eastcoastlife: February 2012

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Yummy Eats in Taiwan - WW

Superlicious Vanilla Cream Puff (Kaohsiung) NT35

In Kaohsiung, while my tour group was visiting a Chinese temple, I was checking out the quaint eateries nearby. :P I bought this cream puff to snack on, it was so delicious, I bought another and another...... It was so good, I bought for the whole tour bus. :D

I love visiting Taiwan's 7-Eleven stores. I was eagerly buying food items and beverages to try. I love their wide range of beverages that comes beautifully packaged. The drinks taste good though.

Besides the famous Ding Tai Feng which has long queues at any time of the day, there are other good dumpling restaurants too. Former chefs from Ding Tai Feng set up their own shop..

This is a yummy snack!? This poster was promoting these sexy snacks at a busy street in Ximenting, Taipei. I didn't try.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Old Me, Oh My! - PH

Photohunt theme : Old

I am definitely old....... sigh

I am having a terrible backache which forces me to seek medical attention. Due to the long waiting time until I see the specialist, I have signed up for acupunture sessions to relieve the pain. I refuse to take painkillers.

The long queue to see a specialist at a public hospital is so annoying.

Acupuncture does relieve the irritating pain for a couple of days and then it's back. I have never liked to have a needle stuck into me but now at each acupuncture session, I have a dozen of them sticking in my neck, back, legs and even my head. Ouch!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's and Friendship Day!!

Without Love -- days are

"Sadday,

Moanday,

Tearsday,

Wasteday,

Thirstday,

Frightday,

Shatterday...

so be in Luv everyday...

Wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!

Monday, February 06, 2012

Fo Guang Shan Monastery 佛光山, Kaohsiung,Taiwan - RT

Great Buddha Land

Fo Guang Shan was founded by Venerable Master Hsing Yun in 1967. Since then it has evolved from a mountain top bamboo forest to the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan.

It is built on a hilly site. We took a slow, long climb to the various buildings. A map showing the routes to the various sites in the monastery.

The great Buddha statue (40m high) is surrounded by 480 small Buddha statues. The right hand is raised as a gesture of guidance while the left hand is lowered as a gesture of receiving.

There is a tea pavilon before entering Great Buddha Land. We stopped for a rest and have a sip of the refreshing tea. No cups, we drunk from tiny paper bags. :)

The grounds are very picturesque, and the monastery has a number of museums, shrines, and monuments to see.

It's an amazing place ....... so tranquil, so beautiful and the cheerful nuns and volunteers I met were ever so ready to help.

The Four Verses of Fo Guang Shan

May palms in every world be joined in kindness, compassion, joy and generosity.
May all beings find security in friendship, peace and loving care.
May calm and mindful practice give rise to deep patience and equanimity.
May we give rise to spacious hearts and humble thoughts of gratitude.

Outisde the main temple building Da Xiong Bao Dian

Some of the 500 monk statues .....

I was very excited when I saw Fo Guang Shan Monastery on my tour itinerary, I had seen the advertisement of its newly built majestic Buddha Memorial Center which opened on 25th December 2011. I wanted so much to see it for myself. Alas, the tour guide did not include the new building in our itinerary. *sob.....sob*