Trip to Taiwan

First shot of Taiwan from the
plane.

So this trip started June 5, 2018 at noon when we boarded our EVA AIR Plane BRO5 destination Taoyuan Airport. We landed in Taoyuan at June 6, 5:30 PM in Taiwan Time (2:30 AM CA Time). We were met by our dad's side family when we got off the plane. This includes my cousin Chen, "Aunty", ''Uncle", and my Chungli grandma, and my cousin Willy and his dad "GuZun", and his mom "Gugu". We quickly loaded into their cars and we drove to a restaurant. The way you order is the are categories of foods and you order from the first category and to the last one. So meaning you get submeal, mainmeal, drinks, and dessert!! After eating the delicious food, we went to my grandma's home, which in 中壢 (Chungli).

JUNE 7

The scenery from my
grandma's house.

  The very next day Willy took us around the community by biking. At night, we went up to 台北(Taipei), where my mom's family lived. There are my Taipei grandma and Taipei grandfather and my three aunts (Small aunt, Third aunt, and Big aunt). We were greeted by them all warmly. We pulled our luggage upstairs to their apartment, and soon was ready for the next adventure.

JUNE 8

The burger from the breakfast
shop.

  Today for breakfast we went to the local breakfast shop, CountrySide and bought some burgers home, and in the afternoon, we went to another fancy restaurant which was HotPot. We ordered too much meat, but we manage to finished all of it. After that we went to the cinema to watch Jurassic Park: The Fallen Kingdom. Jurassic World wasn't as good as the first Jurassic Park, but the quality of the film is good. At last the dinosaur were all released in California, so my dad joked that when we get back to California, we will meet a lot of the dinosaurs. LOL. Pure Jurassic Park joke. 



JUNE 9

In the bowling stadium.

  So today was just all planned out. Actually at the last minute. We suddenly planned to go Bowling. So we took the bus to the subway and to the bowling area. Just like America, the place was huge, with loads of bowling sets. We bowled 2 rounds and an uncle even told us how to bowl. He said to put your middle and ring finger in the holes on the ball, and use your index to aim. Take a few steps and swing up just a little and push hard, yet straight at the pins. After bowling, we went home and at night we went out to the claw machines, and I got one of the prizes-cause I'm the lucky one. Anyways that's just my luck. 

JUNE 10

We stopped here, right across
the Taipei Zoo.

  We woke early in the morning about 6. We rented some UBike, popular bike rental company in Taipei. We borrow UBike an rode in a special bike trail away from the streets and into the nature that beautifies it. The view was quite amazing with the river on one side and trees on the other. I mean despite the fact that there were a lot of stray dogs, it was quite a view. In the afternoon I went to the bookstore with both of my parents. There were a lot of bookstores, like a book mall. There were many different bookstores that sold many different books. The one we were looking for specially sells books about computer programming. While shopping it rained extremely hard but luckily it stopped on the way home. At night, we went to the claw machine, and once again I got a prize, except this time the owner of the claw machine helped us, by telling us how to get it.

JUNE 11

IceLand skate park

  Today we went ice skating in the Taipei Arena called IceLand. We borrowed gears and helmets and soon got skating. It was fun and slippery because we are on the ice. My Big and Third aunt came with us, but it's their first time, we found two of the supports used on the ice rinks, but soon we removed them so they can have a real experience and it worked! At the end, both of my aunts can skate with any supports and can do it easily. By that time however, we were getting ready to leave, because there are time limits. Despite that, it was a fun time skating with my aunts and my brother in the Taipei Arena!!

JUNE 12 
  The day went off when I went with my parents to a mall that sells a lot electronic components. There you can find CPU components, headphones, speakers, an other electronics. The entire mall is literally underground!! It's a very amazing place to wonder in!!!

JUNE 13

Mixcin Dance Studios

  So we went with my Third aunt who dances in this underground dancing place called Mixcin. We danced with an awesome instructor Snooby! We danced to many songs, but I was a little slow cause I just joined with no knowledge of how to dance to the songs. Although it was a tiring hour, but it was fun and a great experience! Even better was that we went to a nearby restaurant called Drip Cafe, where we ordered many delicious meals and even special desserts! A fun and delicious day!

JUNE 14

The one and only White Tiger
at  LeoFoo.

  Today is the day of the drop down!! We are going to LeoFoo Village Theme Park. There are many different rides there that can make you scream, laugh, and get wet!! We rode many different rides, even one roller coaster, and a Big Canyon Rapids Ride, which gets you wet, wet, wet!! In that one you sit in a round little boat, and you will hit waves, walls, spinning barrels, other boats, and even a waterfall! Not just that, LeoFoo Village also is like a zoo in the other half. They even have the very endangered White Tiger!! They have many other animals that are protected and taken cared there!

JUNE 15
  We ate lunch today at a local restaurant, where they serve quite an unique style of food. I ordered a meal where they put rice in a plate, and chicken with Teriyaki on the side plate. I am sure that the restaurant is family run, because I see the cooker's all look familiar. There we also saw someone we didn't see for five years, yet she still remembers us!

JUNE 16

Taipei Mayor, Ko Wen-Je
(left), and one of the
candidates (right) at the
 music performance.

CKS Memorial Hall

  Early in the morning an earthquake with the scale of three hit us! It was literally so early I thought that I was dreaming that I was on a truck driving through a desert road, but when I woke I figured it was an earthquake, and yet the earthquake passed rather fast. Later in the afternoon, my Uncle picked us up, and we went to a Ramen Noodle Restaurant, where they serve special ramen. I ordered a special plate which was delivered to me 10 minutes, but it's large! I mean it says 10 mins on the menu, so yea, it was on time, but it was so large of a meal, that I couldn't finish it all! After we walked to a nearby park where there was an event. Because it was near an election for the Taipei Mayor, we saw many candidates that were running for the election. After several handshakes and present given by the candidates, my cousin's Strings Class came out to play several songs. They played several special songs and one of them was a theme song from the anime Ponyo. During the performance, the present Taipei Mayor, Ko Wen-Je came and when the performance ended, all the music players got in a group with the mayor in front. Very interesting! Their strings class is a lot more professional than our's, playing songs that requires more moves than bowing and moving fingers. After the performance our uncle took us home. Later we went CKS Memorial Hall, where we saw a large bronze statue, and even saw the army do their duty performances! Later at night we went down to Chungli.

JUNE 17

National Palace Museum

  The day started when we woke up early in the morning to drive down to 嘉義 (Chayi) to see my great grandma from my grandma's side. We arrived about 9 AM, and there we burned some money for our ancestors. Shortly we ate lunch, and after that we went to a nearby museum, named National Palace Museum, although we only went into the gift shop, cause we had no time, although we did sent a postcard home (which we received when we returned). We then went to a market like place where we bought tickets to go into Dinosaur Dream Land, where there were models of different prehistoric creatures, but mostly dinosaurs.

JUNE 18

Lotus field.

  We walked from my great grandma's house to the nearby lotus fields (which were pretty close), and there was a field of pink, although because it just rained, some of the lotus flowers were closed up. We even saw someone picking up the lotus pods, and he permitted us to take one of his lotus leaf. Then while walking back home, we saw someone taking out the lotus seeds out of the pods, and she let us experience how to take the seeds and what to do with it. First when you get out the seeds, there is a black shell, remove it. Next, you have to remove a thin layer of another shell on the seed. Third, grab something thin and pointy and poke it from the bottom of the lotus seed, and take out the green seedling out (you don't have to, but it's just very bitter) It was fun, fun, fun!! On the way back to Chungli, we stopped by a place called SunnyHills where we got free sample of their pineapple cake. Very delicious! We even saw many rhinoceros beetle, and saw two fighting each other! Very rare!

JUNE 19
  Right before noon we were back at Taipei. We were removing the seeds from the lotus pods, (we bought two big bags from Chayi), and so we spent our a long time doing it, and we only got out the seeds, and the outer shell. Very farm-working day!

JUNE 20
  The morning passed as we did the other steps with the lotus seeds. It is very tiring especially when you have to remove a lot of seeds, doing the same thing over and over again, and just sitting there. I mean the soup that my Taipei grandma cooked with the seeds, was delicious!!!

JUNE 21

Taipei 101 Shopping Mall

  Today we went to a outlet like place where there were many exhibits, including Disney, cameras, drones, phones, restaurants, and many more! There was also a VR experience, where my Big aunt and I tried two games for two person for NT$800 (USD $26). We played Dinosaur Commando and Invaders, and it was just like as if I was really in there shooting aliens and dinosaurs. I even get surprised when the dinosaur just ran in front of me! After the fun VR experience, we headed toward the famous Taipei 101! We only visited the shopping mall on the side building, because we didn't have enough time because we had an appointment with Small aunt to eat at one of her recommended restaurant. It was a Thai restaurant, and there they sell a lot of noodles, and sesame ice cream! Very unique and delicious!

JUNE 22

Dad's 49th birthday cake!

  Today we celebrated a day early of my dad's 49th birthday!! Small aunt bought Chocolate Strawberry cake, which was delicious, but quite small, but also quite expensive, but I think it's worth the price. The cake is just special and very tasty! Also the cake isn't all like too sweet and all that, unlike those with cream, and other stuff in the inside, this is just chocolate and strawberries!

JUNE 23

My Dad and
the YiLan baby.

  My dad's real birthday is today, when we returned to Chungli. Gugu took me on a motorcycle trip to buy some durain, which my dad likes. The motorcycle trip was just exciting. An hour later a relative of mine from 宜蘭  (YiLan) came to visit us, and they brought a cute baby with them. We ate lunch soon, and we had a little talk, but soon they had to hurry back to YiLan. By dinner Chen and Aunty returned from Taipei and we ate dinner and we rode bike, castor board out on the block together with Willy, Chen, and Aunty. FUN!

JUNE 24

The group picture after the meal.

  Today we ate at a restaurant, Fuli Sichuan Banquet with another of my cousin, which is a lot older than me, named Sophia, and her family. As all restaurants, there was a lot of food that I have never ate before, and very delicious!! At night Gugu took us to a restaurant that sells hamburger that is bigger than your face! Obviously the burger is cut into fourths, for four people, because one cannot finish such a large burger!

JUNE 25

Chungli night market
See the OPEN Plush?

  We went to another electronic mall, except it's in Chungli. My dad and I went their using the family motorcycle. The mall sold many accessories for cameras, electronics, just very electrical!! On the way back, sadly, we saw an accident, but luckily help was already there, so whew! When we almost got back, my dad stopped at FamilyMart, where we both ate red bean popsicle. At night we went to a bookstore that we passed by earlier when returning from the mall. The book 'mall' had an underground, ground, and upper layer, all different shops selling different books, and other small stuff. Even later we went to the night market with Gugu, Willy, and Chungli grandma. The night market is completely different from Monterey Park, night market. There were games, claw machines, outside vendors, stores, yea, and that's where I won an Open Plush! We then went to another night market, this one with more of store front restaurants and stores, and there we bought milk boba!

JUNE 26

Cicada Shell at LongGang Park.

  Since I have been off of a violin for a long time and Chen has one in her room, I decided to try it out. The strings were all untuned (but that's cause she uses a new violin and hasn't touch her small one for a long time), and when I got to tuning the E string it snapped! It was quite natural though, cause the strings were all rusted and stuff like that so yea. So my dad and I went to a music center where we bought the strings, but before we went in, we saw many Apache Attack Helicopters flew over us! Amazing! After buying the strings we went to a closeby Seven-Eleven, where we bought macaron ice cream, and there was a raffle for discount of 10%, 20%, or 50%, and I got the prize for 50% so yea I was lucky! While driving back we took a turn into the nearby park, LongGang Park, where we saw many cicada shells and I even took one home! So much nature! At night we went up to Taipei.

JUNE 27
  At night Big aunt and Small aunt took us to watch another movie--Incredibles II. It was very suspenseful and very fantasy, but a very good movie! When the movie finished we were walking and as we passed a nearby parking lot, me and my dad saw a large mouse that ran away as we walked by. Scary!

JUNE 28
  Nothing really happened today, except that we were packing up for a four day trip with Willy, Gugu, Uncle, Aunty, Chen, Small Aunt, Third Aunt, Big Aunt, and us.

JUNE 29

The fish I painted to life.

  Bright in the morning Big Aunt and us went down to Chungli for the adventure. My other two aunts will meet us later in the night by riding the train, and Aunty, Uncle, and Chen will meet with us at the restaurant we are eating for lunch. So we reached the restaurant at noon, where we waited for Aunty, Uncle, and Chen, but the meal was already pre-ordered, which was cool, but we told them to wait until they had arrived. After lunch we went to DIY painting area, where you buy a wooden model and paint it. I bought a fish, and it took me a long time to finally finish it. After the hard painting, we went to a beach, where we saw many crabs. We were supposed to fish clams, but we went out of time, because of the painting. Right before sunset we reached our resort, UNI-Resort!! Super luxurious!! We were rushed into the resort's restaurant where we had dinner. Well since it's a resort, there was an arcade which we tried and there was a basketball, pingpong, claw machine, billiard table, and many more!! We played in the arcade for well over an hour, and it was sweaty and fun!

JUNE 30

The Big TEMPLE

The Glass Museum

  We rode UBike to a large placing where people pray to the gods and ancestors. More of like a large temple to pray to many gods of kind. After praying we packed up and left Uni-Resort and went to a glass museum, where there are many displays of glasswork! Bugs, plants, animals, cars, all of glass!! Very very cool place to visit! Soon we drove uphill on a mountain for a two hours where we reached a place called SunLinkSea. We hiked to a nearby place where the scenery is beautified by these flowers that looks like a ball. Across is a greenhouse where many flowers of kind are in. Some are small, some repel mosquitos, some closes up when you touch them, and others are just colorful. Soon it was getting dark, and at night we went up to see some stars, although many were blocked by the clouds that were floating by, but more stars than in the cities!

JULY 1

Panoramic View of
the Waterfall

Human Face Spider

  So we are still in SunLinkSea, and we rode a tour bus to the waterfall, beautiful!! We walked across a bridge that shakes, and makes you cross legs. There was a trail to the waterfall, and there the waterfall actually gets you wet! Beautiful scenery, especially with the trees and the river. We hiked back to the hotel, where we saw many kinds of mushrooms--some looks like knives stuck to a tree--and soon we reached a small pond where we saw many damselflies mating, and one pair got eaten by a spider. We then got off the mountain and into the city, where we ate lunch and a gigantic shaved ice, where Chen, Willy, my brother, and I finished together! Icy Cold!! We then drove to Sun Moon Lake, where we hiked another trail, but on this trail we saw lizard, caterpillars, and even human face spiders!! We reached the end of the trail where we are above part of the lake, and the tip is free hanging with no supports!! While returning my Big Aunt kept on taking selfies, so we kept on making poses. We then drove to the other side of the lake where it was like a market on the streets, where Chen's favorite fried mochi was. There were also many boat riding available there, but we didn't ride any. We also bought a very special ice cream that tastes like beer, but isn't actually made with beer, tastes very new! We reached Taichung by night, where we visited the large and famous Taichung night market! Games, fried food, boba, t-shirts, phone cases, you can buy them all here!! Such a large market, almost no place to walk!

JULY 2

The Space Exibit

  We went to the Natural Science Museum, where we wondered in the Space Exhibit, and watched two 3D movies relating to dinosaurs. We drove to Hot Shock, nearby fast-American food restaurant. We ate burger, chicken, fries, pizza, and pasta, tastes very American. After a few hours on the freeway we reached Chungli, and in a few minutes, we headed back to Taipei.

JULY 3

At BiTan, riding boat

  We went to the market with the VR experience, except this time with Uncle, and Chen. We played Dinosaur Commando and Dimension 12. Although this time it wasn't as fun as the first time because you know what to do, just look around and keep on shooting, so it was actually kind of boring. After that we rode UBike across the city to BiTan, where we met up with my dad, and we rode boats that requires pedaling as power. We were grouped into two boats (3 per boat), and we rode for an hour, which was right after sundown when we returned the boats. We then ate at a restaurant which sells dumplings and potstickers.

JULY 4
  I will definitely have something to write about if this was in America, but no, I was in Taiwan, and July 4 passed as fast as any other day, without fireworks, and today we didn't do anything, so yea, it was the most boring July 4!!

JULY 5
  Today we went to movie theater with Chen where we watched AntMan and the Wasp. It was OK, cause I don't really watch these type of movies, but I could say that it was quite good!! Then we walked to Chen's dancing class, where the instructor taught us a song move by move, and then dance it. To me as a first time doing this, it was hard to keep up and trying to remember the steps. So I would forget a step, misdo a step, or just can't keep up with a move, so it was quite complicated, but I survived!! Aunty then joined us after the dance, and Big Aunt suggested a nearby restaurant that sells many Taiwanese foods, but we weren't really hungry, but luckily the plates aren't that large. So we ordered some food, and one of Chen's friend from dance class came alone with us, so she ordered something to eat, too. Quite Taiwanese!!

JULY 6

Flying the Sport Kite

  We went back to Chungli where Uncle taught us how to fly a sport kite at LongGang park. It was easy, pull the right hand to turn right, and vice versa. It was also kind of hard because you pull one hand only and with the wind, the kite kind of tries to pull you along with it, so you have to pull back with your waist, but you might just accidently pull your hands, and it could get out of control. Since Willy was with us, we played some basketball with him, and so the teams were Willy against my brother and I, and we end up 5-5, a tie. But don't underestimate his height, he is about 190 cm, and can touch the basketball net by tiptoeing, meaning that he also can block our shots easily too.

JULY 7

Beef Tongue Pastry Shop

  We are going to visit YiLan family today! On the way, Uncle told us to meet with him at the hands-on experience crayon factory. There we made a small wind turbine, 3 markers, a Taiwan shaped multicolor crayon, and lastly skin painting, where Willy painted the Alan Walker logo, and it was very cool! A few meters away, there was a fancy restaurant where one meal serves a whole chicken, which Chen helped us cut apart. It was very cool, and the chicken tastes awesome!! Soon we arrived at YiLan family's house, and then Uncle, and us went to a local scenery area. Then we met with the others at a local buffet, where there was a lot of seafood, and other stuff you will find at an American buffet. We then went to Beef Tongue Pastry Shop, where there are many samples you can try. The pastries only look like beef tongue, not actual tongue, but anyways, the pastries are sweet, flavorful, and perfect! Next we returned to YiLan family's home where we tried on YiLan Uncle's Police and Immigration Officer Uniform. You will look handsome if you wear it on!!! Late at night we returned to Chungli.

JULY 8

Celebrating a very early of my
Chungli Grandma's 70th Birthday

  Today we met at a restaurant with YiLan family. The plates they serve are very styled and unique!! Like they make up a scenery of kind. The food were amazingly good! After that we bought a cake to celebrate Chungli grandma's very early 70th birthday (her real birthday is in November), and YiLan family enjoyed the cake with us! Sweet!

JULY 9

My double Shrimp

  Today as Uncle had promised me, we went fishing shrimp, and me and Willy shared one pole. Although we only caught three shrimps, I caught two together, and Willy caught only one, but it was OK, we just joked that we were feeding shrimp instead of catching them!! LOL. We then grilled the shrimp with salt, and we then devoured the shrimps! Hot, Fresh, Salty, Fresh!! Then we drove the a nearby CarreFour market where we ate a sushi restaurant, where the plates comes by on a rolling rail, and the food you want, you just take the plate, and enjoy!!

JULY 10
  We went up to Taipei with Willy, there we ate at Taiwan KFC, fried chicken, burger, kind of like Burger King(...). In the afternoon, we got our last Taiwan haircut from the local haircutter. She gave us a very stylish cut, and I can say, I look a lot handsome like this!! Because the super typhoon Maria was coming we hurried down to Chungli, but my mom stayed at Taipei, because we were going to meet two days later at the airport. While returning to Chungli the wind for once was a little cool, and rain kept on coming and pausing. At night hard rain came down, but I didn't hear any wind, as expected.

JULY 11

The LAST DINNER

  By morning time, everything was cleared, the ground was only little wet. So we decided to go to FamilyMart and buy some drinks, and so I decided to run behind Willy and my bro while they rode bike to FamilyMart. Tiring, but fun! At night we went to the big hamburger restaurant again, and there we ate the last Taiwan hamburger! Tasty and big!

JULY 12

Group Pic before leaving
Taiwan

  Today is the day. Bright in the morning we left to Taoyuan airport, where we took group photos and said our "byes", "see you soon", and "when will you come to America or Taiwan", and at 10AM, we boarded our plane and at 7AM (CA Time-- 10PM Taiwan Time) we arrived at California. Everything sounded so lonely. I couldn't even sleep, because I felt so lonely, noone to talk to like Willy or Aunty, no one to play cards with, Chen, Big Aunt, and so yea. Like literally out of the 5 weeks in Taiwan, I can say that 80% of the days, I at least played cards, with Willy, Chen, Aunty, Uncle, my three Taipei Aunts, and/or Taipei grandma. Not just that, but I also had to get used to the jet lag, which is also hard. But I'm sure I'll get used to the changes soon!!