I want Taiwan!

Taiwan is situated north of Manila and just two hours by plane.  

We were booked on a roundtrip to Taipei via Cebu Pacific at P4,500 per person. great deal huh!

A valid US visa is all you need to apply for a Taiwan visa online and its for free.

Walking through the pages of agoda, booking and hotels.com  helped me decide on my choice of hotel. I opted for a 3 star San Want Hotel at the Zhongxiao East Road which is in the centre of the metropolis.

 It cost P20,000 for 4 nights accommodation with buffet breakfast included.

Taiwan is a very developed country.  I was impressed with their airport during layover on my trips to the US with their aircraft carrier Eva airlines.  I was even more enthused when I saw the city. Taiwan is simply awesome!

Day 1 we strolled around... going to nearby areas of our hotel…Zhongxiao East Road, Taipei's main boulevard. I also collected my race kit for the Nike All Womens run at a nearby mall.

First stop... Sun Yat -Sen Memorial  Hall with a lot of Chinese tourist.

Next is their famous Taipei 101.. the worlds tallest building from 2004-2010 until Burj Khalifa took over.

Having seen both I was more impressed with Taipei 101 because of more detailed ornate outside which is like a tall bamboo-shaped skyscraper.

 Their metro train in getting around the city was a very convenient and cheap way to go around and immerse in their daily life. It cost only P30.00 for the first five stations.

One can also buy one day unlimited pass ticket anywhere in the city for P225.00

Nighttime we tried their famous street food in Ximending and shop our way around the alleys . It was a busy place with shops, restaurants, street foods and youngsters dancing in the middle of the road.

Day 2 we were southbound   to Maokong Mountain by cable car. It was a 5km stretch of greeneries covering the entire route.  Taipei zoo is just nearby but we did not explore the area.

In the afternoon we went to Xinbeitou Hotspring. There was immense heat from the Thermal Valley complete with putrid sulfuric smell.  We soaked our tired body in one if their spring hotels. It was a refreshing treat after a busy day.

Taiwan is also famous for their night market. The biggest is Shalin night market which is a lot better than the Waifu night market  that my kids decided to go back there and explore some more. 

Day 3..One of the reasons I want to go to Taiwan is to see this Jianguo Holiday Flower Market which opens only during weekends. This place is situated  under the long stretch overpass which sells practically all kinds of flora, garden tools and what have you in the plant kingdom on a much cheaper price that here.

If only I can bring them home! Im planning to bring my mom here next time.  This is a heaven for us plant lovers.

 I bought some new pruning scissors. Chose some cactus for my mom

and some bougainvillea plants as this is my current favourite.

I also bought some plants not seen in our local gardens around.

Day 4 My big day as I did a 21k run with the Taipei 101 as my backdrop and Taipei city hall as starting line.

The entire run was delightful and pleasurable as I passed by their stunning temples, sexy hawaiian palms laid out on their road capped with the cool  weather breeze.  All gave the perfect ambience. I did it in 2:31 !

 Seeing my husband and son at the finish line made this run truly memorable .

Even if my legs felt tired I was still in high spirit. We went all the way to Danshuei by train that took us almost an hour. This was a more relaxing place away from the bustling city.  We also went to see their picturesque fisherman wharf and the famous Lover's bridge...location of most taiwanese love story movies.

What a busy and memorable 4 day streak to Taipei.

It was like hitting three birds in one stone as I get to run, collect some plants and explore the city.
Cant wait to go back there. There are still so many places to discover. 

Flowers of Summer Paintings

I have not been posting artworks lately because I'd been busy with other endeavours. I have noticed that most of my artworks recently were made by Tanay Artist Group. Im fascinated with the beautiful rendition of flowers so I'm sharing you some of my favorites.

 Jerome Francisco...Tanay artist, a member of Ugnayan Filipino Arts Foundation.This is an old work handed to me by a dealer friend.  Oil Painting in 24 x 36 in. this will look great on the walls of Villa Rosalinda's pavilion.

 Mhar Baez ...I have  numerous arts done by him, mostly his early works.  They still look dynamic despite being decades old. He has mastered his field esp in watercolor.

The colors in his flowers convey a mood of warmth and happiness.

The intricate details of his work is keenly seen in this piece. What a devotion of time and perseverance is depicted in this artwork.

Rico Tica…a Tanay artist whose water-colour works are truly enticing.

 Jojo Florendo...another old work but equally radiant. A Tanay Artist Group member with tutelage from TAG senior artist Jun Tiongco. I love his rendition of still life.

Cris Cristobal...another superb Tanay Artist. Most of his works that I have were old house windows. His integration of plants and flowers  make it vibrant.

Noel Bueza hails from Lucban, Quezon. Famous for his pen and ink but recently I saw some of his oil paintings …they are alive.

 Adler Llagas. A Tanay Artist Group member . A work done in the 90's watercolor in 14" x 22". His works were featured in many local art books.

Adler is known for his landscape works.

 …also in  still life like this one.

Art works….ahh... can't get enough of them. Hanging them at home can inspire my family or  in my clinic has the remarkable power to heal and nurture one's spirit.

DO BUY in Dubai

last week i was in a stupendous kick given a chance to trek off to dubai .

it's a different country …everything is grand and modern ...except that i was gabbing my own dialect because "kabayans" were everywhere.!

this is truly a city of superlatives…from the worlds largest dancing fountain…

...to tallest building (Burj Kalifa)..

…with the world's only 7 star hotel (Burj-al Arab)

this hub of the mid east is also shoppers haven!. from swanky to ritzy brands to dime-a-dozen goodies ....they have a lot to offer.

Luckily (and not intentionally!) it was also the month of the Dubai Shopping Festival.
it was really tempting and a test of my control from swiping my credit card.!

enough of my uproar on shopping....dubai is a young and a restless city.

for about 10 yrs from a barren desert - laden land now fastly booming with all the highrises and stalwart edificies, immense and scopic highways....all the comfort and safety and liberal mobility...all before my eyes!! how rich this country could be.

we've also visited the miracle garden..their latest tourist attraction…

(why miracle? because flowers blooming amidst the desert!).

....followed by global village (around the world in one day.!)
 It was  an adventure to explore all the countries inside.

A side trip to Abu Dhabi and seeing a highschool friend and her family made this visit a memorable one.

thanks Edgar & Patty Cruz Sy!

Desert safari is one activity i enjoyed most. Loved the "sandbathing" and the exhilarating 4x4 wheel drive of an expert driver in the sand.

 ..after the dunes  we went to experience the camel ride, wore arab clothes, henna tattoo and dine in the sumptuous mediterranean cuisine.

...travelling to dubai is an enriching experience that could last a lifetime!