Day 6 Taichung 台中 and Taipei 台北 on 13-11- 2012 Tuesday

After breakfast, we went to buy Sun Moon Cake 太阳饼. From 0nline research we found 3 shops are popular in Taiwan

1. 台中市太阳饼 

2.魏清海太阳饼老店 

3. 李儀餅店 

As we don't know the direction to the shop, so we just bought from one of the shop near Taichung Train Station.

    Shop selling Sun Moon Cake 太阳饼

                                                             

                                                                                 Sun Moon Cake 太阳饼

Next we went to Cosmed   drugstore in Taiwan, like Guardian or Watsons in Singapore.The price is much cheaper in Singapore.

COSMED

                                                           
We bought 2 boxes of facemask 我的美麗日記 beauty diary, cost NT419 ( $18 )

Beauty Diary Face Mask

While walking towards the 宮原眼科 for ice cream, we saw the 魏清海太阳饼老店, selling the popular sun moon cake 太阳. The shop is located near Taichung Train Station, around 10 mins walk.

魏清海太阳饼老店

魏清海太阳饼老店

After buying the Sun Moon Cake, we walked to Miyahara Eye Hospital 宮原眼科 
Miyahara Eye Hospital, a new tourist attraction at Central district of Taichung, is actually an ice cream joint. It was an eye clinic built by a Japanese optometrist- Miyahara (Gong Yuan) during the time of the Japanese occupation.

宮原眼科

宮原眼科

A unique interior design is another appealing focal point. Based on the original clinic and pharmacy design blends in with the essential concept of reading and books in their interior design, the store is fitted with high ceiling, light-brown wooden wall book cabinets, medicine chests and warm lighting in creating a library atmosphere.

宮原眼科

Books are the main decorations in the store, as well as the book’s outfit design of gift box makes guests feel like they are in the library.

宮原眼科

宮原眼科

 The Miyahara Eye Hospital sell ice-cream and bubble milk tea on the 1st floor. The ice-cream has dozens of flavors that you can choose, and you may add numerous kinds of unique complimentary toppings only can be found in this store

宮原眼科

宮原眼科

We ordered a single scoop with 3 side topping, cost NT170 ($7 )

Our Ice-Cream

We walked to the Taichung Train Station to buy the ticket to New Wurih Station  for the Taichung HSR. 

Taichung HSR Station (高鐡台中站)  is connected to New Wurih Railway Station, about 5 mins’ walk. Board a TRA train at New Wurih Railway Station to Taichung Railway Station (in downtown). Fare: NT$15 Travel time: About 9 ~ 11 mins. 

Machine selling Train Ticket to New- Wurih Station for Taichung THSR

Walking toward the THSR Taichung from New- Wurih Station, we saw a few models from Carton King.

 Carton King @ New Wurih Station 

 Carton King @ New Wurih Station 

We have prebooked our THSR ticket online from Taichung to Taipei at early bird price NT455 ( $19 ) depart @14.15pm and reach Taipei @ 15.06pm, around 50 mins.

Almost lunch time, we heard that Taiwan Railway Bento 

(台湾铁路便当 ), bought 2 sets of bento for NT80 per set ( $3.5 )

                                                 台湾铁路便当 

                                                       台湾铁路便当 

We have booked  Taipei Hope Hotel for one night @ 1500NT ($65), located  opposite the Taipei Main Station and bus station. The hotel is in central location but the room is old and not very clean.

                                                                         Taipei Hope Hotel

We went to XiMenDing西門町 -The Red House built in 1908 is Taiwan's first public market and most well preserved class III historical site.

                                                                           西门红楼 

Dinner, we have bbq and steamboat buffet with free flow Haagen-Dazs and Meiji Ice cream. Price NT 1098 for two persons ($48)

                                                                           

                                                                              BBQ Buffet for dinner

After dinner, walked around Ximending and back to hotel and sleep.

Day 5 Shinshe 新社古堡花園 -安妮公主花園-新社薰衣草森林-新社花海-逢甲夜市 on 12-11-2012 Monday

We took early breakfast as today we are going to Shinshe新社 

                                                                                Breakfast buffet provided by hotel

                                                                                             Breakfast buffet provided by hotel

                                                            Our breakfast

After breakfast, we walked to“Feng Yuan(豐原)” bus station, 5 mins walking distance from Taichung Train Station,  board bus no 270/276 (豐原客運)『台中-中興嶺-東勢』的班車，在<<新二村站>> 下车, bus fare: NT100, ($4.2)

                                                  Bus time table

 ShinShe did provide shuttle service 新社协会接驳导 which cost NT250 ($10.6) per pax per day from 09:00 am to 0530 pm. Remember to do an advance booking (預約專線：04-25821058（如有確定日期，請提早預約，並主動電話確認。(兩人以上成行) or prebook by using this form
 當抵達台中火車站，背對火車站，面向大馬路，左前方有 【豐原客運】，請搭270、276 班次，客運時間：09:10、09:50、10:30、11:30 請告知司機：將在新社 【新二村】 下車，公車發動後請打電話給 小許 0910-956-339 下車後往回走50公尺有【7-11 便利商店】 接駁車會在那接您們新社一日遊


We called driver when we reached Shinshe. After 10 mins, two drivers  came and discussed with the group where we were heading  and each driver will cater for one group.

The first station was 新社花海, but we were 5 days earlier for the festival, 花海 starts 17 Nov - 16 Dec 2012. We are not allowed to enter, as they were preparing for the festival.  

                                                                                             新社花海

                                                                                                 新社花海

                           新社花海

      新社花海 

             新社花海

We saw a stall selling grape while we were walking towards the Shinshe's van

                                                     Along the road near 新社花海 

We bought one bundle, NT 35, ($1.5), sweet and juicy and cheap.

Next station, 新社古堡花園, Entrance fee: NT250, ($10.5) per person

                                                                                    Entrance Ticket

                                                               

                      新社古堡花園 Summit Resort

                                                                        新社古堡花園 Summit Resort 

                                                                                        新社古堡花園 Summit Resort

                                                            新社古堡花園 Summit Resort     

Next, we went to Princess Annie’s Garden [安妮公主花園] for lunch, Entrancs fee: NT100 ($4) per person, can redeem with any purchase in shop/restaurant

We ordered chicken chop with rice, come with soup and salad, price NT 330 ($14).

                                                                                                   Menu

                                              Our lunch

   

                                                                      Our lunch         

                                                          Princess Annie’s Garden [安妮公主花園]

                                                                      Princess Annie’s Garden [安妮公主花園] 

                                                                     Princess Annie’s Garden [安妮公主花園]

                                            Princess Annie’s Garden [安妮公主花園]

   

Last station, we went to 薰衣草森林 Lavender Cottage, Entrance fee: NT200 ($8.5) can redeem with any purchase in shop

                                                                                 薰衣草森林

薰衣草森林

                                                                                     

薰衣草森林

Souvenir shop

The souvenir shop has lots of interesting stuffs you can purchase by using the entrance ticket

                                                                 Souvenir shop      

薰衣草森林

薰衣草森林

We ordered two single scoop of lavender ice cream NT40, ($1.7), we use the entrance ticket to redeem the purchase.

薰衣草森林

 Lavender flower season is from November to April.

薰衣草森林

Since this is the last station, they will send us to the bus stop and took the bus to the Taichung Train Station.

                                                           Bus to Taichung Train Station

We waited one hour at the bus stop, taking public transport is more troublesome and time consuming. At Feng Yuan(豐原)” bus station, look for another couple to share the cab fare, NT3000, ($130- 4 persons for 1 cab) for whole day from Taichung-Shinshe-Taichung, cut down the waiting time and go for more places in Shinshe.

Transport Expenses from Taichung Train Station to Shinshe ( return ) :NT250 +NT250+NT100+NT100+NT100+NT100= NT900 ($38 for 2 persons )


Next we went to 逢甲夜市-FengJia Night Market,  the largest and popular night market in Taichung

                                                                                                       逢甲夜市

                                                      逢甲夜市-Our Dinner

We took bus 33 or 35, bus stop right in front of Taichung station, around 45mins, bus fare NT60 ( $2.6 )


We ordered the sea shell food for NT50 ( $2.2 ), tasty and cheap.

Fengjia Night Market- many stalls selling foods and snack with reasonable price, visit the market with an empty stomach.