On Saturday we headed to Tainan, a city about an hour's train ride away from Chia-yi. Tainan is the old capital, so there are a lot of old buildings that are very beautiful. Many old Banyan trees are everywhere. We went to some sites that I will definitely post pictures of, including a Confucian temple- these are very simple with lots of writing, as opposed to a Buddhist temple, which might be more colorful and decorative. There was a high school band playing a concert in the park by the temple, sounding like a school orchestra. Then we ate a specialty of Tainan, beef noodles- with that chunky sort of beef that is tender and delicious. It was great. And a pretty restaurant too. After that we went to a garden at nighttime, and then walked around a bit before heading home. It was a nice day trip. We ended up doing some shopping at the night market, which was lots of fun. I bought some clothes. I believe this was also the night we finished the 6 hour Pride and Prejudice, which Kate has. It was great to watch with people who appreciate it. Also, if I recall correctly, this was the night that I went to sleep and dreamt someone was shaking my bed. And woke up to an earthquake! It was pretty short but definitely jarring. I guess they are somewhat common in Taiwan.
We planned to head to Taipei on Sunday and spend the night. We drove on the scooters all the way to the High Speed Rail station, which is outside of the city, unlike the train station. Unfortunately, we got there and discovered that all tickets were sold out for the day. We went all the way back to the regular train station and same- all tickets sold out. Of course, me, having lived in China before, should have known that trying to get a ticket after a big holiday like Mid-Autumn festival might be difficult. We had lost hope but in the end decided to take a bus. I felt bad for Siggy and Kate though, because I had to fly out of Taipei no matter what but they had to work on Monday, and the bus took over 4 hours to get to Taipei. So we got there in the evening and ate at the train station food court, at the suggestion of Lonely Planet. We had Indian food. It was nice to have something that we don't get in Guiyang. Then we tried to go to see the Botanical Garden, but it was ridiculously windy and rainy outside. Of course, this was because a typhoon was coming up from the south. So we decided to try to find a hotel.
We took the subway and got to a hotel. It seemed really nice, or maybe I just haven't stayed anywhere nice in a while- very clean, fluffy beds and nice pillows, a flat screen TV with lots of English movies and TV on, a nice shower, a toilet with buttons, free water. We decided to go to a coffee shop, to at least do something in Taipei. I had a lovely lavender herbal tea and we got dessert. Then we holed up in our cozy hotel for the night.
I was beginning to worry about the typhoon, though. After trying to call the airport the next morning, I tried to decide whether I should attempt to go to Hong Kong a day early and stay there instead of Taipei. We had breakfast at the hotel. The weather was absolutely awful so we ended up at the train station and I decided Taipei would be no fun anyways in such weather. I said a sad good-bye to Kate and Siggy and showed up at the airport. My ticket was easy to change and I was on a 12:30 flight to HK. I was afraid Hong Kong might get some typhoon type of weather as well, but it was sunny and absolutely gorgeous out there. I got myself a hotel in North Point, near the water (a ferry landing). But of course nothing could go perfectly. I arrived at the hotel and couldn't find my passport. I was freaking out, and called the airport lost and found. "No, no passports found- oh, wait" and as I held my breath, I got lucky. "Megan Melissa?" Someone had found it! I don't know, I thought it had been stolen but maybe I stupidly dropped it. So I took the airport express train back and forth to the airport and rescued my passport. Luckily, if you go to the airport twice in the same day it's the same as a one way ticket. For idiots who have to pick up their passports.
I decided I really wanted to go to Repulse Bay, the beach. So I hopped on a bus and rode the winding road to Repulse. I suddenly remembered I hadn't eaten so I had some lasagna at Pizza Hut. Next to me I noticed a familiar style of notes, from PowerPoint, in English, and discovered that some University of Hong Kong students were studying next to me. I sat on the beach, which was lovely and peaceful. I wish I'd had time to go swimming because the water was so warm. Maybe it was more to reminisce about my fun HKU days. I grabbed a bus back to the city and realized I could just make a show of Taking Woodstock, the movie that was playing at IFC. It might seem like a random movie to play in HK but it was directed by Ang Lee. I like his movies, and this one was beautiful to look at. It was definitely weird but I liked it. I enjoyed the bizarre characters.
THE END OF MY VACATION
Sadly, my vacation had come to an end so I took the ferry to TST, ate mango with rice balls and mango mochi at Hui Lau Shan for breakfast, and took the train to Shenzhen. Interesting fun fact for those who know HK- the West Rail line is new, now opened- it was just about to open when I was there about a month or so ago. Now it's ready and to take the East Rail to Shenzhen, you have to take West Rail to Hung Hom and then switch to East Rail. Crazy eh? I hate going to Shenzhen, though- especially by myself. At the border everyone is trying to rip you off and pickpocket. But I made it to the airport in one piece and just on time for my flight back to home sweet home Guiyang.
We planned to head to Taipei on Sunday and spend the night. We drove on the scooters all the way to the High Speed Rail station, which is outside of the city, unlike the train station. Unfortunately, we got there and discovered that all tickets were sold out for the day. We went all the way back to the regular train station and same- all tickets sold out. Of course, me, having lived in China before, should have known that trying to get a ticket after a big holiday like Mid-Autumn festival might be difficult. We had lost hope but in the end decided to take a bus. I felt bad for Siggy and Kate though, because I had to fly out of Taipei no matter what but they had to work on Monday, and the bus took over 4 hours to get to Taipei. So we got there in the evening and ate at the train station food court, at the suggestion of Lonely Planet. We had Indian food. It was nice to have something that we don't get in Guiyang. Then we tried to go to see the Botanical Garden, but it was ridiculously windy and rainy outside. Of course, this was because a typhoon was coming up from the south. So we decided to try to find a hotel.
We took the subway and got to a hotel. It seemed really nice, or maybe I just haven't stayed anywhere nice in a while- very clean, fluffy beds and nice pillows, a flat screen TV with lots of English movies and TV on, a nice shower, a toilet with buttons, free water. We decided to go to a coffee shop, to at least do something in Taipei. I had a lovely lavender herbal tea and we got dessert. Then we holed up in our cozy hotel for the night.
I was beginning to worry about the typhoon, though. After trying to call the airport the next morning, I tried to decide whether I should attempt to go to Hong Kong a day early and stay there instead of Taipei. We had breakfast at the hotel. The weather was absolutely awful so we ended up at the train station and I decided Taipei would be no fun anyways in such weather. I said a sad good-bye to Kate and Siggy and showed up at the airport. My ticket was easy to change and I was on a 12:30 flight to HK. I was afraid Hong Kong might get some typhoon type of weather as well, but it was sunny and absolutely gorgeous out there. I got myself a hotel in North Point, near the water (a ferry landing). But of course nothing could go perfectly. I arrived at the hotel and couldn't find my passport. I was freaking out, and called the airport lost and found. "No, no passports found- oh, wait" and as I held my breath, I got lucky. "Megan Melissa?" Someone had found it! I don't know, I thought it had been stolen but maybe I stupidly dropped it. So I took the airport express train back and forth to the airport and rescued my passport. Luckily, if you go to the airport twice in the same day it's the same as a one way ticket. For idiots who have to pick up their passports.
I decided I really wanted to go to Repulse Bay, the beach. So I hopped on a bus and rode the winding road to Repulse. I suddenly remembered I hadn't eaten so I had some lasagna at Pizza Hut. Next to me I noticed a familiar style of notes, from PowerPoint, in English, and discovered that some University of Hong Kong students were studying next to me. I sat on the beach, which was lovely and peaceful. I wish I'd had time to go swimming because the water was so warm. Maybe it was more to reminisce about my fun HKU days. I grabbed a bus back to the city and realized I could just make a show of Taking Woodstock, the movie that was playing at IFC. It might seem like a random movie to play in HK but it was directed by Ang Lee. I like his movies, and this one was beautiful to look at. It was definitely weird but I liked it. I enjoyed the bizarre characters.
THE END OF MY VACATION
Sadly, my vacation had come to an end so I took the ferry to TST, ate mango with rice balls and mango mochi at Hui Lau Shan for breakfast, and took the train to Shenzhen. Interesting fun fact for those who know HK- the West Rail line is new, now opened- it was just about to open when I was there about a month or so ago. Now it's ready and to take the East Rail to Shenzhen, you have to take West Rail to Hung Hom and then switch to East Rail. Crazy eh? I hate going to Shenzhen, though- especially by myself. At the border everyone is trying to rip you off and pickpocket. But I made it to the airport in one piece and just on time for my flight back to home sweet home Guiyang.
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