Living in California, there’s no shortage of outdoor adventures a short drive away, including skiing in the Sierras and beachside waterfalls. I have a whole list of things I still need to do in my proverbial backyard. One of those…
After checking out the magnificent Fern Canyon, my friends and I traveled back towards San Francisco Bay Area. Along the way, made a couple of stops—because how could we not? Here are a few highlights along the way. Loleta Cheese…
After exploring Pingxi and deciding to fly lanterns elsewhere, we made our way to Shifen (十分 / shi fen). The trip was a short 8 minute drive between the two. You can see more of that drive including the lead…
Hualien County is one of the largest counties in Taiwan. Due to the terrain though, Hualien has one of the smallest populations. Nature is never far away and the culture, here, is much very attune to that. At the heart…
One of the most popular experiences people have while visiting Taiwan is checking out a Taiwanese night market. With most major cities hosting one or more night markets across the island, there are a whole host of night markets to…
Towards the top of best meals I’ve had in Taiwan sits places like RAW (a fine dining establishment combining French and Taiwanese cuisine) and Aquatic Addiction Development (a series of restaurants preparing fresh seafood). What else I would add to this…
One of many fond memories in Taiwan is strolling along the Tamsui River (淡水河 / dan shui he), taking in the sights and sounds of an area that seems so different from most of the Taiwan. Whereas most of the…
Having experienced tea picking in the hills of Nantou, my interest in tea only grew. Taiwan is, of course, known for its tea. It’s everywhere, served almost at every meal and at drink shops. It wasn’t too long ago when…
I’ve done the Rose Parade in Pasadena, fireworks on The Bay, and house parties; but nothing has compared to the spectacle of celebrating the beginning of the new year (除夕 / chu xi) near Taipei 101. We got to the…
After experiencing Fengchia Night Market, then subsequently smaller ones, I thought I was prepared for what would await at Shilin Night Market (士林夜市 / shi lin ye shi). Not only was I wrong, but even with a few hours spent…
