Day 8 - NMMST, Keelung Miaokou Night Market

It was drizzling a bit in the morning. I thought it would warm up as the day went by. Big mistake... temperature dropped to 20-21 degrees for the whole day. Was shivering in my T-shirt and shorts.

@ Ximen Noodle Shop 西门面店

They served good breakfast very efficiently.

We boarded a train to Ruifang to get a connecting train to NMMST. However the NMMST line was very infrequent coz it was a weekday, and the next ride would be two hours later. So we had a quick lunch while waiting for a bus to NMMST. We were in luck to find soup dumplings that Ryan was crazy about.

@ National Museum of Marine Science and Technology 国立海洋科技博物馆

I found Nemo.

Ryan playing chef with little kids.

Display section on the salt-mining industry in Taiwan.

Clever use of LCD projection... the image moved as the rider pedalled.

Propaganda on marine conservation... hahaha.

Keelung city was nicknamed rain city because it rained a lot. On that evening it was both chilly and windy. We had a quick dinner at Keelung Miaokou night market and fled.

Day 9 - Yingge Ceramic Museum, Sanxia Old Street

Feeling nostalgic... we had breakfast at this shop in Ximending two years ago. They served delicious big dumplings with prawn fillings. The lady boss got quite an attitude though.

@ Yingge Ceramic Old Street 莺歌陶瓷老街

A cobbled street lined with ceramic shops. Ryan got bored very quickly. 

@ Yingge Ceramic Museum 莺歌陶瓷博物馆

Spacious museum with multilingual audio-guides to help visitors to learn about the processes involved in ceramic making. There were even audio-guides specifically for children (with exaggerated voices la).

Not a single "Once broken, considered sold" signage. They trusted visitors would know the right thing to do. 

Prize-winning teapots.

@ Sanxia Old Street 三峡老街

Hmmm... a bit like Jonker Street in Melaka la, with lots of souvenir and snack shops.

@ Eslite Dunhua Bookstore 诚信书店（敦南店）

There was a 24-hour bookstore in Taipei, and we just had to go and see to believe.

Shoppers, feel free to bring your bags in, flip the pages, or even stay around all night... in a bookstore. Generous with knowledge, definitely. If you're feeling thirsty, go grab a beer or wine from our adjoining cafe.

Man, I just went to the Sabah State Library in Suria Sabah yesterday, and they were so stingy with electricity that they covered all their electrical points so that nobody could charge their handphone or laptop.

Malaysia still has a long way to go to become a developed country.

Day 10 - Return from Taipei

As we walked to the Ximen MRT station, there was this long queue outside an HM outlet store. It was discount day, and the crowd was waiting for the outlet doors to open.

@ Taoyuan Airport 桃源机场

Lazing around at the boarding gate.

OK, future plans for a next trip to Taiwan...
- cycle round Sun Moon Lake
- a couple of days hiking in Alishan
- soaking up history in National Palace Museum
- southern Taiwan... Kaoshiung, Tainan
- eastern Taiwan... Taitung

Brothers playing car

Gosh, they grow up so fast.

A short trip to Yangon

In progress

It's not always that you get to experience a blackout in an airport.

Yeshua Musmeah Synagogue

In progress

Swedagon Pagoda

In progress