Taipei 2025 edition

First time I went to Taiwan was in July 2024. It was the height of summer so humid and even though we had a great time,  there were some activities which we put off because it would entail being outdoors, climbing stairs and well you get the idea.

So I suggested to sister dearest, we explore Taipei once again but during the winter months. November 2024 when we were choosing destinations to visit during my month long stay here in Hong Kong, Taipei came up.

January 13 - 18, 2025, we had the best time in Taipei, Taiwan. Temperatures ranged from 11 to 19 Celsius degrees, so cold (for me!) but lovely too. We stayed at the same hotel in the Daan district, rode a cable car, booked a tour, visited Catholic churches, temples, a zoo and natural hot springs, even did some shopping. Of course we ate everything from the famous beef noodles soup, Din Tai Fung, hot pot, street food to soymilk breakfast.

Will do more extensive posts when I go back home.

For now, enjoy these snapshots. 

Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei

Lungshan Temple

Yehliu Geopark

Sky lantern

Shufen waterfalls

A Mei tea house in Juifen

Famed rainbow crossing in Ximending

Juifen mountain town

Holy Family Catholic Church

Confucius Temple

Dalongdong Baoan Temple

Park

Beitou geothermal valley

Beitou geothermal valley

Taipei 101

Promenade along Taipei 101

Taipei Zoo

Lions

Giraffes

Giant panda at Taipei zoo

Maokong Gondola ride

Oolong tea ice cream

Night view of the city from the cable car

Xinyi district

All decked up for Lunar New Year

Dr. Sun Yat Sen memorial park

Plum blossoms

Dr. Sun Yat Sen memorial house

Taipei Main Station

Happy Lunar New Year

Dumplings is life!

Life is indeed short so I'm having my fill of dumplings in cold, wintry Hong Kong. Every corner, nook and cranny here have numerous restaurants offering dim sum (usually only served during lunch hours) and dumplings, congee, rice bowls, noodles and an assortment of fried rice.

Diet is not part of my vocabulary during this winter vacation!!!

Most restaurant staff don't speak English so you need to have google translate app ready on your phone. You can also ask for an English menu or just point at what the people at the nearby table is eating and they will understand you. LOL Either way, everything is delicious and yummy. You just need to manage your appetite and pace yourself and your tummy. =]

HK 2025

 

2018 was the last time I was in Hongkong.

The whole family was here in December for the Yuletide holidays.

We were scheduled to visit HK in January 2020 for the Chinese New Year but on the evening before our flight, HK declared a lockdown as Covid cases were on the rise.

So we canceled our flight and later that year in October 2020, mommy was diagnosed with cancer and our lives were never the same again.

Losing both parents in 2021 was tough and was the main reason I stayed away from this place. Too many memories of happier, fun family bonding moments because every year since 2009 we would spend the Yuletide holidays here.

But.

Life goes on so here I am back in wintry weather freezing myself off. 😂 Familiar places but also new restaurants to discover and dine in with sister dearest who has been begging me to return to HK so she has someone to explore new eateries. Yes we love to eat and we have the expanded waistline as proof. It is interesting to revisit a place with new perspectives and explore new options.

Most importantly it is way convenient to explore during the winter season … just make sure I am well dressed for the biting cold … so yes I will stop complaining about the weather and just enjoy! 😊