More Reasons Why I HATE Taiwan - Lukang

After the morning cycling, my host brought us to Lu Kang, kinda like a historic district near his house. It was really quite interesting walking through the streets. The shops were really trying to bring back the old toys/activities of old.

And well, I've discovered more reasons to hate Taiwan. I tried many other weird and interesting food today. Sigh. No cycling tomorrow. Really curious to see how many million pounds are gonna be added when I go home.

Anywhere, here are the pics...

Lu Kang Street

Old games - pinball of sorts. Basically, if you win anything, you are supposed to ring the gong to let the owner of the shop know so that he/she can give you the prize. :S

Here's another old favourite, throwing rings at objects. I know we have it in pasar malams in Singapore. But the difference is... look at the details! Look at the way everything is arranged so neatly!

Old lamps in one of the old temples (Ah Ma Temple)

They call this 'Zhuang Yuan Gao' or Scholar Cakes Dunno why, but they taste really good!

This I didn't dare try... little snails/shellfish.... eeewww.....

Another old favourite! Tikam Tikam! Not sure how many of you remember this, you simply pay.. choose a paper... open it up and see if you've won anything! lol.

More food streets...

Some sweet bean/yam buns... hated (really heated) the filling.. tasted like Stinky Toufu...

This is what Taichung is supposed to be famous for... Oyster Omelettes. The texture is quite nice, less chewy than Singapore's version. But they were really generous with the oysters.

These interesting buns were actually made out of strips of yam with some meat fillings inside.

And here I am enjoying the yam bum thingy...

Really liked the canopy of lanterns leading to the temple. Very reminiscent of the old Chinese Ghost Story movies.

I didn't dare try these. Essentially, deep fried shrimps. I think they call them 'prawn monkeys'...

One of the yummier biscuits... Cow's Tongue Biscuit. Not real cow's tongues of course. Just the shape I guess.

I also didn't dare eat these. Goose eggs. HUGE!

And last (though wasn't really the last snack for the day, more like the last snack at Lu Kang) but not least, here's the milk ice cream with coffee flavoured chocolates and other stuff.

Sigh. I'm so dead.

Cycling in the Countryside to the Beach

My Taiwan host stays on a farm that's not very far from the beach. So this morning, while he was away on an appointment, he got his younger brother to bring us cycling. Before that, he decided to let us try riding his scooter. According to him, every taiwanese knows how to ride a scooter from a very young age so it shouldn't be difficult for us to learn... he couldn't be more wrong. lol.

So, after a few near death moments... (joking...) we decided to go cycling instead. It was really enjoyable cycling through the farmlands towards the beach. The terrain was flat and there were very few cars. I was riding an old mountain bike. How I wish I had my Gary Fisher with me.

Saw some duck farms. The duck pools were always paired with a pool breeding shellfish (like mollusks). Reason being, the dirty shitty water produced by the ducks', uh, shit... made excellent food for the mollusks which ultimately made excellent dishes for us humans. Yucks.

It's the season for watermelons and there were a few fields still waiting to be harvested. Learnt about distinguishing between red-meat watermelons and yellow-meat ones from my host's brother (the former having a lighter skin, like the one in the pic, and the latter being usually darker skinned with the typical watermelon stripes.

The experience of cycling along the breakwater and paths at the beach was even more memorable! Here's the concrete path constructed by the fishery owners so they can drive out to inspect the pools and of course, harvest them when ready. This breakwater extended easily more than 100m from the shore!

I don't think I'll ever have the experience of cycling 'on water' again. It was quite exciting. Some spots were covered with sand, making it really hard to cross and some spots which were still concrete had a layer of moss on it, making it very slippery. All said, it was still a very memorable experience.

Here's a small fisherman's hut Standing near the end of the concrete track.

I couldn't resist a pic at the top of the ladder.

My colleague and our host's brother, digging for tiny crabs in the sand.

We were seriously thinking about cycling all the way to the wind powered generators you should be able to see in the middle of the pic. Unfortunately, we only realised later that there was no path leading there. From our conrete path, it was just sand rocks. So we had to give up on our idea.

On the way back, my biked slipped at one of sections of the concrete path which was under some water. While I only had some minor bruises and scratched, my dear camera died. What you see above is the smashed-up UV filter. Unfortunately, my main camera is also dead for now.. can't see to get it to power up. Looks like it might be time to get a new DSLR.... Heh.

I HATE Taiwan...

And here are the reasons why.....

It all started with this inncent prata/pancake breakfast....

To this delicious spread of taiwanese dishes for our welcome lunch...

And from there on... it's down the slippery slope of the street markets... presenting Yi Zhong street...

Sigh... wish I hated it more.... :-(

Off to Taiwan

After another whirlwind last week of term (seems to be that way all the time... getting really repetitive saying that and also mildly frustrating), I'm off with a group of students to Taichung, Taiwan tomorrow.

It's my first time to Taiwan so I'm kinda looking forward to it, except that unfortunately, the trip is a little short coz we couldn't get tickets for the dates we actually wanted.

Taiwan's scary though... heard about the legendary good food..... sigh.... wonder if I can/should practice self-control....

Passion Run 2010 - A Personal Best after all!

Finally got the official results from the race organizers and I completed the 10km run in 1h 15min 03 sec. I checked my timing for the StanChart run last Dec and realized it was 1h 17min 34sec. So this means I'd actually improved on my 10km timing! Nice! Must aim to improve on that but in the meantime, maybe it's also time to set some new goals. hmm...

Passion Run 2010 (10km) - 1h 15min

Passion Run was quite a challenge. To be honest, I had not really trained well for it. Leading up to it, I've only done a couple of 5km and 6km runs and my last 8km run was really quite a while ago. So I was really apprehensive at going for the 10km run yesterday.

As it turns out, the timing's pretty sucky... slower than my Standard Chartered 10km run last year but I'm quite pleased that I was able to run all the way and complete the whole route, given my lack of preparedness! I really hope to better my timing at my next run. I was thinking about the Mizuno Mt Faber run but might just wait till the Yellow Ribbon Run in September.

The run itself was quite pleasant. Being at the beach, the scenery and atmosphere was really nice. Weather was also very good. I'd been worried that it would be too blazing hot but it was windy and the sun was pretty gentle. A small complain would be the non-runners like roller-bladers and cyclists who were also on some parts of the running route as east coast was a public park so it wasn't closed to the public. But they weren't a huge bother.

The bigger issues with the run probably involved the organization. Transport was terrible. Heard from my friend who took the shuttle service from the National Stadium that it was a nightmare. Too infrequent and the shuttles had too small a capacity to handle the crowds. Ended up with many people getting flustered and late. Going back was just as bad. Leaving East Coast at night with thousands of people is just not very pleasant. I managed to catch a cab but it was stuck in traffic and before even the cab left the east coast area, the meter was already recording about 12 bucks! My last complain was the super slow baggage collection. Having been to the Stanchart Marathon and the Live Earth run, I thought the baggage collection was quite poorly organized. Don't think they really had any system other than placing a couple of hundred of bags in one area. The queues were really long and moved really slowly. Thought it was a dampener to the end of a nice run.

I'm definitely gonna aim to better my timing of my 10km runs. Still considering if I should do the Mt Faber run (but the registration might already be closed). Looks like for now, I'm kinda hooked on taking part in these runs.

Really like the dry bag which they gave out to finishers. Have been thinking of getting one and now I don't need to buy one! Best finisher gift so far!

I've signed up for the 10km Passion Run tomorrow. Not my first 10km run since I've completed the 10km StanChart Marathon last year, but I'm really not prepared for tomorrow's run. It's been a very busy week with my nights ending at around 12 midnight and I've not been able to do proper preparatory runs the whole week. In fact, my last run was a short 5km route about a week ago.

Two things can happen tomorrow.. i complete the 10km run and probably end up with super sore legs or I can't complete the run and end up walking to the finishing run. That would be quite sad.

Well, with open house tomorrow, then sending off guests to the airport, before going for the run, it will be a most challenging day. Hope to be able to do some posting tomorrow night... Good luck to me... :(

Cycling to Marina Bay

Last week, went on my first 2+hour cycling trip to Marina Bay. It was quite an experience trying to cycle along the park connector all the way there and then returning on the normal roads. Needed to really pick up simple cycling skills from more experienced cyclists so I had asked Timothy to give me some tips... simple things like hand signals... duh! That's how little I know.

The Park Connector is a pretty good idea, except for the fact that there were too many disruptions to the path due to construction work and overhead bridges. I can just imagine how fun it could be if the park connectors were... better connected! heh.

Decided to go all the way to Marina Bay coz I thought it would be not too far for a noob and I also wanted to get my first look at the Helix Bridge. Nice views along the way and thankfully, the weather was pretty good, not too blazing hot.

Can't remember where I took this. If I'm not wrong, it was somewhere near kallang.

Took this at the Nicoll Highway.

F1 Pit with Singapore Flyer in the background. Although people say the Flyer may be underused, you can't deny that it adds a nice touch to the Marina Bay skyline.

Finally at the Helix Bridge with the (now infamous) Marina Bay Sands. I thought the bridge was really nice and that Singaporeans were just nit-picking when they complained about the lack of shade. Funny thing was the bridge was not completely opened so it went about 3/4 way before you had to turn back.

Obligatory photo of inaugural long bike ride. :)

Went a little closer to the Marina Bay Sands and I thought the underside of the skypark they were constructing was really nicely textured.

So that ends my first cycling experience to Marina Bay. Considering where to go next, maybe Sembawang or all the way to East Coast. It's kinda disappointing that I can't cycle to places and lock my bike somewhere to explore/enjoy that place. Have heard how dangerous it is to leave nice bikes chained up as they will probably be stolen. Let's see when I'll go for my next ride.

I'm expecting my thighs to hurt like mad tomorrow... Went on my first bike ride on my new bike. Learnt a few things:

1. It's really tough riding on the road.

- I keep wondering when some car is gonna creep up behind me and drive over me...

2. Don't ride after it rains

- The wet grounds are gonna splash muddy stains all over the nice white bike and my nice white shirt as well!

3. Get a bell

- Especially when you are gonna ride on trails which are shared by joggers/dating couples. It's really irritating riding up behind a lovey-dovey couple who is oblivious to everything around them.

4. It's really wise to buy from good staff from a good shop which is near where you stay

- There was a little irritating click every time my right medal went one complete round. Probably nothing serious.. just annoying. Since the shop was nearby, I dropped by and asked them to take a look.. Not only did they replace the pedal at no charge, they also took some time to wipe down my bike although I never asked them to do it... Now, that's really great service, and it's nice to see them so passionate about what they do.

5. Choose the time to cycle carefully

- Today was the first time I went cycling and I chose to do it at about 6.30pm... not the best time coz I realized the traffic was really heavy due to the evening peak hour. It made cycling a little annoying as the roads were really crowded, both with cars and people (on the paths).

I think there's much I need to learn about cycling. If today is anything to go by, I think I'm definitely gonna enjoy my new bike!

My Brand New Bike!

After more than a month of indecision and looking around, I finally went back to the first shop I visited and purchased my very first bike! The bike itself set me back by $695 and the additional lights and cool helmet added anther $140... So all in, spent about $830 on what I hope will be my new hobby.

Now to learn how to use the bike.... :P

My brand new white hybrid bike - the Gary Fisher Wingra...

My happening red/white helmet!

I refused to buy the conventional bicycle lights... here are the futuristic/alienistic Infini lights! (supposedly from Italy... lol!)

Ip Man 2

I've been really needing some movie-getaways, just to lose my self for 120mins in the fantasy world of film...

Kick Ass was a good start and today, I caught the sequel to the really good Ip Man. I'm glad to say it's two for two right now. Ip Man 2 is really good and I think it's probably same if not a little better than the first. This movie had a few more light hearted moments and the fights were choreographed really well.

I'm looking forward to the next 'Man' on Friday.... that sounds so wrong... lol

Kick Ass really kicks ass!

Go watch if you are at least 18yrs (it's M18....). Really violent and good. lol. I've really needed some good movies recently. Hate to say work has not been the most rosey. But that's life.

Universal Studios Singapore - Pretty Good!

Today was my first visit to Universal Studios Singapore. I've been pretty keen to see how USS compares to the other Universal Studios in LA and in Osaka. While I must admit the marketing efforts have made me quite excited to visit the place, I was somewhat uncertain if USS would really be as good as her older counterparts.

I tried a few rides and I think they are pretty good. The few which I tried and thought was pretty worth queuing up for were the Mummy Returns indoor coaster (a new ride for me) and the Jurassic Park water ride (similar to the ones in the US, but still pretty good). It was a real pity that the Battlestar Galactica duelling coasters were still closed. I'm pretty sure it would have been one helluva ride. There was also a new Madagascar ride which I don't think is meant to be an exciting one, but still, it's something to look forward to the next time I visit.

Just as good as the rides (if not better) were the entertainment. I went for a few of the shows and thoroughly enjoyed them. From the Shrek 4D short movie to the Donkey Comedy Show to the Monster Rock Concert, it was a really fun experience. I was also pleasantly surprised that there was an outdoor performance of songs from Hairspray! Really fun stuff! I think the shows alone will justify me visiting USS again.

All throughout the place, there were quite a few fun character picture moments. I admit I got a bit silly and started taking pictures with Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, the Madagascar Penguins... seriously, I can't believe I actually posed for pics with them. But it was memorable.

Another nice thing was for now, USS was still giving out $10 meal vouchers and $5 shopping vouchers to all visitors. $10 is pretty sufficient for a decent meal in USS and although $5 buys you about 2/3 of a key chain, hey... $5 off is better than $0.

On the whole, I think I really did enjoy USS. I'm seriously considering buying the annual pass for $318 which will allow me to visit the park unlimited number of times each year. For those who have yet to visit USS, here are some pics to get you tempted...

On the right.. the duelling coasters... For my next visit... if I can conquer my fear of roller coasters.

Bought myself a Battlestar Galactica T-shirt and the obligatory Universal Studios Singapore T-shirt.
And what visit to a theme park would be complete without a key chain... lol...

Emo?

I was in an emo-kinda mood today. Maybe it's coz things are not too busy yet so I have time to be emo. lolz.

A bit annoyed with some things that are happening with work but well, I guess when we have to deal with human beings, there's always the uncertainty of human interactions... that's life.

Decided to engage in some retail therapy.. always works. :) Tried real hard to spend some money. lol and ended up with some reading material (bought the How to Train a Dragon book.. yes, I know it's for kids... and no... I don't care that I'm not a kid...) and was quite elated to see that Bossini was selling their new range of Mr Men shirts. :) So bought myself a cheery yellow Mr Happy shirt and creamy Mr Funny shirt. Didn't really need them.. just wanted them. :)

Gonna spend some time with friends tomorrow. Hope to get over this moodiness before I have to start training sessions next week.

Camera Crazy

I was at outside Toa Payoh MRT a couple of weeks ago waiting for a cab when I noticed the cameras they had put up just outside the station. I thought it was a ridiculous waste of money. For some reason, they needed more than 10 cameras to monitor the area! I wonder how 'narrow-angled' the cameras must be such that you would need so many cameras just to cover one area. Talk about wasting money...

Term 1 was like a one way roller coaster ride. The first 4 to 5 weeks was like a slow climb up to the peak of the roller coaster. As week 6 rolled in, I could feel the coaster going past the tipping point and gather momentum as gravity pulled it all the way down. There were moments when I felt as if I was going to crash into the ground but thankfully, the coaster pulled back and the ride continued.

There were days when I was pretty going on from 7am to 2am before taking a short nap and continuing from 7am again. Lol... But the good thing is, it was work that I was enjoying. And I guess I was pretty much drawing energy from this enjoyment to keep myself going. As week 10 ended, I was hoping to get a chance to recharge during the March holz but ended up spending 4 full days at the MBTI certification course. It was a gruelling course, with 5 tests in 4 days but it was a very insightful course and while I was pretty drained at the end, I was really enriched. Not only am I now certified to conduct the MBTI instrument, I was also able to gain a deeper understanding of my own personality.

No rest after the MBTI course. I enjoyed a short respite going out for lunch with a former student but after that, it was full steam ahead for the check-in for the next batch of students for the boarding programme. The whole of Sunday was spent checking-in the boys into boarding.

Term 1 has started and the good news is that the school has managed to give me a break by taking away some of my lessons. This week is a little slower and I'm definitely hoping to take the opportunity to gather myself and look ahead to the next 10 weeks. It's definitely going to be challenging but I'm hoping it will be no less enjoyable as last term.

One resolution though... I must make time to catch more movies! I've been so starved of movies... from watching 1 or 2 a week, I was watching like 1 a month... I shall strive for some movie time at least once a week!

Onwards to term 2.

The Honeymoon's Over...

Following last week's post, this post probably paints a bleak picture of my current feelings.

7 months into the job and I'm coming against some setbacks which are kinda demoralizing. The first 6 months, while tiring, did not seem to have many down moments. the 7th month, however, is turning out to be quite a challenge.

Firstly, I've had to balance the demands of my various responsibilities. It's frustrating not being able to do everything to the level I expect of myself. I know I'm not prepared to do substandard work... but to try and do everything at a peak performance level with limited resources is quite a stretch. And I find myself either getting fed up with myself over not being to do everything well or getting disappointed that even the basic level seems to be suffering.

Second challenge is overcoming my own expectations and pre-conceived ideas. It's challenging to try and move beyond what I think I should expect to what is reality and learning how to deal with it. heh.. dunno if that makes sense. I'm frustrated that maybe I'm not dealing with people around me in the right way. I keep asking myself if I'm dealing with the various situations that I am currently being faced with in the right way or in the way I feel most comfortable with. As a teacher, there is a natural 'gut reaction' to many issues. And I'm now constantly checking if this 'gut reaction' is right or wrong.

I don't know if I'm making any sense. Maybe not, coz I guess without context, the above two points would probably sound pretty random and ranty.

I'm gonna try my best to take the weekend to chill out and recharge. I think I'm gonna resort to some retail therapy. Maybe a new phone... or a PSP Go... or who knows... buying expensive stuff always helps. :)

It's only the first month of 2010... talk about challenging beginnings.

2010 Hit me like a Tsunami

One month since I last posted and it really didn't seem like a month. It's not that nothing happened to me in the past month, in fact the opposite is true. When I returned from Bali, things really amped up and towards the end of the year as I was involved in camps, preparations for the second round of the RLP, staff meetings and preparations for lessons for 2010.

The past week has been particularly tiring. For some reason, it feels that the past week has just been me chasing after a train filled with the stuff I need to do. That really frustrates me. I hate losing control of the things around me. Yes, it sounds like I am a control freak but the truth is, I am. It seems as if I'm just being pushed from one task to another task that needs my immediate attention. My schedule has been packed with so many urgent things that I'm actually finding no time for movies & games! A typical day in the last week had me preparing a lesson before rushing off to lesson, then rushing off to a discussion, then rushing for a meeting, then rushing to complete a proposal, then rushing for another meeting then grabbing a bite (literally), then grabbing a few minutes to touch up the proposal then ending with another meeting before finally showering and getting ready for bed. It almost seems that I'm on the go from 7.30am to 11.20pm.... (deep breath).

I won't deny that I am quite energised by the adrenaline of the things I need to do. I am also quite enjoying most of the stuff I have to do. But I think I really need to do something to jump onto the train, into the train engine and put my hand on the throttle. Otherwise, I think I will get more and more frustrated as I see the quality of my work slip as I rush from one task to another.

It's gonna take some reflection, planning and hard work. But I think it really needs to be done... OK. Gotta try and do something over this weekend 'break'. But maybe only after I catch a movie. :)