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Boneless Salted Water Chicken (去骨盐水鸡) @ Shida Night Market (師大夜市), Taipei

April 13, 2014, 7:18 am
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One of the recommended eats from friends who had been to Taiwan was this particular stall in Shida Night Market selling a product known literally as  Salted Water Chicken! 

With a mish mash of ingredients in the humongous metal pot, i knew i would not be so adventurous to go for internal organs like kidney etc and indicated almost immediately to the lady for a serving of chicken breast meat for takeaway. 

The peppery fragrance was noticeably strong and i bet i can feel Alex's thoughts at that point! He must be saying in his picky head that he would have nothing to do with this purchase and Cavin would have to ingest everything himself!

This was exactly what happened in the end! 

Anyway, coming back to the subject, this chicken was too tough and oily for my liking (changing it to thigh meat might be better) and i couldn't say i enjoy the spicy, peppery flavour (nor do i like white / steamed chicken skin). The one comparison that came to mind was Singapore's famous Hainanese Chicken and it would win this cold Chicken in Salted Water without minimal effort! 

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Location 
Within Shida Night Market (師大夜市). Just walk along the main street of activity; Long Quan (龍泉街) and you would be sure to see the same stall in the first photograph.

Prices
Chicken Breast Meat - NT$60

Menu
As above
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Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺北) [9 Days 8 Nights Taiwan Trip] - Summarised Itinerary

April 14, 2014, 7:35 am
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From a high of over 5,000 photographs, i have finally managed to pare the number down to about 4,300 plus and this shall make it easier for me to sieve through the thousands of pictures taken in Taiwan for publication on this blog!

As with my last overseas journey, i shall provide a summarised overview and link up accordingly once more comprehensive entries are posted. Bookmark this page and check back periodically for the updated links. :)

Day One: 
Singapore -> Taoyuan (桃園) -> Cingjing (清境)
[12.45am] Departed punctually for Taoyuan (Taiwan) via Scoot Airlines! It had been a while since Alex last took the plane and boy was he excited, especially after all the media hype on the missing MH370.

[5.30am] Reached Taoyuan without any delay! The plane actually landed ten minutes before the confirmed timing. I was so worried i wouldn't have sufficient buffer to take the 7.39am high speed rail (which i had already paid for) as i heard from friends that Scoot had a bad record in adhering to confirmed timings.

[6.00am] Bought the bus tickets for Taoyuan High Speed Rail Station (HSR). For those who are unaware, the airport is not seamlessly connected to the high speed rail and you would still require a 15-20 minute bus ride. Take into account waiting time, traffic condition etc and you can understand why i was jittery!

[7.35am] Arrival of the bullet train that departed at exactly 7.39am!

[8.16am] Over a distance of 134.9 kilometers, it took us only less than an hour to step off the train at Taichung HSR station! After a few minutes of consideration, we decided to take up an offer to share a cab with two other travellers to Cingjing!

[9.50am] Honestly, it makes better sense as the driver would send us directly to the door-step of our designated accommodation and the journey does not involve multiple stops along the way. Eighty minutes later (at 9.50am), we were already drinking coffee in the dining / reception area of Misty Villa (雲濛仙境民宿).

[10.40am] Since we could not check in to our room till noon (officially, it should be 3pm), we left our luggage with the villa and proceeded to our first true-blue attraction in Taiwan; the small swiss garden (小瑞士花園)!

[12.30pm] Greeted with a breathtaking scenery as i opened the door to the balcony of our pink room (you read it right; it was obscenely pink). Did i also mention that it was damn chilly in Cingjing?

[2.00pm] Free shuttle provided by the villa to the main attraction in Cingjing; the Green Green Grassland (青青草原) where we had a blast rollicking on the turd-filled turf!

[5.00pm] Dinner was tricky since the area was said to be reputable for Yunnan-style cuisine but we all know our Mr Chiu; he might be better off with Western cuisine; hence, the Western-Asian Carton King (紙箱王) would be a better option.

Day Two:
Cingjing -> Sun Moon Lake (日月潭)
[3.30am] Time to wake up to prepare for our sunrise tour to Hehuanshan (合歡山)! Couldn't see a darn thing as the weather was incredibly cloudy that day although we did manage to survive a low temperature of 2.6°C wearing only attire suitable for 15°C.

[8.00am] Breakfast first before taking the 9.00am shuttle (chargeable) to bring us to Sun Moon Lake! Bloody, i should have assigned one more night at Cingjing so that i can truly relax; it was so hectic to shuffle from one place to another!

[10.25am] Sun Moon Lake - Shueishe Pier; one of three main piers and definitely the one bustling with the most activities! We opted for a hotel on the opposite shore (Itashao Pier) where it was much quieter.

[11.30am] Dropped our luggage at the tea-house lookalike hotel; Cherng Yuan Hotel (澄園渡假旅店) before we trekked over to the Sun Moon Lake Cable Car Ropeway!

[12.15pm] Taking the ropeway; our aim was to explore the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village (九族文化村) and not just to enjoy a bird's eye view of the lake.

[12.50pm] Don't be mistaken; it wasn't your usual kind of village! In addition to educating visitors of the aboriginal tribes in Taiwan, it had a good sized theme park where Alex was damn impressed with the incredibly fun Caribbean Splash!

[4.45pm] We can finally rest our smelly feet in the comfort of our hotel room!

[6.00pm] Had a local meal at Fuyuan Restaurant which included the area's specialty; the pretty expensive President's fish that came with tonnes of bones!

[7.00pm] Roamed the Itashao market street where we snacked a bit and did a bit of window shopping before tucking in for an early night.

Day Three: 
Sun Moon Lake -> Taichung (臺中)
[7.30am] Having a relaxing breakfast in the outdoor section facing the misty sun moon lake. If only life can be so comfortable every single day!

[8.15am] Did the touristy thing by taking a bus to Xuan Guang temple (玄光寺); we waited till 9.30am to try out the immensely popular Ah Po tea leaves eggs!

[11.00am] Time to board the ferry - we would be making our way to the third largest city in Taiwan this time; Taichung! Night markets, here we come!

[1.15pm] The iconic Taichung station which was super near to our choice of accommodation in the city; the four-star 53 Hotel. Ease of accessibility would be beneficial for our move the next day to Taichung HSR station.

[2.00pm] With the helpful directions from the hotel's reception, we got to Yizhong Shopping Street (一中商圈) in twenty minutes! My bad, it should have been faster if i didn't make a wrong turn.

[7.00pm] After checking in to the hotel and taking a much needed shower, it's time to hit the street again for one of the more popular night markets in Taiwan; Fengjia Night Market (逢甲夜市)!

Day Four: 
Taichung -> Taipei (臺北)
[7.15am] Despite sleeping at close to 2.00am, we had to drag ourselves out of bed so that we could have enough buffer to have our breakfast, board the railway train and get to the HSR station in time. Hectic, hectic, hectic!

[11.00am] Safe and sound in Taipei; the capital of Taiwan! Typical of accommodations in Taiwan, we could not check in till after 3pm although you are free to leave your luggage with the reception staff who would take great care of them.

[11.30am] Accidentally barged in to the protest zone of the Sunflower Student Movement (太陽花學運) while searching for a shop i found from online reviews. The shop was not open for business but it was still an experience to see the differences in civic movements between Singapore and Taiwan.

[2.30pm] Reception staff of CityInn Hotel Taipei Station Branch I (新驛旅店) were kind enough to allow us an earlier check-in! Frankly, the level of customer service in Taiwan was generally so much better than Singapore and this was one of the many reasons that i am missing Taiwan so much now!

[4.30pm] Left for Ximending (西门町); a vibrant place filled with youngsters, activists, evangelists and tourists! Don't ask me about Ah Zhong Mian Xian (阿宗麵線); i didn't want to waste my time queuing and i have never really fancied mian xian. Had our dinner at a 68-year old Japanese restaurant instead; Mei Guan Yuan (美觀園).

[7.00pm] Patronised two night markets at one go; the Guangzhou Street Night Market (艋舺夜市) where Alex was beaming over his great buy, and the disappointing Huaxi Street Night Market (華西街觀光夜市).

Day Five: 
Taipei
[8.30am] Rise and shine for our first pre-booked tour with a cab driver who sent us to notable landmarks like Yehliu Geopark (野柳地質公園), Jiufen (九份), Golden Waterfall (黄金瀑布), Yin-Yang Sea (陰陽海), Keelung Night Market (基隆廟口夜市) and of course, Shifen (十分).

More details would be provided in due course!

[9.30pm] A bit too late for Shida Night Market (師大夜市) and i guess our feet were also too tired to check the numerous shops catering to students studying in the nearby university.

Day Six: 
Taipei
[9.30am] Stepped out of the hotel for a trip to Maokong (猫空) which used to be one of the largest tea growing area in Taipei! Riding in the crystal cable car was one of the highlights! 

[1.15pm] You wouldn't believe this. Alex literally teared apart my well-planned itinerary to accommodate a visit to the time-heavy Taipei Zoo! 

[4.45pm] The spot i have been waiting for since my arrival in Taiwan; Shenkeng (深坑) also known as the tofu capital of Taiwan! Time to indulge in the smelly tofu that this place is renowned for! 

[8.00pm] Ningxia Night Market (寧夏夜市)! There are so many night markets in Taipei; i could not finish visiting all of them even though i went to a new one every day!

Day Seven: 
Taipei
[9.30am] Left for Beitou where we could have our very first hot spring - which wasn't that amazing as compared to the mesmerising Hell Valley (as shown in the above picture)!

[2.30pm] Strolled along Yongkang Street (永康街) as our planned late lunch at the original store of Din Tai Feng was unsuccessful due to pending renovation work on that day! Sad sad sad. 

[4.20pm] Life goes on! 
Let's take on the third tallest building in the world; Taipei 101! 

[7.05pm] Window shopped at Hankyu Department Store before we did actual shopping at the wholesale market; Wufenpu (五分埔)! Ended the night at the nearby Raohe Street Night Market (饒河街觀光夜市)! 

Day Eight: 
Taipei
[8.00am] Early morning out to Wulai (烏來)! Thought of soaking again in the hot spring by the side of the stream but the weather turned out to be too warm for us! We eventually spent more time in a dated resort theme park known as Yun hsien Resort (雲仙樂園) and the old street of Wulai. 

[5.30pm] The mother of all night markets in Taiwan; Shilin (士林夜市)! And it lives up to its reputation as there was so much to see, so much to eat and so much to shop! 

Day Nine: 
Taipei - Singapore
[8.20am] Since this would be our final day, I die die had to try the best luroufan in Taipei; Jin Feng (金峰魯肉飯|). I am taking my cue from the great Kon as his professional opinion is that the best one in Taiwan doesn't reside in the capital. 

[9.15am] Checked out the expansive grounds of Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall (中正紀念堂) that was built in the same year i was born and caught the change-of-guards ceremony at 10am! 

[3.00pm] Packed our luggage, had our lunch at Dian Shui Lou (點水樓), collected my fruits and it would be time for us to take the transport to Taoyuan International Airport.

[5.55pm] With a heavy heart, we said our goodbye to Taiwan. It had been a fantastic holiday and you bet we would be back very soon!  

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Remember to check back for the updates!
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Cingjing Misty Villa (清境雲濛仙境民宿) - Supposedly Singaporeans' Favourite Minsu in Cingjing Farm!

April 15, 2014, 8:27 am
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Minsu (民宿) is a popular choice of accommodation in Taiwan. Although i am new to its concept, we decided to book one for a night stay in my recent trip to Cingjing Farm. 

There were many to choose from but Misty Villa came strongly recommended as the choice for many Singaporeans; the Great Kon had in fact attempted and failed to book for a room the last time he was there and advised me to reserve a room as soon as i bought the air tickets! 

Do keep in mind that reservation is done via the website and there is a down payment to secure the room (balance would be charged upon your arrival). Although you could always send an email to seek clarification, the website is hard to navigate for those who could not understand Chinese.

As i mentioned in my trip overview, the cab driver from Taichung HSR sent us all the way to Misty Villa and the first thing that appeared was this steep slope leading to the villa. I am thankful i brought along a luggage with four wheels and pushing it up was still pretty manageable.

Reception counter was located within the restaurant in the first building we came upon; despite the typical restaurant layout, the owners did inject some homely elements to differentiate the place from conventional hotels. 

For example, an apparently not working fireplace cluttered with decorations, toys and even displays of personal photos to reflect its homely nature. 

At the other corner was the "books" section where you can find ample magazines and even comic books to while your time away in a relaxed manner either indoors or outdoors.

Complimentary coffee and tea were provided for those who had time.

There was even an energetic French Bulldog that came to entertain us! He was so bloody adorable and reminded me of the time i used to spend with my late Rubee. 

Coming back, here's the outdoor area where you can breathe in the crisp, fresh air while enjoying a platter of warm toast and sunny side ups early in the morning! 

Sight right ahead was the picturesque valley that stretched from one corner of your eye to the other. Of course, this was before i realised the view in my allocated room was even more charming! 

Even though I booked two months in advance, i was given only the choice of a room on the third floor of the villa. And you know what the best thing is? There wasn't any elevator! 

I counted; the number of elevated steps from the entrance (first photograph) to our room was a grand total of ninety-seven! It was an endurance session every time we needed to climb up; it was so tiring that i decided to go out without my gloves when i realised they were still in the room. 

The operator was aware it would be a demanding chore for those living on the top floor and have kindly placed a hanging chair at the end of the climb. Don't belittle it; it would really save you from blank out exhaustion! 

It's weird; the room allocated to us (two grown up men) was entirely in pink! It was so lovey dovey; we can understand why the lady receptionist was giving us funny looks when she handed over the key! 

Couldn't blame her with wall stickers like the above dotting the walls. Damn, i still could not believe the room was assigned to us! The first thing Alex said when he entered was "SO PINK"! 

The pink was so excessive; we had to take refuge at the balcony which had a mind blowing view of the surroundings! It was even more spectacular than the area outside the restaurant!

Back to the pinkish room again! Amenities included a flat screen television with many cable channels, hair dryer, free wifi which had rather good speed and a separate water tap for cold and hot water. 

There was one item i purposely missed out as i felt that there is a need to single it out to show my gratefulness to its existence. The heated mattress that allowed you the flexibility to set the level of heat. Without it, both of us would have likely frozen to death! No, there wasn't a radiator in the room.

Bathroom was at most basic and provided hot / cold water for showering and washing. As i said, basic and nothing fanciful like a bathtub or a rainfall shower head. 

Breakfast was inclusive with our booking; the usual stuff comprising toasts, eggs, sausages, ham, hash browns, porridge etc. There were also local favourites like radish cake, soya milk, spring onion pancakes etc. 

I am not complaining; the passive eater in me is easily satisfied with simple jam and butter spread on warmly toasted bread, and eggs. 

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Location
9號, 榮光巷, 大同村,
仁愛鄉, 南投縣 
[Near to the Little Swiss Garden]

Map
As above. Misty Villa is one of the more convenient minsu in Cingjing as its location is near to the Little Swiss Garden and food establishments like Carton King, 7-11, Starbucks, MOS Burger etc. 

Website for Booking

Additional Information
I may have complained a lot about the number of steps i have to take in order to reach my room but this problem could be easily resolved by staying on the lower levels! 

The main attraction, Cingjing Farm, is unfortunately not very near to the villa. On weekdays, there would be a free one-way shuttle provided by the villa at specific timings. On weekends, you would have to take a chargeable shuttle bus from the main road. 

Please also register with the reception counter if you wish to sign up for any optional sightseeing tour (for example, sunrise at hehuanshan, hot spring at lushan). Need a one-way transport to Sun Moon Lake? That can be arranged too (at a price of course)! 

For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.
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Ah Ma Tea Leaf Eggs (金盆阿嬷香菇茶葉蛋) @ Sun Moon Lake Xuan Guang Temple [日月潭玄光寺]

April 17, 2014, 8:30 am
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Mention famous eggs in Taiwan and you would likely get yourself confused over the Ah Po Metal Egg (阿婆铁蛋) in Danshui and Ah Po Tea Leaf Egg (阿婆茶葉蛋) in Sun Moon Lake. 

Confusion no more as the so-called Ah Po Tea Leaf Egg should actually be known as Ah Ma Tea Leaf Egg according to the Chinese character, 嬷, used on the signboard!

Its popularity is unbeatable in the region and in order to beat the queue, i crawled out of my hotel bed especially early in the morning even though i was contented to sleep in a while longer. 

Reached only to find it not yet open for business! :( I am no time waster and proceeded to check out the small little temple on the hill known as Xuanguang temple. 

By the time i got back, the queue had already stretched to 20-30 person-long! Given my love for tea leaf eggs, this would be one queue i am willing to spend my precious overseas time just to check out how good or bad the eggs are.

 I have high expectations of course since the eggs in Ah Ma were boiled with an extra ingredient; mushrooms that should give an extra fungi oomph! 

Thankfully, the efficient service staff were seasoned in what they were doing and it was already our turn in less than seven minutes. Four were purchased; two for me, two for Alex. 

My portion. 

Be eco-friendly and make full use of the plastic bag to remove the shell from the scalding hot boiled egg! 

The intricate spider web pattern was perfect but as you know, taste is what that matters most in my heart. If i can stomach smelly tofu despite the obnoxious taste, you would understand that visual doesn't really affect me as much when it comes to food. 

My verdict? The cooler weather in Sun Moon Lake makes eating tea leaf eggs a very enjoyable affair. However, the taste fell short of my expectation; the Assam tea flavour was mild and the mushroom fragrance was only apparent when you took a bite of the egg, close your mouth and then hold your breath! 

Alex's thought differently and was impressed enough to queue again! Both of us are tea leaf egg lovers and there are two diverse opinions for you to choose from. Leave your comment on what you think about the Ah Ma Tea Leaf Egg in Sun Moon Lake.

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Location
Xuanguang Temple Pier at Sun Moon Lake. It is super easy to find the stall as the only other facility selling edible stuff is a vending machine. 

Price
NT$13 for one
NT$25 for two

Additional Information
For the overview of my Taiwan trip, click HERE.
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Cingjing Small Swiss Garden (清境小瑞士花園) near Cingjing Farm @ Nantou County [Taiwan]

April 18, 2014, 2:24 am
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The Great Kon has warned me then: "don't bother about the pathetic Swiss garden. You would be better off spending more time in the Cingjing Farm playing with the meh meh." p.s not his exact words.

As luck has it, we were waiting for check in and thought it might be a good use of time to visit the Small Swiss Garden given its close proximity to the minsu we had reserved. 

You really can't miss the Swiss-themed garden from the main road to Cingjing Farm; just look out for the big sized carton windmill on the right side of the motor vehicle you are travelling in.

Entrance fee for adults was indicated as NT$120 (roughly S$5) while discounted price for senior citizens, students, children, group of at least 20 persons and local residents was NT$90. It is open 365 days a year from 8am till 10pm! 

Map as appended above for your easy reference. The place wasn't huge (hence, the inclusion of the word "small" in its name) but made for a short, reinvigorating walk in the cool weather below twenty degree Celsius. 

I am not going to walk through the individual attraction spots in this blog as i didn't really adhere strictly to their locations on the map. Instead, i took the opportunity to simply walk around in a relaxing manner and take random photographs.

The mirror reflecting lake lives up to its name even though i would have named it more appropriately; like a pond or something. To say it is a lake would be questioning the dictionary definition for "lake". 

Cingjing is famed for being a lovers' getaway and targeting this important market is necessary to maintain its position. Remember the outrageously pink room i was assigned to for my minsu stay in Cingjing? That's another example. 

Moon-shaped wooden pathway; this was one end of the garden and the other end was somewhere near to the LOVE at the background. Again, i would like to remind everyone that it is not big at all. 

There were, however, a lot of photo opportunities for the price we paid. Well, someone can always argue that we can do the same thing in Botanic Gardens for free but perception differs from person to person and the temperature in Cingjing is already a clear winner over Singapore. 

Admiring flowers under such weather where i didn't even sweat would not be an easy feat in Singapore! Except for maybe air-conditioned Flower Dome within the Gardens by the Bay. 

This would have looked cool if there are bunches of champagne grapes hanging right above me! 

A sample of the directional signage, in mostly Chinese. I guess the problem with Chinese translation is that the English form would either sound funny or boring. That's the power of Chinese language; descriptive yet imaginative! 

Sakura Hill - damn was i excited since i remember seeing pictures of blossoming sakuras and it was such a breathtaking sight! For those who know me long enough, i was literally bouncing up the stairs! 

Wait, that's it!?

Fake flowers that appeared like sakuras were not the same! Anyway, i was already aware that the sakura season has ended by March even though i was still hoping that i could see some in the wilting stage of the flowering season. 

Spent a while on top of the hill overlooking the lake; comfortable to the max, especially when i was super tired from the morning Singapore to Taiwan flight i took earlier that day. 

Continuing my walk. 

Another elevated view facing the lake. 

Hungry? There was a little cafe "Garden Corner" selling drinks and snacks with sheltered seating. My admission to the Swiss Garden included an NT$20 discount that could be utilized in this cafe.

Menu as above! I was too full after having a pretty good bian dang (便当) at 7-11 right outside the garden and hence, didn't patronise the cafe.

Platform in between the windmill in the middle of the lake and the "LOVE" sign we saw earlier. 

The fortress like washroom! In Taiwan, they usually don't use the Chinese words "厕所" to refer to washrooms. Instead, they use the term "make up room" (化妆室).

Frankly, i didn't know what these two things were when i took the picture. Was surfing a friend's facebook album on her Taiwan trip that i was informed that they are OPEN Chan & 小桃; mascots for the 7-11 outlets in Taiwan! 

I did mention that there were ample spots for photo taking and it was largely due to the existence of wooden planks assembles, shaped like animals / buildings, dotted all over the area. 

Of course, it would be more realistic to have real animals in the area although you must consider the consequences of having them; from the operator's point of view, it would increase their expenses (the animals do need to eat / drink, visit the vets) and from the visitors' point of view, imagine the poo all around the place! 

No doubt those fake things did provide a pretty surrounding that would help to keep the streams of visitors coming in but not having any living animals would have made the garden quite lifeless. 

That's why there were ducks and geese. 

To get them to come close to you so that you can grab them by the neck for pictures, buy the feed from the hilarious looking vending machine! All food vending machines should sport a similar design! 

There were also the goats which were kept behind the fence at the back of the garden.

Another living thing in huge abundance, save for humans, was the pigeon. As they fly over you, do take note. They literally poo anywhere, anytime they want! 

Not all of them were as decent as the little chap above; it was defecating in the lake water. Morals of the story; cover your head if pigeons fly over you and don't ever touch the water in the lake!

Visitors feeding the ducks. Like this photograph as it shows a rather nice yet comprehensive view of the Small Swiss Garden with the pavilion halfway up the hill, the slow-moving windmill, the wooden cut-outs, the ducks, the humans and both real and fake flowers. 

When i first entered the garden, i was wondering why there were so many chairs facing the lake and they were the kind that could be easily moved from one place to another. 

Answer: Musical fountain performance which takes place hourly from 9.30am till 8.30pm (extra performance at 9.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays)

With all due respects, it was dated and could not even be compared to Sentosa's musical fountain that has since been demolished. To be fair, i believe the performance would be slightly more bearable to watch at night with all the different coloured lighting. 

Time to get out as i was getting bored!

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Location Map
As above.

Close to two 7-11 outlets, Starbucks and even a Mos Burger! 

Additional Information
Your admission ticket is valid for the whole day. Get the stamp before you exit so that you can still pay it a visit at night, if you stay in a hotel / minsu as near as i did. 


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.

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Damn Worth It Natural Raw Honey and Pollen @ Cingjing Honey Apiculture [清境养蜂场]

April 19, 2014, 8:30 am
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Mom had a strong hint for me before i left for Taiwan close to three weeks ago: "Taiwan has any honey? Can help to buy?" I didn't answer but i suspected it would not be difficult to find apiaries in Taiwan, especially in the mountainous areas.

My hesitation was because i knew it would be heavy for me to haul back honey and i have always maintained a principle that no matter how cheap an item is, it should never be at the expense of breaking my back!

Well, that principle didn't stop me from performing my filial duty to check as i stepped into the above honey shop at Cingjing Farm for a closer look. 

An expected sales pitch was given where he asked whether we knew the differences between real and fake honey (i answered it correctly; the consistency for the former is cloudy) and showcase a machine that can extract honey easily from the farmed honeycombs.

All these while, i thought honey was extracted by compressing the honeycombs using a machine! A manual method is available that involves placing the honey combs in a big tin (like the one above) and spin them using a handle; before long, honey would flow out via a pipe at the bottom of the tin!

I studied marketing in my polytechnic days and such sales talk would hardly entice me to make any purchase. It was when the uncle brought out these dead bees with pollen attached to their legs that i was more intrigued.

On its own, pollen was quite unpalatable and despite its supposedly health benefits, my family balked to buy any after taking a long time to finish one small bottle of pollen!

There's one way to improve the taste; add pollen to honey and mix with water! Look like orange juice right?! But i can tell you, it was a freaking delicious drink and i could no longer resist myself at this point...

2.4 kilograms of raw honey (picture above is just an illustration) and a bottle of pollen were soon packed into a bag for me to carry back to misty villa. The price was another factor for this hefty purchase; the honey cost only NT$900 (roughly S$40) and the pollen was merely NT$700! 

You know me; i could not bear missing out on good deals. Plus, the kind uncle generously gave us two bottles of the honey pollen drink so that we can quench our thirst along our walk!

*happy*

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Location
At Market Place of Cingjing Farm (in between Green Green Grasslands and Mountain View Pastoral Areas)

Map
As above (look out for the words" the honey shop".


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.
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MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodle (槟城白咖哩面)

April 19, 2014, 8:32 pm
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An advantage for blogging frequently about food is that i often have friends recommending good / cheap eats in Singapore. One such example was when a few friends tagged me on Facebook in a picture of an instant noodle that was all the rage in Malaysia. 

I bought a pack of four in Changi Village when i saw them in for sale in an old school provision shop and left them forgotten in the kitchen cupboard for close to three months until yesterday! Frankly, i am more a cup noodles fan and would only eat instant noodles when i am hungry yet too lazy to walk out of the house! 

Cooking was a breeze (duh) and i followed the timing to the exact second (180 seconds to boil the noodles according to the instructions), after which would be the addition of the three sachets namely, the seasoning powder (where our intake of MSG comes from), the chilli paste and the non-dairy creamer.

With a few slices of steamed chicken, i guaranteed this would have a more professional appearance; problem was i didn't have chicken, prawns and generally any other kind of meat except for eggs. Taste wise, it was seriously better than expected, especially the springy noodles which were good enough for me to literally ignore my reduce-carbohydrate routine. 

In any case, the broth would be the one given a lot more attention by curry lovers; it was spicy even though not in the way that numbed my taste buds. Instead, i sweated non-stop even though i was eating the noodles in the comfort of my own house (with a full blast fan blowing directly on my head)! The milky, spice infused curry was delicious and aromatic but could have done better with more body flavour (maybe adding extra coconut milk would help?). In this aspect, i personally thought the more expensive Prima Taste's Laksa was a notch better. 


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Price
S$4.20 for a pack of four.
(price might differ)

Where to Buy?
I bought mine from a provision shop in Changi Village but i understand that they are now available for sale in Cold Storage and Giant! 

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Cingjing Farm - Green Green Grasslands & Mountain View Pastoral Areas (清境農場青青草原觀山牧區) @ Nantou County [Taiwan]

April 20, 2014, 8:01 am
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You know how things work when a certain spot gains fame; the entire area would have an unofficial name change. That's what happened in the case of Cingjing Farm. 

The area it sits on is actually the Ren'ai Township and the facilities they managed are not in one big land parcel. They are distributed across the district which included the Small Swiss Garden and a recreation centre that are quite a distance away from the main attraction; the green green grasslands!

Which happens to be my topic today although i have added Mountain View Pastoral Areas to the subject since the full ticket comprised of both areas. For the sake of smooth walking, enter via the entrance next to the above chateau.

Ticket price differs depending on the days you visit and whether you are a student, child, resident, senior citizen etc. We paid NT$160 a person for weekday (adult).

Sadly, the whole area was shrouded in clouds and even though this was an impressive, mystical sight for us who were physically there, the photographs i took turned out grey and drappy.

Note! There would be a few tables with rubber stamps and ink-pads. Stamp yourself on the arm before you proceed as entry to Mountain View Pastoral Areas would be dependent on it. 

The first meh meh we chanced upon! Remember, the sheep here were free roaming and no physical fence existed to keep humans away from them. Therefore, please don't startle them! 

Gloomy grasslands; we smelt sausages and hurriedly walked over to get a stick. It wasn't fantastic but still managed to warm our hearts as we sat on a bench overlooking the vast, misty grassland. 

Even this feline appeared to be taking things slow! 

Kikuyugrass - this is the type of grass that made up the grasslands we see today at Cingjing. Originated from East Africa and imported from Philippines, it was eventually chosen for its hardiness and ability to conserve the soil. 

Cingjing Sheep Castle (清境绵羊城堡) - a much clearer view! 

Don't expect flocks of sheep residing within the castle! It was primarily used as a retail shop where you can buy products made from sheep ingredients like sheep milk candies etc and placements of information panels on sheep. 

You can, however, find some lambs kept outside the building, behind fences. Be careful, they were a hungry bunch and can be very enthusiastic when you feed them the pellets (you can separately purchase them from a machine)! 

Weather has cleared somewhat and we continued our way. There were different paths we can take but the lack of sleep and all that walking (which included the exhausting climb up to our room in Misty Villa) before Green Green Grassland meant we conveniently followed the crowd and hoped they were right! 

Road that brought us to the farm; it's funny that i didn't really quite notice the grasslands on my way up via the free shuttle service provided by the villa. 

I wasn't prepared for this impressive view of the grasslands! 

From the pictures, it might not look much but when you are physically there, it was an expansive scene of magnificent rolling hills where bandits in the past would lie in ambush while the trade caravans carefully made their ways to prosperous towns. 

To say Alex was amazed of the scenery was an understatement. 
He was truly blow away by the view!

On weekends, this place would be filled with visitors and many of them would be crowding the open air amphitheater in the above picture. 

Weekdays are a different story since the signature sheep show is only scheduled on weekends and public holidays! Heard from a friend that i would not be missing much; hence, it didn't quite bother me.

I don't enjoy crowded places anyway (that quite explained why i always prefer the cemeteries and crematoriums) and would prefer to have more space to play around with the miniature horse that was brought out. p.s. prefer the mini over the full-sized stallions. 

Those resident sheep didn't really care about the humans and would trot towards us confidently. Oh well, it was THEIR home and we were just mere guests. 

Having said that, their poo can be found anywhere and everywhere! Do walk with your eyes wide open; you would not want to have a stinky pair of shit-caked shoes! 

Finally, an even clearer view! Grass wasn't as green as i have seen on the brochures although i have to keep in mind that these are real grass, not synthetic lawn grass! 

Don't you just love front facing camera phones?! :P

Not all the slopes were as gentle as the one above and i believe you would have enough common sense to gauge your ability on climbing it. If you have kids, keep them close to you; leash them if need be! Despite the warning signs, i thought this hill would be a great for hill sledding! 

Out of Green Grass Grasslands! This would be the market place (草原南端商圈) where you can have an authentic local meal and buy your souvenirs (mostly food related)! 

I made the mistake of buying them far too early in the first retail shop i came upon. The smaller pack of sheep milk candy was only NT$100 while the bigger pack had a price of only NT$350. My personal recommendation would be the charcoal peanuts (Mom loves them) which cost NT$150!

Once again, i bought too soon. The above shop, nearer to the entrance of Mountain View Pastoral Areas, was selling most items at one for one! Argh!!!!! *frustrated*

As loyal readers would have known, this would be the place where you can buy honey and pollen! For those who miss my blog post, you may refer to the link here. 

Time to enter Mountain View Pastoral Areas (清境農場觀山牧區); i wasn't that excited as i was carrying far too many items and yet, i had to be careful not to step onto those "bombs"! 

See if you can spotted them from the photographs above! By the way, free and easy travellers should note that they must be prepared to walk like nobody business in Taiwan; judging from the way i ate, i am surprised i didn't gain as much weight as i should!

I could not confirm what this is; i suspect its function should be similar to a scratching pole for the roaming sheep. 

Q&A - what's the difference between goat and sheep?! Appearance wise, it is not hard to differentiate both but what about taste differences? Would you be able to identify which is goat and which is sheep? 

Craziness knows no limit; i actually agreed to Alex's suggestion to climb the stairs up to a viewing platform! Oh ya, i did pass him half my load! Hahaha

This would be an ideal place to take in the entire scenery of the whole farm and the effort to climb up was totally worth it. We practically had the whole place to ourselves! 

God damn beautiful right?!?!!? Almost like we were in a magical kingdom high up in the sky!

Alex started monkeying around at this point.

Until the 30 years old bugger realised there were piles of sheep shit hidden in the grass. Oops! Luckily, he didn't get them onto his clothes / shoes! Like any kind of poo, sheep poo stinks as well! 

Remember this place? The castle and the amphitheater! 

Any idea what this water enclosure is used for? Bathing for the sheep? Regardless of its use, there were many sheep congregating in that area. 

Having rested (and played) enough with our lungs filled with fresh mountainous air, it's time to walk down. 

The pretty windmill that everyone was clamouring to have as their picture backdrop! We shrugged, took a few pictures and left for that area with loads of sheep.

Nice woah; many sheep were nonchalantly grazing the kikuyugrass within this small plot of grassland. I had an evil thought; it would be quite fun to herd them! 

Alex went to test the water. Turned out they didn't even give him a second look! The puny me would have been embarrassed if i have proceeded with my evil scheme. 

First time seeing an alpaca even though i am aware of their existence since i started playing the computer game, Simcity, two decades ago! 

The path always seemed endless! We heard that a horse show would be taking place somewhere further down and hastened our pace! My feet....

Final look of the sheep-filled grasslands; didn't know what happen to make all of them rushed towards one direction. Maybe it's makan time! 

Do as the sign advises. 

Horse show! Since the sheep show is a no-go on weekdays, most visitors would try to make it for this horse show which is scheduled daily on 10.45am and 3.45pm. 

Spotted the Singapore flag?! 

In all, the performers from Mongolia would pull all sorts of stunts centering around their majestic steeds but the twenty-minute show was a tad too long in my opinion. Running round and round had a really therapeutic effect and i was truthfully about to doze off towards the end. 

You can take pictures with the performers and the horses at the end of the show. Our exhaustion reached a new high after watching the performance and decided to give it a miss. 

Leaving the pastoral areas for the Shoushan Ecological Park; i didn't put it down as we didn't really explore the park given our tired state and was just using it as a shortcut to get to our minsu.

What we saw along the way was pretty dismal as i am aware there should be a nature theatre; a compound filled with hutches didn't have any animal and it was in a serious state of dilapidation. 

The same condition goes for these glass enclosures. 

For that short moment, i was quite excited to find bugs and beetles residing inside, only to realise they were all dead and attached to very noticeable metal wires.

It was all so sad! I can only hope that the theater has some interactive activities on weekends as it would be quite disturbing for the many visitors who go through this way, expecting a place full of happy living animals.

With a sign showing the direction of the "nature washroom", i was curious to find out more.

The facade looked pretty normal though; however, the same goes for most washrooms as well, even for the ones in Singapore Zoo where the washroom interiors were the surprises. 

=_=
Disappointment to the max! 

-the end-
yes, walking again.

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Map of Green Green Grasslands, Mountain View Pastoral Areas and Shoushan Ecological Park.


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.
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Formosa Chang Lu Rou Fan (also known as Hu Xu Zhang) 鬍鬚張魯肉飯 @ Wufenpu (五分埔), Taipei, Taiwan

April 21, 2014, 7:52 am
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One of the must-eats in Taiwan, i heard, is luroufan (otherwise known as braised pork rice) and the Singapore veteran who has tried many reputable stalls / restaurants in Taiwan is actually our Mr Kon! 

I don't share his diehard conviction although i did ask him to share a few notable ones to prove that i did visit Taiwan. Formosa Chang isn't top on his list but given its fame among overseas visitors on the online realm, he suggested giving it a try. 

There were many items on the menu; didn't help that we had a few servings of smelly tofu before this and we could not bear to see any more food! In a way, i am thankful the portion for Taiwan's luroufan is never big to begin with and i could mentally count it as a sampler. 

Literally meatless and totally fattening!! Now i know why a facebook friend, Frederick, commented on my post for a luroufan i had in Singapore as unauthentic as he remembered it quite differently! 

Nevertheless, even i am surprised that such a sinful dish didn't manage to impress my taste buds. Weirdly, i found the overall meat taste to have a savouriness similar to bak zhang when i was expecting it to be flavoured like kong bak (扣肉)! 

Sauce was tasty (again, not on the level of kong bak) and sufficient enough to moisturise the rice for added palatability.  

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Location
533, Youji Road, Taipei

Map
As above (very near to Houshanpi MRT Station). Travellers might want to consider giving Huxuzhang a try before popping by Wufenpi (the wholesale shopping district) to digest the food. 

Price
Luroufan - NT$33

Additional Information
Should you happen to like huxuzhang luroufan a lot, you can consider buying these take-away packets and give them away as souvenirs to friends. It doesn't come cheap (at least NT$165) even though i believe the portion seems good enough for a few persons. 
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Yet Con Restaurant & Their Famous Chicken Rice @ 25 Purvis Street [Near Raffles Hotel]

April 22, 2014, 7:44 am
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Yet Con - honestly, the first thought that came to mind was whether this would be a Vietnamese restaurant although the display of yellow-skinned steamed chicken was testimony that this place serves one out of a few national dishes in Singapore; chicken rice!

With a history spanning close to seventy-five years and its unabashedly claim as "famous chicken rice", i chanced upon this eatery in 2012 when i had a satisfying meal at its opposite neighbour (Saveur) and was quite charmed by its stuck-in-past presence! 

Only the existence of air-conditioning reminded us that we were not brought back to the past when most coffee shops have similar setup. I didn't quite dare to take pictures of the counter (the old man manning it did appear a bit threatening) where there was an ancient looking box!

Anyway, here's the food (with free flow chilli and garlic)! 

Rice
Served in a bowl, it did give off an impression that this would be good. Sadly, it wasn't the case and there was none of that chicken rice fragrance that often makes it irresistible not to order a second helping. 

Kailan in Oyster Sauce
Pretty good crunch even though i didn't have great expectation for this normal dish which wasn't that hard to master to begin with. Having said that, i think i can still make a mess out of it if i am the one cooking!

Braised Tofu
I was anticipating tofu dressed in a different form; the star wasn't so much the tofu. I actually preferred the vegetables that were served in a saucy concoction similar to the type of mui fan my mom used to prepare for us! 

Sweet and Sour Pork
Once again, normal!!! Wait, on second thought, i think i didn't really like it. I like my gu la rou to have a crunchier texture yet oozing with fattening juice when you sink your teeth in. This was a bit too soft for my liking and i can pick up subtle traces of that porky taste. 

Chicken 
One word - oily! Texture of the chicken meat can be compared to Tian Tian chicken rice but it lost in the category of flavour which simply wasn't as tasty as Tian Tian. Another thing i took issue with were the reddish, bloody parts near the bones.

I like my chicken fully cooked. 

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Location
25 Purvis Street [Near Raffles Hotel]

Price
The old school, handwritten receipt didn't have itemised pricing even though it might help to note that we paid around S$55 for the above, inclusive of five bowls of rice and five drinks (4 barley, 1 lime juice).

Menu
As above! Many people were having the steamboat! 
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歩歩高升步道 - The Great Wall Trail (499-Steps Trail) @ Cingjing Farm

April 23, 2014, 7:43 am
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After walking non-stop on the first day i arrived in Taiwan, the one activity that i was seriously looking forward to was to rest my feet in the comfort of my outrageously pink room in Misty Villa! 

Hence, when i saw the above sign after exiting from Cingjing Farm (Shoushan Ecological Park area), i thought it should not take us long to reach the minsu since it is located in close proximity to the Little Swiss Garden. 

Furthermore, it was a downhill walk which would be quite a breeze as compared to up down up down trek i had been going through the entire day! 

Add beautiful scenery to the picture and it's not hard to imagine this would be a relaxing walk in the cool, barely 20 degrees Celsius climate. 

What i didn't expect was that the climb down could take so long! In the beginning, it seemed that no end was in sight and i would be embarking on a continuous journey that would eventually break my leg.

Okay, i exaggerated; it was a total of ONLY 487 steps! 
I should have bloody taken the shuttle back!!! 

It was after i stepped off the never-ending stairs that i noticed the wooden board disclosing the name of this trail; the 499-Steps Trail! Wait, i counted only 487? Where's the balance of 13?

Do i have to count the additional steps after the trail? Yes, you are right, that's just a trail that leads to another trail before i would even reach the slope leading up to the Misty Villa. 

It's funny; the previous notice clearly stated 499-step trail but this older looking board cited a Great Wall Trail with 487 steps instead. Regardless of the naming, it would still be a torturous journey for those who unwittingly decide to CLIMB UP the trail. 

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For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.
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Creamier's Waffles & Ice Cream (Said to Be One Of the Best in SG) @ Block 128, Toa Payoh Lorong 1 [Singapore]

April 24, 2014, 8:30 am
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Singaporeans love their waffles and it's only a matter of time that foodies come out with a list of places that clearly mark out the best waffles in this little red dot. 

I have had my fair share of waffles and many a times, i thought the traditional (cheaper) type sold in Prima Deli with its buttery flavour and irresistible aroma would have won with a pretty wide margin. Nevertheless, the search for good waffles never stops and that's the reason why i was at Creamier last week. 

Friends living in the old estate of Toa Payoh have previously commented that the enticing aroma of waffles often made them stop their footsteps right outside the shop and damn hell was that true! 

Featuring handcrafted ice creams made using their own recipes and unique production process (not sure what this means although it didn't quite bother me so long the eventual result turns out to be good), the flavours at Creamier ranged from normal types like black sesame to creative ones like Earl Grey Lavender! 

Upon ordering and paying, you would be given a recyclable cup. 

Please do not be as naive as me. I honestly thought we would be given a free cup of coffee for each order!! This cup, in actual fact, served its purpose as a waiting number for the staff to recognise and deliver your freshly baked waffles! Do note that there is a 15-minute wait time for the waffles. 

With excited anticipation, we were delighted to be greeted by the two thick chunks of waffles sitting on a puddle of maple syrup and chocolate sauce, and topped with two scoops of ice cream of our choice; in this case, Earl Grey Lavender and Sea Salt Gula Melaka!

Another pretty one with Madagascar Vanilla and Roasted Pistachio. 

As far as ice cream is concerned, i am most satisfied with what i had in Creamier; the Madagascar Vanilla was terribly delicious, Sea Salt Gula Melaka was addictive and Roasted Pistachio would have been given a thumbs-up by my nut-crazy mom! My least favourite was Earl Grey Lavender which had a light earl grey flavour yet made me feel like i am eating melting lavender soap!

Now coming to the waffles; texture wise, it was perfect with an exterior crust that gave out the much needed "crunch" as i sliced it apart, and a fluffy interior that wasn't dry at all. 

Taste wise, i am afraid i personally found them to have too bland a flavour and wonder if it was purposely made this way for those who asked for ice cream with waffles since the combination turned out to be very enjoyable for the three of us! 

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Location
Block 128, Toa Payoh Lorong 1, #01-835
[next Toa Payoh West Market & Food Court]

Map 
As above. Nearest MRT station is Braddell. 

Website

Menu 
Attached above for your reference.

Price
Waffles w 2 Scoops of Ice Cream - S$11.00

Additional Information
Having only 27 indoor and 8 outdoor seating means you would face difficulties in finding a place to dig into the waffles during peak periods. 

Fret not, many customers were seen having their desserts at the playground area! Beware of birds; you would not appreciate the extra topping. 

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Day One [Singapore -> Taoyuan (桃園) -> Cingjing (清境)]: Taiwan Trip 2014

April 26, 2014, 1:40 am
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My virgin journey to Taiwan has to start from somewhere and i guess the best place to begin is right at home where we had to take the plane from Changi Airport Terminal 2.

Oh yes, this man shall be my companion for the next nine days and you can see from the glint in his eyes that he was excited to leave; the last time he took an airplane was over three years ago!

Compared to the budget terminal (i am a sucker for cheap no-frill airfares), Terminal 2 has so much to do!!! There was this little magnificent garden that felt incredibly comfortable with air-conditioning constantly surrounding us!

And i could not help marveling at the terrariums that were teeming with life!

Those who wish to smell the nature and maybe traces of that disgusting cigarette stink can consider the outdoor "Sunflower Garden" on the upper level. I shall make it a point to plan my next air trip in the daytime so that i can take better photographs of the area.

Movie lovers would wish to stay forever in the cinema corner where movies are screened throughout! It's a pity that many airlines only allow an advance check in of at most three hours; hardly sufficient time to go through the entire terminal!

Time to board the plane and it was such a coincidence to bump into one of my ex school mates! By the way, it's my first time on Scoot and friends have been telling me scary stories of how unreliable its flights were! For those who are interested, i paid S$366.71 per person for this trip to Taiwan.

There was a 30-minute delay to the flight that was supposed to depart at 12.45am and it was all because of two passengers who didn't board the plane and had to have their comfortably-placed-in-the-plane luggage removed.

It was once again another tiring overnight journey (similar to what i encountered in my Ipoh trip) and i am slapping myself for allowing this to happen again. Personally, i found the seat to be on the tight side and i am not even tall to begin with!

Geez, we were late in departing yet the pilot managed to land 10 minutes ahead of time! Before the clock struck 6am, we had cleared immigration and collected our baggage! Do note that all overseas visitors are supposed to fill up and submit an immigration card; we didn't get any on the plane as we were sleeping!!!

Follow the directions and it would be no time at all before you reach the counters where bus tickets are sold.

Our target, according to my printed itinerary, would be the UBus counter! Almost everyone was queuing in front of it. Reason? That's the only company that provides a direct bus service to Taoyuan High Speed Rail (HSR) station.

Bus number 705, with one adult ticket that cost NT$30. Traffic was luckily very smooth and it was a short ride of around 15 minutes! Yoohoo!!

As i had already bought my HSR tickets online, it was only a matter of time to collecting my tickets from the designated counter. After which was to check out the 7-11 outlet which was said to have a very different concept from the ones in Singapore!

Eagerly waiting for our HSR train 1505 at the platform.

It's Alex first time taking the high speed train; i had a taste of the bullet train when i was in Beijing back in 2012. You may check out my blog post here.

Here it is, right on time!

This was how the standard carriage looked like; 5 seats in one row with a narrow aisle. As we had only one piece of luggage (which can be placed at the luggage corner near the train doors), this would be sufficient for the relatively short journey of 37 minutes to Taichung HSR station.

View along the way; patches after patches of green farmland that stretch for miles!

You know the destination is near when skyscrapers dotted the sky; Taichung, no matter what, is Taiwan's third largest city! This city served as a transit point for us as our eventual stop would be Cingjing Farm!

I did my research well and it was just mere minutes to get to the Nantou Bus Counter which was located conveniently within the HSR station. While i was queuing up, a man asked if we were willing to share a cab instead.

At NT$900 for the both of us, i figured this would be worth our while as there would not be any need to transit at Puli, a town on the way to Cingjing and this driver would send us right to the entrance of our minsu!

Mr Lin, the driver, was a chatty chap and very willing to answer any query you might have on Taiwan! If you are interested to engage his service (using his Toyota Wish) in Taichung, Cingjing etc, you may find above his name card.

The ride up the mountains wasn't as bad as i expected and for a person who is prone to motion sickness, the turns weren't as dizzying as Cameron Highlands. Maybe i was too distracted by the beautiful sight next to me.

Misty Villa - Singaporeans' favourite minsu in Cingjing Farm and it was only after i published my review of it on this blog that i realised a lot of personal friends have also stayed there before! For my review, click here.

Had my lunch at 7-11 which was near to the minsu. Its proximity to the Carton King restaurant and the Little Swiss Garden means this convenience store is always filled with customers!

Everything else was unimpressive except for the slices of yummy sesame pork!

Bought tickets to the Little Swiss Garden as we had ample of time before we could check in to Misty Villa. For my full post on this attraction, please click here.

After spending some time in the Garden, it was time to check out the building with MOS Burger and Starbucks known simply as Recreation Center in English. From this photograph, one can actually see the pink room given to us; note the "pink" circle i had aptly drawn out using photoshop.

Next to the recreation centre was a car park reserved for coaches and it was at this place that you can see and identify (using the above information panel) the numerous mountains surrounding cingjing. 

With no bright sunlight to irritate us, we just stood in silence and marvel at the splendid mountain range right in front of us. 

Damn the huge piece of cottony cloud that covered some of the mountain tops! On a clear, cloudless day, you can even spot 3,416-meter Hehuanshan! 

A bed of dandelions! 

It's a pity that there wasn't any outdoor cafe that overlooked the scenery; there was one but it was still undergoing renovation and would likely be operational only a few months later. 

A typical washroom in Taiwan; note that washrooms are known as 化妆室 or make-up rooms although i doubt guys would enter to do any make up. 

On the way back to our minsu, we came upon this roadside stall that was selling highland cabbage! This reminded me of Cameron Highlands where it was the norm to set up stall by the roadside and offer perishables like strawberries, corns, honey etc.

What we didn't expect was to see the many boxes of fireworks!!! Unlike those sold in Bintan, the prices in Taiwan were extremely affordable with none that cost more than S$10! More on the fireworks at the end of this post! 

Cherry Blossoms Trail - i was thrilled to see this even though i was aware that the cherry blossom season in Taiwan was from February to March. Maybe can chance upon some of the late bloomers? 

Absolutely nothing - it's just a boardwalk flanked by boring greenery on both sides. :(

Thank god the trail was just a few hundred meters long and didn't many steps that could further strain our tired feet. Anyway, it was still a refreshing walk where the air was fresh and crisp!!

More greenery and walking await us at Green Green Grassland but we totally enjoyed ourselves! Check out the many pictures i took at a separate blog post here. 

At the end of 499-step trail (yes, there were quite a number of such trails in Cingjing) was a commercial area where you can have your meals or even buy some local produce. 

In the middle was this venue that marketed itself as the Little France. As we were carrying too many things and our legs were about to murder us, we didn't stay long although i would make a point to eat at this steakhouse if i ever return to Cingjing!

A common Cingjing map.

After putting our things down at the minsu, it's time for dinner! I was in a dilemma on what to have for our first dinner in Taiwan but knowing Alex's picky palate, it's best to choose an eatery that wasn't too extreme (no fast food though). Carton King it shall be! For my review, click here. 

If you wish to relax after dinner, you may consider buying a cup of tea on the first level (outdoor) and listen to live music performances. 

We chose to enter the retail section of Carton King instead.

Truthfully, i don't see the point of paying such a high price for cardboard materials even though they were pretty well made and unique. 

I did contemplate buying but once you get to my age, you would rationalise if it would become another white elephant in the cabinets, like many knick-knacks currently placed inside. 

Last destination before we retired for the night. Yes, we were back at the recreation centre albeit this time, it was the car park that was needed.

Fireworks!!! p.s. this one cost us only S$5. 
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For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.
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Sunrise at Hehuanshan (合歡山觀日出) @ Cingjing Farm [Nantou, Taiwan]

April 26, 2014, 11:36 pm
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I was almost regretting our decision when i had to climb out of bed at 3.30am to get ready for the sunrise tour at Hehuanshan that was arranged the day before.

It didn't help that the attire we brought along for the trip was not appropriate for the freezing temperature! It is April, for goodness sake and how could it be so cold!?!!? I, myself, donned at least four layers of clothes and yet i could feel the chill eating into my bones!

Weather, according to the mini-bus driver, was not favourable to catch the sunrise as it was too cloudy / misty, as evidenced in the above picture. Temperature at this point was actually 2.6 degrees celcius! 

We noticed a few of the travellers were unravelling winter jackets from the overhead compartment and upon checking, came to realise they were for passengers like us who have ignorantly forgotten to pack winter wear! They had a bit of smell but well, beggars can't be choosers! 

The mini-bus shuttling us to the peak - it was obvious that the sun would not be showing its face that morning and it was decided (by the driver since we are not experts) to catch the sea of clouds (云海) instead. 

Which was impressive yet didn't quite blow my mind away. Maybe i was too disappointed that Mother Nature has decided to deprive my chance of catching sunrise at such high altitude. :(

Rest of those who travelled with us in the same bus appeared genuinely excited and there were many taking a million photographs to permanently save the moment.

Alex eventually did it too even though the picture didn't turn out nice due to the natural back light effect. And it's impossible to ask him to wait a while longer for me to change the settings as this weakling wanted to get back to the heated bus ASAP!

So, i had to resort to my amateur Photoshop skill to superimpose him onto an existing picture! Okay lah, it turned out quite alright.

This was the original photograph. Hahaha. Photoshop is a very powerful software and could do marvels on those pictures you have taken; i should explore saving in raw format as i understand it would allow for greater flexibility! 

Honestly, how mesmerised could you be when faced with the same scenery for twenty minutes? If there is a bed, i would have jumped into it for a restful sleep. Point is, there wasn't any and i got restless as usual.

Like some, i attempted to climb up the hill even though i had to admit the slippery slope wasn't that easy to climb and the last thing we want is to have my obituary in The Straits Times.

It wasn't even 6am and the whole area was already lit! For those who are interested, it took us roughly eighty minutes to get to this place from our minsu, with a toilet stop in between. 

Last look before we left! 

Our NT$400 / person sunrise tour hasn't ended yet; we were brought to several view platforms on our way back. The first one was at one of Hehuanshan's peak at 3,150 meters.

Temperature has increased although it was still a chilly 8.3 degrees Celcius with a strong wind blowing towards us. Which means Alex simply didn't want to get out!!!!

This road, the only one leading to Hehuanshan, is accessible by everyone except during the peak winter season when there is a likelihood of snowfall up the mountain. 

However, travellers on self drive might want to think twice on driving up yourself as visibility can be horrendously low. 

Hikers / Mountain climbers should also re-consider your decision unless you are confident of your navigation skills in bad weather condition. 

Viewing platform that was shrouded by fog.

A futile effort to look beyond a few hundred meters and that's a pity as the surrounding view was said to be spectacular and out of the world; definitely a welcome sight for an urban dweller. 

See!! Supposed to be so pretty right?!?!?! Sianz...

Strangely, i was thinking of barbecued chicken when i saw this plump friendly bird (looked like the robin bird). Guess the dinner at Carton King was too early and my stomach has not had anything since waking up at 3.30am.

Godspeed to the hikers! Weather was said to be very unpredictable in Taiwan during the period we went; one cab driver in Taichung told us that in the morning we were in Hehuanshan, it was snowing in Yushan (Taiwan's tallest mountain at 3,952 meters).

Our second viewing platform which was a five-minute drive away. 

One of seven peaks in Hehuanshan, Wuling (武嶺) has an elevation of 3,275 meters and said to be a favourite spot for bird watchers. 

Well, i could not confirm since i could not even see anything!!! Luckily i didn't pay very much for this tour although i would like it's of no fault to the operator; just a matter of bad luck.

Rein in your kids if you know they are hyperactive and not known to listen to kind advice and instructions!

Kunyang - the last stopover for us. Previously known as South of Hehuanshan, it borders Taroko National Park; another place that i should make a point to visit in my next trip to Taiwan!

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The sunrise tour could be purchased from the Cingjing minsu / hotel you are staying in and the driver would pick you from the doorstep. For more details, you can refer to the e-go bus service website at http://www.e-go.com.tw/cht/tourbus_detail.php?serial=13. 

Price
NT$400 per person

Duration
Roughly 3 hours
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Golden Mile Thien Kee Steamboat Restaurant - The Hainanese Kitchensince 1952 (黄金瑞记) @ Golden Mile Tower [Beach Road, Singapore]

April 28, 2014, 7:22 am
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Golden Mile, comprising of both the tower and complex blocks, is well known for being indisputably the 'Little Thailand' of Singapore; in this ethnic enclave, you can find ample eateries serving authentic yet cheap Thai cuisine, discos belting out the latest hit in Thai language and even a good-sized supermarket offering many products imported from Thailand. 

Therefore, when my sister asked if i am aware of this famous Hainanese restaurant in Golden Mile Tower known as Thien Kee, i think she can see the huge question mark looming above my head. No, i wasn't aware even though i had mookata in the same building last July! 

In a nutshell, stepping into Thien Kee felt like i am in an air-conditioned coffee shop. Ambience was limited and it was sacrificed for practicality; there were so many tables and chairs! Furthermore, why the need to spend on ambience when you are already famous! 

Joyce did her research beforehand and knew exactly what to order; their Hainanese chicken is a must and so is the steamboat which appeared on almost table that was occupied. 

Steamboat
A look at the menu would give you a good summary of what was included in the steamboat and given that we were ordering many other foods, we decided to just go with the small steamboat at S$40.

This was served; note that there were two other plates of meat and vegetables (inclusive of a egg) which were not captured in the above photograph. 

To be totally honest, i thought it was too pricey to pay for such meagre amount of meat even though mom added that it must be the expensive fish maw and sea cucumbers that drive up the price. The freshness was no doubt there but i figured it might be worth the effort to have the steamboat in the comfort of my own house instead. p.s. my family members love the fishballs. 

Many reviewers enjoyed the soup in Thien Kee although i found it to be too bland for my liking. The broth improved markedly at the end with the help of the veg and meat; however, it wasn't good enough to warrant another visit for me.

Hainanese Chicken
This was so similar to what i had in Yet Con that i strongly suspected the owners were under the same master in the past (both restaurants also serve steamboat)! The chicken in Thien Kee didn't feature the disgusting raw bloodiness (thank god) even though the meat was just as dense and solid without the tenderness i personally preferred from competitors like Tian Tian. 

Hainanese Pork Chop
Yet again another signature dish.

That didn't impress me once again! It was fried to a crisp, a texture i seldom reject, but the sauce had that supreme tendency to cover the juiciness of the pork patty! It also didn't help that my mom's version of sweet and sour sauce had the same zesty taste. 

Pork Satay
These were delicious!! It was of a slightly sweeter rendition and held an ability that didn't require me to dip it into the peanut satay sauce. They were that good! Even though the pieces on each stick were larger than what i can get from the market, the price at eighty cents a stick was a tad hard to stomach.

By the way, forget about the ketupat. The satay went perfectly well with the fragrant chicken rice! I never knew such combi could work out such wonders! 

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Location
6001, Beach Road,
B1-20, Golden Mile Tower

Operating Hours
11am to 10pm. Closed on certain Chinese festivals like eve and 1st day of Chinese New Year, 15th day of Chinese New Year, Labour Day, Dragon Boat Festival and 15th day of Hungry Ghost Festival.

Price
Steamboat - S$40
Hainanese Chicken - S$10
Hainanese Pork Chop - S$11
Pork Satay - S$0.80 each stick
Chicken Rice - S$1 a bowl

Menu
As above. Please note that the dishes don't come with pricing and you may check with the waitress when you place your order. 

Additional Information
Weirdly, unlike most steamboat restaurants, you don't get the feeling you are hitting onto any wire or gas cylinders while you are digging into your hotpot. 

The reason was because the gas was piped directly from the ground! p.s. don't ask me what was the technology involved behind this as i seriously have no idea. 


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Local Food @ Fuyuan Restaurant (富园餐馆風味菜) [Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan]

April 29, 2014, 7:06 am
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I was determined to have some authentic local food on my second day in Taiwan and decided to walk along a quiet pathway adorned by brightly lit signboards. Good food can sometimes be found hidden in some unspoken alleys.

There was one simple criterion; it must have customers!

Fuyuan Restaurant (富园餐馆), which should be translated as prosperous garden restaurant, met my expectation; almost all tables were filled when we entered the small establishment and it served a dish that was said to be a must-have in Sun Moon Lake (日月潭). 

It also did help a bit when we saw a garden located at the back of the building where fresh vegetables were planted and harvested for consumption! 

Since we were unsure what the local specialties were (save for that must have dish) and shyness prevented us from asking further, we decided to go along with the set meal at NT$800 (around S$33) that included four dishes and one soup. 

Freshly brewed tea in a metal teapot can be had for an additional NT$100. Taiwanese are crazy over tea and the country is famed for their tea culture and plantation; so you bet this was one pot of great tea we had. 

Daylily Soup
金针汤
I originally thought this was the golden needle mushroom soup and felt something was off when the bowl of soup was served to us; those were obviously flowers and not mushroom! Upon checking the web, the flowers were actually daylily and known as 金针花 in Chinese. Anyway, the soup had a slicky smooth consistency that wasn't too heavy on the palate although i would have very much enjoyed a peppery broth similar to Singapore style Bak Kut Teh in that cool weather. 

Spring Onion Chicken
葱油土鸡 
The use of scallions was a bit excessive for this dish; resulting in a flavour that would be more likeable for individuals who love spring onions. Personally, i disliked the harder texture of the chicken even though it came with significantly lesser fats. 

Stir Fried Wild Boar Meat
炒山猪肉
First bite, a nice smokiness to the flavour. Second bite, not too bad as well. After the third bite, it was evident that the wild boar meat was tougher than our conventional pinkish pig and Alex literally left the dish for me to finish up myself. 

Stir Fried Vegetables
炒過貓菜
When i first heard the name of this vegetable, i was amused as i have never in my life heard of this vegetable known as 過貓 (which would literally mean walked past the cat). 

The cat hated it so much!? Not for me; i totally love this vegetable for its thin stalks and unmatched crunchiness! Instead of oyster sauce, the chef in Fuyuan cleverly used another one that was similar to the meat sauce (that came in a can often found in Singapore's supermarkets) and the taste turned out to be so delicious! 

President's Fish 
總統魚
This is the must-have dish to have in Sun Moon Lake. Not i said one hor; this was according to the many blogs on the web when i checked out the food to have in the area. 

Texture of the freshwater fresh was amazingly soft (warning: you need to have good chopstick skills to eat the meat). Other than that, the taste wasn't exactly that befitting for the top governing position in countries like Taiwan, USA. In addition, you have to be extremely mindful of the many barely noticeable bones! As i mentioned, you need good chopstick skills.

Real look of the president's fish! Now, you might wonder how the name actually came about since it doesn't bear any resemblance to any of the famous president. The origin of that name is not that complicated; it was initially known as aruzay  (曲腰鱼) and the name change came about simply because it was the favourite dish of Taiwan's first president; Chiang Kai-shek! 

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Location Map
I didn't have the exact address but Itashao is not a big town and you should not have any problem finding it. Just rely on the google map that i have generated for your benefit. 

Price
For the above, we paid a total of NT$1,500. The big ticket item has to be the president fish which required an additional top up of NT$600! 

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Tonkichi Pork Loin Katsu - A Worthy Competitor for Saboten? @ Takashimaya Shopping Centre [Singapore]

April 30, 2014, 8:30 am
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I often waxed lyrical about the epic, totally delicious pork loin katsu in Saboten and one of the many comments received after that was that i should give Tonkichi a try as well. 

Boasting four outlets, i am aware that Tonkichi has been around in Singapore for quite a number of years (longer than Saboten i think) and its continual presence does give one the impression that its food must be of a certain standard. 

With that in mind, the 吃喝玩乐 gang (comprising of colleagues, both current and former, from the arts and social science faculty) decided to give it a try after being superbly impressed by Saboten in our previous food outing. 

Nope, i didn't take up the jumbo katsu set! Instead, i opted for the Hire and Rosu Katsu set, which was essentially deep fried pork fillet and loin. 

Similar to Saboten, we were given our own armoury of sauces to play with and a bowl of sesame seeds to grind. The dressing for the freshly shredded cabbage was unfortunately too zesty for me and i could not help comparing it to the nicer sesame dressing available in Saboten. 

Now coming to the all-important meat. 

For the pork loin, i was denied the thick chunkiness signature of Saboten's pork loin and it was obvious the juiciness was simply not on the same level. I was in fact more thrilled with the hire (fillet) that was surprisingly tenderer than the pork loin. 

It also didn't help that the layer of pork fat was so thin! Hello, you need the fats to boost the "shiok factor"!!

Lastly, a few slices of sweet watermelon to conclude the meal. As with Saboten, the rice, miso soup and cabbage were refillable but service could be a bit slow; so do be patient! 

Wait, not yet! There was a birthday cake! 

For the three April babies of which ah hem, i am part of! Haha. I seriously didn't realise i have so many friends who were born in the month of April! Anyway, some introduction; the middle lady is Ms Boo while the left one is Ms Wee who has a blog at http://wkiahui.blogspot.sg/.

p.s. we were so noisy; the staff had to ask that we toned down our volume! 

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Location
391 Orchard Road Ngee Ann City, 
#04-24, Takashimaya Shopping Centre

Price
Hire and Rosu Katsu Set - S$26
[Subject to GST and Service Charge]


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Dancing Crab @ Singapore's Old Turf Club (The Grandstand aka the Old Turf City)

May 2, 2014, 8:17 am
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I am not known to be a clubber but when one of my friends heard i am going to the Dancing Crab; his immediate response was "New club? Where ah? Got chiobu?" 

NO, my dear, clubbing crazy friend, "Dancing Crab" is one of the newest seafood restaurants to hit the over-saturated food industry in Singapore! By the way, i am way past the clubbing age! 

The Gang of Four was initially keen to try out Crab in Da Bag although a fellow friend's recommendation for Dancing Crab, which came strong and convincing, was eventually the deciding factor for our abrupt change. 

I shall save the crap (pun intended) for later and bombard all of you with pictures of the food we had yesterday; a virgin experience that could only be described as over-indulgence!

Anyway, the first thing you should do is to proceed to the hand wash station to clean your hands! You are right, there isn't any cutlery and you are required to eat using your bare hands! If being barbaric is not your cup of tea, too bad! 

Cornbread
This was hard to stomach and that's my general verdict when it comes to any cornbread; so it could be just me. I would prefer the soft and fluffy madeleines from DB Bistro anytime! To be fair, Mrs Kon loves them!

Truffle Fries
Featuring skinny fries that had the added benefit of being crispier than other types of fries, they proved to be irresistible given the comfortable hint of truffle oil! I am not so impressed with the dips provided for our snacks though; most were bland tasting. 

Crab Cakes
Most of us in Singapore were disappointed when we had our first taste of so called crab cakes that didn't appear to have any crab meat! To be honest, it would make better sense for those operators to have a normal cake shaped like the beloved crustacean; it would have made felt less cheated! 

However, this was strongly recommended by my friend who suggested Dancing Crab (yes, Clarence, that's you i am talking about).

Boy were we surprised by the hot filling that was oozing with loads of crab meat! The flavour wasn't as sweet as i thought crab meat should be even though it was still a mouthful of satisfaction compared to the lacklustre ones we had so far.

Atlantic Cod Fish and Chips
Despite the firm endorsement from my friend, i thought it was a tad too expensive for two small servings of fried fish with a handful of fries and salad.

The oil that spurted out as i took a bite should have been an anti-climax moment but this was cod fish for goodness sake! Rich in omega 3 fatty acids, it was as delicious and as yummy as all cod fish are! 

Combo Bag #1
The star of the meal was finally on our table; bagged up and served in a plain looking metal pot that grandma used to use as a water scoop for the well in our old kampong house. 

Open up the bag and be prepared for the puff of spicy aroma and an enticing display of seafood ranging from crabs to mussels to prawns! 

Three types of sauce were available; namely dancing crab signature (mild, spicy or extra spicy), herb butter and buerre blanc. Don't need to guess which one we choose; the signature it shall be (mild one though, since Alex cannot really take spiciness).

Seafood is seafood; freshness is what that matters most! On the account of freshness, disappointment wasn't in the dictionary and it's super rare to have the Gang quietly enjoying the food! 

The mess that was expected. The spiciness wasn't the sambal balachan type Asians are more accustomed to; i thought it was more similar to the cajun chilli pepper type that has a numbing effect! Buffalo wings lovers would like the kind of chilli used here! 

Compared to the dips given for our snacks, the mildly spicy dancing crab signature sauce would have been a much better alternative! Save a bit of your truffle fries and dip them for that extra oomphness! 

Notwithstanding the food we had so far, our tummies were literally crying for more!! So, we did the most logical thing; we ordered a second bag.... 

Herbs and Butter! Must try a different one mah. 

What's in combo bag #1 that cost S$80 for each bag? 1 good sized Sri Lankan crab, 300 grams of prawns, 250 grams of mussels, potatoes, corns and sausages! 

It's not easy resisting the buttery fragrance! Do note that unlike the dancing crab signature sauce, the herbs and butter left in the bag at the end of the meal was a scene of greasiness that brought me back to reality; damn, how to control my cholesterol like that!?

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Location
200 Turf Club Road, 
#01-20/21, The Grandstand

How to go?
Most motorists would know where it is, since parking is free and there is a huge Giant hypermarket where we can shop in a relaxing manner. For those who don't drive, check out the shuttle bus services at the following link; 
http://thegrandstand.com.sg/shuttlebus-schedule.aspx

Opening Hours
Tuesdays to Fridays and Eves of Public Holidays
- 5pm to 10.30pm

Saturdays to Sundays and Public Holidays
- 11.30am to 3pm 
- 5pm to 10.30pm

Mondays
- Closed

Price
Cornbread - S$5.00
Truffle Fries - S$7.00
Crab Cakes - S$13.00
Atlantic Cod Fish and Chips - S$22.00
Combo Bag #1 - S$80.00 each
[Subject to GST and Service Charge]

Menu 
As above

Additional Information
Wear the plastic aprons provided for free! It would save you from unnecessary embarrassment! Alex didn't want to wear it and he was the first person to have the spice-soaked crab landing on his crotch! Haha.

There was a reason why we were so game to have another order of combo bag #1. There was a 30% discount for ala carte items (except for drinks) and we figure that just one crab in Asian seafood restaurants like Seafood Paradise would have already commanded a price around the range of a combo bag #1 after discount! 

Note: promotion ends by 04 May 2014 (in two days time) and you are required to show that you have "liked" the facebook page of Dancing Crab! Hurry, the page is https://www.facebook.com/dancingcrabsg.
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Sun Moon Lake Ropeway (日月潭纜車) - A Must-Go @ Taiwan [Yuchih Township]

May 3, 2014, 6:06 am
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On the ferry ride towards Itashao from Shuishe pier, one of the buildings that would have caught your attention would be the station of the heavily advertised sun moon lake ropeway.

Its location, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, was actually easily accessible via a side route from Itashao town. And that's the route we took after dumping our luggage at the hotel in I Ta Thao (the aboriginal name of Itashao)! 

Ita Thao Lakeside Trail - with a length of 900 meters, there was honestly no need to hurry along this scenic trail even though i was painfully aware that my schedule was super tight that day. On the other end of the cable was a humongous theme park that i was so looking forward to but the only problem was that the ropeway closes at 4.30pm, leaving us with only roughly four hours to explore.

Nonetheless, the relaxing sight of calm turquoise water coupled with the laid back atmosphere helped by a temperature that hovered less than twenty degrees (in Celsius) kind of forced me to slow down my footsteps.

I wasn't complaining as there could be so many things we would have missed out in our haste to do something (this is relevant in our day to day life as well; neglect for family when we are just too involved in our work is one classic example). Have you spotted the hairy caterpillar yet?

To truly enjoy sun moon lake, especially for those who want to explore the different trails, temples etc, i would strongly recommend a stay of at least two nights. 

If budget is an issue, maybe you can consider staying in any of the camping sites. There was one located right beside the ropeway! I tried searching for more information on this specific camping ground but the website (http://www.rock-camp.com.tw/) appeared to be unavailable.

Opened to much fanfare in year 2009, this cable system travelled across a path of 1,877.15 meters that involved climbing a 43-degree elevated gradient to cross two peaks of Mount Buji! 

Okay, not really a big deal for me since the basic purposes of cable cars are to bring you over hills and mountains, cut short the journey taken from one end to another and provide a bird's eye view of the surroundings. 

Without further ado, let's continue our journey by purchasing the tickets first! Now, there are basically two types of tickets; the sun moon lake ropeway (single / round trip) and the combined formosan aboriginal culture village with ropeway (round trip).  

Time permits? Just go for the combined tickets! You only need to top up NT$480 for each person and this would give you access to the aboriginal village which is in fact a theme park by itself! I don't know what happen but there was a promotion when i visited; i only paid NT$580 each for the combined tickets (which included discounted coupons that could be used in the village)! 

04 April was Taiwan's Children's Day; a national holiday yet it didn't take us long before we stepped into the cable car! Heng ah as i heard the queue to enter the ropeway can drag for hours on some public holidays! The staff was also very accommodating if you prefer not to share the cabin with strangers!

Why did we bring a bear to the cable car?! Nope, it wasn't us! There was a classic teddy bear exhibition in the aboriginal village and this was part of the publicity campaign; a large bear was placed in every cable car! So cute right?! 

View was stunning although it was still too cloudy to take a decent picture that would have taken your breath away. Being physically there was a totally different story of course (truthfully, pictures can only do so much).

Those health freaks i know can consider taking the mountain trail. I bet it would be an invigorating experience that would guarantee to result in a few days of leg sore.

Reaching the "smile valley" which was 786 meters wide! Its name came about because the suspended ropeway formed a curve across the valley; representing a smile. So, there's nothing even remotely historical about its origin! 

Each cable car was given a coat of paint representing the primary colours; red, yellow and blue. However, they also symbolise the red sun, yellow moon and blue lake! Notice how they all link up to be the word sun moon lake! To complicate the colours even more, red also means happiness, yellow for enjoyment and blue for ecology!

Why ecology? Maybe it has something to do with the vast greenery surrounding both sides of the ropeway although ecology didn't quite gel with the two 'emotional' representation of red and yellow. 

Unlike most cable car systems that have numerous stations / stop, Sun Moon Lake Ropeway serves only two stops; the ropeway station where we embarked, and the formosan aboriginal culture village. 

I shall talk about the village in a separate post as there were over sixty pictures! As you could probably see from the above photograph, there was another cable car system but that was for use only within the cultural village.

Please be assured that the "village" is going to be way more modern than the above and not as boring as you would have expected. In fact, i thought a name-change is required to increase the number of foreign visitors; it is definitely more than just a "village".

Had to take this picture as i am the fire safety coordinator in my workplace! The placement of this fire extinguisher would have failed the fire safety inspection in Singapore which requires unblock access to firefighting equipment! Tsk tsk tsk! 

Fast forward to a few hours later - we were back at the station for our return ride back to Itashao. I am so going to arrange for a two-night stay the next time i visit Sun Moon Lake; with the second day reserved purely for the formosan aboriginal culture village.

One cable car can seat eight persons; with the big bear taking up more than the space of a regular person, please note that during this period, every car can only seat seven persons. 

I am just going to show one last picture; Alex was marvelling at the beauty of this place by the shore where little islands made up a really unique pattern on the lake. According to my checks, the place is called 大竹湖 (Dajhuhu) and it is known for a short 80-meter path leading to Sun Moon fountain; a pool of bumbling water. Interestingly, it was man-made and came from an underground pipe! 

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Website for More Information


For an overview of my 9 Days, 8 Nights Taiwan Trip [Cingjing (清境) - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Taichung (臺中) - Taipei (臺 北)], click HERE.

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My Birthday 2014

May 3, 2014, 5:00 pm
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I turned officially 34 on 25th April 2014.

Rest assured, there will not be a recap of what i have done over the past one year or worse still, over the past thirty four years! What's over is past and the only way is to look forward to the future! 

As with the past few years, there were loads of birthday cakes and i had my first one six days before my actual birthday on a food outing with a number of friends (thanks ladies)! Second cake was with my current NUS colleagues and it was a homemade carrot cake made by the mom of my colleagues (thanks, auntie)!

I shall put on record that my colleague did a fantastic job slathering such a thick layer of cheese cream! :P By the way, the carrot cake was yummilicious!! 

The actual day of my birthday wasn't exactly smooth sailing; i forgot to zip up until i was back home from breakfast, i was already sick before then but it worsened on 25th, and i broke my trusty electronic weighing machine. :(

Maybe it has given up on me, knowing very well that for me to lose some weight is akin to winning the first prize for TOTO. Damn, I shall prove IT wrong!!! 

Someone did take my hint (read here for further information) seriously and got me a pink piggy bank! And to add on to my joy, it was filled with S$1 golden coins! 

Last birthday cake this year was with my family members! Glace confectionery never fails to deliver and the big strawberries on the cake were so juicy and sweet (thanks, Joyce and Pig)! p.s. there was a fourth one by the Gang of Four but that was to celebrate all of us finally hitting our 30s.

Anyway, an update on the two kids in the family! 

Jerald is no longer a little boy; he is now in Primary one, talks a lot more, asks a great load more and plays Minion Rush like an expert!!! I wasn't even half his level!

Jovyn is now in pre-school and learning things so rapidly; it was hard to believe she was that toddler who could hardly string a few words! 

She is still very cute though. Haha. 

But still a terror and a bully!!! 
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