Day 2: Time To Shop

24 October 2007, 0815H

Woke up. *groan*

Went down for the breakfast when we got ready. By the time we got there, most of the food was pretty much gone. It was already 1030 by the time the Sis got ready, and we left for a nearby shopping complex called "Asiaworld".

It's within walking distance, so we walked. The initial directions were to take the MRT there, but it was a stop and it was like (for the people who live nearby) walking from 888 to Woodlands to take a train to Admiralty.

So we walked, and got to this corner where we got a little lost. We asked an uncle nearby, and was told to take a bus there. "Any bus would do," he said. So we did. We found the bus stop, and got up. Although it was flexible, they had a different system here. You know how, over here, we board the bus, pay and take a seat, and then get off the back door?

They get on through the back door. And when they alight, they use the front, and they pay while they do it. And it doesn't even seem like the driver really cares. What's more, the fares are same for any distance you are traveling, so an adult going from end to end pays the same as the other adult who's only getting off the next stop. It costs NT$15 (about S$0.67 based on current rates) for a ride.

We had to get off only two stops later. It was rather near and we realised we could have just walked here instead. But oh well, what's done is done.

It wasn't a really big centre, but it had pretty much everything. Clothes, shoes, living products, even some tech products. No supermarket though. It's kind of a rare thing over here, it seems.

We started from the top floor. It was the toys level. Took a quick walk and went down a level. There was a shop named "Working House" selling... Well, general stuff. Things around the house, mostly. But not kitchen appliances or power tools. Furniture, notebooks, clocks. There were umbrellas too. Ella, ella, eh eh eh eh...

You know, I have this thing for really nice looking notebooks and writing pads.


It's cute, but trust me you don't wanna go there.


Weird, swirly thingies.


Some inhouse advertising.


These felt weird.


Mmmm, leather...

I bought quite a few items, and then we set off to meet Mum for lunch.

1215H

Met up with Mum and her colleague, Ivy, a local. We were going to have lunch at this barbeque place called "熊八"(for the uninitiated, it's directly translated as "Bear Eight". It doesn't make sense, I know. Probably wasn't supposed to) .


The signboard.


Nice, juicy beef.

So you know how it is. Conversation starts and since it's Taiwan, it inevitably drifted to politics. It was nothing heavy though, thank goodness.

After lunch we first went to an area called 五分浦 (wu3 fen1 pu3) to look around.

There wasn't anything but clothes and I hate shopping for clothes. Didn't stay long, and then we went back to Asiaworld again and this time we went down another level and it sold sports items. There was a special on shoes, and since I needed a pair I went around looking for nice ones.

I found a pair of black Adidas shoes and a pair of flip flops that look mighty durable, and didn't linger around the bottom half of the building for too long before we found our way to the basement food court, and had some really good western.


It's... You know. Soup with roti prata on top.


Pork chop and udon, a weird concept of East/West fusion.

Mmm, they were selling pretzels here. We got some and went back to the hotel. And when we got back, I slept again while the Sis watched her stupid TV show.

1915H

Went to 西门町 (xi1 men2 ding1). It was kind of like the Bugis here. Except there were no real arcades and more indie sellers on the streets. We walked around a bit and finally decided on this Japanese restaurant for dinner.

The sashimi there was a killer. The slices were about twice as thick as you can get anywhere else, and the price was rather reasonable. The curry katsu was disappointing though. The potatoes got all soggy from being overcooked and mixed into the curry, which made it bad.


Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Other than that, the other things were good. The miso soup is also worth mentioning, however. It was real miso soup, not some MSG-laden powder mixture they have in other places (in Singapore too).

After stepping out of the restaurant, the Sis spotted a shop on the second floor of the opposite building. It was a shop selling plushies. I'm talking plushies, fullstop. That was all they had. Anything from the size of my hand to the size of the Sis were available, and we eventually found what we were looking for.

After we were done with the place, we headed back.

2220H

Went to the terminal again, except this time an old lady came over and started speaking Japanese to me. Which brings a point about the amount of people who (seems to) think we are Japanese even though we've spoken in fluent Mandarin quite loudly for an amount of time.

She asked if to check the rates of NT$ to the US$, and it was a big conversion too. Then she asks me to check with some TV channel's site. Apparently it offers free videos and other things, but since the sound was disabled at the terminal she left.

And when I was done, I went up. There's no hurry in the morning, so we get to sleep later tonight...