Chi-Chia's blog

A hands-on review of Samsung's The Premiere 5 ultra-short-throw laser projector, covering my pre-purchase comparison, image quality impressions, wall-surface issues, hotel use, and USB-C PD power.

A stay at OA Hotel near Wai'ao Beach in Yilan, covering the six-person room, parking, rooftop sea-view bath, Wai'ao Beach, OA Pizza, and breakfast at THE ARCHIPELAGO.

A stay at The Moment Hotel Yilan by Lakeshore inside the Yilan Park of NCFTA, covering the guest room area, parking, room details, the kids' playroom, and the convenience and limits of staying beside the park.

A summer family trip to Fenqihu, Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, and Shizhuo, with a stay at the Chunghwa Telecom Alishan guesthouse, rides on the Alishan Forest Railway, a walk from Zhushan to the Ogasawara Mountain Viewing Platform, the Shuishan Forest Therapy Trail, and a very early drive back to Taipei.

A pre-trip note for Kanazawa, Toyama, and Komatsu covering the Muromachi period: the Kaga shugo Togashi and the Chōkyō uprising of 1488, Rennyo and the Honganji temple network across Kaga and Etchū, the Kanazawa Midō of 1546 and the first documented use of the name Kanazawa, the Jinbō castles at Toyama and Masuyama, and Komatsu's Ataka harbour, Kaga-ware kilns, and Hasadani mountain castle.

A four-day summer family trip from Changhua to Xitou and Sun Link Sea in Nantou, with the DOD PERRY WAGON's first outing, a long walk to the Xitou Astronomical Observatory, firefly watching in the rain, and a carsick ride home.

A spontaneous family stay at Fame Hall Garden Hotel in Longtan, Taoyuan, covering the room, the Toddler's Playroom, dinner at Parents Restaurant, breakfast, fish feeding, and how the hotel felt after another return visit.

A pre-trip note for Kanazawa, Toyama, and Komatsu covering the Kamakura period: the Hokuriku front of the Jōkyū War of 1221 and the Nagoe shugo line, the layers of tradition behind the Ataka barrier and Kanjinchō, Kamakura-period artifacts of Tateyama worship, and Shinran's Jōdo Shinshū in later Hokuriku history.

A pre-trip note for Kanazawa, Toyama, and Komatsu covering the Heian period: the founding of Kaga Province in 823, a governor's working visit recorded in the Tamefusa-kyō-ki, the rise of Hakusan and Tateyama worship, and the 1183 Battle of Kurikara Pass that pushed the Hokuriku road onto the national stage.

A pre-trip note for Kanazawa, Toyama, and Komatsu covering the Nara period: the Etchū provincial capital and Ōtomo no Yakamochi's Man'yō poems, the Tōdai-ji estate maps, Bohai envoys on the Japan Sea coast, and why the written record differs so much across the three areas.

The final day of our Fukuoka family trip: we flew home from Fukuoka Airport, with some closing reflections on traveling with our daughter—how she did with eating and with walking on her own.

Day 4 of our Fukuoka family trip: a private charter day touring the Kyushu Natural Animal Park (African Safari), where we rode the Jungle Bus to feed lions, elephants and camels up close, then visited Lake Kinrin and the old streets of Yufuin in the afternoon.

Day 3 of our Fukuoka family trip: we visited Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, touched the sacred ox and drew a daikichi fortune, tried the famous umegae mochi, then headed back to Tenjin to browse LOFT and enjoy the evening illuminations and German Christmas markets.

Day 2 of our Fukuoka family trip: we took the JR and Shinkansen to Mojiko, strolled the retro station, climbed an observation deck overlooking the Kanmon Strait, visited the Former Moji Customs House and a banana auction, then rode the mini trains at the Kyushu Railway History Museum and had Hakata motsunabe for dinner.

Day 1 of our Fukuoka family trip: we flew Tigerair from Taoyuan to Fukuoka, checked into Mitsui Garden Hotel Fukuoka Nakasu, took our daughter to the Fukuoka Anpanman Children's Museum in Mall, and in the evening visited LaLaport Fukuoka to see the life-sized ν Gundam and shop for warm clothes.

On the final day of our Tokyo family trip, we checked out of Shinagawa Prince Hotel, visited Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa for the dolphin performance, otters, penguins, and jellyfish, then headed from Shinagawa Station to Haneda Airport and flew back to Taiwan after a delayed flight.

On the second-to-last day of our Tokyo family trip, we took the Yamanote Line from Shinagawa to Shibuya, walked through MIYASHITA PARK, had cake at HARBS Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs Store, and ended up seeing the night view from the twelfth floor because SHIBUYA SKY tickets were sold out for the day.

After checking out of Tobu Hotel Levant Tokyo, we took the Sumida River cruise from Asakusa to Hamarikyu Gardens, met friends for dinner in Mita, walked over to Tokyo Tower, and ended the day at Shinagawa Prince Hotel, where the room's age and lingering smell were a letdown.

Getting sick made my progress fall even further behind, so I got up early for work and walked to the office from Daikanyama through the cool, quiet streets. Setting up Flask-OAuthlib went badly all day, lunch was a satisfying steak meal with coworkers, and by afternoon I was still lagging far behind.

After the typhoon passed, Tokyo's sky turned brilliantly blue, but halfway through breakfast a migraine hit and I had no choice but to take the day off and stay in bed. Chills, cold sweats, vomiting, and dizziness came in waves, and even when I briefly got up in the afternoon, I still had no strength and could only worry about my progress before falling asleep again.