Pages

Sunday 20 July 2014

Up in Maokong (猫空); Cable Car up to the Tea Plantations for a lazy day

Sunday 20 July 2014
WARNING: This post is dedicated to the last of my red hair and hence there'll be lots of photos of me HAHA. I'll let the pictures do the talking

In anycase if you've decided to continue reading, I will be blogging about Maokong (猫空) today! I visited Maokong approximately 2 weeks ago and I am so happy that I went!
If you have no idea where Maokong is, looking at the Taipei Metro map, its at the Taipei Zoo station! The very end of the Brown (Wenhu) line^^

The Maokong Gondola is a cable car and not a boat (Cos initially I associated Gondola=rowing boat HAHA).

If you're thinking right now "Singapore also got cable car, dont need waste time go there la!"
HAHA thats true I guess BUT
#1: The Maokong Gondola cost 50NT (SGD$2), definitely a more affordable alternative for those who have not sat the one in Singapore.
#2: You can opt for the Crystal Car where the platform is transparent! Definitely a different experience altogether
Thats me sitting down on the floor so that I could take a "tourisy" picture LOL. Don't the tree heads look like broccolis? ^^

OH AND!!! Do you know I love Hello Kitty?!? That was an added incentive for me to visit Maokong despite the heat in Taipei now HAHA (It was up to 38degrees here yesterday :O)!!
HelloKitty merchandises!
My amazing friends + a large HelloKitty backdrop!!! :')
Not forgetting Pandas in Taiwan (HAHA I know I cover half of his face oops)
Remember to take the cable car all the way to the very last top!! There's nothing much in between the stops and its better to walk down then to walk up!


I actually took literally hundreds of photos inside the cable car only to realize my face looks the same in almost every picture LOL. So you see, even the inside of the cable car there's like Kitty decals!!
One without Kitty so you can see the outside!! Which is all trees and more trees...
After nearly 15 mins, I'm finally all the way up at Maokong!
TADA, more HelloKitty boards LOL. Guys, dont worry! This is the very last of Kitty. From this point onwards, you wont have to help your girl friends take pictures with Hello Kitty anymore HAHA
Of course, Maokong Gondola is not just for kitty fans. There is actually quite a number of people here every weekend due to the vast number of 茶坊 (Tea Houses). You'll see some families hiking as well! IT IS, a mountain after all HAHA.
And, being Taiwan, you don't have to worry about starving cos food is E V E R Y W H E R E. I had my lunch here that day!


































I heard that the "carrot soup" was amazing *quote my dad* who went to Maokong during their trip here a few days ago haha!
Hiking paths! No matter which direction you take, you'll prolly reach a tea house which you can sit inside and enjoy the scenery.
I'll be showing you what you'll see if you follow the path I took! From the "food court" you continue walking along the path where there are rows of food stalls and up!
There are a number of alfresco dining areas and they all serve a variety of drinks (not just tea LOL) However if you're there in summer like me, you can consider finding indoor cafes around the area cos it is REALLY VERY HOT.


You see behind me? There's a row of white looking houses! That place is a really good rest point for those tired already HAHA. If you follow the path I walk, that is the only AIRCONDITIONED place. You can't miss it! Look out for a big plastic "ice cream cone" outside!
I dont know why one ice cream I can take so many pictures also buttttt oh wells #selfietime HAHA.
Do try their ice creams though! They have two different tea flavours: Tie-guan-yin and bo-long! For those that are familar with chinese tea will probably know what they taste like but for those that are afraid of strong tea, get the bo-long flavour! Its similar to green tea^^ I like something stronger so I got the other which I thought taste really good! (80NT=SGD$3.20).
There's a minimum spending of 120NT per person but you can combine meaning if you have 3 people, the total amount spent for the table must be 360NT as a whole and not individually.
Btw, I felt so cheated when I realized my ice cream is hollow :( HAHA

In any case, Maokong is a great place for families (young and old), those that love to get some fresh air and hiking. The crystal cable car makes it a perfect excuse to camwhore too (Below are more pictures of me annoying my friends out with my asian selfie stick HAHA)
 
Have fun! For those going, I hope you will enjoy yourself as much as me^^
Cheers!

Thoughts; I have always been a city kid having lived my whole life in Singapore. I go cafe hopping every other day, (My friends back in Singapore should know HAHA) shopping, watch movies then eat again then shop again and the cycle repeats. Counting the days I've been in Taiwan, it's been 2-3 months and this marks the last week of my Internship too!
If you would to ask me what I will miss most about Taiwan, it will be traveling 2-3 hours by train/bus alone so that I can explore mountains, rivers, beaches. These are the things I will never be able to find in Singapore. Of course Singapore has its own beauty and I'm a proud lover of my country (Not even kidding, but I am really patriotic HAHA), but I will miss this inner little adventurous me :') & for those going overseas, unleash that little adventurous spirit of yours! Find out what is there different from where you come from and go have fun! *sqeeals in excitment* hehehehehe

Love,
Tricia

1 comment:

TRICIA WONG © 2014