Taiwan Trip 2012 Day 1 (台北 - 臺中）

21 Dec Fri (台北 - 臺中）

took Jetstar 720am flight to Taipei~ is my 4th trip there..  rch Taipei ard 12noon.. wah, brand new terminal? cos like nvr been to this terminal b4.. den finally realise is T1... cos normally Jetstar alights at T2.. thus gt a bit lost in T1.. bgt our bus tic to Taichung for 240nt each from FreeGo.. 

get some oden food from their mini mart for quick lunch

Seaweed fan tuan with pork ribs

FreeGo shuttle bus from Taipei T1 - T2 - Taichung

Alighted at Jian Guo rd.. From left, walk straight and will reach Taichung Train Station of 100+yrs.. There's visitor centre where i asked for direction to underpass to 后车站.. actually is on e right facing outside of the train..  will hv one big sign named 台中車站. We are staying in CityInn Plus Taichung which is located at the back of the train station. But there are no elevator provided.. so gonna carry luggage down up stairs.. well, not tt many stairs as expected.. so still ok for our 1st and 2nd day.. Out of underpass, turn left den turn right.. walk straight and reach the hotel.. While checking in, the receptionist told me if I were to check in early or wat? cos my itinerary stated 23rd dec.. den realised i booked the wrong date!! i booked 23-25dec instead of 21-23dec! wah sian.. means no room for us? heng the receptionist ger was v friendly.. and at the same time they were unable to contact one customer who made his reservation.. so HENG HENG gt room for us for these 2 days! else i duno wat gona do.. haiz.. wat a start happening of this trip.. 

CityInn Plus Taichung 新驛旅店.. a v nice hotel which i recommended.. every level of this hotel provides different theme.. its corridor, its room.. all deco differently.. and of cos we went every level to tk their theme design.. but too bad, our room has no design.. cos cheapest.. lol.. but v nice and clean already! even the "DO NOT DISTURB" and "MAKE UP ROOM" sign also magnetic on the door.. 

settled dwn den go myPhone 大哥大 to get our data sim plan.. 10days Unlimited internet.. nt800.. with nt200 of voice.. and is in nano sim.. din even need to use the nano cutter.. haa. thou bit mafan to apply for it, as they need passport for their record.. and even require 2 kinds of proof of identification.. but anyway, use passport will do..

Walked back to train sation, went to opp 7-11 to get 悠游卡 that is usable in whole taiwan.. the 7-11 at the train station don't sell transport card.. Empty card nt100 with top up nt100, so 200nt avail in the card..

Makan time! took Bus 58 frm bustops in front of train station to 一中街.. juz follow alighted at 科技大學.. duno izzit too hungry, ate 10 items! at least we tried many diff food this time round.. but of cos we wun missed  out our grilled squid~.. lol.. 

一中街

1）福州包 3 for NT30

2) 锅贴  5 for NT20

3) 花枝丸 NT10

4) 卤味 NT50

5) 臭豆腐 NT50 - most recommended.. the biggest portion i ever had in Taiwan

6) 烤鱿鱼 NT70 (大）NT40 (小）

7）猪血糕 NT10

8) 卤味 － 鸭血 NT10

9) 盐酥菇 NT50

plus one last item 10）爱玉柠檬

den took back Bus 58 to train station.. went back to 7-11 and bgt Taiwan Beer 台灣啤酒 apple flavor for nt40..

There's one shopping mall called ModeMall, juz located nearby the hotel.. ard 5 mins walk.. quite big.. and since is xmas period, took a pic with Taichung xmas tree.. 

Hoshino Coffee @ PS

Located at the new partition of PS.. always wanted to try this as its food display look quite tempting.. queued for ard 30mins for our turn.. 

Ordered squid ink pasta $15.00

their speciality: "Fuwa Fuwa" (fluffy) Hoshino Soufflé $15.80

is really v fluffy and the top is quite crispy too

lastly, their pancake soufflé style $9.80

Hoshino Coffee  星乃珈琲店
Location: 68 Orchard Road #03-84 Plaza Singapura
Tel: 6338 3277
Operating Hours: 11:30 to 22:00 Daily

His Bday @ Coastal Settlement

brought him to Coastal Settlement @ Changi area for his bday meal..  we are ushered to an corner which prevent us to have a gd view of the cafe.. lots of family gathering are held on wkend.. so glad tat i made reservation.. the cafe deco is in oldies of 60s to 80s?

this dish is a must-order by many recommendation.. fried portobello fries with mayo $15 ! it is sooo delicious cripsy texture and juicy~ even their plate is those we had at home..

Ocean Tales Seafood soup!  $18~ is really worth it!.. ingredients: seafood soup, mussels, clams, squids, prawns, tomatoes, straw mushrooms, lobster stock, herbs. and french baguette~ the soup is v rich and quite a portion for 2 of us.. definitely will order again

look at their amt of ingredients!

Ribeye with rosti~ $32.. steak still okie.. but the rosti is nice and headache.. too full to finish them off!

Pizza~ we had half half.. parma ham with rockets and portobello~ tastes still ok..

Tada~ full..

The Coastal Settlement

200 Netheravon Road

Singapore 508529

Tel: +65 64750200

Website: www.thecoastalsettlement.com

Op Hours: Tue – Sun 10.30 – Midnight.

Bangkok 2012 - Day 5 (Platinum Fashion Mall, Tailor, SG)

29 Oct Mon 

Last day in BKK liao, weather dun look gd too.. heng ah i can say.. early check out.. den go Platinum Fashion Mall Food Centre for brkfast at ard 10am.. most of e stalls opened.. tried mixed soup of pig organs and rice for 70baht.. cos saw pig blood~.. yums.. 

Pig Blood~~~ 

Beef soup.. niceee

cont walking ard at Platinum zone 1 for shoes.. Time for tailor collection.. Walked from Platinum Fashion Mall to Central World.. took train frm Chit Lom to Nana.. Aiya, they told us to arrive at 12, but they nt ready yet.. still need to go bk in one hr ltr.. nt wasting any time, we walk to Terminal 21 for our last grilled squid meal!! one shot ordered 3 sticks.. haa.. is really fat n thick n gd sauce! (missing it!) where to find this in sg? even lost to tw squid i feel..

OmG~ 

started to rain again.. den realise my jacket is only windproof, need to buy water resistant jacket liao.. haiz.. finally his shirts are ready but sad to say tt one of the shirts did nt alter nicely, excess of cloth behind, need ask em to rush by 445 and deliver to hotel.. but glad is nt raining after tt.. took train bk to Chit Lom..had largest cup of salted caramel mocha @ Starbucks for ard sgd7+.. walked bk frm Central World to Platinum zone 1 for shoe shopping.. and last food tasting at zone 2 food center.. ordered prawn tomyum.. 

transport to airport, ard 5 mins walk frm hotel to Ratchaprarop City Line Station.. 40baht per pax only.. really spent too much on cab during this trip.. 

 

Waffles with Sesame paste from Platinum 

Mango Sticky Rice with coconut from Platinum.. nt bad for my first bite.. 

Bangkok International Airport.. 

Whats nice abt Baiyoke Sky HOtel?? 

Data simcard we used in BKK

shld b gng bk nxt yr ba? but hope weather can b better, doubt so? BKK is hot,every min gt bad traffic.. shld plant more trees.. lol.. but cfm go bk n aim e squid again, sohope the stall will b still ard! yums! missed coconut drink, phad thai..

Bangkok 2012 - Day 4 (Chatukchat Market, Platinum Fashion Mall, Chocolate Ville)

28 Oct Sun 

Set off at 9.. Took shuttle bus to Siam Discovery den change train frm National Stadium to Mo Chit BTS for Chatukchat Market.. another big shopping area.. woah, long stretch of cabs n mini buses waiting along the road beside e mrkt.. 

is really hot n stuffy and is kinda indoors within each block.. theres more than 20 blocks.. heng gt print out the map, else really will lost! so we juz walk one direction long stretch.. had chix sticky rice.. hven eat mango sticky rice and coconut wif icecream, too full to eat them.. 

walk till 2pm.. gave up.. tired hot sticky smelly.. tk train bk to Siam Discovery for shuttle bus.. but bus was like never get to come. wasted 30mins of waitg.. in e end took cab bk to hotel for 50b...woo~ rest awhile den took cab and zoom to Chocolate Ville~ 151baht by meter..  the most looking forward place in BKK trip.. this place is really v nice.. cant go without camera~.. Please mk reservation thru facebook b4 u come.. do come early for sunset view.. make reservation at 530pm.. reached ard 515pm and managed to catch sunset.. 

Waiters / Waitresses dress up for Halloween

went straight to reservation area and get our table.. num 312~ tats the best thing as no waiting time is wasted.. but so suay tat all of us kana mosq bites.. but dun seem like other pple have this issue, somemore, the table beside us, has the WHOLE fan facing them.. damn irritated! haiz. think this trip, i kana 8 bites on my legs le (to be exact, 17 bites from this BKK trip.. leaving black spots on my legs) haiz.. 

ordered crispy calamari, parma ham pizza, clams pasta, half rack ribs, ribeye steak, green curry chix and iced water.. tats alot~  

Clams Tomato Basil Spaghetti 225baht

Half Rack Spare Ribs 395baht

Ribeye Steak (200g) 565baht

Param Ham Pizza

Crispy Calamari 155baht

Green Curry Chix 160baht

End of dinner.. Table 312

think in this place, they cater for ard 700 or more tables.. woah.. if gt chance, do feel to go this place and this meal only cost us 1845b.. quite worthy.. portion is quite reasonable also.. time to go round tk pics liao.. was Halloween theme when we were there.. 

and heng managed to get cab in this place as this location is quite out of place.. tml last day in BKK le.. pack pack n had my Choco Truffle Magum..yums~