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Trekking Taipei: A Taste of Xiao Long Bao and Maokong Gondola

Today is our 3rd day in Taipei. We left the hotel early for a stroll along Yongkang Street in Zongzheng District. 

From Yongkang Street, we walked towards Xinsheng South Road near Xinyi Road, where the original Din Tai Fung was located. There we got to have the awesome Xiao Long Bao experience from the store where it all began. 


Din Tai Fung is a popular Xiao Long Bao Restaurant in Taiwan, one that serves the best dimsum in the world.

We were the second? or third? customers to arrive. While waiting, we reviewed the menu  posted on the wall outside the store and mentally marked our own choices. That made placing orders fast and easy.
We witnessed the queue gradually becoming long before the store opened at exactly 9:00 am but the ordering process was very efficient. 
While waiting, we didn't waste any time. We just had to walk a few steps to get some good view for photo ops with Taipei 101 as background as it looked like it was just standing at the end of the road. 
One at a time... pose, pose, pose... while the road was clear..
Hhhmmmm.... can't decide which one to post. How about both? 
Which one do you think is better?
Parehong pa-cute! 
We had much time for photo ops outside the store with Xiao Long Bao mascot  
while waiting for the store to open.
The store opened very promptly at 9:00 am. We were allowed to come in. 
We decided to take a table on the second floor and had a taste of these. 
👇👇👇

It didn’t take very long before we were able to enjoy our breakfast. 
So yum, yum, yum!

Here’s a guide on how to enjoy the best Xiao Long Bao experience. 
Every Din Tai Fung branch offers this flyer to the customers.
We sure had a sumptuous breakfast!

And now, we're all set for the Maokong expedition. 
Hurry, let's go!!!
The trip to Maokong started right here- - - the station where we took the MRT ride that headed to Taipei Zoo.

Get ready, we’re almost there!
The best way to reach Maokong is to take the Maokong Gondola scenic cable car up the mountain from the MRT Taipei Zoo Station.

The walk to Maokong Gondola Station.
Walk, walk, walk.
Gotcha! That’s Tin, taking a selfie with the Maokong Station as her background.

Following Panda's footsteps we finally arrived at Maokong Station.

Me posing by this work of art outside the Maokong Station


Inside the Maokong Station.
We are now a few steps away from the gondola. 
Okay, Tin, go! What are you waiting for?
I'm right after you.

At the Maokong Station, we used the Easy card to pay for the gondola ride worth TWD 120.
We were given flyers containing info about the Maokong gondola, featuring safety tips...
... and a vicinity map showing the gondola stations all the way to Maokong.
Here, we are now --- ready for the gondola ride! 
Oh, yeah, it's windy up there!

Oooopppsss... family selfie first... there are only the four of us, actually 😀😀😀

The gondola was designed to make reaching Maokong more convenient for local residents and tourists. 
There, we boarded a gondola which we shared with three other foreign tourists.
You should watch the video towards the end of this post to see the different colors of the gondola. We couldn't choose the color as the crew determines which gondola we hop on to.
Now for the ride...
I like this photo of Panda... errr... of Tin and me 😀😀😀

View of Taipei cityscape from the gondola

One can see the Taipei 101 Tower while up there.

Here we are!
Welcome to Maokong!
Why go to this quaint village called Maokong? Well, being located on the top of the mountain, at the edge of the Taipei Basin, places Maokong as the most scenic spot in Taipei. 
Ayana buying her fave street food... again!
We just walked, allowing our cam to capture the view.

Taipei 101, this time, viewed from Maokong.
There it is, standing tall from afar!


Nice view of the city from where we stood.

Slowly walking along... looking for... oh, there it is--- the famous Tea House!
Maokong is not only known as the most scenic spot in Taipei, it is also the best place to drink locally grown quality tea.

Vloggers have featured a variety of tea houses in Maokong where one can sip a cup of tea while enjoying a breathtaking view of the city.
The Red Wood Tea House is one such place. Exactly as featured by vloggers followed by hubby!
Nice view with the Tea House as the background


The face of one who didn’t get to taste the green tea ice cream 😂😭😩

Watch this 👇👇👇


We took a taxi on our way back to Taipei Zoo.
We got tired of waiting for a bus under the heat of the sun
that everybody seemed tired to take photos or video of the trip back to Taipei Zoo. 

From Taipei Zoo, we took another MRT ride to our next destination.
The MRT ride.

Watch out for my next post featuring the National Palace Museum
See you there soon!

Meanwhile click to read Day 1 and Day 4 (Elephant Mountain)
Click here to view Ayana's blogpost where she featured practical travel tips and our family vlog from the week-long trip. 

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