Just went for a labor monitor today. It’s basically a technique that uses electrodes and a bioamplifier to distinguish preterm labor from false labor, monitor contraction efficiency, and identify the urgency for a cesarean section. We got to hear the baby’s heartbeats during the scan that lasted an hour. At one point, we even got to hear the baby’s hiccups. Hahaha they’re so cute. Too bad I didn’t get to record the hiccups.
But here’s a clip of the heartbeats. (You’d have to turn your speakers volume up.)
While the baby’s expected delivery date was brought forward to beginning of March, I had to make a last minute plan for a 3D2N trip to Taipei to meet with our client and his customer who’s the end user of our product. I flew in on Wednesday and returned just yesterday.
I was arranged accommodation at The Fullon Hotel Taipei. Initially I wasn’t quite impressed when I received the confirmation fax with the hotel letterhead, but when I arrived I loved it right away.
It’s modern, clean and definitely chic. The furnishing was all new. The bed was the softest I could imagine.
My room has a strange but practical design. The wardrobe is accessible from both the corridor between the front door and the bed… and also from inside the bathroom on the other side. Ingenious idea!
Dinner was arranged with our client Benson and his wife at Wang Ping Steak House (王å“). We were told it was the best in town. For less than $50 each, we had full courses of appetizer, soup, main course, fruit, dessert and coffee. Mind you, it’s not a Denny’s family meal. They’re all quality stuffs. Since I’m to abstain from beef and seafood, I had this humongous piece of pork chop… biggest I’ve ever seen. I was first served the outer layer (which is actually a lean layer of the pork leg) while they bring the inner layer back to be cooked a little longer. It came back looking like a completely new dish.
It’s my first time in Taipei… and between the meetings and business meals, I had very little time to see much. So I had to pick just one or two places to visit within the two nights. I was recommended a few, and I picked Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) for the first night and Ximending (西門町) for the second.
The streets at Shilin Night Market reminds me of a blend of Bangkok and Guangzhou, but a lot cleaner and the people friendlier. It was already close to midnight and yet there’re still lots of youngsters roaming the street. Most of the clothes and stuffs are so cheap I could not believe I was calculating the right conversion rate.
The street food… aaaah… HEAVEN! I saw so many things I wanted to try but after the gigantic pork chop/leg, I couldn’t stuff anything else down my stomach.
By the time I got to the end of one street, I had to turn back and call it a night. I wanted so much to explore the whole of Shilin but there’s just too much to see in one night and it was going to be a long day tomorrow. It was such a waste not to be able to try the street food. Nevertheless, it’s a place I’d definitely want to come back to.
After a breakfast meeting with Benson and Mr. Len, we took a 2 hour train ride to Chiayi, another city south from Taipei, to meet with the big customer of Benson, an industrial end-user of our coconut cream.
Here’s a video showing how fast the train went… Note the green fields. The only other place I’ve seen such green fields was in Japan.
It was just four of us meeting a whole team of 15 over people from various departments. The meeting lasted hours but it all went well. After the meeting, we were brought out for dinner before rushing back to catch a train back to Taipei.
Back in Taipei en route to the hotel, Benson briefly showed us The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. It wasn’t much to see and it was smaller than the Tiananmen Square, but the sight of the memorial buildings are just fantastic in the night lights.
Video for a panoramic view of the place…
By the time we reached the hotel, it was already 10:40pm. Needless to say, it was too late for me to visit Ximending so I decided I’d just head back to Shilin for some last minute shopping before they close at 1-2am.
Some of the stuffs I bought include…
... a Domo-kun hat for Liang Hwei
... a double wrap leather wrist strap
... a silver ring and bangle to match my old silver ring
That’s not a lot, but I must say I’m more satisfied with the shopping than I expected. Though I couldn’t find the sneakers I was looking for (or the grey Lux for Derek), I’m pleased with the leather wrist strap, the silver ring and bangle which I’ve searched for years for. So it’s quite a good catch within such a short time span.
The next morning, while waiting for the rest for breakfast, I took a walk around the street outside the hotel. Taiwan residential street reminds me a bit of Japan. The narrow lanes and small apartments resemble so much of those in Tokyo.
After a hearty breakfast (I even had nato beans on rice… a favorite Japanese breakfast choice) and before heading off to the airport, we made a short visit to the Carrefour. Nothing much interesting but I saw this giant shopping cart just outside the entrance. I wonder which giant left his/her cart outside the store.
So that was that… a short visit to Taipei. I’d definitely return… and next time with Sunsun and baby. I had the chance to visit just one of the many night markets. I’d definitely must explore more the next time.
I’m convinced! When I first heard Mushaboom on the “The Trip” album, a compilation of favorite songs mixed by Snow Patrol, I liked it… but not impressed enough to want to get Feist’s album.
Then my sister Liang Hwei introduced me to the album “Let It Die” and found the song familiar. I listened to the rest of the album and loved it.
Today, we found this Sesame Street clip on YouTube… I know Liang Hwei is definitely going to blog about it (she mentioned it) but I can’t help it but to do the same. I simply can’t resist
Yes, yes…. it’s belated. I wasn’t able to make it back on time yesterday to celebrate on the actual day, but a meal with my sis’s is still a bash!
Becky wasn’t feeling well again. She called me earlier today and she asked me… in a coarse voice… “fishk markkkit ork vekgetarianx…” My choice was obvious… FISH! I’ve had enjoyed just enough home/self-cooked veggie soup in KL for the past few days. So the Fish Market Bistro @ Greenwood it was.
Nice quiet cozy fishy restaurant… Just the way I like it! Since my change of diet habits, I’ve this thing for baked or grilled fish, and what’s fish is fresher than a fish market? Becky sounded better when she arrived. Glad she is coz if not I’d be feeling bad enjoying great food in her abstinence from seafood. Hmm… now what shall I have?
If you’re somewhere in Australia, don’t envy yet. The dishes we ordered are fantastic, but still can’t beat dining at fisherman’s wharf (any of them) in Ozland. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my char-grilled snapper very much!
The oysters! Mmmm… I do miss those but they’re lethal for my liver so I passed. They looked so good that Jasper and Becky had such a hard time picking which to eat. Come on, guys… Get ‘em before I salivate.
This year’s different… No cake. There’s a simple and good reason for that. I can’t have cakes! I’m forbidden from any food that has egg yolk. So we had gelato instead.
A simple dinner? No dinner like this is ever simple. It’s always great! I just love dining with family in a nice cozy place like this. Nothing too fancy and everyone’s relaxed.
THAT’S NOT ALL!
I got presents! This one is from Liang Hwei… a red baby Converse All-Star. Cute! I can’t wait for Ai-Thim to wear them. Now I’m tempted to add a red one to my All-Star collection. Hahaha
Next is something I got for myself. I just can’t resist this 16GB Nano… almost as much storage as my 20GB iPod 4G but SO MUCH SMALLER!
For maximum audiophile indulgence, I got this Sony Extra Bass Series earphones MDR-XB40EX. It comes with 13.5mm drivers and produces really clear sounds and powerful bass. I get those goosebumps listening to “Feel The Sun Rise” from Tiesto’s ISOS 7.
