My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Grand Opening of Mario de Rivera~Palace of Memory

By livelifeandlove on September 20, 2019

Last week, Tuesday Sept.10, 2019- 6 PM Mario de Rivera, a Filipino Asian modern and contemporary painter celebrated the Grand Opening of his One-man show, he picked Art Lounge Manila as the new venue for his solo exhibition to showcase his expertise and art creations. People gathered to see the artistic expression, it offers everyone the richness of visual experience.

Other respected names in the field of arts and close to a hundred friends, art collectors and relatives came to be a part of the event.

The highlight of the exhibition includes; Hand draw cheers of Champagne toast, Mario de Rivera speaks on a range of inspirations, Ballet duet live performance and a projection screen slide show featuring the impressive paintings of his son, Lorenzo. Artistic talent really runs in the family. Perhaps, Lorenzo’s artworks would soon be as popular as his father.

Mario de Rivera is already an established artist. Since then, he has had multiple solo exhibits, he exhibited his works in different galleries and joined group shows here and abroad. His work has been offered at auction multiple times. Year 2003, de Rivera won the Excellence Award at the 2003 Beppu Contemporary Art Exhibit in Japan competing with more than a thousand entries from all over the world and in July 2000 as Manila Finalist of Phillip Morris Award.

Art Lounge Manila Ground Level Podium ADB Ave., Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines

A catalog richly detailed that shows all exhibition pieces of de Rivera.

This space is dedicated to the range of de Rivera’s paintings revealing the charm of contemporary visual arts in variety of forms.

Nowadays, there has been an increased of public awareness of art through publicity of various exhibitions, news media, social media and blogs, with this kind of awareness will increase the patronage of art lovers and private collectors, this alone helps gave paintings a strong structural quality.

A toast to success! Mario (from the right) with wife Luz, the couple leads the toasting. For the increasing demand, Good luck and my Best Wishes! Cheers!

Mario de Rivera skillful perspective, the bright touches the pure color makes it more interesting especially when transformed into whirling colors, you can see the hidden reality of things side by side.The beauty of the picture does not really depend on one subject matter but on the style and form.

Me with the Filipino Asian modern and contemporary painter Mario de Rivera and Ninica del Rosario (Mario’s cousin).

Taken during the Grand Opening of Mario de Rivera’s Palace of Memory at Art Lounge Manila. (right ) Mario de Rivera, Ninica del Rosario, Me and Edgar Pazziuagan.

Added entertainment that evening, a Ballet duet live performance.

Stunning Paintings of Mario de Rivera

The scope of the whole collection, de Rivera produces the kind of art that suits the purposes of its particular time.

”The Black Dragon River”

”The Dry Season Afternoon”

”Between Sumba and Shanghai”

”Between Diu & Makassar”

”Anapolas Indias”

Atty. Baniqued, (left) Ninica del Rosario, Dr. and Dra Lim also graced the Gala opening of Mario de Rivera Palace of Memory.

Impressive Table Setting full of fantastic party appetizers and tasty finger foods.

Champagne and sparkling wine on the table

Having a solo show of artworks marks the achievement of huge success! The power of art inspired the viewers. I was enjoying the evening with friends around; Ninica (Mario’s cousin) and Edgar P., we all enjoyed the accomplishment of seeing Mario de Rivera’s work on display.

Thank you so much Ninica del Rosario for your kind invitation.

Congratulations to Mario de Rivera on his solo exhibition at Art Lounge Manila!

Art Lounge Manila proudly Presents Mario de Rivera’s Palace of Memory Grand Opening: September 10, 2019/ 6 PM / Exhibit runs until September 24, 2019/ The Podium Ground Level, ADB Ave., Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Travel and Adventure

Land of the Free, Home of the Brave Tuao Cagayan

By livelifeandlove on August 15, 2019

Entering the town of Tuao, the first thing you’ll notice is this welcome sign at the left side of the road. This entry sign, “Land of the Free, Home of the Brave” leaves a beautiful impression of the town as well as describing the positive attitude of the people of Tuao Cagayan. According to social media posts of my cousins, Tuao is where people are proud to live and visitors are always welcome here.

Welcome entry sign of Tuao Cagayan. The Municipality of Tuao, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cagayan

This beautiful welcome entry sign of Tuao Cagayan says a lot about their town, it is a catching phrase visual reminder and it’s a local pride!

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Recipes for busy moms/Fruits/Desserts/Salad/Decorative Ideas

Creative Ways to Serve Fresh Strawberries

By livelifeandlove on August 2, 2019

Freshly picked strawberries has the best flavor, With the looks itself, it’s not only fresh but perfectly ripe and moist with redness. Frequently, we only think about the sweetness of the fruit, that’s important but many fruits have even more to offer, they may have both the sweetness, scent, nutrition, color and health benefits. Strawberries has it all!

The good variety of strawberries grown in La Trinidad, Benguet, it was all planted in rows and a feet apart with each other. La Trinidad has the good type of soil and a climate which is considerate to these kinds of fruits. Strawberries are people’s favorite, Indeed, my favorite too.

In La Trinidad strawberry farm, you can pick your own strawberries. The owners will guide the strawberry pickers around charging Five hundred pesos per kilo. It is costly compared the price in the public market of Baguio city. Heavy cropping and picking done in the month of March to April when the fruits are abundant. The good thing about picking on your own, you can feel the excitement and the refreshing fragrance around that makes you more excited. It’s worth it!

Strawberry fields of La Trinidad, Benguet

The strawberry field is a very good example of a clean landscape, you can see here growing in many rows. The white flower appeared here is white in color, that’s the strawberry flower, it will soon turn into a white fruit. Details shown, beside the flower is the fruit which is partly red and white, the other one is still full white. When unripe, the fruit is white in color, however, as the fruit ripens, it gradually turns into color red. You can only pick strawberry when it is fully ripe.

Freshly picked strawberries in a box

Using fresh strawberries, I’ve created different arrangements such as; heart-shaped strawberries on a platter, forming letters using strawberries, circular-shaped arrangement and the standard grouping of strawberries.

Here are some ideas on how to serve it on a platter at the center table. With the guest around, it is also good to serve strawberries in the garden or in the backyard while having barbecue outdoors.

I used these fruits for making fruit salad delights, it looks attractive when mixed with other fresh fruits too. It is also a nutritious snack, a refreshing dessert, good for jams, jellies, ice cream, and shakes.

My Valentine masterpiece

I will show you example on how to please your loved one on Valentine’s day. This is just a simple art using fresh strawberries as the center of attraction on the table. It’s good to serve strawberries on this special day because the red color and heart-shaped not to mention the sweet fragrance represents love, it’s just like serving your love using these fragrant fruits.

Strawberry Valentine

This is a big Valentine party arrangement on the table.

Heart-shaped Strawberries

Lovely Strawberry Hearts

A heart-shaped arrangement strawberries on a platter.

Modern Ways to Serve Strawberries

Rounded Form or Circular-Shaped Strawberries

To create a circular form, it is best to choose the firm and the ripe ones.

Strawberry Robot

My illustration of a Red Robot using strawberries, this is a big strawberry robot. It’s just a funny arrangement of fruits.

Strawberry Alphabet

I’ve arranged strawberries using the letter M it represents the first letter of my name on a platter, you can create one for you too.

Strawberry Pink Sprinkles

Strawberries in a Cocktail Glass

Unequal-sized strawberries, the big one must always at the center. This kind of arrangement will create specific mood on the table.

The freshness inside, strawberry slices with other fruits.

Strawberry Cocktail Delights

New ways on how to serve strawberries on a platter emphasizing the red color of strawberries, I used a clean white plate.

Serving fresh strawberries on the table without removing the stalk, it serves as a holder as you eat and it would be easier to pick it up, that’s the natural way to hold a piece of strawberry.

Strawberry Fan

Strawberries with other fruits.

The trendy arrangement of strawberries.

This kind of serving will emphasize the freshness of fruits.

One way of introducing strawberries as a pretty snack and dessert on the table.

Individual serving of fresh strawberries

It’s more enjoyable to pick your own strawberries and eat with your hands, you’ll appreciate more the freshness in natural state. To serve it fresh, you don’t need to clean everything, just after washing it, save the stem and calyx to show freshness and to the complete the whole fruit. It’s just a fresh fruit ready to go. All you have to do is to pick,wash and eat.

Thank you for reading my blog!

Viewing the Sunset Through an Airplane Window

By livelifeandlove on July 31, 2019

Whenever I travel, I prefer the window seat because it gives me the best viewing spot, it’s the best corner that offers a variety of views to savor from beautiful landscapes to a field of greenery, towering mountains and cliff, sunrise and sunset scene and other water forms to name a few..

The best seat that I can enjoy is the window seat, this is the best space to enjoy the constant changing views above and if given a chance, aside from others land forms, you’ll get to witness the sunrise or sunset too, this might be the reasons why most passengers would rather sit in the window seat than the aisle. The small space provides a bit of privacy for relaxing and entertaining without even bothering seatmates, it is a better pick especially if your flight is short. My flight time from Taipei to Manila is just 2 hours, my flight departure from Taoyuan International Airport around 5 PM. With a flight mode adjustment, I was able to take few pictures done with permission , I was only given 3 minutes to shoot the sky clouds above and luckily, the good timing to shoot the beautiful sunset.

The green sky at night. Green flashes, yellow and orange combination lasted only for a second.

Magnificent Sunset from the Plane Window

Viewing the beauty of the world from a higher altitude, it’s my dream to produce beautiful aerial photography shots. This is a hand held photos with some degree of accuracy but to few, it may be very confusing, certain locations causing just as an approximate details like somewhere around.

Fly with me to experience the changing colors of twilight. This is really interesting, you’ll witness here from the start of sunset till darkness, the beauty from beyond twilight hours..

Sunset from an airplane window, taken on my flight journey from Taipei to Manila.

It was already the start of sunset time, I took this shot one hour after departure.

Blanket of clouds getting thicker and bolder . Sunset colors; the light blue-green flashes with yellow and orange lights about to merge together. Colors of the sunset result from a phenomenon called scattering.

The transition of colors is about to form…

Flying above the flat clouds

Reddish-orange color is about to appear. Reddening of the sun at sunset time.

Shifting sunset colors into a new dimension.

Scattering of light blue colors with yellow sun rays.

Taken halfway between Taipei and Manila. Getting dark slowly. This is a very colorful sunset perhaps the long wavelengths of light that provides variety of colors.

Watching and photographing the passing of time, the romantic colors and the soft glowing of lights is an inspiration to connect with nature.

The sun is about sink below the horizon, leaving mostly blue, yellow, red and orange light remaining. The light is still visible for awhile and complete darkness took place after this last picture.Taking a few minutes to appreciate the skyline, it was a peaceful time for me to see how the day ends on board.

This is a rare opportunity to capture the sunset from an airplane window. I was lucky enough given the chance to experience once in a lifetime activity.

Thank you for reading my blog!

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Rainforest Butterfly House

By livelifeandlove on July 26, 2019

Truly worth to receive the widespread admiration they deserve, the butterflies, one of the most beautiful and scientifically interesting creatures on earth. Today, I’m bound to catch something interesting and genuinely happy to share my experience capturing the wonderful world of butterflies.

Considered by many as the most beautiful habitat, Rainforest Butterfly House showcased different species of live butterflies in an enclosed garden. In here, you can walk around to admire and interact with them. This park provides educational tour with a guide to supply adequate information about butterflies, you’ll also see here all the nectar flowers, it’s a butterfly favorite but the most interesting part, you’ll witness the release of the newly hatched butterfly on their first flight.

I’m enjoying a half-day shooting here, this is not my first time to visit this place, my last visit was in October 2018, a month when temperatures are mild, sunshine and sky clouds definitely good compared to this year.

Rainforest Butterfly House

Butterfly garden is an enclosed butterfly habitat, it’s a place to provide food and shelter butterflies throughout their life cycle. It is also a place for visitors to observe and interact with them.

Butterflies are winged insects with knobbed antenna and attractive rainbow-colored wings, carrying the wings erect when at rest. Butterflies and bees are the best pollinators.

Parts of a Butterfly

This is a graphic displaying anatomy of a butterfly with its major body parts. This is very important for the students and researchers too. I just snapped this picture, you may have noticed it’s a clear and natural picture of a butterfly pollinating a flower.

Beautiful moments behind the scene, my sister took this shot while I was walking around to appreciate each of them.

Savoring every moment with my favorite agent of pollination. To document myself interacting with these pollinators fluttering around countless flowers, it keeps my spirit alive. I was so excited to snap them.

**Caterpillar Habitat**
**Monarch and Paper Kite Caterpillars**

Raising eggs, caterpillars and butterflies. You can clearly see the life cycle of a butterfly here. (Butterfly photos below)

I’m watching the butterflies emerged from their cocoons and taking their first flight.

What do butterflies eat? Aside from the nectar of the flowers which is more refreshing for them, butterflies can eat anything that can be dissolve in water but kite butterflies of this kind, they prefer sweet fruits like; ripe mangoes, bananas, watermelon etc.. You’ll see here all the favorite fruit of the butterflies.

At home, we also have our own backyard garden, butterflies, dragonflies and honeybees are my morning visitors but nowadays especially when rain comes, we don’t have rainproof enclosure for the butterflies and that drives them away.

There is something really adorable about these stunning insects, their attractive rainbow colors and their purpose to pollinate flowers are beneficial and that alone, captivates me.

Feeding time

Elaborate courtship ritual

Butterfly mating

Wonderful World of Butterflies

I took these lovely photos of butterflies during my timely visit. Only 3 different kinds of butterflies to show it here; the Lime butterfly, Golden Birdwing butterfly and Paper Kite butterfly, other species not present during my visit.

When I set out to cover these lovely pollinators to feature here, I just want to share few things you didn’t know and I already received praises from other butterfly lovers and fellow bloggers, it’s clear my readers love it too and nice to know I’m not alone here. This is an equally satisfying hobby to snap and I’m enjoying it. Let’s get started. Happy viewing!

Lime Butterfly

Paper Kite Butterfly

Golden Birdwing Butterfly

Lime Butterfly Gallery

Note: Click on images to view larger

Lime Butterfly
Lime Butterfly
Lime Butterfly

Lime Butterfly
Lime Butterfly

Lime Butterfly
Lime Butterfly

Lime Butterfly
Lime Butterfly

Paper Kite Butterfly Gallery

Note: Click on images to view larger

Paper Kite Butterfly

Paper Kite Butterfly
Paper Kite Butterfly

Paper Kite Butterfly
Paper Kite Butterfly

Paper Kite Butterfly
Paper Kite Butterfly

Golden Birdwing Butterfly Gallery

Note: Click on images to view larger

Golden Birdwing Butterfly
Golden Birdwing Butterfly

Golden Birdwing Butterfly
Golden Birdwing Butterfly

Golden Birdwing Butterfly
Golden Birdwing Butterfly

If you are like me, make butterflies and bees as your honored guests. Let pollinators visit your garden and make your own garden an educational ground and lovely place to enjoy all the agents of pollination.

Rainforest Butterfly House is a quiet place to observe, study and photograph butterflies. Let us support the preservation and conservation of our own native butterflies.

Thank you for reading my blog!

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Events/ Holidays/ Special Occasions | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

30th Sambali Festival 2019

By livelifeandlove on July 8, 2019

Every town or city has its annual event, either a religious, cultural, thanksgiving or a celebration of bountiful harvests. Whatever the reason, it serves the purpose of bringing town’s identity to honor our patron saint, heritage of culture and traditions. It is also a reason to get out of our daily and stressful routines to spend some time with friends and family and a hospitable practice to welcome, bond and to unite with relatives and townmates living in a foreign country.

Just like any other festival, Sambali celebrates with a series of performances and beauty pageant. Every year, our town conducts its own beauty pageant as popular inclusions.

Sambali Festival is a religious and cultural revival to commemorate Christianity of the Itawis region. It is a weeklong festival that reflects the daily life, culture, religion and history of Piat. This festival plays a prominent role in Piat’s culture and tourism.

During the festival, Piat has many fun-filled activities to engage with, including the Entrance of our Lady of Piat, Floral offering, Dance number, Little Miss Piat and Miss Piat Sambali competition, Farmer’s day, Colorful street dancing, Street parade and Marian procession to name a few….

My townmates especially those living and working overseas, I know, it could be very lonely sometimes if you missed to attend this special day but this blog of mine will feature some of the joyful moods of the people and cheerful Sambali activities during the fiesta. You can catch up and I will reach out to you hoping you’ll experience the same mood while reading my blog.

Municipal mayor of Piat, Atty. Carmelo Villacete with his wife, Beatriz and daughter, Bianca during the opening of the ”30th Sambali Festival” July 23, 2019 Piat Cagayan

Thousands of people attended the festival although, not yet known how many attendees in total. The good news, there’s no traffic congestion prevailed, there’s a smooth flow of traffic for this year 2019. Thanks to the construction of the new bypass route! The bypass is a priority project completed before the town fiesta, it’s an alternate route to divert traffic. My special thanks to Eng. James Garcia.

The mayor who vows to continue more development projects, Atty. Carmelo Villacete and wife Beatriz poses for a photograph in front of bypass, a newly developed project. The two, combining their efforts and inspiring everyone to work together for a better Piat.

It’s a bright future for the people of Piat and I’m here to share your vision. Congratulations for reaching this far! With all the changes and thriving achievements, may you continue your traditions of dedicated leadership and cultural enrichment.

Photos taken during the ”30^th Sambali Festival 2019”

Note: (This is not the full coverage of the Sambali Festival, it’s just a half of it )

Part of the festival is the ‘‘Farmer’s Day” it’s a farm bountiful harvests show featuring exhibits and parading of local agricultural crops.

Our beloved Mayor, Atty. Carmelo Villacete carrying an oversized jackfruit, the mayor of Piat who introduced modern technical in farming and fruit planting. With the help of our mayor, agriculture will surely rise and crop yields will soon increase.

What a festive feeling!

This is a unique kind of float, ”The Kuliglig Float” ( improvised vehicle) featuring Piat’s farm agricultural products.

Presentation of Little Miss Piat and Miss Piat Sambali candidates

Coronation Night Little Miss Piat 2019

Little Miss Piat 2019 Pia Joy Sagalon

Back to Little Miss Piat 2018

Little Miss Piat 2018 Sara Sammoury

My gorgeous niece, Sara Sammoury bags the title ”Little Miss Piat” last year.

Another niece of mine, Miss Piat Sambali 2019 Daphne Louise Aquino

2019 Miss Piat Pagayaya Piatrice Marie Dela Cruz

Miss Piat Sambali Candidates brought out best designs on a variety of formal evening gowns.

Sambali Street Dancing

One fun activity to be enjoyed with is the highly anticipated ” Sambali Street Dancing” this is for the students and other participants to showcase their talents. Students dressed in colorful and spectacular costumes performing choreographed tribal dance.

Dancing takes part on the street as an exhibition space for the performers to illustrate the Sambali war dance.

A traditional style entertainment scene. The street of Piat crammed with people followed by big crowds in colorful costumes beaming with so much Itawis spirit.

The most blessed part is the Marian procession, the feast day of ”Our Lady of Piat” it was an evening procession and despite the rain, many devotees flocked to the streets of Piat. Experiencing weather disturbance, rain didn’t stop but it was a peaceful walk with prayers.

Marian procession is a religious expression of Christian faith handed down by generations. Here in Piat, crowd gathered each time it is paraded through the streets of Piat during Sambali festival held annually on June 23-July 2.

Organizers of this event, devotees, the people of Piat and commuters earlier feared weather disturbance, the approaching brunt of moonsoon season might trigger and disrupt the week long activities especially the fluvial procession but it was just a fair and slight one prevailed. Rain or shine, the festival will go on.

The welcoming and entertaining Sambali festival is a huge success, Bravo! Once again, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to our beloved mayor, Atty. Carmelo Villacete and wife, Beatriz Villacete, Vice-Mayor Leonel Guzman and to everyone who participated in this year’s 30th Sambali Festival. Congratulations! My best wishes to a more successful activities in the future. Special thanks Eng. James Garcia and Mr. Benedict Sto. Tomas Big thank you for all your hard work and perseverance. Well-done!

Note: Want to be featured on my blog? Don’t hesitate. Submit your photos, I will consider any pictures related to this event 30th Sambali Festival 2019. I will add your pics here. Pls. pm me messenger or pm Elvie Baculi (FB) for more details.

Thanks for reading my blog!

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Events/ Holidays/ Special Occasions | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

30th Sambali Festival 2019 Join us for the big day

By livelifeandlove on June 29, 2019

Many people are heading to the northern part of the Philippines, to Piat, a place where you’re really going to feel the warm welcome of the people. Come and be with ‘’Our Lady of Piat’’ Feel the warm of the festival, the people, the good food and our culture.

Join in, Enjoy the Fun and Share the Good News !

30th Sambali Festival 2019

June 23 – July 2

Piat Cagayan

Hualien Chinese Lanterns

By livelifeandlove on June 18, 2019

A good scene to start with, the most common Chinese street decorations that symbolizes vitality. The red oval-shaped Chinese lanterns on the city street of Hualien Country, Taiwan The lanterns hanging above adoring the street can be seen elsewhere during festivals in Taiwan. Here in Hualien, you’ll enjoy a lot of beautiful attractions includes everything from Taroko National Park, Qingshui Cliff, Swallow Grotto, Tunnel of Nine Turns, Changchun Temple Trail and the irresistible and appealing shopping centers and Shilin night market.

Street photos taken just a few meters around Guangfu Street and Zhongzhen Hualien Country, Taiwan

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Arcovia City Phils.

By livelifeandlove on June 5, 2019

Popeyes is back and running at full strength, it draws crowd on the first day. Famous for its Louisiana fried chicken, hundreds of people lined up to get inside when Popeyes reopened 3 weeks ago. To welcome back for the second time, this is a good news for fried chicken lovers. It was year 2000 when Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen first opened in the Philippines but was completely closed years after. The new branch located at Arcovia city, a remarkable development and spacious township rising along C-5 Pasig city and the good location just beside Landers.

Finally, big crowds showed on the first day May 16 Thursday, we came early to beat the line but to our surprise to see hundreds of people around. I was having a second thoughts about standing in line waiting for our turn for more than an hour just to get inside, the heat is on feeling exhausted with stomach growling.

Arcovia City centerpiece is Arco De Emperador, a 62 -foot-high arch monument, you’ll see this landmark beside Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.

At last, long wait is over after an hour, we reached the counter, it was packed with people from every walk of life but to see more, it adds curiosity.

We were the first to occupy the decent ambiance which is the best area on the left side, it is more cozy and peaceful here according to Selina.

Popeyes series of delicious items along with more different choices.

These foods on the menu really drives me crazy! You’ll find some more favorites here; the Float, the Swirl and Sundae. Cajun our family’s favorite fries. I wish to try the Creamy Crab Soup with the Chicken Quarter Burger soon.

What I really love is the Louisiana fried chicken. Popeyes is famous for this and has always been our favorite.

Our first order, 8 PC BUNDLE B, that includes; 8 pc fried chicken, 4 rice, 4 biscuits and 4 drinks followed by more orders; 3 pc chicken tenders, spaghetti meal, box of 3 biscuits and another box of 3 assorted for take-out. Last part of the meal is the caramel sundae.

Most requested item on the menu.

A slice of heaven and 2 pc is just enough for me only. It’s a yummy crispy and tender favorite of mine! It is also available in spicy.

Crispy chicken with Ranch as my dip. They offer 4 different dips such as Ranch, Bold BBQ, Mardi Gras and Gravy which is the most common.

but still craving for more…

Caramel Sundae is just fine for me.

If you are hungry, you can’t help but to quickly grab your own…

You might as well grab a piece of biscuit with honey. It’s a breakfast and snack to crave for.

Biscuit with the Honey Sauce

This is not to be missed.

Our take-out items

Assorted box of 3 biscuits with 3 different combinations of Honey, Hazelnut and Chocolate.

Box of 3 Honey Biscuits

The best deal is the spaghetti, you’ll be calling it, ”really good”.Trust me on this one, it’s hauntingly good.

With stomach full and happy, I’m well satisfied. Singing praises, it’s worth waiting in line for.

Try it!

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Arcovia City, 9 Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Ugong, Pasig City

Note: Expect a long line on weekends and long wait is a part of tasting experience.

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Travel and Adventure

Taroko National Park Scenic Attractions

By livelifeandlove on May 8, 2019

Standing on the still side of Liwu river valley, it looks like a vacationer’s dream come true and reachable even in winter. The high elevation is difficult to reach but I swear, it is a rewarding trail. In fact, visitors by the thousands arrive each year to visit this place. Eternal Spring Shrine or Changchun Shrine was built in memory of the 226 workers who died on duty during the construction of Central-Cross Island Highway. With highest estimated number of deaths, it is considered as the deadliest construction in Taiwan. The spring gushing out beside the shrine formed a small waterfall and now called,”Eternal Plummeting Spring” by the directorate general of highways. Since then, the shrine has become an iconic landmark.

Another interesting feature is the place itself, Hualien is the biggest country in Taiwan and situated on the mountainous eastern coast of the island. It is the main attraction of Taroko National Park with its gorge and offers exceptionally wide variety of attractions. Taroko Gorge is the major centerpiece attraction of the whole park and a must to visit.

Getting a chance to witness this beautiful sight, when we visited this lovely place, I focused only on just the beautiful essentials because of the effort it takes to reach them and surprisingly difficult to climb, not to mention rain often pours in tremendous downpour, it’s good the water quickly subsides. Changchun Eternal Spring Shrine as the most often visited attractions and one of the top 10 wonders of Taiwan, it may leave you wanting to see more of Taroko but 5 hours is not enough to hit all the highlights around but still tourists instead flocked to see the astonishing fragment of history. All in Taroko is a reasonable standard to test your health and fitness level. Shorter trail can be completed in half day while long trails require a full day.

All the featuring picturesque views of Guanyin cave, Hilltop Bell tower, Changuang temple, the still side of Liwu river valley and Eternal Spring Shrine. A guide led nature walk and long trails that start at Jinheng bridge and continue all the way up to the stairway to heaven to find the sacred place, a remote temple in the mountain and a steep series of slippery steps upward heading onto the Eternal Spring Shrine.

Overlooking all the panoramic views with maximum excitement, this is an exciting travel destination. If you have a tour guide, it would be better to guide you along the way. The panoramic view rewards anyone who attempts to climb to the top.

To reach the main peak in elevation, it offers killing views and it is primarily designed for daytime tour.

Eternal Spring Shrine

The towering jagged cliffs, waterfalls, marble mountains and Liwu’s turquoise river formed an immeasurable charm, this is one of the most picturesque corners of Taroko Gorge.

Eternal Spring Shrine scenery owe their dramatic beauty in part to connections with the river. The river’s winding course as much as the shallow scene contributes to the wild scenic beauty.

My Taroko journey of Eternal Spring Shrine starts at Jinheng bridge to the main entrance but first, let me show you the aerial view of Jinheng bridge taken from the mountain top.

View of Jinheng bridge and Liwu river taken from the Changchun terrace.

View taken from the Changchun stairs. Bordered by high marble cliffs and white mountains, the shallow river of Liwu cut its way down through sandstone formations.

Jinheng bridge connects two marble peaks visible in all directions.

Jinheng bridge

The main entrance is the Jinheng bridge leading directly to Guanyin cave.

Guanyin Cave

Climbing the stairs heading to the top, we reached
Guanyin cave.

Passing through the Guanyin cave, it’s a dome cave, a small curved structure.

A long series of slippery steps.

There’s a Led light inside the cave, not sure because I didn’t see any motor inside…

Examining the cave inside, it was well developed.

Our first stop to offer prayers, two- minute of silence to remember all those who perished during the construction of Central-Cross Island Highway. Inside the Guanyin cave is a small temple with statues of the Buddha and Bodhisattva.
(Taoist gods)

A big hole along the passageway of the cave. Liwu river widely seen down there.

Path leading to the entrance of the second cave.

Walking beside the cave, the rocks exposed in its wall reveals a giant slice through time. Leading through the Spring Shrine, I’ve made a quick stop to view the surroundings and right beside me, a deeply eroded part of the marble mountain.

Stairs leading to the hill tower.

A flight of stairs leading down to the terrace and a slippery walk along to view such outstanding setting.

This area gives a full spot to catch a glimpse of the whole surroundings from the Liwu river valley to the elusive mountain ranges and remote jungles.

Chinese architectural influence among the special features of the inviting scenery aside from waterfalls, marble cliffs and mountains, jungle greenery, sparkling river, bell tower and temples.

Taiwan, a land of earthquakes has long been renowned for natural springs that flow through the Liwu river, it vividly conveys the meaning of its name,”Eternal Spring Shrine”

Liwu River Valley

From Guanyin cave, you can clearly see from adjacent side is the designated parking lot for the visitors. Down the Liwu river, it looks like half of the river water have dried-out, the river almost runs dry and worn away by the passage of time.

Taroko marble mountains and nearby attractions are well protected inside Taroko National Park that encompasses some of the finest beauty spots in Hualien. All attractions shown here are clearly reasons enough for visiting Taiwan.

Thanks for reading my blog! More on Taiwan, See you next post…

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October 2019
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