8 Places For The Soul-Satisfying Local Foods In Taipei, Taiwan

Whenever someone is talking about their Taiwan trip, food is the topic that never runs out of things to say in the conversation. Taiwan, being one of the top food destinations in the world, and there is no surprise that listing down where to eat and what to eat are as significant as the places of interest in the destination when planning an itinerary. If you are one of the traveling foodies, the best place to start the food hunting trail is none other than Taipei city, the capital and the heartbeat of Taiwan.

Taipei is a lively modern city that never sleeps; if a city never sleeps, so do the food places. In this post, let's try to escape from the usual tourist hot-spots and explore some of the local's favourite food places in Taipei.

Celebrating Chinese New Year With Bicentennial Fireworks Display, Singapore

We don't get to see fireworks everyday, but if we do, it must be some major events with big celebrations going on. Without a doubt, the fireworks are the most anticipated element that brings any celebrations to a climax always. This year, we decided to hang out at the River Hongbao festival to celebrate the Chinese New Year with some spectacular fireworks display.

The River Hongbao has been an annual Chinese New Year event held in Singapore since 1987. This year with the Bicentennial Edition, the 8 days of celebration featured some massive lantern displays, performances, exhibitions, carnival games, street food and of course the main highlight of the festival, which is the bicentennial fireworks display by award-winning fireworks artists from USA, China, Italy and Australia. Thanks to the generous fireworks schedule from the organizers, the people get to enjoy the spectacular fireworks display not only one or two evenings, but every evening throughout the 8 days.

The Magical Fairy Tale Town of Alberobello, Italy

When I first saw the pictures of Alberobello over the internet a couple of years back, I thought it was a fairy tale theme park somewhere in the world. After reading up more, then I realized that Alberobello in fact is a heritage town in the south of Italy, not far from the city of Bari. Since then, I have told myself that I must visit this magical place one day. And it doesn't take long for my dream to come true, I made it this year's spring during my trip around the southern Italy.

About Alberobello
Alberobello is a little town situated in the southern region of Puglia, which is famous for its fairytale-like trulli, traditional dry stone huts with cone-shaped roofs dating back as early as the 14th century. The story behind these unique architectural structures has two sides; some believe that these buildings are constructed because of its geographical conditions and the abundant limestone materials, and some believe that it is constructed for easy dismantling and assembling to avoid paying taxes to the Kingdom of Naples. Today, some of the trulli are converted into souvenir shops, museums, restaurants and lodgings, but there are many still populated with the local residents. In 1996, the town of Alberobello with a great collection of more than 1500 beautifully preserved trulli in the region was designated a UNESCO world heritage site.

The Pastel Colors of Procida, Italy

I feel holiday the moment I get off the boat. "Il tempo è così bello", the weather is so beautiful and the surreal pastel-colored houses on the waterfront reflect my mood. The cobbled streets are calm and the locals live their lives at their own pace. I suppose we are the busiest people on the island, busy taking pictures. Welcome to Procida island, the little pastel world.

Procida is the smallest island in the Gulf of Naples and it is also one of the most underrated destinations in Italy. Although the island is only less than an hour ferry ride from the city of Naples, many tourists choose to visit the other neighbouring islands like Ischia and Capri. In other words, you can laid-back and explore this less travelled island without having to battle the crowds; soak up the local atmosphere with an authentic Italian experience and immerse yourself in the true culture of Procida.

30 Things to Do in Cebu, Philippines

The Philippines is an archipelago that is made up of more than 7000 islands located in the Southeast Asia; one of the countries with the most island in the world. This is our very first time visiting the Philippines; with so many islands to choose from, we have randomly chosen Cebu to be our first destination in the Philippines. My first impression of the Philippines was rather surprised as I could see many churches; maybe because I have been traveling around the other Southeast Asian countries and mostly what I saw was the Buddhist culture and temples. Also, unlike her neighbouring countries, the Philippines is strongly influenced by the western culture due to the long history with the Spaniards and the Americans.

Cebu is a long and narrow island located in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines, and the largest city on this island is the Cebu City, also known as the Queen City of the South. Cebu city is a booming metropolis, if you desire a break from the hustle and bustle of the city life, you should simply travel out of the city. It is not difficult to find a good place to relax in Cebu as there are plenty of beautiful beaches and untouched nature surrounding this lovely Filipino island.

The Henry Cebu: A Hotel For The Art Lovers (Philippines)

When I was researching for our accommodation in Cebu city, I came across quite a number of beautiful hotels, but The Henry is the only hotel that leaves me a very deep impression. Why? The Henry is unlike any other hotel in Cebu, because it doesn't look like a hotel, it looks more like an art museum to me. With that, we decided to stay at The Henry Cebu for one night.

The Henry Cebu (formally known as The House of Cebu) is a boutique art hotel located in the city centre of Cebu offering 38 spacious rooms with unique furnishings, stunning murals and quirky decor. Every room is unique, featuring a different mural artwork by the Cebuano artist Mark Luzon, and that makes the stay here more special and unforgettable.

Comino Island: The Paradise In The Blue Mediterranean Sea, Malta

Set in the idyllic Mediterranean Sea, surrounded by azure colored water, the island of Comino away from everything is another paradise that we have found after we discovered the Balos Lagoon a couple of years back.

Comino is the smallest inhabited island in the Maltese Archipelago with an area of only 3.5 square kilometers and a population of only four residents. In Comino, there's no traffic, no hustle, no bustle; only unspoilt nature, the sound of the wind and the smell of the sea. The island's tranquillity and isolation, making it an ideal place to escape everyday life.

Today, Comino island is a bird sanctuary and nature preserve, also a little piece of heaven for the day-trippers who love swimming, snorkeling, walking and diving.