Work tripping- 1600 pandas, green tea cheesecake, black sesame bagel and mala hotpot.

I apologise for the really overdue post and lack of updates- my time has been totally swallowed up by my constant procrastination, not to mention the painful project from hell that has got me breaking out in cold sweat in the middle of my hotel room bed and waking up in the wee hours in the morning thinking that something horrid has gone wrong.... Just kidding.

here's a crazy photo of many pandas to prove my sincerity.

I was in hongkong last last weekend, but am now in Taipei (and will be heading to Seoul) for work and this project is no joke...
Just a couple of pictures to show i'm still (relatively) enjoying whatever free time.

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Explore Taipei: Houtong cat village- For all cat lovers out there...

Sick and tired of the regular Taipei stuff, last last weekend while i was there for work, I explored a small village/area called Houtong, or 侯硐. If you're not a cat lover you should stop reading here and go watch Youtube, because this place is for cat lovers, really! But if you're a cat lover, you're in luck! 

How to go: Take TRA from Taipei Main station to Badu Station (八堵車站), then get off the train and change to another platform to take the train direct to Houtong Station(侯硐車站). Once you reach Houtong station, exit and turn right, crossing the 'cats bridge'

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Experience Taiwan: Yeliu, Chiufen, Pingxi and sky lanterns

Was busy the entire of last weekend (good friend's wedding lunch, gathering with friends etc), totally kept pushing this back, day after day; then worked late for the last couple of weekdays from last week till now, rushing for this $%^&*&^%$#@#$%^& report due tomorrow... and then i reach home at the internet is wonky.
So finally here I am, reviewing the time I spent with Q at Yeliu, Chiufen and Pingxi.

How to go:  From Taipei Main Station, take Guo-Guang Bus Line 1815 going towards Jing-Shan Youth Activity Centre, and stop at Yeliu.( For prices and timetables, check here ) 

From Yeliu to Jiufen, you need to change to the Keelung Bus Line 1262 to go to Keelung, where you will have to change again for Keelung Bus Line 1013 to go to Jiufen. 

If going directly to Chiufen from Taipei, take the TRA to Ruifang station. Exit the station and cross the road and to take the bus to Chiufen.To get to Pingxi or Shifen you can take the Pingxi train line at Ruifang station.

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Experience Taiwan: Tamsui, Taipei

This post focuses on our day at Damshui, and about our hostel (hostel details at end of the post). We had spent the morning at Beitou; you can read about it here. I'll be recapping on other places e.g. Wufenpu/Raohe night market, YeLiu/Chiufen, Nantou/SML and Taichung 宝岛时代村later this week. :)

How to go: Take the taipei metro to Tamsui station, it will take you straight to Tamsui 淡水.

Turn left as you exit the MRT and then right along the river. To get to the fisherman's wharf/Fort San Domingo, you can take  R26 from Danshui MRT Station. It's a long walk (more than 2km) so it's advisable to take the bus a rent a bicycle to cycle there. You may also take a ferry NT$50 from Tamsui Ferry Pier to the nearby island of Bali, 八里.

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Experience Taiwan: Hualien

So backtracking a little, here I am finally writing a post on our first 2 nights in Taiwan in April 2013. We had 2 weeks in Taiwan and were in a dilemma as to which places to go (so many!!) but eventually decided we would do Hualien-Kenting-Chiayi-Nantou-Taichung-Taipei.

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Formosa on Film

Just a couple of film outtakes from my April trip with my lovely travel companion and bestie.
There's a couple of links to relevant posts for each city/location. I haven't gotten round to writing about most of my trip but i guess i will, eventually. Today is just not one of those days.

Days 1-2 Hualien:

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Experience taiwan: Beitou hot spring

When people ask me, 'what should I do in taipei, aside from shopping and visiting the night market?' The first thing that comes to my mind is to soak in the hot springs! It might be that the idea of heated water with beauty-enhancing effects is very attractive to me, being a female, but I find the experience very enjoyable, particularly on a cold day!

This April, during our trip to Taiwan, my friend and I make a morning visit to the nearby Beitou Hot springs for a nice dip in the spring breeze.

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