My Indonesian friends and I took a day excursion to Taipei on February 28th, 2022. We didn't take the bus this time; instead, I'll be taking the train to Taipei for the first time. At 10 a.m., we assembled in front of our magnificent NYCU campus to begin our journey.
On the way to Taipei
We used a UBike that is located on the pavement of our campus to get to the Hsinchu railway station. So we employed our Easycard (悠遊卡) to rented a bicycle and headed straight towards NTHU, which is a shortcut to Hsinchu Train Station. I was in a good frame of mind that day because it was a gorgeous day and the weather was pleasant.
Finally, I can unwind my thoughts and enjoy my full-day excursion with renewed vigour. We cycled from NYCU to Hsinchu train station in a short amount of time, and the experience was enjoyable. Because I haven't ridden a bicycle in a long time, I miss cycling across the city and suburbs. The chilly breeze mixed with the warm sunlight is the nicest experience since it reminds me of my childhood.
To reach the Hsinchu train station, we used Google maps which allowed us to simply follow along and maneuver the road, and we drove by the famed Hsinchu Zoo and Hsinchu Park, which I plan to visit next. Finally, after 10 minutes of cycling, we arrived at the station, where we parked the bicycle for 10NT, which is a bargain. After that, we proceeded down to the station and boarded a train bound for Tainan, from whence we transferred to another train bound for Taipei.
The rail travel is long, probably 1 hour and 30 minutes, which is roughly the same as the bus ride to Taipei. After we reached our destination at Taipei Main Station, we were excited about which we were going to do since we had not yet planned on which place we liked to visit. But that is part of an adventure, “to get lost and find a new place”. Thanks to Google maps for pointing us in the right direction!
Taipei Culinary
We arrived in Taipei at 12.30 p.m. and chose to have lunch at the Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉麵) restaurant, which is famed for its halal beef noodle soup. It was also my first time trying the noodle soup, and I couldn't wait to eat and try the cuisine because noodles are one of my favourite foods. However, because it is an iconic restaurant with numerous Michelin awards for the greatest food, we had to wait and queue to eat there. The waiter came over to our table as soon as our number was called and handed us the menu. Of course, without thinking, we ordered the restaurant's signature dish, beef noodle soup (牛肉麵), but I went for the spicy version.
The noodles arrived quicker than expected. I believe it is a large portion for most people, but I was hungry, so it sufficed. We ate the noodles slowly because it was too hot, but it was delicious. What I like the most are the noodles and the meat; I believe the noodles have a chewy texture, and the beef is from Australian beef, which is a high-quality beef, but it is disappointingly not spicy enough for me. However, I would recommend this place to all of my friends in general.
Dr. Sun-Yat Sen Memorial Hall
We walked to the nearest site, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, where he was the founding father of Taiwan, after finishing our noodles. The National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, which is located near the Taipei City Government, was built in 1972 by Chiang Kai-Shek to commemorate Taiwan's great founding father, and it was built on the 100th anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat Sen's birth.
The building is majestic and beautiful, with ancient Chinese architecture. Inside the Hall, we saw a grand and majestic statue of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen sitting on a chair with Taiwanese soldiers standing still, guarding the statue. It was very interesting for me to see since the soldiers were also performing unified stunts with their weapons together, which attracted many people to come and see.
Many children were playing, teens were dancing, and people were walking as well as strolling through the park. The lovely panorama of the trees, the garden with blossom flowers, and the overall picture of the park will entice many people to attend.
Wrap up the day!
So, after spending time in the Memorial Hall, we completed our excursion by eating curry rice, roti, beef, chicken, beef, and veggie curry at an Indian halal restaurant in the vicinity. So, once we'd filled our bellies with curry, we returned to Taipei Main Station and boarded a bus to Hsinchu. I had a terrific day and learned a lot about Taipei in only one day. I've gone to Taipei three times now and it's always been a nice destination for me!
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