Own Made Poster : << Drunk >>

Never thought of creating my own poster before. Well, when i browsing my photos, the idea of this photo just came out from nowhere. I named it "DRUNK" because these are the colour you'll see when you are really really REALLY drunk .... LOL. Enjoy!

Explore Taiwan Taroko, Hua Lien (太魯閣-花蓮)

When i firstly come across with this country-Taiwan, i was told that "Taroko is a MUST go place when you are in Taiwan, no matter how...". Because of that, i starting to gather information about this mystery place. I'm so excited (at least it last for few minutes) before i knew that it is almost impossible for me to travel there from HsinChu after consider the distances, transportation, companion and my work in Taiwan. (Additional notes: The most convinient period to explore HuaLien and Taroko is 3-Days-2-Nights, at least.)

Well, well, well, i think god heart my request. I finally have a oppurtunity to plan for this trip, travel with my colleagues and her husband. Wow! Thanks god! Even though it is considered a last minute planning ... but everything is in place and the process is quite smooth.



Waiting patiently for the sunrise in Hua Lien Town at 5am


First sun beam rising from the east of Taiwan


Alright, let me briefly introduce this place to you: Hua Lien (花蓮) is located at the east-coast of Taiwan. One of the famous side-seeing in Hua Lien is the Taroko National Park (太魯閣國家公園) which is special significance for the environmental protection movement in Taiwan. Most places in Taroko are result from the earthquake couple of centuries ago.

Transportation:
Take Komalan Express(葛瑪蘭客運)_Taipei to YiLan (宜蘭) - 1.5 hours
Take Express Train(自強號台鐵) from YiLan (宜蘭) to Hua Lien - 1.25 hours
(Additional notes: There is direct train to Hua Lien called Taroko Express Train (Approx 2 hours), but you have to booked the seats 1 month before because it was a hot sales tickets.....always full)

Accommodation :
Bo Ya Home-Stay (柏雅民宿) - Contact: 836-1292



My Taroko Tour Guide - A-Ming, with his white Nissan


To save time, we hired a local free-lancer tour guide called A-Ming (ㄚ銘). He is a young and nice tour guy (at least no generation gap) and keep *Pump-in* Taroko's information to us. He is quite flexible with the site-seeing. If you need to visit a place, do let him know and he will arrange for you. Well, I'm a lazy person, i decide to go with his plan for our One Day trip in Taroko. Same with other tour group, he stopped us in the entrance gate to Taroko and East-West Highway (東西橫貫大路).



Photo taken in front of Gate to Taroko & East-West Highway (東西橫貫大路)


Clear sky, Bridge that connected to Taroko and Water flowing down to the sea


After passing the bridge and tunnel, Shakadang Trail (砂卡礑步道) is the first place I visit. Lots of Lion Sculpture can be see along Shakadang bridge. What surprise me is each Lion have unique and different emotion. Shakadang Trail, is a man-made trail along the river and the cliff. This place is more likely suitable for family outing and picnic activity. My heart told me to jump into water because the river is so clear and green in colour. My godness, there is no where you can find in M'sia. :)



Entrance to Shakadang Trail (Left); Lion Sculpture (R-Top); Trail (R-Bottom)


Can't wait to join that guy .... like a nature swimming pool


After a long walked in Shakadang Trail, my tour guide A-Ming took us to a local restaurant owned by aborigine. There are a few creative wood sculpture placed in front of the entrance which impressed me. Check below picture and you'll know why.

One of the famous local dishes are Grilled Pork Meat (山豬肉) and Marinated "skin-less" chilli (剝皮辣椒). And, i'm sure these 2 dishes are included in my lunch bento. Wahaha ... I found the Grilled Pork isn't that nice, too rough, but the chilli taste really good and a bit spicy. According to tour guide, different season of chilli will affect it's spicy level, and September-October will produce the most spicy chillies. Yummy yummy! Other than that, the restaurant also served us with rice wine, quite high % of alcohol. Ooo ..... I'm drunk!

Restaurant with Wood sculpture in front of the shop


Inside Restaurant (Left); Nice wine cup (top); salad (bottom)


My Lunch bento with "Skin-less" Chilli and Grilled Pork Meat


Next, i'm heading to Swallow Grotto (燕子口), a place that impressed and convinced me that it is worth to come here after spent 5 hours travel times. This place is quite windy and i was told that different kind of swallow will gathered here during certain period, i think is breed season. The road in Swallow Grotto is crossing in and out the cliff, like a snake crossing the mountain. Along the road, i noticed there are a lot hole-shape on the cliff wall on the other side of the river. These are where the swallow nest is located.



Magnificient view of Swallow Grotto


Pedestrian path crossing the cliff

View from the tunnel ... Hole-shape on the cliff


This place won't be friendly when it raining season ...


Red-Indian-Face(Left); at the back of the cliff, Monkey-Face(Right)


Road crossing in-and-out the mountain ... good experience


My 3rd destination is JiuCyuDong or Tunnel of Nine Turns (九曲洞). When i arriving here, the sky if getting dark, seems like the storm is coming soon. When sunny day, Taroko can be a close friend to you; but when raining day, it could kill you because rock might fall from no where. So, keep that in mind always. Basically, JiuCyuDong is also another tunnel side by side the river. But, if you pay enough attention, you will discover something which others won't notice. Check out the picture below :



Look up to the sky, Taiwan map shall appear!

Some description on the way Taroko was formed


Imagine this place used to be a mountain, and now ... huh :O


Watch out for the falling rock ... the size can go up to a size of half of Kancil


King Kong in Taiwan???


ChangChun Shrine (禪光寺)

Although this is only One-Day-Trip for me, but it did satisfice my hunger and desire to explore Taroko. No matter how, i promise i shall returned this place to further explore the mystery of Taroko. Some say this place is "haunted" but...i say it is Peace. If LV or Gucci bag will make you happy, then Taroko will make you crazy. Listen to the sound of water, feel the wind, breathe the fresh air produce by trees ... Uuh ... that's what i call comfortable. Thanks, Taroko!!

July 2008 New Companion

Shoe, is an important "tools" to everybody anytime and anywhere.
When you are in outdoor activities, you need them.
When you are in indoor activities, you need them.
When you are working, you need them.
When you are doing exercise/sports, you need them.
Even, when you are shopping, you need them, also.

Looking at my current shoes, there are aging.
It means, it's time for another round of shopping. Yeah!
It had been a while since my last shoe shopping with Xx in Malaysia. Huh.....
Well, i decided to get myself a couple of shoe to satisfice my shopping desperation in Taiwan.

My 1st baby: Nike Air Running shoe (TWD1260)
My companion to Run, Jog, travel and also, sometimes for work.

My 2nd Baby: Adidas leisure shoe-Mosswood series (TWD1720)

Just bought it today. Never try out this kind of shoe before.

Hope it will be a good companion of mine for work and shopping.

I'm searching around shoe shops and found that most of leisure shoe (Nike, adidas, new balance, etc) are much too colourful to me. Perhaps that the fashion for new generation teenager, or to be fair to all, i think i'm getting older. Wahahahha! Am i?

P.s. picture above are taken by my lovely sony ericsson phone camera. Not too bad huh!! :)

夏綠地 - Italian Restaurant @ Hsinchu

One Sunday afternoon, I decided to try out a small restaurant - 夏綠地 which I heard they served good Italian food. Although it located in a small street & off mainroad, but, this restaurat was crowded with customers, full house.



Environment in 夏綠地


Ok, there are plenty of food and beverages in the menu. And I can't wait to try all of them. I spent more than 15 minutes to order yummy lunch to fulfill my stomach. Goo...loo.....goo...loo... Oh no, stomach alarm sounded. "ello, can you served me main course before my appertizer?"

I believed this restaurant give a good deal ... Most of the main course is come in set - inclusive soup of the day (with 2 bread), hot/cold drinks, a piece of cake and sky juice (with lime touch).



The beauty of glasses - with sky juice & lime



Soup of the day (Pumpkin soup) with soft Bread



Chicken rice with gravy - 普羅旺斯嫩雞飯



Penne with spicy shrimp (辣味鮮蝦麵)



Spaghetti served with Clam & Wine (白酒蛤蜊麵)



I ordered this dish, Mushroom Cheese Rice ... It's delicious!!



A slice of Blueberry sponge cake



A cup of Americano Coffee has completed my lunch ...


Finally, the most famous question voiced out .... "How much?"
Here you go, check it out. It's TWD 1480 for 5 set lunch and 1 extra soup.
You tell me ... is it price considered cheap? (Around RM 18 per person)
Who's care?? As long as it is delicious, there will be people appreciate chef's masterpiece.

It's lunch time! Today i don't feel like to order any lunch box due to LOO Decease - "Lunch Order Overdose Decease". Wahaha! Here you go, this is a the triangle shape Rice Roll i bought from 7-eleven nearby office.

Although it small, but, trust me ... it's really filling. And 2 triangle rice roll (Pork Mince and Egg Mayonese) and a cup of latte the lunch i decided to take today. Yeah! I'm so happy ...

Pork Minced Triangle Rice Roll = TWD 23
Pork Minced Triangle Rice Roll = TWD 15
A cup of Latte (Large) = TWD 50



Front view of Triangle of Pork Mince Rice Roll



Different angle



This picture makes me hungry again ... Wah!!

Delicious by Ms Read (One Utama)

Well, to celebrate my friend - Shin Tean's 2* th birthday, we decided to have a simple dinner in the restaurant which served good food and nice cake - Ms. Read's Delicious Cafe. Smart Xx come out with this idea to Delicious after our last visit a couple of years ago (i think so ...). For me, this is my 2nd visit, quite impress with their restaurant design.

One thing i don't like is the behaviour of staff in this restaurant. While they are taking order, they will showed unhappy and frowned face. I wonder is this because of their low paid salary?? Hahaha ....



Ms Read Delicious Glass with coaster


Delicious Table Design - heard that this design won themselves some awards




Environment in Delicious is cool, comfort. Xx personally love the big comfort pillow a lot.


My dear, Xx - Angel fallen from sky


My favourite - Dual Layer Ice Latte with fructose



Yummy Beef minced Spaghetti & Brinjal Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce


Forgot about the name... Fried Chicken with Green sauce served with Patatoes


I ordered Beef minced Spaghetti and here is the result ... Sign of my satisfaction


Different type of Pie ... yummy!


Braised Lambshank Pie? Wow ... must try it out someday


Cake, Cakes and more cakes... Will try them out some other days and share with you guys


Friends gathering ...


Xx favourite - Carrot Cake. I will come back for it here again ... because it was D*mn nice!


Delicious by Ms Read Cafe
One Utama Phase II
G316 Bandar Utama,
60000 Kuala Lumpur

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