Travel Journal: On the road from Smithers, British Columbia to Jasper National Park, Alberta.

It was another early morning for the Kellenbergers. I was up at 7am to have a good-bye breakfast with the girls. It’s going to be a long time before I see any of them again and the whole morning felt bittersweet. Will it be another eight years before I see them all again?

For those of you who are coming late to my Canadian summer travel updates, let me give you a quick recap:

John, Caleb and I embarked on a summer road trip that took us from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to Smithers, British Columbia for a wedding. While we were in Smithers, I reunited with old girl friends, some of whom I haven’t seen since I left Canada in 2003 to move abroad. It was a weekend filled with lots of  joy. My friends were finally able to meet John and my stepson, Caleb, for the first time. I’ve been hearing about Daena’s fiance, Sam for many years and I’m really happy that I could be there for their wedding. John and I reunited with our Japan travel buddies, Beka and Christian. I saw Sarah for the first time in eight years and met her baby daughter and her new beau, and I got a chance to catch up with Amanda and her husband Judd.

Here we all the girls at our good-bye breakfast on our last day in Smithers. From left to right: Carrie, Julia and Sarah, Daena (the bride!!), Amanda and Beka. You ladies are phenomenal!

Pictures speak louder than words, so here are some people who are very near and dear to my heart. That picture below is of me with the bride and groom, Daena and Sam Cooper.

Carrie, Daena and Beka. I spend a lot of time on Skype with these two ladies.

Caleb had a special good-bye hug for Daena. He really enjoyed dancing with her at the wedding, but in all honesty, I think he figured out that D is as lovable as they come. She has a heart of pure gold.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to say good-bye to Beka and Christian since they decided to travel with us to Banff National Park. We got on the road within minutes of saying good-bye to Sam and Daena. From Smithers, we had a nine-hour drive ahead of us, but road trips are nothing without stopping to enjoy various locations. We made plenty  of stops that allowed us to stretch our legs and enjoy the stunning scenery, so enjoy the photo essay and my travel blather.

Our first stop of the day happened at a rest area about three hours outside of Smithers. John thinks that the US has Canada beat on rest stops, and I tend to agree with him, but I don’t think we were too bad off. After all, we didn’t have to eat on the ground, we were able to grill our lunch thanks to Christian and his portable grill, we were surrounded by beautiful forest scenery, and we enjoyed a great lunch of sausage, cheese, crackers, and fresh BC cherries. I think we did pretty well, and I didn’t hear any complaints from Mr. Kellenberger.

All along the highway, we saw towering blue mountains carpeted in lush forest, wide valleys, raging blue-green rivers and crystal clear lakes. We saw black bears, bighorn sheep, and lots of deer and elk. Caleb kept a sharp eye out for some moose, but we never spotted one. Nevertheless, the wildlife that we did see (as you’ll see below) was pretty awe-inspiring.

We entered the Mount Robson Visitor Center around 5:0pm and stopped to stretch our legs and nab a few photos. By that time, we were tired, hungry, cranky, and more than ready to get out of the vehicle. Just when it seemed like we couldn’t take any more driving, we received a special message from Jasper National Park. We found our very own personal tour guide!

Just a few kilometers outside of town, I spotted an elk on the side of the road. Of course, we did exactly what we weren’t supposed to do: We stopped to snap some photos. Yes, I know I’m not supposed to get that close, but I didn’t read the warning about staying away from elk in the park until we arrived at our hotel later that evening.

Apparently, elk can be really nasty customers. They appear docile, but have been known to get quite aggressive. Had I known that before we entered the park, I probably wouldn’t have snapped the photo below. We were less than three feet away from that elk! I admit, there was one moment when I thought he was going to rush the truck. That moment of fear, however, was totally worth it in my opinion. Caleb was thrilled, as were John and I.

And this I solemnly swear: To any park rangers who happen to be reading this journal, you guys do a great job maintaining the park and I swear I’ll never do anything like that again.

Stay tuned for our next update on the town of Jasper and our drive the rest of Jasper National Park. Thanks for reading!

Photography can be an intimidating hobby with a big learning curve. Nevertheless, Lomography puts the fun back into photography, whether you’re a professional photographer or a total amateur. Compare the crowd at the official Lomography store in Dunhua to the camera stores near Taipei Main and you’d see what I mean. Throughout the day, you have hip youngsters buzzing around the Lomography store with big grins on their faces.

Lomography picked up in the early 1990s with the compact 35mm LOMO LC-A camera. The low quality of the plastic camera was also its charm. The camera often produced whimsical photos that was blurry and discolored.

Fast forward to today, and the range has grown to over dozens of film cameras and accessories. The most popular being the Diana+ and Fisheye cameras.

The philosophy of Lomography is pretty straight-forward and is mainly about being spontaneous. They have even developed 10 golden rules that are short and easy to follow:

1.    Take your camera everywhere you go
2.    Use it any time – day and night
3.    Lomography is not an interference in your life, but part of it
4.    Try the shot from the hip
5.    Approach the objects of your lomographic desire as close as possible
6.    Don’t think (William Firebrace)
7.    Be fast
8.    You don’t have to know beforehand what you captured on film
9.    Afterwards either
10.   Don’t worry about any rules

The Lomography store in Taipei opened in June this year and it’s probably one of my favorite stores here. If Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory is a haven for sweet tooths, then the Lomography store provides never-ending eye candy for photographers.

What I like about the store is how everything’s hands on. Every product and accessory is laid out in front of you on a glass table. There are photo examples plastered around the walls and the staff are very knowledgeable and helpful.

There’s even an open coffee lounge with vintage furniture from Vienna and free Wi-Fi access. What’s more, the store also offers frequent photo workshops and seminars. Although the classes are in Chinese, the staff do go out of their way to assist you in English. Some workshops allow you fiddle around with the products and take them out for a test drive. How sweet’s that?

Even if you know nothing about photography except for using a camera to take photos at parties, the Lomography store is definitely still worth checking out. It’s a fun environment that offers something for everyone.

Lomography store details

Where: No.35. Lane 187, Sec.1, Dunhua S. Rd., Taipei
Opening hours: Mon-Fri: 2:00pm–10:00pm; Sat-Sun: 12:00pm–10:00pm
Contact: +886 2 27736111

Travel journal

John and Caleb scaling the heights at Twin Falls in Smithers, BC

Day 2 in Smithers, British Columbia dawned bright and early. After a quick bite to eat, we set out on a little sightseeing adventure with our friends Beka and Christian. We drove just outside of town to see a local attraction called Twin Falls, a double waterfall that plunges down the mountainside from a great height. The hike was more than manageable for five-year-old Caleb, who hustled up the mountain trail like it was nothing. I guess he takes after his father in athletic ability. And me? Well, I was busy capturing those father/son moments so they both have something to look back on when this summer draws to an end.

Christian demonstrates skills with a Hitachi at the Sunshine Inn.

After our morning adventures, we headed back to the Sunshine to grab some lunch. Christian and Beka had a Hitachi, so we grilled sausages on the third-floor balcony and enjoyed them with fresh potato salad and leafy greens. Beka, who is on a gluten-free diet, had a bit of surprise with her spicy chili burgers. Caleb likened them to poop burgers, and from the looks of them, we don’t think his assessment was too far off. Beka thought they tasted like ass too. She returned the poop burgers the next day and got a refund – no questions asked.

Beka’s poop burgers from Safeway.

Later that afternoon, we headed over to Daena and Sam’s place to help them get things sorted for the wedding. Daena’s mom and I got started on her bridal bouquet while Christian and John transported booze and decorations over to the lodge for the wedding reception.

Once the bride’s bouquet was finished, we all piled into Daena’s pick-up and headed out to Driftwood Lodge to put the decorations up.

Driftwood Lodge is a massive log cabin that perches on a small knoll overlooking wide grassy plains and mountains. The view was breathtaking from the veranda and I could easily understand why Daena and Sam had picked this particular area for their wedding reception.

Dinner-time saw us back on the third-floor balcony at Sunshine Inn, where we were joined by my friend Sarah who arrived with baby Julia and boyfriend Shawn. Reuniting with Sarah was like taking a step back in time. Nothing had changed between us and it felt like we picked up exactly where we had left off over eight years ago.

We spent the rest of the evening drinking beer in the cool mountain air and reminiscing about the good old days.

Girl time for Beka, Carrie, Sarah, and Ashleigh

In this video, Peggy teaches us how to ask for different sizes and colors when you are trying on clothes in a store.

Learn Chinese with Peggy Lee

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Learn Chinese from the comfort of your own home. Peggy offers paid tutoring lessons via Skype: peggyteacheschinese

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I was ecstatic when my friend Tom  invited me to see Issey Miayke’s runway show on the weekend. Issey Miyake’s Fall/Winter 2010 collection was exclusively designed by Japanese fashion designer Dai Fujiwara, who was there on the night.

Issey Miyake’s runway show was presented at the Nangang World Trade Center as part of Taipei in Style. This three-day convention was organized by the Taiwan Textile Federation and was an opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their fashion apparels and accessories to leading buyers from around the world. Visitors include fashion houses, designers, consultants, fashion professionals and the general public.

This season, Issey Miyake’s range mainly focused on vibrant colors, textures and movement. It was refreshing to see splashes of fuchsia, orange, purple and lime green for a Fall/Winter collection that is often dominated by darker hues.

Dai Fujiwara kept Issey Miyake’s usual profile of superb tailoring and structured details. However, he made the collection more vivacious and alluringly prêt-à-porter.

Compared to Issey Miyake’s last Fall/Winter collection, this one definitely had a lighter feel to it with a combination of drapery and layers.

I loved the tights that were featured in the show. The textured tights featured enticing prints and designs that were complementary to the clothes. The accessories were kept to a minimum and the makeup and hairstyles were sophisticated with a touch of cuteness.

Dai Fujiwara has been an exceptional Creative Director of Issey Miyake. His vision is not just about being fashion forward and trendy, but also pushing conventional methods of garment construction with with his A-POC philosophy. This philosophy has resulted in a more integrated design process, along with less fabric waste.

I thoroughly enjoyed Issey Miyake’s runway show that night and couldn’t help but look forward to the cooler months that much more.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images.

Today’s guest author is Ava Apollo, a lover of travel, things that are purple, and dirty martinis.  Ava writes that when she’s not stuck in the cubicle farm, she’s out fighting douchebags, spewing sarcasm, and blogging about love, life, and of course, battling the bullshit along with her friends Stella Sage and Bella Blue on the Superblogettes. The Blogettes are three 20-something ladies trapped in a hilarious ongoing battle with The Man, anything precluding them from having some good, dirty fun, and anything and anyone who reeks of general douchery. A chronicle of their antics can be found at www.superblogettes.com and on The Superblogettes Facebook Fan Page. Find Ava on Twitter at or email her at ava@superblogettes.com.

I remember back when I told my friends I was going away to live in Taiwan. I was met with “Thailand? Rad!” or “Taiwan? Isn’t that where they make plastic?” Groan.

Needless to say, there’s a whole lot more to this eclectic island than plastic. No, I’m not talking about the (formerly) tallest building in the world. I’m not talking about night markets or 24-hour book stores either. Of course you should see all of those things while in Taiwan, but you need only look in a travel book for those little gems. I’m here to let you in on the top things to notice, experience, and come to love before you leave this island. Enjoy, friends.

1) Stinky food

Ever heard of Chou Dofu, or “stinky tofu”? I had heard about it here and there before heading over to Taiwan, but never expected the smell to bludgeon me in the face the first time I encountered it. Also popular in Hong Kong and parts of Mainland China, this fermented snack is well known on this island, and for good reason.

That reason being that you absolutely cannot walk within 50 feet of it and not notice it.

If it’s hard to imagine, allow me to help you out. Were I to be taken by mobsters and questioned, if they waved chou dofu under my nose as a form of torture, I’d tell them whatever they wanted to know. Were I to be relegated to an isolated island, and had a choice between chicken feet and this dish, I’d be eating feet the rest of my days. This is not rivaled by Durian, or even Kimchi. No no, this is an animal all its own that you can really only understand if you’ve come face to face, er, nose to nose with it.

If you can muster the cajones to try it, fear not, it tastes much better than it smells.

But don’t kiss anyone after eating it. That’s just mean.

2) All the pretty lights

The very best time to be in Taipei is right after Chinese New Year. I say ‘after,’ because ‘during,’ the city is a ghost town. After, however, we are gifted the annual Lantern Festival, which consists of hundreds of lanterns and beautiful lights adorning the city center. The best part is that it’s all free to go enjoy. So take a stroll, avoid the stinky tofu, and experience the most festive time of year in Taipei.

Can’t make it during this time of year? Fret not. This city manages to remain colorful year round with rainbow lights adorning just about every major building. Several times while walking around at night I would find myself staring up at the buildings, mouth open, drool trickling, waiting for the pretty lights to turn color.

Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest building, has a different color scheme each night of the week, and puts on a special show on particular holidays.

3) All the lovely ladies

Did I get your attention, boys?

Head over to Ximending to see what the lovely young hipsters wear, what they eat, and where they get their tattoos and gadgets.

Head out to the various night clubs sprinkled throughout the city and dance the night away. Luxy (typically a shit-show, and isn’t that awesome?!), Barcode (more upscale martini bar), and Primo are my old stomping grounds.

Head slightly outside the city and you’ll see an interesting sight: betel nut girls.

I have to say, the first time I ever saw a betel nut girl, I was intrigued. I wanted to go buy some betel nut just to check out her neat outfit, or rather, lack thereof. They’re basically a way hotter and more scantily clad version of a liquor store. And that, my friends, is hot.

4) The “shans”

Taipei is surrounded by lush green mountains. Do yourself a favor and venture up one if you ever find yourself in Taipei. My favorite, and therefore the very best, is Yang Ming Shan.

Okay fine, it’s everybody’s favorite. So just go – get yourself to the tea house at the top of the mountain, eat some cheesecake that will change your life, and soak in the amazing view of Taipei as the sun sets and the rainbow lights come on.

5) Would you like some pepper?

I have to laugh every time I think about going to a restaurant in Taipei. Every dish came out with an extremely attentive server rushing over, armed with a pepper grinder, enthusiastically asking if I would like some fresh pepper on my cheesy pasta.

No, I would not like pepper on my mac & cheese, xie xie.

All kidding aside, I still find myself missing the food and wishing I could go back for just one more bite. I’m not only talking about talking about local cuisine, oh no. This city also has the best in international fare to offer. I had some of the best Indian, Italian, and Middle Eastern food of my life in this city. (hey locals, remember Sababa? I can’t get that Beirut pita out of my mind).

And there you have my top 5 tourist attractions for Taipei city. If you ever get a chance to go there, take it, then tweet me your findings.

The beautiful hostess of Peggy Teaches Chinese brings us a new Taiwan culture video on Ghost Month.

The Chungyuan Festival(中元節) follows the lunar calendar and this year, the festival, which is also known in Taiwan as “Ghost Month”, beings on July 15th. On this day, the door of the underworld is open for spirits to enter the world. By July 29th this year, the ghosts will return to the underworld. Throughout the month many families and local businesses set up a table which is covered with offerings of food to placate the homeless spirits(aka 好兄弟/hao3xiong1di4 – good brothers ) and for them to fill their stomachs.

Learn Chinese with Peggy Lee

Subscribe to Peggy’s YouTube channel for pre-recorded lessons.

Visit Peggy’s web site: Peggy Teaches Chinese

Follow Peggy on Twitter: http://twitter.com/followpeggylee

Learn Chinese from the comfort of your own home. Peggy offers paid tutoring lessons via Skype: peggyteacheschinese

E-mail: peggyteacheschinese@gmail.com

In Peggy’s first intermediate Chinese lesson, we learn how to make comparative and superlative sentences.

Learn Chinese with Peggy Lee

Subscribe to Peggy’s YouTube channel for pre-recorded lessons.

Visit Peggy’s web site: Peggy Teaches Chinese

Follow Peggy on Twitter: http://twitter.com/followpeggylee

Learn Chinese from the comfort of your own home. Peggy offers paid tutoring lessons via Skype: peggyteacheschinese

E-mail: peggyteacheschinese@gmail.com

Urban regeneration has been a hot topic for major cities around the globe, including London, New York, Sydney, and now, Taipei. The Grand Green was officially revealed to the public in August and is Taipei’s first urban regeneration station (URS). The project is also given a unique identification number: URS 27.

The URS concept is driven by the Taipei City Urban Redevelopment Office. It’s an on-going, large scale urban renewal project that plans to renovate old and abandoned buildings into more functional and aesthetic pleasing spaces. Rather than completely knocking over old buildings, the project wishes to preserve some of the historical artifacts and building details.

The Grand Green was originally an abandoned train station of gray debris and an old standalone building covered in graffiti.

Now, it’s an open space park with a stretch of lush green grass and an unobstructed view of Taipei 101. It even offers Wi-Fi through Wifly. The deteriorated building has been revamped by the artist Wu Keng Chen. It’s been transformed to a white building plastered with red cut out butterflies.

The lawn is surrounded by Jen Ta Hsien’s artwork that features shapes and outlines made with welded metal wires. Jen’s artwork stood out the most out of the 331 artists who entered the Taipei Arts Awards in 2006.

There are more urban renewal projects like the Grand Green currently being worked on in Taipei and around other cities in Taiwan too. It would be quite interesting to see how the others turn out. From abandoned spaces, to a usable and creative environment.

The Grand Green
Address: Corner of Civic Blv. and Linshen St.
MRT: A 3-5 minute walk from Shandao Temple Station, Exit No. 1.
Public Buses: 202, 212, 253, 262, 299, 307, 604, 605

In this week’s episode of Peggy Teaches Chinese, we learn how to order food at a restaurant.

Learn Chinese with Peggy Lee

Subscribe to Peggy’s YouTube channel for pre-recorded lessons.

Visit Peggy’s web site: Peggy Teaches Chinese

Follow Peggy on Twitter: http://twitter.com/followpeggylee

Learn Chinese from the comfort of your own home. Peggy offers paid tutoring lessons via Skype: peggyteacheschinese

E-mail: peggyteacheschinese@gmail.com