New Year and Taipei

Location: Jiu Fen, Taipei
Time: 12:00am
Date: 1 January 2010

Happy New Year! I know, it’s already april, but I love screaming ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR‘ on the mountain tops of Jiu Fen. We waited up at the rooftop, and it was freezing cold. We waited and waited until BOOM! fireworks came shooting up from the city. The sight was so beautiful and the feeling was really amazing.

Big ass new year fireworks

This was the first time I experience fireworks flying up right into my face and on a freezing mountain top. My hands were already ice and I just couldn’t stop snapping pictures of the beautiful fireworks that comes from all directions. It was so worth it.

Who has the nicest heart (no pun intended)?

Bowie’s B, Terynn’s T, Reuben’s R, Fann’s ..erm… F?

The 4 of us took out our newly bought fireworks to the rooftop and played with it. We wrote letters, we drew hearts, we danced around, we froze still, we burnt a bunch altogether, etc. It was fantastic, spending my new year with Fann. After a while, the motel owner came up the stairs and told us to stop burning his motel. So, we packed our stuff and went back to bed. We were still freezing by the way.

We woke up around 9:30am and the weather was still freezing cold. We had to warm our fingers with our armpits and make breakfast. While eating, we couldn’t resist the beautiful view just right outside. As we gobbled our breakfast, we quickly went up the rooftop again to enjoy the view, while Fann sips her coffee from her little paper cup.

I quickly went back to our room and grabbed my camera and tripod. Well, as usual we took some idiotic group photos before we had to leave for Taipei City again.

After packing, we headed down to check out. Along the way to the taxi stand, we bought some mochi and Fann’s favourite 铁蛋. As the taxi brought us downtown, he stopped along the way for us to get some shots of the beautiful scenery.

Me & Fann thinking about food

Location: Taipei City
Time: 2:00pm
Date: 1 January 2010

Taipei Sogo

As we reached Taipei, we took the subway to Sogo. Reason? To meet up Bowie’s taiwanese friend. Fann & I were excited to meet her friend because it’s time for lunch. We were thinking where we should eat, until we found out that her friend was a vegetarian. Hmm.. so, we walked behind Sogo area and looked around for something un-meaty.

Along the way, we came across this restaurant. What attracted our attention, was that it stated ALL YOU CAN EAT for only TWD249! Fann & I were like WOW!!! There were lots of foods to choose from. There were all sorts of cheese cakes, puddings, soup, pasta, salad, fruits, you name it!

The shop was filled with customers and everyone looked really happy. There were cute waitresses too. Woo~

Well, most of the main dishes were cakes to be exact. The pastas were only available from time to time. You’ll hear someone announcing pasta is here then everyone would gather in a line, while a cute waitress will put some pasta on your plate as you gaze at the big tray of pasta. I can’t write when there’s so much food photos to upload. Check them out below:

Salad

Pasta

Pizza

Pot of tea

Tiramisu and Layered cheese cake

After lunch, our stomachs felt like bloated balloons. I couldn’t stop eating those delicious cheese cakes they have. It was amazing. We took a stroll around Taipei City to help to digest all those guilty food. Fann & I could shut our mouths as our stomach was full of cheese cakes and pastas. After Bo’s friend left, we had to catch a taxi and head up to Yang Ming Shan for a nice hot spring.

City life escapade – Yang Ming Shan

We were all tired from last night’s New Year celebration. We didn’t had enough sleep. So, as we reached the hotel up on Yang Ming Shan, we didn’t get to shoot as many photos. But still, the view was beautfiul. You could see that Taipei City is so tiny and far away, which allows me to believe that Yang Ming Shan really is a hideaway from city life.

Taiwanese i-City

We then went down their small town to grab some food, and then head back to our chalet for a nice hot spring bath. The private hot spring was great.

Bo choosing the right food for the other 3 hungry mouths

At first, it was so freakin hot, I couldn’t stand it, after spending half an hour to an hour in it, the feeling was so great. I really enjoyed it so much, I couldn’t leave that place. After cleaning up and stuff, we packed and headed to bed. It was our last day in Taiwan and I’m beginning to miss it already.