Buy One Free One...

Coffee Bean is running a 'Buy One, Free One' promotion for it's Ice Blended drinks, exclusively for Citibank credit card holders till end of the year.

But as i found out first hand, instead of Buy One Free One, it should be called Buy One Free 'One'.

The same? Not at all, as i shall explain.

Apparently, Coffee Bean has fixed what type of Ice Blended drink they are giving out each week. You will get that free for every Ice Blended drink that you purchase. This week, the free drink is a Green Tea Ice Blended. So, when i bought a mocha Ice Blended drink for Hun Kwang, I did not get another mocha for free, but the green tea one instead.

While I wasn't too thrilled about it, I'm not complaining much either. After all, a free drink is always welcome. :)

So it just brings to mind that English is indeed a funny language. Same phrase, but different meaning and interpretation.

I guess that's why English is probably the favourite language or medium for marketeers. And quite possibly politicians as well....

So, why the many complaints on using English as the medium of instruction in our schools? I am still clueless on why the debate rages on and on.

Relaxing Hot Spring in Taiwan

I've finally found time to post pictures from a visit to a hot spring hotel/retreat in Taiwan.
Soo Sean had been pestering me for more than a couple of months now. Especially since she had been bragging about completing her posts on her trip to Bali.

Hopefully I'd get a break now. :p

The hotel room is quite large, with a modern setting.
And I was pleasantly surprised that it comes with a huge private hot tub!

A twin bed room. Behind the glass wall is the bathroom.


And that's the private hot tub towards the end.


An a LCD TV to complement the room.


View from the hot tub.


All set for the hot tub!!! (Skinny dip, of course!) ;)



The next morning, i woke up early to catch a glimpse of the view from my room. There was a river running right behind the hotel and my room had a full view of it.
It was drizzling, and slightly misty but that only added to the serenity and beauty of the scene. It was truly breathtaking.








We had wanted to go have a quick dip in the common hot spring before breakfast. But unfortunately there was a typhoon predicted and the hotel did not allow anyone into the pool for safety reasons as the pool was partly outdoors.
So we were diverted to private rooms with a hot tub. I chose the room with a 'traditional' setting rather that one with a more modern (with a stone bathtub).

My very own, private tub...


Waiting for the tub to fill...


Aaah... so relaxing!



Anyway, if you are interested to find out more about the hotel or the place, you can visit this website: http://wulai.landishotelsresorts.com/

Many Firsts in Japan

My trip to Japan is coming to an end. I am now in the hotel, just finished clearing my email.
Will be flying back home tomorrow morning.

Although this trip was tiring and packed, but it was interesting for me. Despite this being my 4th trip to Tokyo, this trip has many 'firsts' for me, especially food-wise.

This trip, I had my first shabu shabu, my first fugu fish, my first Korean BBQ, and my first Teppanyaki in Japan. All very very yummy!!!!

I also had the good fortune to witness first hand the most beautiful koyo (autumn leaves) in the hills... The scenery was truly out of this world. The hills were filled with patches of green, yellow and red in many shades.

Below are picture dumps from my trip...

(Most of them are taken within the time span of about an hour that i had to walk about. Good thing the sun rises early in Japan. I had to wake up at 6am to make time to go walk walk before the day begins.)

View outside one of the hotels i stayed in



Shrubs in the park changing colour:



Another shot of the park:



Trees along the pathway turning red:



A nice willow tree:



Shot of some branches:



Outside a temple:



With a Yellow Tree:


A beautiful, multi-coloured tree: