Hong Kong Travel Next Week - Why Not?

     I am going to Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China, next week via Cebu Pacific.  I bought the tickets last July during one of the seat sales offered by the said airline.  But with all the repercussions brought about by the Manila hostage debacle, including the backlash and disdain against Filipinos in general, I have been asked one too many times whether we'd still continue with our travel to Hong Kong.  And I always answer in the affirmative.  Yes, of course, and why not?

     I know security could be an issue.  Imagine, a guest from a country where its Hong Kong guests met a gruesome fate visits Hong Kong just a few days after the incident.  Tensions are still high; emotions, still raw.  I've even read that some Chinese visas issued to Filipinos were canceled, and  that a Hong Kong immigration officer threw a Philippine Senator's passport to him.  I don't know the circumstances how and why it happened; for all we know, it may have been for an entirely different reason.  Personally, however, I have always believed in the goodness and fairness of humans.  I may get some steely gaze, some rude comments, some rash behavior directed against me, but I could get it anywhere in the world, even in my own country.   Heck, I even went to Hong Kong during the height of the AH1N1 scare last year; to Thailand this year when the faction between the red shirts and government was escalating; I even traveled to Taiwan, alone. 

     I am not, however, a moth trying to get near the flame.  Of course, I have some apprehensions; I'm but human.  It's just that I am no more safe in my country than in any other place.  Unless and until the government issues an advisory against traveling to Hong Kong, I'd go there. After all, love for Mickey Mouse transcends all bounds; it heals.

     As a fellow traveler, I condemn the hostage incident and the way the government [mis]handled it.  Innocent guests who only wanted to experience the beauty of our country met a tragic fate.  It could have happened to me; it could have happened to anyone else.

     Perhaps, people's feelings have not been placated yet, and for good reasons.  We've been witnesses to how it all happened, glued to our televisions watching a real-life "prime time"drama unfold before our very eyes.  We've all felt a sense of helplessness and loss when an escaped hostage shouted everyone's dead; and we've all felt a gush of relief and hope when one by one, the survivors were led out of the bus.  It was an intense, long-drawn-out incident, and never had I felt so much empathy for strangers, those hapless victims of the hostage-taking.  No wonder, the feelings of those who share the same nationality as the victims, mostly Chinese from Hong Kong, are slighted, enraged, baffled as to how it ended in a bloodbath.  They feel doubtful of our government's capabilities, and some, turn rage into hate.  We understand that; we're humans, too, and we also feel the same way.  We're affected by it, we're likewise enraged by it.  Lives were lost, and now, the Philippines is paying for it, and it's taking its toll on ordinary citizens like us.  The crime of one, and the folly and ineptitude of a few mark the downfall of the entire nation and shape how the world sees us.  We carry the burden, too, and bear the brunt of the multitude.  I don't have an explanation to offer in defense of my country.  I could only say, I'm sorry.

Taiwan Adventure Day 2 - Beitou

     

     For my second day in Taiwan, which happened to be my birthday, I went to Beitou.  It was already past 9 in the morning when I rode the MRT going there.  It was a long ride, and I had to change trains four times: first, from Nanjing Station to Zhongxiao Fuxing Station; second, from Zhongxiao Fuxing to Taipei Main Station; third; from Taipei Main Station to Beitou Station; and fourth, from Beitou Station to Xinbeitou Station.  Travel was about an hour. 

     From the Xinbeitou Station, I crossed the street and walked towards the Beitou Park.  A couple of minutes later, I saw a very beautiful library.  Apparently, it's Taiwan's first green library, and indeed, it looked eco-friendly.  Made of dark wood with large french windows, it looked so serene surrounded by an outdoor garden with two lily ponds.  It's a sight to behold, and I wanted to go inside, pick a spot near the window, read a book, and just be lost in my own little world.  Ahh...I so wanted to do that, but I didn't have the time and the liberty to do so.  It made me want to go and live in Taiwan if only for the library.

     After taking loads of pictures of the library and of the water lilies under the mid-morning sun, and feeling the heat intensify, I walked to the library's next door neighbor, the Beitou Museum.  But unlike most guests, I took the path from the library's garden to the trail at the back of the museum.  The little stream was so pretty, and there was a rustic looking wooden gazebo.  From there, I walked at the side of the museum's garden and then to main road to reach the entrance.  I took the long way but it was worth it.

      Upon entering the museum, the guests were asked to take off their shoes and to wear the slippers provided.  Most importantly, the staff gave away a fan to each visitor which I was so grateful for.  It was almost 11 a.m. and it was so hot.  Anyway, the museum is a huge house, reminiscent of those English houses with lovely gardens; it also has a lily pond outside.  It has two floors; the main floor features a huge tatami room, like the long dining halls in a ryokan, with a mini-stage.  It comes complete with shoji windows.  Too bad it's off limits to go inside.  There's also a fake cherry blossom tree in full bloom just outside the Japanese room which was well-lighted thanks to a glass-paneled ceiling.  Downstairs, are the various hot springs baths; the roman bath and the Japanese bath among others.

     Afterwards, I headed to the Beitou Thermal Valley, some five minutes away on foot from the museum.  And as I came nearer the entrance, the smell of rotten eggs became more pervasive.  Ah...the stench and the mid-day heat.  Perfect combination, lol!  Good thing that I had my pale yellow umbrella with me; it shielded not only the sun but also the fumes every time the wind billows.  Well, the stench was all worth the dream-like experience I had at the Thermal Valley.  The hot springs produces mist which is both lovely and smelly, but  it evokes that fantasy-like atmosphere.  So dreamy...and so hot under the mid-day sun. 

     And, speaking of mid-day, I had to rush to the MRT station because I needed to return to the hotel in time for my Jiufen guided tour in the afternoon.  I had a hard time hailing a cab so I jogged the whole way down to the Station.  Good thing that I was able to return to the hotel with some 30 minutes to spare.  I even had the time to take a quick shower before the tour guide fetched me around 1:20 p.m.  I was not able to eat lunch, though.  It was lunch or shower, so I chose shower.  I just sipped a free cup of coffee at the hotel's business center, and tossed some water, a face towel, a wrap, and some moisturizer in my shopping bag, and I was good to go.  I was able to rest, and cool down, on the tour van going to Jiufen.  Thank God for airconditioning!

Beitou Library

 

A Short Weekend in Subic, Philippines - Part 2

   
      After lunch, and after the conclusion of our seminar, my colleagues and I went to shop for some duty free goodies.  I didn't buy much, just some chocolates for my family and co-workers considering that I would be commuting from Subic to Manila by bus.  Anyway, we went to Pure Gold and to Royal Duty Free, and after that, we headed back to the hotel for dinner.  If there is one thing that I hate about Subic, it is haggling with the cabbies; they don't use meters and a five-minute journey would cost you about Php 100.00+; if you asked to be picked up from your hotel or elsewhere, it's going to cost you an additional charge of Php 50.00.  A trip to the Zoobic Safari would be around Php 300.00 and some cabbies charge up to Php 500.00.  It's okay if you're travelling with 4 or more people as the cabs can fit around 8 persons, but it's not very lone-traveller friendly.

     Speaking of Zoobic Safari, we paid a visit to the tigers and other animals on the zoo the following morning.  The travel from our hotel, the Subic International Hotel, to the Safari was just around 15-20 minutes; there's no traffic inside Subic.  We were at the gates by 9:30 a.m. and had to wait for some 10 more minutes before our official tour started.  Inside the waiting lobby for orientation, the tigers surrounded us in their cages.  There was a white tiger, who was restless and kept pacing back and forth, as if he was toying with the people who wanted to take his picture, and about four more and a cub, who was so cute though he's a three-foot long baby.  You can cuddle with the cub and have your picture taken with it.

     Then our tour started.  First, we went to the mini-zoo where animals, some I've never seen before, were kept.  Of all the animals inside the zoo, I was most in love with the ostriches, the deers, which reminded me of Bambi and of Chris Colfer's line in Glee, "I cried so hard when they shot your mommy," and of course, the tigers.

     After the mini-zoo, we boarded the tiger trams; the people who bought the regular tickets took the colorful Tigger-looking trams while the Zooper ticket holders like us took the bland white tiger trams.  The only difference, aside from the slightly higher price we paid, was the refreshments that came with our tickets: mineral water, some chips and thank god, a wet, cold towelette, which relieved us of the blistering heat.

     Our first stop was to a new attraction called the Forbidden Cave.  Before entering, a warning was posted outside which goes something like, not for those who are afraid of snakes, among others.  When we went inside, it was so dark, and the only illumination came from some steady, faint yellow lights which could only illuminate it's immediate surrounding.  It was eerie and there was a man-made hanging bridge which kept wobbling whenever you take a step.  Then we came to the first light and saw a baby crocodile!  It was so still in the near darkness! It was enough to elicit screams from my colleagues.  Then there was a white and yellow python curled up on a branch, then cue screaming; and well, a regular python near the end of the bridge.

     After the Forbidden Cave, we proceeded to the Tiger Safari and boarded a modified jeepney with translucent top and grill-protected windows.  We bought a dressed chicken for Php 200.00 which would be fed to the tiger, and then drove in the tigers' lair for some up close and personal encounter.  We had a native aeta who handled the feeding and who called a tiger to eat the chicken.  The tiger's name was Vladimir.  He was so beautiful! I was at the rear of the jeepney and the handler was in front of me, so the tiger was beside me when he was eating the chicken.  My colleagues were screaming a lot; I was enjoying the experience.  Then the handler threw the remaining chicken on top of the jeep which cued in Vladimir to jump over (cue in screaming passengers).  I was shocked, not because Vladimir jumped but because some chicken juice got into my face.  Well, Vladimir was causing disturbance from the passengers who were incessantly screaming and we can only see Vladimir's movements because the glass was not transparent; it was sort of frosted.  I think, the more chicken you buy for the tigers, the more tigers would come to your jeep.

      Then it was time for the Close Encounter with the tigers who were chilling out in their cages.  We were a foot from the edge of the cages and there were so many tigers.  I was really interested with them, though they don't seem to mind us, people, but man, they stink!  The guide said that when the tiger's tail points up, it'll pee and we should run for our lives, err, no, immediately get out of the area to avoid being splattered with tiger pee.  The smell would mark us for 3 to 4 days, and we would not be advised to come anywhere near a tiger during that time, not that we have a tiger at home or at our disposal but, the hey, I don't want to be marked by a tiger. 

     Afterwards, our tiger tram proceeded to where the ostriches and wild boars roam freely.  The guide told us we could hop off the tram if we could outrun an ostrich should it try to chase us.  No, thanks!  We also went to the crocodile farm, and we watched the local aeta's perform some of their tribal dances for us.  One of the aeta's even leapt to a tree because he was mimicking a monkey.  It was pretty amazing!

Taiwan Adventure: Day 1 - Danshui and Shilin Night Market

DANSHUI

     From Taipei 101, I went back to the hotel, Delight Hotel, to shower.  It was around 1:30 p.m. when I reached the hotel.  After taking a bath, I rechecked the way to Danshui and back.  Again, I used Google maps to preview the street-view of Danshui.

     Amazed with my own energy (I only had a two-hour sleep, or so, at the airport), I walked towards the nearby MRT station and before changing lines going to the Main Station, I exchanged some dollars at the information booth/customer service of some sort in  Sogo, Zhong Xiao Fuxing Station.  The sales people were criminally cute in their uniforms and matching hats. They didn't allow me to take their pics, though; apparently, it's prohibited.  Anyway, I was asked for my passport and for my address in Taiwan as requirements for changing currencies.  There was no service fee and the exchange rate was high.  So, yay!

      From Zhong Xiao Fuxing Station, I changed trains to the blue  line heading to the  Main Station.  From there, I changed to the red line going to Danshui, the last stop.  It was a long ride from the Main Station to Danshui, about 17 stops in all.  But it was worth it; I loved the scenery.

      When I reached Danshui Station, I walked around 10 minutes or more to the ferry station; the street was overly crowded with local tourists, and the wind was strong.  I forgot to dress for the weather condition: I was wearing a full, knee-length skirt which kept on rising because of the wind.  And riding a ferry at 5:00 p.m. and standing outside was a bad idea.  The waves were slightly obnoxious and the winds, a disaster.  One hand was holding my cameras (yes, I had 2 with me); the other was keeping my skirt down. For balance, I leaned on the railings.  A couple of times, salty seawater sprayed my face; occasionally, I accidentally flashed the teens behind me: sorry for giving them nightmares.  Yup.  So embarrassing.  Anyway, while the ride as bumpy, with people screaming everytime we meet a big wave, it didn't deter me from taking pictures and videos.  And yes, since it was a cloudy day, the skies were sort of a drab bluish gray/dirty white.  All I got were murky clouds and salt water on my lens.

  
     But all was well when we got nearer the bridge.  It was beautiful, but I get it when people just dismiss it as nothing but a bridge.  For me, though, I loved its color and when you're on the boat, you could see it gleaming white on the horizon.  It also has a boardwalk, perfect for catching that beautiful sunset.  It is indeed the place to be for lovers, families, children, friends; it was teeming with people. Well, mostly local people, and their kawaii canine friends.  Another great thing about the place is that even if it's crowded, it isn't noisy; at least it wasn't when I was there.  It was serene, actually.

     I timed my arrival for sunset because I wanted to see how the bridge looks like with the setting sun to get great pictures.  But it was really cloudy and it was past 6 p.m. already but no orange, pink or red colors in sight.  I got really bored and I didn't bring with me any book or manga.  Plus, the wind was billowing.  I hate to wait, really, so I decided to leave before the night set in and boarded a  Red 26 bus back to the Danshui MRT Station.  Even now, I'm kicking myself for not lingering longer at the bridge.  I didn't even try to visit Fort Santo Domingo and the other places of interest because well, my skirt kept rising every time the wind blew and I got so exasperated.

SHILIN NIGHT MARKET

     Since I would pass by Jiantan Station on my way back to the hotel, I specifically planned going to Shilin after Danshui.  And indeed, I was in Shilin Night Market in time for dinner.  There were a lot of people since it was a Saturday, and the humid air made my trip all the more uncomfortable.  But hey, I wanted to eat good food, in particular that XXL Chicken.  Actually, I saw one stall of XXL Chicken at Danshui but I thought it'd be better to buy from the stall in Shilin.  So, I lined up, and there was around 30 people in front of me.  But the line was quick and I was handed a plastic bag so they'd know I was a waiting customer.  But I didn't eat my chicken right away.  I was so thirsty that I consumed a bottle of Pocari sweat in one big gulp, and I ate sausage on a stick that I saw inside the food market.  I wasn't able to take pictures of the market since it was so crowded, save for three bad shots.  Oh well.

     I would have wanted to wander Shilin Night Market but I didn't.  There were a lot of tourists, they came by the busload.  I was so tired and I had no more energy to shop-hop.  So, after an hour, I decided to go back to the hotel.  I just made a mental note that I should come back to Taiwan during the winter or in the spring.

 

The line of people on the right was for the XXL chicken.