Octopus Experience

2010/02/21

On Sunday Andrej went to the Grace Baptist Church so we agreed to meet in front of the coconut alley of National Taiwan University (NTU) campus in 11:30. I was a little late, because the weather turned to warmer temperatures (approximately 25) and when I left the campus with T-shirt, shirt and jacket I started to feel really uncomfortable and later even not good so had to return back to the campus to change the clothes for just shorts and T-shirt.

According to this unexpected event we had met in 12 in the Fu Si-nian Memorial Park in NTU. The Mausoleum in the middle is in a Greek style and it is visible even from the Roosevelt Road (heading toward Gongguan). There are a lot of flowers and trees, some of them really old (from the time Japan colonized Taiwan). The garden is a little like botanical.

Before long we had left this park and headed toward Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall around Roosevelt Road. All the time we were searching for some restaurant, because we were quite hungry (as always I didn't have any breakfast). Just after Gutting MRT station we turned to the right and entered some restaurant "take whatever you want" for 130 NT$ (= 75 CZK). Unfortunately this fact was not so obvious as we weren't able to read in Chinese. So we didn't take too much because of our expectation we will pay for each gram. Even so we tried a lot of new things for us. Andrej also tried his first shrimp and ate it even with the carapace :)
Chian Kai-shek Memorial Hall was just around the corner. Andrej was amazed, I was quite calm as I already saw it before (viz. 2010/02/18). We went around the Memorial and entered the museum in the basement. Except some changing expositions, there is a big stable exposition of Chiang Kai-shek with a lot of photos, items and also 2 limos. Entrance is for free.

Afterwards we entered the Memorial Hall itself and took some pictures of Chiang Kai-shek sitting in a chair with two honor guards (one on each side of statue). From the entrance, there is a good view to National Theater and market in the garden. We went downstairs and visited several shops with food. I bought some meat in pasta and later after a visit of garden around the Memorial I finally decided I have to buy the fried octopus (squid) which I saw there.
My first octopus experience is documented by Andrej on my camera. Nevertheless the look of the octopus was horrible the taste was quite good. However during some time, as the meat got cooler, the meat changed into a gum without taste. Maybe I should eat it faster. But I can't as I was full from the lunch. Andrej bought some drink which I had to solve in an automatic device in the entrance to the park later.

The rest of the day we were trying to find Ximen. As we were uninformed, we were traveling absolutely elsewhere. On the other hand we had visited several interesting places in the downtown and Andrej has a bad experience as some guy cheated him when he sold him an apple for 70 NT$ (= 38 CZK). In the end we were suddenly on Gutting MRT station again.

As it was only 17 we turned back, this time after consultation with map to the right direction. We passed trough a botanical garden, which was unfortunately already closed and suddenly emerged in front of the Carefour. According to the map reference we turned right and came to Ximen several minutes after 18.
This quarter is in night full of teenagers wandering all around. These guys are here for some concrete purpose, but we have got lost almost immediately, as we didn't know where we should go. When we emerged in the 9th floor of Party House in some dinning room - obviously paid - we were sure, something is wrong :D we run outside and never returned there :D

In streets of Ximen we bought some food and a huge ice-cream just for 25 NT$ (= 13 CZK). Afterwards we went to Carefour and bought some fruit to our dorm.

I also visited this quarter the day after with my girlfriend and I was surprised from the way how you can lend a movie here. You just choose a movie(s) and the staff lend you a room to watch it. This room is for 2 - 7 people (approximately) - according to the huge sofa and the size of the room (4x4 m) with 4x2,5 m screen. The prize 800 NT$ for 2 movies for the room is really funny in comparison with 159 CZK for movie in the cinema in the Czech Republic :)


2010/02/21 - Octopus Experience [38 pictures]

Fu Si-nian
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Squid
Ximen pathway (Ximending)

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