Saturday 5.28 Jean and I went to Taichung. We decided to take Aloha and find out what Park was so set in his ways about. We immediately found out that it was really heaven on wheels. The seats are so comfortable, like a giant lounge chair. They have an individual tv for each seat so we were able to choose our channel. It was wonderful.
Then after getting to Taichung we took a bus to Dong Hai to see Art Street. That would be the romantic area with a lot of coffee shops. Before we got there, we got a drink. The people who worked there told us that the places we picked out in the magazine were not good, we should go to the place across the street as they are well-known for their Nio Ro Men. Let me just say that they must have some kind of a connection because the soup was horrible, Jean’s lunch wasn’t so bad but I couldn’t even eat mine. Before we went to the coffee place where I could eat, we stopped in at a coffee specialty store right next to the place we ate.
Jean wanted to buy a coffee maker. Jean, I tell you "You shouldn’t go there if you know nothing about coffee. You should come back when you get a coffee degree and know something." That is basically what the guy told her. So we left and headed to Art Street.
3 places banned in a matter of seconds. Never going to recommend that anyone goes there. So we ended up at one of the places in the magazine. It was wonderful.
We toured around, saw the first Rose House in Taiwan, where I ate lunch 5 years ago. It was nice. We also ate a snack at a Hakkanese place, it wasn’t bad. But this time Jean chose the perfect one and I had the not so good one!! Then I got something for mother, not going to say what… she can find out later and that store keeper helped us find a place to stay. Actually we just wanted a cheaper end place to stay, and she called a few people with no luck. So then she ended up calling one guy from the apartment complex and asked him if we could crash there. The guy did not move in yet so he let us. And he did not want any money in exchange. It was interesting. Thanks to that guy, we really appretiate it. Know he will never read this, but his kindness really speaks to the kindness I found in Taichung when I lived there for a year.
Art Street used to be the place where lovers would go to enjoy a nice meal. Nowadays though, it is more of a family place. The atmosphere is still calm and more peaceful than other places, but it has changed in the years since I last came.
Then off to the night market where we ate some wonderful small snacks. I also experienced heaven in a cup, carmel slushy with jen-ju. YUMMY. Then back to the room to rest up for the next day of adventures.
Sunday 5.29 we got up early and cleaned up. In an attempt to locate the place the nice lady mentioned to us, we stumbled upon a small bakery/breakfast place and decided to eat there. It was good. Jean found bread so she was happy. Then we left for Dong Hai University to see the lake and church.
When Uncle Stephen took me there I saw the church and some of the school but not the lake. We found a place where they had wooden message boards where you could leave a message, so we created one. Will post it on here leter. The church was nice, but the lake was smaller than we expected. It was also not very clean, the lake and the area around it were dirty. Which amazed me because Dong Hai University’s campus is for the most part clean and well kept. So we sat for a moment and then left.
Off to the famous street in Taichung. When Uncle Stephen brought me to Providence University to learn Chinese we stopped by here to see. I had my first pearl experience there and I remember the place was beautiful. I still remember the exact place that I sat at. At night I think it would be a perfect place for lovers to go and have a cup of tea.
Although, during the day I do not think it is so wonderful. We had a dessert, of course Jean chose that!!! It was good. Then we went to the train station for the last part of our trip. We wanted to find 3 places in the magazine. We successfully found them and ate there. The first one was good, the second one we just got some for the bus ride and the excitement happened at the third. We wanted to eat the ice snack. The lady that worked there was what I would consider the ice nazi (!), she would insist that you order very quickly and if you did not order fast enough she would say "next." Her make-up was on so thick that I was wondering when her "face" would fall off or at least crack. And she told Jean that she shouldn’t have ice in hers. Jean you should really lern about ice before you order at that place!! So we banned that one as well.
Then we headed back to Taipei on Aloha, heaven on wheels. Although, if you take Aloha request the seats in the main part of the bus. If you sit in the back the seats are smaller and it will not be as comfortable. It would be a second class trip on Heaven instead of a first!!!!
More later.
