Q's Mind: 29th December 2007 in Taiwan

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF TAIWAN 'S DEMOCRACY (C.K.S. MEMORIAL HALL)
中正纪念堂 as far as I know... was told the name has already been changed. (can't be bothered much since I didn't even know my own country's national history... <(^__^") )

A Do-Re-Mi shot~

Here's a 10sec vidoe clip of the area... we only got off the coach for less than 10 mins... touch, shoot and go...

VOLCANIC "XIAOYOUKENG" (小油坑).

Next, we were heading back towards the behind of Yang Ming Shan for the VOLCANIC "XIAOYOUKENG" (小油坑). Strong acidic hotsprings and sulfur gas rising through the Xiaoyoukeng's fault have eroded the extrusive rock and caused it to crumble and collasped, resulting in a beautiful landscape...

However... as we head up into the hills.....

Below's a 10sec video clip of what we see through the windows in our coach...

We were engulfed in a very heavy fog! Visibility was reduced to only like... 15metres ahead... and we were forced to stop at the nearest parking place for safety reasons.

We got off at the nearest parking place... it was @#$^% COLD and slightly drizzling... the only place I took out my gloves... there was a coin-operated telescope to view the mountain valleys, but judging from this sorta visibility... forget it~~

Jerry was the least dressed, with only a Hawaii shirt... and he was the first to retreat back into the coach...

Kokuhen's in Nirvana-mode again...

next...

MARTYR'S SHRINE (忠列祠)
while Jerry and Kokuhen have a preference to pose like this...

or like this...

I prefer showing more teeth~ v( ^__^ )

Oh! We were right on time to watch the "Changing Parade"! Below's a picture of one of the 2 guards that had began their footdrill....

and from far across the other end of the square, a squad marches out... they were so in-line you almost couldn't see the 2nd row or the 3rd row behind! Those 2 guys in black were "escorting" the marching guards... probably to prevent tourist or children from getting in the way of the parade squadron.

Here's a video-clip of the changing parade in action...

and after it was complete, here comes the next guard to take over the shift... weird marching style...

and he steps up onto the platform for the next 30 minutes until the next parade. (appreciate that it is very chilly to be standing out there... and that he is not supposed to move at all...)

anyway, while this new guard had assumed his solid posture, those guys-in-black that escorted them out also have to check on the guards' attire... adjustes his collar, brush the shoulder a bit, straighten his pants... etc...

Jerry asked me what will happen if he were to kick the guards from behind... or any other means to disturb the guards that will make them fall off the platform...

"You will probably be arrested..." I think...

Here's a group-shot before we set off for lunch~
Photographer kept asking: "西瓜甜不甜~？"
And we were supposed to reply: "甜~~~~~~"

Lunch time~! xD

The below caught my attention... its a "Baseball striking range"... much similar to a golf-driving range we are familiar with... interesting huh?

伍角船板 (5-dime-ship-plank) literal-translation...
Today's lunch, we were brought to a very unique building~ its called the 伍角船板. More information can be found here: www.five-dime.com.tw
very interesting and colorful architecture... approx. 4 or 5 storeys high... Oh, here's a micro-shot of a pot of very beauutiful flowers outside the building... (^__^)
And here's a short video-clip of the building from inside. I was half-way up the stairs, so the video captured the ceiling, walls, and the restaurant floors... (ur 3D perspective must be 'above-average' to make sense of the video, else, its just some 'Tsu-Hark filmography')

Ground floor is some arts gallery...

the showroom features various "abstract" drawings and clay sculptures, cups and bowls... tagged with ridiculous prices... was told the lady boss-cum-founder personally made those clay cups and bowls...

My personal opinion: The pieces are darn UGLY~ look at the below... its tagged at NT$100,000 (approx. S$5,000).

Level 2 onwards are the restaurant floors...

and here's a picture of the dining table we are gonna have lunch on~ nice nice~

Muah-Chee + Grass-Jelly drink for appetiters (their muah chee is so soft!)

Can't wait for the food to be served...

oh, and here's our tour group photo... taken while at the Martyr's Shrine (some 30 minutes ago...)... the people were like gotten these photos developed and framed inside a booklet, selling us at NT$100 each at the restaurant (forgot the price already). Well, as usual, buy one, scan and distribute...

anyway, I used my camera to take a picture of the photo... lagi lame.... wakakaka...

First thing up, rice with a piece of sweet potato... didn't bother to photo the rest of the dishes...

done with lunch and on our way towards the coach... some 2 streets away... caught a parking warden in action! (oh, see that "P" on the left edge of this picture?)

here's the slip he left on on the car, under the windscreen-wiper... was told its a receipt for parking there... frankly speaking, I can't make sense of it...

This "P" I was referring to from above... its states "满"... FULL. Heh heh...

西门町 (Xi Men Ding)
Behold! The famous Ximending streets! Try to spend at least 2 days here... because you will only be able to scrape the tip of the iceberg if you only spend a day there...

Here's a short video-clip of the place...

Oh! Here's Ah-Zhong's noodles... MUST TRY! Even my tour leader, who has been there the 4th time, says she will never give this stall a miss everytime. Me, however, skipped it. There was at least 20 odd people squeezing their way inside to get themselves a bowl... and you have to eat while standing; no tables/chairs. Not my style~ I hate queues.

At Ximending, its not uncommon to find stages and people singing up there... as far as I can make it, its definitely the word "concert (演唱会)" on the banner behind...
and here's a short video-clip of the girls singing...

oh! I bumped into a costume parade! I didn't know what was going on, but there was a horde of people parading pass... here's some kawaii maids...

school-girls... (hmmm, they dun look as nice...)
and a confident sweety-pie cowgirl who posed for my camera! xD

this one tripped...
and this group with weird costumes...
Ho ho ho~! I tell you, the un-trained will never find this toy-store along the streets of Ximending... its located on level 2, and the only way up is deep through this lobby and up a tiny staircase... Jerry was commenting to me:"How did you know about this place?"

place was filled with mangas, anime dvds and merchandises, gachapon toys, and best of all... these figurines below... (haiz, a pity Kureha wasn't there...)

retail staff was like stopped me from taking pictures... too late... I had taken all that I needed. Kekeke... Just right outside the toy-store's main display windows... this 1/8 scale of Kujibiki Unbalance figurine caught my interest...
and Haruhi overload....
some streets away... Jiawoei and Jerry were desperately searching for clothes inside a shop to buy... and I have been wasting my time waiting outside for them for the past 20 minutes... spotted this crying mascot...
back on Ximending's street... (Jiawoei just bought that Jacket; good price for a jacket!)
we hitted the next street and came across people selling this poster... (I have absolutely no idea who this group is... ) as far as I know, this place is filled with GIRLS... LOTSA GIRLS....
Some 签名会 I think... (It was only until I reached Singapore do I got to know that this group is actually 飞伦海 Farenhait... not that I can be bothered about...)
oh, we neared the movie theatres area... and here's a new movie which I have yet to see on posters in Singapore - Dungeon Siege - coming 18 Jan 2008...
then I smelt something nice cooking... 葱抓饼 (weird name, I know...)... resembles the Japanese Okonomiyaki...
And I thought DEATHNOTE has ended at Part 2?! What is this movie coming on the 9th Feb 2008?! "L"?!

Tada~ RAINBOW HOTEL... they say just book a room here and Ximending is right at your doorstep! I hopped in to their reception and got a namecard... hee hee... (and if this place's fully booked, I got a 2nd hotel's name card too! Just a street away only... heh heh heh)

Right opposite rainbow hotel, a stall selling cigarettes... recognize any familiar brands?
Here's a street scene just outside the left of RAINBOW HOTEL (the green signboard); I was standing in the middle of the cross junction... (that's KFC at the extreme end ahead...)
and here is a short video-clip of the 4-directions of the streets outside RAINBOW HOTEL... (sorry for turning too fast...)

some still pictures of the 4-directions of the streets... (green signboard is RAINBOW HOTEL); here is towards the right... across left...
across right...
and me enjoying a nice cup of star-fruit juice...
Ximending arcade machines...
No arcade feeling hor? TV screens... like playing at home... weird...
Ah~ a very interesting way of displaying pin-ups... NT$10 each (S$0.50), thought of getting a few "playboy rabbit" and "adidas" metal pin-ups for souvenirs... was choosing halfway when the auntie closed the brolly because a policecar was patrolling the area... lost the mood to buy...

We took a cab back to our hotel (a pity the guys didn't want to buy my suggestion to take the train...)... a 20 minute ride that cost us about NT$200 (abt S$10).

Next up, we returned to the shopping center beside our hotel... wanted to grab supper, so we ended up in McDonalds'~ (^__^). This full set of Sanrio plushies was available for purchase at NT$39 each when you buy any Happy Meal. I was so happy that they actually sold the whole set for NT$390 (aprox. S$20)! (Kirby was lucky he got this from potluck!)

I made fun of the McDonalds' restaurant manager at the counter (in Mandarin):
Manager: This whole set for NT$390, 可以吗?
Me: “可以吗?”, you mean I can bargain with you? Can it be cheaper?
Manager: ……. (speechless)
Anyways, I brushed it off and paid him the amount...