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>Window on China Theme Park, Taiwan – Part I: Miniature World

Posted by: dianateodt on: July 19, 2011

In: Asia Trip | Attractions | ✿Taiwan✿ | Goin' Places | Travel
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On the second day of our trip, we went to the Window on China Theme Park or in Chinese known as 小人國 (I skipped the boring part of visiting one of the old streets) which is located in the area of northern Taoyuan area, right just next to the Taoyuan International Airport.

Window on China Theme Park is one of Taiwan’s amusement park and the main attraction is where they display miniature of historical buildings and famous international landmarks around the world. Window on China Theme Park is more similar to the one located in Shenzen but these 133 miniature landmarks are all perfectly presented on a 1 to 25 scale to the original building whereas the one in Shenzen showcases in a human-size scale models.

One of Window on China mascot – Lucky

Xiao Ren Guo direct translate means “small people country”

Miniature of Taichung port and harbour

Using my Canon Ixus 130 miniature effect

Airport and airplane

The miniature world is divided into 3 main sections;

1. Mini Taiwan / Mini China – Displays the all well-chosen famous buildings from Taiwan and China where you can experience the Taiwanese and Chinese culture based on the style and feature from the past and the present.

One of Taiwan’s famous monument, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

There even display other miniature such as zoo. Can you spot the monkey hanging on the line?

And even ~~kungfu~~ panda was here too.

Loves this model of amusement park

2. Mini Europe / America – Display the beauty of European buildings and the amazement of American sights.

Can you identify any one of these landmarks?

3. Mini Asia – Features the vivid buildings and landscape of Japan, Korea, India and the Middle East.

I put this as my profile pic in facebook and my friend thought I went India. (==”)

My dearest family – mom and 2 lil bros

Did you spot coaster rail behind?

Besides miniature, there are many different exciting rides and adventures either on land or in water in this amusement park such as roller coaster, riverboat, bumper car and lots more. In addition, the popular cartoon and comic character, Doreamon Story House was also features here too which just being opened in two years ago. But I will share all of these in the next post or else my this post will be bulky with overload photos. So stay tune!

Ended my post with this. Wore this shirt which I bought from Wufenpu on the night before for NT$200

[Credit to: Window on China Theme park homepage & brochure]

>First Day Arrived in Taiwan

Posted by: dianateodt on: July 13, 2011

In: Asia Trip | ✿Taiwan✿ | Goin' Places | Taipei
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Date of Visited: 20 December 2010

Going Taiwan on Christmas Day is kinda fun but joining organised tour guide is kinda disaster. So, never ever join organised tour guide if you want to enjoy Taiwan trip to the fullest. However, because for this trip of mine which can consider part of family trip, so no choice but to join them.

Woke up as early as 3 am for the last minute packing and cooked some breakfast for my 2 lil brothers. There is only one direct flight from Kota Kinabalu to Taipei and this flight is only available at 6 am via Air Asia. The journey took us 3 hours and around 9 am, landed on Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

My second visit on Taoyuan International Airport.

A warm welcome by Taiwanese boy band, Fahrenheit

After done with all the passport checking and luggage claimed, we went and met our local tour guide which will bring us around Taiwan for this 7 days trip. Our first pitstop was having lunch. Oh gosh! Luckily enough going for lunch first before start to go other destinations because I was super hungry at that moment. I don’t fancy ordering foods inside the cabin because I think it is not worth it. Cost more than RM10 for just a small plate of meal which exactly won’t fulfilled my empty stomach but for my 2 lil brothers, they were eating just like a prince.

Lunch at Bar B.Q., which is typical steamboat and barbeque buffet style. Not much choices but I am not that picky when comes to food.

Here is the list of the places we went on the first day in Taiwan:

Jiufen

In Chinese means “nine portions“, is a mountain area of northeast cost of Taiwan. The roads to Jiufen are steep and narrow. I was wondering how the big bus that we are riding on could pass through these roads. Guess the driver must has highly professional driving skills.

The mountain view from Jiufen

Narrow alleys and streets for pedestrians only

But packed with various of local foods and snacks. This is where I found out the jumbo sausage is actually wild boar.

Taipei 101

Taiwan’s landmark skyscraper and served as a symbolic icon for Taiwan. Formerly ranked as the world’s tallest building from 2004 until 2010. Here is the ideal place for those who want to experience high end shopping.

Christmas Tree standing outside the mall

Dazzling Swarovski Christmas tree in Taipei 101 Mall

Adorable advertisement board on a tourist bus

Wufenpu Fashion Area

This area is best known for wholesale garment market and the largest clothing line market in Taiwan. At here, you will see lots of bags contains of clothes lying on the floor and their clothes are definitely cheap. So for ladies who like to shop, I will recommend this place but the drawback of this place there is no fitting room; which similar to the pasar malam (night market).

Shilin Night Market

End our first night by visiting the most popular and bustling night market in Taipei. This night market is divided into two different sections; the food vendors which opposite of the railway station while the other side across the road is selling fashionable and accessories items.

[Credit to: Wikipedia, Wikitravel]

>Taiwan’s Night Markets & Food

Posted by: dianateodt on: July 9, 2011

In: Asia Trip | ✿Taiwan✿ | Bits 'n' Bites | Goin' Places | Travel
14 Comments

It is time for Taiwan.

Done with my Japan trip, now I am gonna share my travel adventures and stories around the sweet-potato-shaped island (said by Nateniale’s travel). Hope you don’t mind if I share your blog here.

A bit confused and puzzled where should I start from because among 3 of the trips I went in year 2010, this is the one and only trip which I joined organised tour guide. Kind regret for joining that and I am highly recommend that if can, you better travel by your own.

In that case, I decided start by introduce Taiwan’s Night Market and their Foods. That is what Taiwan popular for as one tourist destination and become the topspot among sightseeing foreign travellers recently.

According to a website, there are more than three hundred nights market in Taiwan. These markets offer enormous variety of authentic Taiwanese food, tasty snacks and drinks. What I believe is that xiaochi foods is the highlighted foods among most of the night markets. Xiaochi, translates in Chinese means “small eats” or finger foods.

Let me introduce some of the infamous night markets that I went during my winter trip in Taiwan.

1. Shilin Night Market, Taipei

“Shilin Night Market is rated #1 for all Taipei things to do !” – Yahoo Travel

This is the first night market I went on the first day arrived Taiwan. Can’t deny that it being ranked as no. 1 as it is often considered to be the largest and most popular night market in the city of Taipei. Shilin Night Market encompasses two distinct sections; the food market stalls opposite the Jiantan Metro Station and the durable goods market surrounding the Yang Ming Cinema on Anping Street, Dadong Road and Wenlin Road.

These Taiwanese sausage is huge and long. Sometimes it is wild boar sausage.

Iced lime jelly or known as Aiyu ping in Chinese

So many things to see, so many foods to try but unfortunately, we were only being given less than 1 hour to walk around such a huge night market. I even miss out the famous massive fried chicken cutlet which cost approximately around RM5. The queue was so long and I had only 5 minutes left before get it to the bus.

2. Fengjia Night Market, Taichung

“Low prices, all included” is the main feature of this market where it sells all kinds of cuisines, clothes and accessories. Also known as the Wenhua Night Market, this market is located next to Feng Chia University in Taichung’s Situn District along Wen Hua Road and Fuhsing Road. It extends along Wen Hua Road as far as the Chijian Night Market, making this area claimed to be Taiwan’s largest night market cluster.

The super duper long ice-cream

The boots is so damn cheap. Regret for not buying them because out of my size.

3. Liouho Night Market, Kaohsiung

One of the great night markets in Kaohsiung, Southern Taiwan.

Prepare yourself for the collection of snack vendors photos which I took from this night market.
(Caution: Make sure you are not review with your empty stomach)

I love this snack. This is basically the hot dog cover with bread.
Every night when visit the night market, sure I won’t miss this one.

4. Ximending, Taipei

Ximending is the source of Taiwan’s fashion, subculture, and Japanese culture and has been knowned as “Harajuku of Taipei” or even “Shibuya of Taipei”. It is one of the most happening and bustling shopping district in the Wanhua District, Taipei.

In my opinion, it is better to shop other place before you shop here because some of the items are quite expensive. Nothing much to shop here because from the pic, you can see that on the day we arrived there, it rains heavily. I just bought myself a lovely and unique umbrella.

Besides the above four night markets, we also went to other 2 night markets which were not that so crowded such as Shinkuchan Night Market and Chung Hua Night Market.

Shinkuchan Night Market in Kaohsiung

Chung Hua Night Market on the Christmas eve.

However, due to recent foods and healthy issue, some of the night market’s drinks and shaved ice deserts tested positive for plasticisers. So beware of those foods where you visit Taiwan.

But for me, I just can’t get enough of their foods.
On my left hand side is the sausage cover by bread and on the other side is fried chicken cutlet.

Wish to visit TAIWAN again!

[Credit to: Taiwan’s Night Market homepage, Taiwan – The Heart of Asia homepage, Wikipedia and The Wall Street Journal]

DT: Travel & Living Journal

Archive for the ‘✿Taiwan✿’ Category

>Window on China Theme Park, Taiwan – Part I: Miniature World

>First Day Arrived in Taiwan

>Taiwan’s Night Markets & Food

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