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In Gift Ideas 3 Mins Read

Setting Up My Very Own Cosy Corner [Home Art Carpet from Qoo10]

Having just shifted to my new humble abode, we’re still in the midst of settling down and also troubleshooting all the nitty-gritty issues like the television not being able to receive our local tv channels and also other issues like settling the renovation defects we uncovered.
Meanwhile, since my bedroom is super spacious, I have decided to allocate an area in my bedroom just for my personal quiet-time/chilling-out.

To begin with, we envisioned my cosy corner to be warmth and comfortable. So, we’ll definitely need to shop around for things like table, carpet, chairs, and some decorations. In this blog entry, we will share with you a very good carpet deal that we found on Qoo10 [previously known as GMarket].

While searching around for suitable carpets for my cosy corner, we scouted all over Singapore and honestly, we had difficulty finding one that matched our taste and price. In fact, most of the carpets that we found were either attractive but too pricey or cheap but too unattractive. Since we couldn’t find one on foot, we decided to source for it online and lo and behold, we found the right one on Qoo10.

There were two reasons why we chose the carpet that we found on Qoo10. First, the carpet was selling at a very good price of SGD $99 and secondly, the carpet was of the right texture, colour, and size.

Here’s a picture of my cosy corner before the carpet arrived.

From Qoo10.SG 2012

& here’s a picture of my cosy corner after laying the carpet.

From Qoo10.SG 2012

A more closed-up shot of the carpet.

From Qoo10.SG 2012

The carpet is beige in colour and the texture of the carpet is outstanding. Made of superfine microfiber, the carpet that we bought on Qoo10 was made in Korea and shipped all the way to Singapore. What’s more, we were pleasantly surprised that the seller [Home Art] gave us a complimentary floor mat too!

From Qoo10.SG 2012

By the way, we paid an additional amount of SGD $5.00 for our carpet to be shipped via Express Mail Service [EMS] and our carpet was delivered to us within a span of 1 week. The seller [Home Art] was also extremely prompt in responding to our queries and honestly, if you’re looking for carpets to beautify your home/room/office, you should really check them out. Home Art has a wide assortment of carpets that can be customised to your needs and they come in different colours, textures, sizes, and even designs too!

To check out the affordable carpets that Home Art has to offer, you can click on the following link:

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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In Beauty and Fashion 5 Mins Read

SPeLL’s 1st Anniversary 2012 @ Changi Airport Terminal 3

Thanks to Andy from Sengkang Babies and Yvonne from Singapore Polytechnic [SP], I was invited to SPeLL‘s 1st Anniversary Celebration that was held at the Changi Airport Terminal 3.

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

In case you’re wondering what SPeLL is; SPeLL is Singapore Polytechnic‘s Entrepreneurship Living Laboratory [in its long form] but essentially, SPeLL is a state-of-the-art retail outlet managed by SP Business School and powered by Motorola Solutions. It is where Students from SP Business School can put their business acumen to use.

Anyways, Grace from Working With Grace was there too and she said something like its kinda odd that a dude like me is covering a fashion event. Kinda true but well, men also have got to have some fashion sense, if not, how are they going to attract ladies eh? hahas.

So after registering myself, I was seated at the very 1st row and I had a pretty awesome vantage point for nice photos.

The emcees/hosts for the day.

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

The Director of Singapore Polytechnic’s Business School Giving The Opening Address

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

I believe they should be the teaching faculty of SP Business School.

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

All guests were treated to a splendid performance by the SP Dance Sport and Soul Ignite.

SP Dance Sport

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

Soul Ignite

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

After which, the launch of Verve Avenue Fashion Collection was initiated and the Runway Models were their very own SP Student Entrepreneurs.

Here are just some of the outstanding photos that I took during the fashion show. Of course, they do have quite a number of outfits and if you wish to check out their full collection, you can either head down to their retail store at Changi Airport Terminal 3 or check out SPeLL‘s website [which is currently under construction].

Personally, I find the design of the men’s outfits to be pretty decent, clean-cut, and neat. Though I wouldn’t say that the men’s outfits are formal, but however, the men’s outfits are pretty suitable for occasions such as social gatherings, parties, and for dress down days. It gives people a simple but yet sophisticated kind of impression.

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012
From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012
From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

As for the ladies’ outfits, there are generally quite a number of styles to choose from. Some of the outfits can be rather “loud” while others are slightly more demure.

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012
From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012
From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012
From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

One of the group shots for the day.

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

I was trying to utilise the artistic filter in my camera for this shot and I think it turned out pretty good.

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

The fashion show ended off with a big bang and the Student models were the biggest stars of the day.

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

So, after which, we went to their retail store and oh my, there are so many things for the ladies!

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

From accessories and bags to dresses + tops, I’m pretty sure you ladies will be able to find something you like.

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012
From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012
From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

To top it off, SPeLL is having a Christmas Fantasy Promotion where they are giving a 30% off all Verve Avenue items for 3 days till 5th November 2012 [yes, that is tomorrow!].

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

So while I was there, Grace took the liberty to try on some of the dresses and accessories.

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012
From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012
From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

Of course, there are stuffs for the men’s too. For the men, you might want to check out their tops, bottoms, and also other accessories such as sunglasses and belts.

We can all be young again when we dress up with the Verve Avenue Designer Collection Clothing.

Here is SP’s Principal checking out the men’s outfits!

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

Besides checking out the shop, I also had the opportunity to do a mini interview with one of the SP Student Entrepreneurs whom is from the SP School of Business. Currently pursuing his Diploma in Business Administration, Ian Tan shared with me his personal experience of how it was like to manage and operate a retail store.

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

From designing the clothing and sourcing for suppliers to managing the inventory and budgeting of the retail store, every Student Entrepreneurs are given the exposure and experience to operate the retail store. Ian also shared that this practical hands-on approach has given them a sound solid foundation of business principles and has also contributed to their personal development and growth.

So, if you’re at the Singapore Changi Airport this weekend, do check out SPeLL at Terminal 3 and pamper yourself with their latest Verve Avenue Designer Collection!

From Spell’s 1st Anniversary 2012

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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In Gift Ideas 10 Mins Read

Leofoo Village @ Hsinchu, Taiwan

Hello Everyone,
we really hope you like what we have covered about our recent Taiwan trip. Continuing from where we left off in our last blog entry about the Beitou Hot Spring and the Golden Spring Hotel, we would be covering the Leofoo Village in this blog entry.

As Baby and I have already planned to stay a night at the Mulan Motel, we checked out of the Golden Spring Hotel and left for Mulan Motel right away. Because we were only due for check-in at 6pm, Baby and I left our luggage there so that we could proceed with our plans for the day, that was; to go to Leofoo Village.

Anyways, Breakfast at Golden Spring Hotel was pretty bad. We should have just went to the nearby fast food restaurant but since its complimentary, we shouldn’t complain much.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

The Dining Area for Breakfast at Golden Spring Hotel

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Some photos while checking out.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Ok, from Taipei to Leofoo Village, there are a few ways that you can go about to get there. First, you can either hail a cab [which we personally would not recommend because of the huge costs]; second, you can take the public E-Go Bus which will cost $130 TWD [approx. $5.52 SGD] per person for a single trip ticket; or third, you can take a private chartered vehicle to Leofoo Village which will cost $150 TWD [approx. $6.37] per person for a single trip ticket.

Allow us to elaborate more about the difference of taking the E-Go Bus and the private chartered vehicle.

The public E-Go Bus can be found at the Bus Stop that is situated outside Jingan MRT Station. The bus comes at different time intervals so it is highly recommended that you check out their website to plan your itinerary. The journey via E-Go Bus to Leofoo Village will take more than an hour’s journey.

About the private chartered vehicle to Leofoo Village, we didn’t know it existed until we were waiting at the Bus Stop for the E-Go Bus. A lady in a pink tee-shirt approached us and asked if we were going to Leofoo Village. Then, we found out that the lady and her husband are operating a shuttle service from Jingan MRT Station to Leofoo Village. To be honest, we were rather apprehensive but we decided to give it a go as we were not the only ones in the vehicle. In fact, there were other tourists whom were going to Leofoo Village too. The best part is, the journey took lesser time than if we were to take the public E-Go Bus; resulting in more time for us to spend at Leofoo Village. However, a word of advise here, don’t anyhow just hop onto any private chartered vehicle.

Moving on, an adult entrance ticket to Leofoo Village cost $890 TWD [approx. $37.82 SGD] but all thanks to Taiwan Tourism Bureau [Singapore], we were given a pair of complimentary theme park tickets that grants us entrance to just about any theme parks in Taiwan! So here’s a really nice tip for you, if you are travelling free and easy to Taiwan, be sure to head down to Taiwan Tourism Bureau [Singapore] with your flight tickets/itinerary and your accommodation booking details to redeem some free goodies! Also, do check out their Facebook Page for the latest updates about travelling to Taiwan!

So here we are at Leofoo Village in Hsinchu, Taiwan!

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Some really colourful flowers at the entrance of Leofoo Village

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

There are 5 main areas of Leofoo Village; there are the Magic Water Fountain, the Wild West, the Arabian Kingdom, the South Pacific, and the African Safari.

Here’s a picture of me and the Arabian Kingdom.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

We went to check out the African Safari first as it was quite near to where we were.

Here are some candid photos of us at the African Safari.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

At the African Safari, there is a parrot feeding area. So, to feed the parrots, you can buy the parrot food which cost $10 TWD [approx. $0.42 SGD].

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

An awesome shot of the blue parrots by Baby.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

I looked like I was taking a photo at the Singapore Zoo.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Our first ride for the day was a harmless slow moving ride known as the Monkey Trail.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Basically, for the Monkey Trail Ride, you have to pedal the ride with your partner and the track brings you around to the different monkey enclosures.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Here comes the swinging monkey!

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

At the African Safari, you can also have a ride on the Camel but it will cost you some money. We’re not sure how much it cost but well, if you’re interested, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind paying.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

If you like, you can even board the Mini Train at the African Safari which brings you around the Leofoo Village Zoo!

Here are some candid photos while waiting for the Mini Train.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

All onboard the train! Anyways, the total duration of the train ride is about 15-20 minutes because it goes really really slow!

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

The Leofoo Village Zoo is really huge! There are quite a number of animal exhibits.

There’s the Hippotamus.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

The Rhinoceros.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

The Giraffe.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

The Zebras.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

The Emus.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

The Mountain Goat.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

So after the long train ride, we took some more photos before leaving for the Arabian Kingdom.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Here we are at the Arabian Kingdom in Leofoo Village.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

The Arabian Kingdom has a few main rides and the classic merry-go-round is one of them.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

At the Arabian Kingdom, we had a go at the Sultan’s Adventure, an indoor ride.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

We also had our late lunch at the Oasis Restaurant.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

The quality of the food was average and good enough to satisfy our hungry stomachs.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Baby had the rather cute Bento set while I had the chicken wrap.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

We then moved on to the South Pacific area where we tried the Captain Cook’s Swinging Boat and the Mighty Mountain Flume Adventure.

The Captain Cook’s Swinging Boat is the largest swinging boat in Taiwan, and there are only 3 other swinging boats of its size around the world. The swinging boat is 18.5 m long, 2.5 m wide and seats up to 84 people. A height of 7-stories is reached at the highest point of its swing, and the swing itself is measured at 70°.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

After the ride, Baby’s leg became like jelly and I went to try the Pagoda’s Revenge all on my own.

The Pagoda’s Revenge takes up to 20 brave souls slowly up to a height of 53 m (17 stories) and shows them the magnificent view of the Leofoo Village and the surrounding Guansi area. Then, without any warning, the brave souls are released to the mercy of gravity. This is a true free fall experience not to be missed.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

When Baby has finally recovered from her traumatising experience at the Captain Cook’s Swinging Boat, we went for another exhilarating ride on the Mighty Mountain Flume Adventure.

The Mighty Mountain Flume Adventure Riders embark on a journey through a Jurassic lost world. As the canoe reaches the top of the volcano, riders come face-to-face with a 3-stories plunge. If one terrifying experience was not enough, Mighty Mountain Flume Adventure is the only ride in the world that takes you through the same adventure twice.

We ended up totally drenched after the ride.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Some fun shots at the South Pacific area.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

When we were done checking out the rides at South Pacific, we went to the Wild West and were just in time to catch a performance.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Some photographs taken at the Wild West.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

As the park was also celebrating Halloween, they had some Halloween features where visitors can take photographs with.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

This is one ride you must absolutely try if you are a thrill-seeker. Known as the Screaming Corridor, this U shaped suspension roller coaster brought from Switzerland is the second in the world and the only one in Asia. The track is 190 m long, and the roller coaster reaches 122 km/h when it rushes down its biggest drop of 56 m. The 90 second suspended experience incorporates 360° spiral acceleration and vertical dives, bringing you the excitement and thrills of an eagle in flight.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

An overall map of Leofoo Village.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

While waiting for our vehicle to head back to Taipei, we sipped some coffee to unwind ourselves after a long but fun day at Leofoo Village.

From Day 4 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

There are a lot of attractions that you can check out at Hsinchu; Leofoo Village is just one of them. Also, we wanted to stay at the Leofoo Village Safari-Themed Hotel but because it was fully booked, we didn’t manage to book it.

Anyhows, in our next blog entry, we will be sharing with you about our stay at Mulan Motel and the amazing dinner we had at Five Dime Restaurant in Taipei.

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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In Gift Ideas 6 Mins Read

Taiwan High Speed Rail & Tai Chung City

Hello Everyone,
in our blog entry today, we will be covering the Taiwan High Speed Rail and also a little bit about Tai Chung City.

So, we were on the last day of our trip in the central region of Taiwan and we were leaving for the Taiwan High Speed Rail to board the High Speed Train from Tai Chung City to Taipei City.

As promised, here are pictures of the sumptuous breakfast that we had at Skylight B&B. There are two types of breakfast choices that you can choose from, either the Oriental or the Western. Being typical Singaporeans, we chose the Western.

A photo of the two different breakfast types that are available at Skylight B&B.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

The Western breakfast type comes with a main dish consisting of hashbrown, mushrooms, bacon, sausage, and scrambled eggs.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

There’s also 2 pieces of toast bread, a glass of orange juice, and a cup of tea!

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Oh, I almost miss out this one. There is also a fruit platter that consist of passionfruit, watermelon, grapes, pear, mango, and guava!

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

So, as you can see from the pictures above, the breakfast was a rather filling and appetising affair. Anyways, the breakfast was situated on the 8th level of the property and there is both an indoor and an outdoor dining area; both of which offers you stunning views of Sun Moon Lake.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Here are some photographs that we took whilst having breakfast.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

After our breakfast, we hurried back to our room, packed up everything, and boarded our vehicle to Tai Chung High Speed Rail Station.

A snapshot of Tai Chung City from our vehicle.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

As we had quite a fair bit of time, we told our driver to bring us to the place that sells the best Tai Yang Bing in Tai Chung City because my mum wanted some Tai Yang Bing. And so, our driver brought us to Yi Fu Tang.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

There are quite a lot of goodies and snacks for us to choose from and we were so spoilt for choices. However, besides the usual Tai Yang Bing, one other thing you must buy at Yi Fu Tang is their Lemon Cake! It’s really delicious and honestly, I regretted not buying a few more boxes to bring home.

Knowing that I was a car enthusiast and since we had some more time, our driver brought us to one of Tai Chung’s largest car mart [similar to our local Autobacs]. There, I went crazy because I bought so much car accessories to zhng my Picanto. Seriously, the car accessories are freaking cheap! There, I bought a new JVC head unit, a car freshener, car mats, a car decal, and an aluminium alloy car pedal kit which in total cost about $4000 TWD [approx. $170 SGD]. If only I could lug back car rims and tyres, I would have done so!

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

After the mini shopping spree, we left for Tai Chung High Speed Rail Station and bade farewell to our driver. Honestly, it was quite an emotional moment because after having spent 3 days in the central region of Taiwan, we really do miss the fresh mountain air, the cute little sheeps, and the beautiful scenery. We will definitely be back if we have the time!

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

So while we were at Tai Chung High Speed Rail Station, we took the liberty to take photographs after photographs.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

I know in Singapore, we so often see vending machines selling can drinks, but how often do you see vending machines selling cosmetic products and souvenirs?

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Anyways, for those of you whom are planning a free and easy trip to Taiwan, there are a few types of transportation that you can utilise to get to different regions of Taiwan. The Taiwan High Speed Rail is one such transportation but it only runs along the western coast of Taiwan; hence, for journeys to the eastern cost of Taiwan, you can consider taking the Taiwan Railway which is slower than the High Speed Rail.

You can purchase the High Speed Train tickets on the actual day of departure using these automated machines but we will highly recommend that you book them in advance on Taiwan High Speed Rail’s Website as you get to enjoy early bird discounts if you book your High Speed Train tickets early.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Prior to boarding the High Speed Train, Baby and I bought a Pork Ribs Cutlet Bento Set from the Railway Souvenir Shop for $80 TWD [$3.40 SGD] and it was damn good! The portion size of the Pork Ribs Cutlet Bento Set was just right for 2 persons.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

For both Baby and I, we chose the Business Class Seats because we had lots of heavy baggage.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

The Business Class Seats were extremely spacious and comfortable.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Business Class Guests are entitled to a set of complimentary snack and drink.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

And Business Class Guests are also entitled to a copy of the local newspaper.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

The journey from Tai Chung High Speed Rail Station to Taipei High Speed Rail Station took less than an hour and it was extremely fast! The train was travelling at a top speed of 300 KM/Hour! Here are some photos of Tai Chung High Speed Rail Station and the scenery taken from the High Speed Train.

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Parting Shot at Tai Chung High Speed Rail Station

From Day 3 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

In our next upcoming blog entries, we will be blogging about Leofoo Village, Beitou Hot Spring, Mulan Motel, and a few other interesting sights in Taipei.

Stay tuned to more updates from us.

God bless!

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In Gift Ideas 6 Mins Read

Skylight B&B @ Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan

Hello Everyone,
in our blog entry today, we will be covering the Skylight B&B, a luxurious chic and contemporary boutique accommodation that we stayed in for a night at Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan.

The best room available in Skylight B&B is situated on the 7th floor and it has a magnificent view of the Sun Moon Lake. Here are some photographs of the views from our room.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

They even have a digital panel/console for controlling the room’s lighting and television.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

We’re pretty sure many of you are curious about how the room looks like, so here are just some photographs that we took of the room. If you look closely, the curtains in the room can all be drawn and that actually allows you to have an all-rounded view of the surrounding areas.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

The room was definitely cosy and spacious enough for us.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Here are just some of the amenities that we found in the room.

We found the cupboard slightly too small but well, it didn’t matter to us because we were staying only for a night.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Some spare pillow and mattress we found in the cupboard.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Some Biscuits, Bottled Mineral Water, and Tea-Making Facility in the Room

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Toiletries Kit we found in the Bathroom

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

So now, let us show you how the bathroom looks like.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Yes, it’s a see-thru glass panel that allows you to look into the bathroom from the room. A lot of hotels are now adopting a concept like this.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

You can have a standing rain-shower too.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

From the bathroom, you can actually look outside and that also means people from the outside can look in as well. So, if you’re planning to book this hotel room, make sure you put down all the curtains before you shower.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

This is what I personally like best about our room! There is a bath tub [zen-style] to soak in while listening to some soft classical music.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Well, since we wanted to explore more of the surrounding area of Sun Moon Lake, Baby and I decided to check out the shops and night market which were extremely near to our accommodation.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

A rather entertaining performance that we caught while walking around the area.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

We tried some of the food that were sold at the street stalls.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

And we chanced upon these rather interesting flowers! I am pretty sure some of you might have seen photos of these flowers posted on Facebook. These are real flowers and not fake! In fact, the flower petals close when they come into contact with water and the flower petals open when they come into contact with light. The best thing is, the flowers will never die with proper handling and care; thus it makes a perfect souvenir to get for someone who loves flowers.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

They are really so beautiful that I bought 1 for myself to display on my working desk. A small jar like this cost $380 TWD [approx. $16.15 SGD]

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

We also happened to pass by one desserts store that sold crepes. Since we had a craving for something chocolatey and sweet, we ordered a chocolate ice-cream crepe.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

While waiting for our crepe to be ready, we took some photos of the shop.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

And when our crepe was ready, it looked and tasted really delicious!

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Anyway, as we were in Sun Moon Lake on the actual day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, there were mini fireworks that were launched by the people residing at Sun Moon Lake. We didn’t manage to take any photographs of the fireworks but we sure heard them loud and clear. Since it was Mid-Autumn Festival, the shops closed rather early and we went to the nearby 7-Eleven Store to buy our dinner.

This was our dinner for the night. Boy, we sure love the 7-Eleven Store in Taiwan a lot!

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

If you’re wondering how dinner tasted and looked like. Here you go!

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

So, this was how we spent the night in Sun Moon Lake. If you’re wondering how much it cost us to stay at Skylight B&B, you will be quite surprised to find out that we only paid $4200 TWD [approx. $178.50]  for a night’s stay in the best room available at Skylight B&B [inclusive of a really sumptuous breakfast which we will blog about in our next blog entry]. If you’re planning to book a room at Skylight B&B, be sure to book it fast because their rooms are selling like hotcakes!

In our next blog entry, we will be covering about the Taiwan High Speed Rail and of course, many other attractions that we went to during our 9 Days 8 Nights trip in Taiwan.

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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In Gift Ideas 4 Mins Read

Liao Mayor Black Tea Store + Sun Moon Lake Boat Ride @ Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan

Hello Everyone,
Today, we are going to cover the Liao Mayor Black Tea Store and the Sun Moon Lake Boat Ride that we went to when we were at Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan.

Sun Moon Lake is extremely popular for its Black Tea. In fact, if you have family members, relatives, or friends who loves drinking tea, then you must buy Sun Moon Lake‘s Black Tea for them. I was told by our driver that Alishan is famous for its Oolong Tea, Sun Moon Lake for its Black Tea, and Cing Jing for its Green Tea. Well, since my dad is a fan of black tea, Baby and I decided to check out Liao Mayor Black Tea Store in Sun Moon Lake.

The entrance to Liao Mayor Black Tea Store.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

With decades of experiences in making the finest black tea, you can be rest assured that the tea you purchase from Liao Mayor is of the finest standard and quality.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Here’s where the tea leaves are being processed.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Parting shot at Liao Mayor Black Tea Store.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Anyways, if you are not sure what kind of tea to purchase, you can take your time and sample the tea leaves they are selling. There are no obligations for you to make any purchase to try their tea and that is a plus point.

This was what we eventually got for my dad.

So after checking out the Liao Mayor Black Tea Store, we journeyed by car for about 20 minutes to Sun Moon Lake.

When we reached the vicinity of Sun Moon Lake, we had lunch at one of the restaurants that our driver recommended.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Baby fooling around while waiting for our dishes to arrive.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Here are the dishes that we ordered. In fact, we ordered the smallest portion but its still quite a lot!

Some Vegetable Soup [you see the white thingy and the yellow thingy? they’re a type of edible vegetable and flower respectively that is unique to Sun Moon Lake].

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Fried Tofu with Vegetables

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Dragon Beard Vegetable [we’ve heard of Dragon Beard Candy but not Dragon Beard Vegetable. Since it was something new to us, we decided to give it a try].

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Steamed White Chicken

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Fried Rice

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

After the rather filling meal, we then went to purchase our tickets for the Sun Moon Lake Boat Ride which cost us $300 TWD [approx. $12.75 SGD] per person. If you’re planning to have a meal before the boat ride, it is highly recommended that you don’t eat so much because Baby and I almost “merlioned”/puked.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Onboard The Ship!

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

There are many different boat companies that operate the boat ride. So, choose one which has lesser people so that you can take all the pictures that you want with no obstruction.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Baby look like a model hor?!

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Some photographs taken during the boat ride.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

That’s Ci En Pagoda from afar! We will be covering Ci En Pagoda in our next blog entry.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

And we finally arrived at Ita Zhao.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

While waiting for our driver to fetch us to Ci En Pagoda, we took the liberty to walk around the night market and bought some Muah Chee to satisfy our cravings.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

And guess what, we found out that our accommodation for the night was just around the area. How perfect!

So anyways, because there are just so much things to cover about our trip to Taiwan; in our next blog entry, we will be covering the Ci En Pagoda and also the Ita Zhao night market. Thereafter, we will be blogging about our stay at Skylight BB, a rather chic and contemporary boutique accommodation!

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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In Gift Ideas 6 Mins Read

Puli Winery + Guangxin Paper Mill @ Puli

Hello Everyone,
in our blog entry today, we will be covering the Puli Winery and the Guangxin Paper Mill that Baby and I went to when we were in Puli.

Puli Winery

Puli Winery is devoted to establishing the landmark feature of Puli as the Hometown of Shaoxing Wine. Being Taiwan’s first Wine Culture Museum, Puli Winery is actively promoting the culture of Shaoxing Wine and it is also constantly putting more efforts in preserving the history of the winery.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Due to the warm weather, sweet and clear water that the Puli area of central Taiwan enjoys, the Puli Winery has come to be known for producing excellent quality Shaoxing Wine that has a bright yellow appearance and a vigorous fragrance.

Baby posing for a photograph at the entrance of Puli Winery.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Just look at all the wine pots that are used in the process of wine fermentation.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Here’s Baby and I fooling around in Puli Winery.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Some of the wine pots were designed by different craftsmen and in order to distinguish themselves, some of wine pots bear the unique seal of the different craftsmen.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Truth be told, I don’t really know how to appreciate the museum aspect of Puli Winery because there isn’t really anything that is fascinating. But, if you’re planning to buy some Shaoxing Wine or its related products, you could just head straight to their retail area and skip the museum part. If you’re not into alcohol, you might want to take Puli Winery out of your itinerary.

Puli is popular for its sugar cane and if you’re a fan of sweets and sugar, you might want to try this non-alcoholic sugar cane candy. It is crunchy like a biscuit but doesn’t sticks to the teeth. A bag of sugar cane candy cost $80 TWD [approx. $3.40 SGD].

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

This is how the Sugar Cane Candy is being made. A rather similar technique as how Sticky’s candies are being made.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

They have flavoured Shaoxing Wine Ice-Cream too and they cost $15 TWD [the cheapest] approx. $0.64 SGD It’s something you must try if you’re here!

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Parting shot at Puli Winery

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

If you’re planning to get some souvenirs and gifts for your family members and friends, you can buy some Shaoxine Wine or some other food products like the Flavoured Shaoxing Wine Jellies. For myself, I bought 6 boxes of Flavoured Shaoxin Wine Jellies that cost $200 TWD [approx. $8.50 SGD] a box!

Guangxin Paper Mill

Do you know that water is an important factor in the process of making paper. Thanks to the fine quality of the water in Puli, the paper made in Puli had all along enjoyed great prestige. Hence, Puli was also called “The Hometown of Handmade Paper”in Taiwan. So, being interested in how paper was traditionally made, Baby and I decided to check out Guangxin Paper Mill.

Here’s me posing for a photograph outside the entrance of Guangxin Paper Mill

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

As we were there during lunch time, there wasn’t any tour being conducted. Thankfully, there was a tour group that arrived and we happily tagged on.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

The guide showing us the various raw materials which could be used to make paper. So, if you think paper only come from trees, you’re wrong.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Here are some of the equipment that are used in the production of paper.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Honestly, the tour around Guangxin Paper Mill was rather fascinating and informative because most of the time, we use a lot of paper but don’t really know what goes on in the production of paper. Hence, after this tour, I have learnt to appreciate the use of paper. If you’re planning to make a trip to Guangxin Paper Mill; be sure not to miss out on their tour.

The guide demonstrating to us how to make paper.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

After the tour, you can choose to make your own paper product. If you’re going for the full workshop, it will cost you $220 TWD [approx. $9.35 SGD].

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

A small boy boy learning how to make paper.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Instead of buying souvenirs home, why not make a souvenir yourself and bring it home?

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Here’s Baby making her own souvenir. Of all the designs that are available, Baby chose the one which resembles Taiwan.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Baby drying her souvenir on the heating panel.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

The final product [which we forgotten to take when we were staying in Sun Moon Lake] 🙁

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Baby putting a stamp of Guangxin Paper Mill on her souvenir.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

If you don’t fancy making your own souvenir, you can purchase some souvenirs from Guangxin Paper Mill too.

Here’s a short video on making your own souvenir at Guangxin Paper Mill.

In our next blog entry, we will be blogging about Sun Moon Lake and the Liao Mayor Black Tea Shop, so stay tuned to more updates from us!

God bless!

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In Gift Ideas 7 Mins Read

Guan Yin Waterfall + Feeling 18 Degrees C Chocolate Factory @ Puli

Hello Everyone,
after spending a night in Cing Jing, Baby and I went to a few attractions in Puli before heading to stay at Sun Moon Lake for a night. The attractions that we went to in Puli are the Guan Yin Waterfall, the 18 Degrees C Chocolate Factory, the Puli Winery, and the Guangxing Paper Factory.

In this blog entry, we will be covering the Guan Yin Waterfall and the 18 Degrees C Chocolate Factory.

Before we left Ming Qin Minsu, we took a few photographs around the area because the weather was clear and it wasn’t as cloudy as it was the day before.

Waking up to these very beautiful scenery in the early morning is just so calming and soothing!

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Also, the background is perfect for a natural photo like these! Won’t you agree with me that Baby looked like a super model?

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Now, now, what about me? Do I qualify for Manhunt? hahas. 😛

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

All thanks to our tripod, we managed to get a photo together with such a beautiful landscape.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Here’s a short video of the view from our room at Ming Qin Minsu.

Breakfast at Ming Qin Minsu was nothing extraordinary.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Trying hard to smile during breakfast but how to when the breakfast isn’t that appetising at all?

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

I didn’t know Ming Qin Minsu has maple trees until I looked up and Baby took a shot of these maple leaves. I regretted not picking up the maple leaves that have fallen off the trees, otherwise, it would have made a great keepsake.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Before leaving Ming Qin Minsu, we took more parting shots of our room.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

The room’s wallpaper really makes a perfect backdrop eh!

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

And so, our long and winding journey to our first stop of the day began.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

We definitely miss the cool and fresh mountain breeze. Cing Jing was such a beautiful place that we will definitely go back to visit again.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Guan Yin Waterfall

The Guan Yin Waterfall used to be one of the most popular tourist attractions in Puli. However, due to the 921 Earthquake that took place on 21 September 1999, a wooden trail was broken and as a result, there are lesser visitors now. Though it is less crowded now, the beauty of the Guan Yin Waterfall is still there. There are two parts to the Guanyin Waterfall, one which is the outer waterfall and the other which is the inner waterfall. The outer waterfall can be reached within 5 minutes from entrance by foot, and it is around 20 metres in height. The inner waterfall which is more magnificent, is around 60 metres in height and it is currently sealed off as the wooden trail is still under repair. Between the inner waterfall and the outer waterfall, there are many small waterfalls along the trail.

And so, we arrived at the entrance of Guan Yin Waterfall and it took us 5 minutes to reach the outer waterfall.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

A short video introduction to Guan Yin Waterfall

Some shots of the outer waterfall. The first shot is taken with the Olympus EPL-3 while the second shot is taken using the Canon Powershot S100.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Baby taking a photograph with the outer waterfall.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

After taking a few photographs with the outer waterfall, our hike up to the inner waterfall began. From the outer waterfall to the inner waterfall, it would take about 30 minutes [depending on walking speed].

Here’s me pointing to the wilderness!

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Along the trail, we saw some small waterfalls like this one.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

And we also saw signs like this, which made us pretty cautious about our surroundings.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

After a long hike up, we finally reached the inner waterfall. By the way, as the wooden trail is currently under repair, I strongly will not advise you to go further up because it can be rather slippery.

A short video about the inner waterfall.

Our parting shot at the inner waterfall.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

The hike down was a breeze and we saw some people whom were rather daring to go into the waters. You can too if you wish to but I generally will not recommend for safety reasons.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Anyways, the water is really clean! I doubt you can drink from it straight; you probably would need to pop in a purifying tablet.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

What you see in the background are not stones but they are actually wooden tree pieces that have accumulated over the years.

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Trust me, I love shooting with my Canon Powershot S100 because it is extremely compact. When I go for media events using only my trusty Canon Powershot S100, people tend to look at me in a rather awkward fashion but I don’t really care.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Symbol of Achievement!

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Opposite the entrance of Guan Yin Waterfall, there’s also a Guan Yin Bridge. Since we were there, we decided to take a few photographs before leaving for our next stop, the 18 Degrees C Chocolate Factory.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Feeling 18 Degrees C Chocolate Factory

Master Mao is the owner of Feeling 18 Degrees C Chocolate Factory and he has more than ten years of experience in making chocolates. To further hone his skills, Master Mao went to Japan to master the art of making chocolates. Upon his return to Taiwan, Master Mao started Feeling 18 Degrees C Chocolate Factory with the intention of making the best affordable chocolates; hence, he chose Puli due to the lower rental rates. Soon after, Master Mao and his family created an attraction on Puli map for tourists and this is what he has done in return for this small town which is also their hometown.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

When we reached Feeling 18 Degrees C Chocolate Factory, there were already tons of people whom were already queuing up to buy chocolates. In fact, you have to get a queue number in order to go into their display store.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Thankfully, they had an express booth where you can buy pre-packed chocolates.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

I was really spoilt for choice.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Just look at all their product offerings!

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

And I decided that I was going to try their 65% dark chocolate that cost $250 TWD [approx. $10.62 SGD].

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

The Box Packaging looks rather pretty and classic.!

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Baby was just so excited to pose with the box of chocolates!

From Day 2 Taiwan Holiday 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

And if you’re in the mood for ice-creams, you might want to try their gelatos. I’m not sure if they’re good cause we didn’t try it.

From Day 2 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

In our next blog entry, we will be covering the Puli Winery and the Guangxin Paper Mill; so do stay tuned to more updates from us! In case you’re wondering how the chocolates taste like, it tasted like Royce’s chocolates; except that Royce’s chocolates are much sweeter.

God bless!

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In Gift Ideas 5 Mins Read

Old England Manor + Carton King @ CingJing

Hello Everyone,
as mentioned in our last blog post about our Taiwan Holiday 2012, Baby and I have spent two days in Central Taiwan and in order for us to cover as much attractions as possible, we have hired a driver whom brought us around to the different places that we wanted to go.

Getting Around In Central Taiwan:

Though utilising the public transportation is rather direct and straightforward, it is extremely difficult to move around with big luggage and cover a number of attractions in a short period of time. Moreover, travelling time via the public transportation can take extremely long. Hence, we decided to hire a driver that took us around in a Toyota Wish for 2 full days at a price of $7000 TWD [approx. $297.49 SGD].

On the first day of our Taiwan Holiday 2012, we spent the first day in CingJing and we visited several tourist attractions such as the Old England Manor, Carton King, Small Swiss Garden, and Green Green Grassland.

As we have tons of photographs to show, we will be blogging about the Old England Manor and the Carton King in this blog post; and we will be blogging about the Small Swiss Garden and Green Green Grassland in the next blog post.

Old England Manor

The Old England Manor is a really luxurious accommodation and a night’s stay on a weekday would cost you at least $16,500 Taiwan Dollars [TWD] which is equivalent to $701.23 Singapore Dollars* [SGD]. Hundreds of millions Taiwan Dollars have been pumped in to construct this property that took 9 years to complete. Most of the furnishings and constructs are imported from England and if you’re planning to check out the property’s interior, it would not be possible unless you’re a staying guest. Alternatively, if you wish to enter the building, you can pay $450 TWD [approx. $19.12 SGD] for an afternoon tea. Well, since we couldn’t really afford to stay here, we stopped by to take some really beautiful photographs of the place and its surrounding scenery. By the way, its free to enter the exterior of Old England Manor to take photographs.

A Short Video Introduction of the Old England Manor

The Old England Manor at Cing Jing

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Closed-Up View of the Old England Manor

The Fabulous Mountain View from the Old England Manor

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

The Old England Manor was so WOW!

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Baby posing for some photos with the England-Style Street Lamps

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Baby standing in front of one of the guestrooms in Old England Manor

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

High-Tea at Old England Manor cost $450 NT [approx. $19.12 SGD]. Pretty worth it if you’re looking to relax and just chill out.

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Parting Shot at Old England Manor

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

Carton King

Carton King is a small retail shop that sells a wide variety of souvenirs made from paper and everything in Carton King [such as ceilings, tables, chairs] is made by corrugated paper. A souvenir which we found really unique is the leather-like paper bag that can be washed using machine!

Carton King Post Shop is where you can find tons of postcards to purchase as souvenirs. In fact, you can mail a postcard back to your home country too.

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Some rather unique postcards that we saw.

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

DIY Cardboard Souvenirs

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

A rather fascinating Cardboard Structure

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

The Big Fat Me was able to go into the Cardboard Structure

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Some other rather fascinating paper souvenirs that are lighted up with LED bulbs. We bought one of these to bring home to decorate my new room.

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]

and yes, they have larger ones as well. Pretty cool to have it as a form of decoration at home.

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Melvin’s Perspective]
From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

DIY Paper Train

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

DIY Cardboard Plane

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

This is too kiddy for me but I just couldn’t resist sitting on it. In fact, this cardboard horse can take weights up to 100+ KG!

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

There are some really interesting cards that are being sold at Carton King and we bought some of them at a really good price. So, if you’re a pretty close friend of ours and your birthday falls in the remaining months of this year, expect to receive an interesting and unique birthday card from us.

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

Some Parting Shots at Carton King

From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]
From Day 1 Taiwan 2012 [Jacqueline’s Perspective]

*Assuming exchange rate of $1 SGD = $23.53 TWD

So that’s all for the Old England Manor and the Carton King. Check out our next upcoming blog post on the Small Swiss Garden and Green Green Grasslands!

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God Bless!

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In Gift Ideas 2 Mins Read

I Am Currently Reading [The Rise Of Nine]

Reading is my favourite pastime and ever since the release of I Am Number Four, and The Power Of Six, I have been so hooked onto the series that I always can’t wait for the next book sequel to be released. So, when I heard that The Rise Of Nine was going to be released, I was naturally excited and I went to check out the Popular Bookstore to see how much it was going to cost. Just like the previous two books, I Am Number Four, and The Power Of Six; The Rise Of Nine cost SGD $19.80 and if you have a Popular Membership Card, it would cost you only SGD $17.82!
And if you’re someone who prefers to read an e-book instead of having a physical hard copy book, then you might want to get it from www.ilovebooks.com [which I generally do not recommend] because it will cost you SGD $26.43! That is SGD $6.63 more than the retail price and I personally feel that its not worth the money at all.

Anyhows, if you’re a fan of The Hunger Games, I’m pretty sure you will enjoy reading the Lorien Legacies series by Pittacus Lore and this latest sequel is not an exception too. I personally enjoy reading The Rise of Nine and the book has kept me in suspense throughout that I just couldn’t wait to finish the whole book within a day! I have to admit that the book can get rather confusing at times because the scene jumps from one part to another part from chapter to chapter. But honestly, The Rise Of Nine is a good read and I will strongly recommend it. I shan’t be a spoiler and so if you’re interested to find out more about how the story is going to continue from where it left off in The Power Of Six, then you have to grab this book!

I really do hope that there would be a movie adaption of The Power Of Six and The Rise Of Nine, just like how they did with I Am Number Four.

Stay tuned to more updates from us!

God Bless!

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