Out and About with Juju!

This week I get to play Babysitter for 3 consecutive days.....   at first I was quite frustrated and scared non-stop rain for Taipei.....  and it was looking just like that with dark skies, thunder and lighting to boot.....  but LUCKILY, so far, it only rained Monday nite....  seemed more like Typhoon really....  all through the nite it was non-stop sounds of heavy rain, thunder and lightning.... 

So the frustrations came from being scared that Juju and I will not be able to go out - as it would be hard to in all that rain....  but run around we did for 3 days....  which is FINE by us.....    I really think she took after me in the sense that she goes NUTS being couped up in the house the whole day....  she is ALWAYS raring to go and quite a HAPPY LITTLE ONE, as soon as she sees us getting ready to go out  - with all HOPES that she too, will be tagging along.....  :

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DAY 1 - Monday, June 11th:  After my post BDay lunch with Juliana and Sue. I came home to meet up with Juju, as her parents get going for work....   Afraid that the rain will fall soon I decided to take Juju to the park to play right away... at least she and I would feel like she got to be out for a bit....This park is across the street from our home...  Playing Safe in case it starts pouring, then we can just run back home - FAST!

Then it was nap time for Juju....  but as soon as she woke up, still no rain in sight, we ventured off to another park - 15 mins away to play some more... play with other kids as she is beginning to really warm up to others and loves to run around after the big ones....

Juju also is quite taken by my new Be@rbrick....  the 400% one that Juliana gave me earlier in the day....  perfect size for her tiny hands, she just loves cradling it... kissing it... and talking to it.Baby"...   Uh Oh, this Be@rbrick will get a lot of play, for sure.....hahahahaha

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DAY 2 - Tuesday, June 12th:  With the non-stop rain all nite and all morning, I thought for sure that Juju and I will be stuck just at home the whole afternoon and nite....  Thank God for hearing my prayers... Suddenly, the rain let up a little and Juju's Dad came to our rescue and drove us to the Living Mall....  where we hung out for at least 5 Hours.....   going floor to floor... shop to shop... and spending lots of time at Tom's World Amusement Arcade... and Toys R Us!!!!

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DAY 3 - Wednesday, June 13th: with only GLOOMY SKIES but no rain, we fared better and after Juju's NAP - I decided we take the bes us wherever....  first bus that came was the #26he SGO/CHUNG HSIAO shopping area... so that is where we got off... checked out ZARA, UNI QLO and all the cute little BOUTIQUES.....   then we started our walk back as it was starting to get dark....

.....Halfway to the house is the Taipei Arena/Gymnasium area....   so we stopped off to people watch....   watching so many runners getting their run before the rain starts again...   Juju even got an idea to join in and wanted to run along...alas, with the stroller in tow, we were told we could not be on the tracks... hahahaha...

Ending the day by sharing an Ice Cream at McDonalds...

my, my, my beautiful sunday....

Another end of the week is upon us.... with all the threats of TYPHOONS coming our way - so far sooo good.... heavy afternoon and early evening rain fall but not non-stop.... so we have been blessed and lucky so far.... here's hoping it is the same the world over.... and as a BONUS, the sun still manages to come out each and every morning... so am able to start the day smiling - smiling as bright as the shining sun and crispy blue skies...

It's a Beautiful Morning! by rudit · 365 Project

...as beautiful as what I was able to capture here on this latest entry of mine to the ongoing 365 Project - which am finishing my 3rd week btw.... 3 weeks into it and am loving it still... no matter how trying it gets at times to come up with the perfect shot - perfect enough for for me... and as an added pressure - hoping it is perfect enough for all others viewing them, too...well, in any case, am enjoying the challenge - so full steam ahead...

The photo was taken a block away from our home... by the entrance of Dajia River park where I run.... armed with my morning coffee - be it iced (such as this one in the photo or my regular freshly brewed one) - i can admire the view from here... 4 different and distinct bridges, a variety of flowers in bloom and of course, Taipei 101... so what else can one ask for???

BTW, such in beautiful mornings like these - you will probably hear me singing/humming/ or something like it, the song "Who Will Buy?" from the musical OLIVER...

...not the whole song, mind you... just Oliver's part... especially the lyrics:

"Who will buy
This wonderful morning?
Such a sky
You never did see!

Who will tie
It up with a ribbon
And put it in a box for me?"

...put it in a box for me, indeed!!!

Fun Day with Wu Mama & Wu Papa

Not often that Wu Mama & Wu Papa comes up to Taipei together - so when they do, we all try to make the most of it and drag them here and there.... not an easy thing as, for the most part, they would rather just do the gardening for us (Wu Papa) & shop and cook (Wu Mama)... and in between drag us to the nearest temple and give respect and offering to the Gods...

Well, last July 11th, Liya, Lyn and myself were actually able to convince them for a day out - a trek outside the city.... of course, at first we had to have a purpose - so we went to the Flower Market first under the pretensions that we are shopping for more plants for Lyn & Shaun's roof top garden - which totally makes Wu Papa ecstatic... and once they were out, we knew half of the battle is done and we will be able to drag them elsewhere... not without a fight, mind you.... hahahahaha....

anyway, after the flower market - the 5 of us decided to take the BUS out of the city.... it was easier this way as no hassles driving in the freeway and possibly the rain... plus having to look for parking - since it is the weekend and lots of people are out and about.... First stop was, Jin Gua Shi (Golden Melon Stone), basically a one time place of residence for the Wus.... David & his older brother spent the early part of their childhood here... when The Wus still had a thriving SEWING FACTORY... even Liya, I believe was born here... though only spent 5 days after birth as they were already on the move....

It was soooo WONDERFUL seeing them both so excited, reminiscing about the times they spent in the area.... even more so upon seeing their old factory/home - which is now an ANTIQUE SHOP.... time was spent talking with the locals... some neighbours that they even remembered... Lots of photos were taken to Wu Papa's delight... he wanted to make sure to really mark this day - and be able to share with everyone, through photos this special place of theirs....

Then it was off to Jiu Fen - a very old-style neighborhood that was also an area for movie making.... nowadays it is more like a TOURIST AREA lined with stalls after stalls selling this n that plus a lot of Taiwan's native delicacies to try.... This was not my first time here - probably my 4th or 5th already - so I would not
say I was excited.... still I was so much more excited just having Wu Mama & Wu Papa make comments about this and that, just about everything.... always a delight to hear what comes out of their mouths.... they are so funny and when not forcing me to eat more, they are cracking me up - without even trying....

DAY TRIP PHOTOS HERE

iHEART Kaohsiung & Art

love love love Kaohsiung.... as much as I hate the loooong bus ride to get to this city south of Taipei - everything is forgotten as soon as am city just keeps getting prettier and prettier.... and the city never ceases to AMAZE me as to all the things they have to offer and to discover....

the weekend was spent hanging out with the Wus... eating the local delicacies.... playing with Laifu/Lala .... fending off all the goodies Wu Mama wants to feed me - and believe me, it is never ending.... all the weight I lost the last 10 days - I gained right back the 3 days I was there... waaaah!!!!! still it was not just the feast for the taste buds but feasts for the eyes, as well...

Laifu Takes Refuge From The Summer Heat!!!

There was so much more to discover.... like heading back to the Movie Park by the Love River and taking fun photos with Laifu.... and with the bois, Johnny (formerly Jason) & Todd, now being certified drivers - we were able to run around so much more.... first stop was Johnny driving us to his school where a newly erected Mall/Amusement Park opened... EDA Mall... what a trip!!! Rivals some of the biggest hotels in Las Vegas or Macau.... with it's numerous shopping boutiques; an amusement park; movie house; food court for days - and an adjacent 5 star hotel - no one ever has to leave..... it is enough for a short vacation getaway.... The mall itself is reminiscent of the Venetian Hotel with it's indoor Blue Skies facade... and in the center of it all is a giant fountain with replicas of giant sculptures of ancient Gods....

Later in the afternoon, we switched drivers as Johnny had to go to work, this time out Todd was driving us around the city.... first STOP: Pier 2, where there are so many different Art Exhibitions happening.... and most are FREE ADMISSIONS for everyone to ENJOY.... Kaohsiung is really pushing the ART scene and from the looks of it - succeeding quite nicely.... after a good couple of hours going through one exhibition after another - we headed on to DREAM MALL - yep, my FAVE mall... we stopped in to eat and see "Knight & Day" before retiring for the evening....

So overall, it was a GREAT couple of days..... filled with NON-STOP FUN... all these were done even with the threat of a TYPHOON looming....

COMPLETE PHOTOS HERE (Under Construction)

365 Project: A New Creative Outlet

Started a new HOBBY yesterday... well, actually, it is not a HOBBY but an outlet for a couple of my favorite hobbies: Photo Taking & Sharing!!! 365 Project : where one is to COMMIT to a Photo A Day -- for a FULL YEAR!!!

I have known about this for at least a couple of months now... but I have always been intimidated by the COMMITMENT PRESSURE, plus the fact that I never consider myself a photographer... nor think that my photos are never ever any good for people to admire and look at.... and I have seen some of the photo albums there and boy-oh boy, Professional much!!!

But a couple of friends kept encouraging me to do it anyway.... that it would be a FUN & CREATIVE project to do... and another outlet for me to share all the things I love.... PLUS I GET TO TAKE & POST PHOTOS OF ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that I Love or Speaks to me.... so how could I say NO to that....

So please, let me introduce to you all RudiT's 365 Project - am on Day 2 today with 4 followers.... so why not join in on the FUN - if I can do it, you can, too..... and be sure to Follow Me, too... Thanks In Advance!!!

the place to be on the weekends...

Spent most of the afternoon at SIEMENDING yesterday - right after church.... what a contrast! Froma solemn place to a really crowded, happening place.... LOLs!!!
Always a FUN place to be for snacks (so many, ever changing, themed restaurants)... shopping (something for everyone and every taste!).... People Watching (young and old alike in their weekend bests)... Shinjuku Plaza, bringing you a bit, make that a lot of Japan.... and on the weekends, STAR GAZING - as for sure, whoever has a new movie, TV show, book or record to promote - they will be doing a PROMOTIONAL TOUR here...

One of my first memories of this place was from way back in 1998.... my first visit to Taiwan... David took me there one evening on a weekend - as it is always a MUST SEE place if you are a tourist in Taiwan.... I was overwhelmed by the shops, the people, the lights, the delicacies.... was like being back in SHIBUYA or Harajuku... so many friendly people... beautiful people to photograph and lols, and some to photograph us (was younger and hipper then - hahahahahaha)... two young girls even asked to take photos with me and asked for my autographed - as later on I found out, David told them am indeed a Hong Kong star.... and they fell for it.... hahahahahahahahaAnyway, this ever changing place is a REAL MUST SEE when in Taipei.... never ceases to AMAZE me - and when bored and alone, I just take a trip there to be amused and entertained.... see a movie... sit in a cafe, or anywhere for that matter, just to people watch... you will be entertained, FOR SURE!!!

COMPLETE PHOTOS HERE

Don't just store them, have FUN!!!

if you are like me, with way too many PHOTOS slowing down your computer, you are always on the lookout for external storage to file them.... I know one can but those that can store almost all.... with large capacities - but to me they are too boring,... just a box that attaches to the computer... I tend to opt for the cute ones - though limited in capacity as most can only store up to 8 GB.... I have yet to find a cute one that can handle anything more....

I have a few tokidoki ones which I LOVE but for the most part do not use... more for the collection... hehehehehe But just recently, I happen upon these, new on the market for 2010, USB MEN... first in a local TOY MAGAZINE, then at an actual iMac shop in Taipei.... they are just too funny with the way you POP out their head and you plug into your computer the body... HILARIOUS!!!

Right now you have a couple of lines to choose from: Professional or Sports Themes... so if you are an office worker, you can actually have a mini you as your storage backup... FUN!!!

I Love the SUPER 8 one....

MORE PHOTOS HERE