I am supposed to post my trip review directly after my trip ended, but I am so lazy to do so. Hence, now I just posted my trip to Taiwan on 27th June-3rd July 2011.
Basically I used Golden Rama Tour and Travel, the same travel I used when I went to Japan 4 years ago (I will post about my trip to Japan if someday I have mood). In this trip, I went with my mom and younger sis, Fina. All of the group members met in Soekarno Hatta international airport in the afternoon, China airlines.
Day 1- Jakarta-Taipei
Usually I am very experienced in travelling, but I dont know what really gets me that day, I forgot to lock my luggage, oucchhh shitt.I directly called my tour leader, Mr Hendty which is very kind, nice, and too full of manner. He helped me to get that right even though actually my luggage is already in the airline. Well if my flight is from Malaysia, I shouldn't be worried, but come on guys, Indonesian airport is very very very very super dangerous.They can even open the extra locked luggage, so I am sure they can easily unzip mine. Fortunately due to my very responsible tour leader, it was solved (thanks again).
(fast forward>>>>)
During the fast forward, I should say I met some persons from the same tour, tourmates. Basically there are about 20 something people joined. Most are big families, and when I said big, it is BIG. One family has 6 persons and the others also 6 persons. So can say those dominate a lot, even though I think I dominate even more only with 3 persons .hahahhaa...
We arrived in Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei at night (and no, I am not the type of person taking picture in airport, so no airport pict). It is already late and there we met local guide, Mr.(not Mr., come on, he is just like 2/3/4/ years older than me) Jimmy. He is actually also Indonesian, but he studied in Taipei for quite long time so his taiwanese mandarin is very good, his Indonesian also very good, makes me thinking maybe Indonesian language is hard to be forgotten. My first impression when I saw him is like "ooooemmmgiii he is so alay" Indonesian must know what alay is..He dressed like all black and I don't know why I saw something which is not in order in him. He is actually pretty cute, but u know first impression is all.
After 1 hour bus drive from airport, we arrived in the hotel Fullon Jhongli, Taipei. The hotel is very small, even though the facility is like normal 4.5 stars hotel.There are not much room there I believe. After wash up and all, we just went to 7 eleven to grab some snack. It's all dark and nothing can be done, so I slept.
Day 2 Taipei-Taichung
First destination is Chang Khay Sek Memorial Hall. I believe Chang Kay Sek was the first president in Taiwan. From history perspective, he was married with a lady (I forgot her name) but he left her for another new concubine which he loved so much, named Song Mei Ling, which believed to be a very beautiful woman. He divorced his first wife in order to be with second wife, because Lady Song is a believer in monogamy. Lady Song was a very powerful woman back then (and yes, I can see it).
In CKS memorial hall, there is a statue of CKS and also classic cars, basically it was like a museum.
And here is our pic in front of the memorial hall
From left to right, Mommy, Fina, and I
Since the soldier rotation is not so spectacular thing, I walked around the shrine with Fina and took some pictures with us in it for sure. Here is one of them..okay two...The second pict is group photo..
I was in the middle of course
We went shopping afterwards. That was a place selling Taiwanese merchandise and snacks. Longan chocolate is their speciality. I tried the sample, well I don't really feel the longan since it was dried longan and really dried. I didn't find it very special, so I didn't buy any. It's pretty good actually, but not that special, u know what I mean.
Taipei 101 is the next destination. It is the highest building in Taiwan, it has shopping centre, convention centre, and also I dont know what it's called, the place where u can see all d things from height, whatever it is. We didn't go to that top level, because I know it is basically the same view as other high buildings, like Shanghai tower, KL Tower, Seoul Tower, Tokyo Tower, and whatever towers I've been to. And yeah from what I heard from others who went, it is the same with other towers.
National Palace Museum is very beautiful (next destination) and organized, and modern. But unfortunately we were not allowed to take pictures inside. This museum is the 4th biggest museum in the world. Things there are arts... Usually I am not into museum, but this is different. The ivory, jade (shaped like bai chai "white vegetable", sawi, Chinese cabbage whatever it is called looked super real. The color combination is very beautiful and amazing). I was interested to the metal, ceramics and ornaments, shaped beautifully and detailed. U can see it from the loop, it is very amazing, u should totally see it yourself, guys. Super unfortunately, photos are not allowed. fiuhh.
We left Taipei and went to Tai Chung via bullet train. It was a fast train, but I should say not as fast as Shinkansen in Japan, because from what I learnt, this bullet train in Taiwan is made by Japan too by the way. Fun fact, we should be glad, not everything is made in China. Yeah and I saw something interesting which normally will be passed easily, it is 9 3/4 gate in Harry Potter. It was there in the bullet train station. Another fun fact "Harry Potter can be made in China"..Okay, I admit it that was my worst joke ever.
After waiting for quite a long time, the bus arrived and after some dinner, we went back to hotel De Bao in Taichung, seriously this hotel is even worse then before. It is somewhat maybe still 4 stars hotel or something. At night, I went around the hotel by myself because mom was tired and Fina was not into it and my roommate slept. Even though it was late, and most of the stores are closed and the roads are almost dark, it was very safe. I didn't know what gets me that night, I was very brave and walk around the blocks by myself, I saw some kind of traditional market, and all those shops, but all closed. So I decided just to go to convenience store to buy some Oolong milk tea. And since in tour, we normally ate three complete meals a day and I am not a 3x eater. So I felt stuffed all the time whenever I am in tour and decided not to drink that milk tea.
Day 3 Tai Chung
Okay so this is what I don't like about this local guide, he was very nice, he really was. I no longer think of him as an alay, besides he looked more normal and normal everytime I saw him. So maybe I was just overreacted back then in day 1. Okay back to what I don't like about him, he never told us, the weather forecast. He didn't tell that "this place is cooler than the other, and don't forget to apply your SPF UV protection when u were there, etc etc". He made me end up re-applying uv protection in the bus, because it was extremely hot and I had to open my umbrella to avoid unintentional tanning to my skin. Well maybe I was just being picky or ignorant or weird or crazy girl, I don't care. I learned from my mistake, not applying UV protection when I was in secondary school cost me very huge regret until now. I have so many stupid, silly, unwanted flex in my face thanks for that and I am so not going to let that happen AGAIN because the old scars haven't even dissapeared.
So, back to the trip, we went to Formosan Aborigine Village and Theme Park in Taichung. In the opening of this theme park, there was some Dayak/aborigine clan, called Amei (read: Ami). They did some dancing thing for the opening of the theme park, and I won't share the pictures with you, no special reason.
And here is the new attraction, which had not open yet by the time I was there. I don't even know what game is it, but it is from One Piece. and here I brought to you the pict of Luffy's old boat, which I forgot what is the name. Anyone???
After theme park, we continued our journey to Sun Moon Lake via cable car. It is believed that in Sun Moon Lake, we can see sun and moon at the same time when sunset. I didn't manage to see it btw but yeah it was beautiful. Because later there will be Sun Moon Lake part 2. haha..
The cable car was not as crazily long as what I used in Langkawi, Malaysia. It is almost comparable though, but the sceneries are different. In Langkawi, we see sea and beaches which are truly beautiful. Here it is also beautiful, but we see lake here. That is the difference (i know I'm not helping). And besides lake, the theme park was also seen.
Anyway the third day was such a long day and I had the most pictures from this day. And since it was so long, I will continue later on when I was free. haha..see ya guys.. thanks for reading summer clover..(I couldn't get that blog website, so instead i got summer clove.
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