Traditional Ice Cream in Jiufen

This is what Fed’s eating on April 7, Monday!

First, spread some grated peanut brittle onto the lumpia wrapper.

Add two scoop of your favorite ice cream and cilantro.

Then wrap it up, and that's it! "lumpia ice cream", interesting huh!

Our Moms Visit Taipei

Last April of 2008, hubby and I invited our moms to visit Taipei instead of us going home. We treated them like queen as sort of Pre-Mother’s Week Celebration. They had a blast, since it’s Mother Month, I want to share their escapade! Here they are, my mom is 76(green shirt) and mom-in law is 65.

April 1 (Tuesday)

They arrived 10 a.m. @ CKS airport, we’re not there when they came out… so they tried to talk to people around in “tagalog” (they forgot that they’re not in pinas), but my mom-in-law realized that so went to the information and asked if possible to call my phone. They were so scared, we arrived 2 hours late!

When we’re having lunch, my mom asked for scissors (just showing the action), the waiter gave him a toothpick. I instructed them when they need something tell me so I could translate it in Mandarin.

April 2 (Wednesday)

It was raining, still we went to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, Sutyatsen Memorial, and Taipei 101. We didn’t go to the observatory, useless it’s so gloomy!

In the evening, my employer invited them for dinner at their house. We went home late!

April 3 (Thursday)

The temperature dropped, and raining cats and dogs, we stayed home all day.

April 4 (Friday- Tomb Sweeping Day)

The grandfather of my student drove us to Taipei Zoo. After lunch we took Gondola (cable) on our way to Maokong for tea, visited Zhishan Temple. In the evening, they were too excited to go to Rao He night market. I gave them shopping money, and they bought lots of shoes/sandals (for only NT$100, about P140).

April 5 (Saturday)

Once again, grandfather of my student drove us around Taipei and dropped us to Miramar Entertainment Park. We took giant wheel (sort of London Eye), and had afternoon tea @ Grand Hotel.

We joined the mass celebration @ St. Christopher Church, met some of Filipino friends. Once again, went to a night market in Shilin. It was crowded, they didn’t enjoy!

April 6 (Sunday)

They were curious what is that Toilet Restaurant, I took them there! We also went to CKS Residential Garden (this time it’s hot – change of weather), and last my mom in-law said she wants to see ocean (Taipei is surrounded by mountains), I took them to Danshui (1 hour away) and watched the sunset!

April 7 (Monday)For the last time, my student’s grandfather took us to Jiufen (outside Taipei). We tried different old delicacies of Taiwan and shopping for souvenirs.

We had lunch in Costco while waiting for their photos to be developed, bought some stuff for “pasalubong”. At night, we had dinner in a Hongkong Style Restaurant with my employer!

April 8 (Tuesday)Time for them to go back to the Philippines, we’re so happy to see and spent time with them… my mom-in-law said she will definitely come back on January with my sis-in-law! Thanks for the happy moment mothers...

Riding Maokong Gondola

January 31, some of my classmates and I went to this place, near Taipei Zoo, Maokong is located in the southern tip of Taipei City. It’s popular place for tea plantation (it was raining so we skip tea plantation). Last year, they began operating the Maokong Gondola lift

(貓空纜車). A 20 minutes ride passing thru Taipei Zoo Station, Taipei Zoo South Station, Zhinan Temple, and Maokong Station, 4.03 km in length with the speed of 3-5 m/sec.

We had our lunch in Maokong station, non stop chatting that we forgot the time. On the way back, we visited the Zhinan Temple, and heard that if the couple visit in here, they will be separated… oh ok!

Fieldtrip to Tainan

Trip to Tainan, Taiwan

(January 5-6, 2008)

Tainan County 台南縣 , known as the oldest and one of the largest city in the southern part of Taiwan. This is my first time to visit the place. Our first destination was Tainan Agricultural Research. Here are some photos taken:

(Melinda and I playing inside the bus) + (Zabrinna)

(tomato, lettuce, and cabbage patch)

One of Tainan attraction is the "snack night market", tried their local cuisine... most of the food are sweet. We're there before they start at 6 pm. By 8pm, the place was full packed, we can't hardly move...

We stayed here called "the ancient temple hotel", very nice place but....

(scary at night hahahaha!)

The following day, we went to fish breeding... we're there fishing, eating, posing, singing, and dancing...

After lunch, we stopped and seen their "salt mountain", tried their salt ice cream...

We left Tainan at 2pm and arrived in Taipei around 8pm.