台中 二

5/4/12 Today at Taichung we try to get around without using taxis. we resort to using public buses 空运 and enjoy using them! The fare is cheap, only at NT$20 per pax per trip, and the buses are frequent. Once we get used to finding the right bus stop and bus number everything flows.

From Le Parker we go to 台中公囩。So far so good.

There is nothing much interesting at this 公囩. It is just a normal garden

 I am amazed at how big these advertising signs are in Taiwan... they are everywhere.

Then we bus to 中友百货 for lunch and I can't resist taking photos of these delightful deserts and hand gifts being displayed in the basement food court much like what we see in Japanese department stores

Big ads again

The kitchen staff MUST LIKE PASTA? Sounds like a good job to me.

And... we manage to bus to the Taichung 美术館 art gallery again since we could not get in yesterday as it was closed. Unfortunately no photography inside the gallery. It would appear the arts gallery are well run and manned by staff and volunteers. Again, entrance is fee free.

 Having a rest after a long day's walking and bussing around.

美术园边 shops

 Literally "the son of little rain". Very artistic and creative shop names.

 

 And finally having a nice cuppa and fresh vege juice at Mocha Jane's

 And I am thinking ..... "Light Food, Snack"

 And another snack of 饭糰 and 葱抓饼 (very similar to our roti canai)
at food stalls opposite 草悟道

We go into this second hand book store to browse books, again. It's opposite  草悟道

We change some A$ to NT$ at 台湾鋃行. Later on we learn that we could actually have changed the money at any bank that displays "Authorized Foreign Exchange" on its bank entrance. For that we run around Taichung looking for the right bank. Next time we will make sure we have enough NT$ before arriving Taiwan.

This is our last day in Taichung. Tomorrow we embark on a round Taiwan island tour 环島游 taking us from Taichung - Chiayi - Alishan - Kaoshiung - Hualien - Taipei. This is something I want very much to do. Although we are playing tourists but at least we have seen as many places in Taiwan as we could this time.

Our impressions of Taipei is it is very tourist friendly, efficient transport systems, good hotels, and enjoyable foods. Taichung, on the other hand, has a big set back because it hasn't got a good MRT system .However its bus system is adequate if tourists know how to use it. And there are far less tourist 景点 than Taipei。