Thai Noodle Remy

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. My name is Cheeky Remington, but please call me professor Remington during today's lecture, Taipei 101. This crash course on Taipei, Taiwan includes an exciting recap of my parent's recent week-long visit to this spectacular island nation. We'll be discussing many of the suggested sights, scrumptious snacks, and sometimes stinky smells to scope out should you have the chance to visit Taiwan (aka the ROC, or Republic of China) in the near future.

You should probably take notes people! There could be a pup quiz ;)

Attention class, attention!!! Our first topic is of course the famous Taipei 101 building. It towers above Taipei with an astonishing 101 floors, and up until 2010 it was the tallest building in the world. Sadly it was surpassed in height by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, but still holds the record for the fastest ascending elevator, traveling at a blazin' speed of 16.83 m/s, or 1,010 meters per minute. Take a trip up to the top and it's sure to make your ears pop!!!

Taipei 101!

After your dizzying experience at Taipei 101 you'll no doubt be hungry from the adrenaline, so it's highly recommended you stop in at Din Tai Fung, a world famous xia long bao (soup dumplings) institution in Taiwan. They're like eating warm clouds of pork noodle soup all wrapped up in a soft, little bun. Trust me on this one, no matter how hungry you are be sure to give these babies some time to cool. They will literally sear your doggy tongue if you bite into one too soon. One last thing, try and get there early to grab a number. With it's prestigious Michelin Star Rating this place is always packed!

Heaven in a bamboo steamer!

Rollin' in the deeeeeeeEEEEp!

After a serious carbo-loading session at DTF, it might be a good idea to take a short walk over to the National Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall. As you all know from months of careful note-taking this semester, Sun Yat-Sen was a Chinese revolutionary responsible for leading the uprising against communist China, therefore becoming the founding father and first president of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

Staring Contest....Ready....Set....GO!

National Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall

Alright class, my doxie bladder is the size of a shot glass so what do you say we take a quick bathroom break? Don't be late...we're getting to the really good stuff!

Welcome back! Let's see, where was I?? Oh yes, night markets! As you know they're an absolute must in Taipei, with more than a handful scattered all over the city. What's truly amazing about these markets is that each of them has a unique and tasty selection of Taiwanese street food, many of which can only be found at that particular market! A great example is stinky tofu, a fermented version of the tofu we've all come to love. And when I say fermented I really should say foul! Since the stinkiest tofu is considered the most prized, and normal fermentation can take up to 3 months, this stuff can be quite overwhelming. As part of daddy's usual Bizarre Foods initiation for mommy he decided to indulge her in a bowl of the rancid bean curd. I assure you the taste wasn't that bad, but the sour-feet and rotten-meat odor wafting from her bowl was a bit too much to handle. Having already tried the stuff daddy chose a standard Taiwanese sausage. Lesson learned folks: You can never go wrong with a deep fried wiener :)

Mommy caught a wiff of some stinky tofu!

STINKY STINKY STINKY!!!

Mmmmmm nothing like a bowl full of smelly, rotten tofu!

Insert any number of inappropriate captions here ;)

I'd like to suckle on that lil' piggy!

The long line is worth the wait for these crispy little meat buns!

Dinner of Champions

After a long day of exploring all that Taipei has to offer, what better way to unwind than to kick up your paws at a relaxing foot massage. A word of warning folks: Taiwanese foot massages are a little higher on the pain scale than the standard Thai foot massages we frequent here at home, but still very much enjoyable if you can tolerate it. Don't expect to doze off during one of these. The intense pressure point techniques will keep you on your toes!

With a belly full of stinky tofu and your feet "aching" for more adventure, why not check out the beautiful Longshan Temple? There are of course many temples to see in Taipei, but there's something really spiritual about Longshan. You'll have to visit to find out for yourself!

Longshan Temple

If you're like my momma, you're probably wondering where all the good shopping is at. Taipei has shopping malls with just about every store you can imagine. If you're looking for a more boutique experience, visit the Ximending District. It's similar to the Harajuku district in Tokyo with countless cute, little shops to get lost in.

Wiener Sighting in Ximending!!!

So before I end today's lecture I have one final recommendation....HOT POT!!! It's an absolute must, especially during the cold months of the year. Basically it's a tasty assortment of veggies, dumplings, and meat you get to throw in an absurdly delicious broth and cook yourself right at your own table. Not only is it yummy, but it's also fun entertainment for the evening.

Alright class, that's all we have time for in this week's lecture on Taipei 101. I hope you learned something, but most importantly I hope you had fun! Also, I expect all you bitches to give me a decent rating on RateYourProfessor.com!!

Happy Fall Ya'll!!! Holy guacamole....September really snuck past me this year, and October's not far behind! It could have been the days and days on end of gloomy, sunless, rainy haze we've been having that let the season change slip right by. It's often hard to tell what month (let alone season!) we're in over here, so momma tends to go gung ho on holiday decor. That means this year our house is all decked out for Halloween. She even found some mini pumpkins at the local Thai grocery store. Total score!!! Maybe we'll get some trick-or-treaters this year....highly unlikely, but I sure do love to bark at that doorbell!

Here's a pic of my Halloweenie costume 2010...squeeeeeze me make me wine!!! Currently taking suggestions for this year's costume :)

I mean it when i say Fall is by far my favorite season. When we used to live in Sonoma County I would love going for brisk, early morning walks during harvest time. The crisp leaves crunched under my little paws and tickled my low-ridin' belly as I pranced along. Ahhhhhhh....Good times! Unfortunately Autumn just doesn't really have the same feel over here in the tropics. Although as I sit here snuggling up in the chilly air-con with a pumpkin spice candle burning, raindrops splattering against the window, and a batch of homemade chili simmering away downstairs in the slow cooker, it really does feel like home :)

As you may know September is a very special month for my parents. It marks the anniversary of both their first date and their wedding day! On September 10th, 2008 they went on a "business dinner" together at the Russian River Brewery in Santa Rosa, sharing delicious pizza pies, pints, and even a first smoochie on the corner of 4th and Mendo. Exactly three wonderful years later (9-10-11), they happily said I do!!! It's hard to believe a year has passed since that special day and they've been together for 4 years now!

To celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary my parents decided to get away for a few days. Only a short one-hour flight from Bangkok, but feeling like an entire world away, they discovered the magical country of Myanmar.

First stop....Yangon (Rangoon). After a quick business meeting with the country's largest supermarket chain, it was game-on for five full days of fun. Finger's crossed that soon daddy's wines will be sold throughout Myanmar! It's pretty mind boggling to think that Myanmar doesn't even have a single McDonald's, 7-Eleven, or Starbucks. And even for the past 60 years (ending on September 10th, 2012 = Mom and Pop's 1st Anniversary) they didn't even have Coca Cola! Now they just might possibly have some of my dad's delicious California vinos....WOW, times they are a changing!

While in Yangon they visited the 2,600 year old Shwedagon Pagoda. Yeah, that's right....shh-wey-dagon, not schweaty balls, and, yes I said 2,600 years old. The golden glow of the marvelous pagoda can be seen for miles. While vibrantly illuminating the dark night's sky, the pagoda also provides an abundant feast for the hundreds of bats circling around the sparkling masterpiece. It certainly was a breathtaking sight to be seen.

Over 60 tons of gold pounded into thin gold leaf!

The crown is tipped with 5,448 diamonds and 2,317 rubies!

After just a day in Yangon they headed north to Bagan. Bagan is an ancient city located in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan, the first kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute modern Myanmar. Their quaint Burmese bungalow was only a few minutes outside of the old town, right along the banks of the Irrawaddy River. With the gentle waves rolling onto shore, it was hard to believe they were staring at a river and not the ocean. In the end it was the perfect romantic escape they were hoping for.

Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary Resort

Burmese Tea Leaf Salad

They spent their first day in Bagan leisurely biking around, stopping at ancient stupas (mound-like structures containing Buddhist relics) and pagodas along the way. In true Southeast Asia style, at one point they found themselves caught in a sudden torrential downpour. Already soaked to the bone they ditched the bikes and raced to the nearest stupa for shelter. As daddy stormed inside with mommy hot on his heels, he stopped dead in his tracks when he came face to face with a wide-eyed, Green Vine snake dangling from a crack in the old brick. Luckily the snake was probably just as scared as daddy and quickly retreated into his home, but they still opted for the neighboring stupa instead.

Kicking off their sandals they hurried inside the crumbling, ancient structure. Daddy quickly inspected their temporary refuge for any creepy, crawly creatures that might also be looking for a dry place to hide. He assured momma it was all clear, but after their last close encounter she was still reluctant and decided to stay near the door. As you can imagine it was an absolutely surreal moment. With the the friendly eyes of a well-weathered Buddha watching over them, they waited out the thunderstorm inside the centuries-old stupa, wondering how many countless other people had done the exact same thing in years past. It was an experience they will never forget.

When they thought the storm clouds finally had subsided a bit they made a break for it, only to immediately regret their decision while getting pummeled by an even more powerful second downpour. They took cover again at a nearby rain shelter with a few other drenched locals. A little rain...heck, even a lot of rain couldn't dampen their spirits, for this was one of those magical moments that makes traveling so rewarding for the soul.

Day number two was spent with the company of their beloved Burmese tour guide, Zew (pronounced Zo). My parents usually don't like to use travel agents or guided tours and instead opt for their own choose-your-own-adventure, but in this particular instance it's near impossible to see Myanmar without one (and the government requires it in many cases!) Though after two days with this long-time Bagan native they realized they made the right decision.

In the morning Zew took them to Mt. Popa, an extinct volcano home to a marvelous temple honoring thirty seven Nat (local Burmese spirits). They climbed barefoot seven hundred and seventy seven stairs to the temple and monestary at the top, all the while enduring ungodly amounts of monkey pee and poo. Surprisingly the locals seemed completely unphased by the fecal matter. This was another one of those experiences they'll never forget!!! [Editors note: I'm not a doctor, but this was probably where daddy got his E.Coli!]

Monkey See, Monkey Do....Monkey Pee, Monkey Pooooooooo!!!

Family members took turns carrying the elderly up the 777 stairs all the way to the top of the picturesque Popa Taungkalat monastery. That's serious dedication, and a serious workout!!!

Later that afternoon they trotted around Old Bagan in a horse drawn carriage. Sounds like something out of a fairytale, but surprisingly it's a popular way to get around town. Since the horse could maneuver through narrow alleyways and along old, dirt roads where a car could not, it was the perfect way to visit some of the hundreds, if not thousands, of pagodas and stupas scattered across the vast plains of Bagan.

Peace :)

You smelt it, you dealt it!!! Don't worry dude, we've all been there!

The morning of their anniversary, day three in Bagan, they visited a few temples and a local wet market. That night daddy even planned a surprise sunset river cruise on the Irrawaddy River, complete with crisp sparkling wine and delicious Burmese potato chippies! Daddy sure knows how to treat his lady :) It was the cherry on top of a perfect adventure!

Shwezigon Pagoda

Ananda Temple

Burmese Lacquerware - The final product after a very long, tedious, process.

Betel Nuts

Red teeth from betel nut chewing, a mild stimulant much like coffee.

An anniversary surprise from the hotel :)

9-10-12...Cruising on the Irrawaddy!

Believe it or not, this river is so big there are even dolphins in it!!! Along with a few other strange fish I would imagine!

The genuine Burmese hospitality, marked by countless smiling faces along the way, is what really made this an absolutely unforgettable first anniversary for my parents. Who knows where they'll celebrate next year, but Myanmar sure did a great job of setting the bar high! As for me, I'm just along for the ride, and looking forward to what life brings us in our second year as the Stewart family.