Jeollabuk-do @S.Korea

Jeollabuk-do / Korea ?

Last month, we visited South Korea. I was on a blogger familiarisation trip to Jeollabuk-do ????, a province in the southwestern part of South Korea. This trip is in line with ‘2010 – 2012 Visit Korea Year‘ and ‘2012 Visit Jeollabuk-do Year‘ campaign to welcome more overseas tourists to the country.

Jeollabuk-do is a scenic area rich in historic and cultural heritage. It’s the centre of the Korean paper-making industry that produces traditional Korean paper that is highly valued in Korea, Japan and other countries. It’s a gourmet paradise famous for traditional Korean dining and also where traditional Korean opera, pansori, is originated. Jeonju, the capital of Jeollabuk-do, is home to the International Film Festival in Korea.

We travelled from Jeonju to Namwon, Gochang, Gunsan, Iksan, Jinan and Muju in Jeollabuk-do. These lovely places will be covered in more details with photos in other posts. In the meantime, here are the photos taken during our 4-day tour. See how we dress like Koreans, eat like Koreans, spa like Koreans, “swing” like Koreans… it’s all good memories!

Dress like a Korean

Eat like a Korean… Sunshine was my English interpreter for the whole trip in Korea!

Mt Maisan @ Jinan

Ginseng Spa with Mt. Maisan in the backdrop. Maisan literally means “horse ear mountain” as the two peaks resemble horse’s ears.

Swing like a Korean.

A traditional Korean thatched house.

Photoshoot with Korean guy.

The historic Dolmen site @ Gochang

Receiving a welcome gift from Jeollabuk-do Tourism… And I’m now a “Jeollabuk-do Power Blogger”! Go Go Go!

Expect more updates on Jeollabuk-do with lots of photos on the breathtaking landscapes, delectable cuisines and unique attractions. Stay tuned!

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let’s go Taichung 台中

Taichung / Taiwan ?

If you are considering a trip to Taiwan, head down to Taichung ?? Booth No: 6H14 for attractive travel deals. Just mention that you are a reader of “TravelerFolio” or “Eunice” to get one of these free gifts. No purchase is required. No string attached. While stock lasts!

1) Cute “Bobi” luggage tag ????? x 50
2) Sun cake gift pack ??? x 50
3) I ? Taichung T-shirt x 7

Just a couple of weeks ago, we were afforded the opportunity to tour Taichung, the 3rd largest city that lies in west-central Taiwan.

Taichung – the city of bubble tea ????, sun cake ??? and the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality bicycle.

If you look forward to a respite from the hustle and bustle, embracing the crisp mountain breeze amidst picturesque landscape sprawling with orchards and farms, living like a local with friendly owners at quaint little cottages, tasting the sweetness of freshly plucked fruits, relaxing in the hot spring and experimenting creative and mouthwatering local food, Taichung has all it takes for an unparalleled holiday experience.

Sin-She Township (???)

Sin-She is remarkably notable for its agricultural products (????). Call me a city girl. I’ve never seen so many different types of fruit trees during a morning jaunt. Grapes, citrus, pears, longans, persimmons … these are some of the high quality fruit products for export to Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and the region. I asked what else we can’t find at the orchards. Durian. Fair enough!

Sin-She is Taiwan’s major mushroom production area. 70% of mushrooms sold in Taiwan are grown in Sin-She.

Ah Liang Mushroom Garden ????? is one of the famous mushroom gardens in Sin-She. After an introductory on various kind of mushrooms including Lingzhi and the correct technique of picking mushrooms, we proceed to the garden for first-hand experience picking of mushrooms.

The signature salted fried mushroom ??????? is a must-try; it tastes like Taiwanese style fried chicken ???, but this is a much healthier version. I love the mushroom soup as well, with all the goodness of different kind of mushrooms that gives a natural earthy flavour.

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http://0425810893.emmm.tw/
????? Ah Liang Mushroom Garden
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??: 04-25810893

On our next trip to Sin-She,  we shall go for a cycling tour around the scenic countryside. There are many point to point attractions with clearly indicated signs along the roadsides and helpful locals around to ask for directions.

Orchid House ????

The owner of ?? Orchid House, Mr. Luo, started his collection 20 years ago, initially as his research in orchid exploration, discovery and innovation. Today,  ?? Orchid House is home to an extensive variety of orchid, including some very rare species, collected by Mr. Luo from around the world for more than 20 years. Spend sometime in the Orchid House and you will feel that lots of love and care are showered on these delicate, lovely orchid plants.

To our surprise, there is also a mini insect kingdom that houses insects like leaf insects or walking leaves, stick insects or walking sticks, geckos, elephant beetles, Hercules beetles, hairy eight-legged spider… sounds creepy? Hey, some are really cute! Like this one on the top left, look at its round, innocent looking eye… awww  The other gecko on the top right has double eyelids! We can feel their skin and hold them too.

By the way, the hairy eight-legged spider feels like dog fur …

http://sw.emmm.tw/
???? Orchid House
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??:04-2581-2482

The Master of Mushroom ?? lives up to its name. Due to the many nutritious benefits of mushroom, eating mushroom hotpot has become a trend. This is especially true in Sin-She where 70% of mushroom sold in Taiwan are from Sin-She.

We had the “mushroom healthy pot” ????????? for dinner. Almost every delectable spread on the table contains different types of mushrooms. Mushroom sausages, mushroom kimchi, mushroom meat balls and other mushroom yummies – we have never chowed down so many mushrooms in a day. The flavourful mushroom soup base is slowly cooked to perfection. If you are craving for a sumptuous yet healthy meal, the “mushroom healthy pot” fits the bill.

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In addition, the restaurant overlooks a breathtaking view of Taichung city from the top of the hill. It’s an attraction in its own right.

http://0425822585.tai-chung.com.tw/
????????? Master of Mushroom
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??:04-2582-2585

The Mdss Vacation Villa ??? is a tropical themed homestay in Sin-She.  Greeted by the gracious lady owner of ???, we entered into an enchanting garden with lush pine trees and exotic plants. The Balinese furniture and decorations adorning the common area and restaurant create the warm and cosy vibes that promote relaxation.

We stayed at the kind of dream honeymoon villa hut so romantically appointed with cute plush toys, a hanging chair, a lounge chair and a warm, snugly bed. The bathroom features a Victorian bathtub and an automated toilet bowl.
A much needed escape from the bustling city life, it was a night of deep slumber in a home away from home.

http://www.mdss.com.tw/
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???????????6?9?
TEL:(04)2581-0777

Shi-Gang Township ????

Shi-Gang Square ????

You can’t miss this. Literally known as the Lover Wood Bridge ????, 40m long and 3.5m wide, the wooden bridge spans across the crystal clear stream ???. Built without pier support, the bridge can withstand an earthquake of up to 7 magnitude.

On the side of the bridge, you will see the largest water mill in Taiwan. The water mill has a diameter of 9-metre. A relaxing place to spend a lazy afternoon in an idyllic location, we chilled out at the cafe where freshly brewed “S.long” coffee ???? is served.

If you are afraid of bees, this is the right place to overcome your fear! At the Honey Ecological area, we came up close and personal with honey bees. The bee with a red dot is the Queen bee. You can also taste honey freshly collected from the artificial honeycomb.

http://mmweb.tw/886/
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YOU AND ME (???) is a very unique and innovative orchard using multi-dimensional multi-layered cultivation method. Unlike most tomatoes which are grown near the ground, this multi-layer approach enables the tomatoes to be grown at low, medium or high level, hanging down from the supports so that it’s easy for visitors to pick the fruits.

The tomato varieties in this orchard include Japan Momotaro, cherry tomato, golden tomato and red beauty tomato.

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Besides tomatoes, they also have cabbage ???, Chinese cabbage ???, garland chrysanthemum??, lettuces ??, strawberries ??, bell peppers ??, fruity corn ???? and mini cucumber ???.

Apart from the the usual green, red and yellow bell peppers that are commonly available in the market, there are bell peppers in varying colours of black, creamy white, chocolate, apple green as well. We tried some and they were really tasty, sweet and juicy.

Guide 101: How to rip off a ear of corn

Use one hand to hold the top of the stalk and the other hand to push down the corn, twist it and rip it off from the stalk. Shuck the husk off it and you can straightaway taste the sweetest, juiciest, freshly plucked Japanese sweet corn.

All plants are pesticide free as the owner employs biological pest control method that won him an honourable award. ??????????????????

http://you-ame.myweb.hinet.net/
??????????? You-and-me
?????????391?10?
??:04-2582-6058

Dongshi Township ???

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At this stop ????, it’s one of the earliest orchards in Taiwan for growing persimmons. The humble owners received us warmly and we had a tea session on top of the hill overlooking the breathtaking mountain range. The owner also showed us around and we had first-hand experience of plucking big apple-pears from trees. Needless to say, they were sweet and juicy.

The harvesting period of persimmons at the orchard is from September to November.

http://blog.roodo.com/shi2008
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??:04-25773417/04-25852695

Tai Po Hakka Cuisine ???????

The aroma of wine fills the air of Sweet Charm Farm Winery. What impressed us most at this place is the home cooked authentic Hakka cuisine, simple yet distinctive and delicious, and the warm and unpretentious owners. ?????

If you are a wine lover, remember to check out their wine cellar for the specially made wine that contains 70% alcohol! It’s definitely too strong for me but the aftertaste is smooth and elegant without the feeling of dryness.

http://sweetcharm.smartweb.tw/
Sweet Charm Farm Winery
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More travel information on Taichung: http://tt.taichung.gov.tw/county/eng/index.jsp

Next update: A meeting with Mayor Jason Hu @ Taichung City

No related photos.

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Bukhara – World’s Best Indian Restaurant

Delhi / India ?

A luxury collection hotel located in New Delhi, ITC Maurya prides itself with specialty cuisines that have attracted epicureans from across the globe.

The internationally acclaimed Bukhara is ITC Maurya’s most reputable specialty restaurant. It’s known that conference groups having meetings in other cities of India would fly all the way to Delhi for a day just to dine at Bukhara. Even the former US president Bill Clinton was so enamored with the food that he preferred to eat at Bukhara than having dinner hosted by a former US Ambassador!

Highly rated as one of the best restaurants in Asia, 2010 – 2011 by The Miele Guide, Bukhara is often acknowledged as the top restaurant in India and among the top 50 best restaurants in the world. So, if you are in Delhi, it’s DEFINITELY worth the trip to Bukhara for the rustic flavours of the North-West Frontier cuisine at ITC Maurya.

And this is the Bukhara’s Presidential Platter: “a selection of delicacies as preferred by Bill Clinton during the US President’s visit to India in 2000“.

As the kitchen is part of the restaurant, the chefs can be seen busily preparing the dishes, cooking naans and pre-marinated skewers of meat over charcoal fire in clay tandoors. It may look simple but this style of cooking requires great culinary expertise that is acquired only through years of hands on practice. Food quality specs are strictly followed by the chefs to maintain the consistency of excellent Bukhara cuisine.

Naan, the flattened bread dough, is thrown against the hot wall of the tandoor oven to be cooked shortly.

The Presidential Platter looks huge so we ordered the other platter that was commended by the current US President Barack Obama! You can see his handwriting and signature on the wooden menu block.

Top right: a photo with the Executive Chef of Bukhara at the kitchen.

Here it is … the platter that the US President Barack Obama had during his visit in India last year. Forget about the fork and knife. Use your fingers to pick the tender meat and indulge in tandoori goodness. The highlight of this platter is the baby lamb leg.

Usually I don’t fancy lamb meat ‘cos of the gaminess. But this tandoori lamb had no gamey taste at all; the meat retained its moistness and natural sweetness. Once we started eating, we couldn’t stop and finish the whole baby lamb leg in a short while even though we weren’t hungry! The tenderness of the meat melts in the mouth, and the flavour of the tandoori lamb still lingers in my olfactory memory. Very impressed!

Tantalizing Tandoori lamb meat.

Another not-to-be-missed at Bukhara is its namesake dish – Dal Bukhara. A concoction of black lentils, tomatoes, ginger and garlic are simmered over on slow coal fires overnight to bring out the flavours of rich culinary heritage of the North West Frontier province. Dip your naan into the Dal Bukhara and taste it with images of endless rugged hill ranges of the North West Frontier flashing across…

Don’t miss it!

Bukhara @ ITC Maurya, a luxury collection hotel.

Diplomatic Enclave, Sardar Patel Marg, New Delhi 110 021, India

http://www.itchotels.in/welcomcuisine/bukhara/cuisine_origin_brief.html

Read all posts on ITC Hotels, India.

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A meeting with Mayor Hu @ Taichung 台中

Taichung / Taiwan ?

The highlight of our trip in Taichung is to meet a Very Important Person…

What an honour! We had a session of chat, food tasting, gift exchange and fun with the beloved Mayor Jason Hu Chih-Chiang ??? right in front of Feng Chia University at Fengjia Night Market.

The Taichung City Government arranged for the meet-up session with the bloggers from Singapore to promote Taichung on social media platforms and travel blogs. TravelerFolio is honoured to be invited as the pioneer travel blogger for this initiative.

Before the trip to Taichung, when we learnt that the Mayor would meet the bloggers for tea, we were nervous! I was wondering what to say if I met the Mayor … So, the three of us, Muiyee, Jacky and I, donned in bright red Tees printed with “I heart ??” (Taichung) were all ready to meet Mayor Hu as he arrived at the night market.

We were introduced to a variety of popular dishes and snacks that can be found at Fengjia Night Market such as blood pudding ???, mala stinky toufu ?????, stewed innards ?? and other lip-smacking good Taiwanese gourmet food. Taiwanese snacks are so very creative and irresistible; I especially like ????? – Taiwanese version of hot dogs with glutinous rice.

And, did you know that the all-time favourite Bubble tea / pearl milk tea ???? and sun cakes ??? are originated from Taichung city?

Taichung sun cakes and pineapple tarts are popular gifts to bring back home for families and friends.

With Mayor Hu in sight at the night market, many passers-by flocked to him, asking for photo shoots. He is very warm and chatty, and a friend to everyone. Like a fatherly figure, he’s close to people’s heart.

Fengjia Night Market is so huge, we didn’t have enough time to walk through all the streets and try out more delicious local food and snacks.

Fengjia Night Market

Together with the Taiwanese friends we met during the trip, we took a group photo in front of Le Parker International Hotel (http://leparkerhotel.com/) situated right smack in the heart of Fengjia Night Market in Taichung city.

Anson, the guy in white shirt standing at the right end, was our driver guide throughout Taichung. He is a very professional guide with excellent driving skill and familiar with popular attractions and those off the beaten path as well. If you are planning for a free and easy trip, you can email Anson for more info: yy1899@yahoo.com.tw

In the previous post, we shared about the Agricultural holiday and Homestay experience in the backgarden of Taichung. During the 4 day tour in Taichung, we also visited some national parks and Taichung City for sightseeing and attractions.

Heping District ??? ???

Hike through the lush green, warm temperate coniferous-broadleaf mixed forest that is home to a diverse variety of colourful birds, animals and medium altitude species. If you are lucky, you might spot its exotic residents such as the white-lipped tree frog, blue magpies ?? endemic to Taiwan, dazzling butterflies like the great orange tip and the painted Jezebel, and the Reeves’s Muntjac among other common mammals.

Famous for its pristine mountainous area, with Basianshan Main Peak standing at 2,424-metre, the forest reserve was one of Taiwan’s three major logging centres bustling with commercial activities during the Japanese Occupation. The remnants of the logging past are sections of the forest railway and transportation equipment.

Depending on your time and stamina, there are two hiking trails within the Forest Recreation Area – the easier one takes half a day and the more challenging trail takes one whole day to complete. What you can see on the trails are the Plant Specimen Garden, Jinghai Temple, the Ecology Classroom, the Shinto Shrine ruins, Cherry Blossom Forest and the Eight Scenic Spots Monument.

Basianshan National Forest Recreation Area lies at the confluence of Shihwun and Jiabao creeks. Here you can enjoy picturesque views of crystal clear creeks with natural beauty of rock deposition.

http://recreation.forest.gov.tw/RA_En_JP/0300002/RA_En-01.htm
22, Pingsian Lane, Sec. 1, Dongguan Rd., Heping Township, Taichung County
Tel: (04) 2595-1214

Located just a few kilometres from Basianshan National Recreation Forest, Guguan Scenic Area is one of the attractions in Taichung where hot springs were discovered here and it has been popular since the Japanese-occupation period.

We experienced a hot spring soak at Utopia Holiday Hotel where we put up for a night. There are also a number of hot spring hotels in Guguan which you can consider for booking:

1)Shuei Wu Guguan ????
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TEL:(04)2595-0099 WEB: http://www.swmall.com.tw/store.php?store=6
Remark: Chic and tastefully appointed hotel rooms. Good for couple and honeymooners. The ginseng porridge for breakfast is delicious!

2) Utopia Holiday Hotel ????????
TEL:(04)2595-1511 WEB: http://www.agoda.com/asia/taiwan/taichung/utopia_holiday_hotel.html
Remark: The hotel is surrounded by scenic mountains. Some of the hotel rooms feature private spa bath as well.

3) Uni-Resort ?????
TEL:(04)2595-0011 WEB: http://www.uni-resort.com.tw/eng.htm
Remark: The hotel rooms are contemporary designed and there is a variety of outdoor hot spring pools within the premises. You can also test your aim at rifle shooting and archery at the recreation area.

More travel info on Guguan ?? scenic area: http://www.trimt-nsa.gov.tw/eng/unit_04_1_2.aspx?subsiteID=7&hotID=177

Close by Guguan ??, Mt. Malun ??????? lies in the Tayal aboriginal tribal area ????????? where nature lovers and hikers can enjoy a stroll along Sihkeba Walking Trail ????? through the enchanted forest with old, towering pine trees and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.

The Tayal tribe is one of the largest tribal groups in Taiwan. “Sihkeba” literally refers to “hand” in Tayan, which hints that the homeland was constructed by the labour work of the Tayal aborigines.

Lovely views of the surrounding from the mountain road.

Taichung City ???

Mr Huang Yung-fu ???, affectionately known as “Rainbow Grandpa“, is the Picasso of Chun An Military Dependents’ Village [????]. The 89-year-old art lover transformed this part of the urban city into a colourful “Rainbow Village” by painting graffiti of fanciful imagery all over the walls and alleys.

Some time ago, this little Rainbow Village faced a challenge by an urban reform project that would result in the demolition of the village. People who hope to preserve the village launched an online petition and garnered thousands of supporters within a week. Thankfully, the village was spared.

Walk through the alleys and soak in the whimsical atmosphere where celebrities, animals, flowers, words of blessing and anything beyond imagination were seamlessly painted all over the houses and paths.

When Jacky put some money into the donation box that was meant for Rainbow Grandpa ???? to buy paints for his art work, Rainbow Grandpa suddenly came out of the house and gave us this cute drawing of a rabbit and posed a peace sign for a shot!

When you enter the Rainbow Village, please keep the noise level low as there are tenants in the houses. The village is closed from 12pm to 2pm for noon break.

http://blog.artlib.net.tw/author_page.php?act=view&ename=rainbowpapa
Address: ?? ?? ???56?

If you are on a self-drive holiday in Taichung, consider staying at a motel, one like MoonRiver Motel that is touted as a “top-class paradise” in Taichung. The luxury rooms are very spacious and tastefully appointed with modern amenities.

More information on http://moonrivermotel.com.tw/

Fans of Mala steamboat (????), don’t give this a miss if you are in Taichung. ???? (ma la ren jia) has attracted many famous celebrities and even Mayor Hu to patronize this well known restaurant.

Fret not if you can’t take spicy food, there are four types of soup base to choose from: chicken, vegetable, herbal and mala (with peppercorns). Each steamboat can add two types of soup base, so you can choose one mala and the other non-spicy soup base. Dishes of fresh meat and vegetables are spread across the table and you can choose what you like to add into the steamboat and simply relish!

That was our sumptuous farewell lunch before we flew back to Singapore.

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TEL: (04) 2202-2346

Special thanks to Taichung City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau, Agoda Int’l and Marshal Travel Services for this memorable trip in Taichung.

If you are planning for a holiday to Taichung, visit these official websites for:

Travel information on Taichung >> http://travel.taichung.gov.tw/english/index.asp
Smarter hotel booking >> http://www.agoda.com/
Travel services >> ttp://www.marshaltour.com.tw/

Happy Travelling!

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