Travel
Homemade Dish from a Man's Kitchen: Salty, Spicy, and Addictively Delicious "Ants Climbing a Tree"
Today I’m going to share with you a dish called “Ants Climbing a Tree.” I’m sure many of you have tried it before. It’s salty, fragrant, spicy, and the chewy texture of the cellophane noodles makes it a favorite for many. But do you know the origin of this classic dish?
"Northern Hot Spring Festival" – A Winter Exclusive Experience: Soak in the Onsen, Then Stroll in a Yukata at the Temple Fair for a Truly Romantic Time
After a relaxing hot spring soak, nothing could be more romantic than slipping into a yukata and exploring a temple fair. Many backpackers carefully study Japan’s festival schedules, but find it hard to truly immerse in local life—city dwellers rarely wear kimonos, making streets less nostalgic, while rural areas pose transportation challenges. The Dongsen Marine Hot Spring Hotel in Yilan brings the essence of a Japanese temple fair right to the hotel, offering a festive atmosphere well worth experiencing.
Nighttime light sculpture photos revealed: Pingtung’s “Shanchuan Glass Bridge” is outrageously romantic
The most stunning skyline in Pingtung’s mountains — the “Shanchuan Glass Bridge” is set to open on December 26th. But recently, a breathtaking nighttime light sculpture photo was leaked early online. At night, when the bridge lights up, it creates a magical beam of light that’s simply astonishing, with romance levels off the charts.
There are more udon shops than traffic lights in Japan's Kagawa Prefecture, where strong arms knead out chewy noodles!
Kagawa is Japan’s narrowest and most compact prefecture. When it comes to local cuisine, you can’t help but think of udon — and more udon, and even more udon. It’s said that there are more udon shops in Kagawa than traffic lights, and today the number of udon restaurants across the prefecture, large and small, totals over 800. Even standard café menus will naturally feature udon, which is really something.
Get it all done in one go: A lazy person’s guide to travel and transport tickets at Kansai Airport
Japan really does a very thorough and thoughtful job when it comes to promoting tourism and being foreigner-friendly. Just the fact that you can buy so many travel tickets all in one place at Kansai Airport left a deep impression on Buji. Moreover, many important transportation websites and attraction websites not only have English versions, but also typically offer Chinese and Korean versions. Today, let’s talk about exactly which types of tickets you can purchase all at once at Kansai Airport.
The negative ion level exceeds 9,000 — “Zhushan Ruilong Waterfall” set to reopen in Lunar New Year
Originally named Shanpingding Waterfall, Zhushan Ruilong Waterfall is located inland in Taiwan: Zhushan Township, Nantou County, and has long been known as the “No. 1 Beauty of Zhushan.” As the final waterfall along the Jiachehliau Stream, Ruilong Waterfall boasts stunning scenery and a majestic presence, offering a dreamlike experience that feels like a hidden paradise — yet it has remained closed to the public for a long time.
The 2016 Michelin Guide to Tokyo is released — “Tsuta” becomes the first ramen shop to make the list
The 2016 Michelin Guide to Tokyo was released on December 1, listing a total of 217 Michelin-starred restaurants in the city. Although this number is down from 267 the previous year, Tokyo still remains the capital with the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world. The newly released guide includes 13 three-star restaurants, 51 two-star restaurants, and 153 one-star restaurants. Most notably, “Tsuta,” a ramen shop that was listed among the 22 recommended ramen shops in the 2015 edition, has become the first ramen restaurant to earn a Michelin one-star rating.
The "Mini Buns" pineapple buns really have pineapple; the "Piglet Flowing Custard Buns" actually flow with custard.
Dubbed the strongest rival to Tim Ho Wan, Mini Buns officially opened at Taipei’s Xinyi Breeze in early November. Currently, the restaurant is fully booked during mealtimes every day. The most popular item is the super-cute piglet-shaped Piglet Flowing Custard Buns, which sell up to a thousand a day. In addition to the Piglet Flowing Custard Buns, Mini Buns’ signature dishes also include Honest Pineapple Buns, Shining Shrimp Dumplings, and Crispy Shrimp Sausages.
The most romantic tour of Bangkok’s floating markets—featuring a Thai version of Romeo and Juliet
Bangkok has many floating markets, but Kwan-Riam Floating Market stands out with its most beautiful and touching love story. Legend has it that a pair of star-crossed lovers met and pledged their love here. However, due to family opposition, the woman later moved to the city to live a glamorous but empty life. In the end, she longed to return to her humble hometown to start anew and find the man she once dreamed of spending her life with. But upon returning, she found she could never go back to the way things were and left heartbroken. This story was later adapted into a movie.
"Christmas Lights" in the Valley: Winter Fireflies Decorate the Green Forest of Daxue Mountain
You can enjoy fireflies even in winter now!" The "Daxue Mountain Forest Recreation Area" spans warm, temperate, and cold forest zones, boasting rich biodiversity and diverse firefly species that can be spotted year-round.
The "Taipei 47 Celebrity Banquet" at the mid-floor Chinese restaurant on the 47th floor of Taipei 101’s Breeze XinYi will open in late December
Internationally renowned chef Huang Ching-piao, hailed as the "Godfather of the Culinary World" in Singapore, has been prominently hired by the Kaohsiung-based Daba Catering Group to open an all-round scenic Chinese restaurant named "Taipei 47 Celebrity Banquet" on the 47th floor rooftop of Taipei 101’s Breeze. It is expected to commence operations in late December. This marks Chef Huang’s first return to Taiwan in 36 years to establish and oversee a restaurant, where he will present the century-old "Tan Family Celebrity Banquet," featuring classic dishes such as braised shark’s fin in brown sauce, abalone in caramelized sugar glaze, and shark bone soup.
Watch the sunrise from bed, enjoy panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean from the rooftop – 2 ocean-view homestays in Hualien
Located on the eastern coast of Taiwan along the Pacific Ocean, Hualien boasts stunning blue-green seas that are truly refreshing. In the Haibin Street area near downtown Hualien, there are ocean-view coffee homestays where you can open the window and see the sea—such as Secret Sea Ocean View Cafe and Haibian Homestay. Secret Sea combines dining and accommodation, while Haibian is just 20 meters from the Pacific, allowing you to fulfill your dream of a blue-sea vacation without leaving the country.
Happy first anniversary to HSRK Kitchen (寒舍乐厨)! New additions include Cantonese-style Peking duck and blue crab dishes.
This time, after receiving a PR invitation, I realized that HSRK Kitchen has actually been open for a year. The scene of hard-to-get reservations a year ago is still vivid in my memory. The PR said it's relatively easier to book on weekdays (just a bit), but weekends still require early reservations. On the day of my visit— a regular weekday evening—it was almost fully booked. I think it's really difficult for a restaurant to sustain itself long-term without solid quality.
Singapore Airlines crafts a 1,000-hour miniature paper A380 model — even the seatbacks move like the real thing
Collaborating with renowned paper craft artist Luca Iaconi-Stewart, Singapore Airlines created a paper model of the A380 aircraft. The seat model, built at a 1:20 scale, used over 3,000 components and took nearly 1,000 hours to complete. After the making-of video was uploaded to YouTube, it attracted nearly 60,000 views in just one day, with viewers leaving comments like: “Incredible!”
Community murals depict enduring vitality — Kaohsiung’s Qianzhen district rises from the ashes after the gas explosion
More than a year has passed since the Kaohsiung gas explosion, and post-disaster reconstruction efforts have largely been completed. Yet, the public still vividly recalls that terrifying night. Now, a group of people has painted images of hope for life’s renewal along various spots in the affected areas, aiming to comfort the hearts of Qianzhen residents and help them move beyond the shadow of the tragedy.
24-hour Korean restaurants to try: Hearty dumpling soup and pork blood sausage side dishes
Today I’m introducing another restaurant in Hongdae. I didn’t do any research on this one—I just happened to make plans with a Hong Kong girl I was sharing a room with. It was her first time in Korea, so I thought, “Why not take her out for a meal?” I picked somewhere convenient. The online reviews were just okay, but I personally didn’t think it was bad, and the prices were pretty reasonable. Maybe my taste is just different from most Koreans’ (cough cough).
China Airlines flight attendants release fresh and vibrant calendar; 6,000 copies given away, not sold
TransAsia Airways officially published its latest 2016 desktop calendar in December, titled "2016 TransAsia NEW LOOK." This year’s edition not only showcases the newly introduced Boeing 737-800 aircraft and the “Flight Attendant Star of the Month,” but also includes staff from ground services, maintenance, and other departments. TransAsia stated that it aims to present the new look after a successful restructuring.
Overlooking 3 Scenic Spots of Alishan: Mt. Ogasawara, Zhushan, and Zhuping Station All in Sight
Most visitors to Alishan take a "carpet-style" sightseeing approach and rarely get the chance to view the entire mountain from a high-altitude perspective. On the 2nd, Alishan National Forest Recreation Area announced that three scenic spots—Mt. Ogasawara, Zhuping Station, and Zhushan Station—can be admired from the air, each captured from unique vantage points.
The suction cup stuck to my tongue—watch out, the "live squid sashimi" at Hakodate Morning Market still wriggles when you eat it!
Hakodate is a major city in Japan's Hokkaido region and one of its key gateways. Its abundant seafood often captivates seafood lovers. Every morning, the Hakodate Morning Market bustles with lively trade. Visitors can shop for a variety of fresh seafood and dried scallops perfect for souvenirs. The market also offers a unique "squid fishing" experience where you can catch and eat your catch fresh.
Shake off in nature: Taiwan's Top 10 Popular Field Concerts
You don't have to go to Taipei Arena to enjoy a concert—listening to music in nature offers a completely different auditory experience. Want to experience a wonderful field concert? Daily Network Thermometer has released a list of the top ten most popular field concerts in Taiwan. Check out the most beloved outdoor music events in the country here!