Last of Taiwan: Jiu Fen and Spicy Steamie

Until now I still can't believe I've already been to Taiwan this year like what I really wished for. Which only means, it was too short a trip.

On the last day, we finally went up to 九份 (Jiu Fen) in the mountains. We actually planned to go a few days earlier but I always couldn't wake up on time. Plus traveling to Jiu Fen means taking public transport all the way which took us around 1.5-2hrs just to get there.

We didn't wake up early enough to have a proper brunch so had to make do with snacks from 7-11 and quickly gobbled everything at XMD. Gotta love the 7-11 in Taipei!

Then we took the MRT to Taipei Main Station and followed signboards that would lead us to the railway station. It's better to ask for directions when you're looking for this railway station as there's another one if I'm not wrong. And we were so confused about how to purchase tickets. Basically we were running around madly, like how those contestants in Amazing Race behave, just that all we were trying to do was buy train tickets =^_^=

Figuring out which platform to wait at

We look so tired hahahaha

Sights while on the train

Had to cross the road to get the bus to Jiu Fen

On the bus

Happy we're here!

Can you see the fear (of heights) in my eyes O_O

I ♥ U

Good view

We tried this mochi with fillings

Mochi with preserved veggies (chai por). Didn't really like it.

The famous QQ yam balls

Mixed balls with hot green bean soup

The QQ balls were alright to me. My best friend insists that the balls taste really wholesome, and I agree just that to me they were kind of tasteless. Best part was the soup, which she says it's just sugar. Hahaha so I guess it really depends on personal preferences. It took awhile to find the stall because it's not at the main row of shops. You've to climb a little further up a flight of steps before you see it. OH NOW I REMEMBER, there're TONS of cockroaches running around the flights of steps. I almost died. Baby roaches, adult roaches, teenager roaches... *_*

Fishball, meatball, etc. Very light and tasty soup!

Photos of the owner more than photos of owner and celebrity

Brow brothers

LOOK WHAT I SPOTTED UNDER THE STOVE

After taking this photo, Darren tripped and almost fell over the step. We're always so distracted by dogs!

See what I meant by photos of the back of my head

Fishball soup again, very nice as well!

Beef noodles soup, also yummy!

D remarked that the sun was setting, because he was facing the window behind me, and he captured some really nice shots.

WHOA.

Poor dog went around looking at customers with teary eyes T_T

I took this, but it looks more like sunrise

TIME TO GO BACK FOR DINNER, YAY

Pretty yummy chicken in XMD

We went back to the hotel first, and I went online to try and find places in XMD to have steamboat. It was too late to go to the city area for more famous steamboats, so we settled on dining in XMD. Asked the lobby receptionists for opinions and he said the Mala Steamboat restaurant near our hotel is pretty good. So we went!

Some collagen cubes for the soup base

LAMB LAMB LAMB

Free flow of Taiwan beer!

Loved the scallops

Movenpick ice-cream

Choc cake and milk pudding that wasn't nice

Haagen Dazs omg so expensive at Sogo but free flow here!

If you're interested. In the restaurant, not the man ;)

I think the bill came up to be around 50SGD. It was cheap and very worth it so no harm giving it a try if you're hungry. It opens till 4 or 5am too O_O You can Google for the restaurant if you want more info, they have their own website.

So that marks the last night! It was so terrible trying to pack our suitcases after because of the amount of clothes and shoes D bought. I brought along heels for clubbing but didn't even get to use them so that was a waste of space. Thank goodness for vacuum bags for clothes! I think the next morning, D still went to the gym while I was packing some more... Can't remember.

I hope you enjoyed this lengthy 6 days travelogue of Tapei! Feel free to ask me anything and I'll try to help to the best I can, or at least whatever I can remember.

Have a fabulous Monday because there's a long weekend this week right?!