Taiwan: Wedding photos, Taroko Gorge n more

[fone]

Planned this trip in late 2010 with the booking of 2 business class tickets using UA miles. Here's my first trip report, after taking more effort to take more photos and hopefully it continues (I'm usually too lazy to take photos). Also, pardon the poor image quality. I'm just an amatuer using a lousy camera.

SIN - TPE: SQ 878, Seats 12 H & K
TPE - SIN: SQ 879, Seats 12 H & K

Preflight:
Check in at T3 was relatively smooth, we were first in line with all counters occupied. Got waved to the first-class counter for check in. We headed to SKL straight after immigration.

Lounge was pretty empty when we arrived at around 9am, but got more full as time passes. Will just roughly touch on this since most are familar with the lounge.


shot of empty lounge

Food is being changed to lunch menu as we arrived. Food selections:

Cereal selection

[fone]

Our ride for today, parked at Gate A1. I remember it as 9V-STK though my pictures are too low resolution to confirm that.


9V-SKK


My one and only cabin shot. Load was light today, with about 30% full for business class. Service was good, with drinks refilled very frequently.

A question though, there was a male crew who seemed like the IFS and he wasn't serving in business? From my seat, I just see him walk between economy and the business galley at the front of the plane.


My version of the SQFG leg shot

Point to note. Previously I saw a post educating on the use of the lie-flat seats for people with big feet. I can't get to a position where my size 11 feet can be placed vertically without touching the top of the feet hole. Though for a side sleeper like me, the small gap isn't a problem. I would only like to see the foot rest being able to bring up to the horizontal level with the seat inclination untouched.

[fone]

Menu for today's flight


Satay


Appetizer

I took the Panfried Garoupa and forgot to take photos of the main course until I finished it.


Chocolate ice-cream for dessert.

[fone]

We started the trip with taking of our wedding photos. They are actually very nice and the entire trip was accompanied by a photographer, the photographer's assistant, a make-up artist and a driver. As compared to wedding phototaking in Singapore, where only the photographer, who doubles as the driver, goes out together. They even helped us take photos using my personal camera.

Some of the photos:







During this period, we stayed at Liyuan hotel near the Taipower station. Didn't take photos as we arrived very late and were dead tired. It was good, except that it is small with small rooms and rooms very near each with bad soundproofing.

[fone]

Next, we took the train down to Miaoli for hotspring. Staying at Tangyue. It is actually about a 45mins drive from the Miaoli train station. They actually provide 3 meals for our 1 night stay, afternoon tea, dinner and breakfast.


Our resort building


We arrived early, plus the hot spring water pipes were under repair, thus we decided to head for afternoon tea first.




Afternoon Tea

Pictures of the room:


The bed. The only complain I have is that the TV is too small. Its original location was at the sofa, with seats at the other end to view a rotatable TV. The same sized TV, put at the end of the room and viewed when on the bed is simply too small.


The personal tub in the room, causing the sulphur smell to be in the entire room. The tap is either hot or cold spring water, which are full of sulphur, bathing with that water caused the entire body to smell of sulphur.




The toilet


They even provided this!


Snacks and drinks provided for free




Views from the one-way glass (supposedly only 1 way in the morning).

[fone]

Here's dinner


Menu for the various courses, retail price is actually NT500.

Cold Dish

Preserved Shrimp in shao xing wine Sauce. They mentioned this was similar to the drunken shrimp dish, just with additional jello.

Appetizer

Mulberry Tomato Poach Egg. They said this egg is specially cooked with water from the hot spring


Cream Bell Pepper soup with crab


Forest Frog Oridcut Soup with Local Rice


Grilled Wild Bream Stick


Crispy Local Bamboo Chicken with Sweet Osmanthus


Purple Rice Roll stuffed with Asparagus


Season Vegetables


Dessert and fruits

[fone]

Random pictures from Taroko Gorge

[Pinkfloyd]

Congrats on the wedding! And nice pics by the way.

[SQflyergirl]

Ooh very nice - also much congratulations !

[SilverChris]

Congrats! Very nice pics too

[fone]

Thanks, will update the rest after I finish the trip.

[Kyo]

Nice TR and a big congratulations for your special occasion

Brings back memories of my own NYE holidays to Taroko Gorge just recently, nice! Very rugged place...

[9V-SIA]

Congratulations. Nice TR.
Haven't been back to ROC since NS!!
Thanks for sharing

[fone]

Congratulations. Nice TR.
Haven't been back to ROC since NS!!
Thanks for sharing

Also my first time back to ROC since NS. Food is super cheap, compared to sg, even so compared to US.

[fone]

Meal we had at Taroko Gorge

Some aboriginal set meal


Special bamboo rice

Minsu (民宿 or people's house) we stayed at Hualien (花莲).
Usually you just rent a room within the whole house, but for this, he specially built a few seperate and self sufficient rooms on his land.

Living room


Bed upstairs


Shower


Bath Tub


snacks provided


View out of the room, apparently, they owned all the land in view.

They provide breakfast

Porridge breakfast


Another day's breakfast

Last day's dinner is also provided, but I forgot to bring my camera along. All meals are home-cooked and most vegetables are self-grown.