Day 5 - Taichung to Taipei, then to Luodong

There were lots of breakfast places within a short walk from our lodge. Toasts, sandwiches, and burgers seemed to be favourite breakfast items in Taiwan. For about NT40-50, you could get a quick breakfast set complete with a drink.

@ Beitun Children's Park 北屯儿童公园


An interesting park just beside our lodge. 

Senior citizens hanging out with friends on a Sunday morning.

Trying out traditional aerobic exercises.

Grandma playing with her adorable grandson.

Friendly squirrels.

@ Beitun Baptist Church 北屯浸信会


I googled for a Christian church with early Sunday service, and we found this place which was 15 minutes walk away. Checked out from our lodge and walked here. The ushers were pleasantly surprised to see two wired guys attending church with backpacks.

The Christian church had a visible presence in the community. At the end of the service, the pastor encourage his members to participate in a street demonstration on the following weekend to protest against legalisation of same-gender marriage. "Wondering who to take care of your kids? Bring them along. Make this a family event. We are doing a peaceful rally to protect the sanctity of the family institution in Taiwan". Now, that's what I call a democratic country. Peaceful protests are citizen's right. 

This kind gentleman brought Ryan to join the kids at Sunday school. "You kids should learn from Ryan and his daddy. Although they are on holiday, they make it a point to attend church on Sunday. Although they are foreigners to us, and we foreigners to them, in Christ we are a big family." Ryan was overjoyed to get goodies from the Sunday school teacher. The gentleman was holding a 'lucky draw' box with hidden gifts inside. Note to self: good idea to ciplak.

@ National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts 国立台湾美术馆


Our last stop in Taichung before leaving for Taipei. We were drawn here by curiosity and free admission.

Tree art?

I confess... I don't understand fine art. There was a display made of rubbish and plastic bags that they call 'art'.

This mess of colours was modern art.

Size does matters, never mind what they scribbled on it.

@ Bus to Taipei, and then to Luodong


Gosh, we forgot that it was a Sunday afternoon, where a massive weekend crowds were going back to the cities. Should have pre-booked the train or bus tickets. Anyway, we were not alone... the queue was 1.5 hours before we got onto a bus.

The consolation was we got to watch movies and access wifi on the bus. That took away the boredom of getting stuck in the highway traffic jam. On arrival in Taipei, we boarded a connecting bus to go to Luodong. 

@ Luodong Night Market 罗东夜市


It was almost 11pm when we reached our lodge in Luodong. Thankfully, some stalls in the night market were still open for supper.

Apparently, this herbal mutton soup was a must-try in Luodong night market.

A specialty dessert in Luodong... springy flour balls with filling 包心粉圆.

Day 6 - Luodong Forestry Culture Park, Factory Tour, Dongshan River Park

Had breakfast at the famous noodle shop in Luodong, just across the road of the Forestry Cultural Park.

@ Luodong Forestry Cultural Park 罗东林业文化园区

A free park where the locals come for their morning walk. Some odd pieces of wood was on display, along with memorabilia from the timber industry.

@ Rabbit Pencil School 玉兔铅笔学校

It was actually an old pencil factory, and the first company to produce ballpoint pens in Taiwan. They packaged a 'teacher' to guide visitors on DIY activities, a short video show, a factory walkabout, and then students receive a pencil certificate on graduation.

Pokemon was No Go in the school compound!

The process of stacking up pencil wood for drying.

Decorate your own pencils and then get them laminated to bring home. All in all, a worthwhile experience.

@ Yilan Biscuit Factory 宜兰饼发明馆

Boring outlet shop, nothing much to see and sample.

@ Crayon Factory 蜡艺彩绘馆

Ryan making magic colour pens.

Making crayon figurines.

Props and background graphics for photo-taking.

I think this factory was touristy and over-rated. Located in the middle of a light industrial area, there was no public transport, so you gotta arrange your own return transportation. The counter staff beamed when I paid for the entrance tickets, but sulked big time when I asked her to help me call a cab. 

@ Dongshan River Water Park 冬山河亲水公园

We passed by this river park two years ago en route to the Traditional Arts Centre. It left an impression and I said I would return to cycle in the park. And so we did.

Lovely cycling tracks along the Dongshan River. Done the full loop with some sidetracks in 1.5 hours. Thank God for great weather, and for the rain which started just as we returned our bicycles. Whew!

Day 7 - Yilan, Cake Factory, Jiaoxi Hot Spring, back to Taipei

Guess what was printed on takeaway plastic bags? "This is a non-toxic degradable plastic bag", "Reduce plastic waste, be environmental friendly. Please re-use this plastic bag". It's the little details like this which made me fall in love with Taiwan. And I hoped that Ryan would learn these good stuffs too. 

@ Yilan Railway Station 宜兰车站

As I said before, Taiwan was a land of art and cuteness, and bicycles too.

@ Jimmy's Square 吉米广场

"Is this stop an end, or an other beginning?" Pardon my lousy translation.

Dik, tapau banyak-banyak mau pi mana?

Characters from a children's book, I guessed.

"Why our bus come so late one ah?!"

"Let me show you how to play iPad."

@ Preserved Fruit Factory 橘之乡

Ok, this display just made me quit eating preserved fruits.

@ R'den Cake Factory 亚典蛋糕密码馆

This gotta be our top pick for factory tour in Yilan. We got to see real cake-making in a lovely show-factory, with free flow of cake samples and coffee.

The automated production process of dorayaki, Doraemon's (and Ryan's) favourite snack.

Next to the cake factory there was this lovely themed restaurant which sold breads and fusion food.

@ Jiaoxi Hot Spring 礁溪温泉

It was a drizzly day, and I was about to skip this spot... but Ryan was adamant to go.

And wow, it was sooooooo good soaking up our feet in the hot spring. We had a public pool all to ourselves. One hour just wasn't enough. Note: must come back next time for full-body soaking in one of the many hot spring spas.

I was absolutely impressed with the professionalism of the railway marshals. They were smartly dressed, with polished boots, and did their (boring) job with high spirits. Well done!

A civic message on the train which I least expected to see: "Protect girls, decline prenatal gender selection." High-fi society indeed.

@ Longshan Hwaxi Night Market 华西夜市

It rained all the way from Luodong to Taipei. So we decided to have dinner at the covered Hwaxi Night Market, which was just an MRT stop away from our lodge in Ximending.

It turned out to be a boring night market, selling mainly herbal food stuffs, exotic meat (snake, crocodile) and lots of traditional massage parlours.