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| "All that's missing are my earphones..." |
Those who know me know
that Marine life is my passion, but
only those close to me know that music is
what makes me tick. I pay little to
no attention to who or what is in the
charts and rarely find what the radio is
trying to force down my ear holes to do
anything other than annoy me.
I can’t help but feel
that music is losing its soul and
increasingly I find great new music harder
and harder to come by. As such
I follow my ears; whatever it is that I
can’t sit still to when I hear it,
whatever makes my foot tap, my head bounce
and what I invariably end up
serenading my neighbours with when I sing
loudly in the shower. Nothing is
off limits what sounds good sounds good
regardless of genres and as a result I
am led to believe that my taste in music is
broad and sometimes unexpected. While
my top 5 selection for 2013 may not hold
any surprises for many of you I hope
that somewhere in here you can find
something new and exciting, perhaps you'll give
something a try that you haven’t
before.
Right then enough gab!
I’ll try to keep words to a minimum, I’m
sure you’d rather be watching and listening
than reading my guff...
5.
Kings of Leon's first 2
albums; Youth and Young Manhood (2003) and Aha Shake Heartbrake (2004) are
amongst some of my favourites of all time. They were raw, basic, and
shamelessly fun. But since then they have transitioned to be more polished and more
marketable and as a result have blown up in popularity. However this isn't
necessarily a bad thing, the 'new' Kings of Leon still have great
songs.
Their latest offering may
not be the same mass chorus inducing floor filler as previous albums have been,
it seems looser, slightly more generic and perhaps a little rushed, but the
tone of the guitars and emotion in each song carries it. For me its not been an
album I'm itching to play over and over, it's filled the niche of something to
play when I'm busy, something enjoyable but not distracting.
5 other tracks
to try: Genius, Velvet snow, King of the rodeo, Joe's head, Use
somebody.
4.
Nine Inch Nails (NIN) are
certainly a marmite band, you either love or hate them, they're a bit unusual
but in a creative way. I missed out on seeing them live in 2007 because I'm an
idiot, they then promptly broke up and I kicked myself...hard! Trent Reznor
went off an decided he fancied winning an Oscar and a couple of Golden Globes
for his movie soundtracks... as one does of course, BUT! luckily they're back
and as explorative as ever.
On first listen
Hesitation Marks can be a little alienating, but once you let your guard down
you'll start to feel the groove of the digital rock combo. They key to the
brilliance of NIN
is that unlike most pop releases today
technology is not a mask or a tool for 'perfection', whatever that is? but it
is an instrument like any other and Trent bends it to his will with maximum
effect.
5 other tracks
to try: Hurt, Head like a hole, Hand that feeds, Closer,
Wish.
3.
Sound City: Reel to Reel is the child born from Dave Grohl's (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) amazing documentary; Sound City. It documents the history of one of most infamous recording studios in rock history where some of the greatest ever rock albums have been recorded. Seriously if you claim to like rock music chances are one of your favourite albums or artists recorded there, the list of talent is just ridiculous. The film goes on to explore how music today is losing its human element and to exemplify how things should be done Dave calls on a bunch of past artists to record a new album.
The album is a collection
of all the songs they wrote together. Expect some interesting collaborations, a
personal highlight was Sir Paul McCartney writing and performing a song with
the remaining members of Nirvana.
This film is a must watch
and you can find it here, it's worth
every penny and more.
5 other Sound City artists to try: Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Johnny Cash.
2.
Queens of the Stone Age
(QOTSA) were MIA for years prior to this album, each member off pursuing other
projects, most notably Josh Homme (the coolest man in rock) working on Them
Crooked Vultures with John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) and Dave Grohl. QOTSA have
always been one of my favourite bands, the line ups change but some things
remain constant; (i) they always have a beast of a drummer (ii) true rock and
roll guitars that are greasy, grimy and leave you wanting to wash your dirty
dirty body (iii) Josh Homme!, one of the great artists/producers of our
generation, the man is a true wordsmith and can shred a guitar unlike anyone
else, all while giving zero f**ks and looking like hes not even
trying.
I've always loved their
balls to the wall style however ...Like Clockwork adds a whole new dimension to
the QOTSA repertoire, the band has matured and it creates a much more complete
musical experience, especially their live shows. Additionally some music icons
contributed to this album; Alain Johannes, Dave Grohl and Sir Elton John to
name a few. This album is like a journey, a story, with headphones on
its truly immersive, I've repeatedly lost 46 minute chunks of my life over the
past year and appear to have developed a habit of uncontrollably gyrating my
hips like Elvis...
Finally ...Like Clockwork had the best pre-release teasers I think I've ever seen, animated by Boneface they're creepily awesome, check the medley out below!
Finally ...Like Clockwork had the best pre-release teasers I think I've ever seen, animated by Boneface they're creepily awesome, check the medley out below!
5 other tracks to
try: No one knows, Go with the flow, Make it wit chu, The lost art of
keeping a secret, Little sister
1.
Biffy Clyro are with out
a doubt one of my favourite bands...ever. Back home they top charts and
headline festivals yet outside of the UK they are perhaps one of the most
unrecognised and underrated bands out there. They have it all, from songs that
can make you cry to songs that make you want to punch your friend in the face,
melancholy ballads to screaming choruses, Earsplitting riffs to orchestral
ensembles. With each album they only seem to get better and better, Opposites
is no exception and the cherry on the cake is that its a double album...and its
all killer no filler.
'Mon the
Biff
5 other tracks
to try: Mountains, Livings a problem because everything dies, Many of
horror, Machines, Glitter and trauma
Before I go (and assuming
you made it this far) you may have noted the shameless plugs
to iomoio.com, no they're not paying me.
However I'm sure you go
to work everyday and expect to get payed for it, so don't be a d*ck
pay for your music! iomoio charges 16 cents per
track, that's way less than itunes, less than what you'll pay for the
pirated ones at the market and the artists get paid :)
I hope you all enjoyed the journey, now be free, free to ignore the top 40 charts!!!
I hope you all enjoyed the journey, now be free, free to ignore the top 40 charts!!!
Risus,
James
*You can find James goofing around on Instagram (there are instavids no one should ever have to see), or showing off his equally amazing pyjamas on facebook HERE. Drop him a friend request and enter a world of wacky! Also, drop us a comment if you want James to be our guest blogger again! =D
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| The entrance to Da Keng Leisure Farm |
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| From top left: Chicken in herbal tea soup, bamboo shoot and leafy veggie rice porridge, Vegan rose pasta, free range roasted whole chicken, baked sweet potato, pork veal roasted sausages, sauteed fish in herbal gravy, deep fried veggie fritters and fresh bamboo shoots. |
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| Ka Mei was so excited she started to dig into that chicken, but we called the expert out before she ruined it =P |
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| Lobby / Restaurant Source: Da Keng Facebook Page |
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| Eluba House Boat, Da Keng's bar where we got to try Eva's special cocktail, which includes white sugar on a lemon slice - which goes up in flames! (The burnt sugar with lemon is so good though!) Source: Da Keng Facebook Page |
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| These steps are an example of Papa Tsai's hard work - he laid them himself! |
After dinner, we were taken up to the bar for *posh English accent* a spot of tea before bed. Ana, Sherrie and I tried True Love Flower Tea (真爱茶), Peppermint Milk Tea, and Floating Pretty Lady Tea (飘飘美人茶). Not a fan of milk tea or peppermint in general, but the flower teas were to die for! Definitely recommended! Would have liked to sit there and just enjoy it a while longer, but we were all quite tired from our long day...
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| Yes, there are huge teddy bears just sitting at the end of this gorgeous bar! |
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| These - Lemons - On - FAIYAR~~!! |
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| The room was really comfy! Ours was a room for 3, so Ana, Sherrie and I shared. Photo credits: Sherrie aka Cutebun |
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| The first rays of light breaking through the misty morning. |
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| Waiting for the perfect shot, or just taking in the breathtaking view |
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| A rather misty morning; on a clear day you can see right across the valley to the mountains on the other side. |
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| Packed into the back of an old pick-up truck~ Could be lyrics to a country song =P |
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| It was a fun ride back, but I was literally freezing in the cool morning breeze! |
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| After feeding some free-range chickens, that is! Da Keng is known for its hormone-free poultry and pesticide-free vegetables - health is wealth, as they say! |
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| As expected, the scenic hike up the steep slope was a challenge in itself for me, and luckily I wasnt alone! ;p |
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| An obstacle course on the side - for those of you who are about 10x fitter than I am lol |
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| To reach the observation tower, you still have to climb steep steps (bottom right), but the view is definitely worth it! After catching our breath for a few minutes, someone suggested the girls do a lil jumping shot - this is why I dont do anything exercise-related: it makes me look SO attractive. Not. |
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| No prizes for guessing which mode of transport I chose |
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| A hilarious sight just before we boarded our bus - a real live chicken had somehow gotten into the toy vending machine! He looked quite content, but Ruby was racking her brains trying to figure out how he got in! |
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| Souvenirs from Da Keng! The dried mango is to die for! =D |
Da Keng Leisure Farm
Tel: +886 65760121
Web: www.168big.com.tw
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Dakeng520
Address: #82, Dakeng Li, Sinhua District, Tainan City, Taiwan
Til next time,
Group photo with the Tsais! AirAsia flies from Kota Kinabalu (BKI) to Taipei (TPE) once daily and twice daily from Kuala Lumpur (KUL).
Calista xx
*Once again, all photo credits to Ana Jonessy & Chun Tak!
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| Pitbull aka Mr 305 aka Mr Worldwide |
The opening act was actually the one thing inspired me to write about the AMAs. I came across a few articles about Katy Perry's Unconditional performance, like this one from the Daily Mail:
This is so stupid. I'm so sick of everything being "racist". I'm not a big Katy Perry fan, and yes when I saw her performance I thought it was a really strange outfit choice seeing as it has nothing to do with the song, but did the word "racist" come to mind? Not for a second! How was it racist? Maybe she just likes wearing traditional outfits, I do too! They're gorgeous! If I were to wear a baju kebaya out, would I be racist? What about different ethnicities the world over wearing "American" clothing? Are we all racist now? Here in Malaysia, if you go to a studio to take pre-wedding shots, you can choose to wear cheongsams or kimonos or hanbok for the photos, no one has ever found a problem with this! Or is it because we're all "Asian" that it doesnt count? Newsflash: "Asia" is made up of many nationalities and races!
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| Katy Perry aka insensitive geisha |
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| One Direction |
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| Yes, yes you may. |
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| Naya Rivera aka Santana Lopez Photo credits: JustJared.com |
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| Kendall & Kylie Photo credits: PerezHilton.com |
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| 5 outfit changes, with 3 of those on stage, I have to say JLo looks absolutely stunning in this one. |
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| Rihanna with her mom (& award!) |
One of the biggest highlights for me was the discovery of this amazing song:
A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera - Say Something
Hmm.. What else was note-worthy.. Let me see.. (Judging by Perez Hilton's twitter, I think some scenes were cut from Malaysian TV, but I'm not 100% sure)
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| Taylor Swift all bright & shiny |
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| Oh Miley, I do wish I could spend some time in your head.. |
Til next time,
Calista xx
I had a talk with someone who really means a lot to me last night,
and, to save being way too personal in such a public domain, I came away
from the the situation feeling pretty.. Lost.
"Our attraction, or addiction, or whatever, was strong."
I dont know why, maybe I'm just weak sometimes, but the thought of things being different, makes me sick to my stomach. Not that things are perfect as they are, far from it, but it's something. I dont know what I've gotten myself into, I just know that things are not the same as they used to be, and I dont like it.
"Serendipity"
What would I wanna take away from this in the long term? Can't say for sure, but then again, I feel maybe I do know, it's just locked up behind my walls, to protect me from the obviously stated fact that it's not anywhere near to how far you want it go.
"You dont get to break somebody's heart and still say you care about them."
I actually had a short list of songs - this was gonna just be text of a playlist, with songs like Wrecking Ball, Give You What You Like, What Now, Back To Black, Give Me Love, The Last Time & Torn. But as I was writing the lyrics, I realised, only one song actually says what is going through my head, taking into consideration that no single song can encompass the unconventional situation we're in.
So here it is. You.
Til next time,
Calista xx
"I'm just sad because I really like you more than I've liked anyone in a long time.
Tonight I got slapped in the face with the reality that I'll never be able to call you mine
and that it isnt a very big deal to you. "
"Our attraction, or addiction, or whatever, was strong."
I dont know why, maybe I'm just weak sometimes, but the thought of things being different, makes me sick to my stomach. Not that things are perfect as they are, far from it, but it's something. I dont know what I've gotten myself into, I just know that things are not the same as they used to be, and I dont like it.
"Serendipity"
What would I wanna take away from this in the long term? Can't say for sure, but then again, I feel maybe I do know, it's just locked up behind my walls, to protect me from the obviously stated fact that it's not anywhere near to how far you want it go.
"You dont get to break somebody's heart and still say you care about them."
I actually had a short list of songs - this was gonna just be text of a playlist, with songs like Wrecking Ball, Give You What You Like, What Now, Back To Black, Give Me Love, The Last Time & Torn. But as I was writing the lyrics, I realised, only one song actually says what is going through my head, taking into consideration that no single song can encompass the unconventional situation we're in.
So here it is. You.
You don't want me, no
You don't need me
Like I want you, oh
Like I need you
You don't need me
Like I want you, oh
Like I need you
And I want you in my life
And I need you in my life
And I need you in my life
You can't see me, no
Like I see you
I can't have you, no
Like you have me
Like I see you
I can't have you, no
Like you have me
And I want you in my life
And I need you in my life
And I need you in my life
You can't feel me, no
Like I feel you
I can't steal you, no
Like you stole me
Like I feel you
I can't steal you, no
Like you stole me
And I want you in my life
And I need you in my life
And I need you in my life
Til next time,
Calista xx
"I'm just sad because I really like you more than I've liked anyone in a long time.
Tonight I got slapped in the face with the reality that I'll never be able to call you mine
and that it isnt a very big deal to you. "
As mentioned in my previous post, I recently went on a trip around Taiwan with Air Asia and the Taiwan Leisure Farms Development Association.
Leaving Kota Kinabalu at 6.10am (yes that means we were at the airport at 4.30am zzz) with the rest of the media (bloggers Ana Jonessy & Sherrie Pui, Chun Tak from Asia Times, Karen from and Shirley from United Daily News), we breezed through the check-in and boarding process like VIPs under the care of Ka Mei and Joanne of Air Asia (also known as our babysitters haha). Having checked us in online the day before, we were given Red Carpet treatment and skipped the queue to drop our bags and get through to immigration. At the gate, we got to skip the queue again and board first! Haha.. I also got my favourite seat - window only please people!
Now I have to clarify before I start: I had some bad luck throughout September, which finally came to a climax the 2nd night in Taiwan - my micro SD card became undetectable, causing me to lose every photo I'd taken at and before Xian Hu Leisure Farm. 2 wonderful people have fortunately come to my rescue, so all photo credits on this blog are to Ana and Chun Tak! Much love you guys for saving my skin!
Upon arrival at the Tao Yuan airport, we were warmly welcomed by our tour guides for the trip - Shinny and Jicky - then boarded a huge tour bus: Our 2nd home for the 5 days and 4 nights! (Seriously, we spent more time on this bus than anywhere else; but for a good reason - we were travelling all over Taiwan!)
We'd had breakfast on the plane, but we were all peckish as soon as we touched down. Our stomachs would have to wait though - It was a 2 hour journey to our first destination: Hualu Flower Leisure Farm!
Hualu is located in Miaoli (苗栗), and we were greeted by the sight of nature the moment we pulled into the driveway of Hualu. In awe as we walked down towards the restaurant, we forgot about our growling stomachs as cameras came out and photos were taken.
Before we reached our grub-tub, we were asked to take a look at the men's room. Yes, even the girls! Why? Well, wouldnt you like to see such a sight?
Our tummies crying in despair, we finally reached the restaurant where food was served immediately - all 10 dishes ala Chinese dining style! We separated into two table: One for the tour agencies, and one for media - the ones who feed their cameras before their stomachs!
And no Chinese meal is complete without the nutritious soup!
Ana, being vegan, had her own special set of food throughout the trip:
*Our group package lunch costs NT4000 for a group of 10
**For a set lunch like Ana's, it only costs NT380 - 680 depending on what tickles your fancy!
After pleasing our bellies, it was time to please our eyes - we were taken on a tour of the farm, starting with the guest house.
It's here where the guest rooms are - 3 different types of suites decorated with rich, earthly colours and twisted branches, and an essential oil-filled jacuzzi overlooking nature's very best. With prices ranging from NT$4280 - 9800 a night, you definitely get what you pay for!
*Room photos taken off Hualu's official website
We also got to learn a bit about the different plants and their uses, in a session that won me a very useful prize: I got an au-naturale gel that stops any insect bites from itching - my long term enemy the mosquito in particular!
It was a great experience to have Hualu Flower Farm as our first destination, and it really got us geared up for the rest of the trip. If you're looking to stop and smell the roses on your next trip of relaxation, Hualu should definitely be at the top of your list!
Hualu Flower Leisure Farm 花露休闲农场
Address: No. 43-3 Xiping, Xiping Vil, Zhuolan Township, Miaoli County
苗栗县卓兰镇西平里西平43之3号
Tel: +886-4-25891589
Fax: +886-4-25897048
Email: flowers.chen@msa.hinet.net
Website: http://www.flowerhome.com.tw/
Til next time,
Calista xx
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| Many thanks for a memorable trip! |
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| The up-side of flying so early - you get to witness the breathtaking sunrise against Mount Kinabalu! |
Upon arrival at the Tao Yuan airport, we were warmly welcomed by our tour guides for the trip - Shinny and Jicky - then boarded a huge tour bus: Our 2nd home for the 5 days and 4 nights! (Seriously, we spent more time on this bus than anywhere else; but for a good reason - we were travelling all over Taiwan!)
We'd had breakfast on the plane, but we were all peckish as soon as we touched down. Our stomachs would have to wait though - It was a 2 hour journey to our first destination: Hualu Flower Leisure Farm!
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| Ticket Counter |
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| Just sit down, relax, watch the falling leaves while listening to the fresh breeze... |
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| Take a walk down the road less travelled; leave your worries behind! |
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| Sit and watch fish swim peacefully to the calming sound of flowing water |
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| Everything at Hualu is made as eco-friendly as possible |
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| Which one would you choose to do your business in? ;p |
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| Shall we start with a spot of tea? Easy on the eyes, easy on the throat! |
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| 养生蔬果裸虾 Organic Vegetable and Fruit Salad with juicy Prawns |
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| 甘蔗草茶山鸡 Pheasant Roasted in Sugar Cane Tea Leaves |
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| 迷迭香宫保双味 Kung Pao Pork Belly |
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| 鲜炖莳蔬猪排 Pork Chop with Freshly Steamed Broccoli |
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| 细香葱鲜鱼蒸 Freshly Steamed Fish |
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| 脆皮鱼柳 Crispy Battered Fish |
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| 金沙杏鲍菇 Abalone Mushroom Stir-fried with Salted Egg |
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| 季节炒莳蔬 Stir-fried Seasonal Vegetables |
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| 竹叶一品炊 Stir-fried Bamboo Leaves |
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| 酸白菜鱼头汤 Sour Vegetable Fish Head Soup |
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| 素食罗汉斋 Vegan set lunch |
**For a set lunch like Ana's, it only costs NT380 - 680 depending on what tickles your fancy!
After pleasing our bellies, it was time to please our eyes - we were taken on a tour of the farm, starting with the guest house.
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| The guest house aka the Essential Oil Castle |
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| Window details - those are little bird statues! |
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| The lobby |
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| 王后房 Queen's Room |
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| 桐心房Heart Room |
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| 香氛房 Fragrance Room |
We also got to learn a bit about the different plants and their uses, in a session that won me a very useful prize: I got an au-naturale gel that stops any insect bites from itching - my long term enemy the mosquito in particular!
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| Mystery-shrouded Lake |
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| We had a full explanation on all 4 plants - I actually took videos of the lady explaining, but those are lost too.. =( |
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| We got to feel and smell the essential oils made by Hualu, and also learnt how to differentiate between natural and synthetic oils - If you still get a strong smell after 30 minutes of application, it's probably been "modified" =/ |
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| To end the tour, we visited the little shop where guests can purchase products ranging from these cute owl statues... |
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| ...to pure essential oils... |
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| ...to handmade soap... |
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| ...to potted plants! |
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| Goodies! The 3 different types of handmade flower soap, and the au naturel mosquito gel I won! |
Address: No. 43-3 Xiping, Xiping Vil, Zhuolan Township, Miaoli County
苗栗县卓兰镇西平里西平43之3号
Tel: +886-4-25891589
Fax: +886-4-25897048
Email: flowers.chen@msa.hinet.net
Website: http://www.flowerhome.com.tw/
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| No trip is complete without a group photo - and yes, the sun was blazing! |
Calista xx
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