18/9
8.30am
Woke up at 7am, washed up and packed the luggage because we had to move to another room in ground level.
We have similar breakfast in Cingjing and Alishan but I like the texture of the porridge in Cingjing so much more! I also love the ingredients too!
Very nice view during breakfast
After breakfast, we lazed at the same spot we did as yesterday to relax and enjoy the scenary. I really love the beautiful scenary as it gives me a sense of peace...
Somehow I had been trying not to think about how things will be after this holidays. But I know I would want to have a new career and to aspire in it too. I know that I cannot rest too long and I am glad that I have Laogong's assurance that what's important is I rest well and recharge during this trip. After that then I will actively look for a new job...
10.01am
Called our shuttle bus to drive us to Qing Qing Cao Yuan (青青草原). It's an internal shuttle bus service that collaborates with the many Minsu (民宿) in Cingjing and only charges by stops (one stop NT50 per pax). It stopped along the way to pick up pre-arranged passengers (simply call the booking line and they will pick you up within 3-5min or within 10-15 min, depending where is their nearest bus) to bring them to the pre-agreed locations. When we reached the North entrance of the 青青草原, we paid NT160 for the entrance fees.
Don't forget to stamp yourself with the 青青草原 stamp oh! It is both for souvenir and allow you to re-enter the place within the same day.
12.04pm
Last year when I came with Yvonne in February, 青青草原 wasn't green because it was the late winter- early spring season. The whole place was pretty bare and brown in colour. There were few sheep walking around freely too, likely because there aren't much grass for them to eat either.
There were blooming cherry blossom trees along the walking path too. It wa really lovely. Now being summer, the flowers in season are 爱情花、绣球花，薰衣草、鲁冰花、海芋花... And the grassland is green and we can see many sheeps feeding themselves on the grasslands. Some brave ones would pester tourists for the 饲料 too.
Lavender (薰衣草)
紫色的绣球花
Spotted sheeps walking around eating..
Before I came to the grassland, I didn't know other than white sheep (white body white wool), black sheep black body, white wool), there is also brown sheep (brown body, brown wool).
This brown sheep looks like a little brown bear coz it is so fluffy but round!
See the green green grassland...
Found the same white horse I took picture with last February. Had wanted very much to ride the white horse (1 round NT100 (single) or NT150 (double) this year but decided to change my mind. Nevermind, I will be back to ride you one day!
There are two mini horses or ponies for the children to ride too! I think Jamie and Didi will be so thrilled to ride them next time too! The cooling weather here is very good for children even in summer! They will definitely love feeding and patting the sheeps that will come so slow to them.
We did some shopping and bought various goat milk products - eg lip balm, toffee and chewy balls and gifts!
I also bought goat milk ice cream to try!! Last year I tried the goat milk ice pop and this year I want to try the goat milk ice cream..
I also manage to find the calcium pills I bought last year which Jamie loves!! As Jamie seldom drinks milk nowadays and she loves this particular brand of calcium pills from Cingjing, I decided to more back for her. We didn't really need to bargain with the stall owner as business on weekdays are generally not so good. Hence, the nice aunty immediately said NT1000 for 3 big packets and FOC 1 small packet (Usual price is NT350 for big packet and NT150 for small packet). The nice aunty
later gave us two rounds (each) of free bamboo soup. 有买有送哦！
later gave us two rounds (each) of free bamboo soup. 有买有送哦！
We were rather full after the two bowls of bamboo soup each and did not need to have any other food for lunch. There was a fruit stall in the next stall and we bought a peach for NT200. It was not cheap but really fresh, big, nice and juicy. Yum! The stall uncle helped us to cut the fruits so it's more easy to share!
Last February was the 雪梨 season so Yvonne and I had loads of 雪梨 during our two nights in Cingjing. Really miss the juicy 梨 and was lucky to find a stall selling 蜜梨 at 一斤 NT100. We bought a big one which costs NT175 and the stall owner cut it into pieces for us too!
Oh yes, one thing to note before touring 青青草原. As the 绵羊 show is only valid on Public Holidays and Weekends (假日) and there are only two rounds of 马术 show at 10.45am and 3.45pm, you need to set out from your Minsu according to the timing of the shows you want to watch. We had ample time till 马术 show because there was no 绵羊 show on weekdays. But I realized as we walked and shopped, time passed very fast.
We came to this shop that is having discounts for all their items and some even going at 1 for 1. But make sure you check the expiry date of these 1 for 1 items just in case they are expiring or had expired. However, I think generally Taiwanese stall owners are pretty honest. The cashier told us that they had some Taiwan snacks expiring end June and gave us each some to bring home to eat according to how much we spent at the shop.
Friends told me that face masks in Taiwan is cheap but I didn't expect it to be so cheap. I didn't get to buy many during my trip last February too because I bought and brought too many winter wear :P
This round, Qiuling and I got ourselves each a box of Goat Milk Mask at NT189 each (10pc a box) and 6 boxes of 3D hydrating and firming masks at NT105 each (5pc a box). I also bought tubes of Goat Milk Hand Cream at NT100 per tube because friends highly recommended it for people with Ezcema or to be used in cold countries. I tried it and I think the quality of this brand is really not bad.
2.58pm
As we had ample time before the 马术show at 3.45pm, we could sit around to relax and take more lovely photos.
Last year, we visited 青青草原 on weekends hence it was crowded and we had to sit pretty far off to watch the 马术 show. This round I get to sit really near to enjoy the show! The Mongolian riders were really very good in their horse stunts. There was this particular man dressed in white and looking cute too. If you like 《步步惊心》 that 十三爷 kinda of look, then this Mongolian guy is definitely your cup of tea :P
But I took interest in this 14 year old boy instead. Though the youngest in the team, he was fearless and agile in his stunts performance. I believe he will grow up into a charming young man!
The Mongolian ladies in the team are very pretty and have really sweet smiles.
After the show, we stayed back for the photo taking and feeding session. Photo taking with the horse riders is free unlike the usual touristy attractions in Singapore. However, audience were strongly encouraged to make donations (give tips) to the team in whatever amount possible as a form of appreciation of their performance. We donated/tipped NT50 each and bought the carrots to feed the horses. We took some photos too. This is my first time coming so up and close with horses.
5.16pm
We set off by foot downslope towards the Little Swiss Garden （小瑞士花园）via the walkway. Entrance fees was NT120 per pax.
Similarly, the flowers in Little Swiss Garden in summer isn't as impressive as last February. Last February, there were tulips of all colours but this time I only saw unfamiliar looking flowers that looked like 野花...:(
6.30pm
Wanted to relive the feeling of drinking the lavender milk tea in Little Swiss Garden and bought one. Qiuling got herself rose milk tea. I noticed the difference in the theme and layout jb the both the cafe and the garden due to the different seasons. The place where I did my join shot last February was now filled with paper windmills. Then I realized it's the windmills festival in summer.
We called for the shuttle bus to drop us at 金鸡园 where we had our dinner the night before. We decided to eat the stsll's 招牌菜-香草桶仔鸡!
It is a whole roast chicken stuff with ingredients. As the chicken was very big, we decided to do without any rice or vegetables. But even that, we were unable to finish the whole chicken.
I am not a fan of 鸡胸肉 because I felt them being Siap Siap and the meat would likely be tougher. What surprised me was that the roast chicken was tender and very 入味! Even the 鸡胸 is juicy and yummy!
As we waited for the shuttle bus to bring us back to Minsu, we started to sing our era's songs. We started laughing at each other that we were revealing our real ages unknowingly. Haha!
9.05pm
Had repacked my luggage to squeeze in all my loots for today lol.. Waiting to bath and rest early becoz of my cramps and backaches. Goodnitez all!!! Tomorrow we are going to Hsin Chu!
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