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Doraemon!! Who doesn't love this Japanese cartoon character, I guess he is every child's best friend. FYI he's having his birthday this year, 100 years early. In order to celebrate it, there's traveling exhibition around the countries, and it drops by in Taipei starting on Dec 29,2012. So I went there on Dec 31, right before the New Year's Eve. It wasn't a good idea actually, so crowded at that time =.= yet we still enjoy taking pictures like a child :P

 For those who want to visit, here is the information...
It will open from Dec 29,2012 to April 7,2014
Venue: Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, Taipei
Visiting hours: 9am - 6pm
Fee entrance: NT$ 220, student NT$ 200
How to get there by MRT:
Take the MRT blue line to Taipei City Hall Station, exit 1 or 2 and walk for about 400m or to Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Station, exit 5 and walk for about 500m. 







three child-wannabe

Check out the map below for clear direction:
Taipei 101, it is known as a skyscraper building in Taiwan which comprises 101 floors and has served as an icon of modern Taiwan. Since I am now in Taiwan, I went to Taipei 101 many times.. without reaching the top floor of the building until one day my brother came and forced me to go up with him.
The fee entrance: NT$ 400. A little bit expensive, but my brother paid for me, so it's ok:D
anyway, the elevator speed is so fast, we can reach the top only in seconds! cool! and there is  a big damper steel ball in the top-central of the building. This steel ball keeps Taipei 101 safe from the earthquake and typhoon. yeah, Taipei's earthquake and typhoon are pretty shocking me, it happens a lot and quite strong.. but the amazing fact is they prepared for that!

Take a look at this Damper Baby comics!



  


 
 Damper babies~


 The view from the top


Brother & sister in action
How to get there - From Taipei Main Station (TMS):
By MRT: take blue line to Taipei City Hall station, exit 1 or 2 and take 15 mins walk.
Fee entrance to 101 floor: NT$ 400

New year's eve, every year fireworks launched from Taipei 101. I watched the fireworks twice there, in 2012 and 2013. I was quite impressed how these people manage a bunch of visitors who came to see the fireworks in Taipei 101, safe and secure. If I were in my country, I will just give up and prefer to stay at home, watching movies or do something else.

 New year's eve 2012

 New year's eve 2013

stay exist in a crowded night xD

Taiwan map
It's been a year since i posted my last blog. so now, i will just review some visited places in Taiwan in my last one year. well, i dont have much information of how to get there, bcos i went there on a school trip. but u can definitely browse for it tho, and i give links to each place with better information^^

1. Hualien county
Hualien has the largest area in Taiwan and is located in coast-east of Taiwan. Hualien borders with the ocean. so try to stay awake along the way there, or else you might missed the beautiful seaside views. For those who love nature, I think Hualien is a good choice as travel destination!
  • Pine garden. Hualien County's Pine Garden was built in 1943, it used to be the military base for the Japanese Navy during World War II. Now it became a recreational resort. Anyway, seems that i didn't take much pictures back then, so i suggest u to check out the links for more information :D
Pine Garden entrance
  • Meqmegi (Mukumugi) Recreation Area. Meqmegi was the name of the first Taroko tribal family who settled in this area long long time ago. look at its natural beauty..... breathtaking isn't it?







  • Taroko National Park, the famous one in Hualien. The parks are placed to protect the natural scenery and wildlife. It's all about nature! 
Taroko National Park


  
  • Rafting at Siouguluan River. It's the largest river in eastern Taiwan with about 90 kilometers long. but the river is not heavily flows, so it was quite exhausted to go through that river. One thing, don't forget to have sunblock with you, if u don't want to become unfinished-dark-skinned like the man behind me LOL:P


2. Xitou - Nantou county
Nantou is the heartland of Taiwan, as you can see o the map the area is in the central. 
  • Monster village. It's a Japanese style village built in 2011 based on the ancient story. you will find comical-monster statues are all over this village. Interesting place! I think all the monsters there are cute:D 

Watch out for elf!

A torii ‘a traditional Japanese shrine gate’ at the entrance of the village



                    








  • Xitou nature education area. The place is near monster village and is part of the experimental forest belonging to the National Taiwan University (NTU). 

On the way to University pond and skywalk

 University pond

skywalk
  • Sky-ladder bridge. It is said that one of the well-known places visited by tourists. We shud went up to the hill by car/van/any vehicles. So we start from up to downhill. yeah, don't try to start the other way round, from down to uphill, it will be really really exhausting. From up hill we still need to walk about 1400 meters long way to reach the bridge. We were given the bamboo stick for each person, yes it's useful to help us walk in a very challenging road, up-and-down hills with many many stepladder. That is why it is called sky ladder. The scenery is awesome, but the weather is cold and foggy at that time, so we can’t enjoy the view very much.
Look at the stepladder. This is so called sky-ladder bridge.

 Cold and foggy in winter

Posing with bamboo stick like a fighter:P

Another Halal restaurant I just visited in Taiwan, located in Taipei. Direction: From Taipei Main Station take MRT to Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall station (blue line), off to Exit 1, turn left n just go straight, u will find this restaurant at the right side of the street. Looks like a very old place, but the room inside is comfy and they have various menu with affordable price. See my other reviews on Halal food in Taiwan.

QINGZHEN ZHONGGUO NIUROU GUAN 清真中國牛肉館
Halal China Beef Restaurant
No. 1, Alley 7, Lane 137, Yanji St., Taipei City
台北市延吉街137巷7弄1號

MRT: Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

Review updated: 02/2014


The first time I visit here, I ordered the house specialty - niurou mian (NT$140) and dumpling (NT$140/portion of 8 pieces). Niurou means beef and mian means noodles in Chinese. There are spicy and savory flavor for beef noodles. I enjoyed the spicy one. I could taste the sensation of spicy beef noodles when I had my first sip. That is, come from the oil and pepper boiled in the soup. 

Spicy niurow mian (beef noodles)
Steemed beef dumpling



At the other days I visit this restaurant, I ordered the same things again and again: beef noodles and dumpling. Until one day I look around at the stranger's table next to us. And that's how I found Chinese pancakes and beef shredded on the menu. The Chinese normally paired Chinese pancakes with beef shredded and wrap them together. And yes, it's goood when you eat it that way. 

Chinese pancakes and beef shredded

Dough making open kitchen

small plates of cold dishes