I know I know, I have been bitten by the itchy-backside bug bad, real bad! The first week of July, I took the kids and went to Taiwan, without their daddy. Don’t panic yet! I may be crazy but not that crazy, my parents and two sisters went along as well. But like every mother knows, the sole responsibility of caring for the 2 kiddos would still ultimately fall upon the shoulders of the 3-headed-6-handed mother!
We chose to go free-and-easy and the SQ flight we took was in the afternoon. I only bought a seat for Talia and as we only decided to join my family last minute, the whole supposed-to-help-out ginggang was seated far away from my bassinet-available seats! I was given two seats on the left but two very nice gentlemen who were seated in the middle (4-seat row) with an empty seat between them and another lady asked me if I would like to swap seats? Before you could even say s-w-a-p, I was over the other seats happily buckling Talia up. Well, for take-off, the little guy would still need to be buckled to me using an infant seat belt. And what-do-ya-know, he fell asleep in my arms during take-off. When the seat belt sign was turned off, I also happily deposited him into the bassinet and had an enjoyable 2 hr watching movies, feeding Talia, feeding myself. When he woke, he had a seat to himself watching cartoons and playing games! The 5-hr flight was a breeze!
We touched down at Taipei at about 5.30pm and only reached our hotel at 西门町 at 7.30pm because of the peak hour traffic. We set off to look for food and when we saw 天外天 hotpot, we decided right away because I think we have had someone recommending that before and everyone was ravenous, buffet steamboat seemed just like the right thing!
Gorging ourselves silly with food!
The next morning, we set off for Taipei 101. We took the MRT and when we came out, we realised there was a shuttle bus that will bring us right to the doorsteps. There was like 3 bus stops along that stretch of road and a local taiwanese woman actually walked to all three bus-stops to make sure we get to the right one! She was so helpful! and boy! did we need that! The weather was like a blazing 38 degrees. Of course we didn’t know that then, it was only 2 days later in a cab that the cab driver told us that have been a heat wave and the past few days, the temperatures have been 38-40 degrees celsius!
We took the shuttle bus and were relieved to be back into air-con comfort.
The bunch!
We headed to the observatory deck first.
The kids were rejuvenated after the temperatures became more bearable and ran around.
Just a shot first at the not-so-real-thing before heading up.
It’s huge at the observatory deck and the children had a blast exploring.
The view is amazing!
We even braved the heat to go out into the open observatory deck!
We had Teppanyaki lunch at the basement of the building, topped with soft silken 豆花 before heading out. The heat was so unrelenting that we quickly went to hide in the nearby New York New York for some shopping before walking to the MRT station.
A not-so-nice mini Statue of Liberty outside the mall.
The real-thing behind us on our little trot to the station.
We took the MRT to Jian Tan station where the Shi Lin night market was. The MRT stations in Taipei were really stroller friendly as compared to the ones in HK. We could easily find the lifts and wider gantries are everywhere!
I was initially apprehensive about bringing two strollers to the night market but I was pleasantly surprised that even on a Saturday night, it wasn’t too difficult to maneuver around.
Night market!
We ate along the way and even had a foot massage before having some herbal bak ku teh at a supposedly 30-year old shop which wasn’t too bad. We headed home in a cab. Yes, all 5 adults and 2 kids squashed together! Go figure.
Thaddeus was spotting a cough before we went and the next morning, his nose started to run and he began to run a fever. I have come all prepared, the doctor even gave me anti-biotics to standby and I fed him the meds. The plan today was to go to the 故宫 musuem in the morning. We took a cab and reached in about 25 mins. By then the little guy was all raring to go, and fever has subsided.
We went straight to the third floor where the “special exhibits” were. Treasures which used to be placed at the forbidden City were displayed there, with a map of their location then. We spent about 2 hours roaming around before going to the kiddy area on the first floor so the children to have some fun!
And some fun they sure had!
Cliched but I couldn’t resist!
Look at the little man’s squirrel cheeks!
There were interactive exhibits where the children could try their hand at.
Sticking stuff up!
We headed back to the hotel and had dumplings noodles nearby while we waited for the day tour people to come get us for our half day trip to Yang Ming San.
On the way there, both kids fell asleep and I had a nice 2 hr respite! The weather was blazingly HOT! Even the breeze was scalding. We could only do a few obligatory touristy shots here and there before rushing back to the van!
Baby girl and her 小姨！
Quite breathtaking views of the mountains!
Baby girl and her grandpa!
After that we headed to a hot springs place and were given an hour to go soak! Of the lot, only Thaddeus would be suitable to be featured here! Anyway, the children didn’t like the hot springs at all because it was too hot for them, besides I wouldn’t have let them in as well, not knowing what the minerals in the water would do to their baby skin. This cold water pool was just tap water and the children was just so delighted to frolick in the cold water!
Skinny dipping!
Even before dropping us at the MRT station, which proper travel agent would not try to get us to buy some mechandise (read: commission for them). So we were ferried to a place selling Pineapple cakes and the likes. Not that we really minded actually because we were planning to buy some back as gifts and it actually tasted not so bad.
The children had their fill trying all the goodies as well!
After the shopping, we took the MRT to 谈水. Its rows and rows of little stalls selling food and knicknacks and we just gorged ourselves as we walked along!
The weather became a little bit more bearable in the evenings.
A forlorn boy lost in the crowds?
Stalls after stalls of food!
As the sun sets…
What came next was one of the most harrowing experience I have ever had in my life. We decided to take a boat to 渔人码头. That boat ride was the most terrifying boat ride in my entire life. it was worse than a roller coaster, even the locals on board were screaming! We were like literally being thrown into the air and then come crashing down. Talia was very very scared and kept asking me what was happening. Thaddie boy was like immobilised with fear. Those who were outside dashed in completely drenched. I was clutching both of them so hard that afterwards I got a cramp in both my arms and thinking furiously in my heart, are there enough life jackets, should I put the life jacket on me first or on them, how to stay afloat if i am grabbing both. That was how scared i was and i just kept praying and the 15 mins boat ride took forever.
Then there was the problem of needing to go back again. The whole family was green in the face and nobody could eat any dinner. We headed back after 30 mins and this time, I prayed and asked God to give us a smooth ride back. And miraculously the return journey was sooo smooth, its unbelievable! Even Talia said how come the boat was not shaking? I told her God answered the prayers of a very frightened mummy! Even now, as I think back, it amazes me to know how real God is!
And all that was for a shot of this silly little bridge!
Bridge at 渔人码头!
The next day, we went for some shopping at the underground mall below 台北车站 and had for ourselves some yummy 红烧牛肉面! After lunch we went back to the hotel for the day tour people to come get us for our day trip to 九份! This is actually a former mining town and we have been told its rather quaint and worth a visit.
Enroute, we passed by the sea and took some shots!
Amazingly blue sea!
The township which is now nearly abandoned!
and it sits high up on a mountain range.
We got back to our hotel around 6pm and decided we will spend the night exploring 西门町！
Shopping!
Between the three sisters, I think we carted back almost a luggage full of face masks! woohoo!
The last day of the trip, we spent the morning at 五分谱 doing some wholesale shopping! There were shops which didn’t even entertained us as you have to buy in bulk. Anyway, thank goodness there were others who did. Grabbed a bit of “Taiwanese-Korean-ish” fashion for the little girl and loads of singlets for the little boy.
Five days whizzed by so fast that even though I have to clean vomit for 2 nights out of the 4 nights, gobble down my meals as I spend the majority of my time feeding, take care of the daily morning and before-bed routine myself, I had so much fun! and it was so nice to just hang around my family!
