Zoo Much Fun !

As I finished my work a bit earlier at the university, my project manager told me I could have some days off :) So I started looking for something to visit, something to do.

Then I remembered that I wanted to go again to the zoo as I went a few weeks before. But that day was during the weekend and it was very hot. I couldn't take any nice pictures..So I decided to go again to do some zoo photography. 

I was happy to see that there were no big crowds like last time, at first....Then came this :

And that :

It was not the only group :( There were dozens of classes visiting the zoo the same time..Kids are running, singing, shouting everywhere....Why always me???

Anyway, I got the the chance to see the pandas again!! This time, they were more in the mood for outdoor activities :)

Since I had studied the map before coming, I knew exactly what I wanted to do :) See the pandas first, and then go for the penguins feeding at the opposite of the park. I was happy when I realised nobody knew about the feeding time haha...I arrived there 20 minutes before...which gave considerable time for the right spot for my photography ^^

I was really fascinated by the complicity between the feeder and the animal, touching...

After this, I was free to move around the way I wanted...So I followed the trail on the map to pursue my visit :) I must say, I realized that animals are more active in the morning and so, more cooperative like this fellow :

I am a big fan of reptiles, I love them the same way I fear them (especially crocodiles ^^)...I was happy to see that most of the reptiles were extremely active compared to some places, where they only sleep...how boring...but I was amazed...they were quite energetic, like them :

or like him : 

I really enjoyed myself, while taking pictures, a few kids approached the glass, looking for the reptiles..."Na Li ...Na li..!!" they were shouting...which means "where" in chinese..so, at the same time I practice my language skills with the kids..wasn't so bad after all :)

Then, I went outdoor as the weather was also getting nice...and sometimes animals like to make some weird faces ...

When I visited the zoo, I was really amazed to see the conditions of the animals. The zoo is very well maintained, the animals look very happy & healthy. I had never seen such a beautiful elephant in my life so close...

When you want to do some zoo photography, you need a lot of patience ! Sometimes I waited more than 45 minutes to get the best shot ^^ I stayed a long time to observe the beautiful happy animals :) Some of them returned the favour...

I must say, animals here are extremely happy here, really relaxed...some time over-relaxed :

I really like this picture (not because it's animal porn..) because I waited a very long time for this click...I waited nearly 1 hour to get this shot...

Around the trees, they also had beautiful flowers and orchids, the best of a kind :

Zoo photography can really be tiring...waiting for the best shot and walking all around is quite exhausting. So I sat somewhere to relax..a nice view giving on the lake, the Maokong Gondolas and the mountains :

 

My last stop was at the Insectarium...I was really excited to see it as I was told there is a butterfly garden inside....

There more than 500 butterflies inside :) I was like in Wonderland...with the flowers and the ponds, really amazing.

I really had a great time at the zoo yesterday. The place was not crowded, I was really free to move around the way I wanted :) 

This is an other step in the world of photography...as a beginner..still a lot to learn :)

Until then,

Bye bye 

Some western food...

Hello Everyone, I hope you liked the new design of the blog :)

Last night, I went to attend a friend's birthday dinner and as she is German, we decided to have dinner in a German restaurant.

At first, I was quite impressed by the decoration. The terrace was really tempting but the weather was not cooperative so we ate inside ^^  As we were sat at the table, the number of boys and girls were equal and somehow it looked more like speed dating night rather than a birthday dinner :)

When I opened the menu, I went trough the numerous variety of food the restaurant offered...they almost had everything, from salads to pasta, even soup...I was really wondering if it was really an authentic German restaurant. I decided to go for the salmon platter, which was sounding really delicious...and a glass of white wine.

Here is my salmon platter :

There was some smoked salmon and salmon cake some kind of weird roll...The sauces though were interesting, I tasted the horseradish sauce which very succulent..a tinge spicy but really nice with the fish.

As I tasted the smoked salmon, it was tasteless...yeah...tasteless...Normally, smoked salmon is salty but this one had no taste (no salt, nor fish taste)...And the fish was extremely cold, this is when I started thinking that the salmon had been defrosted before serving...Especially, went you get a crunch where you are not supposed to get any...The smoked salmon was frozen, I was quite upset with that...

The rest of the food was nothing special, compared to what I am used to eat...Being a big fan of salmon, I have tried in many forms (sashimis, tartare, fried, pan fried, steamed, smoked...)...I was expecting something better in a German restaurant...especially for the price I paid. 

The only nice thing was the white wine I had along with the meal. Very fruity, just the way I like it :)

Overall, this German restaurant was not as satisfactory as I was expecting it to be. Even the night market can provide food of better quality and FRESHNESS...

It is definitely a restaurant I will never step in ever again. 

However, I had a very nice time with my friends. We laughed, talked about so many things. It was a great evening. 

Day Trip to Ying-Ge :)

Hello everyone !! I think the picture is quite self-explanatory, I went to the city of Ying-Ge today :)

Ying-Ge is a small town located in the suburbs of Taipei (30 minutes by train). The main speciality of the town is the ceramics. They have dozens of shops only for ceramics, crockery etc...really exciting !!

In the early morning, I left Taipei to join a friend who would take me there by motorbike :) Then, we joined the other people at the Ying Ge railway station. The first thing I noticed in Ying-Ge was the numerous markets, more than night markets.

Moving on, my friend and I went to meet the other people who were joining us on this day trip :) They belonged to the language club at Tatung University. In total, we were a group of 14 people to spend the day in Ying-Ge. 

At the beginning, I was a bit surprised to see so many people at once. The first question I asked myself was, how was I going to remember all the names... O.O Gosh ! Fortunately, most of them had English names a real relief for me !! 

We started our visit by visiting the two old streets of Ying-Ge...I found the old streets very charming, the cobblestone path and the palm trees gave a nice look, stylish and cool :)

 We headed to the local shops to see the ceramics art work which was quite impressive. Even though, it was forbidden to take pictures, I took some discretely "paparazzi style" ^^ Why hide such beautiful show pieces to the world ? 

Normally, Ying Ge's old ceramic streets are always crowded during the weekend..maybe it was was lucky day :) they listened to my prayers when I went to the Palace museum :) so crowded !

First, we went into a work shop with different kinds of crockery, like cups and tea pots :)

It was a very cute shop, with very small object everywhere with all kinds of colours, a real treat for the eyes.

Coming back to serious things, we went to do some pottery in a DIY pottery factory. At first, we were welcomed by a middle aged woman, excited to have a foreigner (me!!) in her shop. Then we had an instructor, who explained to us how to do the pottery. Obviously, the explanations were in Chinese so I couldn't understand a word the guy said...Fortunately, a friend translated to me what he said :) Even though, I was still lost...trying to remember the gesture the instructor was showing  :S

I think I got the hand of it :

I was the first to finish my work, I contained myself to do something easy and simple ^^ something I can carry back home :) But I think the others did a good job too :)

I should be able to collect it in three weeks :) so happy !! After that, we headed up to go for lunch, well deserved after so much hardwork.

After lunch, we went on doing some hiking on the Ying Ge Rock Mountain, but the way was full of embushes...let you know why... At the beginning the way was very safe with maintained stairs..

It was after, things got worse ^^

I know exactly what she was probably thinking...I had the same thought...How the HELL am I going to climb this....just ropes and rocks to help us climb...crazy!!!

But we are brave men and women, we decided to confront the challenge and climb this mountain no matter what!  That was really like the Survivor tv show..

In the end we made it to the top !!

As we got down of the mountain, I met a strange creature...like a hybrid...check by yourself :

What do you think? As for me, I think I found Simba ^^

           Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba              

 [Here comes a lion, Father]

         Sithi uhm ingonyama          

[Oh yes, it's a lion]



ants ingonyama bagithi baba




NSithi uhhmm ingonyama



Ingonyama

iyo Nqoba 

 [We're going to conquer]

Ingonyama

nengw' enamabala   

Ingonyama

This song must have plunged you in childhood...me too :)

It was a great today for me, I visited more stuff...But most important, I met really interesting people today. I made new friends and I will be looking forward to go on a trip with them..I thank them for welcoming me in their circle and making me feel so comfortable :)

Until Then,

Zai Jian ^^

Palace Museum & Longshan Temple

Ni Hao Everyone !!

The blog has reached 700 views !! I am so happy that people are enjoying my blog and I promise to keep posting articles regularly :)

Today was one the most enjoyable days I have ever had in Taipei. I went to visit around the city with four other people.

From right to left : Porridge, Janet, Dora, Me & Jeff  :)

We started first by going to the Palace Museum in the north of Taipei City. Not attached by MRT, we had to take the bus, the R30 to get there. When we reached the museum, the first shock was the number of people. Honestly, I was not expecting a lot of people, especially when you visit during the week :S

The main visitors were Chinese people. The strangest kind of visitors ever...I had never been to a museum with so much of noisy people...Seriously, Chinese people visiting the museum had no manners..they could push you if they wanted to and speak so loudly...really like villagers. 

The museum is full of small object that were brought to Taiwan by boat from China. The museum has a great Jade stone collection of different colours...I wish I could show you but cameras were not allowed inside the museum. :(

After visiting the museum, we decided to head to one of the most famous temples in Taipei, the Longshan temple.

I had never seen such a beautiful temple before...the golden ornament and the numerous carvings and wood work were just amazing :) I also decided to pray in Longshan Temple :

After the prayer, I went on visiting each corner of this huge temple...there are many gods represented here (god of sea, god of love, goddess of maternity, god of medicine...). When I prayed at the temple, I really felt very peaceful, as if all the stress and anxiety had left me :) For me, praying is an other way to meditate and focus on the essentials elements. 

After spending a good quality time in the temple, we headed to the night market...so much walking and sightseeing makes you very hungry hehe....In the night market, I tried some rice cake made with pork blood...yeah you read right "Pork Blood"...the taste was no bad but not that tasty for me :S

You can find a lot of thing in the night market, like food, clothes, toys, drinks...surprisingly this also :

Overall, it was a fantastic day !! I really enjoyed myself and spend good time with my friends :) I really thank them from the bottom of my heart for their time and energy :)

Until then, 

Zai Jian