Mid-October Check-in

Well, as many of you know, I have made Top 20 in my singing competition. It has been a wonderful journey thus far and I've learned a lot, not only vocally and performance, but also a lot about myself. Competitions force you to dig deep into yourself and fight your inner demons of insecurity, mentality, self-esteem, and scariest of all, your emotions. Facing these first is the hardest part, and I am currently in the midst of slowing fighting my way up and freeing my mind of all the shackles and fears that have been weighing me down. Each time I perform, I feel myself getting stronger and more confident. It truly is a wonderful feeling and I am glad that I have this opportunity to grow.

Another thing that has helped give me the strength to carry on is my family and friends. My mother has just recently started using the internet!! My auntie got her a computer so she can talk to me via cam. To see my mom after a year of not seeing her, is probably one of the happiest things I've felt in my life. We chat almost every night, and she's really looking good! Starting to exercise more and looking great at her age! This is an example of a conversation we have, my brother is there as well. We really are a close-knit family haha:

My brother is such a loser

So, on the subject of friends, one of my great friends, Alice, from Hong Kong, came to Taipei to come watch me perform on the show. That particularly day, the recording was 12 hours long and I felt terrible for making her and my relatives sit there just to watch me sing. But, the support is undeniably helpful.

So after a days of rest, Alice and I decided to go hiking at Yan Ming Shan, national park/mountain of Taiwan.

Last time I came with my friend Anson (also a Hong Konger-seems I only hike with Hong Kong people) and we went a different route. This time, Alice and I chose a harder path, climbing up Mount Cising.

Alice and I spent 3 hours non-stop climbing up stairs to the top of Mt. Cising.

This is my lunch. Steamed Chicken, broccoli, tomatoes, and eggs. I eat at least one steamed meal a day to lower the calorie counts and just to eat healthier. It really does help lose weight and feel good to not eat heavy-tasting foods every meal.

We reached the top! Taipei's tallest mountain peak at 1120 ft. Mt. Cising

Definitely worth it. Great air and great view of mountains and Taipei City in the distance

Got a shot of a butterfly

This is near the passageway to Mt. Cising East peak. I thought this area looked mystical in some way. Just my wild imagination.

View of the climb to Mt. Cising from Mt. Cising East Peak.

From the East Peak, you can see a clear line separating an area with no clouds and an area condensed with clouds. I think it looks like a separation between heaven and mortal world. ahaha

Scientifically, I think it's just cuz the area with the clouds is in a lower terrain, so there's more cooler air, causing there to be more clouds. (Just a guess, but I like the first theory more, sounds cooler)

The clouded area is where we ended our hike, and it was really rainy and damp :P

Cool view

Below is Mt. Cising Park and more hiking trail options at Yan Ming Shan

Found our way to Fantasy Mirror Lake. It wasn't that pretty, but supposedly has Taiwan's last population of Isoetes living in the waters. The government has made this tiny lake the designated preservation area for the aquatic plant species.

So after our hard climb, Alice and I checked out Shilin Night Market to eat all the famous Taiwanese snacks.

Oyster Pancakes: Made with eggs, flours, and a jelly-like substance, tiny oysters are mixed in with lettuce and smothered in a mildy-sweet sauce. Simply amazing

Our favorite of the night: Stinky Tofu. A lot of people are turned off by the smell, because honestly, it IS very Stinky. But the taste is amazing, especially when combined with the sour pickled cabbage and hot sauce. HEAVEN. In the 4 days Alice was in Taipei, she had is at least 4 times. That's how much we love Stinky Tofu. Just cover your nose!

Bitter Melon Juice. Bitter Melon is, well...bitter, but it's really good for your skin. I used to not like it when it's used in cooked dishes, but I'm starting to like the taste. As juice, they add honey to the mix so you don't taste the bitterness as much. An enjoyable cool drink on hot days.

These types of BBQ stalls are very popular in Taipei. You just choose ingredients you want grilled at a cheap price, and you get yourself a good quality meal.

We chose Chicken hearts and Squid

Chicken hearts are SOOOOO YUMMY. They are very chewy and have a very amazing taste I can't describe. A lot of people are surprised I eat innards because usually people from the states don't touch things like pig intestines, kidneys, and chicken hearts, but i LOVE these things

MY FAVORITE dessert of ALL time: Mango Ice. Fresh sliced mango pieces over shaved ice and covered in mango syrup and condensed milk. NOT healthy, but AMAZING. So who cares?

Strawberry ice. A good second, and alternative during non-mango seasons.

Alice! Thanks for coming to Taiwan to support me!! Had a great time with you!

This is a shot of a lunch I had a Phat Burger in Taipei. The burger was alright, VERY juicy, but I thought the portions, especially the fries, were not that big. However, the restaurant proudly boasts freshly made patties and hamburgers. Give it a try if you'd like, but I enjoy Forkers more. This was the Phat Mexican Burger. Jalapenos, bacon, and spicy mayo

Was invited by my friend Stefan, who comes to the recordings everytime to support, to his friend's BBQ. They were all shocked by the amount that I eat. -___-

"wow...you really DO eat a lot....how do you stay so thin?"

The BBQ was outside Doopey (the guy on the left)'s mom's restaurant.

Our damage. Greatt foooodd.

Alright, well, spending the next few days getting over my cold (almost gone now) and practicing for the next two rounds. I hope to get my outfit completed soon and I'll show you the final product once it's done! Take care all! Have fun and be safe!