Photography – Curious

A curious juvenile oriole spotted at Gardens by the Bay

Taiwan – Golden Party in Kinmen 金色派對High翻金門

Kinmen held its 3rd Golden Party 金色派對 on 26 July at Hou Hu beach 后湖沙灘 as part of the county’s month-long summer beach activities 夏艷金門海洋風活動. The beach party (free admission) organised by Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor attracted many local residents and tourists who came to have a fabulous summer chillout with family and friends. No expense was spared to make this event a success, such as the unique pyramid-shaped stage 金字塔, inviting the country’s top DJs, pyrotechnics, as well as giving out LED bracelets and cocktail tasting for visitors. There were also activities suitable for kids such as spectacular sand sculptures, waterplay areas and clam digging. It was definitely a great way to beat the summer heat!

谢谢金門酒廠举办那么棒的活动! 干杯！
Cheers to Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor for organising such a fab event, thanks for the invitation! :)

I think the entire population of Kinmen came. The queue went on and on…

年滿18歲者體有机会驗情趣多樣的金高調酒風味
Visitors were treated to cocktails specially concocted with the county’s specialty Kaoliang liquor. The uncle definitely looks very pleased :)

Bartenders conjuring up a mean cocktail with Kinmen Kaoliang

Trying to masquerade as a hot babe 辣妹

Kids enjoying clam digging

Kids having fun at the water play area.

Even doggy pals got into the fun!

Representatives from Kinmen Country and Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor activated the crystal ball and got the party going!

There were really cool light and fire performances

The sound-activated LED bracelets given out by the organiser lit up with each music beat.

I want his visor!!

LED light performance

The dancers were really hot! I felt like a red onion beside them.

Everyone starting to groove to the beat.

These hot-blooded boys must be really happy with so many hot babes around

And your shorts are tinier than my granny underwear…I hate your washboard abs too! *jealous*

She-devil spotted.

Taiwan’s top female DJ Cookie lending some klout to the event

DJ Cookie

I think she just earned a new fan. :)

Spotted a lady dancing away at the back, thoroughly enjoying herself. Afterall, it’s not everyday you get to go to a beach party in Kinmen.

Something tells me she must have been a party queen in her younger days…

Father-and-son bonding

More pyrotechnics!

Girls engrossed with the performances

And then we had bubbles!

It was definitely a full house, or should I say full beach.

玩high到跌破眼睛

Show me the light

Brothers & sisters unite!

It wasn’t like the other beach parties I have gone to where the participants were all hard-partying youngsters; everyone in the family had fun, not to mention exercise with all the dancing!

I felt peckish after all the ‘exercise’ and headed for the food stalls

She sells seashells on the sea shore
All sorts of shells, the perfect snacks to go with liquor

Oooh my fave – Taiwanese sausage!

A sea of cheerful-looking sunflowers where visitors could take photos at

There were also a number of giant sand sculptures depicting Kinmen’s military history.

I know these two gentlemen…

Move over selfie – sandfie is the new thing haha

How life-like is this? Awesome!

I ended my night with a cocktail…well, maybe 2 ;)
Not many things in life are free, so I am sure the residents appreciated this annual event which brought the entire community out together at night to have fun. The numerous varied activities also meant that there was something to interest everyone. I wish I had the time for clam-digging, so I will be looking forward to my next summer. :)

Visiting Kinmen? This map of Kinmen will be useful for you (Source: Kinmen County website).
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Photography – Braveheart

老兄，你也太猛了吧。。
My eyes almost popped out when I saw this man peering into the cannon, thank God it’s a defunct one! He sure woke me up from my sleepy siesta…
Taken at Shih Shan Howitzer Park 獅山炮陳地 in Kinmen, Taiwan

Taiwan – Living in History at 銃樓民宿 Chong Lou Minsu, Kinmen 金门

欢迎来到銃樓民宿 Welcome to Chong Lou Minsu!

When visiting heritage-rich Kinmen, there is nowhere better to stay than a historical resident house. These traditional southern Fujianese 闽南 buildings often came with a rich history and heartening stories as Kinmen was the site of fierce fighting between Communist and Nationalist forces when the latter withdrew from the mainland in 1949. I stayed at Chong Lou Minsu 銃樓民宿 located in the Shuitou village cluster.

One of the most distinguishing cultural characteristics of Kinmen would be the red-bricked Min-Nan style architecture and villages, mirroring those found in Zhangzhou and Quanzhou where most Kinmenese immigrants came from.

Shuitou in Jinchen Town was a community inhabited mostly by the Huang clan. The 18-house complex of the Huang clan, constructed during the Qian-lung reign is characterized by its lower gates and walls, wide roofs, smooth and flat stone plates in the yards, and alleys between houses leading to narrow passes.

Spotting the signage for our minsu

Chong Lou Minsu was the movie setting for a Taiwanese idol drama Summer Fever 戀夏38℃. It was the home of the main actor Ah Kuan 阿宽。This signage at the entrance was left untouched after the movie was completed. It’s also easier for us to identify which is our minsu out of the umpteen houses along the row!

Poster of Summer Fever proudly displayed in the minsu

这不是阿宽，是阿凯 This is not Ah Kuan, but Ah Kai who loves to get into my camera frame lol. Scoot! :D

Looking at the western-style Quanzhou white stone wall house built in 1934, I felt like I stepped back into history. Nice.

Shuitou villagers mostly engaged in agriculture or fishery, which may explain the use of fishes to adorn the house exterior. Fishes also mean abundance “鱼＝余” in Chinese so it’s a prosperity symbol.

OMG, this is the first time I am seeing a hand-drawn well pump, and it works! Someone quick pass me a bucket of clothes to wash haha!

I may be living in history, but I still have wifi to link me back to civilization! Phew, and I was just about to hunt for carrier pigeons ☺

An air of serenity greeted me at Kinmen; everything just slowed down and bade me to enjoy the calmness…a hard-earned one considering the years of war the island had gone through.

Say ni hao to the minsu owner Sister Li. She is a burst of energy and so friendly! She used to drive a 小蜜蜂 or Little Bee, which is a truck selling snacks and everything you can think of to the army boys around Kinmen. Maybe that’s why she has a motherly feel about her, and very huggable haha!

The main hall of the minsu decorated with cultural momentos and memorabilia

The wind-lion god 風獅爺 is something very symbolic of Kinmen. Seen here as part of a chess set.

Side hall

Little courtyard perfect for a little chat or intimate meal gatherings

Kitchen

Chong Lou has rooms that can accommodate 1 to 8 people. They come with the essential basic amenities such as air-con, TV, wifi and ensuite bathroom.

Exploring the rooms upstairs

Large enough for the whole family or a group of friends

I was intrigued by the stairwell with an iron grille. In the past, residents would lock up this stairwell when they slept at night to prevent pirates from sneaking in and kidnapping them. Of course, there is no need for that now.

And here’s my cosy little room! Shucks I should have brought my cheongsam to match the ambience lol

Toilet equipped with bath towels and shampoo/bath gel. And flushing system :D

It’s a nice, sunny day to explore Chong Lou’s surroundings!

Most of the Min Nan style houses here are relatively well-preserved. I was soaking in the atmosphere with much enthusiasm, and couldn’t stop taking photos.

Jinshui Elementary School
The building of Jinshui Elementary School in 1931 at the sponsorship of overseas Shuitou natives marked the beginning of new-style school architecture in Kinmen. During the Japanese occupation, the school had served as a wartime makeshift hospital. It was later transformed into an elementary school.

A very important place to note just opposite the school – food! :D

Look what I spotted growing just beside Deyue Tower 得月楼 – a tree full of longans! Yumz!!

All in a day’s work

The minsu provides a hearty breakfast. Just come eat with the rest of the guests at the communal dining hall, very village-feeling indeed. And a great way to make friends :)

This Cantonese porridge, a Kinmen delicacy, was chockful of ingredients and delish to the max! And I am still thinking of it…

Bon Appetite!

A group photo of us all from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore
We may come from different parts of Asia, but we are one happy big family in Kinmen!

And the 2 monkeys showing how much they enjoyed Kinmen :D

銃樓民宿 Chong Lou Minsu
金門鎮金城鎮前水頭84號
Tel: 0980 988 077 / 0919 761 231 (Look for 李碧玉 Li-jie/Sister Li)
Website: www.5657.com.tw/baewan
Email: libe03@yahoo.com.tw

Getting to Kinmen
You can reach Kinmen by domestic flight in approximately 1 hour. Flights are aplenty daily from 3 domestic carriers from Kao Hsiung, Taipei, Taichung or Tainan. You will fly to Kinmen Airport金門尚義機場。

Another way to get to Kinmen is via Xiamen International Ferry Terminal or just from Wutong port which is close to Xiamen airport (around 30 mins). Another way is from Quanzhou Shijin port which takes about one hour (Taiwan passport only).

When to go Kinmen?
Kinmen worth visiting all year round. The annual average temperature is around 21 degrees Celsius, though it can get quite hot in summer (hats and sunscreen are a must unless you are aiming for aboriginal-worthy tan skin). There are northeasterly winds during the winter and the rainy season runs from April through to September. Travel between Taiwan and Kinmen is often affected by heavy fog during early Spring.

In spring, admire the golden sea of rapeseed flowers. In summer, hang out on the beach. Autumn is the best season to feast on fat yellow fish and crabs. Come winter, migratory birds make for an impressive sight.

Map of Kinmen: bit.ly/KinmenMap

Getting to Chong Lou Minsu
Map: http://www.5657.com.tw/baewan/p04.htm
Public Transport: Take the public bus from Kinmen Shang Yi airport to Jincheng Bus Station金城車站, change to Bus 7 towards Shuitou Village水頭村莊. Alight at Li Gong Suo Zhan 里公所站, turn left and walk 1 minute to the minsu.

Pick-up from airport or car rental (with GPS navigation) can be arranged by the minsu, contact Sister Li via mobile or email for more details. You can ask the minsu to help arrange for sight-seeing activities as well. I would recommend getting a driver/self-drive if you can so as to save travelling time and see more attractions. It’s pretty affordable.

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Photography – Taking Aim

Taken at Kinmen 金门 I thought it was interesting to have a basketball court right in front of a temple – an interesting juxtaposition of Chinese & Western culture :)