Apple Pea Town Travel Guide

Taipei - Yang Ming Shan National Park(1) - Geyser

2006-06-08T01:11:00.000-07:00

Not The Old Faithful
This is a really interesting geological formation in the Great Sulfur Pit (Da - Yo - Ken) of Yang Ming Shan National Park, northend of Taipei City. The geyser pumps sulfur gas and smoke every 10 to 20 minutes with loud and low pitch noise as it is from a open pipe. You should be able to notice the yellow sulfur creation on the side of the gas smoking geyser.

The area is actually close for visitors on really unstable cliff so take extra caution if you want to do this off road adventure.

Sunset

2005-12-19T22:40:00.000-08:00

I just love sunset. To me it is the most beautiful time of the day. It is the last moment when mother natural shows off her beautity in golden cloth, just like the smile from a girl waving goodbye.

Anybody want to guess where this sunset is?

Taipei - Wulai - Full Moon Recreation Area

2005-12-03T22:27:00.000-08:00

Taipei isn't just a city of sky scrappers and heavy traffic, nor delicious food. Actually for an one hour drive from the densely populated city, you could be enjoying a natural bath of water falls and trees.

Full Moon Recreation Area (Formerly known as Wawa Gorge) is a hidden jewels in the suburben town of Wulai, a rural town located southeast of Taipei county. Famous for its hot springs, Wulai is also a very popular weekend getaway for families in Taipei. The rural town is consisted more than 90% by mountains so you should be expecting gorgeous scenaries while you are in the town.

The recreation area is located near the end of Wulai hot spring town and is best to be reached by car. The park consisted of easily accessible trails which will take you to beautiful waterfalls. The round trip should take you about two hours.

Taipei - Jingshan - Juming Museum

2005-11-26T13:51:00.000-08:00

Ever been marvelled by the gigantic outdoor sculpture? If not, why not visit Juming Museum?

Being the only outdoor sculpture museum in Taiwan, Juming Museum is literally the exhibition ground for the sculpture master Ju Ming. Born in 1938 at the suburban county of Miaoli, a two hour highway trip from Taipei, Ju Ming demostrated his talent in sculpture by working in a furniture store at the age of 17. Four years after Ju Ming opened his first studio called Ocean Sculturing Studio at his home town in Miaoli.

However it was until 1976 at the age of 38 that Ju Ming's artistic talent became known nationwide as he got the opportunity to exhibit his work at the National Museum of History. The following year Ju Ming got his first international exhibition in Tokyo Central Museum in Japan. His international exhibition highlights includes 1980's solo exhibition in Hong Kong, 1991's Tachi figure exhibits in London and 1997's exhibits in Place Vendome Paris. Two years after the exhibition in Paris, Jingshan Taipei became the final exhition ground for most of his works as Juming Museum officially opens in Jingshan, 1999.

Taipei - Shilin - National Palace

2005-11-16T23:12:00.000-08:00

The world famous National Palace Museum, sitting in the quite mountain side of Shilin District, Taipei, is a must visit for anyone visiting Taiwan for the first time.

The building itself is constructed in 1965 to hold the collections originally placed in the Imperial Palace in Beijing during the Chin Dynasty. All these national treasures had been migrated many times due to the instableness of early China. After the first establishment of the museum in Beijing in 1925, the first migration took place in 1931 from Beijing to Shanghai on Japan's invasion to the North East region of China. In 1937 when China officially declared war with Japan, these collections were again ship to inland cities of China. In 1945 when the war was over everything was again shipped back to the capital city of the time, Nanjing. Last in 1948 when Chiang Kai-Chek lost the civil war to Mou everything was shipped to Taipei.

There are many precious art collections from acient Chinese dynasties on paintings, callingraphy,boos, bronzes, ceremics, jades, curios, tapestry and more. The museum is consisted of four floors with exhibition on three floors and tea house on the fourth floor. Unfortunately due to the vast amount of collections the museum couln't display everything at the same time so you would have to visit more than once to see all the collections.

The most important collection of the museum is the famous Jade Cabbage(yes, its jade you see in the picture) and a pork belly meat right beside it... actually not the real meat but a natural rock formation which looks exactly like port belly meat. .Wow.

Hours and Direction
The museum is opend daily from 9 to 5 with admission fee of 100 NTD or about 3 dollar US. Because the museum is not by any Taipei Metro Line so you'll have to get off at the Shilin station of Metro Red Line and take bus red 30 which will take you directly to the museum. Other buses such as 255, 304, minibus 18, minibus 19 and cultural bus 101 would also stop by the museum.

Taipei - Xindian - Bitan Lake

2005-11-11T08:43:00.000-08:00

At one end of MRT, you have the beautiful sunset seaside town of Dansui. On the other end of MRT, Xindian , last stop of the MRT Green Line, you get to enjoy the lake and the mountain.

Bitan
Bitan(The Crystal Lake) is actually part of Xindian creek which makes its way mostly through the Taipei county mountains. The creek around the Bitan area is so wide and crystal that the locals called it Bitan, or crystal lake. In 1978, the crystal lake become part of Taipei County government as a regional recreation area.

Suspension Bridge
The suspension bridge on Bitan lake not only connects residents in both side of the river but also is the most famous photo shooting spot in the recreation area. The romatic nighly view of the suspension bridge attracts many young couples and students. The best way to view the bridge with your love one is to ride either pedal boat or canoe and pedal your way near the bridge. Another great spot to view the suspension bridge is to go to one of the cafes or tea houses and order yourself a freshing warm fruit tea and enjoy yoursef the bridge and city light(see picture).

Old Toy
Some shops along the lake sells toys which are famous in earlier time. The bubble paste (see picture) is a tiny paste comes with a small straw. Put a small amount of the paste on one end of the straw and blow from the other end and you will make yourself a bubble. The material in the paste smells like gasoline so you probably don't want to swallow it at all.

How to Get There
The recreation area is opened all year round day and late night. Take the MRT Green Line to Xindian, the last stop. With about 10 to 15 minutes walk you should see the entrance to the suspension bridge.

Taipei - Dansui (4) - Fisherman's Wharf

2005-11-06T22:11:00.000-08:00

Fisherman's Wharf. No! Not the one in San Francisco. There's actually another Fisherman's Wharf in Taipei Taiwan in the little seaside town of Dansui.

Apparently trying to attract local visitors with a sound name, Dansui Fisherman Wharf tries to imitate and capture the spirit of its twin in San Francisco by having a board walk, a row of cafe and shops, and a landmark bridge. And of course you could get local seafood by nearby fishman's market.

Originally a traditional seaport for local commercial fishing, Dansui Fisherman Wharf was transformed into a multi-purpose recreational seaport by Taipei County government. The renovation not only boosts local commercial fishing by attracting more visitors to the fish market, it also creates more local job opportunites such as restaurants, shops, recreational fishing and cruise tours. Dansui Fisherman Wharf is now one of the best weekend destination in Tapei for families to take a fun boat ride, for couples to enjoy a romantic sunset on the boardwalk and even for young adults to get pumped up on periodic outdoor concerts. Basically the place is for everyone.

The best time to visit Dansui Fisherman Wharf is in the afternoon so that you'll be able to see the astonishing sunset and gorgeous nightly view of the Lover's Bridge. Here's a brief list of point of interest:

Boardwalk
Boardwalk shops and cafe
Fish Market
Fishing and Cruise Tour
Sculpture Park
Outdoor Theater
Lover's Bridge

To get there you may take Red Line Bus #26 from Dansui MRT station. The last bus departs from Fisherman's Wharf to MRT station around 12:55am midnight. If you are to drive there, expect heavy traffic during the weekend. Most shops opens late so if you like to hang out like, it is definitely a great place to go.

West Hollywood - Halloween Carnaval

2005-11-03T22:36:00.000-08:00

Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood is probably the most scary place on Halloween night. Every year on October 31, the historic route 66 in West Hollywood will be filled with people dressing up as devils or man dressing up as woman for the annual West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval.

There are basically 2 distinctive types of people on the street for the Halloween Carnaval - the dressed up and the non-dressed up. The costumes are also in 2 categories - the cute and the scary. Looking at these 3 pretty ladies... or.. man-ladies.. should we call them cute or scary...

This cuet young boy may be trying his best to scare people. But he is just too cute to scare anyone. Yet this probably two year old little lizard is drawing a lot of attentions and flashlights.

The annual West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval, the largest street party in United States on Halloween night, is drawing thousands of visitors from nearby cities. Going from 6 pm till midnight, this crazy street party is something worth seeing in Los Angeles.

Special Blog - Camping Tips

2005-11-03T14:34:00.000-08:00

Camping is a fun time for the whole family. It is a time to leave all of your troubles behind and reconnect with family and friends. Campfires, roasting marshmallows and sing-a-longs are the memories you’ll cherish for the rest of your life. That’s why it is essential to make your campsite a safe place for everyone.

The campsite you choose is your home away from home. It should be a clean, safe place that is devoid of any debris or low-hanging limbs. And, choosing a site that is flat and level makes it easier to set up camp and park your RV.

Once you’ve chosen the perfect campsite, there are a few safety precautions to keep in mind while setting up camp. The following tips can go a long way to ensure that you and your family have a memorable camping experience.

• Check for potential hazards. Be sure to check the site thoroughly for glass, sharp objects, branches, large ant beds, poison ivy, bees and hazardous terrain.

• Inspect the site. Look for a level site with enough room to spread out all your gear. Also, a site that has trees or shrubs on the side of prevailing winds will help block strong, unexpected gusts.

• Build fires in a safe area. Your open fires and fuel-burning appliances must be far enough away from the tent to prevent ignition from sparks, flames and heat. Never use a flame or any other heating device inside a tent. Use a flashlight or battery-powered light instead.

• Make sure your fires are always attended. Be sure you have an area for a fire that cannot spread laterally or vertically - a grill or stone surface is ideal. When putting the fire out, drown it with water, making sure all embers, coals and sticks are wet.

• Dispose of trash properly. Remember to recycle - use the proper recycling bins if available.

• Watch out for bugs. Avoid attracting stinging insects by wearing light-colored clothing and avoiding perfumes or colognes.

• Beware when encountering wildlife. To ward off bears, keep your campsite clean, and do not leave food, garbage, coolers, cooking equipment or utensils out in the open. Remember that bears are potentially dangerous and unpredictable - never feed or approach a bear. Use a flashlight at night - many animals feed at night and the use of a flashlight may warn them away.

• Beware of poisonous plants. Familiarize yourself with any dangerous plants that are common to the area. If you come into contact with a poisonous plant, immediately rinse the affected area with water and apply a soothing lotion, such as calamine, to the affected area.

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Taipei - Shilin - Chiang Kai Chek President Residence

2005-10-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

The legendary Chiang Kai Chek, who led China to successfully defend against Japan's invasion during the World War II, spend his last years in Taiwan after he and Kuomintan, the ruling party, lost the entire mainland China to the Communist party after the 4 year Civil War that came right after World War II. Most of you who are familiar with Taipei probably have visited Chiang Kai Chek's Memorial Hall. However, besides the gorgeous memorial hall, there's another landmark that you shouldn't miss - the Shilin President Residence.

History
Sitting in the upscale neighborhood of Shilin, Taipei, the president residence is the home for Chiang Kai Chek from 1950 till 1975 when Chiang died in the residence. It was originally the Botanical Lab established in 1908. In 1964, US Vice President Richard Nixon, who later became the host of White House in 1969, stayed in the residence on his visit to Taiwan. The residence remained closed to the public until 1996 when Taipei's mayor Chen Sui Bian, who is now the president of Taiwan, decided to seize the property to open to the public.

Botanical Garden
Because it was originally designed as a botanical lab, Shilin President Residence actually looks more like a botanical garden. A perfect time to visit the president residence would be from March to May when roses in the Rose Garden, Madame Chiang's favorite garden, have reached full blossom. Nevertheless any sunny afternoon is perfact time to visit all the vivid gardens. You would be able to find various sculpture masterpiece in the Western Garden. In addition, visit Oriental Garden to enjoy an authentic Chinese style backyard.

Hour and Location
Shilin President Residence (Shilin Guan-Ti in Mandarin) is at 60 Fulin Rd., Shilin District, Taipei. You could reach the residene via red line MRT and get off at either Shilin or Chientan plus a few minutes walk. The opening hours are 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday and 8:00 am - 7:00 pm Weekend or Holiday. There are 4 daily guided tour at 9:30, 10:30, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. Please allow 2 hour minimum to visit the whole residence. You may get food and beverages at the Snack Bar. Call (02)2881-2512 for more details.

Taipei - Dansui (3) - Fort San Domingo

2005-10-23T22:52:00.000-07:00

The historic town of Dansui, Taipei Taiwan is famouse for its three F's - Food, Fabulous View, and Fort San Domingo.

You won't have a complete tour of Dansui unless you've seen all the three F's. Now you've seen the first two F's teh the previous articles we will introduce the last and the most famous F's in Dansui - Fort San Domingo.

History
San Domingo? mm.... wait a minute, isn't that sounds a little bit Spanish? That's right. The red brick wall fort was actually built by Spanish in 1629 as they tried to establish a military, political, and trading forefront. However it was in 1644, after the Dutch take-over of Dansui two years prior, that the fort was re-constructed with red brick walls which last till present days. The Dutch's reconstruction to Fort San Domingo is probably why it gets the name Hong-Mou Cheng or Fort of Red-Hair as the locals used to named the Dutch as Red Hair.

British Consulate Residence
Right beside Fort San Domingo is the former British Consulate. In 1860, the British were interested in Dansui sea port and later in 1867 Fort San Domingo became the British Consulate. 20 years later in 1891 the residence for British Consulate is built right beside Fort San Domingo.

The fort was under the management of Great Britan and later to Australia and to United States. Until 1980 Fort San Domingo officially returned back to the local government.

Location and Hour
Fort San Domingo is located at the very end of Dansui Old Street, a 20 minutes walk from Dansui MRT station. It's opened 9am to 4:30pm Tuesday to Sunday. The entrance fee is about 30 TWD or 1 dollar US.

Taipei - Dansui (2) - The Sidewalk and Ferry

2005-10-12T22:58:00.000-07:00

Dansui, sitting along the mouth of Dansui River, is a historic seaside village in Taipei county. The name itself literally means freash water.

What brings thousands of visitors daily to this tiny town is not just the food but also the gorgeous view of Dansui River. Virtually anytime during the day you'll find great photo spots.

The Sidewalk
The recently renovated granite sidewalk gave Dansui Town a new facial to her aging image. Now the sidewalk becomes a popular spot for a romantic dating or great weekend afternoon family time.

The Ferry
If you want to enjoy a short floating tour on Dansui River, go to the dock and take the 30 minutes ferry to the other side of the river which cost less than a dollar in US.

Taipei - Dansui (1) - The Food

2005-10-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

If You Ask Me What's a Must Do in Taiwan, I'll say EAT!

Yes. Eat. Even though Taiwan is just about the size of New Jersey, the diversity of food makes it a paradise for food lovers.

But where do you find authentic Taiwanese food?
Take the MRT red line till the final stop, Dansui and you will find yourself in a breathy old river side town with rich cultural heritage and delicious food.

Maybe you will be dazed by the hundreds of snack stands. Yet no matter how many seafood or meat kababs you eat, you want to save some rooms for two of the most famouse Xiao-Chi, or little snacks that Dansui has offered to the thousands of visitors, Dansui Yu-Wan (fishball) and A-Ge(Tofu Wrap).

Dansui Yu-Wan (Dansui Fishball)
You probably have try some fishball in restaurants in Chinatown. However, the Dansui Fishball is no ordinary fishball. The outside of the fishball is fish paste from local fish, which is the same for most of the fishballs. Yet the inside of the fish ball, juicy mixture of seafood delight and pork, is what distinguish Dansui Fishball from the other. The wow taste comes when you take a big bite at the core of the fish ball.

A-Ge (Tofu Wrap)
Don't be fooled by its bold outside. When you opens up the brown tofu wrap, you will find some surprise inside the wrap which is why people call it A-Ge instead of just brown tofu. A-Ge comes with special homemade hot and sour sauce which you must eat with the tofu.

Taipei - Beitou Hotspring Town (3) - Hell Valley

2005-10-02T17:43:00.000-07:00

If there's a place called Hell, would you go there?

Hell Valley may not be as scary as hell but its non-stopping hot steams and bubbles off the pond still creats a somewhat misty and creepy atmosphere.

How to get there
Hell Valley is located at the end of Chung-Shan Road, about 15 minutes walk from Xinbeitou MRT station. The entrance to Hell Valley is surrounded by hot spring spas. If you are on Chung-Shan Road and cannot find where the entrance is, go to one of the spas and ask them for the entrance to Di-Le-Gu (Hell Valley).

Once you pass the entrance, you should smell very strong sulphurous gas known as Green Sulfur. The trail to Hell Valley is a very easy 5 to 10 minutes walk. On the right hand side of the trail is the steaming creek coming from Hell Valley. The water temperature of the creek is not as boiling as Hell Valley so during the winter time local residents go near the creek for a warm foot bath.

How it is formed
Once you reach a steaming pond, you are at Hell Valley. There are few different versions of how Hell Valley is formed; some say it is a collapsed volcano crater; others say it's formed by underground hot spring coming off surface cracks. Nevertheless, its misty looks makes it a perfect photo spot.

The highly erosive water could be as high as 98 degree celcius so it is recommended not to stick your finger or toe into the water. A walk around the pond should take less than half hour. However if you are not comfortable with the smell, you may just want to take a few picture and stay closer to the entrance.

Taipei - Beitou Hot Spring Town (2) - Hot Spring Museum

2005-09-29T22:20:00.000-07:00

If you want to know what an old Spa looks like, you should visit Beitou Hot Spring Museum.

After an exotic walk in the tropical plants in Beitou Hot Spring Park, you shouldn't miss the English style house with red bricks on your right hand side as you continue on Chungshan Rd.

History
The free of entry museum, built in 1913 by Taiwan's Japanese Colonial Governor, was originally known as the Beitou Public Bath as it is the largest public bath place during the time. The public bath was so famous that Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, known as the father of modern China, and crown prince of Japan had both visited the place.

Tour
To preserve the floor of the building, visitors are required to take the shoes off and intead wear the slippers provided by the museum personnals. The brochure provides information and detail map of the museum. An one to two hour self guided tour will take you to 6 exhibition areas and 12 display rooms that includes the precious Beitou Stone (the hotspring stone), the gathering place with Tatami-type floor and Roman style bath place. While you are at the main bath place, pay attention to the green painted window(1) and the holes on the wall(2).

Information
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am till 5 pm. It's located at No. 2 Chungshan Rd. in Beitou district of Taipei. It's easily accessble from the Xinbeitou MRT station with a short walk along Chungshan Rd.
You may call for more information (02)2893-9981.

Mystery #1 - Green Painted Window
The sealed window was used to collect entrace tickets to the bath. It was also used to distribute towels for the people in the bath.

Mystery #2 - Holes on the Wall
The holes were not drilled by visitors so don't drill any hole on the wall. The holes were made to inject special chemicals to preserve the building materials. Most holes are sealed already while few are still left to let the visitor know how the building is preserved.

Taipei - Beitou Hotspring Town (1) - Beitou Hot Spring Park

2005-09-27T22:39:00.000-07:00

Beitou, known as the Hotspring Town, is a popular weekend getaway at northend of Taipei city.

Just 20 minutes away from Taipei' Train Station by MRT or Metro Rapid Transit, Beitou provides a perfect relaxing spot for the stressful white-collars working in the political and commercial capital of Taiwan.

The enchanting journey to the easy accessible Hotspring Town begins at the Xinbeitou (New Beitou) MRT station. Across the street to the station is the entrance to a park known as Beitou Hotspring Park.

Beitou Hotspring Park serves as the green refugee for the local residence. However even visitors like you and me may also find some surprises there such as tropical plants, green maze, and a creek running from the hotspring. Of course along the way you will be enjoying sulfur air, not fresh air as you get closer and loser to the source of the hotspring.

Along the way don't forget to stop by the Native Art Museum along Chungshan Road which contains art exhibits of Taiwan's 9 largest native tribes. The exhibits contains information of the tribes as well as folks art.
Where: Beitou Discrict, Taipei, Taiwan