Married Life » A Cruising Couple

Dear Life

Jun 172013

Sun Moon Lake-Taiwan

June 16, 2013

5:30 pm

Dear Life,

Thank you for mugs of hot tea on rainy, summer days.

Thank you for the rain as it patters on the roof, as it fills and replenishes the stores of this lake.

Thank you for Sun Moon Lake, for the beauty of the mountains it reflects, for reflection upon ourselves, on our blessings big and small.

Thank you for the sun and the moon and the days in between.

Thank you for imagination, for transportation, for taking us new places.

Thank you for the cycling we did today, for the energy, the sweat, and the rest afterwards.

Thank you for movement, for running and yoga and climbing, to power us forward, both body and soul.

Thank you for a world that’s so big and so small.

Thank you for constant discoveries and learning new things.

Thank you for the Chinese phrases we learned today and the new friends we made along the way.

Thank you for companionship with those near and a far.

Thank you for love,

For time spent today with the one we love most,

With a mug of hot tea on a rainy, summer day.

Love,

Dan and Casey

– — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — –

This post is a part of So Many Places series Dear Life, and Kim’s effort to express more gratitude in her life. When we read her letter to life last week, we were inspired by the notion of reflecting upon our blessings and what we’re grateful for, and then sharing those things with all of you. We particularly enjoyed taking the time to reflect as a couple. It was an interesting exercise to see what we came up with after brainstorming together freely, pen and paper, tea in hand. I think we can all say that no matter what, there are so many things we can be grateful for, and taking the time to remember those things has a huge impact on the way we see our world. We plan to take more time to record the little blessings in our lives that we are thankful for in a gratitude log.

Do you keep a gratitude log? What are you grateful for today?

6 Ways to Photograph the Hong Kong Skyline

May 222013

It’s no secret that Hong Kong has one of the most beautiful skylines in the world.

Still, I didn’t expect to be wowed by it quite like I was.

Towering skyscrapers, their reflection shimmering on Victoria Harbor, appeared to engulf us on all sides. By day the lofty buildings were a reminder of how many people cram into Hong Kong’s dense living spaces. By night the cosmopolitan city came alive, and its sparkling silhouette provided the most romantic of backgrounds for an evening stroll—a perfect way to celebrate our two year anniversary.

While exploring, we found ourselves stopping in our tracks again and again in an effort to absorb just a little more of the man-made beauty surrounding us. Each vantage point offered a different perspective of the city, mixing old and new, history and progress. Add to that the boats slowly cruising by or the majestic Peak providing a natural contrast to the concrete, and it’s no wonder we were happy to spend hours wandering, cruising, hiking and dining with the view. Of course, taking it all in over a bottle of wine was also a must.

With such an inspiring backdrop, we just had to take about 1000 pictures along the way. (By we I mean Dan. I probably took a whopping three.) We tried to narrow down the photos to include only our favorites, but still ended up with 29 photos. Don’t worry-we then went through one more time to put together the best of the best.

You’ll notice that the photos we chose are not exclusive to Hong Kong’s signature skyline viewed from the harbor on Kowloon (although those are certainly included). Rather, we chose to include our pick of images that display multiple perspectives of the cityscape. Even better, each vantage point can be enjoyed in unique ways.

So here you have it. Our six favorite places to photograph Hong Kong’s skyline.

International Commerce Center

Home to the tallest observation deck –Sky 100– in Hong Kong, the ICC offers breathtaking views of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula. We chose to skip Sky 100 and headed straight for the luxurious restaurants on the 102nd floor. If you happen to be with friends who are inquiring about it for a potential wedding venue *cough-us-cough* you can avoid the high prices on the menu. Alternatively, tea time offers a good value for the location.

International Finance Center

Located on the waterfront of Hong Kong Island, visiting the IFC provides stunning views of Kowloon. Head to the fourth floor-here you’ll find an outdoor area open to the public. For free. Adjacent to the ridiculously priced bar with not-as-good-views. Score. Remember to bring a bottle of wine and watch as day turns to night. Conveniently there is a CitySuper located in the basement. *Note: There is a bit of construction going on in front of the IFC. The better views are actually obtained by sitting farther back. Hopefully they aren’t building an obstruction to this view…

West Kowloon Promenade

Once home to a dockyard, this area is now a popular spot for runners. From here you can see more of the western side of Hong Kong Island’s renowned skyline. Even better, no one comes here, so enjoy the view without flocks of tourists. If we had the time we definitely would have returned here for an evening jog. You just don’t get this kinda view in Hsinchu.

Avenue of Stars

Located in Tsim Sha Tsui, this is Hong Kong’s version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While you may or may not have an interest in Asian celebrities, the promenade still warrants a walk for its location alongside Victoria Harbor, leading up to the Ferry Terminal. Upon the end of the strip you’ll come to the observation deck for viewing Hong Kong’s nightly light show, A Symphony of Lights. It’s quite amazing how the entire skyline lights up in accordance to the song of the night; however, it is a brief show for the crowds it draws. Get there early to make sure you grab a spot up front.

Star Ferry

The Star Ferry is an iconic Hong Kong tourist attraction, but also a mode of public transportation for millions of passengers crossing Victoria Harbor every year. Riding the Star Ferry is as inexpensive as it gets (HK $3.00) and provides a unique perspective of both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Operating since 1888, riding the Star Ferry also offers a distinctly historical and cultural experience.

Victoria Peak

Unfortunately we choose to summit Victoria Peak on the foggiest day we had in Hong Kong. Ordinarily the Peak is known for it’s magnificent panorama of Hong Kong, with China stretching off in the distance. Judging from our glimpse within the fog, we’ll believe it. Victoria Peak also has many walking paths, as well as a famous tram shuttling tourists to the top of the Peak.

This is just the first of many Hong Kong posts to come. We loved the city so much more than we could have anticipated; it was definitely an amazing spot for our two year anniversary. Of course, now that we’re back, we can’t help but start thinking about year number 3. We’re thinking Thailand, but with these cheap flights to Bangkok I’m not sure we can wait a whole year!

What’s your favorite skyline? Have you been blown away by any cityscapes?

You’re Invited To Celebrate Our Anniversary…In Hong Kong!

May 152013

We’re two years old today!

Okay, it’s just our marriage that is two years old.

And it’s not actually today, it’s May 20^th.

But we’re calling it close enough since we started celebrating when we flew into Hong Kong at the crack of dawn this morning. Don’t worry. We’re not going to ramble on about how these have been the happiest two years of our lives or how we grow more in love everyday or even how we’re so lucky to be living our dreams together. Although we totally could share those things with you, we figured it be better to save the lovey-dovey stuff for ourselves. Or maybe our facebook statuses just to piss people off.

Still, it is our anniversary. And the only reason why we started this blog in the first place was for a site to share our honeymoon adventure. We never imagined A Cruising Couple would survive this long, change so much. And what’s even more exciting is that we’re not planning on stepping away from the blogging scene any time soon. Exciting for us at least. You can make your own call on that one.

So we want to say thank you for sticking with us. If you’re reading this now and you can remember those first blog posts we pumped out—wow. It’s quite amazing you’ve stayed along for the ride. And if you’re only now stopping by for the first time, we hope you’ll come back again. We appreciate all of you more than you might realize. Once again, thank you. You rock.

Okay, we promised we wouldn’t get lovey-dovey, so let’s switch gears. Last year we were so fortunate to celebrate our one-year anniversary basking in the sun in the Philippines. We split our time between the Amorita Resort in Bohol and scuba diving through scenes taken straight from ‘Finding Nemo’ at Apo Island. We also saw these guys:

I was beyond stoked. Aren’t they seriously the cutest critters ever?

As much as we love our tropical getaways, we’ve also got a soft place for concrete jungles. And roulette. Hong Kong and Macau easily won the bid for this year’s anniversary destination. World-class dining, top-tier casinos, Portuguese history, and great shopping are just a few of the reasons why we can’t wait to start exploring. But other than our Hong Kong Foodie Tour (which we are drooling over just thinking about) we’ve been a bit too busy to make any other plans for our time here.

It’s kind of nice not having any idea what we’ll be getting ourselves into, but we don’t want to miss out on the best of Hong Kong either.

So here’s your invitation to be a part of our trip: If you happen to have any secrets about the best spot to take snapshots of the skyline or your favorite cocktail venue that won’t break the bank, pretty please let’s hear it in the comments! Really, any Hong Kong tips would be amazing.

Did we mention that you guys are awesome?

Taiwan Calla Lily Festival: Frolicking Permitted

Apr 012013

Every spring, the small town of Jhuzihu is overcome by white, delicate Calla lilies, as field after field bursts into nearly two million blooms.

The annual Calla Lily Festival attracts families and lovers from all around Taiwan, producing a serene and idyllic setting. Children eagerly bounce through the fields; ladies point out their favorite blossoms for their boyfriends to fetch; small Taiwanese grandmas gossip while elbowing at strangers to access the prime flowers first.

Calla lilies are one of my favorite flowers, and Dan and I sported the idea of having them at our wedding until we realized the price was outrageous, going for US$3-5 per stem. That’s, like, 10x as much as picking your own in Jhuzihu, where one stem goes for a mere NT$10! But no matter the price tag, when you get the chance to go frolicking through fields of Calla lilies there’s just no way to pass it up.

The scenery was truly stunning. As per usual, the weather didn’t really want to cooperate with us; as soon as we arrived at Jhuzihu, the tenacious cloud hovering over Taiwan descended, draping the surrounding mountains in fog. This actually added a bit of romance and mystique though, and for once I didn’t mind that the sun was hiding itself.

The Calla Lily Festival is definitely a must-see if you find yourself in Taiwan during March or April. To access the blooming fields, first head to Yangmingshan National Park. From here, it’s easy to find shuttle buses to Jhuzihu. If you find yourself lost or confused, chances are you will see loads of people with bundles of Calla lilies in their arms—they will eagerly help direct you to the shuttles. After that, a fifteen-minute trip will drop you in the middle of the Calla lily fields. Now you just need to get picking!

The Gili Islands: A guide to the magical stepping stones of Lombok

Mar 072013

The Gili Islands are known for being some of the most beautiful islands in Indonesia, having managed to preserve their pristine beaches and authenticity despite growing tourism to Bali and Lombok. And by authenticity, I mean the only form of land transportation is horse carriage or bicycle! Ah-mazing, especially after living in Taiwan where I’m constantly trying to avoid collisions with incompetent scooter drivers. There’s a reason why the three islands have such a good rap—with white sand beaches, amazing snorkeling and diving, and easy accessibility, they really are a must for any Bali/Lombok visitor.

One awesome thing about the Gili Islands is that each island caters to a different kind of tourist, promising a match for any traveler personality.

Gili Trawagan is the party island, and has morphed into a Kuta wannabe. It’s easy to get your dance moves on til sunrise, or rent a boat and drink the night away under the stars. Gili T is the largest and most developed of the three islands, and has many five star resorts, reliable dive shops, and classy restaurants. The beaches are still quite nice-not as secluded as some you might find on the other Gili Islands but still rather clean despite the hung-over foreigners that dot the sand here and there. Gili T is perfect if you are traveling with a group of friends, or if you want a lot of options in terms of things to do. Also, if you need a doctor for any reason, Gili T has a great 24-hour clinic with English speaking doctor. Unfortunately I speak from first hand experience and a 103-degree fever. Yeah. Not fun. Other than our time at the clinic, we only spent a brief afternoon on Gili T to follow the snorkeling and biking route explained in the Frommer’s Bali Guide Book. (We wouldn’t recommend this route to others, as the biking is primarily over sand and the snorkeling only average.) In addition to snorkeling, scuba is one of the main attractions across all three islands. Dive shops are extremely popular on Gili T, but prices are fixed across the Gilis.

Gili Air is the middle island in terms of size and development. We didn’t get the chance to check it out firsthand, but it seemed like a popular choice with travelers looking for a toned down Gili T. All we can say is we’ve only heard good things. It’s also the closest to mainland Lombok, making it an easy day trip.

Gili Meno is the honeymoon island, and naturally where we decided to settle down for a couple of days. We’re suckers for all things mushy and romantic, so how could we possibly say no to candlelit dinners on secluded beaches? It is definitely the smallest and least developed of the three Gilis—there isn’t any fresh water on the island, and you can circumnavigate the whole thing by foot in an hour! Not quite as remote as staying on a personal island, but pretty darn close. We understand why honeymooners would choose Gili Meno; it’s easy to spend hours relaxing under your private beach gazebo, sipping on cocktails and watching the gentle waves lap across the sand, all the while without another soul passing by. Other than the lovely waiter bringing you your Mai Tai, of course. Although basic, Gili Meno has everything you need: unspoiled white sand beaches, stunning snorkeling (with the opportunities to see lots of turtles), and decent beach warungs serving everything from burgers to nasi campur (fried rice) to fresh fish. And just in case you didn’t get enough sunsets on the rest of your Bali trip, you can rest assured-they’re incredible here too.

Accommodation on Gili Meno is great, with lots of different options. If you are actually honeymooning, look no further than the MAHAMAYA Boutique Resort. It’s beautiful, and we couldn’t help but feel a bit envious every time we passed by. Butttt unfortunately our pockets don’t run that deep. If you’re a traveling couple on a budget like us, than Meno Dream is for you. We accidentally stumbled upon it when we arrived, and immediately fell in love. Consisting of 5 bungalows, Meno Dream is well designed, with boutique rooms, comfy beds, and a well-manicured garden. It does get a little hot at night in the rooms with no A/C, but the adorable outdoor shower compensates. What really sets Meno Dream apart from the rest is the hosts, Bernie and Made. Not only did they ensure we were comfortable, they made us feel as though we were their good friends whom they’d known for ages. Bernie and Made can help you with any information you need, and will cook up some of the best food you’ll eat during your entirety in Bali. Trust me—eat the gnocchi. It’s mind blowing. The only hesitation some might have is that Gili Meno isn’t beachfront. But don’t let that change your mind—the five-minute walk to the beach is easy and quite enjoyable provided you don’t have a fear of cows. They like to block the path and just stare at you, mindlessly swatting at the swarms of flies across their back. I think they’re harmless… On a sidenote, Meno Dream didn’t compensate us to say any of this. We just loved them that much!

Transportation to the Gili Islands is available from either Bali or Lombok.

If coming from Bali, you will have no trouble arranging your transfers as everyone wants to sell you their super-discounted-one-time-only ferry tickets. Definitely negotiate. Prices will vary depending upon where you are coming from in Bali, but most fast boats depart from Padangbai. Once in Padangbai, prices vary depending upon operator. Often you will initially be told around $60, but most people don’t end up paying more than $35, if they’re willing to book ahead and don’t mind a bit of bargaining. Total travel time is about 2 hours. If you are really on a budget, the slow ferry is also an option; however, it’s definitely not desirable as travel time is 8 hours, and list ticket price is about $30. Finally, travelers can also choose to hire a local fisherman from the east coast of Bali to take them over. Prices should range between $20-$30, and trip time is around 3 hours. We arranged our transportation from Ubud, or else the latter would have been our preferred method.

Travel between the Gilis and Lombok is quicker and cheaper. The public ferry costs a mere $1 and takes around 40 minutes. Be sure to check the schedule ahead of time as often the ferries only shuttle people twice a day. Private charters can also be hired should you miss the public ferry, but the cost will be around $20-$25.

Travelling as a couple is always rewarding, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. If you’re looking for a place to throw the backpacks down and flirt with your significant other, then look no further than the Gili’s. Especially Gili Meno, where romancing is made easy.