My fav pic ever....
Headed for Ximending again with the rest of the gang (including the HK and Taiwan fans) to shop around. On the way there, we changed trains at 南京東路捷運站, which was where Hong filmed his “如果這是我愛你最好的距離”MV many years back!
Taken on the platform of 南京東路捷運站, but cos zi pai so can't really see the station haha.
At Ximending, Candy, Rui Wen and I split from the rest to go on a food search. Haha not really la, but as we were not in a shopping mood, we just looked around for interesting things to drink and eat. Our first stop was a fruit juice stall where we ordered bittergourd juice. The bittergourd was white in colour, different from the normal ones we get from the market and the juice was refreshing. and tasted great with honey!
Then we stumbled upon this stall called Hot Candy, selling toasted marshmellows with a wide variety of toppings! Kinda cool so we bought 3 different flavours to try hehe.
Next we hopped across the little road to the stall opposite selling crepes (可麗餅) and ordered a grilled chicken crepe to share. It was quite delicious, with the crepe packed with chicken pieces, corn and shredded lettuce drizzled with generous amount of thousand island dressing. I can still remember the taste leh! =)
(after 3 mths, I still have not completed this post. Let me try to finish up so i can move on haha)
Words cannot describe how wonderful the concert was and what beautiful memories we had during that night. I'll let the photos speak for themselves ya? Enjoy....=)
Before we slept last night, Candy and I had wanted to wake up for the hotel breakfast (不吃白不吃，since it is included and it's a 4-5star hotel, I wasn't expecting Rainbow hotel-quality seaweed bread...haha). Alas, we overslept and only woke up at 930am, and breakfast ends at 10am. So we decided to go to the flower shop to make payment for the flowers she had helped ordered for the fans to be presented to Hong at his concert.
Ok I know, I look like I just woke up....
After making payment, we took a cab down to Ximending to find food and walk around. As we didn't know what to eat, we ended up at the 蛋饼stall that my Taiwan gang used to frequent. This time cos I was alone, the auntie didn't recognise me hahaha. Ordered a ham 蛋饼and soya bean milk, and sat at the stone bench on the walkway to eat. I thought I was only allergic to the 原味蛋饼，but who knows, the flavoured one succeeded in making me sick also. I felt quite pukey after finishing 3/4 of it, and that indigestion feeling lingered on for 3/4 of the day also. I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry, cos - I NEVER LEARNT MY LESSON!!! grrrr.....
Shopped around in Ximending and it felt kind of strange for Ximending to be so quiet. I was too used to the hustle and bustle all around and the throngs of people on the streets. But after all, it was a Friday early afternoon, so I guess it's still the lull period. Nothing really much to buy as the stuff is quite similar to HK stuff and I had just been to HK. Guess Candy and I were more hyped up about seeing Hong than anything else. Ended up stoning in Starbucks for an hour for my caffeine fix and looking out of the window watching the quiet world go by outside. The Starbucks is very nice upstairs leh. The decor felt very English but the 2 boy sleeping on the comfy sofa didn't compliment the nice ambience at all. Tsk tsk. After Starbucks, we took the train to 新光三越to look see as well as to buy the nice nice cuttlefish for Fang.
Whiling time away in Starbucks at Ximending, coffee in hand :)
Dunno why there were so many police on standby outside 新光三越. I wondered it there was going to be a riot? Exciting hahaha.
On the way back, we passed by the Taipei Arena, or better known as 小巨蛋, where many artistes hold their concerts.
Then, we chanced upon this on the route back to the hotel! How apt! So Nice....coming soon... Seems to be saying Hong is making a comeback soon, and yes, tonite! Hehehe... (think it's a new fashion store...)
Went back to hotel to ensure the flowers were delivered. Wow, I was amazed with the intricate packaging, complete with carefully selected small details like the layers of lovely wrappers etc. And each bouquet costs about S$100. Although not cheap, but probably can't get the same quality in SG with this kind of price? Have a look at the pics, need I say more?
The sunflowers were very pretty too......
Went for a quick dinner at the foodcourt near our hotel before following them to concert venue. Candy and I weren't too hungry so guess what we ate?
Ya we ate ice-cream hahaha. Had my favourite 情人果flavour, while Candy had kiwi.
Took cabs to the concert venue and there were already many people streaming in. Waited around for some other Taiwan and Japanese fans before they went in. I didn't have a ticket for that night's show (long story), so I hung around to wait for 小丘to knock of from work after the rest went into the theatre. And to cut the long story short, let's just say I managed to catch half the show that night due to some sheer luck. =p
The atmosphere in the concert hall was one full of anticipation. I was excited, anxious and scared at the same time. After all, this is Hong's first 售票concert in Taiwan and after all that has happened the past few tumultous years, I really hoped that Hong's concert would be very successful. Before the show started, they played a montage of Hong's MVs, making it seem like a karaoke session (cos Hong mentioned before that the audience could request for their favourite songs to be sung). I knew I would cry at the concert, being the ever emotional girl, but my first tears came even before the concert proper! As I watched the MVs being played and Hong's voice filling the concert hall, I felt a sudden angst and melancholy sweep over me. I felt so touched.
Before I could fling my tears away, the lights went down. Excited screams filled the whole place. Music played. More screams. Spotlights came up in the middle of the concert hall. Hong appeared from the middle of the concert hall! It was an unexpected entry as most people would have appeared with a big bang on the stage. It was a fabulous arrangement as it brought Hong close to the audience as soon as the concert began. It is Hong's personable and affable self that won him his legions of fans. Tonight, he is really out to 回馈 them.
Hong doing a "Where's Wally?" ....muahahah...
I must admit, I seldom listen to Hong's mandarin songs. I always insist that his Canto songs are his best and have treated his mandarin songs as secondary. But tonight, I changed my mind. Listening to him belt out each number, I felt as if he was telling a story. The lyrics of each song suddenly touched my heart so much. When he sang 你变了, my tears just flowed like anything. 小丘was shocked and said to me "你哭什么嘛你？" Haha, I just couldn't help myself lor...
I'll write more about the concert in my next post.....
Halfway through, we went out to wait for the rest. Hung around at the 2nd floor and was dying to hear what else he was singing but we decided to keep some surprises til tomrrow. We were so restless that we "trespassed" the escalator that led up to where all the 花篮were placed and happily snapped photos. There were 花篮s from Dicky Cheung, Huang Yun Ling, Paco, and a few others, including Jay Chou. Jay Chou?? I took a double-take and asked 小丘, huh, did i see wrongly? I simply couldn't think of any reasons why Jay would send Hong a 花篮. Guess that proves that Hong 人缘好吧...Hehe...
When the concert finally ended, we all rushed out to the entrance to meet up with the rest and quietly hoped that Hong would leave from there and we could meet up with him. But alas, only when all the lights inside the concert venue closed, did we leave the place to head for Tong Hua Street Night Market to eat. As there were many of us, we had to split and share cabs. 小丘and Rui Wen both drove their scooters so I gamely agreed to follow 小丘. Wahhhhh actually I was quite nervous cos I have never in my life ridden on a scooter or anything on 2 wheels except for a bicycle. When 小丘handed me the helmet, I panicked and stammered eh how to wear this?? Then when i mounted myself on the scooter I was so afraid that she would drive off before I could stabilise myself and kept asking her where I could plant my feet. Then she told me that I don't have to hold her too tightly and not to sway too much as it would affect the front. Wahlau!!! In the end I sat up stiffly straight and only barely touched her jacket with my fingertips. Frankly it wasn't that bad la, as long as I relaxed, it was actually quite fun. But the scooter was pretty small and low power so I felt I was riding on a masak-masak vehicle. Then while riding, 小丘asked me to turn around to check if Rui Wen was behind. Iyo!!! I dare not even turn lor! So i just told her I dare not turn! Hahaha! Wasted I forgot to take a pic of me in the helmet and on the scooter!
Bottom left : 麻辣鸭血臭豆腐 Bottom right : O-a jian
While the rest ate wonton noodles, I opted for the mala duck's blood and chou doufu. Hehe. Been wanting to try it ever since I saw it being featured in some Taiwan food program. This is probably not the nicest in Taiwan but still not too bad la.
After food and chit chatting, we headed back to the hotel and were dead beat. After we took our bath and all it was already 3am I think. Slumped into bed to catch whatever beauty sleep we could catch, awaiting the next day to arrive. It was going to be an exciting day....:)