First time with Korean Air Special Livery plane!
KE 691 ICN-TPE (Seoul/Incheon->Taipei/Taoyuan)
DEP ICN 10:00 24 FEB 2013
ARR TPE 11:50 24 FEB 2013
Flight duration: 2:50
Aircraft: A330-200
This trip report marks my first time going to Taiwan, and my first time going on business trip within Asia! I booked my own flights for this trip, booking Seoul/Incheon-Taipei/Taoyuan roundtrip on China Airlines website. The outbound flight was code-shared with Korean Air. The returning flight was with China Airlines B737 (Trip Report for TPE-ICN CI 162 here). With my dad's help, I was able to gain access to business lounges for Korean Air and China Airlines at Seoul/Incheon Airport and Taipei/Taoyuan Airport, respectively.
The flight was KE 691 and the aircraft for today's flight was a A330-200 with special livery. The flight was due to leave at 10:00 from ICN, arriving into TPE 11:50 (two hour flight).
A panoramic view from a Korean Air business lounge in the main terminal near Gates 9 and 10.
Not too much choices this morning in terms of food. There were bacon, deep fried sweet potatoes, Korean style rice porridge, muffins/breads, and some ramen.
Panoramic shot of the Korean Air business lounge.
There was a gigantic A380 model at the business lounge entrance.
My first time ever to board a Korean Air special livery plane.
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The clean interior look of Korean Air A330. The layout is 2-4-2 for economy. Each seats had the new economy AVOD system.
You can see how cold it was outside...
AVOD System
There was airshow which was provided by the AVOD system through cameras on nose and belly.
Flying past Mokpo City.
The choices were Bibimbap or fish. I went with the fish.
As we were flying away from the Korean airspace.
A full movie later, the plane started descending.
This would be my first time ever to land in Taiwan. I've always had a good look at the Taipei/Taoyuan Airport on the flights between Korea and Hong Kong.
Quiet cabin
Right before landing into Taipei/Taoyuan Airport.
And here we are, in Taiwan!
Big Taiwan flags are proudly hung on the terminals.
Taiwan felt like a mix between Hong Kong and Tokyo. It's an unique Asian city, in my personal opinion.
Taipei 101 is indeed a gorgeous looking skyscraper.
Taipei 101 also looks like some Chinese takeout boxes stacked up in the middle of the city.
I checked out the Lantern Festival near the Shilin Night Market.
A family event near the lantern festival.
The Taipei MRT is very similar to Hong Kong's MTR and Singapore's MRT.
The seafood dish near Keelung Port!
Taiwanese style miso soup
Fish fry (forgot which type of fish)
I got to experience the fastest elevators in the world while going up the Taipei 101.
Great night city views from the top of the Taipei 101.
The mass damper within the building. It's supposed to help with swinging/swaying of the building from wind loads and earthquakes.
Shilin Night Market! One of the best street-food eating experiences I've experienced in the world. With about Taiwanese currency equivalent to 10USD, I ate my hearts out that night.
Oyster pancake was excellent.
Fresh from the seas.
Chicken cutlets.
Vegetables wrapped with meat skewers
Hot dog rice bun.
Mango shaved ice. Now I know why there's such craze about this shaved ice among my Taiwanese American friends.
Click the following link for China Airlines CI 162 TPE-ICN trip report
