Cingjing Farm 清境農場, Taiwan Trip ( Day 9)

25th November 2014, Tuesday

Tickets Package

Today, we would be going to Cingjing Farm to see baa baa sheeps...running around in their green green grassland. I woke up at around 6 plus at first, was still dead tired...slept again until it was almost 8 am...and the first bus out to the farm was 8.20 am. So we rushed out and my friend went to the hotel canteen to grab 2 breads, then we rushed out to the same tour bus office to buy our tickets packages to the farm. It costs NT$600, which included a return bus tickets and the entrance tickets into the green green grassland (青青草原). While the staff was calling for passengers going to the farm to queue, i ran to find my friend who was in a cafe and i told her faster faster, bus coming soon. Then i went out first to queue in the line....she came back 1 or 2 mins before the bus came. Then she was saying the cafe guy was sooooo slow until she wanted to tell him can he speed up abit....hohoho...and she only bought 1 cup of hot choco, just for me...hehehee....

View from Bus

Then the bus went off, but first the bus would need to go to Puli Bus Terminal again to pick up passengers. On the way there, saw a super big Ji Gong Statue along the freeway and the whole freeway was just mountains and mountains....We reached Puli Bus Terminal at around 9.30 am, then from there was another 2 hours up to the farm. It was all mountain roads (round and round), when it reached cingjing area. When it first entered the cingjing area, i was greeted by The Old England (老英格蘭), a traditional English mansion which was standing on the road (my friend was sleeping due to the zigzag roads). And after that, you will see nice nice scenery from the top. Saw a half-dried up Emerald Lake). We got off at the wrong bust stop again, we should be going to green green grassland first, but we alighted at cingjing farm visitors information centre. I only realized it when there was a lady asking the driver after we alighted...hehheee....But anyway, due to the wrong stop, we smelled something very very fragrant. It was egg rolls made with goat's milk, the lady let us try and it was really nice. We were thinking whether to buy first or buy later, as we always end up at weird places, we were also thinking we may not even be coming down here to buy it as the last bus stop was at the top, which was the green green grassland.

Swiss Garden

While i was worrying we were not able to get on the last bus (which was around 4 plus) back to Taichung, my friend was worrying she was not able to get a seat to sit down on the bus (she got motion-sickness on mountain roads)...but anyway, we also cannot do much now. So we walked to Swiss Garden, which was down the mountain. It costs NT$120 each to enter the garden, it was a small garden for flowers. But i think our timing was not correct cos most of the flowers had already withered away. Only a few kinds were left standing, we took our time to walk slowly and enjoy the place as much as we could. There were ducks there too, managed to see water fountain performance too (just water 'dancing'). After the garden, we took a cab up to green green grassland. As much as i wanted to go visit the old England which was at the bottom, i had to skip it cos it was too far to walk. It cost NT$200 from swiss garden to green green grassland, and as we already had our entrance tickets, we went in (there wasn't anyone there to check the tickets too anyway). There, we need to chop a stamp on our hands for re-entry.

View From Green Green Grassland

The place really have a super nice view from the top, blue blue sky and mountains around. And the sheeps were all roaming freely around the big grassland. You can just walk up to any sheep and touch them and feed them with their feeds, which cost NT$10. Their fur feels like carpet....hehee...hard hard one, not soft soft. Then we walked round the place, there was a mini shop and a food stall. So we bought a goat's milk ice cream, a sausage and a bamboo rice. There was kittens and cat around the place too and there was warning board to indicate the cats bite, don't feed them. There was one cat which it just sat beside me and waited for me to feed it. The sausage and the bamboo rice wasn't nice, the ice cream was hard as stone....hahaha.....so we put out under the sun to melt it. Then we walked down to the center stage, where there were more people trying to feed the sheeps, as to get their attention and take photos with them. There were 2 horses and 2 ponies there too, for customers to take a ride around the stage area and take photos. It costs NT$150 per pax and NT$200 (special offer) to get a horse ride. By the way, the stage area was full of sheeps' poos because the sheeps were eating and pooing there too. So there was a stretch of smelly smell there too...And when there was a black color sheep walked in to the stage, everyone rushed to take photos with it...like a star had entered...lol..

Black Baa Baa Sheep

Sleepy Horse

Then we walked walked again while waiting for 2.30 pm which was supposed to be a show. We also just sat around the stage and just looked at the other people, feeding the sheeps, taking photos with the horses and sheeps. I was telling my friend, luckily she brought me to Philippines to ride horses first. It was really not worth to ride the horses here for NT$150, the riding area was small and it was only 1 round. But of course, there were still people paying for it, those with children. Then we saw 1 kid, quite big age, got on the ponies, without the staff's supervision. The dad was also just trying to get a shot of his son on the ponies. And the kid was still shaking on the pony. And later we also saw a family trying to put their children up on the horses so to get photos, while the staff was not around. And they all looked like Singaporeans.....haiz....-_-"....Luckily the staff quickly ran back and asked them to stop and pay for the ride if they really want to take photos with the horses. Pity the horses and ponies, they really looked very sad and sleepy there....But imagine if the horses or ponies run off with the kids on the back and without the staff's supervision, who would be blamed?

Goat's Milk Egg Rolls (Must Try!)

When it was reaching 2.30 pm, i was wondering why there was no announcement on the show. Then i checked the brochure again...alamak, it was 2.30 pm alright, but it was for weekends and holidays. Today wasn't holidays nor weekends....wu long.....hahahaa....Then i told my friend quick quick go already, need to go down buy egg rolls....We exited out from the other entrance, which was at the other side of the grassland. There, were some stalls selling food products, one auntie let us try bamboo shoots soup. And there were the supporters for a political candidate, who had came by and meet the stall owners to get their votes. We walked as we tried to catch a cab down to the visitors information center. Managed to catch one, there was 1 lady passenger on the cab, so the driver told us we pay NT$100 and the other lady pay NT$100. We bought 6 boxes of the egg rolls, it costs NT$130 for 9 pieces per box (quite exp too, although 1 box was free). As there was still 1 hour waiting time for the last bus to reach our bus stop, we went upstairs to check out a restaurant. It looked pricey and there was an additional of 10% service charge too (not many people inside too). So we went down and had our lunch in a French eating place....hmmmm...the food wasn't so bad or wasn't so nice either...slightly better than my last night's dinner. After eating, my friend said she wants to go down the road to buy fruits. We bought 1 snow pear, persimmons and goat's milk candy and asked the auntie to cut the fruits for us.

Sweet, Try Try!!

After that, we went to the bus stop to wait for the bus to come. My friend was really worried she won't be able to get a seat. A cab driver came by and asked us whether want to take his cab back to Taichung. I told him we got return tickets already, and he drove off looking for other passengers. And another van driver came by and also asked us want to take his van back. Same thing, i also told him we got return tickets. Then later, there was a couple came by and waited at the bus stop too. The same cab driver drove up back and asked the couple whether they want to take his cab. He quoted them NT $350 per pax and 1 hour faster back to Taichung. As it was getting near to the bus's arrival time, there were a few more people waiting at the bus stop (1 group was even senior citizens group). Then another cab uncle came by and was asking anyone wants to take his cab. When i told him we got return tickets already, he said he will buy our tickets packages and told me to top up another NT$50 per pax. Then i was thinking, why not? Although i wasn't aware what he will do with the tickets, i was more concerned that my friend will vomit on the bus and plus if we were not able to board the last bus, it will be headache too. So we took the cab back to Taichung (also saved us 1 hour time as we don't have to route to Puli). The cab uncle later told me that they can actually return the bus tickets to the bus company if it wasn't being used. Even we can go return, will get refund back...like around NT$120 plus after minus the used entrance fees for the farm and the trip to the farm and some admin fees too. He had been driving up and down the area for more than 10 years, so he had the experience. He said the previous cab driver don't dare to offer to buy our tickets was because he didn't know this method.

恶魔鸡排

1 box of 冰火波蘿油

Anyway, the ride was quite rough and bumpy. By the time we alighted just opposite our hotel, my friend was already giddy and almost wanted to vomit. The cab uncle charged us NT$100 per pax, i didn't ask him, i just thought maybe it was because i requested him to drive to our hotel instead of the train station. Then we went back to the hotel to rest first, we agreed to go back to Fengjia market again for dinner instead of just buying dinner randomly. When we reached our room, i stepped on a pool of water on the floor. We were wondering why there was water on the floor. It seems like the water came from the fridge. So i had to call the hotel staff to help mop the floor. Luckily, our fruits inside the fridge didn't get bad. After the staff mopped the floor, we rested for a while first before making our way down to the night market. This time, we were able to walk more there and i bought the same baked potato with cheese (nice nice) and we bought 7 of  冰火波蘿油 breads (equal to 1 box) and we tried some other food there...got a stall selling chicken cutlet called Devil Chicken Cutlet (恶魔鸡排), it was having a long queue too. What's special was this chicken cutlet was thicker on the meat, at least that's what it was stated....hahahaa...We bought 1 to try anyway....nice too....After that, we just went back to the hotel with our snacks, and then rest time!!!

Hotel Stayed: VIP Hotel

Places Visited:
Cingjing Farm
Swiss Garden
Fengjia Night Market

Baguio, Philippines Trip (Day 6)

29th July 2014, Tuesday

Dragon splitting water

The beds were so nice to sleep until we were so lazy to get off the beds...hahahaa...So we lazed on the beds until 7 plus, and my friend was feeling feverish again...And i told her we just skip the 100 islands next and just proceeded to her hometown instead, so that she can rest there. But she doesn't want to, so we just woke up to go to the bell church again. Then we went out and took a cab back to the bell church, along the way, my friend was saying there got people carrying ta ho (like our tou hua) going to house to house to sell. But we were in the cab, cannot buy...and she kept telling me is very nice... -_-" (make me wanting to eat it). Then we arrived at the bell church, and went in. There were alot of bells and dragons statues in the temple. But i don't recognize the gods inside, doesn't look like buddhist too. And we were also wondering why it is being called Bell Church when it is not even a church...hahaha....Since there were nothing much to see, then we left and went to find breakfast.

Pandesal Breads

We came to a small shop, which is selling breads. And my friend bought some small breads and a milo. The breads were very nice to eat and soft soft, and i dipped inside my milo to eat too...heheee....And it was a super cheap breakfast, we kept ordering the breads to eat...After the breakfast, we went and took a cab to go to Wright Park for our horse ride. There were a lot of horses there, waiting for people to ride them. The rate is $300 peso/1 hr and $200 peso/half an hour, so we took the half an hour ride, just go round the park. Then we got on our horses, but my horse don't want to work today. It wasn't willing to move, so the owner was trying to get it move...hahaha...Luckily it started to walk. The 2 horses owners were 2 young boys, still schooling. Then the horse owners just pulled the horses to walk around the park, it was also muddy on the ground too. My friend started to chat with the boy who was pulling her horse, then we rode the horses out to The Mansion. The boy pulling my horse was wondering why they walked out to the road...kekeke...But we had to breathe in the smoke along the way.

Horses to ride

Then we got off the horses and got to know the names of the 2 horses, Tori and Black Hawk. Then we walked to the mansion but it wasn't open to public. Then we looked at our map and see where to go next. So i chose to go to the botanical gardens to see, then we made our way there by walking. Along the way, there was a guy selling poh pians and we bought 2 to eat. It was nice, different from ours. Then we continued to walk to the garden, and we reached the garden. When we walked, i see the garden like not very nice and no flowers to see. So we didn't walk much in there and it was also about time to go back to our hotel for check-out. Then we took a cab back to the hotel. During the ride, the cab was behind a jeepney and the driver can't overtake it. And we were like breathing all the smoke coming out from the jeepney. >_<....After we reached the hotel, we went around to explore the hotel and the garden until is about time to check-out. They even have a corner for fortune-telling. After packing our bags, we checked out from the hotel. The hotel staff still gave a green colour tea to drink, it was refreshing. Then we took cab to go the bus terminal to take our bus to another town (don't know what name.... :P), so that we can change bus to Alaminos city. We had our lunch at the nearby stall too, dishes simple but it was still nice to eat. Think it was about 3 hours plus journey...Then we reached the bus terminal, and when waiting in the another bus, my friend went down to buy snacks again. Got a fried chicken skins and ice candy, then she went to the opposite streets to get some rice cakes. But the bus driver wanted to go off, i shouted on the bus driver to wait for my friend. Then he pressed on his honk to get my friend's attention, hehee....but she didn't know. Then later she hurried back to the bus. And off we go......Along the way, my friend chatted with a lady from Phuket, who just went to hundred islands earlier. She was telling my friend that we can go buy food and stuffs to bbq there.

Hotdogs and Sasuages

We reached Alaminos city after 1 hour plus ride. Once reached, we got a motor tricycle, to go to the wet market. We bought 3 big sotongs, pork belly and other stuffs (water, charcoals, a big bottle of water,etc) and we went to the tourist center first. Then at there, my friend went and discuss with the people there and got the package. We are going to pitch tent and stay overnight in the island...heheee...Then later she went with them to settle some documents, which took quite a long time. I was already very hungry and after she came back, we took the tricycle to the port for our boat. It wasn't really a port, instead we need to climb down the rocks and onto the boat. By then, it was already 6 plus, going to 7 pm. Then we went off and it was getting very very dark. And there was lightning too, then it started to rain abit too. Along the way, my handphone battery got too hot and my friend asked me to off the phone first. And when we reached the island, it was super super dark, there was a building there with light though. As the wind was very strong and it looks like going to have thunderstorm, the boatmen told us that they will pitch the tent under the roof first, then move out to the sands when it is not so strong. But later they told us they were not going to stay with us over the night. So we will be there on our own....hahaa...It was really pitch dark, even the bbq area don't even have light. Was just depending on the torchlight by the boatman. Then they helped us to pitch the tent and bbq our food and while we waited to eat. The tent was kind of hot, the wind is not blowing into the tent. Then my friend told me that we going to go out with her sister when we reach her hometown. I got kind of moody and told her don't want. She felt upset about it. Then we saw 3 people walking around the beach with a pail and scooping. My friend asked the boatman what are they doing. Then my friend very exciting pulled me along out to go see...ohh...the people were catching crabs in the sand. They looked at the holes in the sand and started to dig and try to catch the crabs out. And they did it very fast, like just seconds they caught the crabs already. My friend dragged me to try hold the crabs. But i don't feel like holding, and was pulling her away... :P...

Then later we went back to eat the food, it was ok though but just the sotongs were too chewy, cannot bite or chew off. We even had a beer, and then the boatmen went off with some of our food, leaving us there. There was really nothing to do there, except there was cats meowing away and like looking for food in the dustbins (My friend hates cats and worried the cats will come and dig our leftover food...heheee). And it was really dark, and my lightsticks were not bright enough too. Then we went into our tent to get ready to sleep. It was kind of hot inside the tent, and we don't have pillow, except my travel pillow and we were sleeping on the floor (which was hard)...Then my friend took out some paper and started to fan me so that i can sleep...hehehee....I was super tired anyway and i just fell asleep quite fast. But still woke up in the middle of the night due to the heat, we we were like sweating while we sleep and my phone went dead too....hahahaa...And so this day ended.