Why did I sing "Safe and Sound" by Taylor Swift? Oh I don't know, maybe the ruined hotel reminded me of war and battles, which reminded me of the Hunger Games, which reminded me of its incredible soundtrack? Anyway, I hope you like it.
Tag: Taiwan
Singing Folk Songs on the Hills
The reefy beaches mean tourists barely come here, making it a nice spot for a little jam of one of my favorite country folk songs by Johnny Cash.
The Great Divide: The Inevitable Truth of Traveling
The sad reality of travel to certain places is watching children spend their days with palms held out, staring at your oily sunburnt ass on the beach playing Candy Crush on an iPad worth more than their home.
Weekend at Green Island
Green Island is known to most by its sea life and amazing scuba diving, but the small island off of Taiwan's eastern coast offers so much more to explore!
Abandoned Factories in Longdong
An abandoned factory off the shores of Longdong surprised us with an urban exploration wonderland, as we roamed the eerie premise.
A Quick City Escape: Sandiaoling Hiking Trail (三貂嶺)
Following my mother to a religious ritual introduced me to Sandiaoling(三貂嶺), a quiet hiking trail home to waterfalls, abandoned buildings, and some exciting rope-climbing treks.
The Ultimate Guide to Taroko Gorge
All the information out there about visiting the Taroko National Park can be quite confusing - especially because of the language barrier. Here's everything you need to know about visiting one of the most beautiful places in Taiwan.
The Taroko Gorge Escape
Behind the breathtaking cliffs of Taroko National Park sits a stone church with a lot of romantic history, while we tread untrodden tracks at the Zhuilu Old Trail.
National Taiwan Utopia
A stroll at National Taiwan University had me wishing I was back in college... Maybe it's not too late to consider a career in Medicine.
Allowing Myself to be Unemployed
For the first time in 8 years, I'm allowing myself to be unemployed. See why I've chosen to drop a stable full-time job and salary for an adventure.
Chinese New Year in Southern Taiwan
Four extravagant feasts later, our Chinese New Year celebration drew to an end. My stomach is still processing all the delicious tomato fried egg, roasted pork belly, pineapple shrimp rolls, and more delicious goodness. My heart is also still recovering from losing big in the annual family gambling ritual. This was my first Taiwanese family reunion in nine … Continue reading Chinese New Year in Southern Taiwan
Budget Backpacker: How to visit Bangkok for 7 days for only $300
Tested and proven, Bangkok is one of the most affordable places in the world to go on relatively spontaneous solo backpacking trips. 7 days, NT$10,000 to cover living, food, transport, and plane ticket. Find out how I pulled it off.
A moment for butterflies
It's another Monday, and it's back to the grind of a full-time job in the city. I had the blessing to escape the concrete on a filming assignment in Miaoli for a tourism television series exploring the best foods and attractions in Taiwan. At a Bed & Breakfast we visited, there was a bush that was Taiwanese-swimming-pooled … Continue reading A moment for butterflies
The Taipei Bucket List: Cat Cafés
If a city has a village designated to cats (Houton), it's no surprise that Cat Cafés would exist for those who don't have the time to trek to the cat lady paradise. As an distinguished and unashamed cat lady, I am vowing to visit every single one of the massive list of feline-inhabited cafés in … Continue reading The Taipei Bucket List: Cat Cafés
The Taipei Bucket List: Tourist Trap 101
If you're a fellow newly-grad folk faced with financial restraints, you might be interested in finding alternatives of enjoying the city without the cost.
Home sweet n’ sour home
My mother recently sent me an old piece of writing I composed when I returned to Taiwan during the summer breaks after moving to the States. What year or how old I was when this was created is unknown, but the writing serves its destined purpose of documenting a life that I knew I would … Continue reading Home sweet n’ sour home
The favorite restaurant
Taiwan is known for the portable eateries you encounter at night markets - the ones who couldn't pass an FDA evaluation if their life depended on it, yet provide the uniquely tasty dish non-reproducible anywhere else on this planet. But there's a hidden gem tucked away in southern Taiwan that is well-lit and sanitized with excellent … Continue reading The favorite restaurant
A home for the abandoned
Publication On Indiana Daily Student It’s hard to stroll the streets of Taiwan without seeing a few skinny dogs digging through the neighborhood dumpster. It’s no secret that this country has long suffered a serious stray dog problem due to the lack of animal shelters. But one family is trying to fix the problem, 800 … Continue reading A home for the abandoned
Things to do at a beach in Taiwan
Five movies, three meals, two snacks and a rough nap later, I finally arrived at Kaohsiung International Airport in Taiwan. I'd visited this country just last year in August, but having endured two more semesters of college since has provided a clean slate as to what to expect. The dreaded 18-hour flight was better than I … Continue reading Things to do at a beach in Taiwan
Music of Happiness: Crowd Lu 盧廣仲
He looks like just a geeky Asian kid with a weird bowl-cut sporting a cool T. Only this is the one of the only artists in the world, right next to Jason Mraz, who composes music that somehow always whips a smile on my face. His journey to music started when he was, I suppose, struck with an epiphany … Continue reading Music of Happiness: Crowd Lu 盧廣仲
Random Hobo Teepee of the Day
I'm slowly running out of photos to use from my old archive. I suppose my laziness is finally catching up to me. Perhaps it's time for me to finally dig up some time and focus on some new photography. With taking 18 credits this semester, it's going to be a stretch. Until I finally whip … Continue reading Random Hobo Teepee of the Day
Just because it’s freezing outside…
Just because the sun hasn't come out in 3 months, there was just an ice storm over the weekend, and the crows seems to have plagued the town like vultures, I decided to whip out some old stuff from the days when I wasn't vitamin D deprived. These pictures just make me long for the summer, … Continue reading Just because it’s freezing outside…
Random Wet Kittens of the Day
I took this last summer in Kaoshiung City. The kittens were meowing under a stage-like platform right by a busy sidewalk. It had just stopped raining after none-stop days of sprinkling and the kittens seem to have come out for some fresh air. The kittens were drawn to my presence, perhaps thinking I had food. As an … Continue reading Random Wet Kittens of the Day
Random Dead Flowers of the Day
It's official - dead week has wreaked havoc. I'm running on two hours of sleep and can already see tonight to be just as sleeplessly spent. Two projects due on Thursday and I stupidly picked up a full length story for IUSTV about the protests at J.P. Morgan information session to be due on Sunday. … Continue reading Random Dead Flowers of the Day
Random Ducklings of the Day
Taken at the duck farms by my neighborhood back in Taiwan. They were adorable, but it smelled absolutely terrible... From summer 2010.
Random Long Exposure of the Day
This is the sky of Pingtung City, Taiwan, taken from the 14th floor of NPUE. It looks pretty from far off, but when you get close, you'll see all the trash, betel nut spitting and stray dogs. It's where I grew up, so I guess I'll always be critical. Taken August, 2011.
Saving Lives
[Me teaching (or attempting to) at Reiting Elementary School, Butterfly Class.] I had applied for a program in March this year called AID Summer. Despite the hideous web page design and the unnecessarily complex and misguiding application process, the program ended up being, for the lack of a better word, awesome. The program was supported by the … Continue reading Saving Lives
I have this thing for rooftops and sunrises.
(Above is nightscape of Taipei city at around 3 a.m., a picture that can only be taken by tresspassing to the rooftop of Chiantan Youth Center.) This summer was amazing. I got to spend two and a half beautiful months in my "motherland" and got to take a sip of the Taiwan's coolaid of fun (now I'm craving … Continue reading I have this thing for rooftops and sunrises.
Lena Morris 