Day 7 in Taipei 2013

Today, we will be going back to Taipei city from Jiufen. As check-out is at 11am, I have some time to spare for more shopping at Jiufen Old Street lol. :P After a delicious breakfast, I embarked on the journey to Jiufen Old Street alone via Shuqi Road. The girls declined the opportunity to shop, saying that they were too tired to climb up and down Shuiqi Road again. :P I arrived at Jiufen Old Street just at 10am. Some shops are still closed, some food stalls are still preparing their food. and some shops are opened for business. :) Thank goodness, the shop I wanted to shop at was opened! I was able to buy my souvenirs. :)

Taken at 4:52am, still didnt get the sunrise

Taken at 7:21am, not so misty/ foggy like yesterday

My mother and I waiting for our breakfast

The girls tucking into their delicious breakfast :)

Another cat I saw on the way up to Jiufen Old Street via Shuqi Road

Miss Grumpy and a friend at Yuan Herbal Soap shop lol

Tabby at Shuqi Road

By 10.30am, I was back at the minsu. We checked out at 11am promptly and took a cab to my second aunt's place to have lunch as well as to celebrate Duan Wu Jie (端午节) with her family.
Today happened to be Double Fifth, or the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. In Taiwan, Duanwu Jie is also known as Wuri Festival (五日節 the Fifth Day Festival). Duanwu Jie is a public holiday in Taiwan. On this day, Taiwanese will also be paying respects to their ancestors. We had lunch after my second aunt and her family had paid respect to their ancestors at 12noon. My aunt cooked quite a fair number of dishes. The girls were thrilled to see the huge spread of home-cooked food. :)

After lunch at 2:30pm, we took a cab back to our first accommodation, Taipei Hero House for check-in at 3pm. We will be staying here for another two nights and we were given the same room, 640! What are the odds of that?! :)
Almost immediately after putting our luggage in our room, we left to visit my eldest uncle-in-law who is in hospital. We were actually supposed to stay one night at his place but due to his sudden hosiptalisation, we stayed on for two nights in Jiufen. We spent an hour in the hospital, keeping my uncle and his family company. My cousins and their children were present too . Later we had dinner with my cousins at Ajisen Ramen at the attached shopping plaza/ food court to the hospital.

Realised that we have been having quite a lot of Japanese food while in Taipei lol

We left the hospital close to 7pm and went to another cousin-in-law's place, where we stored our huge luggage, to collect our luggage. We got back to Taipei Hero House close to 9pm. We still have time to buy snacks from the 7-11 store within Taipei Hero House before it closes at 10pm.

Egg custard pudding from my childhood days and I am trying out all the different milk teas :)

Today was spent mostly with family, first with my second aunt and her family at their home and later with my eldest aunt, eldest uncle-in-law and their family at the hosipital. It was touching, and warm to be with my Taiwanese (extended) family. They made me feel included and welcomed, made me feel that I belong with them, yes including speaking in Mandarin and Minnan (known as Hokkien in Singapore) lol.