Friday 25 December 2015

Travel Log: The Formosa of Thousand Night Markets (Day 5)


Destination: Taiwan
Duration: 13 Days 13 Nights (Nov 18~Dec 01, 2015)

Day 5: Koahsiung (Cijin Island)

We woke up late today and took our own sweet time to eat the leftover food from last night’s night market since we were really tired from yesterday’s travel. We needed to get to Chung Hwa Telecom (中華電信) service counter which is about 10mins walk from our hotel as the LTE/4G was not working.  We did not activate our SIM card directly when purchasing the card in Airport since we only needed it few days after it and it was only valid for 10 days. Apparently our dinosaur galaxy tab was too old to auto-setup the LTE/4G thus some additional APN setup was needed! *facepalm* After setting up our LTE/4G, the galaxy tab becomes a hotspot for our phones for remaining journey.
Breakfast!
Looking for Chung Hwa telecom!
Here we go!
Our destination of the day was Cijin Island (旗津島). We walked to the Kaohsiung Main Station (高雄站) and took the MRT to Sizihwan Station (西子湾站). Unfortunately Easycard was not applicable for Kaohsiung MRT thus we had to manually buy the token. After we reached Sizihwan Station, we just followed the sign and got to Gushan Ferry Pier (鼓山渡轮站). Easycard was applicable for the ride to Cijin Ferry Pier (旗津渡轮站). It was just a short ride of 10-15mins.
At MRT Station
Looking for Gushan Ferry Pier~
Yes! Found it!
At the Pier
Lighthouse from the ferry
We are here!
We quickly put our hotspot to use by finding the path to the lighthouse using Google Map. We came across Cijin Tianhou Temple (旗后天后宫) and took some pictures there. I had to agree with my friend Christina on one thing – Google Map loved using small alley!!! We went through quite a few small alleys before finally reaching the crossroad for Cihou Fort (旗后砲台) & Cihou Lighthouse (旗后燈塔). We ended up walking up Cihou Fort. It was a scorching hot day but kind of foggy. The fort offered a nice view of the island but it was too foggy to get nice picture. =(
Enjoying Beer on the street.. It's a HOT HOT day
I want!
At Cijin Tianhou Temple
One of the Pagodas
It's so Japan!
So cute!
They even have a wishing well!
Ramdon Building
On the way to the Lighthouse!
Hello Doggie!
Where should we go?
Let's go to the Fort
The Shoreline
Let's have a rest!
Finally at the Fort!
Barely anyone there
I don't see any cannon
A small port?
It would be cool to get out there!
With the strong wind and wave and all!
Shoreline from the Fort
Facebook says i will look thinner if i pose like this! LOL!
Don't THROW me down!
A Great Place for Murder!
A Panoramic View
We continued on to Cihou Lighthouse using the small park (or should I say Jungle?) trail. To our disappointment, Cihou Lighthouse was closed on every Monday! What a bummer! Apparently we were not the only one confused as other tourists were dumbfounded as well. *facepalm* The only thing we could do was just try to take a picture of it from outside. LOL!!!
Going to the Lighthouse!
Are we there yet?
WHAT?! Closed on Monday?!
Let's take a picture from the Outside!
Not bad huh? =P
Leaving for Tunnel of Stars
After the lighthouse, we used the same trail to walk back to Cihou Fort again and took more pictures as the fog had cleared. The Cijin Tunnel of Stars (星空隧道) was at this side so my advice was to go to Lighthouse 1st before continuing to the Fort then Tunnel of Stars. The tunnel of Stars was basically a tunnel (duh!) that offered windy retreat with graffiti (more like declarations of love), Glow in the Dark constellations on top and wonderful view at the end of the tunnel.
At the Tunnel
Finally somewhere cold!
A Drawing in the Tunnel
Constellations
At the end of the Tunnel! Can't go further though..
At the Other side of Tunnel
Love?
More View
We then walked to the main street and rented ourselves an electric ride as the island was too long to explore by foot. A note of caution! Be careful with electric ride as we accidentally activate the throttle and ended up sustaining some injury! *sweat* Always take out the key when you stop the ride! Luckily the owner had some first aid kit around.
Walking back to the Main Street
Let's have some Plum Drink!
Our Ride!
We set out to the beach and the windmill park (旗津風車公園) – the area seemed like a popular spot for wedding photography as we could see lots of wedding couple taking their picture there. We finally returned the electric ride and got on a ferry to Gushan Ferry Pier.
Sammy is enjoying!
Hmm.. Not sure what this is!
The sewer cover for Cijin
Nice view for photoshooting but i can't pose even if my life depends on it!
Nice Place!
Sammy is getting married?
Only realise we actually trespass the site as it was supposed to be for wedding photoshooting during that time! *facepalm*
Wedding Photoshooting!
The Cijin Windmill Park!
The wave & the sun!
A Snail in need for help!
On the Way back to return our ride
Another Temple
Goodbye Cijin!
Our Ferry!
We crossed a small bridge near Gushan Ferry Pier to get to The Official Residence of British Consulate at Takao (打狗英國領事館). There were some stairs and steep path but we soon reached our destination. Funnily the residence was right beside a temple and we were having a double take since we thought we were at the wrong place. The place was surprisingly a great spot for sunset but unfortunately it was too cloudy.
Approaching Gushan Ferry Pier
Where are we?
Well, we are on the right way.. i think!
Stairs again?!
Uphill! *sweat*
Hmm.. are we at the right way?
This is a Temple!
Oops.. it's just beside the Temple
British Style Building!
Sun is setting!
More people than we expected
Cihou Lighthouse from the Consulate
Like an egg yolk?
Sun is setting!
Sammy is sunbathing in sunset!
Goodbye Sun!
More pictures from the Building!
We took pictures of the British style building before descending more stairs to another section of the residence. MORE STAIRS! Why couldn’t they build a lift! If I were the consulate, I would demand a lift! Even the owner of Kellie Castle in Ipoh thought to build it (link).
Let's go down some Stairs!
It's a long way!
This is Mr Consulate!
Gosh! No lift?!
We made a brief stop at the “Rose Garden” (I use the term loosely as there were simply a pitiful amount of roses) to get ourselves some rose water. The drink was really refreshing and we finally rest our feet for a while. The sky was turning dark and we continued to their gift shop and I loved the smell of their Green Tea Rose Lotion but it cost a BOMB and I seldom applied lotion anyway so I gave it a pass. Though I did fully utilize the testing bottle! *Evil Grin*
Resting at Rose Garden
Let's have Rose Water!
Sammy is enjoying!
This is a bomb shelter!
Doctor at old time
Getting Dark
Going Up again!
A lot of Chinese tourist were flocking in through the base entrance thus we made our way up hill again to get more pictures of the night view of Kaohsiung and the buildings before leaving the Consulate.
Sammy & Kaohsiung Nightview!
Hmm.. the Postbox?
Building, Moon & Me?
Another Fail Atempt
Night View
This was when everything went wrong! We took like 40minutes to walk to Love Pier (真愛碼頭) because its location was between MRT stations thus we thought there was no point for us to take the MRT. We followed Google Map and it seemed like a never-ending walk but the road sign there seemed to prove that we were at the right way. To our UTTER HORROR, the pier was shutdown for renovation! *gasp* There was nothing but construction site when we reached there! *curse*
Leaving the Consulate
Cute VW!!!
Begin our long walk!
Ferry at Night
Pier at Night
At some Railway Cross Junction
I think we are LOST!
Welcome to Kaohsiung!
A Random Church we walked pass
The Church lights up AFTER we left so we had to walk back to take this picture!
Are we there yet?
OMG! Tell me this is a joke!
A CONSTRUCTION SITE?!
We had no choice but to walk along the love river (爱河) and walk to our next destination – Liuhe Tourist Night Market (六合观光夜市) since apparently the time of us walking to the nearest MRT station, taking the MRT, then walking to the Night Market would be the same like us SIMPLY WALKING there! *facepalm* Thus we continued our long walk with our half crippled feet and I think it took us more than 40mins (even though Google Map said 29mins). If we had known the Love Pier was in renovation, we would’ve took the MRT straight from Sizihwan Station (西子湾站) to Formosa Boulevard Station (美麗島站)!
Walking along the Love River
Until now we have no idea what are the Creatures on top!
A Panoramic View
Love Cruise
We are here! The Night Market!!!
We finally reached the night market and were starving!!! We quickly bought some papaya milk before eating the famous eel noodle (鱔魚意麵). The noodle was really delicious with a slight sweetness to it. There was also chili on the table for customer to add on some spiciness. We also bought the Taiwanese shrimp version of oyster omelet (蝦仁煎) but still felt that Penang Oyster Omelet is the best! LOL! The Taiwanese one was too starchy and too soft for us.
Papaya milk!!! We need that!
Fresh Milk?
Our Papaya Milk
Eel Noodle
Condiments on the Table
The Eel Noodle!
Oyster/Shrimp Omelet
Shrimp Omelet
We took a number from the famous BBQ stall (燒烤之家) and bought ourselves a bowl of tantan noodle (台南度小月擔仔麵) which was located right beside the BBQ stall. It was a small bowl but tasted scrumptious! So far we were very satisfied with the food in Liuhe! Or perhaps we were simply too hungry? =P
We need to get a number!
The Tainan Tantan Noodle Stall
Chili Sauce
The Tainan Tantan Noodle!
Our next target was the famous fish stew (魚土 魠魚羹) and we loved it. The fried fish was nice and the soup was kind of sweet – not sure due to ajinomoto or the fresh ingredients though. =P We bought more papaya milk before ordering the on-the-spot handmade dumpling (方記水餃) and accidentally ordered their sour & spicy soup (酸辣湯) as well. The ingredients in the dumpling were pretty compact and we were very full by then.
The Famous Fish Stew
Some Newspaper Reporting
The Soup
Another Papaya Milk Stall that Mr President loves
The Papaya Milk
The Famous Dumpling Stall
I want this doggie!
The Sour & Spicy Soup
Handmade Dumpling!
We finally called it a night after getting our BBQ stuffs from the BBQ stall and walked to the Formosa Boulevard MRT Station (美麗島站) to take some pictures since it was one of the most beautiful MRT stations in the world. We finally walked back to our hotel which took us around 15mins (12mins according to Google Map!). The hotel gave us some bandages, dressings and iodine for the injury earlier and we finally called it a night. What a day! 
The Formosa Boulevard Station Entrance near Night Market
Hey, there is even an Official Sign there!
Inside the Station
Oh no! I'm falling!
Our BBQ Stuffs earlier
Next Day (Kaoshiung -> Kenting)

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