Checking out from the Hilton hotel, I walked and checked into the Regent Hotel. I guessed I am probably the only one who walked up to the hotel lobby instead of sitting in a car haha. On the way to Regent hotel, I went to have lunch at my favorite Japanese food- つけ麺. I got there pretty early, so I was the first customer on that day. Not crowded at all, good! The noodles is exactly how I like, very chewy. But I did something wrong, I added too much water into the sauce, making it too light haha. So I didn’t get to finish all the noodles. So sad. But there are other つけ麺 shops in this area, I will definitely come back!

Finally I walked into the room. It was a very spacious room, it has a long sofa, but I think it was not so comfortable as the one in the Hilton hotel. I still prefer the new Hilton hotel since all furnitures and interior design looks sparkling clean and bright. But anyway, this is a promotion package for two days, I am happy about it already!

Regent hotel is a hotel with shopping areas downstairs. There are many famous shops, and expensive of course, in the hotel building. The first I went to see is LADY M!! I never have the chance to try their cakes, and now I got to tried two cakes! Both of them are seasonal flavor, red sweet potatoes and a certain Chinese flower cake. I also went to Cafe 4 Mano to get the cup of coffee. This coffee shop is also very famous, I tried their waffle before in one of their branch. I sat on the long sofa in my room, enjoyed the cakes and the coffee and the fruits from the hotel. Such a nice and satisfying afternoon.

After that, I started my workout. Since it is still in Covid time, the hotel has schedule for the opening hours of the gym. So I exercised partly in the room and went to gym for a while. For the following two days morning and night time I did the same. But somehow I can’t remember what I had for dinner. Hmmmm, that is why taking photos always helps me remember things.

The next day, after breakfast, I left the hotel for biking. The weather was too nice. So I decided I am biking to Tamsui through the bike trail!

I have to say, there was such a huge improvement on the bike trail along Tamsui river, compared to 6 years ago when I went biking. The road is much more smooth, and there is no need to bike on the road because the bike trail was not finished and well connected yet. They completed all trails. I enjoyed the good weather and the breeze and the view. It only took me 40 min biking to Tamsui. I sweat so much that I decided to find a coffee place to take some rest.

I stopped by a coffee shop called Antee Cafe 安緹手沖咖啡館. It looks like a professional coffee shop because it only sells coffee and the owner bakes beans by himself. Unfortunately they don’t offer for dining in. So I did take-out and I talked to the owner for a bit. And then I realized he is the teacher in NTU teaching coffee!! The course I always wanted to take when I was in the university. I told him I bike all the way to here just to taste the coffee. He felt so happy that he kept adding coffee to my take-out bottle. Indeed, the coffee tastes so good! I had ice black coffee and it was very refreshing in such a hot weather and after biking.

There are many kinds of beans in the shop. I can tell he indeed spent a lot of time baking different flavor of beans. I bought one from him because I also wanted to try at home. It turns out I love it so much. So, before I came to Vietnam, I ordered a lot of coffee beans with different flavor from him, and they all taste very special! Such a nice coffee shop!

I continued biking around the Tamsui area, but there are too many people. So I didn’t go walk around, I just stayed on my bike. After a while, I biked back to the hotel. It was already pretty late when I walked into the fancy hotel again. So I went downstairs to the Souffle shop: 椿tsubaki salon. Their Souffle pancake looks so fluffy and delicious. I ordered a savory pancake with extra red bean paste so I can also taste the sweet one. I enjoyed the late lunch? on the hallway in the basement of the hotel. There are also many small shops offering expensive afternoon tea on the same floor. I think because the shops here are all very expensive, not many people come here. It was a very quiet afternoon.

That night, I went to have dinner with one of the politician. You know, got to know her, build up good relationship, as a good friend. We went to my favorite Japanese restaurant Mitsui Cuisine and I had so many seafood there. They always serve the good food. The next day after the morning workout I went downstairs for the breakfast again. Under the Covid, the hotel doesn’t open up their buffet restaurant. I ordered Japanese breakfast, and I can kept ordering small dishes until I am full. It was pretty good, but I still prefer the famous breakfast buffet in the hotel. Saying goodbye to Regent hotel, and get ready for another hotel under the same group in Yilan!