Taiwan Trip day 1 - Arriving at Taipei (Tuesday April 16, 2019)

Taiwan Trip Day 1 - Arriving in Taipei (Tuesday, April 16th, 2019)

We arrived in Taipei at 5:15 AM local time on Tuesday, April 16th. The flight was quite bumpy all the way from Japan to Taipei. We were served breakfast 2.5 hours before landing. We descended through a thick layer of storm cloud. It was almost at ground level before we saw any lights and buildings. Before we landed we were served some candy which EVA has been serving on their flights for as long as I can remember.

Breakfast Entree: seafood congee, which three of us ate

Breakfast Entree for MM: egg frittata (she barely ate it)

 Lemon-flavored vitamin C and Loquat candy before landing

Descending through the storm cloud

Landed at TPE Taoyuan International Airport on a rainy day at dawn

Looking out on a rainy day

Taxi-ing to our gate at Terminal 2

Pulling into our gate at Terminal 2, hub for EVA

In Taiwan after a fifteen-hour flight

We got through immigration and picked up our luggages fairly quickly.  We contacted our airport pick-up person at the waiting area. He came to greet us and as he went to pick up the van, we walked to the curb of Terminal 2 where we waited for him. We got into our van and were in the center of Taipei (Zhongzheng District) after about a forty-minute drive.

Waiting for our airport transport at the curb

Getting into our van

As we entered Taipei proper, we would embark on a five-day-long, non-stop food tour. 

As we got to the apartment in the early morning around 8:30AM, the little cousins are just getting up. We were greeted by fresh bakery items, traditional Taiwanese breakfast from Yung-Ho Dou Jiang, and fresh Taiwanese fruit of wax apple. 

Fresh bakery items

Yung-Ho Dou Jiang

Fresh breakfast items from Yung-Ho Dou Jiang

GG enjoying her second breakfast

Wax apple or "lien-wu," a staple of Taiwan tropical fruit

Joanne's mother was in Taipei at the same time so she met up with us at the apartment as well. The seniors sat around and chatted while the girls played with their little cousins. Joanne and I went to get a cafe latte at the 7-11 downstairs, which is everywhere in Taipei. The kids took a shower and we headed out to lunch around noon time. 

Snack items at 7-11

We had reservations at Shin-Yeh Taiwanese Restaurant at the Xinyi Shin Kong Mitsukoshi building A9 location on the Eastside of town. However, due to my disorientation, I led Joanne's mother and the rest of the family to the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi near the Taipei Main Station which is on the Westside of town. I realized my mistake when I got to Zhongxiao East Road, the main road where the Taipei Main Station is located. We ended up hailing a taxi and had to backtrack East to the Xinyi location. It was still raining so I took a lot of flak from everyone on getting us lost while my parents specifically told me that I should take the bus on Ren-Ai Rd. I blame that I did not have proper internet connection (which turned out to be true since my Taiwan SIM card data plan had expired) and my lack of familiarity with the new Ren-Ai bus route. Despite being lost for a bit (and that is how you learn to get around), we still managed to make it to Shin-Yeh on time for lunch before noon. After having two breakfasts and some fruit, we continued our eating fest at Shin-Yeh. 

Shin-Yeh has been in the business of bringing local Taiwanese flavor from the side streets to the main street since 1977. The Xinyi store is located on the 8th floor of the modern A9 building in the ultra-hip Xinyi financial and shopping district of East Taipei. It is located off the Red Line subway between the Taipei 101/World Trade Center stop and the Xiangshan (Elephant Mountain) stop. 

Taiwanese food, in my opinion, is about bringing out the basic local ingredients, especially vegetables. The various sauces such as rice wine (michiu), soy sauce, and garlic combined with quick stir-fry in a hot wok brings out the flavor of the ingredients as well as the sauces. Shin-Yeh has become a successful chain with a number of successful restaurants. 

Shin-Yeh Taiwanese Restaurant at the Xinyi Mitsukoshi A9 location

We were mixed in with the financial worker crowd in the Xinyi district during lunch time. Joanne ordered a table full of dishes. It was a nice gathering of everybody. 

Table full of dishes

Runbing: Wrap with peanut powder and vegetables, a classic Taiwanese street food

Fried calamari 

Tofu with sherlihon vegetables

Taiwanese-style fried vermicelli

Taro spring roll

Wood ear mushroom with bean curd skin and celery

Clam with basil

Lamb with spinach 

Stir-fried scallop

Taiwan cabbage

Vegetable and pork chow-mien

Water spinach vegetables

Five-spice chicken roll

Yam congee, a classic

Fried egg with dried turnip, a classic

Three cup chicken, a classic

Dessert: bite-sized mochi coated with peanut powder, a classic

After lunch, we decided to walk one block north towards Zhongxiao East Uniqlo for some shopping. Our plan was to do a bit of shopping and walking to somewhat burn off our lunch and have some boba tea and Ice Monster, the famed shaved ice restaurant on Zhongxiao East Road before heading home for an early sleep.

Stopped for some stationary shopping at Muji

MM shopping for pens at Muji

Xinyi Mitsukoshi Building A9, with the neon yellow escalators

Xinyi Mitsukoshi Building A9, Level 1

Must be in Taiwan

Walking out with the little one

GG looking happy in Taipei

Successful at Uniqlo Zhongxiao East, complimentary shopping bag with rain cover

First boba drink at MeetFresh on Zhongxiao East Road

Shaved ice for dinner at Ice Monster on Zhongxiao East Road

The popular Mango Sensation (minus the yogurt and condensed milk)

GG enjoying the Matcha Sensation with sesame ice cream and a shot of boba on the side

Boba shot glass

After our shaved ice dinner, we walked through the alley between Zhongxiao Easr Road and Ren Ai Road to take the Ren Ai main bus line to get back home. We stopped by the telecom store, Zhonghua telecom to purchase another SIM card when we got home but the store was closed. We took a shower and slept before 8:00PM.

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