Feb CNY & Phuket

Back to SG for a short CNY break. I loveee CNY foods and the usual gatherings with relatives are always nice. Even squeezed in a Phuket trip :p

Pleasant surprise upgrade to a private pool villa. Didn't do much this time. Just hotel and golf :)

Shanghai Jan 2014

Immediately after returning from Osaka, the pils came. Just their regular visit. And then immediately after, JD and Jo came with Romey. The house became very lively and Tasha was entertained (let's consider being chased fun) like never before.

We also celebrated Angel's bb Elizabeth's double full month celebration party at ASC Wine. Cute 2013 wines specially for her!

Zhou Zhuang 周庄 (29-30 Dec 2013)

Zhou Zhuang - a popular day trip out of Shanghai city ~1+ hour drive. Charming ancient water town, though some might say it's becoming too commercialised. I didn't really find it an issue. Love how the Starbucks totally fit the "ancient" theme. Since the folks were in town for the New Year, we decided to stay a night with Tasha in tow. Accommodation was quite traditional and it was freezing cold. Enjoyable nonetheless and I felt I was taken way back in time..

Huzhou Oct 2013

S read about the newly built donut-shaped hotel in Huzhou and decided to bring me and the parents for a trip. Easy drive from Shanghai - about 2+ hrs out if I remember correctly. The Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort is architecturally unique, shaped in this way so that every room would have a view of the Taihu Lake. The parents were very much inspired to paint, and by some stroke of coincidence/fate, even gifted a painting to the hotel manager! Lucky him. We did receive a beautiful hotel souvenir and champagne treat in return. Nothing much in the vicinity except the nearby Nanxun Ancient Water Town (南浔古镇). Just a short but enjoyable walkabout. Little Lady luck was with us while we deliberated on 4D (Singapore's lottery) over brekkie ;) Golf was pretty good too!

Xi Tang 西塘 (25Jun13)

Day trip out of Shanghai about an hour and a half drive away. One of the numerous ancient water towns on the outskirts of Shanghai, very accessible and not too commercialised in my opinion. Or maybe because I was there on an weekday so the walk-around was rather calming and well appreciated. Apparently a short scene in Mission Impossible was shot here! I'm surprised the vendors here didn't quite capitalise on that. Try taking a ride on the trishaw through the ultra narrow alleyways. Commendable effort from the aged trishaw uncle. Do tip a little more. Lastly, don't miss the cool sculptures hand carved from humongous tree barks.

Taipei Feb 2013

Went to Taiwan over the Chinese New Year period in Feb. Contrary to what many people thought, most stores were actually open and the streets bustled with festive ambiance. We stayed in a simple boutique hotel right in the middle of Ximending, one of the main shopping area and it was just the perfect location.

Prior to the trip I did some research and found this list of top 40 foods Taiwanese love: CNN Travel Best Taiwanese food. I set forth to conquer this list (which was no mean feat) and am proud to say I completed about 70% of it!! For me, this was such a mega food trip. Taipei is the best place for street food and I can't wait to go back and indulge in those sinful stuff all over again :)

yummiest duck noodles

yummiest braised "snacks"

crowded streets of Ximending

we prefer this market over Shilin

yummiest cuttlefish

street suckling pig

cherry blossoms

just for the fun of it @五角船板

Shinye at Taipei 101 with a great view

Taipei 101

National Palace Museum - & the minute jade cabbage

Shilin Night Market, much more commercialized than before

yummiest braised beef noodle

must try

pork cutlet - must try at Shilin

where I bought my braised goodies every other day in Ximending

Gaudi-looking restaurant with the weirdest structures

Yangmingshan National Park, nice only with good weather