Of little alleys, good food, and the best memories.

A long, overdue post from my Taipei trip at the end of Nov 2011. It is a city which I love for so many different reasons-
1) Being able to wander around little, nondescript alleys, and chancing upon the best food, and interesting, little knick knacks
2) Chef- friends which I've made from my internship at Holiday Inn, back in 2009, means having the good fortune to try the best gourmet offers around. Gorgeous appetiser from La Festa, Grand Victoria Hotel
3) Street musicians bringing life to the streets; and especially that kick ass, girl drummer there.
4) Hsinyi District, where Taipei 101 is, (Metro Station: Taipei City Hall) - is just about my favourite place to go to;
5) Jiufen (九分), a small town located just outside of Taipei is a must go; each time I'm in the city as my Mom would never fail to ask me to get the traditional Taiwanese goodies found there.
6) Honest to goodness, authentic Korean food. You know it's good, when 90% of the patrons are all speaking in their native language. (It's not just about Taiwanese food, in Taiwan)
7) Eslite Bookstore- An entire building full of books, magazines, quirky appliances and cafes. What more can I say?
8) The best crepes you can find is at Shida Night Market (師大夜市) Sweet or savoury, it don't matter. They all taste so good!
9) Being able to make a trip to the other end of the island (Kaoshiung) and be back in Taipei by midnight; the High Speed Rail (HSR) is just the most convenient!


The sense of familiarity and the warmth which I've felt, is something which I find hard to forget. Taipei, I'd be back!