Thursday, June 4, 2020

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Taipei

The National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is located at the heart of Taipei City and is built to commemorate the Generalissimo Chiang-Kai Shek, the former president of Taiwan. He led the Chinese Nationalist Government from 1950 up to his death in 1975.

The construction began in October 1976 and completed in April 1980. The memorial park covers an area of 240,000 square meters. The main gate, tagged as the Gate of Great Centrality and Perfect Uprightness was placed at the west end on Chun Sang South Road, with a Gate of Great Loyalty at the north side on Hsin Yi Road and a Gate of Great Piety at the south side on Ai Kuo East Road.

The memorial hall is covered with the colors of the Taiwan flag, blue, white and red that symbolizes independence, equality and universal love.

The National Concert Hall

The octagon-shaped roof of the building symbolizes abundance and good fortune in Chinese. The building also has 89 steps representing Chiang Kai-Shek's age of death.

The National Theatre

Don't miss the changing of the honor guards. It happens every hour from 9AM to 5PM

Chiang Kai-Shek is located at No. 21 Zhongshan Road, Zhongsheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan. You can reach it through MRT Green or Red Line Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Station. The hall is open from 9AM to 6PM.

Monday, June 1, 2020

Houli Farm (Zhongshe Flower Market) Taiwan

Asia Houli Farm Taichung Taiwan 3:52 PM

Houli Farm is one of the highlights of our Taiwan tour. We booked our tour via facebook's page Mga Pasyalan sa Taiwan together with other Taichung locations and tourist spots Rainbow Village, Green Fantasy Forest, Miyahara Ice Cream. We pre-arranged our Taichung tour at NT$8,400 for the eight of us, NT$1200 each (my baby is free). We were even picked-up at our rented house in Tucheng District. Pick-up locations are usually near Taipei Main Station or at Ximen Station.

It was really a hassle-free tour though Taichung is two hours drive away from Taipei. Coming from Manila a day after Taichung tour, we were still sleepy and tired because we arrived so late in the evening. Thankful about the tour, we can sleep and rest while we haven't arrived to our destinations yet. The driver is also very fun to be with, he is very knowledgable about places and he speaks English as well.

How to get to Houli Farm from Taipei?

The fastest way to get to Houli Flower Farm is though Taiwan High Speed Rail (take TRA train if you are not in a hurry, it will cut your fare in half) from Taipei going to Fengyuan Station then transfer to a shuttle bus going to the city center then grab a taxi to take you to Houli Flower Farm.

If in a group of 6 or 8 or more, better get a tour, it will save you more on money and time.

Sharing our photos at Houli Flower Farm...

Entrance Fee to the farm is NT$120 each.

Shilin Lantern, Taipei, Taiwan

Asia Shilin Taipei Taiwan 10:13 AM

That's Norman, our bubbly Klook guide... we must be back by 345PM =)

We got this Shifen, Jiufen, Yehliu tour via Klook for only Php907 (with Yehliu Geopark entrance and meals-peanut roll ice cream and chicken with rice meal to be claimed at Shifen). The best time to travel Taiwan is from December to February with average temperature from 13 to 15 degree Celsius.

Shifen is located at Pingxi District, New Taipei City, Taiwan. They have an annual lantern festival at Pingxi, at Shifen Square to be exact. People write their wishes on lanterns and release them to the skies during Pingxi International Lantern Festival. But every day of the year you can always write your wishes here. Include Shifen Old Street in your day tour to get a glimpse of an old railroad town that became really popular because of the Shifen lanterns. There are several souvenir shops, stalls selling snacks and local food and trains that run through tracks every hour.