Taiwan Day 1 : 9 Mar 2013 (Taichung - Moncoeur)

3th Stop

Moncoeur / 心之芳庭

台中 － 心之芳庭
　

TEL：04-22398900    　

地址：台中市北屯區民政里芳庭路1號

約會區中，共有五大區域香草舖子、親親我的家、紙箱王、森林音樂盒、Marche'市集

慶典區： 歡沁會館、許諾禮堂、天使的祝福證婚亭、天空Villa

By the time we reach, it was already late afternoon, 5pm. You have to pay an entrance fee of NT200 which you can use to contra from your purchase within shops in the premise.

This place is very big. There is an separate wedding area where couples can hold their wedding. Very beautiful... There is a wedding going on when I was there but your are not allowed to go in.

An outdoor cafe beside the marché

This is the dating area where you can see cute little shops and restaurants. There is also a marché in the middle and a outdoor cafe with breath-taking view.

An overview of the dating area.

All kinds of scented toiletries.

The shops selling scented soap, moisturizers and toileteries items are overpriced IMO. I brought a small tube of lavender foot cream for NT300 (SGD13). The soap are outrageously expensive. A small bar can cost you around SGD 18. You can come here to soak in the "romantic" atmosphere. But it will be crowded lar.. It is in the middle of nowhere and still people flock here. 

You can sit down in the open air and order some dessert. Very relaxing place to laze around if you have more time. I include a dessert menu the the top right of the image for your reference.

Chochoco House - Sell expensive Chocolate. :P

The shop concept there are pretty but I can't bear to part with my dollars.... really ex lor....cannot sell cheaper meh... "angry... This Chochoco house has a small corner showcasing all the wedding flavors, exquisite stuff.

The pushcart at the marché selling stuff that you already see in the lavender souvenir shop.

 

Taiwan Day 1 : 9 Mar 2013 (Taichung - Wuqi Fishing Harbour)

2rd Stop

Wuqi Fishing Harbour

台中 － 梧棲漁港 


Address/地址：台中市清水區北堤路30號

Directions/交通：國道四號西行終點→臨海路→右轉北堤路(循梧棲觀光漁港指標)→梧棲觀Opening Hours/光漁港
開放時間：Weekday/平日12：00～18：00 

PH & Weekends/假日09：00～19：00

From Flying Cow Ranch, Miaoli, we headed towards Wuqi Fishing Harbour. It is on the way toward Taichung. About less than an hour away from the Taichung central. If you have private transport, please come here. The seafood is so cheap and fresh. 

Before you reach the wet market, you will see a lot of such stores selling assortments of squids, fishs, crabs and such.. Look tempting but we are saving the stomach space for later. Anyway we can buy later if we are not full yet. 

Typical wet market, dun bother wearing your nice shoes to this place. Here, you can find all sorts of seafood. A couple of dishes die die must try - Steamed Squid and Grilled Oysters!!

Very very cheap sashimi as compared to SG. However the freshness is compromised. Can skip it for better choices.

Weird looking creatures. Do not know what it is but tot I just take a photo. 

A basket of oysters is around NT200. These are small but delicious. You can bring it in to the row of restaurants and ask them to grill it for you for another NT200. Have it grilled, Damn Delicious. Best oyster I tasted, Beats all the fresh oysters I tried in SG buffets. Total NT400 for this dish (SGD 16), around 20 pcs of oyster. 

 This steamed squid is so sweet and juicy.. Dun know how they cooked. DAMN! "Saliva drooling out..." Please hor... come here, must eat this hor. If not  will knock wall die one...

A Box for abt NT150 ( SGD6). 

One of the stalls inside where you can ask to cook your seafood purchase.

You bring whatever you buy into the restaurant and ask them to cook for you. But dun panick. At the entrance, all the eateries workers will jostle for your business.. very aggressive.. they literally pull you in. Dun get sucked in.. I walked in to the middle despite them pulling and standing in your way..

Remember to ask the price of cooking before ordering. Oh ya, dun bother buying the supposedly filled with egg crabs at the wet market. The sellers will cut the corner of the crab head to show you the crab roe oozing out of the shells.... but basically, the roe are only at the corners... We tot it is full of roe. Chey.... Pay NT800 for like 8 mini crabs.. 

This place is just for you to have a seafood lunch and maybe buy some dried seafood. After you eat, there is no business for you here anymore. 

Now, next destination! Full to the throat liao.. 

Taiwan Day 1 : 9 Mar 2013 (Taoyuan Miaoli - Flying Cow Ranch)

I fell in love with Taiwan a long time back! Finally I am back to Taiwan for a long awaited holiday with my family. I brought them on a 8 day trip on the route which I have previously rode in Feb 2012.

Here comes my gushing of my wonderful trip to my beloved travel destination - Taiwan!

Day 1 - ( 9 Mar 2013 ) 

Took a 12.58am flight on Scoot to Taoyuan airport T2, arriving before 6am. The plan is to wash up at the airport and get all our mobile pre paid sim cards at 7am when the mobile stores open. We have time to have some breakfast at 7-11 before our driver pick us up at 8am. I LOVE their 7-11! Love. There is so many selection of beverages and food.

Try the coffee on the top left. SImply love it!! And the Roasted Milk Tea on Bottom left pic. Best!

The Taiwan beer are cheap and good. Only SGD1 plus! U can Drink drank drunk all you want!

Like the milk  so much. I wish our 7-11 carry all these... :( 

This is so yummy. Try the spicy one, It is better IMO. There is pig blood for the more adventurous. But it is rather tasteless lah..

Pre Paid Mobile plans

You can opt for pre paid plans with 3G or without 3G depending on your preference. There are a few service providers with different plans so you can find one that suits you the best.

You can top up the value at any convenience store. Very easy to use. Personally i think do not need the 3G plan as most hotel come with free wifi. When you are out and about, got time to use phone meh.. I am always busy with eating , shopping, seeing.. no time to use phone to surf...:P

Journey Start

Our Driver, 小熊 picked us up at 8.30 am we we headed off to our first destination. 小熊is a relief driver for the driver (吴先生） we booked intially. We booked for 5 days to bring us around taiwan. And 小熊is such a angel compared to 吴先生. He is extremely accommodating and sincere. He will try his best to accommodate your request and give you suggestions. Though we can tell he is not very experienced but thumbs up for the effort. I would give contact of drivers if they are good enough..but.... forget it okie...

Darlene, Siang Chin, Mum, Josh, Huiling, Kat and Me.

1st Stop

Flying Cow Ranch - 

苗栗- 飞牛牧场
　

Tel/電話：037-782999
　

Address / 地址：苗栗縣35750通霄鎮南和里166號

Opening Hours/營業時間：
Restaurants：11 am / Shops :9am

On the way to Taichung, you can drop by Flying Cow Ranch if you are taking your own transport or hiring a private driver. It is a huge farm with 4 different concept of eatery, accommodation, horse carriage riding, bunny play area and DIY farm experience, etc... If you wish to stay over, there will be nice too. However, we are just dropping by.

Red Barn Restaurant / 紅穀倉 , never try coz not enough time but price for per set around SGD20 upwards.The fast food restaurant is beside the snacks shop. You have to come to this part of the farm!! HAVE TO!The Spicy chicken burger is THE BEST! NT98  The best i ever tasted in my bloody whole life. No one can manage to make fried chicken to be that level of crisp and lightness!! Insanely good.

Because we are heading to Wuqi Fishing Harbour to have lunch. That is why the few of us share a burger. I ever stop my bro to buy one more coz we are going for lunch.. Super regret ah!! I should buy 10 to eat in the hotel room at night ah.... "Hit chest"

At the snack shop beside the fast food restaurant, you can find these interesting looking round dessert. It is milk pudding in like a rubber ball. You can prick it with a toothpick and let the pudding ooze out or just cut open and eat it like that. I read somewhere that if you let it ooze out, it will give a different texture but when I prick it, the rubber burst and I held the milk pudding on my hand and make a mess.

It was light flavored and creamy. I like it enough to want to haul some back but it has to be refrigerated/ eaten within 3 hours I think. So i cannot buy!!! :(

The "Chak buey tua" 吃不大, playing the lousy, rusty merry go round.

Another souvenir shop. Nothing worth buying except the Massage balm. Got it for my colleagues and they like it  lot.

4 Flavour to choose from : NT120 for 1 pcs

• Lemongrass peppermint 香茅薄荷牛奶 (1st Choice)

• Osmanthus 桂花牛奶

• Comfrey 紫草牛奶

• Lavender 薰衣草

Freebies to get before you go to Taiwan

Digital Tour Buddy

You can apply for Digital Tour buddy, which provides you with a very basic phone and free sim card with card value of NT50 complimentary for tourists. You can apply for Digital Tour Buddy (寶貝機) around 3 weeks in advance of your trip thru their website. You must first sign up as a member for free before you can apply.

They will email you a approval and you will have to bring along this email approval print out and a copy of your passport and your NRIC to collect at the  They will safe keep your NRIC till you return them the phone. 

Remember to bring a photocopy of your passport hor! If not the guai lan reception boy at the counter will insist that you go upstairs to the 7-11 and pay and print your passport.

You can only collect at Tourist Service Center of Taoyuen Airport when it open at 7:00.

The phone they provided is :

You can top up the value at any convenience store. But take note that you are not able to save any numbers in this phone. Free one, chin cai la... can call can already la...

Free Brochures and MRT card(maybe, depends)

Remember to go to Taiwan Visitor Association, Singapore 

Address: 30 Raffles Place, #10-01, Chevron House, Singapore 048622 
Nearest MRT : Raffles Place MRT
Telephone: 65-6223-6546/7
Email: tbrocsin@singnet.com.sg

Please bring:

• Proof of your air ticket to Taiwan
• At least a night stay at a paid accomodation.

to collect freebies. That time I collected a EasyCard stored valued

Taipei MRT card of NT50, enough for 1-2 ride on the MRT. You can top up at any MRT stations. They offered different items such as USB hub, Free hot spring vouchers, free shopping vouchers, etc... 

Plus, they have all the brochures with maps which u can take all you want to help you plan your trip. They also have some beautiful travel guidebooks (FREE). Being the kiasu singaporeans, I took almost all.. Even for those places that I am not visiting... what... for future references mah....

Money Changer

You must also remember to go to the money changers over at The Arcade which is beside Chevron house to change your SGD to NT. They reportedly have the best rates in town. You can ask around a bit before you decide on one to change. But you can call up other money changers to find out rates before going down to change lah..