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Friday, December 30, 2011

Jill Stuart Bath & Body Travel Collection

Since there were only two sets available at the Jill Stuart counter, the boy decided to get them both. One of it is the Jill Stuart Bath & Body Travel Collection, consisting of a body cream, a body milk, and a shower gel. The three items come in a clear mini tote with a rope handle, and the brand in repeat print.

Jill Stuart Bath & Body Travel Collection

I have already used a sample packet of the body milk, and I love it. It smells fruity and absorbs perfectly, unlike some body milks which leave the skin sticky or tacky. Perfect for our humid weather!

Jill Stuart Bath & Body Travel Collection

Jill Stuart Bath & Body Travel Collection

The full ingredients list for the Jill Stuart Bath & Body Travel Collection.

Jill Stuart Bath & Body Travel Collection

Friday, December 23, 2011

The Adventures of Tintin Exhibition @ The Singapore Philatelic Museum

We loved the movie! The rendering is so real and life-like, even with the cartoonish characters, I forget it's an animation at times. The current exhibition at the Singapore Philatelic Museum is also a real treat. Next open house is on Christmas day.

Adventures of Tintin

Adventures of Tintin

Adventures of Tintin

Adventures of Tintin

Adventures of Tintin

Adventures of Tintin

Adventures of Tintin

The Adventures of Tintin
Date: 5 November 2011 - May 2012
Singapore Philatelic Museum
23-B Coleman Street
Singapore 179807

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Making Ang Ku Kueh @ Singapore Philatelic Museum

It was my first time visiting the Singapore Philatelic Museum, and I got to show off my artistic skills by making an ang ku kueh magnet.

clay art

clay art

clay art

clay magnet

clay magnet


Friday, December 2, 2011

Afterthoughts on Taipei (台北后记)

To be honest, I never intended to travel to Taipei. I had assumed that it was just some boring old city. The original country I had planned to visit was Korea, with Taipei merely as a place of transit. Unfortunately, I could not make it to Korea, but as I badly needed a trip, I decided that Taipei would be a cheaper and nearer alternative that will do for the moment.

As I looked out of the bus on our way to the hotel, a mix of Johor Bahru and Tokyo came to mind. Old and drab looking buildings interspersed with large areas of undeveloped land and forests.

The city center is a little more developed, with modern shopping malls among traditional shops fronting office buildings. More Bugis and Chinatown than Orchard Road, of which the closest match would be the Xinyi district where Taipei 101, Hankyu, Eslite, and the 4 Shinkong Mitsukoshi buildings are.

Transportation-wise, the subway and railway will conveniently take you to the most visited places and attractions in and around Taipei. Failing which, the taxi is a reasonably priced alternative. Start up fares average NT70 (S$3), and the distance between two to four subway stops would set you back less than NT200. 

Trains arrive within 1-3 minutes of the last, and as such, you don't find people packed like sardines in a tin even at rush hour. The Easy Card is a convenient form of payment to use on the subway. Initial purchase will cost you NT500, inclusive of an NT100 refundable deposit, and it entitles you to 20% discount off single ticket fares. The card can be bought from the ticketing machine or control station at any subway station, and functions as a tap and go, just like our ezlink card.


One thing I had a relatively hard time getting used to was the unspoken rule on how one should position oneself when riding the escalator. In Singapore, everyone keeps to the left when standing still, so that those in a hurry may walk up or down on the right. However, it is not a hard and fast rule. In Taipei, it's the exact opposite, and almost everyone follows it rigidly. Now back in Singapore, I find myself still keeping to the right when using the escalators.

As in Singapore, there are a couple of reserved seats in the mrt for the elderly, pregnant, those with children, and the disabled. People in Taipei tend to avoid occupying these seats even though the train is crowded and nobody in need of these special seats are in sight. 

My experience with bus drivers wasn't too good. They do not seem to like answering questions, and when they do on occasion, the reply is a gruff retort. The only cordial reply I've seen, is to a local lady who pandered to the driver, making him feel like he's boss. It makes me wonder if their attitude is the result of how a bus driver's job is being perceived in Taipei, that is, lowly.

The weather in late October is slightly bonkers, cool one day, or even part of the day, then sweltering the next. Sunny one day, then rainy the next. It got a little confusing when deciding on long pants versus bermudas, umbrella or not. Late November and December would probably see nicer (in my dictionary, it means cooler) and more consistent weather.

Street food, like those you find anywhere else, is best approached with caution. I did not notice gloves being used when handling food, but even in Singapore, you occassionally see vendors preparing food wearing gloves, then handling money with the gloves still on! That said, we did not end up with food poisoning after consuming whatever little street food we dared to try. Our best dining experiences weirdly, were in cafes and restaurants.

A mildly, or sometimes greatly annoying quirk, especially when your hands are full, is the habit shops have of  not giving out plastic bags to carry your purchases in, except when the item in question is a pack of sanitary napkins. In the beginning, I had no idea we could purchase one for just NT1, and had to precariously balance hot boxes of freshly microwaved bentos and bottles of drinks back to the hotel. Thankfully, it was just across the road. I also realise that receipts do not have itemised breakdowns on them, except Watsons. You end up with just the total amount spent, which isn't helpful at all in remembering what you bought. I'm guessing there is a 'no returns' policy in Taipei? How would you be able to get a refund or exchange when the receipt given to you does not even indicate what item(s) you bought.

There are quite a number of night markets in Taipei, and we went to four of them, namely, Shida Night Market, Shilin Night Market, Raohe Night Market and Ximending Night Market. My fave would be the Shilin Night Market for the sheer quantity and variety of food and clothing, whilst Raohe Night Market would be the most interesting. Shida, with its mixture of small air-conditioned independent boutiques and regular shops, is a little different from the two markets just mentioned. Somehow, it reminds us of Arab Street. Ximending, on the other hand, fared the worst as a night market. The area is an extremely nice place to shop in during the day, but come nightfall, only a handful of pushcarts selling uninteresting foodstuff and random knick knacks line the street. It was the only night market where we saw the vendors running off due to a false alarm that police had been seen in the area, so perhaps there has been frequent crackdowns in Ximending?

I enjoyed a couple of really nice day trips to Danshuei, Beitou Hot Spring Area, Qiufen, Shifen and Yehliu. If I had to pick just two places, it would be Qiufen/Shifen and Yehliu, but I'm glad I had the chance to visit all of the above spots.

So that wraps up my short experience with Taipei. Yours might differ of course. If you happen to be a local, I hope my post gave you a unique insight into your country as seen from the eyes of a particular foreigner.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

A Review of City Inn Hotels, Taipei (台北)

It was a month before my trip to Taipei, and there weren't many available rooms left that fit my budget. It was fortunate that I managed to get rooms at CityInn, which was highly recommended on the internet. I stayed at CityInn II on my first night in Taipei, as there was no available room at the branch in Ximending. My only gripe was that I had to lug my luggage all the way to the hotel, which was a 10-minute walk from the Taipei Main Station.

cityinn hotel taipei

There is a PC with internet connection at the lobby area so you can get connected even without your own device.

cityinn hotel taipei

I got a room with twin beds, as the other alternative is a small queen-sized bed, and might be a tight fit for a couple of larger build.

cityinn hotel taipei (台北)

The room was clean, there is a study table with a hot water flask and cups and a couple of sachets of tea. The television was a flat screen of good size, and the bathroom was big enough for two. The shower stall is just nice for one person though, and there's no bathtub.

cityinn hotel taipei (台北)

In my opinion, this is the better hotel of the two that we stayed in, although both rooms do not have windows. There are rooms with windows, so if you happen to be claustrophobic, be sure to request for a room with one.

cityinn hotel taipei (台北)

I had originally been given a room with a bathtub and a huge bathroom, but no sofa. Given that I had no need for a bathtub, but preferred a bigger room space to navigate in, I asked for a change of rooms and the management was extremely accommodating. It helped that I arrived at noon and stayed till 3pm to make sure that I was satisfied with the room.

cityinn hotel taipei (台北)

There is a lounge in the basement where the laundry room is. You can watch television while waiting for your laundry to be done, and the service is free of charge. Wireless internet is available in every room and included in the price.

cityinn hotel taipei (台北)

The bathroom is rather similar to the one at CityInn II. There is a sofa, a luggage stand, and a study table. The television is a flat screen, but as with CityInn II, there is no closet. Instead, you may hang your clothes on the clothes hanger attached to the wall.

cityinn hotel taipei (台北)

A major gripe I had with this room was the stained bed skirting. It was not the kind of stain that could not be washed away, but a result of an unwashed skirting. Most likely someone had spilled some food on the skirting and the hotel does not change the skirting for the beds.

cityinn hotel taipei (台北)

cityinn hotel taipei (台北)

Location-wise, I couldn't ask for better. CityInn Plus is located just across the road from FE'21, a 2 minute walk from entrance 3 of Ximending Station, and a 5 minute walk from the Ximending shopping district and night market.

cityinn hotel taipei (台北)

The staff at the reception are very polite and nice. They greet guests on every entry and exit, and are more than willing to answer your queries on attractions and transportation around Taipei. Do take note though, that your room key needs to be surrendered to the counter each time you leave the hotel, and that rooms at CityInn hotels are being let out for two hour blocks whenever available. Somehow, our local Hotel 81 comes to mind.


TAIWAN HOLIDAY LINKS

Getting from the Airport to the Town Centre
Airport Bus

Accommodation
A review of the reasonably priced City Inn Hotel

Food
Great Yakiniku Dinner Wine and Dine
Best Fruit Smoothie at Agnes B Cafe
Dining Cute @ Hello Kitty Cafe
Best Breakfast @ New York Bagels
Best Spaghetti and Fruits Tea @ Afternoon Tea Cafe
Ice Cream Toast @ Dazzling Cafe, opened by a socialite
Best Mala Hotpot Supper @ Ximending

Night Markets
Shida Night Market
Shilin Night Market
Raohe Night Market
Jianguo Flower and Jade Market

Shopping Malls & Bookstores
Eslite, Shinkong Mitsukoshi

Main Attractions - Places that you can't miss
Danshuei Old Street: Eat while you walk
Jiufen: Traditional Alley
Shifen: Lighting A Wish Lantern
Beitou Hot Springs: Soak your troubles away
Yehliu Geopark: Amazing Rock Formations by the Sea