Da Tong (大同) @ TAIPEI (台北）😋🍹🎉😴

 Travel is the best investments with highest return.

Welcome back to the 6th blog of my Taiwan trip, I hope you enjoyed my previous blogs of Zhong Zheng, Wan Hua , Shi Lin , DaAn  & Tamsui.

DaTong District

A cultural district that nestles between Taipei and Tamsui. It was the commercial district of Taiwan before it shifted over to ZhongZheng and XinYi districts.

At the end of the 2^nd Opium War, a port was constructed here where foreign merchants started to trade with the locals.

By 1946 this district is call DaTong((大同) until today. Many buildings were preserved for the younger generations, we are attracted to this wonderful place. The purpose for our visit today is to explore DiHua old street & DaoDaCheng and we spent a real wonderful day here.

DiHua Street and DiHua Commercial Loop

The oldest street of Taiwan is most notable for its architecture belonging to the Qing era and Japanese era.

Alot of local's products like dried fruits, nuts, dried meat, dried seafood, tea, snack etc. are found here.

The street was constructed in 1850s and was used as commercial hubs / administrative offices of the Chinese government.

Intensive efforts were put into the conservation works on the old shophouses to welcome younger entrepreneurs to bring in new vibes to the ancient street.

P/S : Just to share this cute kitty who keeps asking people to release his lease. Heard from his mum that he is a frequent jail-breaker.

Vintage Chinese Dining

It is still a common practice here. 

I cannot remember when the last time was, I actually ate at the exact same setting as per I seen here.

When I was a kid, I was considered a regular to these vintage dining in Singapore when my grandma joined certain Chinese Association which hosted dinner regularly for members.

 I always like to wander to the kitchen to view the "mobile kitchen", it could be on a truck or just "openly".

When I see this thing here, my childhood memories flash back. 

I enjoyed strolling through their "open-air" dining where everyone jumped around table to table happily. 

Taipei XiaHai City God Temple (台北霞海城隍廟)

This temple has been here since Emperor XianFeng's era of the Qing Dynasty, so it is more than 160 years old.

Dedicated to The Great City God, his wife and Love God, people come from far to seek blessings. 

In total, this temple house over 600 deities' statues in this 152 sqm area. It was built in 1859 and has been cared by the same family for generations untiil today.

JinXian Fish Ball (金仙鱼丸）

The shop of the name paused my steps. I love fish balls, especially handmade kind!

This is the place for our lunch, the crowds are there so I believe the standard is also there.

I noticed around that people are ordering prawn rolls, porkchop rice etc , this is a place that selling local food.

We ordered: Fishball soup, porkchop, prawn rolls, chicken leg.

Awesome and fresh taste with a touch of the good old days. 

李亭香 Li Ting Xiang Traditional Bakery

The proud Li Ting Xiang has been baking in Dihua street in Dadaocheng for more than 100 years!

After exploring the place, it seems that fine handmade craftmanships is perfectly passed down to the younger generations of the Li Family. This old timer offers many different types of pastries to customers, many of these products were from forefathers' days which I think it is very rare to find such a shop nowaday. 

Throughout the urbanization, the cake shops also come up to pastries that include cheese and milk.

For me, I bought 15 packets Sakima, and mixture of Black Sesame cake and Green bean cakes.

打卡咖啡館迪化店

Just a few steps away from DaDaoCheng, this modern and petite coffee shop is an ideal place to take a break.

I ordered citrus related cold drink while he ordered his usual Americano. 

My cold drink is so refreshing and flavorful while his Americano is the standard kind. 

DaDaoCheng

DaDaoCheng was an important trading port in the 19th century and is still a major historical tourist attraction. 

When the export of tea became important in the northern part of Taiwan, many businesses began to make their way here. Gradually, foreigners also open their shop here. As the area begun to thrive, textile, herbs and many other items were added into the list of exportation.

Today, this place is full of people coming for their daily jogs, families' excursions and friends' meetings.

There is a small food street here, free public toilets. I think it is a nice place to chill. 

環記麻油雞

Long queue gathered by when time we came. It was rainy and that made this an ideal dinner for us.

The menu is very standard, just only a few dishes, the star of the menu is the Sesame Chicken.

The base of the soup is sesame oil and Chinese wine. This combination is a tonic to Chinese, the taste of the soup is more to the bitter side. It is not the kind I had in Singapore and Malaysia. It is special at its own.

The portion is very big, the chicken thigh is the size of my wrist. I suppose this is how the "kampung chicken" looks like. They just ran wildly in the mountain and that gave them big thighs.

甘記燒仙草飲料店

The dessert is always nice in Taiwan. The trip is not complete without at least eating once.

I ordered vanilla shredded ice pudding; the pudding is so soft and melts immediately once I put it in my mouth. I asked the boss and was told this is handmade. 

He ordered Bean curb jelly with taro balls; it is very tasty and soft while taro balls are chewy.

NingXia Night Market

Located in the vicinity of DiHua, this night market is always full of hungry stomach looking for a good local street food.

Food trucks, food stalls, even food kiosks start showing up in the late afternoon.

Our round 2 of food hunting started ... 

We have to come to the last part of my blog as it is time for us go back home. 

That is our loot between 10 days before and 10 days after. 

The last photo of Taiwan... we will be back. 

Our happy times in Taiwan end here, and we have come to the end of my trip. 

We visited Europe recently like The Netherlands & Belgium recently : Amsterdam, The Hague , Rotterdam , Kinderdijk , Naarden ,Muiden , Haarlem , Nijmegan, Brussel, Bruges 

and Antwerp

Just to share, we have already bought our air tickets to Switzerland and maybe Northern Lights Chasing in Tromso, please stay tune. 

Meanwhile we will be driving for short trips to nearby Malaysia especially gourmet trip to Johore.

Feel free, you are most welcome to browse through my other blogs to France, Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia and cruises etc. I will be deeply blessed if you can like my facebook page:: followblueginger

Lastly, thanks for dropping by.

Wish you good luck.

Cheers