Sunday, June 18, 2017

Sweet Bali High




Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love featured Bali in her journey to find true love and self worth. . Honeymooners and singles alike would go to this for the  ocean waves, Balinese temples and slow-paced life.
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Kintamani Volcano and Mount Batur were noticeable from the airplane

Blood orange sunset at Denpasar Bali airport
The Haven Bali Seminyak
Address: Jl. Raya Seminyak No.500, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Phone: +62 361 738001

Breakfast buffet at Haven Seminyak


Since t'was a rainy day, we expect that the water is murky and muddy one. Swimming wasn't advisable Lesson learned is to go there in a sunny day.

Tibumana Waterfall
Address: Jl. Desa Apuan, Apuan, Susut, Kabupaten Bangli, Bali 80661, Indonesia
Province: Bali Province

Tibumana Waterfalls
D'Alas Warung
Address: Jl. Raya Tegallalang - Kintamani, Pujung Kelod, Sebatu, Ubud, Sebatu, Tegallalang, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80561, Indonesia
Phone: +62 361 902110
Lunch at the D'Alas Warung. Warung means restaurant in Indonesian Bahasa


Rice Terrace Tegalalang
Address: Jalan Tegallalang, Tegallalang, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80561, Indonesia
Province: Bali Province





Tanah Lot 
Tanah Lot is a temple rock formation that is best visited during low tide. This is top choice for capturing the sunset.
Address: Beraban, Kediri, Tabanan Regency, Bali, Indonesia
Phone: +62 361 880361
Tanah lot Temple


Famous split-gate of every temple and houses in Bali





Cafe Seminyak
La Plancha
Address: Jalan Mesari Beach, Seminyak, Kuta, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia

Phone: +62 878-6141-6310
strollling at La Plancha Beach resort
Sea Circus Bali
Address: Jalan Kayu Aya No. 22, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia

Phone: +62 361 738667
Chillax at Sea Circus Bali



Seminyak Sunset Beach
Address: Jalan Kayu Aya No. 22, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia

Phone: +62 361 738667
dating at Seminyak Sunset Beach

Seminyak Sunset Beach
La Laguna Bali
Address: Jalan Pantai Kayu Putih, Berawa, Canggu, Tibubeneng, Kuta Utara, Bali, 80361, Indonesia
Phone: +62 812-3638-2272





La Laguna Bali leaves with some Mexican vibes in your system. Most of the furnitures are antiques and has varnish. It's a fine dining place where the servings are small portions.



Uluwatu Temple
Address: Pecatu, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia
Province: Bali Province





Uluwatu is a sea temple which is the next top choice for sunset viewing. Just because of the monkeys. They are more agressive than your suitors out there. They will steal your stuff - hats, sunglasses, wallets or scarfs.

Wearing skirts is a must to enter to the temple



Padang Padang beach is feature in Eat, Pray, Love movie. You can view a lot of white people basking in the sand. This is located near the Bukit Peninsula.





Jimbaran Bay
Address: Bukit Permai Street 101X Muaya Beach, Jimbaran, Bali

Jimbaran Bay has the perfect sunset for romantic dinner. They serves sea foods fresh from the sea.
Their cooking style is close to Filipino so you will never be afraid of stomach problems.
The dinner is accompanies with a traditional Balinese dance entertainment which I failed to capture.


Sunday, January 29, 2017

Finally, Formosa

If you want both the old historical places and post-modern architecture, Taiwan is the place to be. Come and visit Taiwan. (Note: Formosa is the Portuguese name of Taiwan which means 'beautiful island'. )

Taipei 101

sunset view from Elephant Mountain


Taiwan is one of the mostly visited places in Asia. There are lot of things to see in Taiwan.  You can visit the National Museum Palace to get a look at the largest collection of Chinese imperial artifacts or relive your Meteor Garden fan moments at National Taiwan University. You can go North Taiwan and enjoy the Queen's head rock in the Yehliu Geological Park, send your wishes to the sky in Shiding Old Streets and eat local food in Jieufen village.  You can get good deals at their famous Ximending shopping district. Check out below the tourist spots.


Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
Address: No. 9, Hangzhan S Rd, Dayuan District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan 33758
Phone: +886 3 398 372
Attraction: High ceiling architecture is unique

Taoyuan International Airport

The author at Taoyuan International Airport

228 Peace Memorial Park

Address: 3 Ketagalan Boulevard, Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan.





 Peace Memorial Park from the window of Taipei Sunny Hostel

The author with her friends at Taipei Sunny Hostel


Xiangyan Road

The group at the Land Bank Exhibition Hall
The author at Land Bank Exhibition Hall



Taiwanese pentang is equivalent to boxed lunch

Eating pentang at the side walk


Taipei Main Station 
Address: 100, Taiwan, Taipei City, Zhongzheng District, Beiping W Rd
Phone: +886 2 2371 3558
Attractions: Plenty of stores and cafes inside the mall and information center where tourist can inquire

A shopping mall in front of the Taipei Main Station

The group in front of the Taipei Main station

Train schedule


The author  inside the Taipei Main Station

The girls relaxing at Krispy Kreme



Lungshan Temple of Manka (Long Shan)
Address: No. 211, Guangzhou St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10853
Phone: +886 2 2302 5162
Attractions: Place of worship
Strolling by the Lungshan Temple

The author posing in the man-made waterfalls

The author paying respects in the temple

Buddhist temple

Locals paying respect to Buddha

Bopiliao History Museum
Address: Bopiliao Ancient Street, Taipei
Attractions: Old brick houses





Ximending Red House
Address: No.10, Chengdu Rd., Wanhua Dist., Taipei City 108, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Attraction:  Iconic building which serves as local's public market before

The Red House is closed for renovation

Ximending Shopping District
Address: No. 14, Emei St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Attraction: Shopping centers, street performances and local food

The author navigating a local map

Intersection inside the Ximending

                           
Street performance inside Ximending

Temple when you get outside Ximending

Presidential Office Building
Address: No. 122, Section 1, Chongqing South Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100

Phone: +886 2 2311 3731


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National Taiwan University (NTU)
Address: No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10617
Phone: +886 2 3366 3366
Attraction: One of Asia's top universities and setting of Meteor Garden TV Series

The author at the science building

The author at the university lake

The viewing area



The author at NTU

Graduation pictorial at NTU


Taipei Confucius Temple
Address: No. 275, Dalong St, Datong District, Taipei City, Taiwan 103
Phone: +886 2 2592 3934
Attraction: Chinese traditional architecture

Front view of the temple

Bridge in front of the temple



National Palace Museum
Address: No. 221, Section 2, Zhishan Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111
Attraction: Museum that houses the largest collection Chinese artifacts

architectural gate
The author at the National Palace Museum entrance







Yehliu Park
Address: No. 167-1, Gangdong Rd, Wanli District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 207
Attraction: Queen's Head rock, rocks formations, affordable gifts and souvenirs and local food in the market









Golden Waterfalls
Address: 25°07'02. 121°51'41., No. 0"E宜6鄉道 Jiaoxi Township, Yilan County, Taiwan 262
Phone: +886 2 2497 2250
Attraction: Natural and unique terrain drops

Blinding light of Golden Falls

The author at the Golden Waterfalls


Ruins near the viewing deck

Viewing deck for the Yin Yang Sea


Jiufen Old Street
Address: Jishan St, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224
Phone: +886 2 2960 3456
Attraction: Chinese lanterns, local food, and  inspiration of the Spirited Away anime fantasy film

Jioufen Police Station

View of the Yin Yang Sea

Street village



Shiding Old Street
Address. Shiding E. St., Shiding Dist., New Taipei City 223, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Attraction: lantern festival and old trains

The author setting off the lantern



Groufie with the floating lantern


Bagua Tea Plantation at Thousand Island Lake
Address: Shizaitoukeng Ln., Sec. 6, Beiyi Rd., Shiding Dist., New Taipei City 223, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Attraction: scenic view of the lake and large tea plantation

wide view of the lake

tea plantation

another view of the lake

The author posing with the lake view



Chiang Kai Sek Memorial Hall
Address: No. 21, Zhongshan S Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100
Attraction: monument of former president Chiang Kai Shek

The flowers near the arch



monument of Chiang Kai Shek



Taipei 101
Address : No.7, Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City 110, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Telephone : (02) 8101-8800 
Attraction: one of the tallest building in Asia that has the fastest elevator and observatory area on top

Close up view of the Taipei 101


Miniature of the building

Miniatures of the building

The ticket desk

Groufie while lining up towards the elevator entrance


World record for being fastest elevator

Entrance towards the elevator

Sunset from Taipei 101 observatory

Another sunset from the Taipei 101 observatory

View of the city from the building


The author with Damper baby, the Taipei 101's icon






The group at Taipei 101
Maokong Gondola
Address: Sec. 2, Xinguang Rd., Wenshan District, Taipei City
Phone: +886-2-218-12345
Attractions: cable cars, temples, and Taipei zoo

View from the cable car


Cable car with glass floor

Groufie with the glass floor

Selfie with the cable car


Beitou Thermal Valley
Address: Wenquan Rd, Beitou District, Taipei City, Taiwan 112
Phone: +886 2 8733 5678
Attraction: Rejuvenating hot springs

The family posing in the entrance


Hot spring


Selfie at the hot spring
Group of seniors posing for their photo


Elephant Mountain (aka Nangang District Hiking Trail)
Address: Lane 150, Songren Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei, Taiwan
Attraction: famous mountain peak for professional and amateur photographers, and artists









The author at Elephant Mountain


The author recommends below for a place to stay:

Taipei Sunny Hostel
Address: No. 92-2, Huaining Street, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100
Phone: +886 2 2331 9391




Some of the photos are taken by Face Cebu and Traveler's Couch.