Taipei Interrupted

On a busy street in Ruifang

There's just too many things to savour in Taipei during our short stay of 7 days. Along a narrow one way street on Da An Steet, Royal Palace hotel was spot on, close to the action and main transport line. Unlimited supply of espresso, the much needed wifi, complimentary fresh fruit platter and minibar drinks daily. Even a considerate toilet seat to warm my butt.   I visited the Taiwan Tourism office prior to my trip and they gave me a commemorative EasyCard which we gladly topped up to facilitate commuting. It sure beats fumbling with unfamiliar currency and mind boggling conversions. Train fares are extremely affordable and network highly efficient. Mum had no problem getting a priority seat. Commuters are gracious and impressively orderly for a crowded city like Taipei. What I also noticed was how the city was designed with lots of consideration for people on the go. A little thought really goes a long way.  There were phone charging and wifi stations in train stations for those very desperate moments. While some train stations have no glass panelled barriers, somehow the civility of the commuters makes it less of a worry. Their "stand on right of escalators" took a bit of adjustment. The left-hand drive was enough to make us clowns as we often attempt to open the driver's door when our transfer came to pick us up at the airport.

The city is vibrant and people very hospitable. Maybe they could tell we were tourist and want our buck. The cake shops were irresistably attractive, I felt like a poor child looking into the beautiful shop decked with lots of icing cakes.  While I cannot consider coffee to be their forte, I can see why when every 500m you stumble on Starbucks outlet. Generally cheaper to consume in Taipei.

A view from the top of Jiufen

Street food (dai pai dong), don't get me started. I am not a fan of Thai rice, so when my first bowl of lor bak (braised pork) rice was served, I was surprised that Taiwanese use short grain rice like the Japanese. As I like my rice slight sticky, you can imagine how happy I was. If you patronise at a particular stall, the owners would let you snap a photo or two, the others I would much prefer to wait until they get busy and I shoot. Never attempt to take a picture when they are idle. They are probably too grouchy to bear with a trigger happy me. Was ticked off on two occasion, one was a lady outside a temple selling lotus flower. At Jiufen, I had a mouthful for asking too much, perhaps I should have bought something from her to shut her up, but I was the visitor, she was the host. But they were isolated cases, some were simply happy you took an interest in their products. If you are a foodie, you got to head down here yourself and experience Taiwanese food in its full glory.

Smelly Toufu

The best beef brisket soup on our trip

Mega Sausages

I have no qualms eating from a street vendor as witnessing the general public chowing down their meals quite happily, what's there's to be afraid of getting dysentery. I was more than happy to have a go at where the locals hang out, although the mean stench of the smelly tofu was a wee bit over the top. But as a tourist, I was ready to embrace the country, smell and all.  I'm not sure if I can succinctly journal the essence of Taipei on this 4.5hr flight back home. I somehow have a feeling that there's more of a communal living here than back home. We were utterly tickled how when the garbage truck comes around, a shrilling version of "Fur Elise" fills the the air. We dropped our not so nice coffee and stood there to watch something which we have never seen. Every shop freeze whatever they are doing, made a quick dash to dump their own trash, some even toss their neatly separated trash into a compartmentalized machine. A little section reserved for edible food scraps for feeding animals. No food wastage.

You can skip the big department store like Sogo. Go where the locals go.  The markets are packed with food stuff fit for Chinese New Year.  Waxed and preserved meats everywhere, some are visually not very appealing but I bet Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Food would be very keen to devour.

Climate rocks!  When you are in Singapore, the humidity gets you real bad.  The 15 degree on average was a joy!  No worries of melting make-up.  I love it.

There's just too much to even want to pen it down, I have just realised I had taken over a thousand photos, just a few here to share.  A picture speaks a thousand words.  We are all in denial, but we also love coming home to our own pillows.

Party of 8 @ Dr Sun Yat Sen's Memorial L-R: Me, Paul, Marcus, Gab (nephew), Gerry (sis-in-law), Mum-in-law Irene, Ryan & Peter (Bro-in-law)

Merry Christmas and looking forward to some gastronomical adventures in 2013.

Best wishes to all for the New Year!

Yours,

Shaz

Shopping haven @ Xi Men Ting

Superb Engineering @ Taipei 101

Fab Four at Chiang Kai Shek

I feel safe already!

Marcus, Gabriel & Ryan having sausages...again at Jiufen

At Jiufen, uncle tells me more...

Kong bak bao...yummy!

Fresh seafood prepared right before your eyes

With my sister in law Gerry, having some or luak, zha jiang mian & blood cake soup!

Lor Bak Rice with pickled vegetables - AWESOME!

The upsized...

Markie celebrated his 12th birthday, luv ya!

Lessons in Life - Your Heart Knows Best

As with any ice breaker, it is always difficult to start a conversation, to start a piece of writing. An artist with a blank canvas would ponder where he will get his inspiration for his next piece of oil. I have not written for a long but there were just too many thoughts seeping in and draining out in the course of my busy life. Each time I reminded myself I need to pen those thoughts somewhere lest I forget them, which I usually don’t and some topics do make really good coffee shop talk. We have a myriad ways to access media, an electronic device may be your newspaper, who need fingers stained with ink. I glazed through global issues, acknowledge that things happen for a reason or for no reason. I am apathetic to politics and have no inclinations to dabble into them. Their topics too dry. I grew up in a society which decides what is best for me. While I agree the educational system in Singapore is competitive and somewhat compromise on my childrens’ holistic development, I think it’s the great in many ways. It may not work for some but its one I can manage and have thrived. What affects me most are when innocent lives are taken for no rhyme or reason. A by product of an insane world where violence are depicted everywhere. What is more chilling are the perpetrators are not stupid but are once very intelligent individuals. Some things just snapped. I once attended life-coaching. I paid to learn how to understand my life, to discover myself, where my strengths and weaknesses lie. Not sure how it benefitted me but I think it did some good for my business and for my own personal development. Having had no experience running a floral business, I needed to know what my USP (unique selling point) was that could help me boost my sales. Competing against the big players was dumb, I had to put up my own show. My product was the same as any others, but I had to tap into my inner self to add value to my product, tangible or intangible. I suppose I was sincere and naturally, quite a few of my customers became my friend. There were also a few black sheeps who took advantage and never paid for the goods I delivered. A repeat customer “bought” 99 stalks of roses during Valentine’s Day. His girlfriend got her roses but I was left high and dry, I didn’t get my money. I basically gave the bouquet away. I believe what goes around comes around. I never pursued further after a few attempts in locating the cheater. Funny how my product brought people together but also tore relationships apart. I knew too many of their dirty secrets and that could also be the reason why they found another florist. Some got married and stopped sending flowers. Some had me send two bouquets to two different locations. Trouble is, I had wives cornering me to divulge where the other bouquet went as some idiots have forgotten to inform me not to issue them receipt which The Wife obviously intercepted. One showed up at my shop front while I was out delivering. I had coffee nearby until I saw the coast was clear to return to my shop. Some couples do split as a result. Professionally, I do not disclose where bouquets are delivered but I think their lies caught up eventually, unfortunately. This brings me to discuss why people do what they do? Here I mean, emotional and physical infidelity? Right or wrong? Forgiveable or unforgiveable? Acceptable or unacceptable? Generally people are quick to judge. Normal, human instincts. Try scratching the surface a little more and we could maybe understand why people stray or attempt to stray, successfully or unsuccessfully. It’s a whole psychological topic which is so complex that shouldn’t even be discussed here. Even we ourselves cannot support our basis for such transgressions. That also means we have not fully understood our own psyche. We feel dejected when we are spurned by a lover, we suffer in silence while the other moved on way too quickly. We know too well what is not good for us yet we become even more drawn to the wrong kind of love. There’s simply too many intertwined factors that could result in a sporadic fling. Maybe at that moment, it felt right. So is it wrong? Think about it. What is even harder than the transgressions is closure to a relationship. It may take weeks, months and for some, years. Some may think closure was achieved only to experience a relapse, like cancer in remission. The relapse can be a make or break. Through some divine intervention, some succeed. Sometimes in life, there’s no clear distinction, some areas are indeed gray. The heart is still the nerve centre of your body. It controls everything, you better believe it. If you think what you do is right, then its right. You take charge of your life, no one else.

Best Friends...

There comes a time when you do a stock take on your life. Family members, friends, colleagues, casual acquaintance, ex-partners, past lovers, foes...I am sure all of us have a share of a unique concoction of people in your lives. So you have lots of friends, maybe 800 friends on Facebook yet when you do need someone to share a problem or to share a joy, freak out and don't know where to go.

You have just been promoted, after calling your immediate family members, who is next on your to call list? Who are the ones listed as favourites on your smart phones? For many, there aren't. When you are 6 and have a best friend, you want mum to invite her for your birthday party and play paper dolls with her. When you are 16, you have a best friend to catch a movie with. At 26, she helps you choose your gown and calm your nerves on your wedding day. At 36, we share tips on parenting and fret over kids. But who really is your friend? Who would share that New York cheesecake with you and help sabotage that diet plan? By 60, I hope to have a bosom friend to have tea with, make achar, cook babi pongteh together.

A good friend lifts you up in sad times and share the joys with you in good times. You can both not meet but yet you know she is there when you need her. You feel a connection, your ears tingle. When you ring her, she tells you she was just about to pick up the phone to do the same. There's a tinge of telepathy, you think alike, you feel for the same stuff. That's what chemistry is about, there's an formula that completes a puzzle. You can second guess her, think ahead of her, knows what she likes, buys what she needs. A good friend is observant, she can feel when you are down or tell you off when you slack. You can tell her things you can't share even with your sibling or spouse. She doesn't judge. She is not afraid to tell you her darkest fears, her insecurities. She can tell you about her weight problem as she found a soft spot for a particular ice cream. She asks you why, when, how, what if, should I, or should I not...she knows you won't lie. If you think you have a friend like her, keep her and hang on to her for dear life. One who can keep a secret and would take it to her grave. In today's harried life, you have no time to foster close relationships. You have no time to meet, no time for coffee, no time for lunch. Children zaps our energies. Spouses are demanding. In laws need to be kept happy. Mum complaining not hearing from you. Siblings want to meet up, not just on birthdays. Have we gotten that busy? Think about it, maybe we do have time.

A friend will call you for no rhyme or reason, maybe just to hear a voice. A simple text message, a smiley emoticon, a corny joke, a mutually understood acronym, just to say you are thinking of him or her. You never know how much that means to someone you care about. It just make life so much more bearable....so much sweeter.

Pick up that phone and call a friend today. I just did. Have time for them and they will have time for you.

How's it so far?

So I was told 2012 is THE YEAR FOR THE THOSE BORN IN THE YEAR OF THE BOAR. I had the maximum 5-star rating. A great year I was promised by a Chinese geomancer who read the highs and the lows of all the 12 Chinese Zodiac signs during a CNY programme. Black and blue is my auspicious colour (easy, at least they are not asking me to wear a fushia boa for good luck).

So much for a great start, spending the first few minutes on the throne, and now nursing a stubborn cough since the second day of the Lunar New Year. After I have wished and shook everyone's hands at the strike of midnight, I disappeared into my favourite room in the house. I emerged several minutes later wondering what I ate wrong and where my relatives were...they left.

Still coughing as I am typing this. I wonder what the year ahead is going to be like. I am liking it very much so far. The mood around the air is great,people around me are happy. Other than the cough, my cheeks are ruddy, hair is looking great, skin with a slight hint of the sun. I have been told to be cautious as those born in the year of the boar will be rather attractive...this year only.. so cash in or not? Not taking it literally of course but I knew what it meant. I could sense its going to be a pleasant year with less squabbles, a more harmonious ambience within the household. Less power struggle as I can see I am going to be the one to take the back seat and let others drive. I am tired and want to spend more time on me. I want to see my friends, see my aunt who is visiting from Australia, take my God-daughter for a meal, have ice cream with my buddies, travel with my family, do things at whims and at my fancy. My boys are independent, they need a break from mummy. She nags and at times erratic. That's me. I can be so predictable and unpredictable all at the same time.

Into my 40s officially, I have earned a certain right to be who I am. Take me as I am. Love me, love my imperfections. Perfection is such a ugly word, as life was never meant to be perfect. Those seeking for one is not for this world. Be thankful for who you are, be thankful for the people around you. You'll be amazed who could turn out to be your worst enemies and someone you least expects becomes your best friend through some unexpected turn of events. Treasure those people as your paths are meant to cross. Sometimes they will make you a better person through their outloook in life, through their sharing about parenting or becomes a mirror, someone to keep you in order. I could deal with that.

Other than this cough, I guess its been a great start. There's love in the air, the mood is good, career is stable, colleagues are great, why should I complain, and if it ain't broken, why fix it?

Whatever your zodiac say of you, keep it at the back of your head just like the occasional nagging you get from mum. Don't be foolish to place your last $100 at the casino just because your geomancer tells you to. Yes, I have been a foolish girl but have learnt from it that why I can now say this. Learn from mistakes but there's always the good and bad lurking side by side. Too bad, they need to coexist.

2011 was a great year, many happy moments to remember. That's already a part of history. Look ahead and seek new adventures. Be brave and take bold steps, big big strides. In retropect, you can dare say, "at least I tried".

Its going to be a busy year for all. A blog entry at the end of the month for a start. Afterall, its therapeutic for me. A way to unwind, recharge, download, offload my thoughts, to be in sync with the heart. That's all that matters and I know there'll be a few reading this.

Its late, I need to recharge, ready to face the world again.

Good night folks. Sweet dreams!

S.

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

Alright folks, just when you have gotten used to writing 2011 on your cheque books, its time to make the same mistakes again come 2012. The year, the weeks, the days, the hours, the minutes and the seconds are ticking way too fast for me, for you, anyone with me?

I am not sure how many of you like me have a cluttered work desk but in the midst of piles of papers, there's a photo here, a picture frame there, a piece of drawing your child did at play group, a sketchy penmanship of your 5 year old that says, Happy Mother's Day? Memorabilia to remind us of the passage of time. Then it dawned on you that your little child is now turning 13 and ready to embark on another journey. It daunting to be reminded that the clock is indeed ticking mercilessly. Everyone is aging, coping with wrinkles, age spots, greying hair and whatever comes with becoming a year older.

In a few hours, we welcome 2012. To some, its a radiant new beginning, to some, another dark, painful year, with nothing to look forward to. Some have great pay bonuses while some will wonder if whatever little they have will see them through the month. Its been like a long distance run for me.
At some stage, I pace well. At times, I sprint and many times I pant. Its the uncertainty of the physical and emotional momentum that we are often not prepared for. We don't know how far the drop is. But we just close our eyes and hope we survive the fall. Isn't life all about risk-taking?

The kids had great gifts this Christmas; a smart phone, and mp4 player, a nintendo wii, Nike Pegasus (while my trainers are in dire need for a trip to the cobbler). Its all about the kids isn't it? My biggest wish for 2012 is to see my family happy and indeed, they are. No skiing trips but Hong Kong was just as awesome. The company was all that matters. I just make sure they know mum and dad work really hard to give them a well deserved gift and their obligations is to be good kids and to do their best in school. A good friend had to be away on work stint for most part of the school holidays, as it comes with the job. To make a living, to provide for the family. If you don't give your family the best now, then when? The fragility of life is very frightening. There may come a time when we can no longer provide. Embrace them while they are clingy for they will not be so very soon.

New year resolutions are archaic. I never make them and never will. Do yourself a favour, don't. Live for the here and now. I hit the gym less than 10 times this year and the scales didn't lie. I enjoy my food escapades with my family way too much to be worried about whether I fit into my Levis. So what if you are a couple of inch wider, not gonna hurt anyone? You know your own body better than anyone. Listen to your body and take good care of it. Eat all you want but know when to stop.

Nope, I am not going to fret the small things in life. Be happy you still have a job, your children, spouse, parents, friends, best friends, lovers and that they are all well, and truly be happy inside. We are all communal beings, no man is an island. Reach out and talk to someone. You never know you could save a person's life just by opening up to him or her. Be a better person, be generous, don't talk behind each other, hard to do but try. I am still struggling with this for the longest time. Don't talk about others because we are also easy targets for gossips. Its so hard to be good, so easy to be bad. If there's ever a need to make a new year's resolution, let this be one. To be a better person, period. That alone encompass lots of elements to make the world a better place to be. There's always a way out, just open up your world and get out of that dark tunnel. To those short-sighted, narrow minded, selfish people, I hope you'll be enlightened in some way. Be nice and don't take unfair advantage of people. What goes around, comes around.

To all my acquaintances, friends, siblings, colleagues, my closest friends, my husband, mum and dad, have a Funtastic & Happy 2012. Let the good times roll. I wish you and your family well, hope to see you more often and looking forward to hear your happy stories. Cheers to all and to my special ones, I love you dearly...

What Matters Most is Love...

Many of my friends and acquaintances whom I "see" regularly on Facebook have posted photos of their children, including myself and tapping open their photos to reveal the beautiful interaction between parent and child and the deep bond my friends have with their children.. indeed heartwarming. 

The imminent day will come when we grow old and eventually fade from this earth, how will our children remember us? Have you wondered what the eulogy would be? If there's even going to be one for that matter? Being the positive me, assuming there is. What would your children say about you to the world. Have you influenced their lives greatly or are you one that your child resent and not wanting to be associated with? Or rather to be a person who have made such an impact to the people around you and to be immortalised in that very brief eulogy, so people will know you, as a person, a spouse, a friend. You will be surprised how little people know about you.

It's a very profound thought which I recently had. Being a person who cares about what others thought of me, I want to leave this world knowing I have touched someone's life. Even if its just one person, it will make my life worth living. I may not be that rich tycoon to donate a hospital or fund a school project but closer to home, have you made a difference to your child's life. The child will know when you are nagging and when you meant well. Will your child proudly profess to their own children when they become parents one day say, "you know what, my mum and dad was there for me, for richer and for poorer...", just to borrow a line.

We have evolved to become greedy, self centered people that we often use monetary or material rewards to barter trade time with our children. We get too engaged in your career building so we can hoard enough for our childrens' needs. Nothing wrong but what message are we telling them. What seems so right can turn out to be so wrong.  Are we giving them the wrong signals. As parents we work hard, I'm sure we want our children to appreciate the long hours we toiled , the overtime we do, the late night staying up to finish a presentation. They must know that it's not a given. My parents don't owe me an education. Count your blessings if you are born into a well to do family, your parents can buy you an education but the boy who helps his dad deliver newspapers at the break of dawn, he has just as much a rewarding life than anyone out there. He is emotionally rich in his relationship with his father. He loves his dad enough to offer his time.

I wasn't born with a silver spoon. We've had our ups and downs. I never once blamed anyone for having lacked anything. It was something that has to happen to make me who I'm today, not a charmed life but a complete person, one who has been through some test in life. I can tell you this now that I have done my homework in the dark. Been there, done that. But with that brief episode in my life, I can appreciate basic things I now have. I can only say it doesn't matter how little or how much I have. I have now a shelter over my head, hot meals on the table, a lovely family with a caring spouse, my folks are well, charming siblings, a niece that adores me and my boys to keep me on my toes.

To me, there's so much one can have, and one can have only so much. My agenda in life is simple, to bring up my children to the best of my ability, give them the time they deserve. Engage them in your conversations and don't think they don't understand what's going on. They observe but they may not tell you what they see, why should they? Keep life simple, we really don't need a whole lot of things. It will all come to nothing one day. The intangible things like time, feelings, thoughts, kind gestures, they'll go a longer way than most material things, and people remember you through that.

If you live a life like a hermit, you will die a hermit. Stretch out your hands and reach out, show a little love, tell that person he/she looks well, share a story, be that listening ear, be humble and ask for help, smile and say thank you to the person that hands out the free papers every morning at the train station. Not difficult. The petite lady at the train station gives me my papers and with every copy she greets, never ever missing a beat. That must have been a record breaker for the most number of times a day one says "good morning sir/madam". I was having a quick lunch one day and 2 ladies who seemed like foreign domestic helpers wanted to share a table. They were so polite that I was slightly embarassed. "May I share your table?", one of them asked, that did it for me. From now on, I will use this phrase, rather than "anyone sitting here?", see the difference. We learn from one another, never be a snob. Good manners reflects good upbringing.

Nothing else matters like loving your loved ones like there's no tomorrow. Enjoy the moment, seize every opportunity to tell them how much you appreciate and love them. Better to let them know when you can than when you can't.

Don't be afraid to love...


    

My Bucket List

I am sure you heard the expression to "kick the bucket". Makes me ponder what will be in my bucket list. Its quite thought provoking. Its about things I want to do, goals I want to achieve, places I want to visit before I die. So inspired to start my very own list here. I have yet to have 10 most wanted things to do let alone 101 things to do. But I think 101 seems a good number to work on. It may not be some some out this world goals like visit NASA space station but little things like grow a plant, paint a picture, something so trivial yet I never got around to do it. I get caught up with daily routines and start giving myself all sorts of excuses. Then before you know it, I will start regretting not having done this or that after knowing how little days I have left in my life.

I am starting one now, just randomly recording things I wanna do at some point my life. It gives me some direction and meaning to my short existence on this earth.

Not in any order of preference...life isn't about rules remember
If there's any chance I can get some help in achieving these goals, I'd love to hear from you, could be a suggestion on a place to visit etc.

1. Take my mum and dad on a holiday
2. Own a convertible
3. Visit Holy Land
4. Sponsor an orphan
5. Write and publish a book
6. Decide on my final resting place
7. Make a time capsule for my boys
8. Renew my marriage vow
9. To tell someone "the hell with you"
10. The world is too big, so I wish to travel half the world instead
(I had dreams about São Paulo, so Brazil is a must)
11. Ride on a horse
12. To be on a Harley on a freeway (my hubby will not ride on a 2 wheeler ever)
13. Get on top of the Empire State Building
14. Go skinny dipping
15...... oh I think I can go on and on...this is fun...