After taking it easy the day before we were all set to go hard again. We set out early to beat the crowds at one of Kyoto’s iconic sights, Kinkaku-ji Temple, or Golden Pavilion. This Buddhist temple is popular for its gold plating and reflection in ‘mirror pond’ and the gorgeous surrounding landscaping. Despite […]
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Japan, Part I: Tokyo (東京)
Hundreds year-old traditions, impeccable food, polite-to-a-fault natives and cherry blossoms? Count me in! Since Philip’s mom and sister, Kim, were arriving one week into Jules’ spring break from school, we had exactly seven days to squeeze in two weeks’ worth of fun in Japan beforehand. Here we go… Landing at Haneda International Airport and figuring out […]
Sun Moon Lake (曰月潭)
Although we’re heading to Japan in a week, we couldn’t resist going away for a weekend trip to take advantage of the quickly fleeting gorgeous weather in Taipei. Philip had mentioned checking out Sun Moon Lake in central Taiwan awhile ago, but I wasn’t so keen on it due to prior subpar tour group experiences. […]
Weekend retreat in Wulai Aboriginal Village (烏來)
I really can’t complain about needing to ‘get away,’ since I’ve had seven months off from work thus far. However, it’s still nice to leave the frenetic energy of a big city every now and then, so Jules and I set out for one of Taiwan’s aboriginal villages in Wulai this weekend. I also happened […]
Biking at Dajia Riverside Park (大佳河濱公園)
Within one week into the lunar new year Jules accomplished an important life skill…bike riding! After multiple attempts (thank you Kishita family) and much frustration (more on Philip’s and my end than Jules’) Jules conquered his fear of falling and finally rode a bike on his own, yayyyyy! Philip and I were so proud of […]
Vietnam, Part III: Yen Duc Village
Not ready to head back to the hustle and bustle of city life just yet, we spent the next couple of days at Yen Duc Village, a community-based tourism retreat set amongst rice fields and farms an hour west of Ha Long City. It’s working on obtaining US/EU organic certification at the moment (a rarity […]
Vietnam, Part II: A cruise to Bái Tử Long Bay
Our van picked us up bright and early for the four hour journey east to Ha Long harbor for our overnight cruise to Bai Tu Long Bay, a less touristed area than the popular Ha Long Bay. This area is considered one of Vietnam’s most valuable natural assets due to its unique ecosystem and […]
Strawberry picking in Neihu (內湖)
Wait, did I just say strawberry picking in January?? As it turns out, peak strawberry season in Taiwan runs from December to April. If we were to wait until June or July, as we would in New York, then I’m afraid the poor strawberries would be mostly dead or begging to be killed due to […]
Treasure Hill Artist Village (寶藏巖)
This enchanting hodge podge of private residences, artist studios, cafes and temple really was a treasure. Back in the late 40s, this housing community was built to accommodate military veterans, specifically members of the Kuomintang (KMT), who had fled China. Its location was chosen strategically, next to a river for easy transport of goods […]
Bitan Lake (碧潭湖)
Happy New Year! Philip had to leave LA a couple days before us for work, so Jules and I boarded a somewhat empty plane back to Taipei on New Year’s Eve. The captain led us all in a countdown to 2018 somewhere over the Pacific. Part of me smiled inside knowing that our new year […]