Last 2018, me and my sister Ate Judy went to Taipei in Taiwan. We were there for four days and during our third day, we decided to split up with our own itineraries. We were so excited and a little bit nervous too because it will be my sister's first time to travel alone, so I was quite nervous for her but also excited so she can experience how it is. She decided to took up the high-speed train south all the way to Taichung, a city in the south. I on the other hand really wanted to go up Yangmingshan Mountain and around the trail leisurely and hopefully catch some Autumn leaves which I have always wanted (and which I did not catch, sadly, since they all have fallen of already).
Selfie with Canadian Missionary Dr. George Leslie Mackay
I had an awesome time and I got back to our apartment just after lunch time. I rested for a couple of hours and decided that since it's still early, I'll ride the train going to another city in the north, Tamsui. the journey to Tamsui from Taipei took two metro train rides which were not so long, around 30 minutes in total. Tamsui is situated at the northwestern tip of the island of Taiwan so the views were nice on the way there. I alighted the train and the first thing I noticed was the Spanish inspired design of the station.
Brick train station of Tamsui
Okay I hope you don't get fed up with my selfies, I was alone that time haha but there you have behind me was the train station. It is symbolic since Tamsui was once a fort by the Spaniard during the area of colonialism which also colonized my islands for 333 years that's is why it looks very familiar to me.
The first thing I visited was the Catholic church so I can say a prayer and make a wish. For us Filipino Catholics, we have this tradition that whenever we visit a church for the first time, we can say a prayer and make a wish and it will come true, okay that's not in the bible I know.
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church
I spent a good few minutes resting from my uphill walk and said my prayers before leaving. It was very quiet and empty but it was open so I decided to go inside and lit a candle at the candle station just outside.
I then went down to continue my leisurely walk downtown. Downtown Tamsui was packed with people and tourists enjoying the perfect cool weather of Taiwanese November. I was looking around from shops, to restaurants, to street hawkers selling their delicacies and pastries and at a small junction, there was this statue.
Dr. George Leslie Mackay
Dr. George Leslie Mackay was a Canadian missionary who devoted his life for the objective of making the lives of the native Taiwanese better. He was a Presbyterian missionary that founded a number of hospitals and colleges all across Taiwan. This statue is a commemoration of his life and his works for the love of the Taiwanese people.
Following where the people went, it led me to a Presbyterian church standing on top of a hill just downtown along the shops. It was beautiful and humble and that day there were a lot of people. I was so curious as to why they were a lot of people when it was not a church day. But before I decided to check the happenings, I asked a kind lady to take a photo of me in front of the church.
Tamsui Presbyterian Church
See the people behind me, it really got me curious so I thought maybe I can check it out since it's still a bit early. So nosey me got into the church and I saw this people lining up on a queue going to the front of the church where there's a guy that seems to be a celebrity taking a photo with the people. I just found out that he was a famous baseball player in Taiwan.
Baseball is a famous sport in some East Asian countries including Japan and South Korea. The organizers there were greeting me and motioning me to the side of the church. At first I thought they were showing me the exit but then I realize they led me to the end of the queue!
It's kinda funny because I had no plans of queueing up I was just stuck with the crown inside and had no chance because if I leave the line, I would have to excuse myself with the people behind me and people might think I'm disrespecting the athlete so I just went in and had a photo with him.
A photograph with Brothers Baseball Club's Choi Szu Chi
I did not know him at all before this because I am not a sporty person but I was happy that day because he was a very cool guy and was even surprised when I shook his hand and told him I'm from the Philippines. After a few photos, I thanked him and again another organizer stopped me and gave me this pentagon frame with a signature which I reckon was Mr. Choi's. I still have that autograph with me to this day, an unforgettable souvenir.
Mr. Choi Szu-chi of the Brothers Baseball Club
After that, it was starting to get dark, I did a phone call with my sister and she was still in Taichung. I told her that I'll go ahead and board the train back to Taipei where I'll be looking for a church so I can hear Mass since she's still hours away.
We'll just never know what's in a place and what surprises are in store for us especially on spontaneous side trips like the one I did! I wanted to try some of the cakes and sweets that I saw but I kinda miss my sister so I just did not since she was there and we'll just have something nice for dinner when she arrives back.
I would like to apologize for my two week absence, I had a lot on my plate in the last two weeks and at the moment, we are back on the strictest lockdown here on the Philippines (We have been on lockdown since March 2020, it's really tiring because it just gets worse and worse). But please do know that I think about all of you and pray for all of you my dear blog friends!
**UPDATE: Thank you very much to my College Best Friend Ralph from Toronto who gave me great advises on design and helped me get this fresh new blog layout! Clean and fresh I think! Do you guys like it?
This week, I would like to go back to one of my most memorable trips to one of my favorite destinations, Kyoto. I know I have featured this city on a past post last year but it's just that this historic place just keeps visiting my thoughts in the past few weeks so why not share those timeless snapshots with all of you.
Let me run down my shots and I'm leaving the stories to you. Can you pick a favorite? What story or feeling did that shot give you?
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I would love to welcome and invite everyone to join Timeless Thursdays.
Timeless Thursdays is open for anyone who wishes to share old photos or old thoughts that you would like to share as beautiful memories with everyone. This can be from yesterday, a year ago, or something from your grandma's treasure chest.
This runs every Thursday at 12 am (Manila/Perth Time) until Sunday at 11:59 pm (Manila/Perth Time)
This pandemic, as much as I can, I always travel through my past post and look at my old timeless pictures and adventures whether it be on my phone, on my blog, or on YouTube. This week, let me take you to an island nation on top of our archipelago, Taiwan!
It was my 15th country/territory, Taiwan was. Since the island nation above the Philippines has opened its doors to Filipinos last 2017 and imposing a temporary visa-free policy for a year which was then extended to another year from July 2018 to July 2019, many Filipinos, including myself, made plans to visit and see what Taiwan has to offer.
Officially the Republic of China, Taiwan is the place where the nationalist leader Chiang Kai Shek fled to exile and established the Chinese republic when the communist party led by Mao Zedong took over the mainland. through the years, Taiwan went nowhere but up and the success of its industry and finance has fortified the nation into being one of the richest countries not just in Asia but in the whole world.
WATCH: Steven's Queue VLOG#39 - Ni Hao Taiwan!
Me and my cousin Ate Judy flew to Taipei last November 2018 and we spent the first day looking around the capital city of Taipei. We flew in via Cebu Pacific Air on their earliest flight from Manila.
Taoyuan International Airport (TPE)
From our place at Minquan Station (we stayed here for 4 days at a private room at a condo via AirBnB), we took the Subway all the way to our first destination which is the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial. via the Red Subway Line, it took us just 5 stations to reach the memorial hall which is one of the major landmarks of Taiwan.
Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Station is a junction for both the Red Line and Green Line of MRT.
(L) Me inside the Taipei Metro (R) Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Complex
The complex was vast! Aside from the memorial hall, there are two halls that are built in traditional Chinese style, the National Concert Hall and the National Theater Hall. They were not open when we visited so we were not able to explore whats inside both halls.
WATCH: Steven's Queue VLOG#40 - Chiang Kai Shek Memorial
When me and my cousin continued walking through the entrance to the complex from the station, we saw our high school classmate and friend April who has been living and working in Taiwan for 7 years now. She is accompanied by her boyfriend Roilan and it was a happy moment to see her after so long. She went all the way to Taipei from Hsinchu just to see us that afternoon.
There is no entrance fee to pay when visiting the Memorial complex, even through the Memorial Hall and the museum that is located at its base. I think it is a must to visit this place which is why it is also the very first landmark we visited not just for its beauty but to give respect to Taiwan's leader Chiang Kai Shek.
Ate Judy, Me, April, and Roilan - Groupfie Time!
Climbing through the stairs at the Memorial Hall, it led us to the tomb of the Nationalist leader wherein a changing of the guards ceremony is taking place. Everyone was quiet and solemn as we all silently watch the ceremony. Travelers from different nation were present during that afternoon's program.
(L) Changing of the Guards (R) Intricate design of the Tomb's ceiling
After the ceremony, we decided to go down and visit the museum that is housed right below the tomb, at the hall's ground floor. It has an exhibit of photographs and memorabilla related to the life and legacy of Chiang Kai Shek. I really did enjoy the exhibit that shows his garments and clothing that showed a fusion of both traditional Chinese clothing and modern day attires.
(L) Chiang Kai Shek's Coat (R) Me and Chiang Kai Shek
Bethelites Batch 2006 at Taipei
We then said our goodbyes to April and Roilan and me and my Ate continued on our adventure around the city. We then went to Taipei Central Station where we are about to ride the Taipei Sightseeing Tour - Hop On, Hop Off Bus. We got our tickets at Klook.com. They have a 4-hour ticket which costs Php 450 while a 24-hour unlimited pass costs Php 899. We purchased the 24-hour unlimited ride with stops at major tourist attractions in the city.
WATCH: Steven's Queue VLOG#41 - HOP ON - HOP OFF TAIWAN
Our first stop is Ximen Junction wherein we visited the famous and historical theater called The Red House. It was constructed by a team led by a Japanese architect Kondo Juro which was originally made to become a public market. It was then turned into a theater and now, a museum and cafe.
Me and my Ate Judy at The Red House
Ximending District is very busy and I can even compare it as a quainter version of Tokyo's Shibuya Junction. Shops and restaurants lined up the streets and smaller alleys led to a lot of other stores and establishments. It was full of life, especially at that time of the afternoon which was about just an hour before sunset.
(L) Selfie Time with the 'Locals' of Ximen (R) Loved this little alley across Ximen
To be honest, we were not able to maximize the 24 hour ticket that we purchased because we started the bus ride late at around 5 pm and the last round trip is at 7:30 in the evening. But nonetheless, we can say it was worth it because we did a round trip sightseeing on it's final trip and we were able to see the sights of Taipei during nighttime, it was beautiful!
The last full round-trip that we did was on the Taipei Sightseeing Tour Bus's Red Line. It starts and ends its route at Taipei Main Station and passes through important locations such as the Ximending District, Taipei 101, and the Sun Yat Set Memorial Hall.
(L) Me taking videos at the Taipei Sightseeing Bus (R) Taipei 101 at Night
Just like any other East Asian country, Taiwan is a well developed nation and truly one with the first world. Its infrastructures and efficient public transport makes it not just a good place to visit and travel to, but also a perfect place to live and work in.
Locals are very nice and disciplined and a barrier I did experience was language as to not all locals are fluent in the English Language but if you are lost, it's not hard to find a younger generation Taiwanese which can help you find your way.
Visit Taiwan, and experience 'The Heart of Asia'
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I would love to welcome and invite everyone to join Timeless Thursdays.
Timeless Thursdays is open for anyone who wishes to share old photos or old thoughts that you would like to share as beautiful memories with everyone. This can be from yesterday, a year ago, or something from your grandma's treasure chest.
This runs every Thursday at 12 am (Manila/Perth Time) until Sunday at 11:59 pm (Manila/Perth Time)
Me above the Frozen Hai River in the City of Tianjin
We visited the City of Beijing in Northern China, the country's Capital City, last Winter at the beginning of January 2013. On our third day, January 11, 2013, we decided to visit the nearby City of Tianjin miles away southwest of Beijing. Via the Bullet Train running at the maximum speed of 295 kph, we arrived at the Tianjin Central Station just 30 minutes from Beijing! It was our very first experience riding the Bullet Train.
Me, My Dad and my Ate Judy had so much fun during our day tour around the Beautiful frozen City. Though smog was rampant it added to the beauty of the city (for me). Here are some of the pictures we shot while doing our walks around the City's downtown.
Me posing on a Beautiful Intersection lined up with French Styled Buildings
While waiting for Daddy at the Restroom, munching on this weird Meat Wrap that tastes sooo good!
Me and Daddy at the Italian Style Town looking for the Starbucks Shop to get my Mug.
Daddy on a smoggy Tianjin afternoon in front of Tianjin's Iconic Clock.
Just before leaving, outside the Train Station
I love the streets of Tianjin and these houses reminds me of Movies shot in New York
Tianjin is a beautiful City which is a mixture of Chinese Culture and beautiful French and Western Architecture. The weather was really cold and I really like it so much! One of the reasons why I love such weather is that I can wear clothes that I cannot wear in the heat of my Philippines! I just wish someday I can spend winter again on a very cold place such as China, such as the quiet-in-winter city of Tianjin.
Never Stop Dreaming!
Steven :)
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I would love to welcome and invite everyone to join Timeless Thursdays.
Timeless Thursdays is open for anyone who wishes to share old photos or old thoughts that you would like to share as beautiful memories with everyone. This can be from yesterday, a year ago, or something from your grandma's treasure chest.
This runs every Thursday at 12 am (Manila/Perth Time) until Sunday at 11:59 pm (Manila/Perth Time)
One of the things I really enjoy about travel especially during the times when I still don't have much means to see the world, is collecting. I love collecting everything about countries and cultures. I remember when I was in high school, my friends would help me with my coin collection by looking for some coins from other countries, especially my classmates who were children of seafarer fathers.
Me on a Chinese Post Mailbox in Xiamen (2014) and a postcard sent by my Chinese friend Sean (2012)
Before we continue with this post, may I invite you to visit Stevenson's Postcards Blogby clicking the banner below. I love the banner I made from the stamps of a postcard I received from Ukraine, one of the countries who really give importance to their philatelic stamps.
You can also visit my Postcards blog through the end of the top menu of this blog.
More to this, banknotes, mugs, stamps, figurines, and yes, the old-school postcards. I was already on the beginning of my working years when I found out about the gem of a website called postcrossing.com where it helped me send and receive postcard to and from total strangers. Total strangers who some of them became my life long friends who even until now I haven't met but still get in touch with. I haven't been active to postcrossing for many years now but I just had the urge last weekend to try and revisit my old postcard boxes. Glad that I did because I get to reminisce on a lot of memories, times that I would love to bring back soon when this pandemic gets over.
One of my favorites - Yuri Gagarin, first man on space.
With this, I thought of a way to not just organize my postcard collection, but also to share them with those would love to see my collection. Most of my postcards have different subjects but my favorites are traditional costumes of countries, men in military outfits, and notable people. I also love map postcards and landscape views. So I thought last Sunday as a stress reliever for a heavy week that passed, to start a blog for my postcards. Not much words, just the front and back of my postcards per post and a sentence about it. And of course, the beautiful stamps that were used to send these precious cards to my mailbox here in the Philippines.
Sent to me by my sister Judy. This was an emotional find for me, it was the first trip that we were not together due to booking conflicts. That month, she went to Coron Island while I visited Japan.
There's just so much stories as I browsed through my collection. A lot made me nostalgic, some made me teary eyed just like my sister's postcard above from Coron Island in Palawan, Philippines, while a few made me laugh like the one below were I sent myself a postcard from the US while I was in Imperial Beach in California (Is that normal? To send one's self a postcard?)
Sent myself a postcard to the Philippines while I was in California. What's with the emo message?
Just like blogging that led me to know a lot of friends, postcrossing and postcards have been a good way of leading me to amazing people who lives across the world who are destined to be my life-long friends. An example is the postbox shaped postcard I featured on the very first part of this blog, which was sent by Sean from China. He was just a high schooler when I receive his postcard (he sent the 3rd postcard I ever received from postcrossing). and almost a decade now, he is now working in Shanghai and I am very proud of it just like a big brother.
I still have contact with a number of the friends I met through postcrossing and I am very grateful for the friendship that we have through the years. I haven't got the chance to meet any of them though. Last December would have been a first when I was about to meet up in Amsterdam with a very close German friend who I knew from postcrossing 8 years ago (He was about to drive 4-5 hours through his motorcycle from Hamburg). His hotel has been booked for our meeting but unfortunately, days before our meeting, an emergency happened to her mother. We were both sad about it but I am still hopeful I'll get to meet him in God's time.
Aus dem schönen und mächtigen Land Henry
And speaking of Germany, one of our dearest friends Iris Flavia from Braunschweig did send me a postcard which makes me super happy, I don't know if she knows this but her postcard is the first one I received for 2020! (Not counting a couple of Christmas cards from my dear friends from Russia and Finland that I only get to see when I got back home from Europe which were sent from 2019).
I thank each and every person stranger and friends who sent me these beautiful postcards through the years. I believe I have almost 500 in the span of me being active in postcrossing 5 years ago. Hopefully I can get back to postcrossing because I really love receiving postcards from different places, and of course sending them as well :)
Never stop making friends beyond borders!
Stevenson
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I would love to welcome and invite everyone to join Timeless Thursdays.
Timeless Thursdays is open for anyone who wishes to share old photos or old thoughts that you would like to share as beautiful memories with everyone. This can be from yesterday, a year ago, or something from your grandma's treasure chest.
This runs every Thursday at 12 am (Manila/Perth Time) until Sunday at 11:59 pm (Manila/Perth Time)
First of all, let me share you my newest blog banner at the top of my blog. I thought it looks cool to hand-write my banner so there it is! Thank you so much to my friend Kathleen, (yes the same Kathleen on my latest PROFILES segment), for vectorizing my penmanship into a digital image.
Once a cathedral built during the 16th century by the Portuguese, The Ruins of Saint Paul or the Ruínas de São Paulo in Portuguese, is now a landmark and a national symbol of Macau Special Administrative Region, China. Now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the facade of the Cathedral of Saint Paul is the only left atop the hill along the old complex.
Facade of the Ruinas de Sao Paolo
It was a sunny June day of 2012, from Galaxy hotel where we had our first lunch in Macau from Hong Kong, we took a cab that went straight from Taipa to Macau which is on mainland China. It is connected by very long bridges to and from Macau and Taipa. In the heart of the city, the Senado Square is Located. It is a beautiful town square wherein the original colonial buildings are still conserved and in use up to this moment.
The Senado Square at Midday
The square is paved with small decorated tiles all the way up to the alleys leading to the ruins at the top of the hill. One of the buildings that are featured in the Senate Square is the Leal Senado Building or the loyal senate in Portuguese. It was erected at 1774 with the administration of Portuguese people and when Macau was turned over to China, it became the headquarters of the Institute of Civic & Municipal Affairs.
As you trudge through the paved ways that gradually gets higher and higher, the first thing that you will pass by just before the avenida becomes alleyways is the Santo Domingo Church. It is a big church painted in yellow which I shall be featuring on my next posts. And tons of shops and outlets from Levis to Giordano to Adidas are lined up beautifully along the way.
Some of the little crossings along the alleys that lead to the Ruins.
Aside from these big shops of popular brands, a lot of smaller stores also are lining up as the alleys become higher and higher, smaller and smaller. As people crowd up, it means you are getting closer and closer
Though there are crossroads along the way, it is not that hard to reach the ruins because signs are posted along the road all in Chinese characters, Portuguese and English Language. Along the way, as you pass the cookie and beef jerky shops, one little stall you will surely notice because of the people that line up is the Turkish man's store! He serves fresh and authentic Turkish ice cream that everybody seams to love! (I failed to have a taste of it because of the crowd! Maybe when I get to Istanbul someday)
Turkish Man selling his Ice Cream.
As the road gets very narrow and the shops seem to sandwich you along the way, you can now see it straight. As it gets bigger and bigger to sight, you get closer and closer to the ruins. It's a beautiful sight to see and as to most landmarks, I told myself "Wow! Now I'm in Macau!". It was beautiful and the feeling is just so rewarding! That after miles and miles and a few hundred yards of walking, I'm there, I reached the top!
The view from the Ruins from beyond. It gets closer and closer and closer.
Never will I forget this trip especially this very moment that I have shared with you! Macau truly is enchanting, a natural concoction of east and west over a period of Time. Macau is just magical, it was 8 years ago, and surely it still is at the moment. Wish I can go back someday.
Me at the Ruinas de Sao Paolo.
Never Stop Exploring!
Steven
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I would love to welcome and invite everyone to join Timeless Thursdays.
Timeless Thursdays is open for anyone who wishes to share old photos or old thoughts that you would like to share as beautiful memories with everyone. This can be from yesterday, a year ago, or something from your grandma's treasure chest.
This runs every Thursday at 12 am (Manila/Perth Time) until Sunday at 11:59 pm (Manila/Perth Time)
