Andre in Taiwan

GO KART!

2013-02-19T15:12:00.000+08:00

Took my nieces & nephew to Taroko to do race some go karts.....

Ready to race some go karts! Or maybe rob a bank??!!

Sabrina

Joshua

Veronica

Olivia & Ethan cheering them on. They were too small to go in the karts.

Afterwards we took them to the nearby arcade for more games including miniature bowling.

All round a fun day for all the kids.

Dongshi Forest Park

2013-01-14T13:01:00.004+08:00

http://tsfa.emmm.tw/
http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/pda/m1.aspx?sNo=0002112&id=694

Google Maps:

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GPS Coordinates: +24° 17' 6.93", +120° 52' 3.83"

Halloween 2012

2012-12-28T15:55:00.001+08:00

Round 1...

Round 2...

Longteng Broken Bridge

2012-11-15T15:31:00.000+08:00

A little info about the broken bridge (龍騰斷橋)..... http://www.guide.taiwan-adventures.com/2011/longteng-broken-bridge

The quiet town of Sanyi becomes a bit of a tourist hot spot on weekends, especially during the Tong flower blooming season. This bridge that collapsed during an earthquake in 1935 is one of the focal points for the area.

The railway line that the bridge served was moved and has been a hiking trail since its closure. However, attempts to get the line running again seem to be gathering steam and in the summer of 2010 a trial run took place from Shenxing station to Taian.

Google Maps:

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GPS coordinates: 24° 21' 31.02", +120° 46' 25.65"

The Chengxing (Shengxing) Train Station

2012-10-31T15:57:00.000+08:00

More info about this tourist area (勝興車站)..... http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0002110&id=5961

The Chengxing (Shengxing) Train Station is located at the highest point of the western railway trunkline, 402.326 meters above sea level. The train station, completed in 1906, is built entirely of wood in the Japanese huya (lit. Teeth of a Tiger) style, which is supposed to ward off evil spirits. Many artifacts from the Japanese occupation period can still be seen here, such as the old train signals that originally stood between the Chengxing (Shengxing) and Tai-an Station, which were later replaced by a central control system.

At 9:10 p.m. on September 23, 1998, the southbound No. 167 pulled to a stop, marking the end of train service on the Jiu Mountain (Jiushan) Line as traffic switched to the New Jiu Mountain (Jiushan) Line.

Though the trains no longer stop at Chengxing (Shengxing) Station, the station endures as a nostalgic tourist attraction. The station is a popular location for wedding photos, and visitors come to walk the abandoned tunnel. The area has also risen as a new destination for cross-country cycling. On April 16, 1999, the Miaoli County Government designated Chengxing (Shengxing) Station as a county-level historic site.

Google Maps:

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GPS Coordinates: +24° 23' 16.83", +120° 46' 54.74"

Just another day in Thailand

2012-10-19T17:07:00.004+08:00

An American friend of mine who's currently living in Thailand sent me the following email and photos.....

Hey guys,

I usually let our cats out early in the morning, come back in and brew a pot of coffee then go back out to check on them. This morning I walked out with my mug in hand and looked up and down our soi (Thai for street) since the cats weren't hanging around the townhouse. I spotted one of them at the end of the soi and started walking towards him. I noticed something had his undivided attention as he was sitting on the ground intently peering up in front of the townhouse on the end of the soi. As I brought my gaze up I saw this python coiled around the townhouse banister going up the wall surrounding our subdivision and trying to get back into the jungle on the other side of the wall.

What struck me immediately were the obvious bulges in his mid-section. I freaked for a moment and instantly imagined one of our cats in his gut. Fortunately, all of our cats were all accounted for. There's a community park kitty corner from our townhouse and one of the residents keeps a rooster and a hen in the corner of the park under some bamboo trees. Traditional Thai style is a woven "basket" turned upside down as a pen for the birds. The rooster greets the dawn every morning but I didn't notice that I hadn't heard his cock-a-doodle-doo this morning.

This is a reticulated python, the longest snake and reptile in the world. This one looks to be about 10 feet long, probably about 30~35 lbs., and they can grow to well over 20 feet. So I guess we're dealing with a little guy. You can see the two bulges in his stomach, one for each chicken. The chickens together weigh about 10 lbs. and pythons can consume up to their entire body weight in one sitting. The next set of photos will show him regurgitating the chickens. Unfortunately, I thought it would take some time for him to cough them up and decided to quickly take a shower. By the time I came back both chickens were already laying dead in the soi and animal control had arrived on the scene.

When I first saw him he was trying to slither back into the jungle but couldn't fit his bloated mid-section through the wrought iron at the top of the wall. His head was through to the other side so it was safe to grab his tail and hold it. When he realized he wasn't going to fit through he backed out but kept a grip on the wrought iron with has tail.

By this time half the neighborhood had gathered around as snakes are a huge to-do in Thailand. Thais hate snakes but don't kill them when they run across them. One of the folks came with a home made slip noose on a long pole (he had obviously used it before) and managed to collar him without too much effort. Still holding his grip to the wrought iron we tried prying him loose so he would drop to the ground and that took some effort. These snakes are unbelievably strong as I myself tried and couldn't begin to budge him. They can kill and have killed humans. They're constrictors and will squeeze you to death, probably crushing your bones as well. I have pictures of a larger specimen, over 20 feet, that devoured an adult male. An awesome snake to see and feel in the wild, even though this is an urban area. Not uncommon for pythons to habitat metropolitan Bangkok.

While this is my first encounter with a python I've crossed paths with a number of pit vipers, most of which are highly poisonous. They're bright green, thin and about 30~40 inches long. In lush vegetation they're extremely difficult to see or even to follow their movements once you do spot them.

Cheers,

Pete

And now, the photos.....

(WARNING: photos might be too graphic to some people, proceed at your own risk.)

How Sweet Bakery

2012-09-13T15:02:00.000+08:00

Took Olivia and my nephew Ethan to make cupcakes at the headquarters of How Sweet Bakery.....

Checking out the bakery shop inside while waiting for our factory tour and cupcake-making to start.

Starting the factory tour.

Trying to pay attention to what the tour guide had to say.

If you can't tell yet, this polar bear is their official mascot.

Ready to start making some cupcakes.

Starting to get impatient.

Did they hear me fart?

The mamas helping out.

All done.

Time to go home and show Grandma & Grandpa their creations!

Brunch at Casa Della Pasta

2012-08-31T14:32:00.000+08:00

CASA DELLA PASTA.....

Baldie Tristan

2012-07-17T20:00:00.000+08:00

Shaved Tristan's head today; now we've got ourselves a little shaolin monk.....

Domoney Cafe

2012-07-13T11:35:00.000+08:00

A lazy afternoon with some R&R at the Domoney Cafe (朵曼妮主題餐廳) located in the Bali District.....

Hong Kong day trip

2012-06-20T17:23:00.001+08:00

Made another day trip to Hong Kong for a "visa" run (mandatory military service escape). However, this trip was a little more special as I got see an old high school buddy whom I haven't seen in more than 15 years!

On the way.

Almost there.

And here we go!

This is my high school buddy Steve, who happened to be in Hong Kong for a trade show. We haven't seen each other in over 15 years!

Old high school buddies. On the left, that's Billy who also went to high school with us and now lives in Hong Kong. The three of us have known each other for almost 25 years.

After a few hours and quite a few drinks later, we decided to move on to another spot. Here we are trying hail a taxi, which seemed to have taken forever or maybe I was just too drunk.

In the taxi getting to the next watering hole.

Grimy Hong Kong.

Good times with old friends! Got way too drunk, don't remember how I got to the airport and almost didn't make it back to Taiwan but it was well worth it.

Hello baby Tristan

2012-06-07T14:58:00.000+08:00

Say hello to our new baby boy (our second child) Tristan Yu.....

Born on June 2nd, weighing in at 3620 g (about 8 pounds).

Tristan, you complete us!

Papago International Resort in Taitung - Part 3

2012-06-05T14:07:00.000+08:00

A final post from our stay at the Papago International Resort in Taitung.....

We rented a couple bikes and rode around town.

We took turns giving Olivia a ride. Karen went first.

First, we rode along a river bank.

My turn to give Olivia a ride.

The area is famous for its rice so we rode by what seemed like never-ending fields of rice.

The scenery was absolutely beautiful with mountains along the backdrop of the green rice fields.

Here's a crappy panorama I made. You may click on the picture to view a larger version.

Some garden that we rode by.

Taking a break at the Hakka Cultural Center.

Later we hopped on this tractor trolley and went on a tour.

Olivia was really enjoying it all and having a great time. That is really all that matters.

With the sun setting, it was time to go back to the resort.

A look at the pool area during the night.

The next day (our final day), since our train back to Taipei was later in the afternoon and we had to check -out by 12 noon, the resort gave us a complimentary afternoon tea set.

A great way to end the trip and relax some more.

At the train station waiting for our train to go back home. So sad to be leaving. The next day Olivia asked me: "Papa, can we move to Taitung?" She might be on to something!

Papago International Resort in Taitung - Part 2

2012-05-24T19:50:00.001+08:00

Continuing with our stay at the Papago International Resort in Taitung.....

Next morning after breakfast, we walked around the premises some more. This here is a pond filled with fish located around the back.

Feeding the fishies.

Feeding the fishies from a different spot.

Olivia goofing around and pretending to dance on a "stage".

Pool still empty. It was in fact empty most of the 3 days we were there. Good for us since it meant we had the pool all to ourselves! We definitely overindulged with the pool because we went in it quite a few times during our stay.

These are some of the private villas you can rent. We're gonna stay in one of these if we come back.

More private villas in the back and that's the outdoor venue where you can have events like weddings. That night there was a banquet party by some insurance company for their employees, so you can see a truck there unloading some stuff setting things up.

Beautiful scenery and weather.

Papago International Resort in Taitung - Part 1

2012-05-14T15:06:00.000+08:00

A few months ago, we spent a weekend at the Papago International Resort in Taitung and it turned out to be one of the best vacations I've ever had in Taiwan.

We took the train from Taipei to Taitung, which makes it a lot easier on me since driving there would have been real stressful and tiring. By car on a good day without much traffic... at least 6 hours, .

The other great thing about taking the train is I get to enjoy the beautiful scenery that the east coast has to offer.

Also, Olivia really loves the ride the train. Just look at her, she can hardly contain her excitement! :P

We arrived in Chishang (Taitung County) just before noon. Since it was almost lunch time and the area is known for their rice; the first order of business was to buy some lunch boxes.

The lunch box. There was a line-up at the store so it has to be good, right?

Right. It lived up to its billing. The rice was so good!

After lunch, we made our way to the resort. Not the best weather but at least it wasn't raining.

Our room wasn't ready, so we walked around the resort a bit to check things out. Here's Olivia pretending to taking a nap.

The resort would make a great place for outdoor weddings.

After we checked into our rooms, it was time to hit the pool!

After a couple hours playing in the pool, it was time to get back to the room.

All in a hard day's work.

The Case for Beer: Why You Should Enjoy it and Enjoy it Right (Infographic)

2012-04-20T19:55:00.000+08:00

Too great not to share with all beer lovers like me out there. From Frugal Dad...

There are times when learning a few key pieces of information about something can help you to maximize the value you get from it. For example, I always used to think beer was unequivocally at its best when served ice cold. However, I recently was surprised to learn that most experts say beers are best served a little bit warmer—between 40 and 55 degrees. Between these temperatures, the flavors and aromas that make the beer experience complete are preserved and protected.

Beer and wine both can be wholesome elements of a healthy lifestyle, but they can become decidedly unwholesome if drinking becomes excessive. Excessive drinking is not only detrimental to your health, it’s expensive, and can easily become a drain on your finances if you’re not careful. However, when enjoyed responsibly and in moderation, some studies are beginning to show that beer can be as heart healthy as wine, and bears some other potential health benefits as well. Read on to discover the case for responsible beer drinking, as well as some helpful tips on food pairing and optimal serving temperatures. In my opinion, if you slow down and enjoy it fully, at the right temperature and with some nicely complimentary food, you’ll be far less likely to enjoy it in excess, and far more likely then to reap the positive benefits of beer. Of course, you should always consult your doctor about what is most beneficial for your own health. Enjoy, I hope you find it informative.

Source: FrugalDad.com

Back at the Levee Park in Wugu

2012-04-07T15:53:00.000+08:00

Just hanging out at the Levee Park in Wugu again. Olivia really likes going there plus it's only about 10 minutes drive from our home, so makes it a convenient place to go on any sunny day when we've nothing to do.

Out & about in Jinshan

2012-03-29T16:00:00.000+08:00

Hanging out in Jinshan (near the north coast of New Taipei City) for a few hours.....

At the famous Jinshan Fortune God Temple.

After wondering around a bit, we found this Yunan restaurant. The food was very good!

A rare quiet moment from Olivia. Those are rare indeed. Seems the only time she's not talking nowadays is when she's sleeping!

2011 Daniel Pearl World Music Days Taipei

2012-03-26T14:32:00.000+08:00

Yet another better late than never post, here are some photos from last year's Daniel Pearl World Music Days in Taipei.....

Great venue, awesome weather. This was stage #1.

Stage #2.

"Stop taking photos of me!"

"Wanna take photos of me??? Fine! I will make some goofy & scary faces then!"

Lunch at Wild West Chophouse

2012-03-23T16:31:00.000+08:00

Made our way to Zhubei to have lunch at the Wild West Chophouse.....

Tequila in a boot shot glass. Awesome!

This was one of the best steaks I've ever had in Taiwan.

It was so cool to see a Costa Rican artifact in the restaurant.

The 72oz steak wall of fame. Wanna have your name and picture on that wall? All you gotta do is finish a 72oz steak! Not sure if there's a time constraint to finish the steak tho'; but as you can from the picture, the world record was set at 8 minutes and 52 seconds. WOW!

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Address:
新竹縣竹北市光明一路256號
No. 256, Guāngmíng 1st Rd, Jhubei City

GPS coordinates:
+121° 0' 53.19"
+24° 49' 50.68"

Doggy blanket

2012-03-14T15:37:00.000+08:00

Olivia goofing around in her "new" doggy blanket before bedtime. New to her but not really new since it was passed down to her by cousin Ethan.

Homemade ice cream

2012-03-09T18:17:00.001+08:00

While visiting our friends Hui-Chen and MJ, we had some fun trying out their new ice cream maker.....

brain freeze!!!!!

Afternoon tea at To House (Rabbit Restaurant)

2012-03-08T19:02:00.000+08:00

Well, staying with the better late than never theme; here are some photos from our visit to To House (兔子餐廳) cafe in Bali District last summer.....

Rabbit in Chinese is pronounced "tu-zhi", so the name To House is a play on words to mean "Rabbit" house.

The place has some open space in the back with lots of rabbits (hence the name of the restaurant) and some other animals. It kinda like a petting zoo. Most patrons were families with kids; so yeah, it's a nice place to bring your kids.

As one can imagine with a name meaning Rabbit House, there were lots of rabbit related decor.

It was a really hot day so most of the rabbits were hiding and resting in shaded areas.

Did I say it was hot? Olivia was running around and sweating buckets!

Nice place to sit and relax.

Trying to cool off with some chocolate ice cream float.

Some of the other animals included this pig.

Some ducks.

A couple of cockatoos.

Olivia greeting the swine.

Armed with Karen's camera, Olivia decided she wanted to take some photos.

Feeding time.

I think that's a guinea pig.

Showing her green tongue after having some candy. Kids!

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GPS coordinates:
+25° 9' 37.49"
+121° 24' 22.98"

Open Mic at Titty Tea

2012-02-02T15:10:00.000+08:00

Better late than never. Here are some photos from this past summer's Open Mic night at Titty Tea.....

Before Open Mic at Titty Tea, we went to have dinner the Bon Appetit Pizzeria.
From left to right... that's me, Michael, MJ & Hui-Chen.

After dinner, we made our way to Titty Tea for Open Mic.

No, the event was not a bust.
Yes, they serve fresh milk.
Yes, glad to keep you all abreast on things.
No, the doors do not have any knockers.
Yes, they do serve some drinks in large cups. Some in small cups too.
Yes, as a matter of fact they do have some nice racks inside for storing those cups.
No, it was in the summer so it wasn't nippy during the night.
Titillating? Indeed.

OK, just thought I'd get those out of the way first before anyone wants to leave a smart-ass comment. Oh, I know you are thinking about it.

My poison for the night.

MJ and Van Stokes were the hosts for the night.

Mimi reading some Shakespeare.

Van got on and sang some country music. That was a lot of fun and entertaining. It's pretty rare to hear live country music here.

Michael telling jokes in Chinese. Everyone was laughing hard. Good stuff.

I think this girl's name was Ellie. She sang some English songs and did a pretty good job.

There was a pretty good turnout so unfortunately there weren't enough seats to go around the room.

Olivia keeping busy playing with an ipad.

These guys went up after much urging from their family and friends so they were very unprepared to say the least. The guy singing had to stop halfway through his performance to look up lyrics on his iphone. Funny moment.

MJ took over for a while and did what he does best. ROCK THE HOUSE!

This is Shawn, who owns Titty Tea, belting out some tunes.

Pauline ended the night with some original songs that she wrote and composed.

Great fun night. Titty Tea has been scheduling a lot of live performances lately. I hope to make it out again soon.

Fun Day at Olivia's kindergarten

2012-01-19T15:32:00.000+08:00

Olivia's school held an event called "Fun Day" on a weekend. This little event serves two main purposes. One, to allow parents to visit the school with their kids and have some fun while being able to interact with the staff. Two, to recruit new students.