20180316 Taipei 101+Maokong+Gongguang again

Although it was March, you could still feel chill or even cold in the air. 

Ms. L enjoyed posting as a model starting from moment 1. 

She still suffered from jet lag, but as a Texas woman, she demostrated strength along the way. 

Each passing moment in Taipei inscribed in her momery.  

The early March marked the coming of azalea flower season. 

Big teapot restaurant has been my favorite for some time. 

National Chengchi University campus is nearby Maokong gondola. 

The drawback is that the campus is far away from downtown, so it takes at least 30~40 mins bus or car driving. 

Gradually, Miss L can't resist sleeping bug biting, so she decided to head back.

Before that, a taste of tapioca milk tea is must.

This hand-shake tea place is called, "pure happiness."

If not pure happy, at least you are guaranteed to feel happy after tasting one cup of milk tea.  

On her way back, Miss L expressed her suprise on the number of people commuting in the Taipei metro subway. 

That is how we Taiwanese deal with every day, though. 

Thank you Miss L for making such a wonderday with your beauty and laughter. 

20170610 Taipei 101+Maokong

                                    This was a cloudy day. I greeted my guest from Australia. 

                                           Taipei 101 is out first stop as always.

                                               

This trip was relatively short, as it started to rain heavily in the afternoon. But we managed to have a feast in the Maokong mountain area about 20 mins drive from Taipei 101 and then took cable car for around 25 mins.

Fried Rice

Mountain vegetable:San-Sui

Steamed egg

Deep Fried shrimp

Seasame oil mushroom soup  

    

2017 I-Land&Hualien

Luckily, it is a sunny day. On our way to Hualien, we stop over Nan-Fan-Ao of I-Land for lunch.

Nan-Fan-Ao has its own natural harbor, located near meeting places of ocean currentts, thus it offers fresh and various seafood.  We order water lotus(which is a type of local vegatable) and deep fried clams. This restaurant is 海底園  He-Di-Yuan or ocean garden. They do docorate their interior space with tanks of exotic fish such as the one I show below.

Near the harbor, there is a Guayin status overseeing the Pacific ocean. Guayin is said to be able to hear sounds of suffering people. However, the sound of speaking Guayin resembles the tide of ocean. No wonder this Guayin statue on the one hand guards the searshore and one the other hand enjoys the sounds of wave as delicate as the sound of Guayin. 

 I have on our way to Hualien could be a torture if not for the exllent scnery. 

I take random photos along the Su-Hua road. Normally it might take 3 to 4 hrs one way.  

We stop by Qingshui Cliff, where mountains dive directly into the pacific ocean creative a vertically contrasting view accompanied by immense sky. 

Taroko gorge is not too far away about 1.5 to 2 hrs drive. Along the way, branches of Li-Wu river appears. Slowly rising mountains constantly interact with cutting water downward formulates the multi-dimentional rocky profiles. 

Near Tianxi, the upper side of Taroko, a serene temple overseas the valley. Even if you are not a religious follower, you can still feel a peace of mind and encounter the serendipity there.

 This photo is taken to showcase the Li-Wu river's U turn along the mountains. 

We come out from the other side of the entrance. It marks the starting point of Taroko Gorge national park.

 On our way back to Taipei, I am so tired so I literally flash through whatever presents to me outside. It appears that I might be in a state of dizziness.

We stop by I-Land again, but this time at Jia-Xi, a small town famous for hot spring. This restaurant is called Lin-Bei BBQ house. 

The environment is cozy but has some mosquitoes. 

You can walk to this reaturant from Jia-Xi train station for about 10 minutes.

 It offers reasonable prices for Japanese style of fish barbecue, baked photato, and deep fried tampura, which in total costs less than NT800 dollars. 

I think travelling to Hualien by van is flexible but not necessarily time-saving. However, trains tickets can be difficult to obtained. If you have two days to spend, that would be better and more relaxing.

  

Mien-Mien-Chu-Doa Oyster noddle in Tianmu

Tianmu is located in northern part of Taipei, where a wide variety of foreigners stay. This restaurant called Mien-Mien-Chu-Doa was refurbished  and I recommend it for its stylish decoration, sanitary environment and delicate taste.

Nomally, Taiwanese shiu-chi or small restaurant will not spend too much money in decoration. But you can even see art works inside. 

A closer look at the painting.

The tool of cooking is made of iron now serves for decoration on top of wood table.

You can choose braised tofu, mushoom, vegetables and etc.

Their soups have beef flavor, pork flavor and tomato flavor. Onions add extra sweet flavor to the original seafood taste. 

At the entrance, you can meet a smiling cute budda and a tree trunk full of lively plants. 

Each person might spend around NT200~400 or around USD7~USD14, which is reasonable. Another alternative Yaminshan trail is nearby the area,you can take a leisure hiking after the feast.