What I have been occupied with lately?

1. Company annual charity festival.
Finally it has come to an end. For the past couple of weeks, I have been lunching in and staying late to help pack, consolidate the pre-sales orders of cakes, achar, curry puffs, muffins, jewellery…, pluck 6 kg of dao ge (yes… bean sprouts) and cracking my head on our stall decor cos I’m the designated creative director.

We came in top again, bringing in $16K++. Somehow I feel that everyone have their own personal agenda, it’s a competition to outshine each other, to show off what you can do, to satisfy one’s ego and to save face. These are carefully and beautifully camouflaged under 2 powerful words – Teamwork & Charity.

Of cos there will always be some background helpers who do not mind chipping in but more importantly; have no choice. Through this event, I got to know some people better and also see the true colours of others.


2. Roller Blading
Yes! I’ve finally gotten my own pair of blades & protective gears, put them on and made that first step.

I thought it would be difficult and ending up with bruises all over, but thanks to my “blade nanny”, I am able to stand, walk and slowly glide under an hour.

It was fun but not when SGNs half your age, with much less protective gear, fly past you with laughter. Kids….don’t know how to protect themselves. Tsk tsk….

Taiwan - Day 7 (20 Sep 08)

To be updated...

Taroko Gorge

Part 1:

Taiwan - Day 6 (19 Sep 08)

To be updated...

To Su Ao - Cold Spring & Hualien

Part 1:


Part 2:

Taiwan - Day 5 (18 Sep 08)

To be updated...

To Taipei Zoo, Mao Kong & Shilin Night Market

Part 1:


Part 2:

Taiwan - Day 4 (17 Sep 08)

To be updated...

To Taipei, Wu Fen Pu & Raohe St Night Market

Taiwan - Day 3 (16 Sep 08)

To be updated...

To Cijin Coastline Park
- Cross the TRA platform (TWD 6)

Part 1:


Part 2:


Event of the day:
Lehman Brothers bankrupt and Merrill Lynch bought over by BOA

Taiwan - Day 2 (15 Sep 08)

To Fo Guang Shan (Light of Buddha Mountain)
- Cross the TRA platform (TWD 6)
- Walk towards the Kaohsiung old Station (museum) to the Kaohsiung Bus station
- Purchase bus ticket to Fo Guang Shan (TWD 77)





The driver was very patient with the elderly and local folks carrying bulky items but he was not as tolerant with us, tourist. He got impatient when we took about 1 min to search for the tickets that we were supposed to hand over to him upon alighting. We really didn’t know cos someone has already checked our tickets when we boarded the bus at the station. But he was quick to divert his attention to a very young and sexy mother with her son.



Foguangshan is one of the world's most important Buddhist centers. The 40m high golden Buddha is surrounded by 480 smaller Buddha, all replicas of the Great Buddha.

The huge Buddha can be seen from afar and it’s also an indication to alight. The bus stop is at a shop house in a little village at the foot of Foguangshan.

Foguangshan monastery is the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan. We manage to cover most of the sites under the ridiculous hot water except for the Buddha Tooth Relic Shrine cos it’s closed to the public on Monday!

One of the must visit site is definitely the Pure Land Cave. This tacky place is like our Haw Par Villa except instead of the eighteen hells, they built the excellence and beauty of the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss which is a Cave of great Bodhisattvas of the Land of Ultimate Bliss, as well as the great Arhats, the Buddha’s ten great disciples, and others. Whether it’s the eighteen hells or the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, it has the same effect of frightening people so that we will not dare to do evil deeds.







On our way out of Foguangshan, we stopped by a convenient store to buy drinks. James took out a 100 dollar note which was refused by the cashier. It took us a while to realize that we have given a 100 dollar Thai baht! Haha… other than the picture of country’s president, both 100 dollar currency notes looked identical.

We had initially wanted to proceed to Cishan of sweet treats and Old Street but the next bus is scheduled to come an hour later. Having nothing much to do at the quiet little village, we decided to head back to Kaohsiung main station but the next bus to arrive was also an hour later. We were stranded. Lesson learnt: check the bus schedule!



After some wasted hours, we were back at Kaohsiung bus station. Our next stop is Dream Mall, a landmark in Taiwan and the first mega-shopping center in Asia.

Took MRT to Kaisyuan station (TWD 25) and catch the shutter bus to Dream Mall.

We had the most satisfying Jap meal (just TWD 550) and took the Hello Kitty Ferris wheel.















MRT to Famosa Boulevard station



Liuho night market




More Pictures - Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:


Event of the day:
Nantou Lushan Kirei Hot Spring Hotel (綺麗大飯店) collapsed.