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Taipei 2014: City Trails
posted : Sunday, December 07, 2014
Day 3 of the trip!
Knew I wanted to start the day with the good old Taiwanese style breakfast so the night before I was researching. I remember in my previous trip we went to 永和豆漿大王 which I thought was a bit meh. Then came across this place called 阜杭豆漿 which had raving reviews. So despite the warning of snaking queues, I decided to make some time and go for it anyway.
Didn't get up that early and it was about 9am when I joined the queue just outside 善導寺 station. Late for breakfast by Taiwanese standards I guess, so the queue wasn't that long though it still started outside the building, one corner from the main entrance of the building. But it was moving fairly quick though. Within half an hour I had moved into the building, up to the stairwell to the second floor, and had a glimpse of the kitchen.
Joining the queue!
It's actually a stall in a food court-ish place.
The kitchen staff.
My breakfast!
西门町 in the morning - deserted
Next stop was 西門町 but I kind of forgot or wasn't aware that shops there generally open late. We stayed in 西門町 the last time round but I honestly don't recall shops opening that late. The whole place looked kind of deserted so I just got the contact lens my colleague asked me to help buy and moved on....  ...to Taipei 101! I kind of have this obsession with skyscrapers haha. This time round visiting the observatory wasn't my top priority though seeing that I have been up there before (albeit in terrible weather and thus can't see much and the outdoor observatory always closed off during that time too).
Prior to the trip I found out that there's a Starbucks outlet on the 35th floor, which is Taiwan's highest (or was it world's highest, can't remember) outlet. What's so unique about it is also the fact that it is a "secret" outlet nested in the midst of offices in Taipei 101. Visitors are supposed to head to one of the few kiosks at ground floor, key in "Starbucks 35F" and the machine will issue a visitor's pass which grants you access to the lifts and up to the 35F where view is awesome! Kind of reminds me of Ministry of Magic visitors entrance in Harry Potter series hahah.
So I walked up to the kiosk and...problem number 1. Can't find "Starbucks 35F" any where. Went through the directory and couldn't find it either. Bewildered, decided to google to see if I missed a step or sth. Then found out that...policy has changed sigh. Apparently due to its massive popularity, visitors are now required to make a booking 1 day in advance, then on the appointed timing, when the visitor reached Taipei 101, they are supposed to call in and inform the outlet, who will then send a staff down to escort the visitor upstairs where I think they have a time restriction also. Wayyyy too troublesome! Probably the only Starbucks outlet in the world that actually required booking in advance. Totally turned off and gave up, and head to the observatory instead.
Weather was much better this time round. In case you forgot, it was all rainy and cloudy the last time I was here.
Was really impressed by this display! When viewed up close....
It's made up of a collage of Taipei 101 from various angles during different times of the day!
Iconic.
Agenda for the afternoon was to hang out at the 信義 district - 新光三越, 誠品 etc. doing a bit of shopping. The legs a bit 不爭氣 though and pretty soon I was stopping for bubble tea breaks, random sushi snacks and what not hahaha. Late in the afternoon headed over to 五分埔 for some shopping which I thought I didn't spend enough time there last time round, probably coz I hadn't started work back then so didn't see what I could buy that I can wear in office. This time round even though I had a vision of what to buy I didn't see too many items that I like, and most of the items are summer wear going off at discounted prices seeing that autumn and winter are approaching. Still managed to get some things though heh. 
Bike sharing in Taipei!
Popped by 诚品.
Random sushi teabreak lol.
Trips to 五分埔 are usually paired with 饒河夜市 due to their proximity, and that's exactly what I did.饒河 was another place which I felt I didn't do enough justice the last time round, we visited it on a rainy day when a typhoon was scheduled to make landfall later that night, so most of the stalls are closed as the owners don't want to run the risk of being stuck outside. This time round it didn't disappoint! Thought it was the best one out of the three I visited in this trip. Good variety of food I like and other shops. 
Much more crowded this time round.
Had been wondering why I havent come across this anywhere! Thought it went out of trend lol.
药炖排骨, tasted like the herbal bak kut teh, with super generous helping of ribs.
Like there is a temple near every night market. Or maybe it's the other way round.
Legs can't take it anymore so decided to head back, despite having one more item on my agenda which is to get food souvenirs for office peeps. Went back by train rather than metro since metro station is some distance away (although that has changed by now with the opening of a new metro line with a station right at 饒河's door step). Still managed to stop by 7-11 before heading back though. Hahah.
And so the trip is coming to an end...pretty quickly....
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