andre in taiwan

olivia turns 2!

2009-12-01T11:52:00.000+08:00

olivia turned 2 last week on 11/26 and we had a couple celebrations. first one was a day before her birthday at my in-law's house then a second one on her actual birthday at home.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY! PAPA LOVES YA!

before she turns 2...

2009-11-25T12:55:00.001+08:00

here are some recent photos of olivia before she turns 2 tomorrow.....

her little flower halloween costume.

our little rock star!

running around the new sogo shopping mall.

trying to hide.

modeling her new pajamas.

score: mosquito 2, olivia 0.
vicious mosquito bites below her right eye and left earlobe.

taking a break from all her playing and havoc wrecking. now on to her "terrible two", as if things were not terrible enough!

ethan turns 3!

2009-10-28T20:18:00.001+08:00

today is my newphew ethan's 3rd birthday but we celebrated early and gathered at our house yesterday.....

happy birthday kiddo!!!

olivia dancing & singing to abc bubbles dvd

2009-10-28T20:09:00.000+08:00

olivia dancing and singing to abc bubbles song teaching about "walk, run, crawl, climb & jump".

olivia's halloween flower costume

2009-10-27T00:20:00.001+08:00

ready to go trick-or-treating!

leofoo village theme park

2009-10-22T15:35:00.002+08:00

photos from family outing at the leofoo village theme park earlier this month.....

side trip to yunlin county

2009-10-14T16:26:00.001+08:00

on our recent 3-day vacation to kenting, on the way back to taipei we took a side trip to yunlin county to visit karen's grandpa for a couple hours.....

grandpa's house.

when in doubt, shoot flowers in macro. can't go wrong.

olivia drinking a bottle of grape juice and enjoying the countryside.

speaking of grapes, here's some growing on grandpa's property.

hi

country life.

grandpa's neighbour who has all sorts of animals in their yard.

"hey, what are you looking at??!!"

we just dropped in on grandpa without notice, needless to say he was extremely surprised to see us and of course very very happy as well.

chatting with grandpa.

kenting trip 2009, part 3 - the beach resort

2009-10-12T18:39:00.000+08:00

here's the 3rd and last installment of our kenting trip series, the beach resort.....

we wanted to stay somewhere that was kid-friendly and offered lot of activities for families. after doing some research on the net, we decided to stay at the yoho beach resort as it was highly recommended by a lot of people with kids.

once inside, the staff was doing a welcome dance for all people checking-in.

the lobby.

chandeliers hanging over the lobby lounge.

a golden buddha idol in the lobby lounge.

the resort's main pool nestled between the lodging buildings. our room was located behind the waterfalls and palm trees near the left side of the photo.

our room.

the room's balcony.

the view from the balcony onto the swimming pool mentioned above.

decoration boat located near the beach at back of resort.

a night shot of the kiddie-pool.

the resort had quite a few shops where you could do some shopping.

there was a big games room for the kids.

giant legos!

the games room also featured lots of story books.

karen reading olivia a story.

there was also an arcade.....

where karen got her ricky bobby impression on.

the resort also had some interactive games such as this here where you throw balls at the projected images on the wall to knock them down.

this is here was pretty cool and fun for the kids too. it's a projection from the ceiling to the ground and where ever you walk on it, a school of fish will come circle around your feet.

some funky gym for the kids to climb around.

pond where you can feed some fishies.

this was by far my favorite thing to do during the trip. when olivia went to sleep, karen and i just sat on the balcony drinking some beer and chatting the night away while enjoying the light sea breeze. life's good!

here's the goole maps' location for yoho.....

View Larger Map

kenting trip 2009, part 2 - the food

2009-10-08T17:20:00.001+08:00

continuing on with our recent kenting trip series here's part 2, the food.....

on the way to kenting, we made a stop at a donlong shop.....

famous for their herbal jelly.

i also tried their herbal spareribs soup. i know none of these sound too appetizing, but it was all very good.

these giant vases are actually steamers where they cook the soup.

we arrived at kenting around 1pm, so we decided to go have lunch first before checking into the hotel. this is restaurant where we had lunch. as you can see it was still sunny when we arrived but that didn't last too long. soon after the skies became really cloudy with a light drizzle and stayed like that during the remainder of our trip.

this restaurant is called zhaoli. we found out about this place through the internet. most people gave it rave reviews so we were eager to check it out.

by the time we went inside the restaurant, it was past 1:30pm and the place was still packed with a line up of people still waiting for tables. i guess it's a good sign.

since we weren't very hungry, we didn't order too much food and just asked for some of their specialties. these included blowfish rice noodle soup,

sashimi (raw seafood) salad (this was excellent!),

some part of the fish i don't even know,

and some kind of seaweed which was very good mixed with rice.

this is a special homemade hot sauce which went very well with all the food. we were not disappointed with this place at all. everything was delicious! next time we go back to kenting, we are going to this place again.

this is a restaurant in the beach resort we stayed at where we had dinner both nights.

they had an all-you-can-eat buffet with a great spread. being that we were on the coast, i was however a bit disappointed with the lack of seafood.

my favorite food area... the bbq & grill area!

this is the resort's ocean view restaurant where breakfast was served.

and again, it had a real nice spread and variety.

we ventured out of the resort for a drive and made a pit stop at smokey joe's for some snacks since we couldn't walk around because of the rain. we saw signs all over the place advertising this place so it got us wanting to give it a try.

funky tex-mex decor inside.

i got some buffalo wings which were pretty good.

karen got a burger which was kinda disappointing because the patty was like shredded pork. tasted kinda weird.

they did have an exotic list of beers which i had never seen before and were all very strong in alcohol level. this is the "lightest" beer i got and it was 7%. all else were around 10 ~ 12%. i did really like the beer i got. very tasty and strong but i sat it for a bit too long so it became kinda bitter at the end.

kenting trip 2009, part 1 - fun, games, r&r

2009-10-06T14:38:00.002+08:00

last week we went to kenting where we stayed at the yoho beach resort for 3 days for some much needed r&r. unfortunately, it rained during most of the time we were there so we couldn't do much outdoors but fortunately, we stayed at a beach resort so there was quite a bit to do indoors.

with the rain and crappy weather, i didn't take as many photos as i wanted to but still managed to get quite a few. these will be too much to put all into one post, so i'll divide between 3 separate posts:

* part 1: fun, games, r&r
* part 2: the food
* part 3: the beach resort

so, here we go. part 1: fun, games, r&r.....

the kenting street, where it's usually packed with people on weekends but as you can see, with the bad weather hardly any people out.

what the skies and coast looked like the whole time we were there.

during lunch at some restaurant we got a visitor from the table next to us.....

which really annoyed olivia.

part of the pool at the resort was covered up so people could still take a dip despite the rain. however, it was pretty windy and the water was really cold so after a few minutes in the water, olivia started to shiver while her lips turned blue (see video at bottom of post how she's shivering). we quickly got her out of the water.....

and went back to the room to take a dip in some hot water.

it actually never rained heavily, just light drizzle which was on and off so we still managed to do some stuff outdoors, even if it was only for a few minutes at a time. well, it's times like this when i'm glad i got a waterproof camera.

new toy

2009-09-26T01:03:00.002+08:00

canon 500d double lens kit.

lunch at black cattle spicy hotpot

2009-09-24T18:10:00.000+08:00

a few photos from lunch at the all-you-can-eat black cattle spicy hotpot restaurant in downtown taipei a few weeks ago.....

that's the spicy soup base on the left and the mogolian herbs soup base on the right.

different fresh cuts of meats to go in the hotpot.

i know, doesn't look too good but believe me, it was.

the soup base was really good, especially the mogolian hotpot soup base. the food was fresh plus it had all-you-can-eat haagen-dazs ice cream. that in itself was great considering how expensive haagen-dazs is here. also, the bosslady was very nice and attentive which made for a pleasant meal.

bbq at sinfong beach in hsinchu county

2009-09-23T18:53:00.003+08:00

*** be sure to check the recaps by hc & mj: http://www.thenhbushman.com/2009/09/21/bushmans-blogger-beach-bbq

and becky: http://yumafia.pixnet.net/blog/post/28117082 ***

bbq at sinfong beach in hsinchu county this past saturday.....

this is the shelter where we set up camp. unfortunately, we arrived later than expected so hc & mj did all the setting up and getting everything in order. hc & mj, we truly highly appreciate all the efforts, thoughts and time that you guys put into planning and organizing these events! THANK YOU!

soon after arrival, some of the people went to walk and play down by the beach.

the pier on the opposite direction.

olivia patiently waiting for the food.

bbq!

here's my cousin jeff getting the other grill started.

we had quite a good spread; even a few different choices of beer.

becky & brian on the left, vanessa & alex from germany on the right. all good people.

the weather was just perfect.

here's a tarp we put up to block the sun.

jeff & olivia go for a walk.

tc joined in on the fun.

mj & hc.

mj with yours truly.

just a great relaxing day eating, drinking beer and chatting it up with friends.

olivia eating a grape.

beautiful sunset.

a visitor.

olivia really enjoyed herself. so much so she didn't even want to take her daily nap.

sun almost set.

with some sunlight still available, it was time to pack it up and go.

again, special thanks to hc & mj. you guys think of everything for everyone!

great weather, great food, great company. just a perfect day at the beach!

bushman's beach bbq

2009-09-19T23:59:00.004+08:00

an update from the bushman.....
This past weekend, Andres and I checked out the site for the Beach BBQ. We agreed that we should use the other shelter instead of the original one. The reasons for this are twofold:

There are less people at the other end of the beach,
There are no signs prohibting using grills and cooking food at the other site.
So, I want to give you the coordinates for the second shelter. Plug these into Google Maps: 24 55.207 120 58.205

You do not have to grill if you don’t want to. You’re welcome to bring some prepared food picnic style. The idea is to hang out and relax.

It’s also not required but it would be nice if everyone were to register for the event so we know who’ll be there.

Thanks!

i've updated the gps coordinates in the original post below to reflect the location of the new shelter we'll be having the bbq. again, hope to see everyone there.

from the bushman.....

It’s time for another blogger party folks! This time, it’s going to be a grill party on the beach!

I’d been searching for a new place to do something different, and in my travels I found a cool place by the beach that would make for an excellent blogger party. I’ll show you some photos in a minute, but first, let me announce the date (and why).

September 19th, 2009
In case of a typhoon, the backup date is September 26, 2009.

Where: Sinfong, Taiwan. Coordinates: 24 55.207 120 58.205 (plug this into Google Maps). It’s just off Route 15 along the coast. Very easy accessible from anywhere in Taiwan.

The place is very easy to find and the coastline here is incredible. Like many beaches in Taiwan you cannot swim here, but the view is nice and there is always a cool breeze. What’s more important is there is a place where we can set up some grills and have a party and no one will bother us.

Why This Date?
September is much cooler than July and August, yet warmer than October. The weekend before is still part of Ghost Month, and many people don’t go out during that time. The weekend after is fine too, but then there isn’t any backup date in case of a typhoon. This date is still plenty of time before the Lunar Festival so it won’t interfere with that holiday. So, September 19th seems to be the perfect date.

Here are some details about the place:

There is a sizeable parking lot.

Just around the corner is the first of two shelters. You can also park on the right side across from the shelter.

We’ll have to bring some tables to make things easier. I have a small portable table and a few chairs that I’m going to bring. We could use a few tarps and some rope to extend the top for better sun shielding.

Next to the shelter is a “boardwalk” where lots of people walk on the weekends.

The view on the Taiwan Straight is very nice.

This area also has some great bicycle trails so bring your bike! You can ride all the way up into Yong An if you like! There is also a place to rent one of those 4-wheel bicycles.

I’m going to arrive early in the morning to set up in the shelter. Like Yong An, you can’t “reserve” the shelter so it’s first come-first served. The good news is that there is another shelter down the road from this one. There is nothing stopping us from setting up on the sand or on the boardwalk either. So no matter what happens, we can have a good time and enjoy the outdoors!

What To Bring?
Whatever you want to eat, and drink.

Portable grill

Charcoal

Small table (and chairs if you like)

Bicycle(s)

We Could Use:
Tarp to extend the roof

Rope to tie the tarp

Hope to see you all there!

that's right. hope to see you all there!

don't forget to register at: http://www.thenhbushman.com/events

an afternoon in bali

2009-09-16T16:25:00.002+08:00

been neglecting the blog lately due to both busyness and laziness. got a few back posts that i would like to put up but again, just haven't had the time nor the desire. well, to get things somewhat back on track, here's one of photos taken at the bali coast during a sunday afternoon last month.

view of danshui township across the river from bali. btw, the weather was great.

some kind of traditional arts & cultural event / show was taking place with a bunch of dancing and singing performances.

a lookout tower in military camouflage.

as expected with the current bike craze, there were lots of bikers.

low tide.....

which made for a giant sand box for the kids. lots of little ones playing on the sandy shores.

the low tide also meant the boats were stranded on shore.

at least the river crossing boats to danshui were operating despite the low tide. we wanted to take it but once we saw the line-up..... forget about it!

the shop strips were packed!

taking a break from the heat and all that crowd. we were all feeling kinda tired at this point.

with the sun set and gone, it was time to go home.

google maps location.....

View Larger Map

why the name change?

2009-09-09T18:50:00.001+08:00

a few people have asked why i changed the spelling of my name from andres to andre. to cut a long story short, andres is a spanish name which i received when i moved to costa rica as a young kiddo. ever since i left there, people have struggled with the andres spelling and i was being called andrew to andrews to andrea to everything in between. altho' andre is not the correct way to pronounce andres, that's what i've been called by all my friends since my high school days. so when i started a new company a few months ago, i decided to change the spelling from andres to andre (altho' all my official documents from my canadian citizenship to my passports all still say andres in them). sort of a new start and to make it easier for everyone to pronounce. think of it as bill for william, larry for lawrence or mike for michael.

earlier today i sent an email to a customer which has my name spelled as andre. well, this customer just phoned and called me andrew. nice. so much for that.

a walk in the park with olivia

2009-09-04T20:08:00.001+08:00

hanging out at the xinzhuang park a couple weekends ago.....

"ok dad, you can stop taking photos anytime now!"

olivia watching mickey mouse clubhouse

2009-08-26T23:39:00.000+08:00

vid taken a few days ago of olivia watching her favorite show, the mickey mouse clubhouse.....

coping with the hot weather

2009-08-23T13:28:00.002+08:00

the weather has been fairly mild and comfortable the past couple weeks, but yesterday it felt a lot hotter and humid than usual. well, here's how i coped with the sudden temperature surge last night.....

well, it was great at the time but it wasn't so great this morning. my joints and bones were hurting pretty bad when i woke up. was it all that beer or i'm just getting old??!!

typhoon morakot aid & visuals

2009-08-15T12:15:00.000+08:00

a week after mother nature showed her powerful fury with typhoon morakot causing major devastation and damages here in taiwan; our country is still struggling with its rescue and recovery efforts. it is absolutely surreal to see all the devastation and extremely heartbreaking to see all the displaced families whom have lost their loved ones and everything they own.

if you'd like to help, please be sure to check out todd's recent post with links and information about donations and volunteering: http://thedailybubbletea.com/2009/08/13/weekly-links-august-13-2009

here are some links to photos and videos of the destruction:

Boston Globe - The Big Picture

Yahoo News slideshow

many more videos available at cnn videos.

BLESS TAIWAN!!!

father's day lunch

2009-08-11T20:23:00.005+08:00

last saturday was 8/8, which is father's day here in taiwan. the reason behind father's day being celebrated on this particular date is because number eight is pronounced "ba" in chinese; and with august 8th being 8-8 or "ba-ba" in chinese which is the same pronounciation for father in chinese.

to celebrate this occasion, we had a big family lunch which included my parents, my siblings, their offsprings and significant others.

some photos takes with my cell phone.....

that's mom, dad and my bro in law (oldest sis' husband).

things got started right away with a bottle of taiwan's very own kavalan whisky, which i thought was pretty good.

then immediately followed by two more bottles of johnnie walker blue label. considering there were only 4 of us drinking, that was a lot of whisky.

you know you've had a bit too much to drink when you start challenging people to do push-ups. here's dad doing his 20 reps. not bad for a old guy almost 70 years old.

my bro-in-law ups the ante by doing push-ups with his fist. afterwards dad tried doing push-up with his fists but stood up right away and said "let's just go back to drinking".

a couple hours after lunch, with a huge headache and buzz i was on a flight to macau for the dreaded "visa" run. came back the same night but almost didn't make it back. my passport got mixed in with a bunch of people's that were stranded in macau because of cancelled flights due to the typhoon. i literally had to chace around the ground crew to get my passport back. needless to say, i was the last person on board the plane back.

ethan..... wolverine

2009-08-07T14:17:00.004+08:00

swimming in linkou

2009-08-03T15:33:00.004+08:00

took olivia and my nephew ethan to the chang-gung university pool in linkou for some much needed relief from this summer heat. the past few days the temp has soared up to 39C (103F), and with the humidity it definitely felt like it was well over 40C!

a couple videos that i took.....

and a few photos.....

i really hate taiwan's public swimming pools insistence on mandatory nut-hugging speedos, spandex or biker shorts and brain-sqeezing swim caps. wtf?!

tasty lunch

2009-08-01T14:50:00.001+08:00

lunch at tasty steak house last weekend.....

we really like going to tasty. the food is not bad and considering the amount of food served in their set menu with fairly decent prices, it's a great value.

funky decor.

eagerly awaiting for the food.

enjoying the food.

and drinks.

kinda thirsty, yeah?!

ready to hit the beach

2009-07-31T15:55:00.000+08:00

well, look who's ready to go hit the beach.....

practicing sunbathing on the beach.

"hey old man, you better not post these on the internet!"