Wouldn't It be Nice

Apr 08

Running and Catching Part 3: Sights outside Taipei My newly bought Sebago turned out to be unreliable as my feet got cuts because the leather is still new. I would like to give you my trusty Van’s with it’s worn-out state.  To close the chapter of Taiwan trip, I leave you with a piece of paradise outside the capital. Away from the hustle of folks in the urban jungle, Taiwan has a lot to offer for a more chilled and stroll-around-the-lake type of people.  First, I give you Yehliu Geo Park! Hard rocked transformed by the strength of the ocean! There are different forms and sizes. Unfortunately, we were also greeted by strong wind and rain.  Next destination is the Sun Moon Lake! My room! Free internet at the high speed train station! Way too foggy at 5 in the morning. First temple of the day! This temple houses a lot of famous Gods and idols.  2nd Temple Got my fortune which turns out to be GOOD! The gargoyles here do not look stressed! Cien Pagoda Then, the finale, The Awesome Lake Piao Liang!

Running and Catching Part 3: Sights outside Taipei

My newly bought Sebago turned out to be unreliable as my feet got cuts because the leather is still new. I would like to give you my trusty Van’s with it’s worn-out state. 

To close the chapter of Taiwan trip, I leave you with a piece of paradise outside the capital. Away from the hustle of folks in the urban jungle, Taiwan has a lot to offer for a more chilled and stroll-around-the-lake type of people. 

First, I give you Yehliu Geo Park!

Hard rocked transformed by the strength of the ocean! There are different forms and sizes. Unfortunately, we were also greeted by strong wind and rain. 
Next destination is the Sun Moon Lake!
My room!
Free internet at the high speed train station!
Way too foggy at 5 in the morning.
First temple of the day!
This temple houses a lot of famous Gods and idols. 
2nd Temple
Got my fortune which turns out to be GOOD!
The gargoyles here do not look stressed!
Cien Pagoda
Then, the finale, The Awesome Lake
Piao Liang!

Mar 17

Running and Catching Part 2: Sights in the City My Taiwan Experience Blog We arrived in Taiwan at midnight and were immediately shocked to know that it was 13degrees Celsius! I packed shorts and thin shirts! Look at what the locals are wearing. Clearly, ‘I wasn’t informed’. Look at those thick layers of clothing!  When I ask my friends where I should go to be labeled as a tourist in Taiwan, they always say Taipei 101.  Look at that tower, you wouldn’t miss it when in Taipei. Unless if it’s foggy, like that day. I bought that sweater the night before we roam the city at one of the night market in Ximending. I think this is a steal at 200 NT.  Manila doesn’t utilize this kind of mirror on the road. I think it’s quite useful. There are probably few out here installed but were either broken or stolen. Since we don’t have a car, we opt to make a better use of this mirror. Some guy took a photo of us while we’re trying to photograph ourselves. He was pretty nice as he smiled at us after. Oh look it got even cooler in the morning! Please tell me this is a Sakura, I don’t know what a sakura looks like. :( Baleno is big here in Taiwan. I’m thinking it is their Bench. There is even a cartoon themed clothing similar with the concept in Uniqlo. I actually mistaken a Baleno store for a Uniqlo. Girls shoes in Ximending is cheap and this is a place you want to avoid if you’re with a woman. I knew exactly where to seat once we entered the store. That’s probably a psychological instinct of a man entering into a lady shoe store, attacking the couch. When you’re in Taiwan, you should find those funny Engrish popping in every corner of the streets. I’ve seen more of this but was a bit shy to take a photo. Photo Opt with Sun Yat-Sen.  Overall, Taipei is a far leapt from Manila in terms of transportation, safety, weather and cleanliness. Architecture wise, aside from Taipei 101, Philippines is one notch higher. 

Running and Catching Part 2: Sights in the City

My Taiwan Experience Blog

We arrived in Taiwan at midnight and were immediately shocked to know that it was 13degrees Celsius! I packed shorts and thin shirts! Look at what the locals are wearing. Clearly, ‘I wasn’t informed’.

Look at those thick layers of clothing! 

When I ask my friends where I should go to be labeled as a tourist in Taiwan, they always say Taipei 101.  Look at that tower, you wouldn’t miss it when in Taipei. Unless if it’s foggy, like that day.

I bought that sweater the night before we roam the city at one of the night market in Ximending. I think this is a steal at 200 NT. 


Manila doesn’t utilize this kind of mirror on the road. I think it’s quite useful. There are probably few out here installed but were either broken or stolen. Since we don’t have a car, we opt to make a better use of this mirror. Some guy took a photo of us while we’re trying to photograph ourselves. He was pretty nice as he smiled at us after.

Oh look it got even cooler in the morning!
Please tell me this is a Sakura, I don’t know what a sakura looks like. :(

Baleno is big here in Taiwan. I’m thinking it is their Bench. There is even a cartoon themed clothing similar with the concept in Uniqlo. I actually mistaken a Baleno store for a Uniqlo.


Girls shoes in Ximending is cheap and this is a place you want to avoid if you’re with a woman. I knew exactly where to seat once we entered the store. That’s probably a psychological instinct of a man entering into a lady shoe store, attacking the couch.


When you’re in Taiwan, you should find those funny Engrish popping in every corner of the streets. I’ve seen more of this but was a bit shy to take a photo.



Photo Opt with Sun Yat-Sen. 

Overall, Taipei is a far leapt from Manila in terms of transportation, safety, weather and cleanliness. Architecture wise, aside from Taipei 101, Philippines is one notch higher. 

Mar 13

Running and Catching Part 1: Food My Taiwan Experience Blog Like the aircraft that we rode, our experience wasn’t always smooth sailing. There are number of turbulence but I gotta say they are all worth it. Good stories are never without drama. Like any ending, happy or sad, the fulfillment of getting from beginning until the ending is what glued us into our seat.   How can you not be happy? The food is great. Let me rephrase that as it seem to be an understatement. The Food is phenomenal! Fresh sea food and authentic xaio long bau! Taiwan spoiled my already pampered stomach.  Din Tai Fung Shrimp and Pork Siomai This is very interesting as Siomai was never served like this in Manila. The flat surface is crispy and the bottom part was soft and moist. First bite was an experience of it’s own. Eventually we got weirded out and decided to turn it upside down.  Shrimp Xiao Long Bao best served steaming hot! Thank God for food channel, I was not as ignorant as most people are in eating xiao long bao. For those who don’t know what this is, it’s like a dumpling but with soup inside. Steps in eating this delicate food are relatively easy: Using chopstick, pick it up carefully and dumped it in the sauce (combination of garlic, vinegar and soy sauce) Place it on a spoon and puncture the skin to release the soup inside the wrapper. I like to use my teeth to sink in and zip it right then and there.  Eat the meat! Pork Chop for appetizer (whut?!) I gotta say this is really weird coz pork strip is actually found in the appetizer section! I paired it with rice and a Filipino was once again accomplished his eating habit.  The sea are people’s abundance. We ordered an 8 course meal ranging from oyters, seaweeds, shells, shrimp and fish! Fried Garlic Shrimp As I said, it’s an 8 course meal, but I’m not a very reliable photographer when food is involved. What the heck?! I ate it before my camera says click!  My chopstick skills leveled up to 100% . Rustinftw conquered Taiwan’s food scene.

Running and Catching Part 1: Food

My Taiwan Experience Blog

Like the aircraft that we rode, our experience wasn’t always smooth sailing. There are number of turbulence but I gotta say they are all worth it. Good stories are never without drama. Like any ending, happy or sad, the fulfillment of getting from beginning until the ending is what glued us into our seat.  

How can you not be happy? The food is great. Let me rephrase that as it seem to be an understatement. The Food is phenomenal! Fresh sea food and authentic xaio long bau! Taiwan spoiled my already pampered stomach. 

Din Tai Fung Shrimp and Pork Siomai

This is very interesting as Siomai was never served like this in Manila. The flat surface is crispy and the bottom part was soft and moist. First bite was an experience of it’s own. Eventually we got weirded out and decided to turn it upside down. 

Shrimp Xiao Long Bao best served steaming hot! Thank God for food channel, I was not as ignorant as most people are in eating xiao long bao. For those who don’t know what this is, it’s like a dumpling but with soup inside.

Steps in eating this delicate food are relatively easy:

  1. Using chopstick, pick it up carefully and dumped it in the sauce (combination of garlic, vinegar and soy sauce)
  2. Place it on a spoon and puncture the skin to release the soup inside the wrapper. I like to use my teeth to sink in and zip it right then and there. 
  3. Eat the meat!

Pork Chop for appetizer (whut?!)

I gotta say this is really weird coz pork strip is actually found in the appetizer section! I paired it with rice and a Filipino was once again accomplished his eating habit. 

The sea are people’s abundance. We ordered an 8 course meal ranging from oyters, seaweeds, shells, shrimp and fish!

Fried Garlic Shrimp

As I said, it’s an 8 course meal, but I’m not a very reliable photographer when food is involved. What the heck?! I ate it before my camera says click! 

My chopstick skills leveled up to 100% . Rustinftw conquered Taiwan’s food scene.

Mar 04

[video]

[video]

Mar 03

Ready for Summer!

Ready for Summer!

Mar 01

Feb 18

[video]

Jan 24

Here I am again In 2012 I promise myself to say Yes to Travel. Needless to say I say Yes to almost everyone who asked me if I wanna join them somewhere.  So far, the sure list of travel places would be: Batanggas, Bagiuo, Taiwan, Bohol, Singapore, HongKong and Cebu. I wanna go back again to Coron, to visit Tokyo and tour Indochina.  Punta Fuego is beautiful. Although the beach may not be mind blowing, the amenities surely made up for it.  Hello beach! The last time I saw you was at Feb of last year! It’s nice to be reunited.  The stairs that lead to the beach!  I wasn’t originally planning to go with them to Tagaytay that day but my spontaneity got the best of me. I haven’t been out lately so this is a welcome change We were stuck in traffic for almost an hour in Tagaytay which adds up to the total 4hour road trip. Good thing the car is automatic, so less stressful to drive (Not that I’m the one driving).  We arrived at the place 3:30 in the afternoon, chowdown fiesta food and bummed for a while before deciding to dive in the beach. The sun decided to go down soon and we were almost swimming in pitch black darkness. So I grabbed on to my camera and click away.  I’ve also read somewhere that the sunset in the Philippines is incomparable from the rest of the world. Something inside me felt sad as I see the sun being engulfed by the sea.  Good bye Sun.  We headed to hotel in Tagaytay at around 8pm. It’s dark and we could not really see the volcano. This is the hotel where we stayed at. It was freezing the night we stayed there and I didn’t bringa jacket, almost got a flu!  When the sun came up the next day. We finally saw Taal. The view was stunning on balcony plus Roger is sporting his Passion to Perform Tshirt. We’re proud of our bank. ;P Last stop is Brunch at Cafe Bretton! But the clouds block the view of Taal so we never really got a decent shot. (As if Taal photo op is a rare one anyway) Really had fun! P.S. this is also the day I really found out I am immune to Alcohol, even though i took countless shots of Tequila (because I always lose in the card game), 2 glasses of beer and 2 Vodka. 

Here I am again

In 2012 I promise myself to say Yes to Travel. Needless to say I say Yes to almost everyone who asked me if I wanna join them somewhere. 

So far, the sure list of travel places would be: Batanggas, Bagiuo, Taiwan, Bohol, Singapore, HongKong and Cebu. I wanna go back again to Coron, to visit Tokyo and tour Indochina. 

Punta Fuego is beautiful. Although the beach may not be mind blowing, the amenities surely made up for it. 

Hello beach! The last time I saw you was at Feb of last year! It’s nice to be reunited. 

The stairs that lead to the beach! 

I wasn’t originally planning to go with them to Tagaytay that day but my spontaneity got the best of me. I haven’t been out lately so this is a welcome change

We were stuck in traffic for almost an hour in Tagaytay which adds up to the total 4hour road trip. Good thing the car is automatic, so less stressful to drive (Not that I’m the one driving). 

We arrived at the place 3:30 in the afternoon, chowdown fiesta food and bummed for a while before deciding to dive in the beach.

The sun decided to go down soon and we were almost swimming in pitch black darkness. So I grabbed on to my camera and click away. 

I’ve also read somewhere that the sunset in the Philippines is incomparable from the rest of the world. Something inside me felt sad as I see the sun being engulfed by the sea. 

Good bye Sun. 

We headed to hotel in Tagaytay at around 8pm. It’s dark and we could not really see the volcano. This is the hotel where we stayed at. It was freezing the night we stayed there and I didn’t bringa jacket, almost got a flu! 

When the sun came up the next day. We finally saw Taal. The view was stunning on balcony plus Roger is sporting his Passion to Perform Tshirt. We’re proud of our bank. ;P

Last stop is Brunch at Cafe Bretton! But the clouds block the view of Taal so we never really got a decent shot. (As if Taal photo op is a rare one anyway)

Really had fun! P.S. this is also the day I really found out I am immune to Alcohol, even though i took countless shots of Tequila (because I always lose in the card game), 2 glasses of beer and 2 Vodka.