Lunar New Year celebrations are almost upon us here in Taiwan. I’ve commented before on how this holiday is celebrated in Taiwan, so this year I thought I’d comment on celebrations for Lunar New Year in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia Borneo, which was where we spent the holidays last year.

The Lunar New Year is the most important festival in the Chinese Lunar Calendar, luring thousands of friends and families to participate in games and watch Lion and Dragon dances, martial arts demonstrations and other fun events. We witnessed no less than three lion dances in various areas throughout Kota Kinabalu. My favorite by far was held in a local seafood restaurant known as Hua Hing Seafood Restaurant in Seri Selera Kg.Air (Sedco Square) in Kota Kinabalu. Seri Selera Kg. Air is a seafood village in town and this is the place that locals go to for cheap seafood. That’s right! Stay away from those pricey seafood establishments on the promenade and head for this place instead. Glass aquariums line the walls of the complex, while seafood vendors hawk their fresh catches and cook it for you right there. John and I are huge seafood lovers so we were delighted by the variety of dishes available and the cheap prices, especially when we compared it to the seafood restaurant our hotel concierge recommended (which was also excellent, but mighty pricey). Having picked up a giant assortment of shrimp, fresh sea bass and river prawns, we had just sat down to enjoy our meal when we heard three distinctive tock, tock tock sounds that announce the entrance of a Chinese lion or dragon.

The golden lion represents liveliness, and there seemed to be no shortage of liveliness on display in Kota Kinabalu during the Lunar New Year. During Spring Festival, lion dancer troupes from Chinese martial art schools visit  the homes and shops of citizens within the Chinese community. The lion dance is believed to bring good luck and fortune to homes and businesses; I certainly hope that my posting here brings you a little bit of good luck and fortune for the coming new year.

This year the Lunar New Year Carnival in Kota Kinabalu runs from January 17 – 22nd, 2012. Festivities are taking place in Lintasan Deasoka, which will be lit up with rows of traditional Chinese lanterns. Visitors will also enjoy a large variety of food stalls, local handicrafts, and decorations, as well lion dances, drumming shows and other colorful cultural shows such as the Fan Dance.

Here are a few more images from Kota Kinabalu Lunar New Year Festivities:

2011 was another great year for travel for a gal like me. After taking on the role of President of Reach To Teach Recruiting earlier this year, I expected that my travel time would go down, but my new position ended up bringing me a lot more travel opportunities than I was anticipating. Here’s a list of the incredible places that I traveled to in 2011.

Shanghai, China

Revisted! Shanghai is one of those cities that never fails to intrigue me. This is a city that I’ve visited for business and for pleasure in the last 18 months. No matter what I’m doing while in Shanghai, whether it’s business or pleasure, this gorgeous Asian city never fails to delight me.

Kota Kinabalu, Borneo

John and I kicked off the Chinese New Year with a trip to Kota Kinabalu. We got caught in a heavy rainstorm while driving to the Tip of Borneo and almost got swept away by a flash flood, we visited Mt Kinabau and Poring Hot Springs, met an orangoutang named Jackie, and visited the islands in and around Kota Kinabalu proper.

Seoul, South Korea

I went to Korea twice this year. Once in February and once in August. Both trips were work-related, but I couldn’t have asked for more different trips. My February trip was a solo trip, so I had the rare pleasure of exploring the city on my own. That opportunity doesn’t come along very often in my marriage, so I made the most of it by checking out the changing of the guards at Gyeongbokgung Palace, wandering through Insa-dong, being drawn into a live broadcast for Doko cookies, and walking straight into a massive parade in downtown Seoul.

On the other hand, my August trip to South Korea was both work- and family-related. John’s mother and son joined us in Taipei this summer and we flew to South Korea with them and enjoyed a three-day weekend with them before getting down to business. Caleb seemed to enjoy Korea, although he doesn’t look very happy in this photo. He’s like his Dad. He doesn’t like having his picture taken.

Hualien, Taiwan

Although I live in Taiwan, Hualien is one city that we’ve never spent much time in. John and I planned an impromptu long weekend trip in Hualien with another couple that we spend time with here in Taiwan. We rented bicycles for the weekend and explored this laid-back East Coast city in full. We found a great barbecue restaurant and stumbled upon a quiet little beach behind an army base on the outskirts of town. Taiwan is full of hidden treasures and this weekend proved to be surprise after surprise.

Hong Kong

John and I took his mother and son to Hong Kong this July and spent four days wandering around the city. We shopped and ate and shopped some more. We spent most evenings on the pier watching both the people and the neon lights lighting up the sky at regular intervals. I enjoyed our tram ride to Victoria Peak, but my favorite part of the trip was stumbling upon a local beer festival.

London,England

My first trip to Europe – Can you believe it! – has been in the making since 2006. This was a really special trip for me because I got to spend it with my two best friends, Claire Breen and Andrew Morgan. Claire and I have traveled together many times before, but this was my first big trip with Drew and his first big trip out of North America. We made sure we hit all the hot spots in London upon our arrival.

Brighton, England

I’ve always wanted to visit Brighton after watching Fat Boy Slim play live on Brighton Beach on TV. As luck would have it, Claire moved there in early 2011, so her home in Brighton was our home base for our European vacation.

Poole, England

Another highlight of our European vacation was Ben and Gemma Hughes’ wedding on October 1, 2011 in Sandbanks, a small piece of land that projects out into the English Channel at Poole in Dorset, England. Dubbed as Britain’s “Palm Beach”, this beautiful piece of land is ranked fourth in the world for having the highest land value. The area has some of the most exclusive homesteads in England, while its waters are widely used for water sports, yachting and sailing.



Paris, France

Our trip to Paris started off with a very special visit to Maison Guerlain, where we got a private tour of the original apartments and learned first-hand about the history of this famous Parisienne perfumer. We rented a charming little apartment in Le Montparnasse and spent our evenings picnicking under the Eiffel Tower in the warm September weather. I wasn’t expecting to like Paris as much as I did, but I would gladly take six months off to rent a little apartment here to get to know the city better.

Amsterdam, Holland

The freedom of life in Amsterdam was an unforgettable experience and I am already anxious to go back and explore more of this fascinating country.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is destination that I have been itching to go to, but never dreamed that it would happen this year. Last summer while I was home in Canada, I met Aleks, a young Danish man from Copenhagen that accompanied us to Beach Club in Montreal to see Tiesto. We became friends and he ended up inviting Drew, Claire and I to Copenhagen. I don’t think he expected us to take him up on his offer, but we ended up descending on his home and stayed with him for five days. Aleks was an incredibly gracious host and he spent his time showing us around his hometown. There are too many highlights to mention in just this post, but our trip to Christiana and our bicycle adventures around the city stand out in my mind as being the perfect way to end our trip.

This contest is open to Taiwan residents only.

Any photographer knows that one of the keys to a successful day of shooting is comfort. The more comfortable you are, the longer you can shoot. That’s why I’m giving away a Black Rapid Camera Strap to one lucky resident of Taiwan.

Black Rapid‘s innovative camera strap screws into the tripod mount on your camera or lens. Rather than having your camera hang down around your neck, Black Rapid straps keep your camera hanging upside-down at your side or in the small of your back for easy access. The strap also features an adjustable bumper system to keep your camera in place while you’re walking around. These straps don’t slip off your shoulder when your camera isn’t weighing it down; they’re designed to stay in place. Please visit Taiwan Photographers for a more in-depth review and information on the various camera straps that are available through Black Rapid.

The Giveaway

I’m giving away one Black Rapid RS-Sport Camera Strap, which comes at a retail value of 69.99 to one lucky resident of Taiwan. The winner will also receive a feature article on their entry on My Several Worlds and Taiwan Photographers. The article will link back to the winner’s website and various social media networks.

All other entries will be compiled into an article that will be posted online, so please make sure you include on your website details and social media links on your Facebook entry.

How To Enter

To enter, all you need to do is like the My Several Worlds Facebook fan page, post a photo of your favorite place in Taiwan and tell us why you like it so much.

The number of votes you have for your entry will be taken into consideration, but the final decision rests with our judges.

The winner of the contest will be announced on January 2, 2012.

Taiwan hosted it’s biggest LGBT Pride Parade ever on Saturday, October 29th. Over 30,000 visitors from countries all over Asia came out to show their support for Taiwan’s ninth annual LGBT parade.

The event, which was started in 2001, drew a couple of hundred people during its first year.  Back then, there was only one LGBT parade in Taiwan. This year, parades took place in Taipei, Taichung, Kaoshiung and Hualien.

Homosexuality is legal in Taiwan and it has been illegal to discriminate against sexual orientation  since 2007. Nevertheless, a strong social taboo still exists, and a number of parade-goers still wear masks.

LGBT Pride Parade Taipei 2011

Here are some of my favorite images from the day:

For more of my images from that day, and for images from previous Pride Parades in Taipei, please visit my LGBT Pride Parade Taipei Flickr set. (That’s me snapping furiously away under the Pride flag at the beginning of the event.)

Having just returned from a month in Europe, I’ve spent the last couple of days going through, sorting, and editing over 2,000 photos that I took while I was there. I’ve just started to create some blog posts about my trip, so you can expect some great updates in the following weeks.

It’s been a while since I’ve updated my cityscapes collection, so I thought I’d start with some London sightseeing. These are some of my favorite cityscape photos of London in early September. Enjoy!

St Paul’s Cathedral

This beautiful Church of England cathedral was founded in AD604. Situated at the highest point of the City of London atop Ludgate Hill, the present church dates back to the late 17th century in English Baroque design. St. Paul’s is the second largest building in the UK. This is the cathedral where Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles of Wales were married. Thanksgiving services for the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II and the Golden Jubilee were held here, as were funereal services for Princess Diana, Sir Winston Churchill and the Duke of Wellington.

Regent Street

One of the most famous shopping streets in London’s West End as seen from the top of a tour bus.

Sketch Restaurant, Piccadilly, Mayfair

Sketch in central London is one of the poshest places in London to enjoy afternoon tea. The modern French restaurant’s unusual décor includes chairs that seem to be melting into the walls and a faceless dog statue suspended just above the entry of the restaurant. In 2005, Sketch was listed as the 18th best restaurant in the world by Restaurant magazine.

The Mayfair Hotel

The Mayfair Hotel is set in the heart of one of the most enviable addresses in the world. Set in the heart of Mayfair, this beautiful hotel is a stone’s throw away from the May Fair, home to Fashion, Art, Theater and Shopping.

Trafalgar Square, Central London

A public space and tourist attraction in central London, Trafalgar Square is used for community gatherings, political demonstrations and it is one of the biggest tourist attractions in London. There are several icons within the square that bear mentioning. The center of the square, known as Nelson’s Column, is guarded by four lion statues. The National Gallery, several fountains and Nelson’s ship in a bottle, a representation of the HMS Victory, are all symbols of this square located in the exact center of London.

Westminster Abbey

This stunning Gothic Church is also known as the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster.The monarchs of the Commonwealth realms use this church as a burial site and as the traditional place of coronation.

The London Eye

The tallest ferris wheel in Europe is situated on the banks of the Thames River. Commonly known as the London Eye or the EDF Energy London Eye, the giant 135-foot tall ferris wheel has also been called the Millenium Wheel, the Merlin Entertainments London Eye and the British Airways London Eye. It’s the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK, drawing over 3.5 million visitors annually.

Buckingham Palace

Sadly, this photo is not mine. It rained heavily while we were visiting Buckingham Palace and I wasn’t able to get any clear shots. This image of the London home and primary residence of the British monarch was taken by Jimmy Harris and is available through Creative Commons on Flickr.

Westminster Palace

Last, but certainly not least, is Westminster Palace, also known as the Houses of Parliament. The House of Lords and the House of Commons lie on the North Bank of the River Thames.

London Vacations

Today’s guest photo essay and article is by Josh Aggars. Josh is a travel and surf blogger with his twin passions taking him to amazing places around the world. Visit his London Launchpad blog for both London and worldwide travel tips and advice or connect with him on Twitter or Facebook.

You know when you’re happy, when you’re really, really happy, and wonder whether life will ever be this good again? Well that is the feeling I experienced on my recent stay on Samal Island in the Philippines.

As one of the 7,017 islands that make up the beautiful country Samal sure has a lot of competition. Nestled in the Davao Gulf off the second largest island of Mindanao, the Garden City of Samal, to give it its official name, is one of breath taking beauty, sumptuous beaches and crystal clear waters.

Kicking off in style

When we arrived we headed straight for the Maxima Aqua Fun beach resort which is only a few minutes drive from the main port, Babak. Now I’m all for cultural study, appreciation of architecture, history and lifestyles but sometimes on your travels you just have to go with the flow and kick back and relax.

You can choose from a number of packages on offer. We plumped for the 200php day tour which grants you unlimited access to the diving board, trampoline, giant slide, floating giant ball and snorkeling equipment – bargain!

The most famous attraction is the giant tarpaulin slide otherwise known as the Super Drop. You wait in queue for a few minutes, climb the stairs and say your prayers before being jettisoned out into the abyss.

The Hagimit Waterfalls

After enjoying a few hours at the resort we decided to pack up and catch the bus to another well known attraction on Samal, the Hagimit waterfalls. These tranquil falls are surrounded by lush forest and the sound of hundreds of wild birds. There is little development in the area and no shops making it an ideal place for people to camp out especially along the riverbank. The local government collects a small fee of 20php to help maintain the preserve so have some change ready.

The natural plunge pools are a welcome relief and a great way to beat the humidity thanks to the cold natural spring water.

Monfort Bat Cave

The next day, we went to Samal again this time paying a habal-habal driver from the main port in Babak to the Monfort Bat cave sanctuary for 40php.

The Monfort Bat Cave Sanctuary houses a range of bat species from fruit bats, such as the Geoffreyís Rousette, to large flying fox and even bats who suck blood such as the Lesser False. The sanctuary holds the Guinness world record for the worldís largest colony of Geoffreyís Rousette also known as the Rousetteus Amplexicaudatus.

There is a minimal entrance fee for development purposes which seems only fair not least for the short tutorial before you see the Bats.

As you near any of the 5 openings to the Bat cave a very strong ammonia-smell overwhelms the senses courtesy of the Bat Guano. The Guano (droppings) is said to cost a hundred dollars per kilo although Ms Norma Monfort, the owner of the sanctuary, never harvests this so as not to disturb the Bats.

It’s fascinating to watch millions of bats huddled in the cave together and to hear them squeaking like an orchestra. According to Norma, the management is planning to create an artificial bat cave, since the number of bats is rapidly increasing and the colony is already exceeding the capacity of the cave and the protection it affords from predators.

An evening sunset to remember from a great couple of days on Samal.

It’s been five years since our last visit to Hong Kong. I don’t know where the time went. It’s almost unbelievable that so much time has passed since our last foray across the pond. It took a visit from John’s mother and son to provide the inspiration to return to Hong Kong, and honestly, I don’t know why we left it so long! Although I was only able to join them over the weekend, we managed to pack quite a bit into 48 hours.

Our first evening there, we headed down to the Avenue of the Stars to take in the Symphony of Lights display. Personally, I think the show was much better five years ago. The city seems to have toned down the display, but at least they’re saving on energy, so I’m not going to complain too much. Luckily, the Space Museum was all glowy and new age with its changing colored lights display. The lights were a perfect backdrop for an impromptu photo session, so I had father and son pose in series of photos to catch the changing lights and some special father and son moments.

Here are some of my favorites from that night, with my favorite image from the night starting out the series.

It’s hard to believe that this time last year, John and I had just arrived in the States in time to celebrate the Fourth of July before I headed home to spend the next two months with my family and friends in Canada. I’ve always wanted to experience a Fourth of July parade in small town America, so I was pleasantly surprised when my mother-in-law announced that there was a parade and festivities in Richfield, Minnesota and that we were going to go and spend the day there with her and Caleb, John’s son.

By the time I had all of my photos processed and ready to go, the Fourth was way behind us, so I thought I’d wait until this year to post some of my photos from that day in its honor.

Being a suburb of the Minneapolis-St.Paul region, Richfield is small city with a population of just over 35,000. Once known as a small farming community, Richfield is now home to a flourishing community of commuters that head into the Twin Cities for work. The US’s biggest electronics retailer, Best Buy, has its headquarters in Richfield.

Anyways, on with some of my favorite images of the day.

Who says Shanghai skies are never blue? I was lucky enough to witness clear blue skies and fluffy white clouds for the duration of my trip to Shanghai (One week!) in November 2010. The downtown city skyline completely blew me away. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like this on any of my travels.

Luckily, I had a business meeting in one of Shanghai’s iconic landmarks, Jin Mao Tower. After my meeting was over, I cruised up to the lobby of the Hyatt Hotel and took in a bird’s eye view of the city. The 88-floor skyscraper is located alongside a ring of other towering skyscrapers in the Lujiazui area of the Pudong district of Shanghai.

It’s almost impossible to fathom that this district of Shanghai was agricultural land in the 1980s. Today, it is blessed with wide sidewalks, beautiful landscaped parks, bicycle lanes, and underground tunnels.

This skyline, one of the most impressive in the world in my opinion, is a true testament to the genius of mankind.

BANK OF CHINA BUILDING – This is the building that Tom Cruise bungee jumped from in Mission: Impossible III.

JUXTAPOSITION

SHANGHAI WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER

JIN MAO TOWER

Five snapshots from a day spent wandering the streets of downtown Toronto in July 2010.