People watching people in the selfie world in Macau

Images of Mongolia

Washington DC to end the year 2015

The National Mall in Washington DC is home to the country’s most famous monuments and memorials. I could not have asked for a better day to enjoy a walk in a 70 degree temperature here in mid December. The tree-line boulevard with museums and historical buildings on both sides of the mall offers one of the best sights in the country. 

I’m told that this is the best time to be in DC, as most people are not traveling to this part of the country, and it seems like Congress is unofficially closed. It takes about three hours to walk  from US Capital to the Lincoln Memorial. The cool fresh air makes a long walk seems like a stroll. Joggers with their gadgets strapped on their wrists, and parent walk their children in strollers, the National Mall is a joy to watch the world goes by. 

It’s been awhile since I last travelled, eight months to be exact. I decided to go Washington DC for the weekend to experience the holiday season in the capital city. Turns out, it is not the place for the festive season. Decorations in most places are minimal at best. While I am disappointed, the city does offer solace to travelers looking for a little peace in the city.

I vaguely remembered my first trip to Washington DC almost twenty years ago as I stood near the Capital Hill looking at the Washington Monument. Now standing by the reflecting pool looking at the Monument once again, it has such a strong presence that words can’t be expressed. 

2015 has been an interesting year for me. I went to Medellin for a friend’s wedding. Then I had a six week long break in Malaysia. I had 3 different jobs, and now the year is coming to a close. What do I look forward in the coming year 2016? I’m looking forward to my trip to Mongolia in May. I’m looking to purchase a drone to take with me to Mongolia so that I can take an aerial view of the landscape I have heard so much about. And, I hope that would not be my one and only trip next year. 

Cool yourself this summer

 with Mango and green tea sorbet...

(Sweet and sour) Korean cold noodle soup with crushed ice...

and Chilled hasma in snow pear!

Jack at Washington Square Park

Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island

My friend and I were lucky to get to Governors Island for the Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party last Sunday when the weather in New York was warm and nice for the first time in many months. Ladies lounging on the grass in their vintage linen frocks with inspired jazz age head pieces while the men were dressed smartly with suspenders and straw boaters.

To get to the island is just a 10 minute ferry ride from lower Manhattan.

Taipei

I have everything all planned out before my 24 hour trip to Taipei. Unfortunately, my plans were all washed out by the rain which did not stop the entire time I was in the city. I landed at the Taipei International Airport at 8:00 pm, and I was all excited to venture out to the night market after I’ve checked in at the transfer desk for my night stay at the airport hotel but…… “Sir, we need to have your passport for a while, and we’ll return to you at your hotel room”, said the transit agent from EVA Air. I did not get my passport back till 11:00 pm that night.

I told myself I will have a good night sleep, and leave early at 6:00 am tomorrow. I did not do so until 10:00 in the morning, and the weather was still rainy and damp. I got enough energy to get dress and went to take a bus toward Taipei City. The bus stopped at the main train terminal. It was a large building with a huge hall in the middle on the ground level. Looking up, I could tell the second floor is a food haven for locals and tourists alike. There were Japanese,Korean, Italian,  burger joint, fast food, cafe and pastries. I decided to try one of the many selections of noodle shops. It was a bowl of clear broth noodles with pan seared pork in black pepper sauce. And, it was a delicious and satisfying meal.

I decided to go to the underpass to explore after that. The underpass led me through a series of walkways with shops, and next thing I knew I was at the main bus station. The main bus station is huge as well with eateries and shops. I head back down to the underground and decided to take a train to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall which is just a couple of stops away. 

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a Taiwanese national monument, erected in memory of Chiang Kai-shek, former President of Taiwan. It is surrounded by a park with the National Concert Hall on one side and the National Theater on the other. The Memorial has a huge bronze statue of Chiang Kai-shek and there is a guard on each side. It was full of tourists all waiting for the change of guards. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. It seemed like my day in Taipei was exploring the transportation terminals in the city. I had to head back to the airport from there.

Although I did not get to see much of Taipei, it gave me a glimpse that Taipei is an interesting city to explore given the fact that it is one of the most interesting places to visit in 2014. Moreover, Taipei is famous for its eateries and night markets which I did not get the chance to enjoy.