Taiwan grants 'Buy 1, Get 1 free' ticket deal on High Speed Rail for foreign tourists

Taiwan grants a special "buy one, get one free' ticket promo for foreign tourists in the country who will ride  Taiwan's High Speed Rail (HSR) trains to Central and Southern Taiwan that will run until January 20, 2020.


The discount package of the THSR is only available for adult passengers that must travel together for the same interval. The destinations of the promo being only Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan or Zuoying (Kaohsiung).

Taiwan's Tourism Bureau has joined with the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC) in launching the "two tickets for the price of one" incentive program. Tourists traveling must hold a visa for a "short term" stay which is less than 180 days.


Foreign nationals in Taiwan that hold residency for work or study in a extended period are not eligible for the discount, according to the bureau. The number of free tickets are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Tickets are available from KKday (https://thsrc.kkday.red-digital.com), KLOOK (https://www.klook.com/en-US/promo/klkthsrc2019) or Lion Travel (https://thsrc.journeyonapp.com/index_en-US.html).

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Russia Treats Simplified Free E-Visa Entry For Filipinos

Filipino tourists and businesspeople are eligible to visit St. Petersburg on a simplified electronic visa starting October 1, 2019 under President Vladimir Putin’s new orders.


There were 53 countries listed for the free e-visa which include the Philippines. Visitors and tourists will be able to stay in Russia for eight days out of the 30-day validity period. There are considerations that must be folowed, namely:

1. Only those visitors who are looking to travel for tourism, business, and humanitarian reasons are eligible


2. Visa is only valid for stays in the bug city of St. Petersburg and the surrounding Leningrad Region

3. The free e-visa is only valid for a maximum of 8 travel days (which is good enough for travel)

4. Application for the free e-visa must be made no later than four days and no earlier than 20 days before expected entry 

Some tourist spots and activities to do in the city are vitit the Church of the Spilt Blood, visit Peter and Paul Fort, walk along Nevsky Prospekt, watch a Ballet at Mariinsky Theatre, be mesmirized at Palace Square and many more.

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Love problems harms mental health; may lead to depression or suicide

Love problems are the leading cause of mental health problems and suicide. It is stated by mental health expert Dr. Bernard Argamosa a psychiatrist at the Dept of Health-National Center for Mental Health (DOH-NCMH), reported by Philippine News Agency.


According to the doctor, many of their patients have psychotic breakdowns because to breakups, love woes. Breakups have psychological meanings and it may lead to depression.

Broken-hearted people usually “exhaust all their coping mechanisms when exposed to a stressful situation like breakups'' Argamosa said.


Love is a universal emotion that is important to everyone, hence, lack of it could also lead to behavioral and mental health issues, stressed by Cel Gonzales, quality control director of One Algon Place. Others are unable to cope with breakups that someone may lead to suicide.

“Love is important to a couple, and even to a child who loves his parents and needs love from them,” Gonzales added.

Doctors advised parents of broken-hearted teenagers to monitor their children’s actions.

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5 Popular Fried Chicken Store Among Filipino OFW and Tourists In Taiwan

One of the favorite meals of Filipinos in Taiwan is fried chicken, pair it up with the best drinks in the country. Based on survey and on the number of Filipinos working, living and travelling in Taiwan, here are the top 5 popular friend chicken store and restaurants among Filipinos:

5. Two Peck

Popularly known for its crispy fried chicken among OFW's working in Taiwan. Two Peck Chicken Cutlet is normally freshly made with a weight of 330g, thickness of 1 cm and length of 15cm.

4. Hot Star Fried Chicken

Popular among Filipino tourists which can be found in Night Markets in Taiwan, Hot Star Fried Chicken is a large deep fried chicken served hot and freshly cooked. Hot Star Fried Chicken has also a branch in the Philippines.

3. 21st Century

With its tasty fried chicken and roasted fried chicken, 21st Century also is one of the favorites. You can order a 1 whole roasted chicken with veggies and fries, best shared with family and friends. Its deep fried chicken has the semi-spicy flavor which makes it so good to eat.

2. KFC

No introduction needed for Kentucky Fried Chicken, though the difference is fried chicken in KFC in Taiwan and Philippines is the flavor (no gravy). Making KFC more popular to Filipinos is their roasted chicken and the delicious egg tarts.

1. Napoli

Napoli is known as "the pizza parlor that sells fried chicken", this is the top favorite due its crisp and tasty meat which is an "Italian-style fried chicken". Pair it up with different pizza from the store and mostly, Napoli’s chicken is far more affordable and is better in group sharing.

The best way to work and travel to Taiwan is to fill the stomach with Taiwanese flavored foods. Dine In different restaurants or have your ways into the night markets but having fried chicken is still the most popular on every Filipinos.

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Young mother sells twin babies for US$12,600; pay debts and buys new phone

While some mothers dream about having twin babies, this mother in China surnamed Ma sold her twin baby boy for US12,600. The money then was used to pay debts and bought some new phone.


The local police recently revealed or accidentally knew about the sale of twin babies when investigating a different but related case.

Ma, in 20's of age and lived from Zhejiang province in China, claimed that she did it because she was heavily in debt. Her parents refused to help her because they were angry about the pregnancy happened with no marriage.


The father of the twins, surnamed Wu who are also living in the same village, reportedly refused to be responsible for the babies. The father didnt even show up when the babies are born as Ma has no choice to sell them for money.

The sale happened last year of September until police arrested the pair this year and all the money are alrewdy spent. Twin babies are now reunited and under custody of Ma's parents.

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Taiwanese man marries brain-dead GF right before removing life support

Taiwanese man surnamed Lin marries his brain-dead girlfriend surnamed Wang on the day the family of the girl decided to remove its life support.


The family have decided to donate her 12 organs. Her boyfriend was in front of the bed as she put on the wedding ring and the scene inside the hospital room was both sad and moving.

Wang was riding a motorcycle in Taipei's Beitou district when she was struck by a car that had been making an illegal turn making her brain-dead while in the hospital.

The family of the girl once hoped that there would be a miracle but decides to donate the organs of their daughter, 12 organs that includes heart, liver, cornea, skin and blood vessels. This is also the highest possible record donated by a person in Taiwan.


Wang is a single mother of two sons aged 12 and 13, the school will provide scholarships to help the two complete their studies.

The family said that the donated organs will help lots of people to live their normal lives and see those people living with the organs of their daughter.

Even a single mother, Lin choose to love her deeply. They wear their favorite sports shirt during their marriage while saying "We finally  I can get married''.

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Award Winning National Taitung Library With Scenery In Between Sea And Mountain

The 2019 World Prix d’Excellence Award for Public Infrastructure Amenities was given to National Taitung University Library and Information Center as an addition to its award winning architecture and design.


Other awards for its architecture include 2014 Shopping Design Award (Taiwan Design BEST 100), Best Architectural Design and Spatial Planning 2014 and 2015 The 10 Libraries You Must Visit in Taiwan.

The winning library can be found at National Taitung University located in Taiwan East Coast sandwiched between the mountains and the sea as the whole campus is connecting the imagination of the two physical elements.

The library is adjacent to an ecological pond which is located at the green axis endpoint toward the Pacific Ocean. Its mountain shape has been known as the visual landmark of the campus and blends into the mountain background of campus. The library has 5 floors above the ground and the rooftop view deck.

On the rooftop of the library building, there is the view of superb Pacific Ocean and Taiwan Railway South Link Line. It is not only a campus landmark, but also the interest in Taitung.

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Taiwan introduced the lovely yellow banana inspired Jiji railway train in Nantou

The lovely bright yellow train called the Jiji train line in Nantou County, Taiwan was painted with a theme of banana. Jiji village is one of the rich producing areas of mountain bananas in Taiwan. The painted trains are made of bright yellow and made designed of bananas.


Get on, sit by the window and move with the train, enjoy the scenes, gather the vast mountain scenery and the simple scenery is super healing. The average interval per shift of the designed banana train is about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

The Tourism Bureau retained the works of Russian illustrators Kajia Катя Молодцова and Jiang Mengzhi.

Taking a Jiji Line train brings you to the base of Taiwan’s soaring central mountains and close to its geographical center. The Jiji railway offers a panorama of the horticultural industry of central Taiwan, and the lives of those of whom it has sustained for generations

Along the Jiji train line, you can visit the following tourist spots:

1. Checheng Wood Museum
2. Shuili Snake Kiln Ceramics Park
3. Jiji Wuchang Temple
4. Jiji Military History Park
5. Jiji Green Tunnel
6. Daguan Power Station
7. Mingxin Academy
8. Old Residence of Hsieh Tung-min

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OFW sa Taiwan naglabas ng sama ng loob pagkatapos ma-scam ng online seller

Sa isang video na inupload ng isang OFW sa Taoyuan, Taiwan, pinakita niya na iba ang pinadalang sapatos doon sa usapan nila ng seller na kung saan nagbayad siya ng NT$1400 (P2,300) para sa isang sapatos na nagkakahalaga lang ng NT$200-NT$300.


Ayon sa uploader sa facebook na si Ann Brillo, nag order siya ng sapatos online sa facebook page na 'Couple's house'. Hindi umano nakakaintindi ng tagalog ang seller kaya sa wikang english ang komunikasyon.

Marami ng nabiktima ang Couple's house na page dahil marami na nag nagrereklamo base sa comment section ng page nila. Hindi rin actual picture o mismong item ang nakapost na binebenta nila.


Pinapayuhan amg mga OFW sa Taiwan na maging mapanuri sa mga bagay na bibilhin para hindi maloko o ma-scam. Ugaliin basahin ang reviews ng page o magbasa ng comment section. Kung nakakapagduda ang mga post ay ignore na lang ito at mas mabuting sa mga physical stores na lang bumili.

Panoorin ang video:

Video credits to Ann Brillo (Facebook)


Screenshot sa facebook page kung saan siya umorder online:

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Bookworms will surely love Eslite Bookstore with several branches in Taiwan

Eslite opened its first ever bookstore in 1989 in Taiwanand has since expanded to 48 branches throughout the country. 


It is a well-known bookstore that has more than a dozen locations in Taipei and carries a wide-range of English materials and the bookstore also hasas a section for stationary and gifts. 

Some locations also have a café where visitors can sip a hot drink while they read.

Shared by Jessica Ainan in a facebook post:

''If reading is your pastime, this place is for you. Only books lover can relate📖❣''

This Eslite Bookstore is located at No. 427號, Minzu 1st Road, Sanmin District, Kaohsiung City, 807


Photos credits to: Jessica Ainan

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Taiwanese fitness guru suffers stroke; medical all normal, what is the problem?

JZ Woo a Taiwanese award-winning bodybuilder also known as 'Muscle Daddy' among his fans with a healthy lifestyle suffered stroke at age of 37. 


His fellow fitness guru Melody noticed something is wrong with JZ while he takes a nap and immediately rushed him to the hospital. JZ was diagnosed with stroke.

It is caused by a cerebral embolism, a blood vessel in his brain that was blocked by a clot. The stroke affected a part of the brain that controls the movements on the right side of the body.


With a much healthy lifestyle, how did a bodybuilder, a fitness guru suffered from stroke?

According to Melody, wife of JZ, his cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and visceral fat levels were all normal, but excessive blood clotting came from his family history where his relatives died from stroke even they are still young.

Their family now are adjusting their sleeping habit as the health scare helped them to appreciate each other more. Muscle Daddy is on a swift road to recovery.

(Photos: From IG of JZ Woo / melody.wan)

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A man's blood turns white in color after eating 4 mooncake everyday

A man named Wang in Hangzhou, China have the habit of eating four mooncakes every day that eventually turned his blood into white color.


He said that there were lots of mooncake that stacks up in their home, that is why he just ate them (4 times a day) rather than go to waste. He almost replace his regular meals into mooncake, though still having those oily and sweet meals.

On his check-up at the hospital, the medical staff collected his blood for examination and they were shocked when they collected a slow blood flow of thick and cloudy white liquid coming out, that turns to be blood.


The results shoelws the triglyceride level in his bloodstream was 16.6mmol/L which the normal test is less than 1.7mmol/L. 

High levels of triglycerides can lead to the thickening of the artery walls, and lead to an increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and other heart diseases according to Mayo Clinic.

Mooncake is a rich thick filling usually made from red bean or lotus seed is surrounded by a 2–3 mm crust and contain yolks from salted duck eggs. 

Health experts advices not to consume too much of mooncake and must take it in moderation as one mooncake contains 500-1000 of calories.

Mooncakes are delicious but the sugar and fat levels are extremely high. Wang was able to recover after immediate treatment.

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Night out camping and food grilling at Zhuwei Beach in Taoyuan

Located just up the road from the Taoyuan Airport, Zhuwei Beach (sometimes spelled Chuwei). This very broad beach has grayish - khaki color sand and is surrounded by a flat windswept landscape with little vegetation.


One activity you can do at the beach is to have a overnight camping as shared from facebook. Written on the post by Tanya Darling A. Tan:

''Dahil bakasyon sulitin po natin at need din natin mag pahinga minsan. Kaya sinubukan namin ito kagabi (camping). Bali nag set Kami ng tent namin around 8pm po at umuwi kami kanina lang mga bandang 7am. 

Kung may tent po kayo pwede po kayo mag camping sa Zhuwei o mag tayo po kayo ng trapal po pag madami po kayo. Sa may taas kayo banda ng semento para di kayo maabutan ng tubig Dagat just incase. Sa may madaming bato. Pwede po mag bonfire, mag ihaw-ihaw po Basta wag po kayo mag iiwan ng Kalat o basura po. 

P. S. Akala namin kami lang ang nag camping, pag gising namin kinaumagahan madami din po palang Chinese na nag camping doon. Basta always stay safe lang po kayo and wag na kayo pumunta sa dagat kapag madalim na at mag tayo po kayo ng tent sa malayo dagat o doon po sa kung saan kami nag tayo sa may batuhan po. Masaya po siya pag madami then konting sound trip para di naman tayo makabulahaw

Be sure wag po magkakalat o Mag iiwan ng basura. I plastic po lahat ng kalat at bago umuwi itapon nang maayos sa Trash Bin nila near sa Cr.''

The beach is situated next to a yacht harbor and the Zhuwei Fishing Harbor, which has a seafood market and restaurants where you can enjoy some fresh seafood. 

How to go to the beach?
From Nova Taoyuan (in front of 7-11) ride bus# 5022 or 5022A, drop off at the last station of the bus then walk your way to the beach. Bus fare is NT$26.

Pictures and tips credit to: Tanya Darling A. Tan

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