My Travel Photos

Malacca

2011-11-26T23:54:00.000-08:00

Malacca holds good childhood memories for me. Even now, it is a place that I would look forward to visiting for a few days or so. I have relatives there whom I have been visiting from the days when my father would drive us all the way from Singapore in a car that had no air-conditioning. I wonder how we had survived those long journeys travelling, not on highways, but on narrow coastal roads and often enough found ourselves sandwiched like sardines because a trip by car was to be maximised by packing in as many people as the car could possibly accommodate in those days.

I remember the old Morris Minor and the Volkswagon that 'swam' across a flooded road near Muar and I remember that on hot, humid days, all the windows were wound down and to sit next to a window was like a business-class treat on an aeroplane in those days. I remember that we passed by boring scenery of endless rubber tree plantations and when we finally saw padi fields and bullock carts on the roads we knew that we had arrived in the state of Malacca. These scenes are of course non-existent today. The padi fields are gone and the bullock carts are now tourist items located in Ayer Keroh where you can pay for short rides. The rubber trees are now replaced by the more lucrative oil palms.

Still, nostalgia is something that stays with you throughout your life and is activated by unexpected encounters with the things that everyday living has pushed to the past and becomes forgotten with time like these thermos flasks and the display of cups of 'cooling herbal teas' that you could purchase to counteract the heatiness in your system - to balance the yin and yang in your body. Malacca could still evoke these feelings in me and as usual I overworked my camera to capture all that I felt connected with. Click here to see the photos taken over two days at Jonker Street and Bunga Raya (Chinatown) in Malacca.

Lushan Hot Spring Village

2011-04-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

We stumbled upon the Lushan Hot Springs reputed to be the best in Taiwan on the internet, booked our accommodation online and finally arrived there on the fourth day of our Taiwan trip. Getting there on our own was not difficult as we booked a Guoguang bus that was safe and comfortable that took us from Taipei to the town of Puli at the foot of the mountains (3 hours plus). There, transferred to a Nantou bus that got us to Lushan village in an hour and a half. We got to gasp at the breathtaking mountain scenery that we had come for as the bus climbed higher altitudes .

When we arrived at the village in Lushan we thought we had made a mistake in our travel plan because the place was like an abandoned town. We learned that on weekdays and during off-peak holiday periods, this was the expected atmosphere. Fortunately, the hotel had stationed its van not far from the bus stop to take us to our hotel across the river in a round-about way and we got there in about 5 minutes.

On foot you could easily cross over to where the hot spring hotels are using this suspension bridge. Lushan was badly battled by Typhoon Morakot in 2009 and is slowly rebuilding. The hordes of tourists have yet to arrive and locals were surprised that we made it there on our own.

On a free-and-easy trip, there was time for coffee.

In the afternoon the shops opened for business as people drive up in the evenings to enjoy the hot springs and to have a meal in the restaurants.

The small road leading to our hotel was lined with shops selling stuff that locals and tourists would be interested in.

Flowers along the way.

The Lushan Hotspring area was developed by the Japanese and that explains the presence of the Japanese style buildings we saw.

This building is a public toilet.

Sculpture of an Aboriginal girl.

Take a photo here to show that you have been to Lushan.

This is the recreational club of the Police. There is a hot spring bath in there that is surrounded by Cherry Blossom trees and you can imagine how beautiful it must be to be soaking in the open pool beneath the blooming cherry blossom trees.

Further up and a short walking trail away, you will see the source of the hotspring waters of Lushan.

Bintan Lagoon Resort sunsets

2011-04-25T02:08:00.000-07:00

If I have another life to live I would want to live by the beach and mark my time watching the sun rise and the sun set everyday and I shall paint these precious moments till my life takes off with the last ebb of the tide that I will see. I can imagine being tired of so many things in life but the sun's appearance and farewell are two events that can be repeated till the end of the world and I will still want to see them everyday if I were to live by the beach.

Day 1 on Bintan Lagoon beach.

Day 2 on Bintan Lagoon Beach.

Wulai Hot Springs

2011-04-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

Wulai, about an hour and half by MRT and public bus from Taipei, is a gem. Wulai is popular amongst locals and visitors like me because of its hotsprings. There are many hotels like the one we stayed in where you could enjoy a soak in hotspring water in a tub in your own hotel room. Ours came with a view of the mountains and had a cozy ambience. Though we only spent an afternoon, a night and a morning in Wulai we made the best use of the time we had. What we really enjoyed was the wonderful feel of the Wulai spring water which is odourless and colourless. The difference lies in the after effects on our skin leaving a smoothness and glow that made us firm believers in the marvels of natural spring water. Click on the photo for a slideshow of our time in Wulai.

Taiwan - Ci En Pagoda in Sun Moon Lake.

2011-04-10T08:38:00.000-07:00

Click on photo for a slideshow.

We were told that the view of Sun Moon Lake and the surrounding mountains from the top of Ci En Pagoda about 1000 meters above sea level would be breathtaking. We did not get to enjoy that view. Instead we felt like we were in paradise in the clouds - that celestial feeling that not many tourists get to experience.

Chiang Kai Shek had this pagoda built in memory of his mother. The way up to the Pagoda from the road around Sun Moon Lake was to hike up a well-developed trail for casual walkers. There was no direct access for vehicles and this was a great blessing for otherwise the Pagoda would be flooded with busloads of tourists on package tours. If you drive, you have to park your car at a carpark halfway up and walk the rest of the way.

The visit to Ci En Pagoda was one of the best decision made on our trip because our enjoyment of nature and the beauty of the Pagoda was not spoiled by crowds of people polluting the peaceful environment with their loud voices.

Taiwan - the beauty of other countries

2011-04-09T04:40:00.000-07:00

Click on the photo to see the photos that show how we got to enjoy the beauty that is unique to other countries as well.

Taiwanese Food

2011-04-09T01:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a post that all Singaporeans would love - Food in Taiwan, the food we had anyway while we were there. Click on the photo to watch the slideshow.

What I find relaxing about my Taiwan Trip

2011-04-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

The itinierary for my third trip to Taiwan from 21 Mar - 31 Mar 2011was as follows:

Day 1 -Singapore to Taipei
Day 2 - 3 Ximending area, Taipei
Day 4 - 5 Lushan Hotsprings, Nantou
Day 6 - 8 Sun Moon Lake, Nantou
Day 9 - 10 Wulai Hotsprings, Taipei
Day 11 - Taipei to Singapore.

This was a free-and-easy trip with a friend and the detailed itinerary came about after weeks of reading about the places we would like to visit and much discussion over coffee. We had booked all our hotels ahead of the trip and managed to get a promotional SIA ticket at $600 inclusive of taxes. I have taken mega gigs of photos but will only upload those that I have something to write about on this blog and slowly, over time...

What are I find most relaxing about this trip to Taiwan are (in the order of when they were first experienced):

Flying to Taipei on our National Carrier Singapore Airlines. I managed to watch three movies that I had wanted to watch before - Black Swan (I did not like the ending), The King's speech (It was good and the Oscars were justified) and The Tourist (not for the plot but only because I wanted some eye candy).

The freedom to pick and choose what to eat and to eat at anytime we fancy.

Taking time to explore a place of interest with no time restriction imposed by at tour guide. There was even time to stop and enjoy the antics of the numerous school children who visited the Floral Expo in Taipei.

Watching a Thermal Valley steam in Xinbeitou in Taipei.

Wanting to go to the top of Taipei 101 and changing our mind because the city was enveloped in mist. Next time. It was relaxing to know that we were not pressurised to anything because there was insufficient time.

Spending an afternoon instead of the usual one-hour at Jiufen. We took our time to savour the interesting food in Jiufen and even had a lovely time at a tea house on the slope of a hill.

Observing a service staff taking a break at another tea house across from the teahouse where I was sitting.

How many tourists actually visit the tea houses in Jiufen to spend some time to enjoy a few relaxing moments like these? Drinking fragrant Osmanthus flower tea - mmmmm.

Drinking smooth Taiwanese coffee by an open window and enjoying the cool, fresh air.

Having time to make a sketch of the tea house opposite.

Travelling on the local buses. We just bought the easicard that works like our EZlink card and hopping from bus to train and vice-versa was a breeze.

Studying the branches of a tree by the suspension bridge across the river connecting the old and new parts of Lushan.

Taking a moment to admire someone's potted plants.

Coffee after lunch at a convience store with a view.

Time to focus on the morning dew.

Lushan was the best because only the locals were there and people were surprised at how we had found our way day by bus.

Relaxation was also having time to sit around and observe other people.

Sitting around this snack joint in a park in the Cingjing farm vicinity where the boy who made our waffles and served us our drinks really, really took his time and for a while I was worried about missing the bus back to Lushan.

Just looking at this waffle and waiting for it to be served was a poetic endeavour.

Sitting on the curb by the side of the winding mountain road to wait for the local bus to take us back to Wushe town to catch another bus back to Lushan I watched how time moved for this young lady selling fruits and vegetables by the road.

Looking over the small town of Wushe while waiting to catch the bus back to Lushan from Cingjing Farm.

Friendly sweetie pies who struck this endearing pose when I requested for a photo. They were waiting to be picked up from school.

A strange contraption that, upon investigation, was something for stubbing out cigarette butts.

I have seen many historical bells but never struck one before. Believe me the reverberation was awesome!

Looking at the image of the Tibetan Monk on a map of his travels to India to obtain the Buddhist Scriptures was something we would have no time for in a package tour.

Taking time to enjoy being enveloped in a thick mist at the Ci En Pagoda in Sun Moon Lake.

The bell right at the top of the Ci En Pagoda that was seven storey high. The sound from this bell was super awesome!

Bamboo takes time to appreciate and we had that!

Ah, coffee and cheese cake and a view to soothe tired eyes and feet.

Hotspring Hotel in Wulai makes me feel like never wanting to leave.

If my bathroom has a view like this I would probably set up an office there.

The National Palace Museum and all its exhibits that make you wish you could spend a few days instead of a few hours enjoying them.

The Taipei MRT that was just superb! Despite the crowds during peak hour, despite the hordes of people thronging the stations you never suffer from nausea or claustrophobia for one reason - the people in Taiwan are super courteous and considerate because they queue, they wait for people to come out of the trains before going in. There was orderliness even in the way they travel on the escalators. Everyone automatically kept to the right side so that people in a hurry could get through with no hassle.

On the last day just hours before we set off for the airport we decided to take things easy and so we picked an MRT line that was above ground (The Wenhu or Brown Line) and travelled the length of it from one end to the other.

At the Taipei Zoo station which was at one end of the Wenhu line, we took the Maokong cable car ride that lasted an hour. We wanted to relax before going home and a train and cable-car ride just fit the bill perfectly.

Looking out at the buildings from upper levels of MRT stations. You get another perspective of the place you visit each time.

Yunnan - An 8-Day whirlwind tour of 4 cities in Yunnan Province

2011-01-03T02:40:00.000-08:00

In October, I took a package tour to visit 4 cities in Yunnan Province in China. We flew into Kumming city and worked our way up to Shangri-La (Zhong Dian) stopping over at Dali and Lijiang enroute.Click on the photo to see a blogful of photos on my wordpress blog.

Hong Kong Getaway

2010-05-29T04:55:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong and Macau trip - a great getaway. More photos here.

Flowers in Taiwan

2010-05-01T04:58:00.000-07:00

Most flowers that I have seen in Taiwan are those that can be found in Singapore except the Lavender flowers that need cooler climates to thrive.

Strawberry flower.

Hollyhock flowers.

Hibiscus.

Lavender.

Bauhinia blakeana.

Lotus.

Iris.

Food I miss

2010-04-21T20:47:00.000-07:00

Right now I am craving for this ice-cream poh piah that was sold by an elderly couple in front of Nantian Temple. The equivalent we have here is ice-cream sandwiched between two pieces of thin, rectangular wafer biscuit. This one is better because it has peanut shavings and ice-cream wrapped in poh piah skin is a lot less messy to eat.

The only food provided by the tour agent that I like was this sampling of various types of dumplings during one of our lunches.Siao Long Pao, yummy!

Dessert that was light and sweet.

Taipei Botanic Gardens

2010-04-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

On the first of our three-day extension, we had to move out of the hotel that the tour agent checked us into the night before to another one nearer to the Ximenting MRT. In between breakfast and check-out time at noon, we managed to visit the Taipei Botanic Gardens that is only one stop away from the Ximenting MRT. When we arrived, the Garden was bustling with groups of kindergarten children with their teachers as well as old folks taking their morning walk and doing their exercises.

It was a very hot morning with the sun blazing down on us and thank goodness for the trees that kept us cool most of the time.

Flowering palms.

A group of photographers were pointing their sophisticated camera lenses at some birds a short distance away and then along came a group of noisy kindergarten kids with their teacher.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens used to have monkeys that preyed on small kids with food in their hands such as packets of kachang puteh (peanuts). In the Taipei Botanic Gardens, there were no monkeys. Instead there were these spritely and bold squirrels scurrying up and down the tree trunks at lightning speed and prancing along railings close to people hoping that they would get some food from the humans eager to see their antics.

Surprise awaits. I saw this bird waiting for its lunch to meet an unfortunate ending in its beak.

The back of the National History Museum.

The National Museum of History where an exhibition of some of Van Gogh's work was held. Unfortunately I did not have time to take a look and forgot about it after I got back from Tainan. What a pity!

Taiwan HSR (High Speed Rail)

2010-04-15T00:34:00.000-07:00

My connection with this High Speed Train that runs along the western side of the island of Taiwan from Taipei to Zuoying near Kaoshiung, came about through a Taiwanese Soap Opera titled "Love".

This drama serial runs into a few hundred episodes and has kept me and my spouse occupied watching the taped episodes on lazy weekend afternoons when we just want to relax and laze around the house.

In this sometimes highly exciting and sometimes long-drawn out drama serial is a character who takes the HSR like one who takes a bus whenever he wants to go to Taipei to have a good time from his hometown in Jiayi. The journey is usually briefly depicted by this high speed train zooming across the TV screen between the two places mentioned.

After I confirmed my trip to Taiwan, I was really looking forward to taking this train from Taipei to visit my friend in Tainan during our extended stay after the tour ended. For others who would be leaving on the last day of the tour, the tour agent had included a 15-minute train ride from Taoyuan airport to Taipei Main Station just to provide us with the experience of having travelled in a high speed train.

The Taipei Main Station was massive, clean and spacious.

The boards telling us the departure times and platforms for the trains servicing the station. We had to be on time for if we missed this one, it would be problematic, said the guide. The train whooshed into the station and we were thrilled.

The inside of the carriages was very neat and clean. The train ride from Taoyuan to Taipei was very short. When the train reached Taipei Main Station, there were cleaners who boarded the train to pick up any litter and to sanitize the carriage, like what is done on an aeroplane.On board the train and enroute to Taipei, we had a glimpse of the bad weather.

People queuing up to buy tickets for the HSR. When we arrived in Taipei station, the guide took us through the MRT station and out above ground to our waiting coach.

On the day that I went to Tainan, I got onto the wrong train and had I taken it, I would have missed Tainan station because that particular train did not stop at Tainan. Luckily I discovered my mistake in time and managed to get onto the correct train. The journey was one hour and fifteen minutes and the train was said to travel up to a top speed of 300km an hour but was slower than that when it stopped at all stations as mine did. Imagine, if I had taken an ordinary train, it would have taken 4 hours from Taipei to Tainan but in a little more than half that time, I was in Tainan. I was as excited as a first-timer on a plane.

The length of the HSR from Taipei to Zuoying near Kaoshiung is 335.5 kms and the train weaved in and out of several tunnels during the course of its journey. I could only marvel at the speed and efficiency of this High Speed Train as nothing I had taken on land quite equal the experience of travelling in such great comfort. Of course the journey is not cheap. I paid close to $50 for an unreserved seat ticket and coming back from Tainan, I paid for a ticket at a discounted rate because it was past 6pm. Even then the price was around $43.

Tainan station where my friend picked me up from. The next evening, she sent me here again to catch the 9.17pm train back to Taipei and I nearly missed that train as well because a call came from home while I was at the platform waiting for the train. When it came, I was still talking and expecting people to come out of the train. After a while I realised that people were still inside the train and no one except me was on the platform and then the warning tone sounded for the train to take off. I panicked and jumped onto the train in the nick of time. Whew! So much for being young at heart. There is no denying that age does slow down the thinking process somewhat. Luckily as we get older, our intuitive powers are stronger.

Salt Fields in Tainan.

2010-04-14T23:28:00.000-07:00

If I read the Chinese description on a brochure correctly, this salt field is the oldest in Tainan. Click on the first photo to read about the salt-making process.

You are young only once but you can be young at heart always.

Longshan Temple in Taipei

2010-04-13T21:13:00.000-07:00

Longshan Temple was founded in 1738 and is just one or two stops away from Ximenting. I had a morning free on my own and went to this temple that is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy. The temple was rebuilt in 1919, the completion date was in 1924 and it was bombed during the war. The miraculous fact was that though the main prayer hall of the temple was destroyed by the bombs, the statue of the Goddess of Mercy was untouched.

Compared with other temples that I have seen, the roof of the Longshan temple is less elaborately decorated, with dragons and phoenixes being the predominant motifs. However, the interior of the temple is embellished with beautiful carvings with exceptional bronze pillars, the only ones in Taiwan.

This is the cleaning pool. I guess you have to metaphorically cleanse your mind and body before entering the main hall to pray.

Old ladies set around the temple on stools or steps to say prayers with their prayer beads.

This is the entrance to the main hall where the Goddess of Mercy is.

On either side of the main prayer hall are two towers - the drum tower on the left and the bell tower on the right. Incidentally I learned from our guide that when you enter a temple, you do so on its left side and exit on its right.

The unique bronze pillars at the entrance into the courtyard of the main hall.

The drum tower.

The MRT line with the station in front of Longshan Temple.

The male lion guarding the entrance to the temple from the MRT station.

Tamshui Fisherman's Wharf

2010-04-12T21:54:00.000-07:00

When I left Xinbeitou, it was about 4pm. I decided to take the MRT to the end of the blue line to Danshui which was reputed to be a place where you can view beautiful sunsets. By the time I arrived at the Danshui station, a red-bricked building and caught the bus no. 26 that took me to the Tamshui Fisherman's wharf it was cold and gloomy and hopes for a glorious sunset were dashed. In life you win some and you lose some. I walked around the area, crossed the Lovers' Bridge to be closer to the sea. Fishing activities have ceased and empty fishing boats have retired for the day. People went there to enjoy their evening walks and to have dinner in one of the numerous small restaurants and eating places. I went there to take a look and missing the sunset, I decided to head back to Ximenting on the crowded train.

Jiufen - Nine Portions

2010-04-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

Jiufen was a village up in the mountains near Taipei. It got its name (Nine Portions) from the nine families living there. Each time supplies from the town were needed, the order was always for nine portions, hence the name. Today I am sure there are more than 9 families judging by the flourishing tourist trade it does in the narrow streets winding amongst the old houses, some of them are much photographed by the tourists. I did not get to photograph any of the old buildings in Jiufen because the tour guide gave us only one and a half hours in this interesting place. We had to take lunch there, did some quick browsing and shopping for tid-bits before we were herded like sheep into the coach and taken to unnecessary shopping places by the guide. Still it was good to visit Jiufen again. I am glad that I spent a longer time there in my last trip to Taiwan.

A Mei Cultural Show

2010-04-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

Just before dinner at Hualien, we watched a cultural show put up by the A Mei tribe. Aside from the colourful costumes and lively dances, we were given an insight into the original way of life of this particular aboriginal tribe as well as their marriage customs. In my heart I wished that they were not performing for an audience and that the singing and dancing was carried out in the mountains where they celebrate important festivals and milestones in their lives. I do not want to participate in their mock marriage rituals as a tourist. I would have preferred to have been a guest they have invited to stay amongst them.

Night Markets in Taiwan - Liouhe market in Kaoshiung

2010-04-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

Everyone who has heard about Taiwan would ask about the Night Markets. It is a standard inclusion in a tour package. Taipei itself as several interesting ones. In this trip, I visited only two of these night markets. One was the Shilin Market in Taipei and the other one was the Liouhe Night Market in Kaoshiung. I found them interesting especially the numerous varieties of food one can find in these places. Two such markets was enough for me as shopping was not on my agenda in this trip and apart from the Taiwan tid-bits like pineapple tarts, Taiyang bing (Sun biscuits) and some souvenirs for friends, I found nothing that I could not buy back in Singapore. So I just enjoyed the street scenery and took lots of pictures. The slide show features the Night Market in Kaoshiung and ladies posing in the second photo were strangers who took so long to pose in front of the signage that I gave up waiting for my turn.

Xinbeitou - Thermal Spring

2010-04-11T07:39:00.000-07:00

I have spent an entire afternoon at the Xinbeitou Park by myself. Such peaceful surroundings where nature and buildings harmonise perfectly, where I forgot about time and forgot about who I was for just a few hours.

Leaving the Thermal Spring and walking back to Xinbeitou Station I was amused by the tree-stump characters in front of an Arts Centre.

Xinbeitou station, going back to Ximenting.

Xinbeito - River walk

2010-04-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

I was half-tempted to get down to the river, remove my shoes and soak my feet in the sulphur-laden spring water of this stream.

Old Bridge at Xinbeitou

2010-04-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

From the Hot Spring Museum, I walked further up the park towards the Thermal Hot Spring and came to this bridge that seemed to come have appeared from the past.

Xinbeito - Hot Spring Museum

2010-04-11T03:58:00.000-07:00

Continuing my walk in the park, I came across this isolated building that looked like someone's grand residence. It turned out to be the Hot Spring Museum formerly a Bath House built by the Japanese. Admission was free and we had to take off our shoes and wear the slippers provided at the entrance. Inside the wooden floor and fittings gave a feeling of peace and comfort. The inside was Japanese in layout but the bath area reminded me of the Roman baths.

Now and then...

Beautiful stained class windows and arches on the second floor made me feel like I had just stepped out of Japan and entered Europe. Outside there was a pavilion for tired visitors to take a rest and there I saw an old man playing a bamboo flute. The music seemed to have flowed out from a long gone era where you might expect to see kimono-clad geishas walking down the road.

Click on the photo to read about this museum.

Xinbeitou - where I spent an afternoon in solitude

2010-04-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

What brought me to Xinbeitou was really to see the fountain in the park there that was featured in Jimmy Liao's famous work "Turn Left, Turn Right". I set that as my target and what I saw along the way were more than pleasant surprises. I discovered that the park was simply beautiful. There was a library that had won an award for Best Green Building Design, a Hot Spring Museum and an amusing reception by a train that brought us from Beitou Station on the main MRT Line to Xinbeitou where I intended to go.

Tainan "Xiao Zhi"

2010-04-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

After my friend picked me up from the High Speed Rail Station in Tainan City, she offered me three choices for dinner. Two of them were in restaurants and the last one, which I took up without hesitation was Tainan xiao zhi (small eats). Translated it means that I get to savour the street food that is the highlight of a visit to Taiwan. Here's what we ate for dinner that night:

Fried Oysters that were so fresh and juicy I never want to eat them again in Singapore. Actually I rarely eat this dish in Singapore. In another country and based on the recommendation of my friend, I threw caution to the wind and the amount of oysters I consumed in two days was probably equivalent to what I had eaten in the past two years.

One needs more than one stomach to properly digest all the food shown here. Luckily I had a light lunch before going to Tainan to meet my friend and I really appreciate the variety in taste and preparation of the food I was lucky to have had a chance to taste.

Fried oysters with beansprouts coated with a thick sweet sauce, herbal duck soup, pig intestines, rice with steamed peanuts, meat floss and small bits of fatty pork and the smooth-as-silk beancurd topped with three types of beans...that was only the beginning.

More in the next post - Breakfast, lunch and dinner the following day.

Tainan Xiao Zhi

2010-04-07T08:15:00.000-07:00

Continuing the gastronomic journey the following day, my friend took me back to the same place that we had dinner the night before because some of the stalls were not open then and she wanted me to try some of the typical Tainan xiao zhi there.

She asked if I would like to try pig's tongue in a mantou (bun) and I thought that it was time I took a big leap forward to include parts of the pig that did not form a part of my normal diet. It turned out that the pig's tongue was quite palatable and with some pickled vegetables added, this unusual snack was tasty and non-oily.

Across from the stall that sold the pig-tongue buns, my friend and I sat on the wooden stools on the edge of the road and she ordered the kind of street fare typical of street fare in Tainan.

The two ladies were serving a specialty called "Wan Kau" and "Yu Geng". My friend said that there are a few other stalls elswhere that served these dishes but the taste of each stall was distinctive.

She asked the stall-holders if we could buy food from the stall next to it and eat it at their stalls. Unlike the unfriendly "No outside food" policy in some of our local eating places, these ladies had no objection at all and so we had a bowl of yu geng each, hers with noodles and mine with fine vermicelli. Simply delicious!

Along the same row of stalls was this famous Spring roll stall. It was doing a brisk take-away business and was open the night before. My friend bought two of these spring rolls but we could not eat anymore for supper. We ate them for lunch and even though it was not freshily made, it did not disappoint. The spring rolls were like our poh piah except tthat they were bigger and tastier. I really enjoyed them.

We went to another place after breakfast to look for a special coffee brew. Unfortunately, the boss whom my friend knew was away. She said that you had to order the coffee in advance. I guess with the boss around some rules could be relaxed. Next time I guess. So we walked around the area and I got to see how the shops made their frontage look like a mini museum.

It was late morning by the time we we were ready to move on to another place to explore and thereafter it was lunch time! In a place well-known for the freshness of its oysters what else was there to try but oysters. We had oysters fried in two different ways and would have had more if we did not want to think about the harmful effects of over eating them.

On the drive back to Tainan city we came across this water-melon pick-up truck and the rest was predictable. We brought the watermelon back for dinner and it was so sweet and juicy I could have eaten the entire half-portion my friend bought if there was still space in my stomach after the meal she cooked for me. She also gave me a gigantic guava that was crunchy and sweet to take back with me to Taipei.

For dinner, my dear friend made a "huo kuo" (steamboat) for me.

In the afternoon she had taken me to a fishing port and bought a few good portions of fish that had come from the fishing boats and had not been frozen yet. Though it was not a true steamboat as she had prepared the dish over the stove and it was served with rice later on the dining table, it was super delicious. Let me see, I think she put water in the pot to boil and added a few slurps of miso soup base and loaded the fish head that was chopped up into smaller portions. She let it boil for about an hour and over time added the following ingredients (as much as I can recall): ginger, spring onion stems, pumpkin, bean curd, two types of mushrooms, meat balls, a few types of vegetables. I guess you could add anything you fancy since it is a steam boat meal. It was a really super sumptuous dinner and I am going to try to do this dish at home.

I only had a day and a night in Tainan and thanks to the hospitality of my Taiwanese friend, I was able to enjoy myself thoroughly. Thanks also to the Taiwan High Speed Train I could meet up with her even though I was in Taipei and she, in the south in Tainan. Eating could be such a good way to enjoy friendship and I look forward to her coming to visit me someday. I already have a whole lot eating places lined up for her!

Ten Days in Taiwan - See slideshow for an overview

2010-04-06T02:25:00.000-07:00

It was my second visit to Taiwan. Unlike the first trip, I did a 6-day package tour that brought my friends and I almost round the entire island. We extended our stay by three more days and I went to Tainan on an overnight trip to visit my friend and I had a great time there. More dedicated posts will follow this one. Click here to see the slideshow.

Taiwan, country of many temples

2010-04-03T05:01:00.000-07:00

This is the Wen Wu Temple in the tourist area of Sun Moon Lake, one of the temples the tour took us to enroute from Taipei to Kaoshiung.

Genting Highlands 2001

2010-03-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

In 2001, Genting Highlands in Malaysia was where the chief draw then was the Casino with families being contented with a small theme park with rides exciting to kids in those days. On some mornings, you could be fortunate enough to witness scenes that looked like this - not all the time but we experienced this beautiful sea of clouds from a height of close to 6000ft. I don't think that now with global warming, Genting Highlands will ever present such a beautiful show on earth as it did then.

Japan in Summary

2010-01-10T01:36:00.000-08:00

People in passing

2010-01-05T07:17:00.000-08:00

People on the streets, in the market, in front of their houses - most of them were not aware that I had taken photos of them to help me remember what the journey was like from Jiuzhaigou to Chengdu as seen through the window of the coach.

From Jiuzhaigou to Chengdu by coach

2010-01-05T06:13:00.000-08:00

Flying into Jiuzhaigou and leaving by bus is not so good an idea as it increases the chances of getting altitude sickness. This was what happened to me when I arrived at Jiuzhaigou because I did not get to acclimatise to the sudden change in altitude gradually. It would have been better to have taken a coach up to Jiuzhaigou and leaving by air instead of the other way round. Fortunately I was not too badly affected after the first day.

The coach journey was something I did not want to think about while I was on the bus as the best way not to scare yourself unnecesarily is to just put your trust in God and believe that when the driver errs in his judgement, God will put things right. As the bus driver swung around the corners of the winding roads and descended the mountain at speeds we did various things to distract ourselves from imminent disaster. Sleeping, reading, listening to music, chatting. Me? I just pointed my camera at the passing scenery and concentrated on getting good shots. That of course was just make-believe for what miracles could happen with just an autofocus digital camera. Still, it was a good record of the journey as we drove through interesting scenery especially encountering snow shortly after we left Jiuzhaigou which was totally something we did not expect.

Sedona - Cowboys and Red Indians

2010-01-04T07:25:00.000-08:00

My second visit to USA was made in the first week of February 2003 and I took an early flight out to Phoenix on the second day of Chinese New Year. I spent a week in the US, very close to Las Vegas but did not have enough time to drop by for an IR preview. I managed to spend two of the seven days with a friend on day-tours to Sedona and the Grand Canyon in the last two days of our trip. Before my memory reaches a point of no recall, I thought I should put on record what I saw there. I do not remember the exact names of the places visited and so the photos will have to do more work here.

The first stop of our Sedona itinerary was to this cliff where a certain Red Indian tribe made their homes that were safe from intruders being high above the ground.

The characteristic landscape of Sedona that those of us who grew up with Cowboy and Red Indian movies are familar with.

We visited a small church that had a magnificent view of the Sedona landscape.

Houses blend into the surroundings.

The town of Sedona.

Rock formation that resembles a ship. You can see different formations elswhere.

Next, we were brought to a small town on the edge of a defunct copper mine.

There was a museum, souvenir shops and interesting bits of history that fed our interest.

From this mining town, we got a panaramic view of the Sedona landscape.

Next - The Grand Canyon.

Bangkok with the family in 2004

2010-01-01T04:28:00.000-08:00

We watched the sunset on the rotating platform of the observatory floor of the Bayoke Hotel.
We went on a Chao Phraya River cruise stopping by at the usual tourist places like this palace covered with decorative porcelain pieces.
Photo-taking sessions dressed in costumes of your choice.
Buying everything from sandals to souvenirs.
Walking around the city of Bangkok.
Praying at the Erawan Shrine.
Meeting an old friend who greeted us the Thai way.
Visiting a War Memorial.
Taking a day-trip to the Bridge on the River Kwai at Kanchanaburi.

Taking a train ride to have a bird's eye view of the River Kwai.
Taking the train to the Chatuchak Market.
Looking at food that were so inviting.

Shopping at Mabunkong.

The People I photogaphed in China - The Men

2009-12-31T00:22:00.000-08:00

Monks I saw from a distance stretching my zoom lens to the maximum. They were walking very briskly, just look at their strides.

Venice in China?

Rounding up the ducks for the dinner table.

Roasting chesnuts by the road. I took their photos and promised to send them the hard copies which I did after the trip. I just hope that they received the photos.

Granddad holds the purse-strings to the collection from the usage of the toilets.

Bamboo root old men.

2009-12-30T23:58:00.000-08:00

I cannot say much about these ladies - why their dressing was so unique. I wish I had taken more interest in them other than photographing them. This old lady with the beautiful complexion beckoned me from a distance to look at what she was selling in the sack she was dragging along. It was an opportunity to interact and I did not take it up. What a pity! Look at the interesting head dress and the interesting motif on her jacket and black skirt. These photos were taken at a small town where our bus was stalled for about an hour because of a rocky landslide that blocked our route back to Chengdu.

Despite her cheerful attire, this lady was a picture of sadnes. Her furrowed brows and melancholic demeanour makes me wonder what could have been bothering her. In contrast, her grandson was oblivous to all the worries around him.

The embroidery on the dresses and head dresses of the women I saw in this town were colourful and had intricate patterns. I only dared to take this shot because I was inside the bus and this picture was shot through the glass window. I might have been picked up and tossed over the bus by this huge lady if I had been right in front of her. Thank goodness for zoom lenses.This lady was not too pleased I took her picture. A smile would have made a world of difference.

The People I photographed in China - Cultural Show artistes

2009-12-30T23:51:00.000-08:00

If you ever go to Jiuzhaigou and a Cultural Show is in the package deal, do not miss it. Words and just a few photos do not do enough justice to the splendour of this magnificent presentation of the music and dance of ethnic minority groups in China.

The People I photogaphed in China - Sales Ladies

2009-12-30T23:38:00.000-08:00

Trinkets, semi-precious jewellery, beanies, shawls - they are good gifts for friends if you are shrewd at bargaining.

A convenient fast-food joint where take-a-ways can be had in minutes.

Costumes for hire. Use your own camera.

Dried mushrooms weighed using a old-fashion weighing machine.

Here's the number to my brother's mobile. Keeping up with the latest news brought to you by the inter-city bus driver.

The People I photogaphed in China - Young ladies

2009-12-30T23:15:00.000-08:00

Tibetan ladies peddling their wares on a wooden bridge. She stole a glance while I stole a picture.
This was taken on one of the tourist buses plying the routes in the Jiuzhaigou National Park. I wish I had a better camera.

This Tibetan young lady wanted me to buy some of the things she was selling. I asked to take a picture of her and then bought a few beaded bracelets from her. See that beautiful shawl on her shoulder? I should have bought that too but by the time she indicated she wanted me to buy it, I was already on the bus and it was ready to leave.

I do not know what the baskets were meant to carry. Regrets for not asking. This picture was taken at an old town where centuries old wooden buildings were preserved for tourists. There were shops restaurants and souvenir stalls.

These young ladies, probably restaurant staff, were preparing garlic for cooking. This girl was at one of the rest-stops along the way from Jiuzhaigou to Chengdu. Take note of the interesting sleeves.

The bus was given a wash while we took a break from the long journey back to Chengdu.

Stylish road sweeper. Reminds me of the movie "Hibiscus Town".

People I photographed in China - Precious Child

2009-12-30T23:01:00.000-08:00

This little boy was wandering around the place as if that was his territorial right having no fear for the heavy vehicles and buses winding down the road past this rest-stop. Nearby a kind of ram with white fur stood with their owners waiting for tourists to hire them for short rides.

People I photographed in China - Mother and Child

2009-12-30T09:01:00.000-08:00

In 2003, I visited Jiuzhaigou in China. Our group took a domestic flight from Chengdu and the return journey was by bus and I had many opportunities to photograph people on the return trip as we made ample rest stops along the winding road from the mountainous area to the city. I did not have a DSLR camera, only my Olympus digital with the 10x zoom lens. These are pictures that I like and looking at them bring back pleasant memories and the thoughts I had as I took them.

An industrious mum and her tolerant baby. This lady is part of a family-run business selling drinks, roasted chestnuts, fruits, tidbits and souvenirs by the side of the main road down to Chengdu. I was drawn to her because of her cute baby and the way she went about doing business as if the baby was weightless. It was a pity that I did not talk to her to find out more about her and her culture. Just look at the beautiful embroidery on her cap.She has very strong features, rather unusual, so I think perhaps she belongs to another ethnic group.

Hey Grandma, can you play with me?

The baby was falling asleep, probably tired from being turned and tilted every few seconds as her mum went about her unceasing activities. Look at that all that beautiful embroidery!

Unique hat. I was contemplating whether to crop this picture to remove the smiling man. I decided not to for he amplified the friendliness and the warmth of this family that was happy to cater to our needs. Also he provided a contrast to the profiles of the man and the woman in the picture and we somehow switch our focus on him and then on the other two at our will.

Baby could not really sleep but she never cried or sulked.

She's got mum's lovely big eyes.

My year in the United Kingdom

2009-12-29T08:31:00.000-08:00

Twenty years ago, I did my post-graduate studies in the United Kingdom. I dug out my old albums and photographed the photos using my Canon IXUS 970. As expected, the picture quality is way below standard. Nevertheless, I felt I had to document my year spent away from family for my children because their world revolves around computers, so how could I let an exciting chapter of my life be missing from theirs. So this slideshow has been put together after many hours, most of it in front of the TV.

Malacca Town

2009-12-27T00:41:00.000-08:00

The last time we had a family holiday in Malacca was nearly two years ago. This time we went with our friends and stayed with them at Makhota Hotel and our kids relived their childhood with each other still playing XBox and PSP screaming with excitement in the middle of the night playing virtual catching with each other.

They had great fun and we had a wonderful time too eating and going around Malacca. Many changes have taken place and Malacca is quite a 'happening' place especially around the river. There are river cruises, duck tours and new shopping places. Keep up the good work Malacca!

Mt Ophir (Gunung Ledang) Set #2

2009-12-08T22:58:00.000-08:00

Mt Ophir or Gunung Ledang is 1276m (4187ft) high. Legend has it that a beautiful princess who lived there was courted by the Sultan. She agreed to marry him only if he could fulfill three of her wishes. He managed two of them but could not deliver the last which was to give her the blood of his son. As expected, the princess did not marry him.

From the map taken at the visitor lounge of the resort, it would appear that there are three routes up to the top of Mt Ophir. We took the centre route not intending to climb to the top for it would have not been possible given that we were not well-equipped to do so. However, we had an enjoyable leisurely walk next to small waterfalls observing people cooling themselves in the cold water and looking at the trees, termites, fungi and hoping to see the dusky leaf monkeys again.

Mt Ophir - Set #1

2009-12-02T07:05:00.000-08:00

It may sound crazy to drive 100 km to Tangkak in Johore, Malaysia just for a day. The objective was to visit Mt Ophir, not to climb it but to enjoy a leisurely stroll along the trek a short distance up. Waterfalls along the way, dipping tired feet in the cold water. Waterfalls - I like them very much.

Day Trip to Kukup

2009-11-27T07:11:00.000-08:00

Kukup is a seaside village about an hour and a half from the Tuas Checkpoint in Singapore. We took a drive on a weekday in the late morning and arrived at the village with enough time to take a leisurely stroll amongst the numerous houses built on the water's edge. Kukup is famous for its seafood and attracts Singaporeans during weekends and holidays. On a weekday, the place is peaceful and quiet. We did not come across a single Singaporean for the entire time that we were there. It was a wonderful trip - not good for business but great for us. The weather was heavenly as the sun was behind clouds most of the time and we enjoyed walking around in the cool weather.

5 Days in Ho Chi Minh City

2009-11-23T19:56:00.000-08:00

More photos here>>>>>

Nongsa Village, Batam Island

2009-09-28T01:15:00.000-07:00

Get family and close friends together and hop on an inexpensive ferry to Nongsa Village on Batam Island, Indonesia. As it was not the peak season for holiday makers, we had the whole beach to ourselves and enjoyed a very relaxing and hassle-free vacation.

Thailand, a long time ago...

2009-03-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

Memories come from these photos taken a long time ago in one of the few trips I ever made to Thailand. I went to Bangkok and Ayuthya with a friend and I had a good time.

More photos>>>>>

Melbourne

2008-08-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

Gallivanting along Flinders Street by the Yarra River. Not my choice of a holiday destination but I was destined to be there. So apart from this favourite photo, there are MORE...

Malacca Dec 2007

2007-12-23T00:53:00.000-08:00

More photos here>>>>>

Fraser's Hill, Malaysia

2007-12-10T19:56:00.001-08:00

In November, I had a short getaway to a mountain resort in Malaysia. Photos and write-up on a blog I set up specially to document this holiday:

http://frasershillholiday2007.blogspot.com/

Turkey2001

2007-08-23T20:59:00.000-07:00

Cappadocia in October

where the skies are bluer

than what I have seen before

Time was short and I wanted more

Next time, perhaps...

More photos soon...

Spain in 1991 - Segovia

2007-08-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

In my second trip to Spain, I flew into Madrid making that my base for day trips out to Toledo and Segovia by train.. The photos below show the highlight of my visit to Segovia which lies to the north-west of Madrid.

All tourists head towards the gigantic stone structure built by the Romans. What is it?

It is an aqueduct constructed to bring water from the mountains into Segovia. See how tiny the cars are? What an engineering feat considering that they were just huge stones stacked on top of each other.

Malacca Retreat 9 - 10 Aug 2007

2007-08-13T03:56:00.000-07:00

Web Album of my trip to Malacca

Holiday in Malacca that was different from previous ones. A wonderful retreat into a world of lazing, eating and moving at a pace set by the need to relax.

Tanjong Kling

Sea view.

Have you seen Malacca or parts of it from a high building?

Have you ever noticed how lovely some of the old houses are?

Spain in 1991

2007-08-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

The Cathedral in Seville

More Photos here.

I visited Spain twice. Once with a friend with whom I spent time in Seville and Granada before going it alone to Barcelona after she left for home. The second time was a free-and-easy trip to Madrid on my own again.

In Barcelona I remember waiting for the Tourist Information Office to open on the first day I was there. Soon as it did, I just asked what I should not miss in Barcelona if I only had threedays. The staff at the office were wonderful. Detailed maps materialised from below the counter, important places were circled, essential information provided and I spent about 20 minutes at the office planning my day one itinerary.

The next two days were a breeze also because the transport system (trains) were fantastic. That was the year before the Olympics in Barcelona. Spain was all spruced up for the grand event and I went there when the weather was sunny and cool and everything looked great. Spain is a beautiful country. It is huge but what historical and artistic treasures you will find there in the cities of Madrid, Barcelona, Granada and Seville and I am sure in other places that I have not visited.

View from the Alhambra at Granada

The Spanish loved art and all things beautiful.

Parc Guell that was designed by the famous Antoni Gaudi.

Beijing 2000

2007-07-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

More photos here

This was my first visit to China with a friend. We took an 8-day package tour to Beijing that also included side treks to Tianxin for half a day and to Chengde where we spent a night. The photo of the Great Wall of China is first on this post because that was the most memorabe and wonderful part of the tour. Next in line is the Forbidden city. The guide took us there at the beginning of the tour. It was raining that day and we were herded like sheep from the North Gate to the South Gate through thick crowds of visitors. Needless to say, one of the highlights of the trip was marred. Fortunately on the last day of the trip, we returned to the Forbidden City on our own having ditched the last day of the set itinerary that would have taken us to see the Marco Polo bridge and something that was not worth spending time on.

The problem with these package tours is that we inevitably end up wasting precious time in shops and places that should have been better spent on the places of interest. Which was why when I went to Jiuzhaigou a few years later, I joined a group that was organised privately and each of us paid about SGD$60 to ensure that we did not stopover at any souvenior shops or places that were not in our itinerary. That was the best packaged tour I ever went on.

Boston in 2001

2007-07-14T03:34:00.001-07:00

This was my first trip to the USA. It was not city I had chosen to visit. If it was a pleasure trip, I would have chosen New York.

More photos here.

http://flowersinsingapore.com/Albums4/Boston2001/index5.html

Japan2005

2007-07-05T08:01:00.000-07:00

Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun. My first visit with my daughter was in March 2005.

More photos here.

Hong Kong 2006

2007-07-01T00:02:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong has a lot more to offer the free-and-easy visitor other than shopping. I had a lovely time there in October last year with my daughter.

More photos here.

Taiwan in 2004

2007-06-28T00:37:00.001-07:00

When package tours were first popularised in Singapore more than 20 years ago, everyone going on these tours went to Taiwan. As other tourist markets opened up and more people could afford to travel, Taiwan as a mass tourish destination dropped out of favour. China became the top draw and Taiwan was hardly mentioned. In 2004 I went there to visit a friend and was glad that I did not have to be part of a tour group. I had great fun as my pictures show.

More photos here.

Bintan Lagoon Resort

2007-06-24T01:57:00.000-07:00

A short getaway from the city to Bintan Lagoon Resort on Bintan Island, Indonesia.More photos...