This blog is a random concoction and blend of my thoughts, interests, and daily observations. Currently, I am a lover of tea, indoor house plants, trying new foods, and learning about different cultures.
I work for the public schools and despite all the downsides that most of us are aware of, it is a job that I am grateful for and feel proud to show up at everyday. Some thoughts here will reflect my experiences at work.
Here's the view on the train ride from Taipei to Hualian.
Sorry about the little glare/reflection. It was quite dreary outside at one point but fortunately the weather improved when we arrived. We also managed to avoid the nasty typhoon that flooded parts of Hualian earlier that week.
Tamsui District is a seaside area full of history and lovely architecture. Assuming minimal traffic, it is around an hour long drive away from Yonghe City. We left for Tamsui fairly early Monday morning (9:30am) and arrived just before 11o'clock. We would have arrived faster if our GPS had decided to cooperate with us but alas, it had a mind of its own.
This is the view around the Fort Domingo 紅毛城 area. Very calming. The tour guide explained in depth of Taiwan/Formosa's history during the time it was under Spanish and subsequently Dutch control. Due to Tamsui's location by the Taiwan Strait, it was the key port for trade and commerce during the era of colonization.
We were given a walking tour of Fort Domingo, which included the inner compound and museum-like rooms that were furnished according to the time period.
Hotel by the waterfront. I wasn't able to capture the building in its entirety but it is built in the shape of a large ship.
Lots of little shops in the lobby selling wine, aboriginal products, and other souvenir items.
By the boardwalk. Plenty of snack options and restaurants if you go later in the afternoon/evening. Most places are not open during lunch time so I would definitely recommend coming closer to dinner time where there is a more lively vibe.
This the view at the far end of the boardwalk. The bridge is called Lovers' Bridge.
I wish the weather had been a little more clear but the misty mountain in the distance does have a charm of its own. Kind of resembles a mini-volcano on a water color painting.
Overall, I think Tamsui is perfect getaway for a short road trip away from the crowded city. It is also accessible via the Taipei metro system; just be prepared for lots of trekking when you arrive!
Here is a city where you really have to budget yourself when it comes to shopping, unless of course you have saved up and are well-prepared. In this post, I am sharing a few destinations to explore if you are looking to stock up on cheap souvenirs, clothes, accessories, snacks, and unique knick-knacks.
First of all, Ximending is the destination famous known for attracting the young and trendy. Easily accessible from the Taipei subway line, you'll find small bargain stores, larger chain shops, karaoke, restaurants, bars, and plenty of young people strolling about. Many of the streets here are closed to vehicles and are large pedestrian walkways.
Shinjuku Plaza in Ximending
Tiny boutiques filled with imported clothing and cute accessories. These include items like dainty costume jewelry, retro looking accessories, hair accessories, brooches, and funky socks. There's a wide price range in here depending on where the items are coming from, ie. Japan, Korea, US, Europe. There are also shops renting out Louis Vuitton purses as well as shops selling second-hand brandname handbags for discounted prices.
There are also a couple mini-salons that specialize in intricate nail art. Japanese style acrylic nails seem to fairly popular in Taiwan. Very delicate and unique designs with different textures are available. Not for someone like me though since I would never figure out how to put on my contacts with those on - or even hold a pencil or button my clothes.
Funky shoes on the left and hairdye on the right. Apparently, the hairdye boasts many natural ingredients and only 9% hydrogen peroxide (compared to most permanent hairdyes at around 20-35%). The packaging resembles a delicious slushee or ice-cream dessert.
Etude House. This photo was taken in Ximending but there are several more locations throughout the city.
Taipei carries many options and brands for those who are interested in Asian skincare and cosmetic products. Check out Watson's (found on almost every street), Cosmed (also has numerous locations), Momo, Sasa (outside Zhong Xiao Dun Hua Station), and Poya (superstore with massive selection).
And to give you a better idea of the scene that greets you when you exit Ximen subway station (exit #6):
A quick video of a little performance outside the station. I love the atmosphere of bright lights and busy hustle bustle everywhere. It is exciting but can definitely be overstimulating at the same time!
Apologies for the shakiness and random zooming in the video but you get the idea.
Another place to checkout is the area around Taipei Main Station shown below.
There is an underground walkway with discount shoes, accessories, food, 7 eleven, and even an arcade.
There are a couple malls in this area, most famously Shinkono (Shin Kong) Mitsukoshi pictured below. Many floors of women's fashion, men's fashion, accessories, a huge food court, typical things you would find in a mall. The malls in Taipei are quite different in style and layout compared to the suburban ones we often see in Canada and the US. Because of the dense population and lack of space, malls are tall buildings consisting of at least 7 to 8 floors rather than wide and sprawled out. The interiors are bright and shiny and some of the malls have such glam washrooms that they resemble a lounge. ie. complete with sofas, lamps, wallpaper, vanity mirror, music, and a television set. Across the intersection from Shin Kong, there is another newly built mall which boasts some fantastic food as well as a large movie theatre. Unlike other movie theatres I am accustomed to, this one not only had popcorn vendors but also included jewelry and accessories shops and a Bose electronics store.
Other shopping malls to check out are Pacific Sogo and Min Yao, outside of Zhong Xiao Dun Hua station. Outside the latter, there's a great deal of upscale boutiques for those interested in more high-end shopping.
Taipei night markets are also a MUST-SEE. I have explored four different ones so far but failed to capture decent photos of any of them (due to being too distracted by all the wonderful food and gadgets). I do plan on visiting a couple more and will be sure to take some photos to share!
So that wraps up my post on shopping destinations to check out. And in a city like this, it's really only the tip of the iceberg!
Usually in the mornings, I don't have too much of an appetite so this was the perfect little breakfast to begin my day! I can't recall the name of this bakery unfortunately but I will update if I manage to find out. They had a great selection of buns, mini cake rolls, and the adorable chocolate bear you see below. They also had one in the shape of a little mouse with sesame seeds for eyes.
I had a simple, quick, and healthy lunch here. Great place to be if you miss tasting motherly home-cooked meals. (Also great for people who are in a hurry and want some take-out on the run since there's minimal food prep time.)
"E-Show" Vegetarian Restaurant, 234 Yong Fu Rd. No. 38
Yummy dumplings and buns.
And last but not least, lunch at a lovely friend's home.
Not open to the public (unfortunately!), but thought I would share the delicious dishes anyway.
The avocado salad on the right is my personal favourite. Ingredients: avocado, apples, bamboo, corn, mayo, and honey. Raisins optional. Absolutely amazing! I wish these photos would do it some justice. Major compliments to the chef.
Godiva chocolates for dessert and bubble tea delivered to the door.
There is no shortage of food selection in Taipei when it comes to vegetarian options.
I'm going to introduce a couple of my favourites so far.
So Free, Wood Fired Pizza, No.1 Ln.50, Sanshui St., Wanhua District
This adorable pizza place is in Ximending, a "fashionable" district filled with younger people. (Lots of unique shopping, restaurants, nightlife, etc - more about this later.) My lovely mother found this place all on her own and has since been trying to convince everybody she knows to join her here. She's right though; they do make some tasty thin-crust pizzas with special toppings. The pizzas are individual-sized but if you're not monstrously hungry, it could most likely feed two people.
We split a Mushroom Asparagus Pizza between the two of us.
Other choices on the menu include "Smoked Cheese Pizza," "Rosemary Potato Pizza," "Apple Cinnamon Pizza," "Korean Kimchi Pizza," and "Ginger Superman Pizza." Clearly, we opted for the least adventurous choice. Next time around, I'll definitely have to try out one of their dessert pizzas.
Landi (Lan de) Pasta, 1F No.7 Wenhua Road, Yonghe District
Classy and vibrant atmosphere. I like the huge arch windows spanning entire walls of the restaurant because they make you feel connected to the busy street and bright lights outside. This is not technically a vegetarian restaurant but I know that they make veggie versions of the dishes on their menu and they are kind and happy to take your request.
Here's my dinner, Butter Rice and Mushroom Casserole!
Creamy, gooey goodness.
Cafe India, Food Court of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi (新光三越) No.66 Sec.1 Zhong Xiao W. Road
I was wandering aimlessly around the food court and could not resist when I saw the dishes in the display. Their menu is not strictly vegetarian but they have at least 6-7 veggie options. I ordered a Spinach Cheese Paneer which came with soup, salad, na'an bread, and rice.
Take a look at the display below. I would say it's a little pricey by Taiwanese standards, $200-300 NT, around $10 CAD. I think this type of cuisine is a less common in Taiwan, hence the inflated price. The paneer was worth the money though!
Da-Ai Vegetarian Food Court, Tzu-Chi Hospital No.289 Jianguo Road, Singdian City, Taipei County
I admit that it seems odd to list a hospital food court as a lunch destination but if you've seen this place, you'll understand. They have a wide variety of cuisines such as Thai food, Congee, Italian food, pastries, and more. The lobby upstairs usually has music performances around lunch time with volunteers (or possibly special guests) playing traditional Taiwanese music/instruments as well as piano and violin. There are also booths and a large gift shop selling environmentally friendly products, non-profit CDs, children's books, etc. This has been our lunch destination for the past 4 days consecutively and I'm still not tired of it yet! There is also a snacks/treats shop and a bakery in the food court. The food court is strictly vegetarian and all dishes listed below with "meat" titles are imitation meat.
Fish sticks with peppers in sweet and sour sauce. I apologize for the out-of-focus photos, I'm still figuring out my new camera and all its tricks.
Thai chicken red curry. The chicken is hidden beneath the generous amount of curry sauce.
White turnip soup with carrots, tofu, and fishballs.
Rice and cucumber casserole. Yum, casseroles are definitely in my top ten favourite foods in case you couldn't tell.
Chicken strips in sweet soy sauce. In my opinion, the flavouring of this chicken strongly resembles actual meat.
Here's the bakery I mentioned earlier.
Believe it or not, all of these are veggie buns. I am particularly fond of the veggie hotdog bun. Both of these need to be eaten while they are fresh, as they will go bad within 1 or 2 days even if refrigerated. (I believe due to lack of preservatives.) The sweet patries and cakes don't have this problem.
Many floors of women's fashion, men's fashion, accessories, a huge food court, typical things you would find in a mall. The malls in Taipei are quite different in style and layout compared to the suburban ones we often see in Canada and the US. Because of the dense population and lack of space, malls are tall buildings consisting of at least 7 to 8 floors rather than wide and sprawled out. The interiors are bright and shiny and some of the malls have such glam washrooms that they resemble a lounge. ie. complete with sofas, lamps, wallpaper, vanity mirror, music, and a television set. Across the intersection from Shin Kong, there is another newly built mall which boasts some fantastic food as well as a large movie theatre. Unlike other movie theatres I am accustomed to, this one not only had popcorn vendors but also included jewelry and accessories shops and a Bose electronics store.
