Day 95 (Thurs) *This is Home truly...*

This is home truly

Where I know I must be

Where my dreams wait for me

Where that river always flows

Clearly still in NDP mood 4.5 hours of flight away...surely the song to sum up the mood of Ken, JK, Kerrine and me...my all time fav NDP song...how apt this song is gonna be...going home today after exactly 3 months and 3 days...95 days in total...residing in the South Jersey outback...revelling in the boutiques of Atlantic city...dwelling in the historical districts of Philadephia...calling on the monuments of Washington DC...cruising down the streets of New York City...glimmering in the bright lights of Las Vegas...prowling in the wilderness of Arizona...sashaying along the boulevards of LA City...and of coz last but not least...galivanting across the all-too familiar Taipei city...it's been one BIG, CRAZY, but simply AWESOME and UNFORGETTABLE ride of a lifetime...time to go back to where u belong my dear buddy...

the only thing on our minds when we woke up this morning...nothing but home sweet home my dear pal...

the traces of the nearing typhoon seems to become more evident this morning...a huge storm was already brewing the moment we left our hostel at ard 6.45am...not before waking up 1 hour beforehand to prepare, bathe and do some final packing...last nite was the best nite i have slept in Taipei so far...how ironic for it to be the last nite...haha...finally going home my dear friend...

the rain seems no sign of abating in any short time...and we decided to juz bash thru the rain with our luggages...coz if we missed the 7am express bus to the CKS airport...we are confirm bound to be late for checking in...the last thing we really wanna to happen is to get stranded here in Taipei with another missed flight not to mention our experience at JFK...haha...so no matter how hard the rain was falling...the determination to get home today in the arms of our families again juz shows...nothing is gonna to stop us frm sleeping on our beds tonite...not even if hailstones are falling for that matter my dear amigo...

manage to get to the bus stand still in a relatively good shape and the bus was on time...before we knew it we are on our way to the airport in the comfortable coach...a minor hiccup did happen at the airport though...it was nothing but chaos at the china airlines counter...they were checking in 2 flights at the same damn counter...and we don't know where to queue...or which counter to queue coz there was no number of our plane...it was juz chaotic for that moment luckily as things start to sort out by themselves slowly...manage to check our bags in...went thru the customs smoothly and proceeded straight to our departure gate...ok no time to waste my dear mate...

finally time to board the plane...on our way back to singapore...starving for some decent breakfast or lunch on the plane...on the flight back read the asian wall street journal for the 1st half hour...watched MI3...a movie i badly wanted to watch at wildwood but no company sadly...haha doesn't matter contented with juz watching it on the screen...turns out not to be as exciting as the 1st 2 series...i guess the movie concept has probably run out of mill and the plot seems so predictable at time that i can't help feeling as though like i was part of the scriptwritting team...cleverly predicting the outcome on a few scenes at times...haha...it's getting closer my dear fella...

couldn't sleep at all thru the flight...really can't wait to get home asap...before i knew it lunch was served and a voice came over the intercom saying that the plane will touch down in another 1.5 hours...ahhhh...trickles of emotion juz ran down my whole body upon hearing that...relieved is probably the biggest word to sum it all up...relieve to juz be back in the arms of my parents and sisters again...how i have missed them for the past 3 months...and the feeling seem to be building up as the minute tickles by agonizingly slow...cool it my dear chap...

One hour later...juz as i was staring blankly at the outside view from my window seat...a all-t00 familiar sight appeared out of nowhere on this bright and sunny thursday afternoon...Pulau Tekong BMTC...haha...to think the first thing to greet me is BMTC...the plane was even close enough to see the pull-up bars and the dreary fastcrafts with the ominous PENGUIN sign...time to fasten up the seatbelts as the plane prepared to land...this is it my dear partner...

as the plane touched down and taxi to the arrival gate...i feel as though even the tarmac stones on the runways seem to be saying a collective "Welcome Back...alive"...and the angsana trees that lined along the airport seem as though they are ready to embrace me the moment i walk out from the plane...haha...feels great to be seeing familiar scenes again my dear companion...

told Pa and mummy not to pick me up coz tot sharing cab with ken back...budden ken's parents were already at the airport...haha muz be can't wait to see their beloved son...got a lift from ken's dad home...not without dropping by East Coast for some decent local fare...Ken's parents gave me a treat of chicken noodles at the East Coast food court...the best i had for months...nothing beats home cooked food my dear brother...

called mummy that i will be at the "lobang" in 15 minutes aft we got back to the car...she and ying were waiting for me when we arrived at the "lobang"...really dunno how to explain my feelings in words when i saw my mother and sister for the 1st time in 3 months...esp after the terrible I-95 ordeal...i am juz happy...simply juz contented even though mummy kept nagging how skinny and dark i have became...for once her nagging sounds like melody to my ears...how i missed it...haha...juz simply overwhelmed to see them again after so long my father, mother, Hong and Ying...relief is the word to describe how i feel after putting down my backpack in the comforts of my sofa...really feels good to be home again my dear son...

This is home surely

As my senses tell me

This is where I won't be alone

For this is where I know it's home

Day 94 (Wed) *Taipei Day 5*

woke up feeling a little head heavy and throat itchy...muz be the heavy rain yesterday i thought to myself...popped 2 panadols before going out...hoping a good lunch will help to ease the lethargy and chase the sick blues away...

had our lunch at the same eatery where we ate on the 1st day...this time we ordered the la mians...not too bad at least something soupy for me...certainly felt much more revitalised after lunch...really don't wanna waste my last day in taipei in the hostel...anyway plan for today is to visit all the memorials...ken won't be joining us as usual and will head to his fav taipei hangout ximengding for the 3rd day in a row...haha...more like a Taiwan educational cum historical tour today...how ironic to be learning about other people country's history on our very own National Day...ha...oh today is National Day!! Happy Birthday Singapore!! woah 1st time celebrating National Day away from home...ahhh anyway it's juz the fireworks that's the exciting part issn't it...

our first stop: Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall or Guo Fu Ji Nian Guang...loosely translated to be the founding father's Memorial Hall...very grand and large the whole compound...i wonder whether they hold their national day parade here coz certainly they have the space to do that...toured the facility learning more abt the founding father of modern china...the one bit of history that both China and Taiwan has a common consensus...learned a lot about Sun Yat Sen since those primary chinese textbook days...and even went for field trips to the place where he stayed during his stay in Singapore...i tink somewhere near Balestier there and called Wan Qing Yuan if i not wrong...haha i know quite a bit abt all these history stuff k...

Our 1st pic of the day...juz reached the Memorial Hall

The Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall...with Taipei 101 overlooking it...a juxtaposition of modernistic skyscrapper and historical monument

the main hall which house the Gigantic Bronze statue of Sun Yat Sen

posing with this Giant in modern chinese history

the Millitary Police guarding at both ends of the statues...

damn kang kor...cannot move one inch and can only bat their eyelids at certain timings...time to time someone muz help to wipe their sweat

the life history of Sun Yat Sen

busy chopping away with the FREE memento stamps

witnesses a damn chio change of guard ceremony at the Memorial Hall

their drill is super precise and steady

a final salute to Sun Yat Sen "Li Zhen!!"

Sun Yat Sen's legacy can be found all over the world

with the mini statue at the memorial garden outside

Taipei 101 from SYS Memorial Hall

At the memorial lake...as i said...the whole place is freakin huge

calling it a day at SYS Memorial Hall

next we made our way to the nearby CTS television station to take a look...hoping if we are lucky can see some "ming xing"...too bad timing wrong again spotted no stars...then we took the MRT to our next destination...Chiang Kai Shiek Memorial Hall...Chiang Kai Shiek...the successor to Sun Yat Sen...and the man who led his army to Taiwan and founded the Republic of China during the civil war...woah today really history lesson ah...

the CTS television station...where's Jacky Wu??

the National Theatre of Taiwan

the National Concert Hall...waah as though like some sort of ancient Chinese summer palace

Sediiiaaa!! Mari Kita Rakyat...

one sign that the typhoon is coming...could not hold my little white umbrella in place

Parading with our "arms" on this National Day

ready to "fire" at intruders

the CKS Memorial Hall...reminds me uncannily of Lincoln Memorial Hall

the bronzed statue of Chiang Kai Shiek

the roof with a giant ROC emblem

one group shot at the Chiang Kai Shiek Memorial Hall

the view up from the CKS Memorial Hall quite grand and majestic

unlike SYS Memorial Hall...there is nothing like a museum or library depicting CKS's life history at the memorial hall...and besides it is also non-air conditioned...really pity the guards standing there...heh...we stayed for quite a short while and decided to pay the presidential palace a visit...despite taiwan being in the news lately for political strife and crisis...there is really nothing much on the road or at the presidential palace to suggest that except a few anti-bian flags around...maybe haven't really build up yet or should i say lucky haven't build up yet...don't wanna get arrested or get punched for nothing by the anti-bian protestors...

this is known as the East Gate of Taipei's financial district

the furoe of anti-president flags on the pavement on our way to the presidential palace

the "protestors"...only a few here and there...

ROC's Presidential Palace

a quick shot before those irritating guards come over

Taipei's equivalent of RGS...juz right across the Presidential Palace

Taiwan's Justice Department

afterwhich we took a slow walk to ximengding where we were supposed to meet up with Ken for our final celebratory dinner at Taiwan...the proper MaLa steamboat!! turns out to be quite a disappointment though...the Ma La got a somehwhat bitter taste and the seafood like not very fresh also compared to the other time...no wonder nobody at all except us...yah very funny at the heart of ximengding...there's no one at all except us throughout the night...quizzed the boss and he said people nowadays prefer high class one...haha...

decided to leave the group at ximengding and go hunt for mum's bag at the nearby department store...doubt can find any of her kind at the trendy and young stores at ximengding anyway...lucky got there still got like 15 minutes to shop...after much recommendation from the saleslady and a very friendly auntie...saw one that i tink mum will like and bought it straight away...after that took the MRT back to the hostel...not before taking one last look at the night buzz of ximengding...the whole taipei leg has been a great success...did all the stuff which we plan to do and plan to go...with a very good mix of the nature, the rustic, the modern and the history...furthermore with ample time to juz hang ard and enjoy the views, sights, food and shopping...the pace is also juz nice...definitely a good pace to juz slowly relax and recuperate before going back...i would almost certainly wanna come again if got chance in the next few years...haha...Zai Jian Taipei for now...

ahhhh...after a long day of historical tours...time to settle down for some good food

the famous Taiwan MaLa Huo Kuo

much cheaper than what we had previously...obviously explain the drop in standard

Happy National Day...from Taipei!!

got this handbag for mum...will know tomorrow whether she likes it anot...waah finally going home

Day 93 (Tues) *Taipei Day 4*

Rain Rain Rain...Rain probably sums up the whole of today...in fact rain is actually an understatement...severe tropical storms is probably the right word...and actually there's a weather report saying a typhoon is building up somewhere near Taiwan...oh man doesn't sound too good...if the home flight is gonna be delayed due to the typhoon and we end up stuck in Taipei...there's is seriously nothing i can say man...what can happen already happen...a typhoon delaying my trip back home is really the last straw...plzz typhoon stay away...

to add on to the spooky trail from the previous day...it was another night of spasm for me...haha...and Ken also saw it this time...happened like close to sunrise though so still not so bad for JK's sleep...and this time to top it off...i was even talking in my sleep and according to JK...this was what i said which i found to be amazingly funny..."H.O.T Hot!" hahahaha...in the middle of the night i juz exclaimed that...hahaha...and i actually spell out the whole "HOT" word...they say prob sun rising than getting warmer to the ghost...or maybe it's not some ghost on me in the end lah...prob i was juz having some ludicrous dream in faraway Malibu Beach filled with bikini-clad bronzed tanned babes...LOL...

took some pics of our hostel before leaving the house...the living room painted an errie shade of red

the main hallway of the hostel...so many clocks but lucky no old Grandfather's clock...heh...

the kitchen...small but has every necessary stuff

the laundry area...next to the kitchen

the bathroom...3 in total...so more than adequate

one of those cheeky notices by the manager

our bedroom...very small and cramped...lucky got aircon

relaxing in the living room while waiting for the rest to get ready...ermm wrong magazine to start the day

At the main door of the building which housed my hostel

on this rainy and gloomy day...we still decided to go ahead with our plans...to scale up the tallest building in the whole wide world...Taipei 101!! i muz really take my hats off to the pple who dare to conceptualise, design andden build the tallest building in the world in an highly earthquake prone zone...though the weather is not kind to us today...we still decided to try our luck and go up to take a look...so after another heartwarming chinese breakfast at a nearby kopitiam...took the MRT to the financial district of Taipei...the Taipei City Hall MRT station...and true enough...the stubborn rain refuse to cease and we end up stuck with the Taipei business crowd seeking shelter at the MRT...waited for like 15 minutes before spotting there's actually a free shuttle from the station to 101...damn lucky...hopped on the mini bus but too bad the rain still can't be avoided in the end...got ourselves drenched coz there was no shelter at the bus stop...wah kaoz...

a rainy day...not the best day to go up the world's tallest building

hang ard the shopping center of 101...wah the shops all quite high class one...reminds me of Paragon back home...found a counter selling Taiwanese dried Bak kwa and pork floss...decided to buy a few packets and bring home on Thursday...the guy selling bah kwa was quite chatty...asked us why come visit Taipei during their typhoon season...haha...we didn't know now is their typhoon season in the 1st place and the past few days of weather has been fine what...

the interior of Taipei 101...1st 5 floors are mainly designer boutiques and branded shops

made the decision to still go ahead and buy the tickets after the rain has simmered down a bit...don't know is the bad weather or simply the lack of attraction...like got no pple going up the 101 like that...so unlike Empire State where we had to queue like hell and pass thru many layers of security before we got up...here we simply walk to the counter, got our ticket, passed by one zhuo bo security guard and we are up watching the Taipei city skyline from the obsevatory...

the observatory ticket counter...empty queues apparently

the Taipei 101 observatory tickets

taking one shot with 101 before going up

inside the world's fastest elevator

the weather is still quite dull but overall still can get a rather clear view of the Taipei skyline...at least this time they give u the audio tour for free unlike the Empire State...as you walk from point to point...the audio talkie u r holding will tell u some of the famous landmarks of Taipei city and their brief history...more informative than Empire State...but to be honest i am not as impressed as i was compared to the Manhattan skyline...Taipei city seems to be more complex than Manhattan and a little bit more messier...unlike Manhattan where the roads and avenues are clearly defined...and also not much of sea view unlike Manhattan which was surrounded by the picturesque Hudson River...but the mountainous lushes of greens that dot the cityscape prob made up for that...or maybe unlike Empire State the observatory is indoors so u don't feel shiok without gushes pf strong winds hitting u...or maybe the Manhattan skyline had last such a lasting impression on me that the view from 101 seems so inferior now...ahhhh whatever i was much more charmed by Empire State...prob that explains the lack of tourists even though it is like the tallest building in the world...

ladies and gentlemen...presenting Taipei City from the world's tallest building

the weather has been kind to us...still manage quite clear views from on top 101

Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall from 101

this is the 4 beast mountain...the 4 beasts are namely leopard, tiger, lion and elephant

Taipei is much more complex or messier than Manhattan

the world's largest dampener...the trick to building the world's tallest building in an active earthquake zone

another remarkable feat having the world's fastest elevators

the sparse observatory of Taipei 101...with hardly any one...

so disappointing...i am even shorter than the miniature 101

"yah help me release the 500 lots asap..." talking to my broker while admiring the city view of Taipei

what are the 3 peeping toms looking at??

with Ken at Taipei 101
and Ms Kerrine...the lady of our Taipei travel group

a Group shot up at the world's tallest building

stomaches began to growl aft staying up at the observatory for abt an hour...we decided that's it for 101 and went down to the foodcourt for lunch...had a damn superb meal for lunch...wah very fufilling though it's not that cheap by singapore's foodcourt standard...but it's indeed $$ well spent...

fantastic lunch of tepanyaki squid and chicken chop

yeaah baby!! thumbs up for this meal!

We decided to head to the Presidential Palace, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall and Chang Kai Shiek Memorial Hall aft lunch if weather permits...Ken decided not to join us knowing him as an english potato and typical AC boy...for me still got some interest aft merging myself with chinese literature during my cat high days...haha...so the plan was for him to go hang ard at Xi meng ding while we go these places den at nite i will meet him for Shilin night market while JK and Kerrine go to the temple since it's the 15th day of the lunar 7th month...

but the plan was not to be...the rain got heavier and longer...we end up stuck at New York New York the shopping center next to 101 for like close to 2 hours...we simply cannot go anywhere with such heavy rain...even umbrella would not have helped much...but at least we bought some taiwanese delicacies like muay chee, plums and sun biscuits (directly translated from tai yang bing) at NYNY...so change of plans...decided to go tml instead...while Kerrine and JK go off to the temple straight...i will go back put the stuff andden go and meet ken...

Taipei 101...from right underneath it this time

New York New York...where we seek refuge from the torrential rain

stuck with our taiwanese snacks at NYNY for a good 2 hours

a rain-soaked Taipei Tuesday

was juz thanking my lucky stars as i walked out of zhong xiao xin sheng MRT with 4 paper bags in hand...the rain had simmered down to a drizzle and i decided to juz walk back...nb who knows suddenly got heavier midway and i was not even halfway to the hostel...was completely defenceless against such strong boutf of rain coupled with winds...and here i was standing underneath a broken tree desperately counting down the seconds for the green man again...ran as i might...finally got back to the hostel...drenched from top to toe...haven't been caught in such inclement weather for a long time...i don't mind if it is juz me but i was holding on to 4 paper bags with fragile bisuits inside...thank goodness the bags managed to hold all the way until one tore when i got back to the hostel...andden i realise something...my shades are gone!! wah kaoz i hang it on my shirt and muz have dropped it while running...wah lau the shades got sentimental value one loh...bought it frm Wilmington right aft my accident and now it is gone...sighzz...should have juz hang on my head like i always do den it won't get lost liao...sighzz

took a warm shower and took the train to Jian Dan where i was supposed to meet Ken at 8pm...got there early and we made a deal if whoever don't turn up in half an hour the other party will juz go ahead to shilin...wait wait wait...8.30pm liao...was all prepared to go shilin myself on this drizzling nite...walked over to the next platform den realise there are actually 2 control stations...and juz saw ken in time as he was abt to leave too...end up waiting for each other at both ends for an unnecessary 30 minutes!! wah kaoz...

went to eat the must-try chicken chop...wah superb!! super big piece for only 2 sing dollars...walk ard the food market andden to the shopping district...rain was to interrupt our night at shilin incessantly...rain den stop...rain den stop repeatedly...end up didn't really shop much also...and shooting basket at a pao pao cha shop...haha...2 clowns shooting basket at shilin...blame it on the weather...decided to call the night early at ard 11plus and head back to rest...after what is a literally rain-interrupted day...

the one and only famous shilin chi pa stall

the chi pa is so crispy, tender and tasty!! much better than the s'pore wannabe lah...this is then the real chi pa fellas!

Shilin night market