10 December 2013
Our 2-hour car journey took us to 佛光山 Memorial Hall with a stopover for our toilet breaks. Explored the tourist attraction and we were thankful it wasn't crowded because apparently it gets very packed with tourists and locals during public holidays. Anyway, so we climbed as high as we could get to the very large Buddha statue and I was awed by the magnificence of it all. Also, really admire how most of the tourist attractions don't charge tourists (or locals) for visitations. We also explored the older memorial hall a buggy ride away and climbed many many many steps up to their main hall. The three buddhas within the temple were massive and I liked the tranquility at the shrine on top of everything.
The best part of any mornings in the hotel will always be the breakfast buffet spread.
The scooter is such an important mode of transport in Taiwan that they have wide spaces for scooters to park.
(Ok I took this in the toilet cubicle) but anyway all of their cubicles have this emergency button in case you happen to (I don't know, fall into the toilet bowl?) slip and fall maybe...
Just a random roadside pancake stall but the red bean one was SO SO SO good. Move over Mr Bean, why can't Singapore have good street food everywhere too?
Han sleeping everywhere he goes...
My dad accidental clicked multiple shots so Han and I were jumping around like lunatics.
My mom and her insane obsession with all things elephant.
The standard shot of the attraction lying flat on your palms.
Goofing around in front of the grand buddha statue.
With the 13 arhats.
My dad was amused at how I tried climbing into the window.
The three massive statues inside the temple when we climbed to the older hall.
Lunch was really delicious vegetarian fare. I would go back for this because the mock meat tasted soooo much like the real deal (I usually stay away from all these 'mock' food) and the food wasn't too salty or bland.
The guys happy with their buys by the street.
Our guide/chauffeur bought these (oily) fried sweet potato balls for us, it was yum.
Victorian-era building that used to be the British Consulate.
Squid-ink sausages.
This was at the bay, hoping to catch the sunset but to no avail.
My eyes are forever peeled for stalls that sell traditional desserts.
My dad, still buying his grilled squids.
Unhealthy but so very tasty quail eggs with prawns.
We realised that rubbish bins were so scarce even as we walked down the street (I wonder where the other people throw their rubbish).
小笼包 from a street stall that was sooooo good it was way better than the ones we have in Singapore.
My brother being teased by the Turkish ice-cream seller and finally got his ice-cream.
(red beans and taohuaaaaaaaaaay)
I had to try their 胡椒饼 although I was sooooo full from all the food.
And of course the perfect way to end off the eating spree.
So we brought all the food back to the hotel to eat because we didn't want to eat and walk around at the same time. Didn't manage to finish everything (and I'm regretting it now...).
Checked into our hotel at 5pm (it was already dark out). It was quite small but cozy and the staff were very friendly. This is the type of service I wish I would receive whenever I enter a shop or restaurant in Singapore. I guess we could learn a thing or two from this hospitality. Headed to 六合 night market ('twas different compared to the previous one we went to the day before) that sold more seafood then fried ones. It was smaller but had a larger variety of Taiwanese street food.
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