The Hidden Gems of Nepal | Lalitpur, Patan

Here we come to the (not so) last post of my Nepal journey. Actually it’s an unplanned trip. So before arrived at Nepal I have book all the trip and plan about it then due to I finish the trip earlier then suddenly I contact up with one of my guide before and he ask whether I want to go somewhere else before I leave Nepal. 

Then I ask for any hidden gems nearby Kathmandu that I can come back before night, and its only Patan left haha. Proud of my self only in several days I finish the surrounding point here. So productive haha. 

Well, actually I ask whether he can take me to try public transport but since the station is not that convenience so we go by bike, because I tell him I already take car few days and don’t want to have another car again. I wanna try another way to explore Nepal. 

Here we go to Lalitpur yeay! 

It literally what I love to have! Mountain view, road trip, some cultural trip and hidden gems out of nowhere hahahaha. 

Its not a tourist area so who you meet here should be local, there are a Buddha ministry, big temple, a new build suspension bridge, and great scenery. 

I go here on Saturday and so many local here. They said because Sunday is working day for Nepali, they start the first day of the week in Sunday, so they only have Saturday as holiday. Then the life of Nepali is as simple as spending their holiday to nearby sightseeing with their friends & family. 

Suspension Bridge

So this is a very new one you can see from the construction nearby feels so fresh from the oven haha It remind me of Situ Gunung Suspension Bridge in Sukabumi though, but its more mountain view and calm. Nearby also have a monastery. 

Stupa on the Peak 

Not sure what is the name of this temple, but the local bring me here as he also pray here. Yes the one who come is for praying and 99% are local. But I love this place. Need some effort to get to the uphill. 

I only finish until the second highest one because its too tired and I already satisfied with the view from this hahahaha 

Another culture I see here is the ash of death people, so in Nepal they will throw it to the river but will take a bit and put it in the small statue and put it on the stupa to pray. 

The view along the way 

Its dusty especially when a big truck cross by. So what I love about Lalitpur here, the local vibes and the road trip. I like the how you can feel local by walking around and have a road trip, you also can found the traditional incents like this.

Nepal can’t enough to offer you better and better view. 

Taiwan 2023 Nostalgic Trip | Taipei, Taiwan

May 2023 

I have short trip to Taipei for 5 days 4 night. It was a mandatory annual trip with some sprinkle. Why? Because I just got back my passport on Wed around 14.00 at bought a ticket at 15.00 and already in CGK airport at 16.00 and ready to flight haha. 

I have connection flight to make sure I already wake up in Taiwan on Thursday morning. Why so rush? Because I only have 2 days leave and need to continue with another business trip (another story later) so I need to really really arrange my time to be on the highest efficient haha. 

What is my plan for this so called nostalgic trip 懷舊之旅? I planned nothing but refreshing my mind back to the old days where I like to go what I like to eat when I'm in highschool & university. 

I'm an old one haha. 

What is the absurd one? I take the Brown Line MRT 捷運文山線like 4 times come and go just only to nostalgic this is the line when I will back home in university. Enjoy it and feels happy. I cross my university station, I cross the Wanfang Hospital where I do my wisdom teeth surgery, I cross Taipei zoo which is my favorite place at that time and I take the bus which I usually take in past time. 

Day 1 nostalgic

The favorite taiwanese breakfast : 漢堡肉蛋餅 +  大冰紅

Feels so good, the first meal on this trip with Taipei street

大腸麵線 always be my fav <3 

What to have after meal? Ofc the veggie juice 五蔬果汁 its combination of some veggie like celery with fruits — fresh & light, my all time favorite 

Day 2 nostalgic : 

Back to my college which is Wanfang Hospital MRT and the surrounding here. You know I always like to flash back what did I do that day when I am here walking on that street. Many of store and resto change but the ambience and some of my favorite things to visit is still there. So in love ❤️

MRT Wanfang Hospital 好熟悉的街景 以前每天都在這裡

陪我四年的戰場

I like to come here, like 5 mins walk from college. The owner is retired from 5 star hotel, he sell many things like dessert, soup, and all is good, cheap, and big portion so in love.

My fav one almond tofu + 碗粿

Going back to NOCSH, OMG 15 years ago I come here and 11 years ago I graduated from here. Maigat it's really so emotional to still coming back to the place that grow me alot. More than thankful. So what we have here?  南雅夜市 Nanya Night Market and my favorite stall still there <3 

綜合不要鳳梨— the packaging change, the stall place change, the owner looks different

Nothing change except the price haha

原味&牛肉沙拉多柴魚多

My favorite one 冬瓜粉條

Day 3 nostalgic : 

Still part of NOCSH, I'm having breakfast at the bfast home-shop that classified as high-class bfast for student at that time haha. Famous for its 酸辣醬 sour-spicy sauce. 

Home for 4 years that time

後門nowadays with student ID card, in past days manually cross by and only specific time it will open 

For us as student this is the high class one because its menu more fancy and expensive ahhahaha

Nothing change

卡拉雞沙拉 & 胡椒麵加蛋加酸辣醬 + 大冰奶

Another area that also accompany my past days in Taiwan, 師大 and its 滷味 OMG anyway it is my first time eating luwei in daytime haha usually people take it as dinner. 

And another stall that already in my mind for long time is this 魚鬆滷肉飯 in MRT Linguang. The uncle is a Myanmar and our favorite is this 魚鬆滷肉飯＆土魠魚羹

魚鬆滷肉飯+地瓜葉

Day 4 not-really-nostalgic : 

Well, the last full day here I explore Da dao cheng 大稻埕 & Longshan Temple 龙山寺 it's really my first time to explore here, 2 reasons : first because when I stay in Taiwan 大稻埕 not yet that famous and 龙山寺is a red district haha. 

But this time I got experienced some beauty things here 

1. The porridge 周記肉粥店, its an old resto with the menu meat porridge & deep fried pork as below picture if you dont know how to order just give below picture haha. The porridge is so comforting thou. 

2. The old school ice-cream

3. Starfruit ice 成都楊桃冰 the queue so long, its like sour sweet icy things very refreshing 

4. 青草茶 A bit bitter but healthy its an oldschool grass tea kinda things that you can found easily but they said this one made it in traditional way 

After you try all of those mouthwatering you can walk to 大稻埕to see the sunset and enjoy the view also jogging if you want. It’s really nice but i dont suggest to have seat on the cafe there since its too crowded.

A very cute 711 there

ofc with the most iconic Taiwan 711 pudding haha

So in love with Taiwan, see you next visit. Never get bored to having a nostalgic trip in Taiwan.