Saturday, March 25, 2023

Seoul


Biking along the Han River

This past week I was able to make a quick trip to Seoul to visit my college suitemate who lives there.  It was such a meaningful visit as she was a generous and dedicated hostess.  I was really impressed by the food. Otherwise, I’d say the biggest difference from daily life in Taipei is the colder weather and the size.

Subways : VisitKorea SubwaysTaipei Rapid Transit Corporation ─ Metro Service-Route Map & Timetables

Seoul's metro map makes Taipei's look like child's play

Training from Incheon Airport to my friend's nice 2-bedroom in Hyehwa (an artsy central neighborhood)

Climbing an amazing peak at Bukhansan National Park just north of the city


Hip area of Hongdae


Changgyeonggung Palace




The king who invented the systematic alphabet for Korean

Myeongdong area, reminded me of Ximen in Taipei

Tons of self-service photo booth stores

Cheap jewelry stores also abounded


Gimbap for breakfast

Jajangmyeon for 3000 won, probably my favorite meal

Bulgogi

Korean bingsoo was similar to Taiwan's shaved ice

Injeolmi nut powder shaved ice

Pouch ice cream milkshake, similar convenience store culture as Japan and Taiwan

Dakgalbi

Gwangjang Market

Still moving raw octopus tentacles

Fried mungbean cakes

Donut twist

KBBQ with personal stove and fume head

Steamed egg


Street vendor crisped sugar cookies with different shapes



Sunday, March 12, 2023

朱銘美術館、野柳地質公園 Juming Museum & Yehliu Geopark


Taichi Series on the beautiful grounds of the museum about Taiwanese sculptor Juming

Hiking around Yehliu Geopark felt otherworldly; all natural rock formations from ~25 million years ago


Queen's Head Rock                       




Saturday, March 11, 2023

Bali & Singapore

Lured by an acro yoga festival (more photos from that to come) in Ubud, I traveled to Bali for the first time.  I think it’s cute that my brother and I independently both went to Bali, Singapore, and Bangkok for the first time over the past year.  One of the best parts was that my high school best friend joined me in Ubud, after visiting me in Taipei for a couple days.


 





I had a fantastic time surfing the big rolling waves of Canggu, but Bali was not what I was expecting.  It is extremely touristy, with very little meaningful interaction between locals and expats, which I’ve come to treasure in Taipei.  I learned 50% of Bali’s GDP comes from tourism.  There’s also quite a bit of pollution; the beach at Kuta was so dirty we didn’t even swim.  Even to reach the nice natural escapes, it’s crushing to maneuver through all the dangerous traffic.


Offerings placed before every doorstep daily

Uma Andar Waterfall


Besides an insular trip to Jakarta (on a different island) in 2016, my main contact with Indonesia has been my Indo friends studying at NTU.  They all look just like Taiwanese people (but don’t speak Mandarin), so I assumed most Indonesians looked East Asian.  The reality is that Balinese people are darker skinned and Hindu—making Bali a destination if you’re looking to eat pork in mostly Muslim Indonesia.  The Indonesians who do go to Taiwan end up being wealthier Chinese diasporas.  I also didn’t realize how far Indonesia is from Taiwan.  I had to transfer planes in Singapore and cross south of the Equator to get there, but the tropical weather was worth it.



Monkey Forest was FILLED with monkeys

While my travel buddy was felled by Bali belly and unable to leave the hostel, I fell head over heels for Singapore during a one-day layover on the way home.  It’s extremely diverse but in a different way than the American melting pot.  From the mix of Chinese, Indians, and Malays who immigrated there, Singaporeans have a charmingly unique English accent.  I didn’t witness much mixing between the communities, however.  The neighborhoods even smelled different, the food in each was so authentically distinct.  It was SO different than the flat version of the city depicted in Crazy Rich Asians, but I suppose the movie does effectively communicate the disproportionate purchasing power of the lighter skinned residents.




Sultan Mosque

Sri Mariamman Temple

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple




Singapore reminded me a bit of Hong Kong, less posh but still an Asia metropolis that has benefited from the free trade economic growth of its colonialist past—i.e. both places my grandma loves to go for shopping.  Raffles’ name is still everywhere around the island.  The urban architecture seems inspired by the tropics, with fantastical skyscrapers heavy with jungle plants.






Apple Store at Marina Bay Sands Mall


Gardens by the Bay


World's largest indoor waterfall (only runs for a few hours every day) inside the airport