Lungshan Temple - Praying for a Baby!

The wind started swaying that shrine balloon over my head so the Gods must've been listening.


Shrine line video\

There was another shrine next to this one where you could pray for wealth and prosperity, but everyone was lining up for the baby one. I did both.


Inside the Temple Tour video\

This temple is mainly Buddhist but many deities of Taoism are also included. I like temples and this one's fun to walk around in, there are lilies all around which makes the whole place smell amazing especially mixed in with all the incense which isn't heavy or musky, and the oldies like coming over to look at you up-close and happily nod their heads. People are generally praying for peaceful living.

Kaohsiung Seaside Town

Grilled squid brushed with spicy sesame oil is everywhere - smells so good!



Everything fish video\

The Taiwanese are so intuitive when it comes to cooking and it is such an eco-friendly country. All of the light bulbs used in this fish mart are those 'David Suzuki' energy efficient ones, the fruits and veg are mostly organic, the farmers rarely use pesticides, they have the strictest air emission standards in the world, and everyone's generally aware of quality and freshness. Which explains why every single thing we eat here is amazingly tasty and leaves us with a happy feeling.



'Grandma's ice dessert' video\

Luminous Hot Spring Resort - Day 4?

Hot spring room video\

Okay, I seriously need a natural hot spring water tub in my home. In every room.

Mad Tea Dinner - Too Yummy for Words

Deep-fried soft tofu with spicy garlic and tea dipping sauce.

Braised pork with bok choy marinated in tea. The meat was so tender it was falling apart underneath that rind of skin.

Whole shrimp cooked in a light broth with tea leaves.

Green tea noodles pan-fried with cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, green onions and pork in a black tea sauce.

Fighting coq soup made with tea oil. The broth was unbelievable.

The spread.


Giant stuffed tea moshi video\

The owner of this restaurant is a former tea-planter and has spent many years perfecting his recipes to fully enhance the flavors of each dish with tea. The Taiwanese are so progressive when it comes to food and healthy living. Yup, they're waaay ahead of the rest of the world. Man, I'm gonna miss all the good eating here.

Sakura Fields Restaurant - Organic Hot Pots

This is Mrs. Sakura who decided to move to the country and open a restaurant to promote healthy living after a bout with thyroid cancer. She is the Queen of organics and all of the veggies are grown on her land. I swear, this is beyond any 'organic' experience I've had. Everyone was giddy after eating such healthy and fresh food - and everything was so flavorful. We just don't have this kind of yummy and healthy eating in North America... I'm gonna miss this:(

This is a special Lotus flower hot pot. I mean, have you ever seen anything like this?! Those are little moshis (flavored glutinous rice balls) being poured into the pot. It's all so beautiful and colorful and amazing... like, it's unreal.

Desserts are nice and light in Taiwan... this is a popular jasmin tea jelly. Yum yum!

Hot Pot - Ginger Blomps

This is my super healthy hot pot which has a teabag thingy filled with magic herbs, the orange floaties are goji berries and there are two little red plums. Those white things are ginger blomps made with mashed root vegetables and they condense in the hot broth - so yummy!



Ginger blomp video\

The ginger mash is prepared in that bamboo shoot which makes it fun to scrape into the hot pot.
Hot pot's so fun.

A.M. Mountain Zen

There are dogs allover the Taiwanese countryside and they're all super friendly and cute. This is the village dog at the mountain retreat and I wanted to put him in my suitcase.


Wake-up to mountains video\

This retreat is run by one of the indigenous tribes in eastern Taiwan. It's pretty cool because the tribes still maintain their traditions yet they've kept up with the modern ways of the world, so there's wireless access and cell phones can be used everywhere around the mountains - even when driving through the long tunnels.