Day trip in Taipei

Today was quite a long day, but I have seen a lot of famous things in here, tasted a lot of new food and met some new people :-) Our day started on 9AM, when we have left our apartments. It was hoot since the morning, bud we kind of hadn't care, because there were so many new things to observe!

Our trip has begun with a long journey to LungshanTemple. It is a one of the city's busiest temple in Taipei. This temple is situated on a street corner near the center of the city. Sculptures of dragons feature prominently in this temple's design. This Temple is also popular for fortune-telling. On my view there were a lot of people praying with aromatic sticks, buying a gifts to the Gods or tying their luck. You can take oracle blocks, thank think of some question and drop them on the ground. When one is different than other, it means yes. Other variations are no. There is also another thing. You choose a stick with the number, take oracle blocks and pray for a better live or something else. Than you have to drop the oracle blocks and it has to say three times yes. After it you can pick up a paper with the meaning of your number. I was not so good. It has not fallen to me three times :-(

Lungshan Temple

A lot of people are coming here to pray

When you finish your prayer, you throw the sticks in to this

A lot of people are buying a gifts to the Gods

Oracle blocks and the stick with the number

 After exploring Xingtian Temple we went to the sweet shop for an ice-cream. It looks like very differently, because it is an ice, with topping of your choice. I have chosen mango, bubbles, sweat beans and some kind of jelly. But it was delicious! Later on we went to see, where is Taipei 101. It is soo big! We have made a few photos of it and decided to visit it sometimes during the night. We have taken also in Taipei 101 famous Taiwanese food - dumplings. It taste a little bit like a pasta with meal inside. But it is delicious :-)

Ice cream with mango, bubbles, sweat beans and jelly

Taipei 101

Dumplings with crab and vegetable and rice with sea food

Taipei 101 is big (509 m), but today the biggest building is Burg Dubai (800 m)

Later on our trip continued to Danshui. It is a place, where is a beautiful view of the mountain and the sea. It is a little bit like on a vacation, where you can walk among the sea and buy some stuff. There is so many things o eat! Most of them I have never seen before! I have tried Egg Tart. It was tasty. Taste like a pie with a pudding, which is made of eggs.
When the night came out, we went to the boat trip. It was great, a little bit dangerous, because the driver was driving so fast, but it was also an experience :-) We went to the town of Bali. There should lighten the bridge, but they had been repairing it until now.

Danshui

Sunset in Danshui

Markets in Danshui

Egg tart

Taiwan ship

Danshui in the night

Well this day was a full of new things and we went home on midnight. So my leg hurts, but my eyes are happy. Looking forward to tomorrow, because I'm going to meet a friend of my friend who has been in Czech Republic for a while :-)

There are other photos and videos:
From the Temple

Our group of trainees

Flower gift to the Gods

Oracle blocks

An example of the gift to the Gods

Trip to the Taipei 101

They have one special crossing in the middle of the crossroads

Lunch in Taipei 101

Rice with sea food, dumpling, green tea and ginger with soy sauce

With Cory from Inodnesia nad Weeny from Vietnam

With Kelley from Canada

Danshui

There was some exhibition of pumpkins - you can eat them later

Serious Kelley

Models of the World

Bridge on Bali

First day in Taipei

Today was a great day. I have slept quite long and then I went with other trainee to Taipei University. They were presenting their project - One Child, one chance. It was quite educated - their goal is to get children more social responsible. The group, I've been in, first tell the children about World problems and than they focused on diseases, sicknesses and health generally. They were trying to make it catchy for the children - drawing and acting was the best for me :-)

I have also met my project leader, who told me, what should I do. I'm going to stay in the Yigge part of the Taipei with other trainee Geena from Indonesia. This part is famous due to its pottery. I should design the material about their culture, make an English map and promotion video about this part of Taipei. And also when some tourist came, we are going to guide him/her around this part of the city. I will also present Czech Republic and at the end I'm going to present all my work. I should have live in some house of the rich man, so I'm quite curious about living. Right now I live in Sansia with other trainee, but it's getting a little bit tight for so many people :-)

The view from our flat on 6th floor

Our flats are on the 5th and 6th floor

My first dinner in Taipei

Very cool part from this day was the dinner. I went with one trainee from Germany, Canada and Portuguese. We have met an AIESEC from Taipei and two Polish people and we have stopped by local food. There were so many things to eat and I have know only rice noodles. The AIESEC girl has translate us some food, but I do not remember it all. I put something on the basket. We have chosen it raw and than the chief cooked it for us. It should have been a little bit spicy, but it was soo hot! It was also a little bit "soupy", but it was great. I have chosen rice noodles, salad, something like mushrooms, balls from pork, octopus, crab, some fish plates and tofu in soy sauce. I love it! The best was the ball from octopus and crab. Well look at the picture and let me know, what do you think :-)

Later we went through the city and there was raining a little and it was great. So fresh. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, because we are heading to Taipei city ;-)

There are some other photos from my apartment:

My room

Bathroom

Kitchen

44 hours trip from Brno to traineehouse in Taipei

It has really happened. I have left my country and I'm in Taipei :-) On Tuesday evening I have left my home and on Thursday around 10PM local time (4PM in Czech Republic) I have arrived to trainee house in Taipei.

After my graduation ceremony on Tuesday my trip to Asia began. I said goodbye to my whole Czech sweeties, last kiss, last wave and see you in two months. On 8PM I sat in the bus to Prague, heading to Taipei.Traveling to Prague was fine. I met a girl, who has been teaching windsurfing and we had a great talk about travelling, sports, pets and so much more. The trip takes about 2:30 hours.

In Prague I transferred to another bus to Frankfurt airport, I have had about 30 minutes to transfer. The bus from Brno was on time, so I had no problems.  Next to me was sitting a guy, who was heading to Köln am Rhein to be a chief in some restaurant. One day he would like to work on the boat in Amsterodam, cool :-) The trip from Prague to airport took 7:35 hours. I have slept a lot, because we travelled during the night.

When I have arrived to Frankfurt airport I have been thinking - It' so big!. I have tried to find check-in, but I went to baggage claim (there was no elevator, so I had to take my luggage like two stairs up). Later I have found, where was my check-in and my Terminal 1. I have plenty of time, because my flight to Peking took off on 2:15PM. I have found a place to sit in Terminal 2, in Mac Donald, where the plains were arriving. This airport is so big, that I had to take a train to Terminal 2. It was funny. Later I have been wondering, how much people are traveling through the whole world, what is probably their goal? Maybe visit someone, maybe to explore the world.

When the time came, I checked-in and went to Terminal 1. I went to Duty free and I made myself happy, because I have bought perfume. I have got some gifts to it - like scarf, diary or some small perfumes, that was great :-) On the board of the plane I have started chatting with one guy from China. He was very nice to me and we were talking about our culture, habits or traveling. The flight was quite good. I've got a pillow and the blanket and there were no turbulence. On the other hand air - condition was very loud, food was weird and there was no TV on the seat in front of me. I have also never seen so many Chinese in one place, it was different for me :-)

The flight took around 9 hours and I have arrived on 28.6. on 5:50AM local time. My next plane to Taipei is on 2:05PM, so I had a plenty of time to get to know the airport :-) I have spent my time with my donkey named Kravička and he had been quite happy to see so much :-)

I went to shops, but everything was  so expensive and in Chinese dollars so I have found a beautiful place, where the planes arrived and taking off. I have also read some magazines and I wanted so desperately sleep! But I was brave and until my next flight I was wake up. 


My last but not least flight was from Peking to Taipei. I fall asleep almost immediately. The plane and the crew were normal, like the plane from Frankfurt to Peking. When I have arrived, some lady took my temperature. It was weird, because I have been walking and she was screaming: "You, come here!".I was like? Oh my God, what have I done?". But she has just took my temperature from my ear :-) Later I went through control, found my luggage and go out to look for someone, who will wait for me. 


There was a girl outside waiting for me with my name on the card. I was so lucky, that I found her. I went to change my money, than she as helped me to buy my new SIM card and we were trying to find some bus to Taipei university. The bus was leaving in an hour, so we have been waiting on the airport, because outside, was sooo hot! After like 30 minutes, we came to university bus stop. There was a shop, where I have bought my first food - already prepared chicken with rice :-) After some time, one guy picked up us and we went to trainee house. 
This house is for trainee from other project, but because I'm here early, I came here first and than I will go to another place. There are two flats in 5th and 6th floor. And there are already like 10 trainee - from Mexico, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Singapoure, Germany, India and some more :-) They were all welcoming and nice to me. We have chat a little, I took a shower, got on the Internet and went sleep. This day was long :-) Looking forward to tomorrow!

All packed, prepared to travel for almost two days

Today is the last day in my home, sleeping in my bed and listen to purring my cat. I have already packed almost all my stuff. I have packed clothes, cosmetics, gifts and necessary documents. 

Some typical presents from The Czech Republic are things with Czech cartoon like Krteček or Ferda Mravenec, plum brandy, Pálava vine, home-made honey or pottery with flowers or fruit (f.e. plum, apple, cherry,...). Taiwan is a country where the pottery is very famous. I have also downloaded some typical songs like Škoda lásky or Měla babka čtyři jabka. 


My baggage has around 20kg and right now my cat is taking care about it. It seems that she would like to travel with me. I wish so much to pack my white hairy animal also in my baggage. My cat is bringing me all the time plush mices, so kind. It is fascinated how the animals feel when someone is leaving.

And what is the travel plan? Tomorrow I'm going to my graduation ceremony and then I will go on 8PM by bus to Prague (GTM +2), capital of Czech Republic and then I will go to Frankfurt am Main. I will be there on 27.6. 6AM and my flight to Peking is on 2PM. I'm looking forward to go to the duty free zone. I would like to buy perfume. The flight to Peking will take around 9 hours and then I will there transfer to another plane to Taipei. I'm expecting to arrive in Taipei on 28.6. 5PM Taiwan time (GTM +8). In my country will be plus six hours - 11PM. On the airport should wait for me someone, who will take me to the place where I will stay. I hope :-)

I believe I haven't forgotten anything and I'm going to enjoy last few hours in my home sweet home.. Taipei see me soon!