I and my family decided to tour in Taiwan.
The Presidential Office
The
Presidential Office Building is the workplace of the President of the Republic
of China on Taiwan. The building is located in the Zhongzheng District in the
national capital — Taipei.
We just took some pictures and look around sightseeing and you will usually see police or guards who are roaming around the area and most of the guards that I see are women.
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
After the presidential office we went to Chiang Kai-Shek
Memorial Hall we were given 1 ½ to look around and take pictures so instead of
going with them we decided to roam on our own and look for other places. It was
big place! One thing that I should have done is wear a sunscreen because it was
really hot that day and we don’t have any umbrella with us but it was all worth
it we see the buildings but we didn’t get to see others because we don’t have
much time, so we decided to go back on the bus, but we made a mistake because
we thought that the meeting place is back to the bus but instead it was in the entrance,
but I was glad that there was an internet and my classmates called me and asked
where we are so I just told them that we are already in the bus, that was a
lesson learned that I should really pay attention to what they are talking.
Taipei 101
After that we went to eat at this fancy restaurant and we ate
their and it is serve in Lauriat I don’t remember the restaurant name but the
food was good after that, the third destination is the Taipei 101 which is included
in one of the most tallest tower in the world and you can go on the top and see
the city below and take pictures but there is a fee for it so we decided to just
go window shopping since Taipei 101 is a mall type and this mall is one of the
best that I have seen. I would say that it is a place for rich people because
you won’t see this kind of brands in malls especially in our country, well I’m
hoping that someday they can put shops like this at malls like, Louis Vuitton,
Bulgari, Cartier, MontBlanc, Chanel, Dior, Estee Lauder, Swarovski, Rolex,
Omega, Burberry, Prada, etc. well even though they put those stores here in
Philippines I won’t still be able to purchase anything hahaha! 😂😂 One
more thing I love their comfort room why? Because first of all it has lot of
rooms, second it was cleaned and maintained, fourth you won’t see clog toilets
or flushed ones 😖, fifth, in each rooms you will find tissues, and
last is you can wipe it using the dispenser thing that they put in each rooms. So,
after the window shopping my friends and I still have enough time, so we
decided to go outside and roam around and what we did is saying hi to kids
which, they just snub at us hahaha! 😂. After that it was time for
the gathering, so we come back to the meeting place and wait for the others
before we ride the bus and go to the next destination.
After that we go to the hotel that we are going to stay at, I would say not best but it was fine since it was near to Ximending Shopping Area where you can explore and buy things that you want. The hotel name is Ximen Citizen Hotel.
Takao Super
After we rest at the hotel the teachers called us to gather and we will have our dinner outside at the Takao Super, it is a hot pot where you can pick whatever you like that you would like to put in you hot pot. So, we ate our fill and it was really delicious especially for me that I like spicy foods it was worth the experience if eating there and the place was really nice, would love to go there again!
The second day for our trip in Taiwan!
We woke up early and prepare ourselves, we go down to eat our lunch and I notice that the elevator works very slow and if you use the stair instead of elevator it is much more faster, so going back we ate our breakfast it was just scrambled egg, sausage, breads, vegetables, egg drop soup. It is a buffet type. So after we fill our tummies my friend and I decided to go to the 7 eleven which is just across the hotel and I was shocked to see that their 7 eleven is very different from our 7 eleven here, I would say that it was a more of the perfect convenience store that I have imagined. They even sell milk tea in there and also contact lenses which you can use for a day there is even a grade for it if you have problems with your eyes, I was like what?! And they have also policy that if you don’t have your own bag you have to pay for the plastic bag which is very clever because they are trying to save mother earth!
Toucheng Leisure Farm.
So after we got back from our mini trip in 7 eleven our bus have arrived and we are going to Toucheng Leisure Farm. It is more or less located in the provincial area I would say since we have travelled a long way going there. In there we just took our photos while our tour guide was explaining things, which I honestly didn’t listen much because, mostly those plants can be seen here in our country and I was not interested in it, I wish that instead of Toucheng Leisure Farm they could have taken us to Zoo? or maybe in other places I would say, but still in the end of the tour in there we have painted bags which I failed because I’m not good with arts, but I did my best. And after we have done the painting we also made the kalamansi that is infused in vinegar he said that it was good to drink it and we should take it home and after 3 months we can drink or use it. By the way we ate lunch here, not to taste honestly speaking. That was the end of the tour in Toucheng Leisure Farm.
Shifen Old Street
The second destination was the Shifen Old Street where you can buy souvenirs and it is also the location of Pingxi Sky Lantern just above it if you walk a little bit. It was raining at that time so we got soaked a little, but it did not stop us on making us fly a lantern in the sky. Every color that is in the lantern has different function like color red: it is health and peace, yellow: money and wealth, blue: career and promotion, purple: study and test, white: future and brightness, orange: love and marriage, green: vigor and success, magenta: attraction and popularity, and lastly pink: bliss and joy. These are the colors in lantern you can do it by 1, 2, 4, 6, or 8 colors in a lantern at the same time but be aware that it will cost more. You have to be also aware of your surroundings like me I almost lost my phone luckily no one picked up my phone and I was able to find it, also there is also a train that passes by so you have to clear the way if you ever hear them coming.
Tien Hsia San Jyue
After we went on Shifen Old Street it was already night time and we have to eat our dinner so they took us in Tien Hsia San Jyue it is a noodle shop, I would really recommend it for people who loves noodles, they make their noodles by hands and I swear that you will love it and you should take in to the account that they are not ‘Kuripot’ or stingy so you will definitely love it! I Forgot to mention that this restaurant was listed in the Michelin Guide. So no wonder that their food was delicious!
And that was the end of our second day tour!
Welcome to the third day of Taiwan Tour!
Yehliu Geopark
So, for
the tour in the third day, they led us in Yehliu Geopark
Yehliu
Geopark Popular photo stop with scenic rock formations, fossils, big waves
So, in here you will have to go sightseeing in the rock formation, and a beautiful background in the sea and it is also a place where you can get a cold but salty air. In those rock formations there is a famous rock which is the queens head which really looks like it with a crown on its head. There’s a lot of rock formation you can see and take a picture of it while have a background of sea!🌊
Jiufen Old Street.
After we went to Yehliu Geopark, they took us next to one of the popular places is the Jiufen Old street. Jiufen Old Street is well known for its popular film which is Spirited Away a Japanese Anime Film it is said that it is the real-world inspiration for the movie. And I’m glad that I was able to see it in real life. Aside from that Jiufen Old street is like a market where you can buy souvenirs, foods, and other things, the souvenirs are mostly popular in characters of spirited away. Which I bought one for myself since I am a fan of the Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away! We also entered ShengPing Theater.
ShengPing
Theater was called originally “the ShengPing stage” set up in the 9th
year of Emperor Shiaowa.
Modern Toilet Restaurant
So after we went in Jiufen Old Street we have our dinner in Modern Toilet Restaurant, yes you read it right Modern toilet Restaurant, where instead of using the modern plates they have creatively made a toilet design and made it a plate or anything that can be seen in comfort room, the food that you eat of course is an actual food but very delicious, I love their pasta! It was a toilet humor at its best, fun dining experience! Toilet Experience! 👍🚽💩
Shilin Night Market
So for the last stop, we have arrived in Shilin Night Market where it is popular to buy your souvenirs and stuff at much more affordable price, so just tour around and look for the things that you will buy for your family and friends. For me I bought souvenirs like refrigerator magnets, and keychains (which I haven’t distributed to anyone, until today) 😂 and T-Shirts I bought my family shirts. Sad to say we don’t have much time to look around because we must go back to our hotel and rest.
Welcome to the last and Final Day of the tour in Taiwan!
Ximending Shopping Street
So
our teachers decided to just give the last day to us and decide for ourselves
on what to do in the remaining hours, so my friends and I decided to just tour
in Ximending Shopping Street to look around and explore since we don’t have
time to explore much. I just found out that they sell these bread that looks
like a private part of the men which I find it funny! 😂. We also had our
lunch at a nearby restaurant and just enjoy the rest of our time!
So, it’s time to say goodbye to Taiwan and leave, it’s time to go home back to our home country Philippines. We departed at Taiwan International Airport at 9:00 pm and arrive in manila around 11 or 12 midnight. The next day we must wait for our next flight going to Iloilo at 4:25 in the morning, we feel like zombies again. But happy that we got home safe and sound! That Taiwan tour was incredible and very enjoyable tour I would love to go back there with my family or friends!
And this
are the popular snacks that mostly foreigners and tourist buy when they shop,
you can mostly see this around every popular market. I would really recommend their
mochi. And be smart when buying things because some shops offer buy 2 get one
for free which is much cheaper.
