15 May 2023
Half soft grand open
Mitsui Lalaport Taichung
Taiwan really wants to be Japan. They had a 50 year try at that, which seemingly did not go that well, despite a recent declaration by a Taiwanese president that "distinguishing kindness from grievances" is important, because in exchange for murdering a million people "Japanese colonial rule of Taiwan also bought construction, like the Chianan Irrigation system and Wusanto Reservoir". Cool. In exchange for Nazi Germany, the world got a few rocket scientists.
So anyway, if you have been to Japan, and like food courts, you have probably been to a Lalaport, there is one on Odaiba for example, but many an outlet mall in Japan is a Lalaport.
As of this evening, Taichung has half of one, and as of tomorrow, they will have a whole one.
You see, half of the Mistui Taichung Lalaport opened tonight, and the other half opens tomorrow. BUT! The food court opened tonight. So... I got to be one of the very first customers to eat at this food court. A great honour indeed.
Then, despite trying to catch the 300 bus, the main bus that comes every 5 minutes or so, the main BRT bus, 2 of them in a row slowed down, looked at me and a couple of other people at the BRT stop, and drove on without stopping. The second time it happened a woman ran along side it bashing it with her umbrella. I had caught the same bus from the same place before, and the locals were equally as confused.
So I walked back to my hotel.
Tomorrow I go back to Taipei, don't worry, there is still another 8 and a bit days of this trip to go. Taipei has a subway system so there will be less buses from this point on!
I headed back to the new old station area where I had been during the day. Behind it is the Taroko mall. Named after the famous gorge on the other side of Taiwan. I went to this mall last time I was here.
Here is a claw machine supply and repair shop. The mural is from the perspective of the creatures that live in the machine, and then there is a giant claw hanging out of the side of the building.
This is the hotel I stayed in last time I was here. Each room had a different art them. I have good memories of it, I tried to stay there this time too but it was sold out.
This building still has people in it, but the top 3 levels are condemned. I bet I could take some interesting photos if I could get up there.
There it is, Lalaport. Complete with a fake lake just like the giant one in the north of Tokyo.
At first I was deflated, closed. Opens tomorrow. But wait.
Half of it opens today!
Giant very high quality food court, rejoice!
My dinner was FANTASTIC, but a lot of food. It is Sichuan style soup with fatty slices of beef in it, and a bowl of noodles with more Sichuan 'meat' and various other things, and 2 bowls of pickled veg. All their options were 2 bowl setups, I do not think it is intended for 2 people. I emptied everything into the soup bit by bit, and it was delightfully spicy and numbing. I am a huge fan of Sichuan food.
Despite having non Japanese dinner in this Japanese mall. ALL the shops are Japanese. Even that weird Japanese chemist, Matsumoto Kiyoshi, and a Japanese supermarket.
Here is the back of the new old station seen earlier in the day, now seen at night.
And my final pic this evening, the Sogo that is attached to my hotel. I do not think I showed it from the outside previously.