Detailed Postings for the Day
- Remains of Longteng Bridge
- Hua Lu Flower Home (花露農場)
- DIY Tea Tree Oil Insect Repellent
- Lunch @ Hua Lu Flower Home
- Roses Bar @ Hua Lu Flower Home
- Orchid Garden @ Hua Lu Flower Home
- Zhongshe Flower Market (中社觀光花市)
- Painted Animation Lane (動漫彩繪巷)
- Feng Chia Night Market (逢甲夜市)
- Decent Washroom / Toilet @ Feng Chia Night Market
- 19House炙燒牛排 (Nineteen House Steak)
- Yixin Vegetarian Stinky Tofu (一心素食臭豆腐)
- Freshfields Hotel (清新溫泉飯店)
- The View of Taichung City from Freshfields Hotel
Despite the hiccup, Dad was still game to take photograph with the coach that shall be responsible to bring us around for the few days in Taiwan! Of course, once he started to smile, the wound reopened again.
Just noticed a gym right opposite the hotel; just wondering if it is easy to get a trial entry when I am overseas. For me, it's more crucial for me to jog than to do weights though.
On the road towards our next destination!
Loving the sights of rolling mountains; in case you are aware, Taiwan is separated in the middle by a mountain range known as Central Mountain Range which runs from north to south of the island.
I should make it a point to visit one of the cemeteries in Taiwan; theirs were unique in the sense that some had a roof over the tombs and looked like little huts from afar.
Going into Miaoli; one of 13 counties of Taiwan.
First stop - the Remains of Longteng Bridge! Built in 1906, collapsed in 1935 and further damaged in 1999, I hoped it wasn't affected by the recent earthquake at Hualien.
Continuing to be educated by KK, our tour guide! Do you know that the fish featured on the 2,000 Taiwan dollar currency note is the "Taiwanese freshwater salmon"? Endemic to island and found only at elevation of above 1,500, it is a critically endangered species and in year 1992, its population count was only 200!
Arrival at Hua Lu Flower Home (花露農場), where we undertook a session on DIY Tea Tree Oil Insect Repellent, had our lunch and took a lot of photographs, including a short visit to the Orchid Garden!
Concluding the visit with a signature rose soft serve from Roses Bar!
A little fellow managed to hitch a ride on my tee shirt! It didn't know what it was getting into as there were so much more greenery and flowers at Hua Lu Flower Home.
One sight you wouldn't see in Singapore would be the vast swathes of agricultural land; I found them to be therapeutic although as an urbanite, my heart is with the city for their modern conveniences.
Back then, Taiwan was gearing up for the 2024 General Election, which was to "to elect the 16th president and vice president of Taiwan, and all 113 members of the 11th Legislative Yuan." An intense election no doubt, with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) winning the president and vice-president seats.
Driving past Fire Mountain!
Another flower filled attraction; Zhongshe Flower Market (中社觀光花市), where we spent so much time taking photographs on the flower fields! Most memorable was the patch of sunflowers that was as tall as me!
A honey shop attached to Zhongshe Flower Market; this brought me to back to my first visit to Taiwan a decade ago, where I hauled back two kilograms of honey back home! No way am I going to do the same thing this time!
Do you know the different kinds of bees and hornets?! If you ask me, the cutest had to be the carpenter bees which are large and generally harmless. You can find 13 species of them right here on our little red dot!
A fruit stall outside the Flower Market selling, kiwi, apples, oranges, snow pears and persimmons. Miaoli county, where we were at, was known for its fruit orchards.
A tour mate got some and passed me one!
I am blessed to have nice tour mates every time!
Inwards to Taichung, Taiwan's second largest city.
A walk down memory lane as I recollected the comics I read when I was a teenager! This, my dear readers and supporters, was the Painted Animation Lane (動漫彩繪巷)!
The person who gave us the lane?
Owner of the above motorbike shop!
Drawn to the comic caricature, I was surprised to read that it's actually a tuition centre for art classes! And don't be deceived by the rough and simple design; it did catch your attention right?
Messy yet tidy signboards.
Each jostling to stand out.
Since it would be free and easy, we were informed and reminded to meet up outside the shops as above. With such large signboards and the fact that they were pretty near to the university's main entrance, we did realize it was a popular pick up point for those on tours!
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Need a clean washroom before you start checking out the night market? Check out this post here. After which would be a super worth it dinner at 19House炙燒牛排 (Nineteen House Steak) and a snack at Yixin Vegetarian Stinky Tofu (一心素食臭豆腐); my first stinky tofu on this trip!
On our way to the hotel in Taichung and I noticed this standalone pet store which looked as big as a supermarket for humans! Pity I no longer have any pets; if not, you would likely see me grab over to see if there's anything I can buy.
Accommodation for day two - Freshfields Hotel (清新溫泉飯店); a luxury onsen hotel on the outskirts that commanded a spectacular view of Taichung City!
For a five-star hotel, I am shocked with the translation mistake!
Ending the night with persimmons from our tour mate! Juicy it sure was, without much fiber but the sweetness was muted. Nevertheless, grateful for the "dessert" before brushing my teeth for a good night sleep.
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Click HERE for the Summarized Itinerary for Our 8 Days 7 Nights See Iconic Taiwan Anew Tour Package via Chan Brot
