Leofoo Village: 90s wonderland

Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Korea (in 2016) have one thing in common: Western and commercial theme parks to boot.  That's not to say Taiwan is far left behind. Sure, its theme park seemed stuck in the 90s, but it's still a good place for the family.

Leofoo Village (六福村) has bits of everything. Whether you want theme park rides or just enjoy the pool, this place has it. I lt even has a zoo inside and its own resort hotel. It can't be denied though that the super gloss of big budgeted theme parks isn't there. But if you want rides, you get rides. You want swimming, then you get big pools with different water slides. You want animals, you also can have it -- right outside your hotel window if you want.

No. 60仁安里拱子溝 Guanxi Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan 30648

The rides and structure remind you of an above par, yet unsustained, vision. The arabian palace for its entrance, a lost world mini maze, and the wild west festive booths make me want to go back to know how it was when this first fantasy park in Asia was still gaining momentum. Did it make a mark then? How did they envision it to be a few years down the road? Sure, it may be dubbed as Disneyland wannabe but I hope Leofoo gets renovated to be on par with other world class theme parks because it really has lot of potential that Taiwan represents.

It's also less crowded. Because the place isn't heavily marketed for tourists, the park isn't crowded and you can try rides without having to line up and waste more than 15 minutes. Like what I've said, Leofoo serves its purpose.

Overall, our family enjoyed our stay in Leofoo. You can say that this place is a good break with some adrenaline rush from the city. Just the way we need it. (Fun Rating: ★★★★)

THSR: Fast and easy

Taiwan is teeming with wonderful places to explore and you have the option to save time getting from one destination to another. Enter the Taiwan High Speed Rapid Rail (THSR). Or should I say, screech in. On a non-stop route, Taipei to Kaohsiung is said to be 80 minutes away. While it's the shortest HSR route, the THSR experience is something that you should try.

Compared to the regular train, THSR is faster but more expensive (but hey, time is money too!). It'll save you a few dollars if you book trips earlier (depends on your selected dates) to get discounted rates. Check out their Early bird rates and policy here.

THSR's online booking is also hassle-free. Go to their improved English website and your trip becomes easier even if you haven't boarded your train yet. You have the option to pay online, at the THSR counter, or visit Taiwan's popular convenience stores to pay and redeem your tickets. We got our tickets from Family Mart where a friendly cashier assisted us even with just little English.

Don't forget to enjoy the ride! Getting out of Taipei via THSR will give you a feast of everything Taiwan: lush mountains, busy factories, wide plains, and a whole lot more. Only downside of sightseeing while in the train? You won't get to smell and feel the fresh air. But you get to enjoy that when you arrive at your destination. 

Duck tails up: Rubber duck to visit Taiwan

It's Mid-Autumn festival and Rubber duck, created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, will visit Kaohsiung from September 19 until October 20.

Afterwards, the giant floater will have its appearance in Taoyuan (Oct 26 - Nov 10) and Keelung (starting on Dec 21).

Since 2007, Rubber duck has been on display in different countries like Australia, Belgium, and Japan.

Source: Taipei Times

Spotted at 7-11: A shot of happy!

Convenience stores here in Taiwan continue to surprise me. A Tequila shot, why not!

Gongguan Station: All things college

Just near the National Taiwan University, Gongguan station (公館站) will make your young self feel giddy. This was the first time I saw a double-level parking for bicycles, a barrage of girls and boys with full bangs, cool themed cafes, and dozens of outlet stores that sell rubber shoes. It's cool like that (or however college-speak you say it now).

I found it interesting to see the pedestrian tunnel decorated to have that look and feel of university corridors. We also went pass a Sanrio shop but if you walk a bit further to the right, there's also a small local store selling cute yet cheaper Hello Kitty items. 

The highlight of our day was finding a Mexican restaurant, Good Day. Woot, they have tacos! Mexican food isn't a regular in Taiwan so finding one makes me crave for more. I used to love digging in a bowl of nachos while studying for my midterms way back when. Good Day is a bit small but their menu has a variety of Mex-Cal eats. We requested for the menu in English and they have one available. Plus, the crew who assisted us can speak English very well. :) (Resto Rating: ★★★★)

台北市羅斯福路四段150號 150, Roosevelt Rd, Taipei near Gongguan MRT Station Exit 1.

We ordered the Taco Fiesta, with three choice of toppings (Beef, pulled BBQ pork, and chicken) and chicken wings. Loved the sweet BBQ toppings but I'm not a fan of the spicy chicken wings with Louisiana style sauce. (Food Rating: ★★★½ )

If not for the scorching heat, we would have spent good hours of stroll in Gongguan. Definitely, we'll go back here. Just for the reason of remembering what used to be sweet college life.