Day 2: 15 th January 2013
Taiwan: Fu Hang Dou Jiang 阜杭豆漿 / Beitou Hot springs/ Damsui waterfront
This day was the best day of our trip though we were not to know it at the time. I cancelled YangMingShan from our itinerary after much deliberation. I was up for lots of walking and tend to cram in as many activities as I can into a day but there was mom’s arthritis to think of and Noel’s tendency to ask for his dad to carry him when fatigued. I wasn’t going to have everyone tired out when this was supposed to be free and easy!
Fu Hang Dou Jiang 阜杭豆漿 @ Huashan market was for breakfast today. And boy, did the reviews do the place justice! Take a look at the line going up the stairs…LOL
We got there as early as we could, around 8.30am in anticipation of a long line. It didn’t take long though, the servers were fast and furious with their service ( Cha left me to sit his parents and took the money with him so I was stranded at the cashier giving frantic waves to him). Luckily, I had read about the menu long before and knew what I wanted to order…else I’d have been lost at the counter, looking at chinese words and not understanding!
On hindsight, i think we should have ordered more fried crullers / 油條 (you tiao) coz it went fast! Very crunchy. Not at all oily, i loved the bite and am very pleased that dad-in law liked it too. He asked, if we wanted more did that mean…..and looked at the line extending around the food court till the stall…..we all laughed at that. Yes, 爸 爸，we have to queue all over again….
The salty dou jiang 鹹豆漿 is different and was surprisingly sour. I’ve read that there are salt radish, dried prawns and vinegar that gives it that curdled look and harder to describe taste. Try it, I like new food tastes and this was interesting for me NTD 30.
A recipe for salty soy milk can be found here.
Tien dou jiang /sweet soy milk tastes not much different to any I’ve tasted at NTD 20
油條 You tiao /fried crullers : longer than the usual ones in malaysia, are a must NTD 20
厚烧饼 夹蛋 Bao Shou bing Jia Dan, well, thin baked flatbread with an egg added, was a lil tasteless to me. NT38
Fu Hang Dou Jiang
Take an Mrt to Shandao MRT, look for Hua shan market, head for the entrance to the 2nd floor. Ask around for the entrance if you accidentally wander into the market…like we did.
108 Zhongxiao East Road
2nd Floor
Hua Shan Market
This is their latest business hours: Pic below
They close on MONDAYS, and pls TRY not to go on weekends.
Beitou HOT springs
We opted for the MRT again, from shandao MRT we travelled along with a swarm of office workers towards Beitou MRT. A lot of the time, we had no seats and stood clutching rail stands, each other, but because there are special seats for the seniors I didn’t have to worry about tiring out my parents in laws. You’ll have to switch lines at taipei station, then again at beitou station to the xin beitou line.
On the way, I sighted this elderly couple sitting without talking next to each other. Just before the train pulled into the next station, the old lady took out this hot flask of what I assume might be tea and offered it to the old man. Don’t they look good together? I had to take this shot. It’ll be nice to get to their age and still be so thoughful of your other half. (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)
These are my father and mom in law at Beitou station. They’re not the lovey dovey sort but they watch out for the other the whole journey which is soo sweet. This is one of my fav shots too… 🙂
It was a longer journey than the previous day’s so be prepared for a lot more pictures of us…hehehe..
Once in BEITOU, we checked the signboards outside the station exit and headed straight for ATAMI HOTEL for the much awaited hot spring spa. I had every intention of soaking more than just my feet and ATAMI HOTEL was my first choice. You can read about their hotel rates here.
Look out for the WELLCOME MART signboard, walk up the hill in that direction, past it, keep walking for about 10 mins, passing the beautiful public library on the left..
Continue until you see this huge banner on the side of the hotel.
You’re there.
The receptionist is really friendly. We paid for two B1 family bathouse NTD 500 per couple for 2 hours. An extra NTD 200 for Noel.
After that, we all trooped downstairs to the spa rooms. I was happy to see my hubby settling his parents into their rooms and explaining the use of the hot spring faucets. I wish my parents were around for me to do things for them…Next time huh!
Reminder: do not soak for too long each time. Get up, drink water, have a nap, etc, else you’re likely to feel light headed.
In my case, I chose atami hotel for the lounge included in the family bath house. After a hot bath, I stretched out on the lounge seat for a mo and it was soooooo comfy. Even now, thinking about that moment produces this warm feeling of wellness and I wanna sleep..LOL.
Tea and bottled water is included in the room. Drink to your hearts content.
Funny incident: Within one hour of soaking and watching noel jump from one bath tub to another ( we had two tubs in our room), there was a knock on the door. It was my mom in law. They were done and would wait for us in the living hall. I was aghast. It was no use explaining that we had PAID to use the rooms for 2 hours and that they could nap inside (I’d expected them to nap!). Here was mom in law’s anxiety at play again. What was i to do? Hurry my bath and ignore that last one hour of leisure? I almost did. I am thankful for a hubby who will not be hurried, or forced into pleasing anyone unless he had a gun to his head, so when he laughed and told me to let them be, i did. Yaaaah, hot spring spa le….Not likely to come again next week, or even next month, or anytime soon le…
By the way, this is the entrance to the lady’s public bath house. It’s about NTD 200 for 2 hours. I’m not sure if we have to be…naked for this, but I wasn’t going to find out!
To be contd in next post..
Next => Day 2: Damsui /Tamsui
dayzeahead 
ahh..I wish I could be in Beitou once more….
NICE!