Our new home in Hualien, Taiwan

Numero uno!!!

2012-01-18T01:13:00.000-08:00

Yes, #1!Amazing but true. We got the results of Frankie's exam, and we would have been happy if she came within top ten of her class. But she came in first. 100% in most subjects, and 98% in Chinese. A little while ago, she could not even write her own name in Chinese, now she scored an almost perfect test. I wish I could take credit for that, but fact is, she does it all by herself.We are proud, and we are happy that the relocation to Taiwan has brought out the best in Frankie. Her teachers are tough and demanding and that seems to work nicely.

Made in Korea

2012-01-17T04:51:00.000-08:00

Frankie finished her exam yesterday, so we took her out of school a week earlier so that we could travel to Korea before the lunar new year begins when much of Asia is under seige with traffic congestions on land and in the air.....

Cold & dry with humidity around 25%, otherwise it is quite pleasant. Following video was taken at the famous fish market. Koreans eat a lot of fish and seafood and they are abundant.

We also watched the fish auction taking place right at the dock....

Modernization is taking place in every facet of the Korean society, and there is now also an indoor fish market right next to the outdoor market. Obviously rent is higher and facility much better with heat and water inside, while the cheaper renters outside freeze in the zero degree weather.

Next day we had a seafood lunch, and it was incredible. We had fresh oysters, crab sashimi, steamed mussels, steamed shrimps, rock cod soup, blanched octopus, and BBQ eels.

After all that food, we needed to burn some off, how about skiing?

We took the subway and then a taxi ride up the mountains, altogether about 1.5 hour to the closest ski hill just outside of the city of Busan. There was no snow anywhere, but on the downhill slopes carved between the mountains. Surface temperature was about 3C, and sub zero overnite, therefore, snow machines worked all night to make sure the slopes are well covered with fresh powder everyday. We planned to return the next day because it was already late afternoon when we arrived, but it rained the next day and we settled for some ice skating...

Frankie has not skated for about 3 years and its been many moons for me, but we did ok. It was fun.

Busan has a famous beach and it reminds me of Waikiki. It was obviously man made, with beautiful white sand right smack in the middle of the city, and the setting was nice because they have built it into a western style tourist attraction with upscale hotels, American style pubs & fast food outlets, and also some bistros mixed with local ethnic eateries. It was quiet during this winter day, but Rebecca said that this place is packed with people in the summer, I believe it.

We also visited a 60 year old restaurant, and the only thing they serve is soup. A special kind of soup. Soups are made from pork bones, simmered for hours, and then served with rice, meats and kimchee. It was perfect for a cold day. The owner spoke perfect English as he was trained by the US army and served in the Korean military until recently.

The flight from Taipei took 2 hours and costed only $200US round trip for each person. I would go again but only when its warmer. The cold & dry climate is no longer my cup of tea, unless you enjoy runny noses, constant sneezing, constant scratching, and wearing lots of clothes......guess we've been spoiled living mostly in shorts and T shirts in Hualien.

Happy new year!!!

2012-01-06T04:02:00.000-08:00

There was a free outdoor concert downtown on 12/31, featuring mostly local talents.

fireworks to follow at midnight was special, similar to the fireworks during the summer concert..

Here are some of our friends attending the concert.....

Frankie came down with the flu and we took her to the Menonite hospital, one of the two large hospitals in Hualien. The other is Tzuchi. During the holidays, they even have staff musicians to entertain patients while waiting for treatment, cool eh?

Taiwan has a great universal medical plan, which costs about $20us a person a month, which also includes dental, TCM, and prescriptions. Just to make sure Frankie is not infected with a serious virus, we took her to the hospital where she was tested with xray and swap. In less than two hours, we got the result (negative) and went home with her medication. In Canada, we would wait for many hours at the hospital, and the tests would take a few days, what a difference!

With the Taiwan election just a few days away, the campaign is heating up with both KMT and DP pulling all stops all over Taiwan. I was invited to a local KMT rally and dinner, my first such experience here.

I have no voting rights here because I am only a resident and not a citizen. But being an observer, I find the Taiwanese people are very passionate and quite active in the process, and people are split between the blues (KMT) and the greens (DP).

The entertainment was good with some celebs from Taipei singing a few songs at dinner.

Happy birthday and Merry X'mas!

2011-12-27T04:35:00.000-08:00

Friends and family took me to a new hotpot restaurant for my BD, very nice indeed....

This huge restaurant is a buffett style eatery with hot and cold food, sushi bar, hot pot, desserts, everything...

and for X'mas dinner, we had the pleasure dinning with our new friends: Liyue and family from Taipei, Ed & Kukui from Nevada USA, Keith Barnes & family from Capetown South Africa. Awesome buffett dinner with western, Chinese, and Japanese food.

It was wonderful that Christmas falls on a weekend because X'mas is not a holiday here in Taiwan.

Christmas party

2011-12-17T07:09:00.000-08:00

Hualien Toastmasters had a X'mas party this past week, and it was fantastic.

No lack of singing talent for sure!

We also had a X'mas party with our tennis team...

Our captain's girl friend is a great singer....

so is our coach, Mr Chen.....

Happy December!

2011-12-17T06:50:00.000-08:00

Still discovering more restaurants, and this one is a gem. Very nostalgic with decor from years gone by. Menu is full of old day dishes, popular during our childhood. Guess you can say "comfort food", Taiwanese style.

Attended a big banquet after a tennis tournament at which I was one of the umpires. I got paid $3600 and a dinner to boot, not bad at all.

There was performance by the aboriginal people....

and music by some local musicians...

My cousin's wedding

2011-11-13T21:14:00.000-08:00

in Hong Kong this past weekend.

The ceremony was held at a mountain top Christian santuary which houses a small but quaint chapel.

My cousin who is the youngest daughter of my uncle, had lived in Canada for the past 20 years. She had converted to Christianity and met her husband at a church.

Dinner reception was held at a popular seafood restaurant, and although the food was fantastic, the portions were small, typical of the now Hong Kong style of eating light. I was satisfied but had the appetite for more.........in Taiwan, we don't stop when we are full, we stop when we are tired!

Beautiful wedding overall at a very nice setting.

Random musings on all things Taiwanese

2011-09-26T18:41:00.000-07:00

Despite its natural beauty, open space, miles of coastline, abundance of sunshine, and very friendly people, Taiwan is virtually unknown to the Western world. Tourism was non existent comparing to other neighbouring countires until recently, but most of that are mainland tourists.
My tiny little blog here has generated a lot of interests from westerners wanting to know more about Hualien in the past two years, and I have made many new friends from email contacts, and meeting some of them in person upon their arrival here. A young lady(ABC) who is currently visiting Hualien has started a website, dedicated to share the going ons of Taiwan to the outside world, in English. What a wonderful idea! Here is the link: http://taiwan543.net/

Ocean park in Hualien

2011-09-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

These videos were taken in late August, just before school began again and therefore, taking Frankie and her friend to Ocean park for some R &R.

Frankie loves rides, especially the roller coaster.....

The sea lion show is always good....

And the dolphin show is even better than before. Ocean park hired a whole bunch of Russian swimmers and acrobats and they have become part of the show. It was a hot day with temp around 35C.

It is now mid September and perfect temperature, around 28C.

Expats in Hualien

2011-08-22T19:27:00.000-07:00

Thru this blog, I have met and made many wonderful new friends, and some of them have made a trip to Hualien to see for themselves what a wonderful little place this is. This past week, a couple from Nevada stayed with us and explored future possibilities.

Ed and Kukui in this video enjoyed a warm evening by the beach with us, playing with fireworks.

One of the best things to combat summer heat is coconut water. It is refreshing, nutritious, and lowers body temperature instantly. Frankie loves coconut water, which is not to be confused with coconut milk.......

Keith and Yvonne have just relocated to Hualien from Capetown, South Africa, along with their son Joshua. They invited us to their new home for a BBQ, and what a wonderful feast it was.

Good food, great wines, good company and nice views on a hot summer night is simply priceless.

We also wanted to buy a BBQ for our house, but decided against it. Instead, we go to a BBQ restaurant, where meats are roasted on hot charcoal. In this video, I accidently captured a very special moment: Frankie drooling over the BBQ while waiting for the meat to cook.....it was perfect!

Its been over two years since coming here, and we continue to discover new things. Homemade dumplings made in a local market, organic free range eggs, grass jelly served chilled with winter melon syrup, home grown bananas.........delicious as hell and a taste of heaven!

Summer concert

2011-08-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

Its time for Hualien's annual summer concert again.
An aboriginal Taiwanese band called "Power station" was on tonite, and they are awesome. Reminds me a bit of Beyond, but more melodic and not as metalic. Very popular in Taiwan, and should be more popular in Asia.

They are high energy but not overwhelming, and the love songs are beautiful....

Then later on, we saw a typical commercial Taiwanese artist with bubble gum music which is entertaining, but mindless and talentless. C'est la vie.....quite a contrast!

And the fireworks.....absolutely amazing!

Outdoor concerts need heat, and people. No problem here in Hualien. Basking in 30C weather, and over 60k people attending, you would think it would be chaos. Not. Nobody got drunk and caused any disturbences, fights, or even arguements. Traffic was well directed off site, and we only park two minutes away and no problem driving home.

It was great time, and the price was right.

Hualien's Banyan garden

2011-07-03T06:58:00.000-07:00

The Banyan garden restaurant is an outdoor eatery, very popular here in Hualien.

Excellent sashimi, and seafood.

The restaurant is built around a huge old banyan tree which lights up at nite. The air cond is a steady cool mist with pipes on the glass ceiling, and combined with fans and a wooden deck, it is quite comfortable although the outside temperature is 32C. I sure love the ambience of outdoor dining, and my favorite is charcoal grilled fresh oysters with Heineken on draught.......get this: a dozen of fresh oysters for $7US, and a pint of Heineken draught is $1.30US.

Dinner for the seven of us with beer, $70US. And what a feast it was. A similar meal like this would cost $200US at home, not including HST and gratuities........

Summer is here!

2011-07-03T06:41:00.000-07:00

Summer camp for Frankie

at the local university, for a 3 day camp.

Fun filled, sun drenched, sweaty three days which include kayaking, a BBQ party, singing, dancing, and meeting new friends.

Summer camp for Jack

Everyday is a summer camp for me as I play tennis at the Hualien tennis club 3 to 4 hours a day. At least once a week, the boys have dinner and karaoke, with lots of beer.....

an outstanding performance by one of our players......

and here is our "大哥", Mr Yang is retired, married to a Cantonese woman, himself speaks some Cantonese and English, a qualified tennis referree and accomplished player. Very good host to many of our players.

Eine kleine nachtmusik

2011-06-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

Well, not quite. Frankie's grade held a concert this week, and here are some videos...

Frankie was nervous and paused a few times during the rendition.....

Her friend performing on a keyboard...

Nice flute....

This kid played the violin well.....

All in all, it was a nice afternoon. More than half of her class take music lessons. Typically, Chinese parents prefer their kids playing music than sports.

The original Eine kleine nachtmusik: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT7_Y1pIBb4

Two years in Taiwan!

2011-06-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

Folks, its now almost two years since moving to Taiwan, and it still feels fresh and exciting.

We are still discovering new restaurants, and new places to visit. This pasta and pizza place is owned by an Aussie, and the food is very good, and very reasonable. It is packed wall to wall every time we go.

Frankie hitting balls at the driving range, across the road from our house.....

Frankie and her friends singing with a street musician on the weekends, a popular hangout for young people of Hualien.

Last weekend, there was a band and the singer was from Malaysia, speaks Cantonese. He asked me to jam with them, but I don't have my keyboard here in Taiwan.......

Our tennis team played in a tournament last week, and we won two matches and lost one, coming third place overall. We celebrated with dinner at an outdoor patio restaurant, with plenty of Heineken on draught......great evening with temperature around 30C.

Great news! Frankie finished her last exam yesterday, and guess what? She is #5 among her class of 43 students, top 5!!! This is beyond my expectation, and she did it all by herself. I'm a proud papa obviously, but what really matters, is the fact that she feels comfortable and has many friends now. She seldom mentions Canada anymore.....

We celebrated by taking her to an upscale steak house, and the food was fantastic. It costed us a fortune in Hualien standard: $50US, but it was worth every penny.

Frankie is 10!

2011-05-13T23:53:00.000-07:00

Ten years old. A teenager soon.....
We had a quiet dinner at home and no party.
As a local tradition, a BD person goes to school and brings a BD cake for everyone, and she did that. She received some gifts, and everyone had a good time.

With summer approaching, there is an abundant supply of local fresh fruits and vegetables, which is perfect for me the juiceman. Quality, quantity, and the price is right.

Seafood of fish and shellfish are also abundant, and I pick up whatever tickles my fancy during the morning trips to the local markets.

Its been over a year now since I shredded the extra 40 pounds, and have been able to maintain that weight, therefore, I eat quite freely and heartily as long as I continue to maintain my program of nutrition, exercise, hydration, & rest. Sure feels good after a good sweat and a shower, and when the temperature hovers around 30C, it is paradise......

The true benefits of drinking fresh raw juice from fruits & veggies by Juiceman Chan

2011-04-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

The human body is dependent on the quality of food and no less its compatibility with the needs of the body. If we do not eat, we die. Also, if we do not eat the kind of food, which will properly nourish the body, we not only die prematurely, but we suffer in the process. Our bodies produce one billion cells every hour--24 billion every day. To produce new cells and to maintain normal function in those cells, our bodies need to be supplied daily with the same elements with which they are composed. People have only recently awakened to this realization.

The body is continually producing acid in many forms. Acidic waste is being produced in every one of the one hundred trillion cells in our body. Acid-forming foods, such as protein, (especially animal protein, grains, coffee, alcohol, cooked and pasteurized, canned, refined foods, etc.), as well as acids of fermentation from undigested meals, petro-chemical residues from pesticides, chemical fertilizers, growth hormones, etc., all contribute to an acidic condition.

The enzymes that power our cells have a narrow pH (acid/base balance) in which they will be able to perform at optimum efficiency. When the pH is too acidic, the enzymes are not able to act as catalysts for chemical reactions to take place. The only way our bodies get alkaline minerals is through fresh raw fruit and vegetables. These alkaline minerals will balance or buffer the acids in the body and keep the enzymes happy and functioning well.
Recent research has shown that cancer cells can grow rapidly in an acidic environment, while an alkaline condition prohibits the growth of cancer cells in the human body. Therefore, to combat or to prevent cancer cells, it is imperative that we change our body PH from acidic to alkaline. Fresh raw fruit & vegetable juice is probably the most efficient and simple, yet delicious way to help achieve that.

The rays of the sun send billions of atoms into plant life, activating the enzymes and by this force they change inorganic elements into organic or life-containing elements for food.
The multitudes of people that have lived on, and are living on, primarily cooked foods, are in a state of decadence, confirmed by the toxic condition of their bodies. This is why we have such overcrowding of hospitals and why the astronomical amounts of painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, antacids, laxatives, etc., are sold annually; and why we have such a high incidence of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, emphysema, senility and premature deaths.

Summary
- Fruit juices are the cleansers of the human system.
- Vegetable juices are the builders and regenerators of the body.
- The juice is absorbed into the blood stream, much like an I.V., with no work of digestion.

Considering the facts of the above, no other foods or medicine in the world can assume the tasks of cleansing and rejuvenating the human body as simply, effectively, and efficiently. There is one side effect however on consuming fresh raw juices: frequent bowel movement! Three to four times a day is very common.

*** Very important:
The consumption of fruits either in solid or liquid form is best on an empty stomach, or, before meals. The reason is that fruits contain simple sugars which require no digestion. Thus they will not stay in our stomachs for long before being excreted. Other foods which are rich in fats, protein & starch require much longer time to digest thus staying in our stomachs much longer. Therefore, by consuming fruits after a meal, the fruit sugar will stay together with other foods inside our bodies far too long, causing fermentation and digestive problems.

Happy juicing!

Toastmasters conference in Taipei

2011-04-27T04:10:00.000-07:00

Needing desperately to find people to speak English with, I found and joined the local Toastmasters club here in Hualien a couple of months ago. Immediately, I was asked to help improve the quality of English, and I am glad to be of help. This weekend, our club president and I and a few others attended the spring conference in Taipei.

The quality of the speeches were excellent, and even for some non native English speakers, the contents and delivery were amazing.

There was a show after dinner and it was also very good. Most of them featured members of different clubs in Taiwan.

This is the first time that I have the opportunity to visit Taipei since moving to Taiwan. Most other times I was passing thru on the way to the airport, catching a plane to HK. It is not too different than what I experienced twenty years ago, but Taipei is definitely cleaner and more civilized.

Taipei 101 is certainly impressive, and the area it is in is not crowded as I would have expected. Nothing like HK of course. In fact, Taipei resembles an American city in some ways.....

It was a beautiful day with sunny sky, and temperature around 30C. One thing I did noticed is the women. Generally speaking, Taiwanese women are prettier than HK women, much easier on the eyes IMHO. Why is that? I cannot tell you. That just the way it is.

Women in Taipei are more cosmopolitan, nicely dressed and stylish. Women in Hualien are more down to earth, with slightly darker and healthier complexion. That is the difference between city and country living I guess.

It was an eye opener for me, and I am inspired and motivated to return to our home club, to help the club members to become more proficient in the English language. Toastmasters International has just reached mainland China recently, and clubs are springing up like bamboos everywhere. However, the clubs are underground as the Chinese government has not given permits for such clubs yet. There is a conference in Xiamen in May, and I'm thinking of going......

Jimmy in Hualien & Michael in Dongguan

2011-04-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

Jimmy came to visit us in Hualien and stayed with us.

Then we left for Dongguan together, and visited Michael who has a factory there.

Went to a seafood restaurant, and what a place it was. China is amazing in many ways by sheer numbers!

Tennis buddies

2011-04-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

Its been a year since I began playing tennis socially at the Hualien tennis club, and I have made good progress at making new friends with the local players.

I was invited to a group dinner after the games, and what a feast it was!

I was also invited to be a member of their tennis team, participating in tournaments and social events.

Frankie at school

2011-03-17T05:35:00.000-07:00

Frankie's school hours is actually 8am to 4pm, which is still quite long, comparing to the Canadian school hours. After 4pm, kids are allowed to stay in class to do homework or study, up until 7pm under a teacher's care. This is very welcomed by many working parents as they don't need to rush to pick up their kids. I usually pick Frankie up around 5pm when she usually finishes her homework.

This past weekend, the school had an outing at a local farm, and kids could catch some type of mud eels in the pond......

But her favorite spot is still the beach, which is 10 minutes from our house......We had a tsunami warning after the Japanese earthquake, and folks were nervous after watching the devastation in Japan. Thank God it never reached our shores here.

La jin 拉筋

2011-02-20T18:06:00.000-08:00

My 拉筋 bench arrived last week, costs about $270Cdn, made here in Taiwan.
If you want to know more about this wonderful stretching exercise, visit this link:
http://yixingtianxia.com/newpage/en/index.html

Year of the bunny

2011-02-05T20:44:00.000-08:00

Gung hay fat choy to everyone, its the year of the bunny!
Hualien county government spends a lot of money on fireworks, perhaps it is because the cost of fireworks is much cheaper here. We are treated to spectacular displays about every other month. I didn't even know there was fireworks for Chinese new year until I was promptly disturbed while I was doing laundry on our balcony. What a show it was!

Temperature has returned to normal after some cold days just before Chinese new year, it is now 18 to 25C which is very comfortable. Perfect weather for tennis and I manage to play about five hours everyday.

Xiamen & Gulangyu

2011-01-27T03:37:00.001-08:00

After spending two days in Kinmen, we are off to Xiamen for a three day visit, mostly because of Gulangyu. I read about that little island a few years ago, and have been wanting to see it in person. But first, we must take the fast cat across from Kinmen which takes an hour.

Xiamen is a city of about 4 million people, a nice city but nevertheless crowded and air quality is surprisingly poor for a coastal city.

Shopping and street browsing at night on Zhongshan road, similar to Nanjing Road in Shanghai.

Xiamen zoo: watch the very beginning of the video again..yes, the horses were mating, caught on camera!

Xiamen zoo has a safari, with tigers, lions, and brown bears. We have never seen animals so close and we were a bit nervous, especially with the bears just inches away, face to face.

Frankie took a ride on a horse, a first for her.....

Next day, we went to Gulangyu, a very small island only 10 minute ferry ride from Xiamen city. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but this once island paradise has fallen victim to commercialism just like most Chinese cities have in recent years. Tacky tourists rip offs, over priced restaurants, admission to every thing including pay toilets, and worst of all, dirty streets littered with cigarette buttes, spits, and unrecyclable garbage.

Nevertheless, we saw some beautiful heritage western architecture, and had lunch twice at a bistro which served the most fantastic pasta dishes and tiramisu to die for.

A very nice beach on Gulangyu.....

Back to Kinmen and a visit to small Kinmen island.

After two days on Gulangyu and a day in Xiamen city, we headed back to Kinmen.

A typical Kinmen village which has all of the characteristics of a typical Fujian style homestead from hundreds of years ago. Earliest recorded inhabitants arrived here in the Tang dynasty about 1600 years ago.

More Kinmen landmarks........

Best dumblings right here in Kinmen!

Where's the beef? Kinmen raises its own cattles, free range style. Although a little chewy and very lean, its not gamey like Aussie beef. Yes, chewy and lean beef is perfect for making beef jerky and Kinmen beef jerky with Sorghum liquor (高梁酒) is one nice treat.

Kinmen is also known for its knives. But a tiny island like this, where would all the steel come from? Apparently, there were over one million mortars dumped on the island by the communists during a twenty year period when Kinmen island was bombarded on a daily basis as Red China tried hard to invade Taiwan but failed obviously; anyways, some very smart folks in Kinmen began salvaging the steel from these shells and made knives and cleavers. To this day, there are still thousands upon thousands of unexploded bombs on the island and the steel industry has a long way to go.......Yes, some areas of Kinmen are roped off with warning signs of landmines......Naturally, with so many soldiers and civilians killed in fierce battles, there are abundant ghost stories.

From small Kinmen, we can see Xiamen city clearly. We hired a cab and toured the whole island in less than a day. Cost was $35 US. With Chinese new year just days away, we picked the perfect time to visit as we were the only tourists everywhere we went. Apparently the busy season starts a few days after the new year begins as most Chinese are too busy with their families before and during the new year celebrations. Good to know.

If you are interested to see more about Kinmen, here is a good video shot by a couple of fellows:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MevF6pR93gg&feature=player_embedded#

Winter vacation - Kinmen and Xiamen

2011-01-23T01:04:00.000-08:00

Frankie began her three week winter holiday and we will enjoy winter vacation together.
First, we go to Rebecca's father's birth place, Kinmen, which is an island off the coast of Fujian, mainland China. She has many relatives here, and it is an hour plane ride from Taipei.

We spent our first night at a local B&B which is a 150 year old traditional house, just like those we see in the movies.

Kinmen was and still is a special military base and it is Taiwan's frontier holding off the communists from invading the Taiwan islands. It was only about 15 years ago that Kinmen revoked its martial law and civilians were allowed on and off the tiny island at their own free will.

We drove by a vegetable field......Kinmen, like most Taiwan islands are agricutural.

Known for its 廣東粥, we had some at breakfast. Very good.

Here we visit Rebecca's grandmother's school which is now a tourist attraction.

Beautiful ancient buildings all over the island, with historical importance scarred by evidence of pirateship and wars. Due to the fact that Kinmen was off limits to the outside world until recently, tourism is still at its developing stage while Taiwanese government has begun a slow and painful process of restoration. In due time, Kinmen will undoubtly become a major tourist destination with its incredible history, strategic location between the reds and the blues, its gentle and friendly people, and its unique character carved from years of war weariness and yet showing very little of mental scars by its citizens.

Rebecca's uncle showed us more ancient homes which are now under restoration, and destined to become more B&Bs, which are leased to private operators.

Next stop is Kinmen national park........

Kinmen has many tunnels, built originally for military purposes, and now stops for sightseers.

Fresh oysters! We passed by an elderly woman in one of the villages as she was shucking fresh oysters by the hundreds, getting ready for Chinese new year in a few days. She told us to eat as much as we wanted! Even Frankie decided to try one and they were delicious. These oysters grow among the rocks just off the oceanside and they are quite small but succulent.

Here you see a war tunnel and it was eerie walking thru it. Finally we saw the light at the end of the tunnel..........

Our new home in Hualien, finally!

2011-01-17T17:58:00.001-08:00

After a few months of interior decorating, our new home is finally ready.
We moved in on 12/31, just in time for the new year.

It has three floors plus a basement, with a total space of 250 sq meters, or 2800 sq ft.

Downstairs is our media room, which doubles as a guest suite.

First floor is living room, kitchen and dining room.

Second floor is master bedroom and office.

Third floor is Frankie's room and library.

We have our first guests today visiting from Victoria, staying with us for a few days.

We welcome all of you (not at the same time please) to come visit and stay with us, soon.

Season's greetings!

2010-12-27T18:10:00.000-08:00

Frankie was picked to represent her school in a province wide English competition, and she did not dissappoint. She came in third, behind kids of higher grades.

Therefore, we celebrated by taking her to our favorite hotel restaurant across the street, for some dim sum.... Taiwan does not celebrate X'mas, but this year, X'mas happens to fall on a weekend, therefore, we had a holiday. Frankie was in a school play......

Then we went to a local noodle shop downtown.....

Check out this bowl of noodles.........

Our new house is finally ready after months of interior decorating. We will be moving in just before New year. I'll have all the videos posted soon.

The Asian games

2010-12-12T04:16:00.000-08:00

in Guanzhou this year, and I am there with Jimmy.

National anthem of China, just before the gold medal game between China and Korea, women's field hockey. China won in the shootout after tied 0-0 in overtime.

The main stadium.....

The entrance.......

In Dongguan, I'm staying at Dongtien garden, a very nice resort community and the price is right......

Visitors in October

2010-11-16T04:01:00.000-08:00

Well, we had a busy October, with my brother Sam and his wife Irene visiting from Canada...

We visited Taroko national park, and by the grace of God, they left the morning on Oct 21, just a few hours before the landslide at Suhua highway which claimed the lives of 26 people......

Then my school mates from forty years ago, sixteen of them arrived and visited for two days

It was our 40th reunion.

Small city, big service.......

2010-10-16T05:40:00.000-07:00

In a small town such as Hualien, which is similar in size and population as Victoria, I did not expect anything exceptional in the service and hospitality industry.
I was wrong.

Toyota dealership

Our Toyota dealer is simply awesome, something the Cdn dealers can learn and improve on. Here, they truly treat each customer as if he/she was the only customer.

In Canada, a simple oil change takes a whole day. You drop off the car in the morning, and pick it up in the afternoon. Well, we all know an oil change only takes a few minutes to do, why a whole day? In Hualien, when we book an appointment at 9am, they do the oil change at 9am! We have a coffee in their lounge, read a book, or surf the net, and car is ready in less than an hour, fully washed and touched up with paint, at the cost of an oil change. Now that is customer service.

Parkview Hotel

We've been in Hualien over a year now, but never patronized the Parkview Hotel, Hualien's 5 star resort. That is because local folks always say that it is too expensive. Well, I guess an all you can eat buffet lunch for $10 Cdn is a lot of money for most local folks because a take out lunch is only $2, but for us Canadians, that is a steal!

Also, for $10 Cdn, there is an all you can eat dim sum, served all day. And guess what? It is the best dim sum, unlike the two other hotels we tried before. We have given up hope that we could get some decent Cantonese style food here.......

Not just Cantonese, but Hong Kong style! All these just across from our new house.

Stella Marie Catholic school

In many ways, Frankie's school here in Hualien reminds me much of my old Catholic school in HK. Today, Frankie came in second in English composition, a competition which usually won by kids in higher grades. I guess its a bit of cheating, but when I think about it, being a native English speaker does not necessarily mean that you can write well. And Frankie writes very well, in Chinese also now. She injects some humour into her writing, which really stands out among the Chinese kids, because most Chinese kids write seriously, if not stoically.

Today is sports day at the school, and we attended. Nicely organized, and a beautiful day.

Here the kids sang the school song, and the National anthem......

The whole school works out to music.......

Here is Frankie running her leg of the relay. She is a good runner! What makes the relay special is that everyone in the class runs. Therefore, it is very exciting to watch as the lead changes all the time as some of the faster runners can make up lost ground in a hurry. It is also good for the kids because traditionally, only the best get picked to be in sports. Here, everyone participates.

As soon as the last race was over, it began to rain....lucky.

Clam bake

2010-10-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

I love clams, especially the fresh clams here in Hualien.
No sand, easy to cook, no fat, high protein and low cholesterol.

One pound of clams costs about $3 cdn, and I usually buy 2 lbs, which makes a wonderful lunch by itself. I also love observing them while alive, as they are quite active when bathed in sea water, and can stay alive for quite a while before cooking them.

I have not seen this type of clams in Canada, as most clams in Canada are smaller, and usually quite sandy.

There are also local snails, or escargots if you will. But I don't know how to cook them.....

Typhoon Fanapi

2010-09-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

9/17
Calm before the storm. Typhoon Fanapi should land in Hualien in 24 hours and we took the break to have a BBQ party......

9/19

Fanapi landed here at 8:40am local time, and the wind speed was 220km an hour. That is the takeoff speed of a 747!

Wind and rain died down considerably after the landing, but continues to be unstable for at least a day or two.........

9/20 The day after

Fanapi has left the island and currently landing at the China southcoast. I took my usual morning jog up to Meilun mountain but the debris was everywhere......quite a destruction. I guess this is the nature's way of recycling.....

Hualien being on the east coast had the strongest wind but little damage overall as the storm moves inland quickly. Most damages occur in the central and southern part of Taiwan as always, as the mountains trap the moisture and produce heavy heavy rainfall even after the storm has passed. I'm looking to play tennis today if the courts are not littered with fallen debris.....

Taiwan's president has mobilized its troops, over 20000 of them to aid during and after the storm. Most of them are in the south where mass flooding is taking place. Here in Hualien, the soldiers have been out cleaning up debris all day, and by late afternoon, it is hardly noticeable that a major storm landed 24 hours ago. My hat off to President Ma..........

Mission impossible: a new challenge

2010-09-18T05:01:00.000-07:00

Friend of a friend has heard about my weight loss success, and has asked if he could get some help for his daughter. Ya Ping is 25 years old, and has been fighting obesity most of her life. She currently weighs a whopping 180 lbs, and wants to lose 60 lbs.

Whew!

That is a challenge for sure.

She is a very pretty girl, and upon losing 60 lbs, she could be a model. I hope that prospect is enough to drive her to reach her goal. I am glad to help, offering support along the way....

The fact that she had the courage to wear a bathing suit for our "before" and "after" file, shows great determination and committment. Lets wish her success......

A funeral

2010-09-16T03:37:00.000-07:00

Feng Yi's grandma passed away last week, and we are attending her funeral in Chiayi today.
Due to traffic congestion, a normally six hour trip lasted nine hours......

Her grandma is 88 years old, prediseased by Feng Yi's mom and dad a few years ago. In this video, you will see the funeral possession from the chapel to the crematorium......

This is the first time for me to attend a traditional Chinese funeral, very different indeed. This next video shows the chambers of the crematoriums, there were six in total. Each corpse inside the coffin has a number, and must wait in line for the chambers. There were about ten waiting when we got there. It was a hot day, not the best day to be next to the incinerators. The smoke and fumes were just too much, so we left early. Her offsprings went back later in the afternoon to receive the ashes kept inside an urn, and the urn is placed at the memorial tower within the property which is government owned. This next video shows the chambers....

There was a lunch after the funeral, and we stayed an extra night so that we didn't have to rush home. Next day on the way home, we stopped in Lugang, an old harbor town which is very quaint and has historical values. The old town in this video was built during the Ching dynasty over 130 years ago, and has been preserved under government designation. It was a time capsule.....

An old European style mansion is now a museum, and we spent two hours inside. It was awesome. It is similar to Victoria's Craigdarroch castle. It housed a local baron and his family. He was one of the early Chinese settlers here in Taiwan, arriving from mainland China 150 years ago.

It was an excellent side trip. We arrived home six hours later.

To sir with love

2010-09-14T17:53:00.000-07:00

Teacher Pan invited us to a summer feast at his home. He had a mini banquet with three tables set up on his front lawn. This is a common event in Taiwan due to the nice warm evenings. Some wedding banquets take place on the streets with full catering, amazing.
Anyways, we met some of his students from the past, who keep in touch with him and come to dinner often, now with their own children. Many stories of course, much like our get togethers in HK with old school chums. Very special indeed.

Another teacher, my brother in law Robert, became a Christian this weekend, being baptized at his church. We were invited to attend....

Here is another day in paradise........

Weigh a minute......

2010-09-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

With over two months of eating and drinking in indulgence, my weight was 170 when I arrived home in Taiwan one week ago, gaining 10 lbs during my vacation in Canada. However, that did not cause a panic as I am now quite confident of managing my weight, given the favorable conditions around me. In Canada, conditions are not favorable for effective weight management as the generally cool climate does not allow enough sweating. A thoroughly good sweat daily requires constant hydration, which is an effective method of elevating the level of metabolism.

Although I was confident that I could lose the 10 lbs I gained while I was abroad, what I did not expect was how I could so so quickly, and not only losing what I gained, but more than I gained. Yes, 14 lbs in one week. Amazing but true. I am now at my lightest since I started my weight loss program early this year, from 201 lbs to 156 lbs, a total loss of 45 lbs. Ideally, I would like to be around 150 before year end.......

With that out of the way, its time to go shopping and stock up the fridge......

Although we eat mostly vegetarian, we do enjoy having varieties, particularly fresh local seafood. Veggies and fruits are abundant here, and dirt cheap. Hualien is not for everyone, but for folks like myself who loves eating and yet be able to manage our weight and stay healthy, this is truly paradise..........

Home again!

2010-08-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

Although I've lived in Canada most of my life, I feel that I am "home" when I return to Asia.
After spending summer in Canada visiting family and friends, its time to come home.....

First thing we did was to check on the progress of our new home, a block from the ocean and across from the Parkview Hotel and Hualien's one and only golf course.

Building is there, just waiting for some permits and then the crew from Taipei will come and start the interior.

Being away all summer, we missed the summer concerts here in Hualien, sponsored by the state government and free to all. This weekend is the last chance and we met up with friends to catch an evening of music, fun, and food. Unlike North America, outdoor concerts here are very civilized: volunteers supply plastic chairs, thousands of them so folks don't have to stand for hours. No worries of being thirsty or hungry: food and beverage vendors have everything you will need, from noodles to fried chicken, french fries to fresh fruits, roasted squid to raw sea urchins, fresh squeezed juices to Taiwan beer. What is interesting is that nobody got drunk.....Imagine serving beer outdoors in the public in Canada??????

The concert itself is beyond my expectations. The stage is extravagantly beautiful. The lighting is first class. Sound is awesome with five jumbo screens.

There was a thunderstorm at the beginning of the concert, and guess what? Volunteers distributed thousands of rain suits to the crowd so no one got soaked, and everyone stayed!! Rain lasted about 30 minutes, and it was really strange sitting there in pouring rain listening to music with thousands others. The tropical rain is so warm, and it was actually a good thing, because it cooled the evening down........

Some of the artists were first class entertainers, and popular local stars. I even know some of the songs. Warm up acts included mostly indigenous folks with songs and dance, and when my favorite "Gao Shan Qing" played, I was so excited that I messed up the video, but the music was clear........

Concert itself lasted about 3 hours, warm up acts were there all afternoon......My guesstimate is that the crowd was over ten thousand with visitors from Malaysia, Hong Kong and the mainland...Our friend in one of the videos is Michael, who was born and raised in Sooke! He now lives and works in Taipei and comes to Hualien often. He is one quarter Chinese and three quarters caucasian, but speaks Mandarin very well. He is good friend of Lisen, who succumbed to Cancer two months ago.....Lisen's two daughters spent a few years in the US, are friends of Frankie as they play together often.

After the concert ended, we were treated to a most fantastic fireworks show....

Fireworks literally exploded over our heads! The gunpowder smell and debris showered us, and we had to walk away to a distance.......the sound and brilliant colors were overwhelming, I have never experienced fireworks so close, except one time in Phuket where they had fireworks off the beach directly over our heads......Ten minutes of non stop fire power was one heck of a show, what a way to end a concert and an awesome evening in warm tropical weather.......glad to be home!

Sleepless in Seattle

2010-08-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

Before coming home to Hualien, we took a trip to Seattle...

After the duck ride on Lake Union, we went to the Seattle Needle....

Supper at P.F. Chang's China bistro, surprisingly good!

Then some sightseeing the next day, with stops at the art and music museums, Pike place market, Pioneer Square.........

Today, we are packing and ready to come home, leaving Victoria tomorrow morning, and arriving Hualien on 8/27.

Around town

2010-08-16T22:30:00.000-07:00

Victoria has an old Chinatown, dating back to the 1860s....

Victoria has many golf courses, and today, we played at the Bear Mountain which has 36 holes designed by Jack Nicklaus. The view is incredible, you can see all of Victoria at the top of the mountain. This is also where the Canadian Skins game is.

After the game, we have some cool drinks at the bar.......

Frankie goes camping.....

2010-07-31T21:49:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend to go camping! My brother Sam and his wife invited us along, and while Rebecca and I lodged overnight in a nearby motel, Frankie and grandma slept in the trailer.

But what caught our eyes was the camper his friend Glen has: it is a motorbus converted into a mobile home, nearly 500 sq ft of living space on board, with all the amenities of home.

The next day, we visited the world renowned Cathedral Grove national park, which houses the old growth forest with some of the oldest trees on the island.

We returned home the next day and Frankie went to work at picking blackberries from grandma's yard. Harvest comes early on the westcoast as fruits are ripening by late July and early August.

Frankie's cousin Jessica and her husband Matt taught Frankie how to make blackberry jam, and we brought home a jar of this wonderful homemade concoction.

A Canadian wedding

2010-07-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

A beautiful Canadian summer day for a wedding!

The groom, Eric is a pro golfer, born in US to Taiwanese parents. The bride, Melissa is a daughter of our good friends Jennifer and Whyte, here in Victoria.

A classic!

2010-07-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

When I moved to Taiwan in 2009, I left my beloved vehicle to my brother Barry. I bought it in 1990 and had it for 20 years. Thru years of neglect, it needed a lot of TLC.......

Well, one year later, Barry had brought this 1984 Porsche 928 back to showroom condition! It is simply gorgeous. No details have been overlooked. It drives just like when it was a baby, and looks brand spanking new. Porsche stopped production on the 928 many years ago, and a nice set of wheels like this is definitely a collector's item.

I'm glad it stayed in the family and what a job Barry did!

Beautiful Victoria, city of gardens.

2010-07-06T07:29:00.000-07:00

That is correct. Victoria is called "city of gardens" for our world famous Buchart Garden, and the distinctive floral landscape lining every street in this English influenced town named after Queen Victoria. I don't know why my grandpa picked this city as a permanent residence, but he sure made an excellent choice.

Victoria is at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, named after George Vancouver who was supposed to be the discoverer of this Pacific island, about the size of Taiwan. Climate is moderate with single digits in the winter and reaching the teens in the summer. Its generally cool, breezy, and misty. Best months are July, August and September with day time temperature in the 20s. Victoria had the largest Chinatown in Canada at one time due to the arrivals of laborers from China in the 1800s, all of them landing here first before being sent to various parts of BC to fulfill their obligations. My grandpa was one of them who came here in 1910 at the age of 18.

O Canada!

2010-07-05T10:20:00.001-07:00

This is my first update since coming home to Canada.
We just celebrated our national birthday, but the weather has been dismal so far. I miss the heat of Taiwan. Its between 10 and 18C here most days and that is worse than winter in Hualien! Its great to see mom, relatives and friends. Its also great to play music with our band again.

So far I am maintaining my weight loss, although I have gained 2 to 3 lbs since coming home, which is expected. I sweat much less here, eat more, and sleep more.

Homeward bound

2010-06-12T22:02:00.000-07:00

Like Forrest Gump would say: I'm going home to see mama....
I'm leaving on a jet plane, midnite tonite. This message and video is for my mama....

The most rewarding part of a workout is the food after, and here in Hualien, we have some most excellent vegetarian food, which is ideal after exercise.

Leaving Hualien soon...

2010-06-07T03:34:00.000-07:00

We are going back to Canada to spend summer, so we have a few days left here and friends are saying goodbye.
We invited two of Frankie's school mates to lunch.....

Then I took Frankie and two other friends to Ocean Park for some R&R....

With the weather so nice here, it is a real pleasure to go downtown on the weekends to rub shoulders with the locals. For such a small town, Hualien really comes alive in the evening as the balmy climate is very inducive to outdoor crowds.....

Frankie was craving for a steak tonite, so I took her to Hualien's best, and also most expensive. Food is very good, and the steaks are North American style, charbroiled to perfection. There is a choice of USDA and Australian beef. I like USDA better, the Aussie steaks are quite gamey and slightly chewy. This is my first steak since my weight loss program. It was nice, but I really do not miss it. In fact, my 10 oz steak dinner with two jumbo Canadian oysters sat in my stomach for two days. How do I know that? I purposely weighed myself before and after dinner, and my weight increased by 3 pounds. That happens too after a vegetarian buffett, but the glaring difference is: by bedtime, those 3 pounds from a vegetarian meal is gone; but with the steak dinner, those 3 pounds stayed with me until three days later....isn't that amazing? Think what the meats will do sitting in our stomach for a few days....yes, toxic waste is right!

Our friends treated us to Brunch today, a farewell gathering so to speak. We have formed a very cordial relationship with our new found friends, and we will miss them for over two months.....They took us to a vegetarian buffet and it was awesome. The variety, texture and taste is beyond what most folks think is possible without meats.

Mission accomplished, part two.

2010-05-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

Well folks, losing all those weight means nothing unless my bloodwork improves. I was prescribed Lipitor a year ago but I refused to take it, clinging to the hope that I could lose weight......thus lowering my cholesterol and improving other vital functions of the internal organs. I took a bloodtest on 12/30 just before I began my weight loss program, and the numbers were scary. I was not surprised because I had similar disastrous numbers from my family doctor in Victoria for the past two years. I was told to go on medication but I was on denial. I was damn lucky that I did not suffer a heart attack or stroke during all that time, I could have.
So, after losing 40 lbs, how much effect will it have on my bloodwork?

I got my report today and here are the numbers:
Triglyceride - 47 now, 133 before, normal is 30-150.
Total cholesterol - 183 now, 264 before, normal is 0-200.
Blood sugar - 78 now, 96 before, normal is 60-100.
Uric acid - 5.9 now, 7.1 before, normal is 3.0-7.0.

An amazing and very drastic improvement, with all numbers now well within a safe normal range. I am a happy guy.
Six months ago, this was just a dream.......but dreams do come true sometimes.

Mission impossible? - mission accomplished!

2010-05-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

What I thought was mission impossible four months ago is now mission accomplished. My dream goal of losing 40 lbs before summer is now reality. Today I weighed in at 159.5 lbs, a total loss of 41.5 lbs since Jan this year.

Here I am, accepting my gift for the weight loss challenge program from Mr Chau. Now the real work begins to maintain my weight at current level, which is a tougher task than the weight loss itself. I know. Been there, done that myself.

For anyone out there who also needs to shed a few pounds, my only advice is: keep it simple and stay disciplined. Don't try to re-invent the wheel. Just follow those who are successful at losing weight before you, and do what they do, and you too, will realize your dream in a few short months. Good luck.

Almost there.....

2010-05-11T03:21:00.000-07:00

The days are getting warmer as we head into summer soon. Morning temperature is in the mid to high 20s, and by afternoon, in the low 30s. Evenings are very balmy with temp in the high 20s again. This summer, we will be back in Victoria enjoying the cool northwest breeze and skip the searing heat of Hualien.

I am ounces away from reaching my goal of 40 lb weight loss, as I continue my program and not let it slip away. Almost there folks..........

Frankie's 9th birthday

2010-05-09T01:39:00.000-07:00

This is Frankie's first BD outside of Canada, and she has two different parties with two different groups of friends.

First party was on Saturday with our friends from Herbalife, and what a bunch of great people. These are friends first, business second.

Second party was on Sunday with her friends at a KTV. She calls them KTV divas.......Then we finished the day off at a local arcade, her preferred place to play.

Faces of Herbalife

2010-05-06T05:20:00.000-07:00

On the left of the picture is Joe Loang, a 42 year old retired army officer. He retired early due to health reasons. He could hardly walk because his knees were so painful, from excess build up of uric acid. Since using Herbalife two months ago, his condition has steadily improved, now walking freely.
Fellow in glasses is Mr Chau.
He has been using Herablife for two years. He is now 78, but age analysis is 52. His bloodwork is now all normal, but not so two years ago when his cholesterol was sky high, matching his blood pressure, body fat, blood sugar, etc etc.....

At 78, Mr Chau has more hair than I do, and mostly black. He goes dancing every morning, and travels often when he is not at his eatery which is one of the oldest "xiao loang bow" shops in Hualien. This guy is only two years younger than my mom!!

And here is Frankie. I also started feeding Frankie the same nutritious breakfast on top of what she normally eats to ensure she has the proper nutrition everyday. Hopefully this will help rid her of her allergies and skin irritations.

And here is a sweaty guy after his daily morning hike and run. Currently my weight is down to 165 lbs, a loss of 36 lbs so far since Christmas. Four more pounds to go and my goal is achieved. I was hoping to do that before going to Victoria for the summer, and looks very promising right now. Next week, I will have my bloodwork, and that will be the moment of truth.

about Herbalife

2010-05-06T04:42:00.000-07:00

Herbalife products are not the only health products and may not even be the best out there, but since I started using them five months ago, the results are obvious. Of course, no products alone can help us lose weight and maintain health, and Herbalife preaches that. For my friends and family who are interested in achieving their own goals of a healthy lifestyle, I will not re-invent the wheel, but share with you what works for me, and many others before me.
#1 - a balanced nutrition.
#2 - maintaining an acceptable level of body fat.
#3 - adequate intake of water daily. (actually, hourly)
#4 - plenty of rest (try to be asleep before 10pm)
#5 - adequate daily exercises.
That is it folks.
Simple, but not easy.
Herbalife helps me with a balanced nutrition everyday, and encourages me to drink between 5000 to 6000CC of water daily. I'm doing that, non stop since Jan 2010.
My body fat has come down dramatically, but can still go lower. I have six more lbs to lose to reach my goal of losing 40 lbs, and that should help.
I can sleep better and more, but I do fall asleep before 10pm everyday, almost.
I get three to four hours of exercise everyday, and sweating every minute of those three to four hours. Its a great way to rid of toxins in our bodies.

Above is the table which illustrates different levels of body fat for men and women.

When I began my program, my body fat was 33%, which was the second highest on the chart, and at that level, I was a prime candidate for either a heart attack, or stroke. Now five months later, my body fat is 23%, which is one heck of an improvement. I would like to be under 20%.

Some propaganda from Herbalife........

more propaganda.....but this is a true story. I've met this guy in person, and he is currently down to 90kg, freaking unbelievable!!! He is the poster boy of Taiwan herbalife.

and this could be my poster boy. Raymond is Nancy Hong's uncle in HK. He was shocked when he saw me from my recent trip to HK/China. I was about the same shape as he is now, and he wants to try to do what I have done. So I signed him up with Herbalife in HK, so that he has access to the same products I use, and if it works for him, he has a new business by doing the same for his friends.

Good luck Raymond.

Good to be home

2010-05-04T04:55:00.000-07:00

After three glorious weeks in China/Hong Kong, it feels good to be home again. Its strange, having lived in Canada for 37 years and less than one year in Taiwan, when I think of home, I think of Taiwan. What I really missed is the clean air, blue sky, warm sunshine, friendly folks, my early morning hike and run in the mountain, my afternoon tennis, and most of all, the vegetarian food of Hualien.

I used to crave for the Cantonese dim sum, noodles, roast duck, and many other regional dishes of China when I visit HK/southern China, but this time, I was craving for the vegetarian dishes of Hualien. So, upon returning home, I paid my visit to our favorite Veggie restaurant. The two most important factors in deciding whether I like a certain food is flavour, and texture. Amazingly, this veggie restaurant has over 40 dishes of very flavorful plant based concoctions, and all with different texture. Following a strict buddhist guideline, no garlic or onion are used for flavouring, but ginger, hot peppers, basil, and cilantro are generously infused, sometimes as a combination, and sometimes alone, resulting in some very palatable experiences.

Another thing I missed while I was away was watching the take offs and landings of the F16s at the local airport which serves as a military airport also. I love the sound and the sight of the exhilarating acceleration at take offs, which only takes about 3 seconds before airborne. Landing is equally exciting as they flare about 30 feet above my head before touching down. Flying a small single engine plane cannot compare to an F16, but it does bring back beautiful memories. Flying solo for the first time is something I will never forget, the experience is up there with finishing my first and only marathon......and the three hole in ones.

Made in China

2010-05-03T05:54:00.000-07:00

Met up with a few boys in China for some R & R these next two weeks....

here are more golfing videos....

The young and beautiful......Chinese women caddies. Very modest, most come from the inland provinces where job opportunties are scarce. Working at the golf courses, they make about $200US a month, room and board, which is very good at current standards.

The 5 star hotel I stay at costs me about $70 a nite, which is expensive from local standard, but well worth it to me, because I use their recreational facilities everyday. I manage to run 10k every morning at under 50 minutes, which is a real surprise since I have not run this kind of distance, and certainly not at this speed, for a very long time........Some of my friends ask how I could lose so much weight so fast. Well, the answer my friends, is all about nutrition and calories. My Herbalife breakfast supplies me with my whole day's nutrition at about 100 calories. And as you can see from the video, running a 10k burns up 550 calories, therefore, I have effectively wiped out 450 calories from existing inventory (fat build up). Add a sensible lunch and a light dinner, and some tennis in between, and my whole day's calorie intake will be less than what it burns, which is the only way to a healthy weight loss. I am truly grateful to Yueling and Herbalife who has been my major support on this life changing journey.

Went to Hong Kong to pick up some Herbalife products for some of my friends, who are very much interested in losing a few pounds like I have.

Then I met Mr Bean at the hotel who wanted to play tennis. Actually, Mike is from SanFrancisco, but a dead ringer for the British comic. Decent tennis player also, had some great single matches with him.

50th anniversary

2010-04-11T02:24:00.000-07:00

Yes, Frankie's school is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and there was an open house this weekend. The school was started by a French nun, a missionary who came to Taiwan 50 years ago.

Frankie was a volunteer and helped with raising money by selling pop corn. The task did not last long as there was just too much fun to be tied down to a job.......great day, great weather, and great fun.

Tsu Chi Foundation 慈濟基金會

2010-04-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

Hualien is the birthplace of one of the most significant foundations in the world. Tsu Chi Foundation : http://www.tzuchi.org/ was started single handely by a buddhist nun here in Hualien nearly 50 years ago. It has grown into a huge organization with offices, staff, and volunteers all over the world. It has established its four missions: charity, medicine, education, and culture. Tsu Chi volunteers are always one of the firsts to reach global disaster areas offering assistance, food, water, and aids. The first time I came across them was the very next day after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, in Victoria where volunteers in blue uniforms were on the street corners collecting donations.

The auditorium and education center is absolutely magnificient. It was designed by the master herself who is a nun and has no architectural background. It is simply amazing. This is one of the "must sees" in Hualien.

My cousin's wedding

2010-04-04T19:43:00.001-07:00

Actually, it is Rebecca's cousin's wedding.

It is a two day event with the first wedding banquet in Chiayi, the groom's home; and then the second wedding banquet at the bride's home in Pingtung.

We left Hualien Friday noon and arrived at our hotel in Chiayi in the evening, a seven hour road trip.

Hotel is very nice and the price is right. Frankie is happy as long as she has her own bed...

Because the couple is already living together and away in Kaoshiung, it is symbolic to follow the Chinese custom of bringing the bride home, therefore, the groom's party drove two hours to Pingtung to pick up the bridal party and brought them to the groom's family home in Chiayi. Frankie was the "door girl" who opened the door for the bride and received a nice "red envelope". Easy money she said.....

Then it was the wedding banquet........

Followed the next day with another banquet at the bride's hometown hosted by her family......

Weight watcher

2010-03-31T17:39:00.001-07:00

Left picture on 12/31 at 201 lbs. Right picture on 3/31 at 171 lbs. So far so good, as I lost 30 lbs in three months.

Most importantly, my body fat and organ fat continue to drop, now at acceptable levels. Age analysis is a big surprise, as I went from 71 three months ago to now 47. That is most incredible as the computer does not know my actual age, only with the data collected. A difference of 24 years!!! This is the most motivating factor as I continue to return to health and fitness.

Thankyou for your support.

Going green....

2010-03-29T03:46:00.000-07:00

There is a significant percentage of Taiwanese people who are vegetarians. Even for non vegetarians, they often have vegetarian meals for either religious or health reasons. Therefore, it isn't difficult to find vegetarian restaurants here. However, most of them are not health conscious. Trying to compete with non vegetarian establishments, many of these so called vegetarian places rely heavily on MSG, artificial flavoring, coloring, and oils; resulting in very salty, greasy, and rich tasting food which can actually cause health problems. Upon the recommendation of the vegetarian community, we visited a veggie buffet restaurant today, and it is a gem.

This place is very clean, well staffed, and very organized. They use organic foods as much as possible. They also use olive oil ( I can taste it in the noodles), and low sodium sea salt. Most importantly, they use low heat cooking on all their foods. As we know, high heat cooking causes oils to burn and produces carcinogen which causes cancer.......But what good is it if the food is tasteless as many so called organic restaurants tend to serve boring crap such as alfafa sprouts and multi grain bread........

Not here. Every dish tastes great and different. We have to stop before we over eat. We bought a book of twenty meal tickets for around $100Cdn, therefore, each meal costs $5. Excellent healthy food at superb value, only in Hualien.

After lunch, I had some time to kill before playing tennis, and since I had not touched a club for months, I went to the driving range to see if my lighter body has any effects on my golf swing.

Yes! As you can see from my finish, I have a much fuller follow thru with a nice body turn which I did not have before. This adds a bit of distance but most importantly, a cleaner contact and a straighter ball flight.

Take a hike!

2010-03-27T04:06:00.000-07:00

Yes we did. This is the first time for Frankie to hike up Meilun mountain, which is similar to Mount Doug in Victoria. Its a beautiful Saturday morning and her tennis class is cancelled today due to a tournament, so we took the opportunity and spend some quality time together. Temp is a perfect 25C, but we still managed to work up a sweat. This is where I hike and run everyday for an hour.

There is a beautiful deck at the top of the mountain where folks rest, exercise, take pictures, play music, and some paint. You can see Hualien city below, with mountains to the west and ocean to the east.

Frankie loves nature, and she helps me see things which I normally am too blind to see. Like little butterflies resting on tree leaves, little flowers among the bushes, insects dangling among tree limbs, and some caught in the spider webs..........she also loves sketching, as she carries a pad of papers and pencil in her pouch, and draws sketches of things which she finds interesting.

Here is her quick sketch of a cat........